"Little brother," the woman began while her eyes swept him from head to toe without hiding her judgment. "How have you been?"
There was not a single shred of warmth.
Kaiden just stared back.
She clicked her tongue dramatically. "Aww, come on! Your big sis will tear up if you treat her like this…" she whined, even lifting a hand to her eye as if preparing to shed a tear on command.
Fake.
Every bit of it.
Predictably, the twins stepped up with anger flashing in their eyes, hot and stupid.
"Don't be rude, you fucker!" one snapped.
"Yeah, show proper respect!" the other added, puffing his chest as if that helped.
Kaiden closed his eyes.
Deep breath.
Opened them again.
Selena.
Cassian.
Calix.
His older sister and his two younger brothers.
All three were absolute pieces of work.
Spitting images of their father, Magnus, in all the worst ways.
The Ashborn mansion had never been a serene place.
Not before the mana apocalypse, nor once it hit.
