Page 14 of This Blood That Breaks Us

“You didn’t miss me?” Her lips curled into a curious smile.

“No. And I’d appreciate it if you kept your hands off me and my brother. We’re here like you wanted. It’s not a fucking petting zoo.”

Sirius growled. “Careful how you speak to Her.”

She retreated to the chair carved out of gray and white marble. The cathedral appeared bigger on the inside with pillars that arched up to the ceiling. All the windows were colored glass, and there were dark wood pews near the back.

“I suspect you’re both exhausted from the journey and the changes. You’ll want to settle in and get your feet set. No need to worry about being separated. You may go wherever you like and stay with each other whenever you please. I want to make this a pleasant experience for all involved.”

“That’s comical.” Zach scoffed.

“I wish to start anew. We’re to build our family. I’ve waited years for this moment. What can I offer that will earn me your trust?”

“A fucking time machine maybe.”

“Our brothers . . . What happens to them?” I asked.

In the forest, they’d tried to grab us all, which meant they had a plan for them. My little brothers believed Akira’s words about the prophecy, but I hadn’t accepted it. I wouldn’t.

“I see you wish to keep them hidden. I’m not concerned with bringing them here if it makes you unhappy,” She said.

“That’s not good enough. We need answers,” Zach said. “We know about the prophecy.”

“When the dark sun descends, a new era begins. The celestial dance may spell doom for your throne. Twins of Gemini will usher in the new Guard. To four, every knee shall bend. In shadow’s haze, power ascends. Those who dream of your demise shall kneel in gloom’s embrace. And chaos descends in all fates.”

She recited the words like a well-rehearsed play.

“I wasn’t expecting to dream of you two, but not soon after we lost Eros—a treasured member of The Guard, I closed my eyes and felt you. So many years away, calling to me. The Divine spoke and gave me word of your arrival. I was told you’d arrive under the light of a full moon. You were sent to me to complete the bond that was broken. So we can be a family again. And when I met your brothers, I felt that bond running through their blood. You are mine. And they are yours. They belong to all of us. However, if it is your wish to let them be separate from us, I will respect it.”

“All of this so we can be together?”

“Bonds are the most important thing in this world. Only people with real power have them. To navigate this world, wemust forge together the broken souls into something greater. A family where we can all be together for eternity. We do not grow old. We do not die.”

Sirius and Ezra walked to stand beside Her. I wondered about that bond. The other two Guard members were absent.

“What’s the point in forming a Guard and creating a family here?”

“Why does anyone form a family? For connection. For protection. For love. The Divine flows through me, and with that connection, I bring in those who were lost. And they need leaders, people like you.”

Zach pinched the bridge of his nose but didn’t protest. I didn’t either. What could I say to that? How could I argue with fate? And as long as my little brothers were kept out of it, I might be able to accept it.

“Now, as for The Legion—”

“I’ll take accountability for them.” I interrupted.

The room stirred, and the candles next to Her marble chair flickered.

“You can’t kill them.”

“You want me to spare them?” Her eyes were soft, but Her perfect lips turned to a frown.

“Yes.”

“Their fate was already decided by The Guard. We bleed them out on the lawn at dawn. For Eros.” Sirius scowled at me.

I couldn’t blame him. If the Legion killed his brother, I could understand that pain. I didn’t believe in revenge, but for my brothers, I might.

“Sirius is right. The Legion knows too much already. Holding on to them will do nothing but cause more trouble for us all. Someone must pay for Eros’s death.”