My brother is on his knees. I kick him in the rib cage again. His head slumps to his chest and his shoulders heave.
What a pathetic excuse for a twin.
He lifts his head. “What did you do to her?”
I pace to and fro across the living area, keeping one hand on my weapon’s hilt at all times. “That is none of your concern.”
“Give it up, David.” He spits to one side. “Do you honestly want her this way? Confused? Forced to be with you because she knows of no other option?”
“There is no other option.”
“You’ve fooled yourself.” He hangs his head once more.
“No, brother, it is you who has been fooled into believing her love for you is true.”
His head snaps up and tilts to one side. “You keep calling me that. Why?”
“Because, unfortunately for me, we’re brothers. Fraternal twins, in fact.” I draw my sword for good measure. “And the only—the only—reason she feels anything for you”—I touch his shoulder with the tip of my blade—“is because of your connection to me.” I return my sword to my side.
He squints and his mouth opens as if he might speak. Then he seems to think better of it and clamps his jaw. Good. He’s learning. At least that much can be said for him.
“This is what we’re going to do.” I drag him to a stand and shake him a bit to force eye contact.
He’s reluctant, but his gaze meets mine.
“You are going to tell me everything. Where you have been. Where you are headed. And then you will walk away. You will never contact her again. Do I make myself clear?”
He nods. “Crystal.”
I can tell he’s lying, but the detail is trivial. If he won’t walk, I’ll make him.
“Now tell me.” I shake him again. “What are you after?”
“A way to destroy the Void for good.”
The idea is laughable, but I keep my tone neutral. “And exactly how are you going to do that?”
The front door swings wide and bangs against the wall, causing both our regards to flash in that direction. The Second castle’s head cook stands there, a menacing scowl on her plump face. “What in Sam Hill is going on here?” Regina Reeves’s hands plant on her generous hips. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you two boys were having a brawl.”
Makai Archer appears behind her. My lesser half inside me punches the air. I suppress his joy. The Shield may bear an effect on Joshua, but he will do nothing to stop me. The Void will not be destroyed. Its power is too great. If anything, we must discover a way to let it flourish. Jasyn Crowe made too many mistakes to count. I will be different. I will control the Void the way he never could.
“Moron,” Joshua shouts. “Don’t you see? You can’t control the darkness. The darkness controls you.”
Silence, prisoner, I think.
“Makai, get ahold of your man.” Regina moves aside and the man advances on me.
I shove my brother to the floor and level my sword at Archer. “You don’t want to do that, Commander.”
He should disappear using his Shield ability, but he doesn’t. Perhaps the Callings are returning in the order they vanished. Ever failed first, then Physic and so forth. Shield didn’t die out until later, so it serves to reason it would not have returned just yet. Same with the Thresholds. It may take time to reverse what was done when Eliyana and Kyaphus shared a Kiss of Infinity. Joshua and I may disagree on what happens with the Void, but at least we can come to terms on one matter.
Eliyana is mine—ours. The only one she will share a Kiss of Infinity with is me.
“Joshua.” Makai’s tone relays warning. “Do not force me to disarm you. If you do, you do not want to know what comes next.”
I tilt my head back and laugh. “Oh, please. You’re twice my age and half as strong. Do you really believe you can best me?”
The man in the prison of my soul smiles.
Makai attacks.
I lunge, but he’s quicker than I anticipated. He dodges my move, darts behind me, and wraps my throat in a choke hold. “Drop the sword, Joshua.”
Clenching the hilt tighter, I stretch my neck.
“I said drop it.” His hold contracts.
My weapon clangs to the ground as I gasp for breath. My arms are twisted behind my back with so much force my shoulder pops from its socket.
I refuse to yield. With a shove to the pain, I jerk and lurch, biting down hard so a scream cannot release.
“Stormy! Preacher! Wren! Robyn! Give me a hand!” Archer’s bellow is too loud in my ear.
My fellow Guardians are on me, holding me back as I lash and struggle. Teeth bared, I emit a growl. “This isn’t the end. The Void will prevail.”
“Do you realize how idiotic you sound?” the man in my head asks. “They’re going to throw you in the dungeons with Rafaj if you keep this up.”
Shut your mouth, captive. I continue my fight all the way to the cellar. Continue until they tie me to a pipe. They release the countess’s son and the man who arrived with Kyaphus. Stormy, Preacher, and Robyn leave without a second glance. But Wren lingers, giving me that look she always gives.
“Why are you here?” I let my head fall back against the pipe.
“Why do you think, Joshua?”
Her wounded tone does nothing to faze me, though I feel it pinch my other half. “You shouldn’t have come, Wren.”
She yields one long glare before going the way of the others and bolting the door behind her.
Darkness shrouds me, not a shaft of light in view. But I don’t mind, as I welcome the shadows. They comfort me as I drift off to sleep.