“I can’t let you waste it.”
“Waste it? My brother’s life is a waste?”
“It has to be used to take down the Ladon Vitae. They have to
be stopped. They have to pay. Charles won’t do that. I’m sorry, but
I won’t let him take this.”
“Who says it’s your choice?” Thom moved to grab Arthur’s
collar, but Arthur was faster, ducking under Thom’s arm and
bringing his fist up into Thom’s stomach. The air left his lungs in
a painful whoosh.
“It has to be me.” Arthur walked past Thom toward Mary,
whose face was alight with a beatific joy.
“No,” Thom growled, grabbing Arthur’s arm and throwing
him to the ground. Arthur’s face bounced off of the sharp rocks
there, a crescent cut over his eye already beginning to bleed freely.
“I’m sorry,” Arthur whispered, then kicked out at Thom’s
knee. Lights exploded in Thom’s vision as the pain burst through
his body.
Chicago,
26 Days Ago
twenty-four
T
homas!” Cora cried, dropping to the ground next to him.
Thomas clutched his knee in agony. He wouldn’t be able
to walk, not on his own.
And he wouldn’t be able to stop Arthur.
Mary’s hungry look was tinged with sadness as she watched
them all.
“Give it to me,” Arthur said, standing up and wiping his eye-
brow free of the blood that was stinging his eye.
“Arthur, no.” Minnie put herself between Arthur and Mary,