Page 134 of Solar Shadows

The two witches lifted their arms and called, “In the name of Tony Gilbert, we welcome you.”

And just like that, a new player arrived on the gameboard. Tony had declared war on House Aurora and the High Coven, made new magic, and put himself in House Kingwood’s firing line too. Marcus wouldn’t like the fact that Tony was gunning for the top spot of the most wanted fuckhead list.

I stared at him, his eyes feeling as if they were penetrating me through the screen.

I’ll fucking kill you…

I didn’t know how to feel or what to do, other than ponder running outside into the rain and screaming bloody murder into the night sky.

Aaron darted into the room. “Pissing hell!”

“What is it?” Jake asked first.

“It’s Preston. He’s at the gates.”

Chapter 46

ISAAC

We ran to the gates, soaked within minutes. My heart skipped too many beats, eyes hot and confused.

Preston was here. Preston was here alone, according to the witchcops. But they wouldn’t let him pass, every gun and spell at the ready to fuck him up if he so much as twitched wrong.

What was he doing here? How did he get away from the Kingwoods?

And where was Daniel?

It would be okay. Tony was right about something—things were about to change. We’d get him inside and steer this ship in a better direction.

Our brother’s home…

Riley and I arrived at the gates first.

Our youngest brother shivered under the floodlights, a target in a circle of witchcops. They’d dragged him here from the bottom of Aurora Lanewhere a heavy checkpoint sat, treating him like a threat but with a bit of leeway on account of who he was.

Shit. Were the Kingwoods about to storm the gates?

Don’t tempt fate, prick!

“He’s soaked,” I said, grabbing the bars. “We have to let him inside.”

Shaking, Preston glanced between us, his lips turning blue to match his eyes.

Our brother with the platinum-blond hair, a complexion like Riley’s, right there, about to be part of us at last.

“This is too much!” Riley complained. “It’s freezing and he’s?—”

“I’m not him,” The Star spoke, his voice deep and Welsh, his adopted family a pack of werewolves in Llandrindod Wells, Wales.

“What?” I pressed my face to the cold, wet metal. “What did you say?”

“I’m not him and he’s not here. The Star… The Star isn’t here. Not in me, not in the city, not anywhere. I’m not all of him, only part of him.”

I looked to Riley, dumbfounded, then returned my attention to our littlest brother. “What do you mean?”

My scalp prickled, more dread forming in my belly.

“Not here. I’m not here. I’m not here.” Preston’s eyes rolled back and he collapsed to the ground. As still as death, making my blood run cold. It bothfreaked me out and plunged me into a vat of numbness.