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Chapter 36
“I don’t understand why you’re being so kind to me.” “There are many reasons, Anne. Your mother. Jonathan. Nora.” Natalie’s eyes met with Anne’s. “What I know is that you aren’t who some think you might be, because of your brother.” “All it took was one different decision, and I’d have been him.” Titus slipped silently through the door, hearing Anne’s last words. She wasn’t wrong. It was one of the reasons for the bond, to keep her from ever losing herself, with Titus more able to control the darkness. From the beginning it was obvious. Hence pushing Julian into the fire, for Anne. Natalie, however, might become a problem,…
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Chapter 35
Chapter 34 “This could end without anyone getting hurt, Julian. All you need to do is make the right choice.” “It’s the right choice for you, Titus.” Eyes meeting, Julian shook his head, feeling the determination of the man he shared a body with. “How can I let twelve more people die, when I could finally kill you?” “For that to be possible you also need to kill Anne.” “No, I don’t, because I understand the bond between you better than you ever could. One thing I’m certain of is Father shouldn’t have created it in the first place. Anne was never truly able to make her own choices. Her…
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Chapter 32
Chapter 31 “Let Anne see to Natalie. Natalie has nothing to do with this, and Anne…” “I care very little about Natalie. Anne is staying right where she is.” “Cornelius…” Eyebrow raised, Cornelius shook his head. “You’re really going to pretend, Titus?” Titus looked at Anne, who hadn’t yet moved. “Julian.” “At least you haven’t entirely forgotten me.” “How could I?” “No one else knows anything about my existence, thanks to you.” There was a fury in Julian’s voice which was to be expected. “Cornelius is more interesting than you think, but then it’s not as though you actually care. Only Anne matters.” “You took him to make use of…
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Chapter 30
Chapter 29 “This is going to be much easier if we’re both looking, Anne.” Cornelius sounded more amused than anything. “You’re the one who knows what you need.” Anne breathed in deeply. She wasn’t safe. There was no doubt about that. It was easier to feel how much he’d changed when they were in his home. “Cornelius…” “Please don’t act like you’re scared of me.” All he needed to do was get her further into the basement. If she went over to the other bookcase it would be so much easier. Only she wasn’t herself, and he felt her fear, in a way he’d never been able to before. Something…
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Chapter 25
Chapter 24 “Titus, can we talk?” “I’m not ready.” “You’re never going to be ready.” Anne studied her brother, the way he was looking at the books in front of him, and knew he was planning something. “This is about Mateo.” Even though he didn’t look at her some of the tension dissipated. “What about him?” A thought Titus had, one he believed couldn’t possibly be, linked to Dante to Mateo. Look closely enough, and there were some similarities, especially to Gabriel. Fortunately Anne knew better than to bring him up, although it was Mateo who’d been the reason for the two of them leaving Glimmerbrook. “You never said anything…
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Chapter 16
Chapter 15 Footsteps came down the stairs. Anne wanting to have the conversation early, because she didn’t trust him. Titus kept his eyes on the books in front of him. Working out the right way to word everything wasn’t an easy task, to keep her where she was meant to be, by his side. If it wasn’t for Dante… “Are you ready to talk to me?” “When I said tomorrow I didn’t mean at dawn, little sister.” “This is important. Every day that passes is one closer to the ritual, and that…” She tapped her thumbs. “Putting it off complicates my decision.” “You’re truly going to stay, no matter what…
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Chapter 15
Chapter 14 Titus was on the other side of the door. Anne sat at the end of the bed, waiting for the moment when he finally knocked, because he would. He’d want to know where she was, what she was doing, who she was with – and there was no doubt he’d assume she was with Dante. Lives had passed before when they’d had issues, but they’d always worked through them. It would be the same this time, and yet, as Titus stood there, there was this niggling doubt. “Anne, can we talk?” “Now?” “I know I haven’t reacted well, and it’s important we deal with it now.” “Fine. If…
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Chapter 12
Chapter 11 “Explain to me why you never told me you knew Dante. When did you meet?” “From the first time you mentioned him it was obvious your plan was to use him in the ritual. How could I talk to you about any of this?” “Anne…” “I know what I feel doesn’t matter to you. It never has.” “Of course it matters.” “Don’t lie to me. I’m not a fool, Titus. You want me to keep my distance, because Dante is new magic. He’s not good enough for a Lockwood.” “No, he’s not, and I thought you’d make better choices. Seeing you with him…” “He’s my soulmate.” “Dante is…
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Chapter 11
Chapter 10 Dante’s house was close, and Anne stood on the path leading up to it, looking at the door. If she knocked she’d be making a choice, one Titus definitely wouldn’t agree with, and potentially leading to her brother either killing or cursing Dante. Or both. It depended on his mood. If she didn’t knock it wasn’t going to change the fact there was something between her and Dante. Other lives she’d have walked away, but as Anne stood there she knew she wasn’t the same person. At home the weight of the darkness dragged her down, and away from it… There was no changing the choices she’d made…
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Chapter 10
Chapter 9 “We may have a problem.” “Dante?” Cornelius breathed in deeply. “I went to talk to him about the ritual, and he does know more than he should.” “He’s a Seer. It’s to be expected. You knew this when you brought him here, Cornelius, and I thought you understood what it meant.” “As he can’t See you…” “There’s enough he can See.” “Yes, and he said after the ritual there won’t be a Council.” “From the beginning you knew what would happen.” “Obviously I didn’t want to tell him that, Titus. I thought it would cause more problems. We need…” “We?” “Between the two of us…” “Cornelius, you were…