Infinity Reaper by Adam Silvera (best new books to read txt) 📗

whenever I saw someone who bore the slightest resemblance to him. His face has haunted me, and I’m wearing it now to lie for him like I have my entire life.

“That power is remarkable,” the Senator says. “Don’t disappoint me.”

“Not sure that’s possible,” I say as I leave, followed by Bishop.

I pass Grandpa’s statue, wishing he’d been a better human being instead of the gleamphobic piece of shit who raised another one. Flashing cameras greet us at the gate. The last time the media swarmed to the manor like this was after the Blackout when the Senator was grieving me. They’re back for another lie.

Roslyn silences all the reporters and photographers.

I open the speech, a full page handwritten by the Senator. Interesting how he can find the time to write up these lies in minutes but can only spare a sentence for my birthday cards, if that. There’s so much suspense in the air as everyone waits for me to speak.

I’m silent as I quickly read through the speech.

It opens with grief for the bodyguards who were killed by Emil and Brighton.

Lie.

How the Spell Walkers want to assassinate him.

Lie.

How resurrection in humans is real with phoenix blood.

Fact.

How he is responsible for the capture of Luna Marnette.

Fact omitting the greater truth.

How all vigilante groups are uniting to become invincible.

Lie.

How Emil Rey is the latest incarnation of Keon Máximo and Bautista de León.

Fact.

How the Senator is the true hero this country needs.

Lie.

I look up at everyone with genuine tears in my eyes, knowing what has to happen next. The Senator must be stopped. It’s frightening how quickly he’s adapted to tonight’s events. He wrote all of this before he even detained Luna. In the time we’ve been back, he plotted a whole betrayal to try and save face.

This might be the last time I’m let out of my cage.

I rip up the script with a pounding heart. “You’re all being lied to! The Blackout was orchestrated by—”

A spell bangs through the air.

There are screams in the crowd, but I can’t see where anyone is going. I’m on the floor with blood spilling out of my stomach and gray light washing over me to show the world my true face.

One last time.

Fifty-NineFury

EMIL

Senator Iron has been shot on live TV.

I’m horrified while standing beside my mother, and her hand squeezes mine. No matter how much we don’t mess with this guy, especially after everything he put Ma through, this isn’t how justice is supposed to go down. Brighton and Prudencia are staring at the screen in shock as pandemonium erupts outside Iron’s front gate—the one we escaped through hours ago. Even bloodthirsty Maribelle looks away.

“Not good,” Wesley says as Ruth steps away from the video streaming on his phone.

The cameraperson still has eyes on Iron on the ground as others run away. First I think someone is flashing a light on him, but I know that gray glow. My eyes immediately water. I might throw up.

“NESS!”

The real Iron hobbles past the gate, and he has a black eye. Did Ness fight back? Iron is breaking down in tears as he calls for help and presses down on Ness’s wound.

“HE’S A LIAR!”

The news teams are hovering all over them as if it’s more important to cover this groundbreaking story of Ness being alive all along and impersonating his father instead of getting him medical attention. Someone tried to kill him and these vultures can’t even give him some damn dignity.

This was probably Iron’s doing. He’s punishing Ness for helping me.

Punished.

I step back, and Prudencia stops me from accidentally knocking over the cauldron with the Starstifler.

I’m blazing hot thinking about how much Ness deserved a better father, someone who loves him so much that he couldn’t possibly be a suspect in his attack. Gold and gray flames burst around me as if I can protect Ness. I might burn down the Sanctuary’s lab. Everyone’s telling me to breathe, but I can’t control myself.

Brighton braves my fire and wraps his arms around me, shouting as he drags me toward the wall with swift-speed. Before we collide, we phase right through, out into the courtyard.

“Go for it!” Brighton yells as he crouches in pain.

It takes me a sec to figure out what he’s telling me to do.

I give in to my fury and shout at the night sky, hurling fire-orb after fire-orb toward the stars until it looks like a gold and gray meteor storm shooting over the river. I’ve disturbed some sleeping phoenixes, even scared some into flight. I exhaust myself and collapse to my knees, and Brighton wraps his arms around me and tells me to breathe over and over long enough that I finally listen to him. I cry against my brother’s chest, hating this life that forces me to grieve Ness again.

SixtyUnmasked

NESS

First there’s darkness, then the smell of salt water, then extraordinary pain.

For a beat, I wonder if someone has stolen an organ before remembering what happened outside the manor. I’ve been hit by a lot of spells during my time as a Blood Caster. Most have blasted me across the room, or at worst, stunned me. This one tore through me. I thought I was going to bleed out.

I try touching my wound, but my arms are bound.

I open my eyes, and the light hurts even though it’s not that bright. I’m strapped into a stretcher. Someone is taking me to Gleam Care. I turn my neck to find the Senator watching me. He has a black eye and a cut lip. There are life jackets above his head. I’m not on my way to receive medical attention. I’m back on the same boat where we first reunited.

The destination is obvious.

“You tried to make a fool out of me,” the Senator says. “Thankfully Jax has impeccable aim.”

“He didn’t kill me,” I say, my throat raw.

“You weren’t useful to me dead. This time. The country already saw me grieve you. What they needed this time was to watch me condemn