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Josephine heard the words. She was shaking uncontrollably as she watched Andrew intently, waiting for any word or reaction.

The suspense was maddening. When a massive gauntleted hand came up to raise the faceplate, Josephine could see the hate on Andrew’s features.

She’d never seen anything like it before.

Andrew’s jaw muscles flexed as he forced a wry smile.

“Wrong, as usual, my brother,” he replied steadily.

The earl’s smile faded. “Not for long,” he said. “You will be dead soon enough.”

Josephine almost collapsed. She was fighting unconsciousness with every strangled breath. It was all too overwhelming, and her brain screamed for relief. Tears filled her eyes; tears of exhaustion, fear, and joy spilled out onto her cheeks.

Andrew dared to take his eyes off his brother, his gaze falling upon her, and an odd feeling enveloped him.

With all of the black hate he was feeling, there were such feelings of love to experience when he looked at Josephine that he could scare believe it was possible to feel both simultaneously.

As much as he wanted to sweep her in his arms and take her away, he knew he couldn’t.

He had to kill his brother. He fought hard to control the surging emotions.

He had to keep his focus!

“Josephine,” he said in his rich voice. “Are you well?”

Josephine let out a huge sob at the sound of his voice. To hear him speak to her again was absolute music.

“I am fine,” she gushed. “And you?”

“I am well now that I see you.”

He couldn’t help himself and smiled a smile only for her. Josephine forgot all about the earl and began to walk to her love.

“Cease, bitch!” Alphonse bellowed. “One more step and I shall disembowel you before my brother can take another step.”

It was probably true; Josephine was much closer to the earl than to Andrew. She stopped immediately, uncertainty in her eyes.

But Andrew stiffened at the threat. Slowly swinging Demon Slayer from side to side, he began a slow pace down the aisle.

“My brother,” he began. “I have waited nineteen long years to skin your worthless hide. My banishment alone was not reason enough to kill you, but our mother’s imprisonment did, indeed, warrant satisfaction.

You are an evil, vile reptile that disgraces the name of d’Vant.

You are a disease that must be wiped from the face of this earth.

You are from the bowels of hell, my brother, and you may consider me the wrath of God.

I am going to send you back where you came from. ”

His last words echoed through the chapel, sending chills up Josephine’s spine. She closed her eyes tightly to block out the terror his voice drove into her. Andrew was so deadly serious, so completely possessed by rage, that she almost didn’t know him.

But Alphonse had a stupid grimace on his face, apparently unimpressed by the speech. He clapped his big hands together, lamely, two or three times.

“Bravo,” he said drolly. “Well-rehearsed, younger brother. You say you have only come to kill me? What of your lady love, the beauteous Josephine? You did not come for her?”

Andrew nodded. “She is the reward when all of this is over,” he said.

“Your death is something I have waited a long time for– for our mother, for Josephine’s safety, and for a young man you killed whom you were not worthy of killing.

His name was Nicholas. All of these things are why I shall kill you. ”

The earl cocked a bushy black brow. “Oh? And what if you fail to complete your task? What of your lovely, delectable Josephine then?”

“I will not fail.”

The earl grinned wickedly. “Aye, you will, and shall I tell you what I plan to do with your woman then?” he said, obtaining sick delight with his taunting.

“After I kill you, I shall marry her with your disemboweled body in full view. Then, I shall strip her down, roll her in your blood, and proceed to fuck her until she faints. After I am finished, providing she lives, I shall bite her nipples off and fuck her in the arse with the hilt of your sword. Do you fully understand my intentions, Brother? Then understand that you will die easily. She will not.”

Horrified, Josephine believed every word.

Andrew didn’t flinch outwardly, but inside he was dying.

He, too, knew every word was true. Sully, Thane, Ridge, and Donald were tasked with removing Josephine, so Andrew was certain she would be spared his brother’s hideous threat.

But, on the other hand, he wasn’t entirely sure they would leave him behind to die when they took her to safety.

Therefore, it was difficult to know how many would die for him in the chaos.

He had to win.

“A fantasy as befitting your deranged mind,” he replied coolly.

