Spearwood Academy Volume Four (The Spearwood Academy Book 4) by A.S. Oren

Brother Dearest

    H is obsidian eyes stare into mine. A shiver of fright shakes my spine. I try with all of my might to recall a memory of him from my past, but nothing rises to the surface, not even a memory just out of reach. Is this guy really my brother? Why would Elex and Igraine imprison him? How long has he been in this room?
    He rights his neck and takes several steps toward me. The fire in Elex’s hand’ rises higher into the air. Paden and Maverick step in front of me. Dante, Bullock, Horace, Mirren and Amr form the rest of a protective barrier. They sense it too, the darkness radiating off him in waves like a dense, black smoke.  “You don’t remember me, do you, little sister?”
    “How did you get out? My magic was perfect,” Igraine says, with a shaky voice’ from either fear or anger.
    “You didn’t account for the fact I was still conscious the entire time: eleven years. It gave me a long time to reflect, grow, and evolve.” Through the small gap in-between Maverick and Paden’s almost touching arms, I watch him place his hand on Triton’s shoulder. Triton turns his head to look at the hand. His lip curls, but he does nothing to remove it. Why is he helping this guy?
    “Now, now.” The guy takes the hand touching Triton’s shoulder and pats him on the cheek. “Don’t make such a dirty face. Instantly, Triton’s face goes returns to normal. I frown. Something’s not right. Is Triton being controlled with same sludge-like stuff that Roseman controlled me with? How would this guy be able to control him though? Have they met before?
    The guy moves a strand of pure white hair out of his face. “Where was I? My powers are stronger now, more advanced than you could’ve foreseen. I was able to stay in contact with my servants, and they got me out.”
    “You make yourself sound like some kind of wannabe Voldemort.” I push my way past Maverick and Paden. Maverick grabs my hand. I glance back at him and give him a soft smile, letting him know I’m okay. I leave my hand in his. The warmth brings me comfort.
    The guy frowns. “I have no idea what a Voldemort is.”
    “Avalon, get back in the barrier!” Elex says, stepping in front of me. 
    Maverick pulls on my hand, making me stumble back into him. He leans down next to my ear. “It’s our job to protect you, Lon. Don’t make it harder for us to do.” Soft, warm lips meet with my cheek, before he guides me behind Paden and him again. Hot electricity moves through my body like a runaway train. I touch my cheek. More memories come to the surface, but I can’t see them. It’s like looking through frosted glass. “I love you, Lon.” Maverick’s voice echo’s through my mind. Was that a real memory?
    “It’s enduring how you think someone like you can protect her from someone like me, Dad.”
    “I’m not your dad, I never would’ve conceived something so horrible. You haven’t been my son in years, Aibek.”
    Aibek, so that’s his name! A hand goes to Aibek’s chest. “How your words pierce me, DAD. I thought you’d be proud of me. Mom would’ve been. She would’ve been proud that I was making our kind the top of the food chain again. For centuries, our kind have been acting like humans, even going as far as breeding with them. We aren’t human. We were blessed with by the Sun god for a reason: to rule over them, like we did in the past. And now, with the powers graced upon me by mom, I will rise up and lead us into a new era where we are feared and worshipped like gods, as we should be.”
    “You can’t lead our kind, Aibek. You aren’t our kind.” A ball of fire forms in Elex’s hand and grows to the size of a large globe. He hurls it at Aibek, who doesn’t even flinch. He holds up his hand and the fire goes into his palm, dissipating.
     
    He gives chuckle. “You’re right, Dad. I’m not your kind. I’m so much more: a hybrid, just like little sister and brother.”
    What? What is he talking about? I thought