Victoria

No.

I’m not giving up.

No matter what!

I’m pushed back into my seat, which is way too big for me, as the escape pod is launched. The city around me disappears as I break through the atmosphere, and all I see is darkness sprinkled with stars.

Somewhere in this darkness is a portal that’ll take me back to Earth, that’ll make sure I never see Nero again.

I need to wrestle control of this ship before we get there. My fingers move across the keyboard, grabbing levers, pushing buttons, doing everything possible.

The dashboard lights up, as the speakers crackle with strange noises. I grab the control stick and push down, my tongue sticking out of my mouth, my eyes narrowed.

Come on, you piece of junk.

Listen to me.

Just this once.

The nose of the ship tilts down, and the stars give way to the curvature of Elba. The alien planet rises up to greet me.

Yes!

I pump my fist in the air jubilantly. You’re not getting rid of Victoria Snow this easily! I pilot the ship down towards the city of Massa, circling the immense metropolis.

Now all I need to do is find this House Bruttius, wherever it is… as my eyes scan over the sprawling city my jubilance seeps way.

This is like looking for a needle in a haystack.

I slump into my seat, and the dark pit in my stomach returns. There’s no way I’m ever—

There!

A massive mansion, built on one of the many hills that surround the city’s center, catches my eye. A statue of a snake circling a sword stands on top of the mansion, like a beacon.

The very same image that decorated Magnus Bruttius chest.

That’s got to be it!

I take the ship down, praying with every fiber in my being that I’m not too late.

* * *

Nero

My blade cuts through the Bruttius dogs like they’re not even there. Blood runs down my hands, my arms, my chest, and I don’t know if it’s mine or them.

We had a good run. We took them by surprise, and Romulus and I managed to enter the mansion without too much trouble, but now we’re trapped in the main hall.

Completely surrounded.

Romulus’s back is pressed against mine as we slowly circle around, cutting down the fools who make a run at us.

There’s no way we can keep this up. There’s simply too many of them.

I’m staring death in the face, and I thought I’d feel relief, but all I feel is… regret.

My mind drifts to Victoria.

What a fool I’ve been.

I feared my love for her held me back, but now I realize it only gave me strength.

Too late.

My anger has gotten the best of me.

The beast inside of me has driven me to this.

The beast has won.

“Enough!”

A deep voice cuts through the room, and the Bruttius soldiers freeze in their place. A tall man appears at the top of the stairs, and my heart races.

Magnus.

“Nero Octavius… what a surprise,” he says.

His face still bears the marks of my fists raining down on it, and his eyes are filled with ice-cold fury.

“I was going to enjoy hunting you, taking everything you loved away from you. You’re making this far too easy for me.”

The man who took everything from me descends the stairs.

“You’re welcome,” I say, pointing the tip of my sword at him.

“What were you thinking? Did you really think you could take me out? Here? In my own home?”

“I still can.”

Magnus walks up to me, undeterred. My hand twitches, and before I can run my sword through my half-brother, he grabs the tip of the blade with his bare hand.

Blood runs down his fingers as the blade cuts into his skin. I try to move my sword, but his grip is too strong.

“H-how?”

Magnus laughs.

“I’ve been busy while you were with your canis… brother..”

“I’m no brother of you!”

Romulus turns and swings his sword at Magnus’s head as hard as he can. Magnus leans back, the sword passing overhead, which leaves Romulus’s back undefended.

“No!” I scream, but it’s too late.

While still holding the blade of my sword in his grip with one hand, Magnus pulls out a dagger and sinks it into Romulus’s side. My best friend collapses onto the floor, clutching the wound.

“Give up, Nero,” Magnus says. “You are mine now. You have lost.”