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The words struck him hard, and his Drega stirred. Ryziel turned from his brother and placed his glass carefully on the terrace wall. "I don't know that I can do that."

"You can because you are my brother and she is only a vessel, Ryziel." He laughed softly when Ryziel didn't respond. "You can't honestly tell me you've grown too fond of her?"

When he saw the look in Ryziel's eyes, his own brightened. "The great and terrifying Ryziel knows love, by Nihl, what a miracle. Too bad you've made the mistake of choosing one unlike your own. Don't worry, I felt fond of her too, at first. But I have learned to control such simple emotions. I will teach you, just like I have taught you everything else. A woman does not come between brothers, after all. That, you must see. You can feel for them, Ryziel, but they are still beneath us."

Ryziel took long, deep breaths, his eyes always turning back to Aly. Why did she say nothing? Why did she hide from him?

Korzien sighed. "Go on, then. Because you are my brother and to show it matters not to me, I will let you have her first. Go on and take her."

Fear stirring suddenly in his chest, Ryziel did go to her and did try to pick her up, to make her look at him, to take her away. What he got was Aly's cry of pain. She slipped from his grasp, clutching her hands tight against her. Stunned, he tried to go to her again, and she made a noise he had never heard her make before and wished he never had.

She wept below him, and it froze every bone in his body.

"What have you done?" Ryziel whispered.

"She had to be taught a lesson. But don't worry. She is still good to bed." Korzien nodded his head at her. "Though I would maybe keep her on her back."

Aly took gulps of air, then slowly, she looked up at him, tears staining her face, falling still as she shook before him. Her face twisted with anguish, and she raised her arms to expose her hands.

Or what was left of them.

Ryziel stared down at bloodied hands, fingers twisted and smashed, some even gone. Held barely together by thin pieces of cloth.

Seeing them, Ryziel found he could no longer speak. The only sounds filling his throat seemed to come from a wild animal, not from him. His vision began to blur until he saw nothing but Aly before him. He heard someone speaking but he couldn't even understand them. His Drega had risen to the surface, and he had let it go without a fight.

***

All there was, was pain. So much so, it was hard for Aly to think of anything else. She had been so consumed by it at first, she hadn't even recognized Ryziel's voice above her. But as the pain numbed, she had looked up, looking for mercy. When she saw Ryziel, she thought he might be a hallucination to make her feel safe. She had reached for him, only to see his face go dark, a snarl rip through his throat and his eyes to glaze over, no longer seeing her. Then he turned from her and faced Korzien.

Korzien tossed his glass, shattering it, then drew a blade from inside his coat. "Now, now, brother. You’re upset, but you'll get over it in time, once I make you understand."

Ryziel lunged and Korzien met him. With every swing Ryziel made, Korzien seemed to dodge. Ryziel was quick, but Korzien matched him easily. They fought, equally skilled, though Ryziel's blows were more savage and wild and less coordinated. Blood splattered the ground as Korzien's knife sliced across Ryziel's hip. Ryziel slammed his fist into his brother's gut as the blade came across, and each staggered back. They struck and blocked, Korzien's knife making its mark along Ryziel's arm, leg, and chest. Ryziel caught at Korzien's coat, tearing it. He slammed into him, making them each fall back and forcing Korzien to drop his blade. Korzien growled, his face twisting, eyes growing wild. Fists flew, one knocking Korzien across the jaw. Korzien kicked his legs out wildly, trying to buck Ryziel off him.

Aly watched helplessly as they fought, until the sky began to lighten behind her. The sun was coming back up.

The sun weakens him.

And if Korzien was putting up a good fight now, Ryziel didn't have a chance when the sun rose. Pain and fear ripped through her as Aly cried out Ryziel's name.

Ryziel pinned his brother down and struck repeatedly, keeping Korzien beneath him. Korzien didn't strike back but instead, blocked the blows with his arms. His eyes shot over to the rising light, waiting. Ryziel began to breathe harder, his punches slowing. He grabbed Korzien by the throat, and in response, Korzien kneed Ryziel in the gut then tossed him off. He leapt up, grabbing Ryziel and pulling him down so that he now lay under him. Exposing his fangs, Korzien bit the side of Ryziel's face. Roaring and kicking, Ryziel shucked him off, and in turn, Korzien tore part of his ear clean off. Blood gushed from Ryziel's head and down his neck, but he didn't falter. He rose and came at his brother again.

"Give it up, Ryziel," his brother growled in a bestial sort of voice, dodging Ryziel's attack. "The sun rises, and I have the advantage."

Ryziel, panting hard, refused to stop. But for every blow he swung, Korzien blocked and struck him back. Ryziel began to waver on his feet. Korzien only smiled.

"Foolish, brother. I hate to have to kill you now. I thought I could make you one of us, but perhaps Uncle was right. You are a lost cause." He went to strike when a sudden flash of red and purple whipped past him, and one of his receptors was cut clean from his head, falling to the ground. He blinked, confused at first. Then he saw Xilya standing behind him, tail swinging. He roared with rage and prepared himself to fight when Ryziel picked up Korzien's cut-off receptor and swung, stabbing him in the throat.

Korzien went still, his eyes wide with shock. Hours seemed to pass as he looked on his brother with fury before he finally dropped to his knees.

As the sun appeared above the horizon, Korzien fell back, writhing on the ground, his white coat soaked with red. His head tilted to look over at Aly, his eyes gazing on her last before going dark.

Chapter Thirty-six

The sounds of guards could be heard shouting all across the house. They were coming. Aly looked at Ryziel, afraid he was going to collapse as he looked down at his brother's body, his own body shuddering as he was still in the hold of his Drega.

Aly wiped the tears from her face. "Ryziel," she called to him softly. He looked at her, blinking slowly.

"Nihl Ryziel, you are injured, and the guards are coming," Xilya said. "We need to go now."