Page 106

I felt the power gather in my body, starting at my feet, running like electricity through my legs. It rippled like water across my torso, then arms, sweeping into my face. Swirling behind my eyes.

I could feel my irises glowing. The dark world around me sparkling with light I hadn’t been able to see before. My power illuminating hidden daylight beneath the overcast sky.

I felt infinite. Like my body had no beginning or end. It only had magic.

Tethered to the earth around me, I absorbed all the light it could give me.

Adrian raised his blades to slice down onto Leo’s neck, but I threw my hands out toward him before he could, blinding white light hitting his chest where his raised arms exposed him.

He flew backward, but I didn’t give him time to land. I zeroed in on his trajectory, launching myself at him. The power rippling from my feet and legs giving me a boost.

I met him in the air, wrapping his neck with a light so bright I had to turn my head away from him.

When he met the ground, I landed on top of him. My body pinning his down to the ground. The two of us no longer on Earth Ten. Instead, we were sprawled out in a bed of lavender. A soft purple haze surrounding us.

“Bryn,” Adrian whispered, bringing his hand to my face. His demeanor was stern, but the violence that was in his eyes moments before was gone.

He sat up so I was straddling him, his hands bringing mine to rest between us.

The soft glow of my magic pulsed just beneath the surface of my palms.

Adrian’s palms gently rested underneath my own.

“You did it,” he smiled, looking at me with pride. “You got your daylight back.”

I smiled, too.

He was right.

I had done it.

I could feel the sun shining within me.

Did this mean I had passed the test?

I looked around but nothing was happening. “Adrian, what happens now?”

A heavy weight appeared in our hands making us look down at the same time, to the gun that rested there.

“No.” I shook my head, my eyes searching his face for a sign this wasn’t what needed to be done. “I can’t do it,” I cried.

He nodded, his own eyes growing wet.

He took the weapon, and for a moment I thought he might kill me instead. But he turned the gun around, digging the barrel into his chest.

“Hey . . . look at me,” he whispered.

I hadn’t realized I’d looked away.

I couldn’t bear this.

“This is your second test, Bryn. To rid the world of evil. To choose between right and wrong.” He tightened my hands on the gun. “You know what you need to do. You need to pull the trigger.”

“No,” I sobbed. This wasn’t right.

Adrian grabbed my face, his madness back. “Pull the fucking trigger, Bryn, or I swear I’ll kill everyone you fucking love.”

Leo flashed in my mind.