“But from this moment on, you will not touch Josephine. I do not even want you to look at her.” In one swift fluid motion, he waved his magnificent sword, startling Josephine and everyone else.

Demon Slayer flashed in the weak light. “Prepare to burn in hell.”

Alphonse, too, drew forth his massive blade with relish.

The crowd in the chapel emitted a muffled groan, with people pressing far back.

No one wanted to be involved, but everyone liked a good sword fight, and blood feuds were always energetic.

Besides, there was not a person in the hall who didn’t hate the earl passionately, and would be very happy to see him dead.

Ridge, previously pressed against the cold stone wall, pushed his way to the front of the crowd on the edge of the perimeter.

He remembered his vow to Josephine, his vow to repay his debt to her, and he eagerly waited for his chance.

He hoped in a small way it would make up for the wrong done to her by the king.

In truth, he had also grown to like Andrew a great deal and considered him a friend.

Sully and Thane were opposite Ridge at the edge of the chapel, watching the scene unfold.

Sully was nearly frantic in his desire to remove Josephine from the combat area, but she was too far away from him.

Ridge was nearly directly behind her, though he was several yards back.

Somehow, Sully managed to gain Ridge’s attention and the understanding was that the big knight would grab Josephine at the next opportunity since he was the closest.

With nothing else to do, they waited.

“You have come back to the place of your birth to die,” the earl rumbled as he leveled off into a defensive position. “How fitting.”

Andrew walked towards his brother, his sword gleaming. “’Twill be your blood on the floor, not mine,” he growled. “Pity, brother, that we never truly knew each other.”

“I shall ponder that for the rest of my life.”

Josephine was rapidly becoming hysterical.

She saw the battle brewing, the war of the titans, and she could see the blood that was about to be spilled.

In truth, she only wanted to take Andrew and leave this place.

She wasn’t interested in any battle of honor, yet her heart ached for what she knew would have to be.

Therefore, she watched with sickening foreboding but she wasn’t at all sure if she could watch their spectacle.

In her panic, the room began to spin and as she felt her knees giving way, two massive arms went around her body and pulled her away from the combatants.

“Fear not, my lady,” said Ridge. “I am here.”

Josephine fell back against him. “Ridge!” she gasped. “I did not know you were here. I… I cannot watch this. We must stop it!”

“Nay, my lady,” he said softly. “We must not and will not, you know that. If Andrew is to ever be free of this hatred he harbors, then he must complete this.”

Josephine squeezed her eyes shut, struggling not to cry. “I know,” she whispered. “But I cannot watch him die.”

“I swear you will not,” Ridge said. “Look across the room. See Sully and Thane? Donald is also there. Andrew is not alone.”

Such joy filled her heart at the realization, but also such pain. “He would never forgive you if you interfered,” she whispered. “You have all come to help, but he does not want your help.”

Ridge was prevented from replying as the clash of swords filled the air, the first piercing sound of battle that was sharp as a double-edged blade. Josephine jumped at the sound, emitting a small cry, but Ridge held her firmly.

Sparks flew wildly as metal came upon metal with blinding ferocity.

Again, and again, and again, the violent sound of bashing swords reverberated within the sacred walls, with each sound telling a tale of anger, hatred, and pain, and of time spent away from family, and of love as true as the halls of heaven.

Andrew was true to his nickname. His sword flew with such speed and force that his brother was having trouble keeping up with him.

Over and over, Andrew pounded out years of frustration and heartache, marking each blow on Josephine’s or his mother’s behalf.

With each strike, he remembered the humiliation, the evil intentions, and the fear cast on a fourteen-year-old boy.

He remembered being made an outcast, of crying upon hearing of his mother’s imprisonment, and of the vengeance he lived for every day of his life.

Now, his brother was going to pay for all of it.

And Alphonse could sense that. He was surprised by his brother’s ferocity.

He tried to jump over the altar to get away from Andrew, but his foot caught and he fell heavily.

Andrew was nearly on top of him, but Alphonse managed to roll away from him and gain an unsteady footing.

A bank of tallow candles fell over in his effort, crashing melted wax onto the floor for Andrew to slip in.