The Dark Twin|1|✔️

iii.

Atlas

We walk out of the cellar.

Hope says, "Didn't anyone ever tell you smoking's bad for you?"

I smirk. "I know. Quitting's hard."

She raises her hand. "Scutum."

Rafael comes stumbling out and throws a rock.

"Took you long enough," I say.

He shrugs. "Sorry, I couldn't find a rock."

Hope gives him an unimpressed look. "There's literally a lair full of heavy objects."

I pull the knife from my belt and toss it. "Hope—alley-oop."

Later, Raf hands me the knife. "Promise kept."

Ric walks up, eyes scanning us. "You three all right?"

I nod, looking at the body. "Let's give her a proper burial. See if you can find a shovel."

I stay with the body. But as I kneel down, her limbs twitch.

My eyes narrow. "Um... Hope!"

She and the others come running. Ric catches the situation instantly.

"You guys go! Get to the car and get out of here!"

The two new boys hesitate. "What about you?"

Hope steps forward, voice steady. "I have an idea."

I glance at her. "What?"

"She wants this," she says. "She's going to be back."

I nod, jaw clenched. "All right. You two—go to the car. We'll meet you there. Go."

I turn to my twin. "You wake up with a death wish today?"

"Something like that."

She looks at Ric. "It's coming back. Now what?"

"You should take cover," I mutter.

Ric shakes his head. "Like hell."

I glare at him. "Then tell me how I'm supposed to explain to your daughters that all that's left of you is hot ash?"

He sighs. "The dad card? That's a low blow. All right."

Hope turns to me. Her voice is soft. "I'm sorry, brother."

I don't even get to reply.

A burning heat floods my body. Ash creeps under my skin. My lungs seize. I realize what she's doing—

"Anima marcam. Iskoristi vuka."

Then I hear her continue:

"Tenebris anima vestra contundito mortem. Et conteret spiritum. Frange vitam. Nolite corde. Ut sub terra esse, ad tenebras usque in sempiternum..."