Rebirth of the Broken Luna A Second Chance at Luna's Heart novel Chapter 160

Chapter 160

OLLIE

“Connected how?” I asked, though part of me already understood, what he meant. He was the kid in my dreams. The one with the scary monster always hurting him and I was the one who kept feeling the pain. I remembered the time my hand was burned with no

explanation. It was him.

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“The magic in the necklace, I think. I’m not really sure because Mama used a lot of things with me to hurt you,” Riley explained.

“It tied us together so that we’d share life force. So that you will give me your life energy when I touch you, but it didn’t work. It only made us share pain and sickness and everything bad. That’s why you’ve been getting sick every time something happens to me. But they’re going to break the connection, which means you’re going to get better.” He said trying to sound upbeat about it, like it was a good news specifically for me. I noticed he didn’t say anything about himself. If he would be better too.

“What about you?” I asked, because Riley sounded so tired and sad, and I was scared about what that meant. I didn’t like when he sounded like this. It seemed like he just wanted to lie down and sleep forever and that was scary.

“I’m feeling so cold and wet,” Riley whispered instead, as I tried to understand what he meant. I felt dry, and we weren’t in any water.

Just a place that was very dark and empty.

“And I’m really tired, Ollie. Sophia wanted me to die, and maybe if I do, she’ll finally love me, I want her to love me for me and not because I did what she wanted me to do, and then she hates me all over again for ruining her life. I’ve been waiting for it to be over, but I was tied to you and couldn’t let go. Now that the connection is going to be broken…”

“No!” I screamed, trying to hold onto Riley tighter, realizing what. this meant. I was the only thing keeping him here, and he couldn’t

cross over because of me.

“Mama, don’t do the magic! Don’t break it! I don’t want Riley to go away!”

“The people outside can’t see or hear us,” Riley said gently, trying to calm me from as he brushed my hair gently from my face and added. “We’re in the in-between. They can’t know we’re talking.”

I was crying so hard I could barely breathe, I didn’t like this one bit. My head was pounding, my body ached everywhere. I didn’t know where I was and I’d just found out that Riley was my twin brother, that we were supposed to be together our whole lives, and now Sophia had done terrible things to him and he was going to die. It wasn’t fair. None of this was fair.

“Daddy should have looked after you better,” I sobbed, holding on tight to him seeking comfort. “He should have protected you from

Sophia.”

But Riley shook his head, and I could feel him trying to comfort me even though he was the one who was hurt. He was putting my

own need first even when he was just my age.

“He did look after me, Ollie. He spent time with me and gave me permission to call him Dad, even though I never wanted to because I

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19:54 Mon, Jan 26

Chapter 160

was too scared. He tried to be good to me.”

“Then why didn’t he save you?”

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“Because I made him miserable and he didn’t know what Sophia planned to do to me. He thinks I’m Sophia’s son and no real mum would hurt their child,” Riley said quietly. ” Besides it’s okay, I took it as my punishment. I came between him and your mama, and I made your family fall apart. This is my punishment for causing so much trouble. Maybe if I go away, everyone will be happy again.”

“That’s not true!” I said, getting angry even through my tears. “You didn’t do anything wrong! Sophia did all the bad things! She stole you and hurt you and made you wear that awful necklace! You’re good, Riley. You’re my brother and you’re good.”

Riley held me closer, and I could feel him crying too. “I wanted to be your brother so badly, Ollie. I saw how much Daddy loved you, and I wished I could have that too. But I didn’t know we really were brothers. I didn’t know Sophia had stolen me from our real family.”

“I wish I had known too,” I whispered. “I would have told Daddy and Mama, and they would have brought you home where you

belong.”

“Maybe in another life,” Riley said softly. “Maybe we’ll get to be real brothers then.”

I felt something changing around us, like the darkness was getting lighter or the air was getting warmer. Riley’s hand in mine felt less

solid, like he was starting to fade away.

“I have to go now,” he said. “But Ollie, I need you to promise me something.”

“Anything,” I said through my tears.

“Promise me you’ll be happy. Promise me you’ll love Mama and Daddy extra hard for both of us. And promise me you won’t be sad about this forever, because I want you to have the good life we both should have had.”

“I promise,” I whispered, even though I didn’t know how I could keep that promise. “But I’ll miss you so much.”

I’ll miss you too,” Riley said. “But I’ll always be your brother, even if we can’t be together. Remember that, okay?”

The light around us was getting brighter, and I could feel Riley slipping away from me like water through my fingers. ‘I love you, Riley, I called out as he faded away.

‘I love you too, Ollie,” his voice came back, fainter and fainter until I couldn’t hear it anymore.

Then I was alone in the light, and somewhere far away, I could hear Mama crying and calling my name.

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