Page 43 of Lunar Diamonds (Celestial Magic #1)

DRAKE

I found the real Erin Lovell an hour later, tied up and gagged in the wine cellar.

“He told me he wasn’t done with me yet,” she’d said, shaking with a cup of sweet tea. She was unhurt, but terrified.

Jonathon launched his attack on her while we were facing the shadow witches on the beach. He locked her in the cellar, then wore her face.

Ollie consoled her, taking her to her room shortly after, staying with her.

We’d found Jonathon’s diaries in an undiscovered hidden room on the basement level, complete with secret entrance and tunnel to the beach. He’d been using potions to hide his shadow magic, the trace of celestial power in him confusing the protection spell. He said so himself, writing two pages worth of self-praise at tricking us.

“Right under my nose,” Erin had said with quiet fury. “That bastard.”

Ollie and the Brambles sealed the tunnel and the room with a plan to add further protections over the next few days.

I’d missed him, too. Not once did my power give a read of the former Moon lurking in the mansion. So close to all of us, so close to Riley.

My teeth wouldn’t stop grinding, my anger on a permanent boil.

If he’d succeeded in taking Riley’s power, I… I…

I’d never forgive myself.

Erin had been right about Jonathon’s vanity. He loved writing about himself. There were notebooks filled with details of people he’d killed outside of Coldharbour, as well as a family in the city six months ago.

He wrote about the ritual to transfer power from Riley to him, and how he’d be seen as the world’s golden boy again afterwards.

There was no mention of the blue orb.

One paragraph drove guilt into me like an iron stake. It said that the soul bond between Riley and I had weakened Riley, making the ritual possible. Up until then, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to make it work.

Guilt chewed on my soul harder than ever. If it weren’t for me, Riley wouldn’t have come so close to death.

Our bond had broken because I’d been so close to dying. I’d felt it snap, dissolving into the ether. It left behind a stitch under my ribs. Faint but constant.

You’re free of me now…

We’d tested it to be sure.

“That didn’t last long,” was all Riley said before hugging me.

My heart fractured from the decision I had to make.

Riley and Isaac were going through a lot. The entire mansion was. And I sat with them all, listening, supporting, all the while struggling to continue with life here.

You’re free now, Riley Aurora.

And so was I.

Not from my feelings. They were sharper than ever, in full focus for The Moon. I wanted him so badly, to see where we could take our fast-burning relationship. To hold him again and again and again.

But I’d put him at risk by manipulating him into saving me from Rhianna.

How could I be in his life when I’d brought so much shit into it?

That’s what useless trash does…

Sat at the desk in my room, I tapped the end of a pen on the piece of paper, listening to the waves. Procrastinating at these agonizing crossroads.

Shit.