NESS
I’m awaiting my punishment in the panic room.
The gleam-shield is humming. It’s ridiculous that Jax turned it on when locking me in here as if I can shift into some insect and escape through the tiny vents. No one is using their gleam to get through this barrier. That’s the point.
It’s been almost an hour since Luna and the Senator started speaking, and they must be planning something awful for me. What could be worse than posing as Sunstar and tanking her chances at the election? For me, it would be anything that hurts Emil. I’m sure it would be great if they could get some footage of me posing as Emil and physically assaulting the camera. I’ll die before I do that.
I’m bracing myself for that reality.
I snap up from the couch at the sound of the many footsteps coming down the stairs. Through the door’s window I see the Senator and Bishop leading the charge, followed by Jax and Zenon, and then Luna with Dione and June at her side.
The Senator’s appearance isn’t as manicured as usual. He’s abandoned his glasses and jacket, loosened his tie, undone his top button, and rolled up his sleeves like he’s been doing some manual labor for once in his life. He turns off the gleam-shield and opens the door. “Eventful evening. I’ve seen tremendous, threatening powers in my life, but nothing as terrifying as resurrection.”
“The dead should stay dead,” Bishop says, looking at me.
“You’ve never known true loss, then,” Luna says.
The Senator holds up his hand to silence them. “Resurrection is the greatest danger to our world, and the American people must understand what’s at stake with Election Day approaching. There are numerous reporters outside our gates wanting a word about the invasion in our home, and you will have the great honor of delivering this news, Eduardo.”
“But they think I’m dead,” I say.
“That’s why you’ll be delivering the speech as me,” he says as he withdraws a folded sheet of paper from his pocket.
I step out of the panic room and take it. “This is a horrible idea. The general public doesn’t even know resurrection is possible. You’re better off keeping this quiet.”
The Senator steps into the panic room. “Stop putting your hormones before your country, Eduardo. It’s embarrassing for me as a father and a politician. I will not allow us to become more vulnerable to those who already outpower us. Do you want our soldiers going into war against enemies who can come back to life on the battlefield? This country needs to take a stand now against those who will allow this imbalance to come to pass. This includes the Spell Walkers, the Blood Casters, and every last alchemist who can build this army against us.”
He nods at his team, and it all happens so suddenly.
Bishop shoves Luna into the panic room, and she falls flat on the floor. He slams the door closed. Zenon quickly turns on the gleam-shield as June races for Luna, and when she collides into it, she’s blasted across the room and phases through the wall. Dione runs at the Senator while growing an extra set of arms, only for Jax to telekinetically snap her legs, bones puncturing as she falls. I’m tempted to run, but Dione’s screams are enough of a warning.
Zenon’s eyes glow. “June is returning.”
“From where?” Jax asks.
The top half of June’s body ascends from the floor, and she grabs Dione before they both sink away like the concrete is quicksand.
“They’re teleporting,” Zenon says. “I’ll stay alert.”
“We caught the big fish already,” Bishop says.
The Senator pushes me up the stairs with everyone following as Luna screams my name as if I can, or would, help her. “That alliance is over,” he says. “I’m giving you one last chance to maintain ours.”
“Screw that. Go give your own speech.”
“If your friends were bold enough to break into my home, I wouldn’t put it past them to attempt an assassination.”
I don’t even have to ask him if he’s willing to let me die in his place. He already tried to have me killed for his future.
“The press is waiting,” the Senator says. “Read every single word as I have written it.”
“Or what?”
“You haven’t come this far to die now, have you?”
He makes it impossible to think of him as my father when he threatens me like this.
Gray light.
I transform into the Senator once again, mirroring his loosened tie and rolled sleeves. He studies me. Does he know his face as well as he thinks he does? I know it really well from all the times he was up in mine yelling at me to be better, to give him space to work when I wanted him to spend time with me. There were some evenings during my Blood Caster days when I was on edge whenever I saw someone who bore the slightest resemblance to him. His face has haunted me, and I’m wearing it now to lie for him like I have my entire life.
“That power is remarkable,” the Senator says. “Don’t disappoint me.”
“Not sure that’s possible,” I say as I leave, followed by Bishop.
I pass Grandpa’s statue, wishing he’d been a better human being instead of the gleamphobic piece of shit who raised another one. Flashing cameras greet us at the gate. The last time the media swarmed to the manor like this was after the Blackout when the Senator was grieving me. They’re back for another lie.
Roslyn silences all the reporters and photographers.
I open the speech, a full page handwritten by the Senator. Interesting how he can find the time to write up these lies in minutes but can only spare a sentence for my birthday cards, if that. There’s so much suspense in the air as everyone waits for me to speak.
I’m silent as I quickly read through the speech.
It opens with grief for the bodyguards who were killed by Emil and Brighton.
Lie.
How the Spell Walkers want to assassinate him.
Lie.
How resurrection in humans is real with phoenix blood.
Fact.
How he is responsible for the capture of Luna Marnette.
Fact omitting the greater truth.
How all vigilante groups are uniting to become invincible.
Lie.
How Emil Rey is the latest incarnation of Keon Máximo and Bautista de León.
Fact.
How the Senator is the true hero this country needs.
Lie.
I look up at everyone with genuine tears in my eyes, knowing what has to happen next. The Senator must be stopped. It’s frightening how quickly he’s adapted to tonight’s events. He wrote all of this before he even detained Luna. In the time we’ve been back, he plotted a whole betrayal to try and save face.
This might be the last time I’m let out of my cage.
I rip up the script with a pounding heart. “You’re all being lied to! The Blackout was orchestrated by—”
A spell bangs through the air.
There are screams in the crowd, but I can’t see where anyone is going. I’m on the floor with blood spilling out of my stomach and gray light washing over me to show the world my true face.
One last time.