Page 112 of Serpent and Shadow

Bones appeared next to Sirena then, and I forgot the light.

“Leave it,” he growled.

Sirena stared up at him coldly. From her expression, she was caught between surprise, bewilderment, and fury. More than anything, she seemed shocked he’d dared to interfere. She also looked just the smallest bit wary, even cautious.

Her voice reflected that last thing the most.

“Your father tasked me with ensuring his transport––” she began shortly.

“I’m relieving you of that burden,” Bones growled.

He no longer wore the suit I’d seen on him earlier that day.

He wore all black, something that looked like a uniform but wasn’t, with the same cloak and hood as the rest of them. Unlike most of them, his hood was down, the fabric fallen, forgotten, to his shoulders. Smoke darkened part of his hair and I saw what looked like blood and bruises on his hands, glinting in the light alongside his gold rings.

He looked tired, and drained somehow. His skin looked nearly translucent in that odd, blue-white light. He glared at the much shorter witch, his gold eyes still glowing erratically from expending his magic.

“He’s mine,” Bones growled. “Understand me?”

“Arrogant little runt. You think I’ll disobey orders, just because––”

“I think you’ll do whatever the fuck I say,” Bones growled back. “I think you’ll do it because you’ve always had strong survival instincts, Sirena… and because none of this goes against Dark Cathedral, or my father, and you know it.”

His gold eyes turned a few shades colder.

“I can kill you, Sirena,” he enunciated thickly. “If you doubt me, then by all means, continue to stand in my way… sister.”

The two of them stared at one another for a few seconds more.

Sirena ended up being the one to look away.

She folded her arms, still shaking her hand like it had been stung.

“Fine,” she said with equally cold irritation. “Take your little toy, whelp. Play with it while you can. You can answer to your father later when I tell him. I’m sure he’ll find it quite amusing, this sudden display of protectiveness after you refused his offer earlier.”

Bones had already dismissed her.

His eyes shifted around at the crowd of robed witches and wizards standing around them. He glared at all of them, as if emphasizing the point, and the faces I saw staring at him looked uneasy. A few even looked openly fearful of him.

“He’s mine,” he growled again. “Anyone else wish to argue my claim?”

Silence greeted his words.

Bones glared at them a few seconds longer, long enough for eyes to avert, feet to shift.

Once he seemed satisfied he’d gotten his point across, Bones disappeared into the closet.

When he reappeared in the doorway, a few seconds later, I couldn’t help but suck in a breath. He held a limp form in his arms, with closed eyes. It was dark, but there was no mistaking the mess of black hair, or the delicate features.

Arcturus.

I could only stand there, staring, my breath caught in my throat as I watched Bones carry my brother’s limp, unconscious body through the crowd. He pushed robed witches and wizards aside with his shoulders and elbows as he made his way back in the direction of the door, protecting Arcturus in the cage of his black-clad arms.

24

The Undoer

“Did you see this?”