“How…” I try to think of a delicate way to word my question, but there isn’t one. “How do they kill each other?”
Rune takes a breath, and he’s either trying to remember how it works or searching for an answer that won’t make me cringe. Again, no such answer exists.
“By either ripping off the other’s head or taking out the other’s heart.”
Perfect.
Any sense of calm I had disappears right away as my mind starts reeling for another option beyond the fight. I’m not sure how long I have before the duel begins, but hopefully--
Too late.
Without any warning, Darius and Emerus leap at each other, colliding in mid-air with their arms outstretched and their teeth bared. Each prince grips the other’s arms, digging fingers into strong flesh as they fall back to the stone floor below.
Emerus is the first to strike, throwing an elbow into Darius’ sternum that knocks him back a few steps. As he stumbles, Emerus follows up with a swift kick to the thigh, dropping his brother to the ground. When Emerus makes to kick again, Darius swiftly recovers and catches his brother’s leg, twisting and violently forcing Emerus to jump and spin as the only way to keep the bone from breaking.
I’m watching every MMA fan’s wet dream and hating every second of it.
Darius pounces on his brother, but Emerus catches him with his feet and throws him back with his strong thighs. The two both stand slowly, squaring off for another round. This time Darius goes on the offensive, feigning a punch and then catching his brother with a roundhouse kick to the shoulder. The blow throws Emerus off balance but doesn’t bring him to the ground.
“Your legs seem weak, brother,” Emerus says with a slight smile. “Not as forceful as when you were young.”
Darius smiles back, and it’s just so unbelievable to me that they’re poking fun when one of them is about to die.
“I’ve been on the run for weeks,” Darius says. “Fear not, I’ll get my second wind.”
Just as he finishes the word “wind,” Darius propels himself like a torpedo, feet first and somehow spinning through the air. It’s a move I’ve probably seen in a video game. You know, where physics don’t matter.
His feet connect with Emerus’ stomach, and while the younger brother tries to grab hold of the weaponized legs, there’s too much torque. He falls back and Darius lands on top of him, pinning his arms to the ground with his knees. Emerus grimaces under the weight while trying to kick free, but Darius holds strong.
As Darius lifts his hands to his brother’s throat, I try to get inside his mind. I don’t have anything to say, but I want to listen in. I need to know what could possibly be going through a person’s head in a moment like this.
It’s a confusing jumble inside Darius’ mind, and I think I hear fragments of thoughts from Emerus as well. I’m sure the connection is strong between these siblings.
Ask for mercy, I hear Darius say. I can’t make out a response, but it’s clear from looking at him that Emerus doesn’t plan to concede.
Darius digs his fingers into the skin around Emerus’ neck, and the possibility of a gruesome murder becomes very apparent.
Please.
Darius asks again, but Emerus only kicks harder. Blood now drips from the younger brother’s throat and the elder’s grip tightens.
I honestly don’t know if Darius has the heart to kill his brother, and the hesitation suggests he wouldn’t do it, but I’m not willing to find out. I’ve found a better way. At least I think I have.
“Stand guard,” I say to Zev and Rune, handing Rain to the fae. “I’m not sure how the vampires are going to react to this.”
“React to what--”
“Éget!”
Before Zev can ask his question, my wand is up and shooting fire at Darius. Flames lick all around his naked back as he dives to the ground, trying to smother the blaze.
As soon as he’s off his battered brother, I take aim and say “menő,” extinguishing the fire. Darius lies still as steam rises around him. He and Emerus sprawl out on the ground, both looking worse for wear.
What are you doing? Darius says in my mind, clearly still in agony from the burn.
Trying another way, I answer.
I walk forward, coming to a stop between the brothers, turning in a circle to look at all of the vampires. None of them makes a move toward me, but it feels like that could change in an instant. Zev and Rune quickly follow, standing at my sides in case some shit goes down.
“This won’t save you,” I say to the crowd. “Losing one of your leaders isn’t how you gain a king. If Emerus got his goddamn head ripped off, would that make you swear allegiance to Darius?”
I was hoping for a more responsive crowd, maybe someone to throw out an Amen, but all I get is stone-faced silence. I guess I’ll keep going.
“Darius’ blood runs in my veins. Our minds and bodies are bound, and I feel the reverence he has for this kingdom. But I’ve watched you tear each other apart, giving in to your bloodlust even as Vaemor crumbles and war wages on without an end in sight. You’re so blinded by a tradition of violence that you’ve lost sight of the real enemy. It’s not Darius. It’s certainly not Emerus.”
Emerus has slowly pushed himself up to one knee. He still looks pretty roughed up, but he’s on the road to recovery. Darius is also sitting upright now and only a little bit of smoke billows off his burnt back. I’ll have to remember to apologize for that later, and maybe send Rune to find some aloe. I take a breath and look back to the crowd, hoping to deliver a strong finale.
“Your enemy has never been the witches, it has never been the fae, it has never been the wolves. Until a few weeks ago, your only adversary was the prophecy. But now you have a real problem. Now there’s a deranged man with a fleet of dragons and a massive army. He destroyed your city, killed your king, and he’ll be back to take more of your lives if you don’t do something about it.”
No one speaks, so it’s time to make the final pitch, and then my idea has run its course.
“We’re going to stop him. If it’s going to work, we need your help. All of your help. Darius, and Emerus. If that means lighting you all on fire so you stop fighting each other, then that’s what I’ll do.”
I raise my wand, now aimed at Emerus.
“So what’s it gonna be?”
Chapter Seven
The tension is thick in the Pit as Emerus weighs his options, and I fake full confidence in my ability to follow through on my big speech.
I mean, I’ll definitely unleash my wand powers on anyone who tries to kill me, Rain, or any of the guys. Whether we would survive the after-effects of that is less certain.
Still. I wait. Wand held high.
And if there’s a trace of nerves making my hand shake, well… I try to ignore it and hope everyone else will too.
“You’re playing with fire,” Emerus says, his eyes narrowing at me.
My lips twitch and I can’t help but channel a little AJ ‘tude with this guy as I hold out a hand and let fire dance on my palm. “Haven’t you heard? I am the fire.”
Tread carefully, Darius says in my mind. My brother is not one to trifle with.