Marcellus moved like the speed of light, he spun around so fast that all Skyla saw was a flash of metal against a nearby marble bench. Marcellus met Erebus’ sword in the air and blocked it with his own. Erebus pulled his sword away with an amused snort. He looked so much more powerful in comparison to Marcellus: like a lion next to a dove. Erebus, fast as a streak of lightning, aimed a blow to Marcellus’ side. Skyla screamed in fear of his safety, but Marcellus blocked the blow, thankfully, and went in for one of his own. Erebus blocked his sword with ease then knocked him to the ground. Marcellus was sent sliding across the stone pathway and into a large tree. His sword skittered across the stones and landed softly in a patch of grass. Skyla called out to him and ran over to aid him.

“Are you ok?” she asked, searching his body for any blood.

“I’m gonna have a huge bruise in the morning.” Marcellus replied rubbing on the back of his head. “But I’m-WATCH IT!”

Skyla dove to the sound as Erebus leapt, his fangs glittering in the moonlight. Skyla grabbed Marcellus’ hand and pulled him to his feet. He took off running, dragging her along with him. She stumbled and Marcellus had to pull her back on to her feet. “He’s right behind us! Keep going! Vampires are quick as cheetahs!”

Skyla was well aware of that too, she could hear the sounds of his soft and stealthy footsteps and flapping of his dark cloak drawing closer amidst the sound of their own footsteps and heavy breathing. Soon they were running through the garden’s maze, and somehow ended up passing a group of guards standing in the middle, who leapt upon their attacker. Marcellus and Skyla skidded to a stop. The princess gasped for breath and watched as the group of guards create a protective wall around them. Erebus backed away from the soldiers. He was out-numbered one to ten. He let another feral hiss and exposed his fangs.

“Princess!” The familiar voice made her jump. Skyla noticed a familiar small figure among the others. He turned towards her. Chakir! The little Witchan-Angel was wearing white armor that was fitted especially for him. A quiver full of arrows was thrown over his shoulder, and he held a bow at his side. He seemed to be avoiding looking at his Witchan kin. “You’d better go. It isn’t safe,” he looked over at the prophet, “…for either of you! Donovan is outside the castle, he seems to be on a search!”

Marcellus stiffened. “He is?! Are you certain?”

“Certain!” Chakir nodded. “They sent-”

“CHAKIR! GET HIM!”

Chakir turned on a dime and knocked an arrow. Erebus was running down the walk way and making his way to some bushes. Had he given up so easy? Chakir aimed at his back, his face twisted in remorse. He reluctantly let the arrow fly. His bow clattered against the ground and he turned away. How hard was it to kill your own kind? Skyla turned away and ran. She didn’t want to see if the arrow had hit or not. Marcellus was at her side. He raised his hand and yelled, “COLYBS! TO ME!” Amazingly, his sword reappeared in his hand.

“How did you…!?” Skyla gasped while staring down at the sword.

“Your father never told you? Angels can use magic.” Marcellus glanced at her. “But that’s a story for another ti-”

“Skyla!”

Skyla spun around instantly, relieved to hear his voice. Shahar ran towards her and hugged her. Skyla wrapped her arms around him tightly. What a comfort it was to see him! To feel his warmth and breathe his scent! He finally released her and set his hand on her cheek. “I was so afraid they’d already gotten you!” Behind him stood Rhys, Chaya, Nalo, Calanetta, and about twenty other servants. It made her wonder what they were all doing in the middle of a maze after all.

“Where’s Nadir?” Chaya asked fearfully. She was staring intently at Marcellus. “Why isn’t he with you?!”

“I don’t know! I hadn’t seen him since he said he was going to bed.” Marcellus’ eyes widened. Terror struck him. Nadir was his best friend! What if…what if he’d been killed? “Oh Lord…” He bit his bottom lip and resisted the urge to begin searching for his friend. His main priority was to protect the princess!

Shahar grimaced. “We can’t look for him. We met Calanetta and the servants by chance on the way out of the castle and figured we’d hide in one of the small, unknown towns. Now Donovan and his minions are on our tail, we need to go…now!” Despite how urgent Shahar was being, Skyla could see how much it pained him to leave his friend behind once again. “You know how to get out of this maze and to a safe place, correct?”

Skyla nodded sternly and with a loud, commanding voice told everyone to follow her quickly. The Anthro princess flew through the maze of shrubs with everyone following quickly after. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. She could never remember any of the turns and slides around corners, passing every dead end. Everything was a blur of green and fear. She didn’t remember anything up until the point where she slammed into her sister once she made her way out of the maze. They both sprawled across the ground, dazed. Bella had been leading a few of the Councilmen’s wives and children. Skyla assumed they’d taken it upon themselves to fight and Bella was planning on leading their wives and little ones to the same spot Skyla was taking the servants.

The two siblings hugged each other briefly, but didn’t have time to greet each other properly as Skyla took the lead again, with Bella and Shahar close behind her. Rhys ushered along the women and children, with the help of some of the male servants. Skyla was beginning to feel the fear loosen its grip on her. They were making their way through a village to an open field, with trees surrounding. Just a bit farther and they would be fairly safe for the time being until soldiers came.

So close, and yet so far.

They rounded the corner of an old, beaten home and Bella, who had now taken the lead, froze instantly. Skyla stopped beside her, and in turn Shahar stopped. At first Skyla didn’t see a reason to stop. Then she followed her sister’s gaze to the dark figures in standing in the middle of the field. She adjusted her eyes quickly and could see two male vampires, clad in the same dark cloaks as Erebus and Chi. Behind them stood Erebus, who had somehow avoided Chakir’s arrow, and Chi. One of the vampires, Skyla realized, reminded her of Rhys, only older and…scarier. He was tall, taller than Erebus and the vampire beside him. He had jet-black hair, a thin pointed bearded, and emerald green eyes. His face was handsome, but frighteningly menacing. Skyla remembered him at once. In her younger days, he’d yell at her for doing things her mother always let her do. She’d been so terrified of him! He wore his family’s colors-silver and green. The man beside him was probably the only ‘ugly’ vampire in existence. He lacked the elegant, wild beauty they all possessed. He looked tiny and runty. While he wasn’t ugly by normal standards, but he was but vampire ones. His hair was mouse-brown, his emerald eyes watery and worried. He was as thin as a twig and hunched slightly, appearing very nervous.

There was no mistaking it. The rugged black-haired menacing vampire was King Donovan, and the other one had to be his brother Prince Rorek. There was just no mistaking them, whatsoever.

“Well, well…Princess Skyla…Princess Isabella…it has been some time, hasn’t it?” Donovan asked cordially. His voice was deep, foreboding. “Much too long, I believe. Last time we met, Skyla, you hardly came up to my nephew’s knee!” He chuckled with a grin and pointed at Erebus over his shoulder.

Skyla had lost all speaking capabilities. She kept her mouth clamped shut. Bella, however, was more outspoken. Her eyes narrowed.

“How dare you wear Rohphilus’ colors! After what you did to them!” Bella yelled. “AFTER WHAT YOU DID TO EREBUS!”

Donovan smirked. He stepped aside to give her a clear view of Erebus. “But my dear, he’s right here! I haven’t harmed a single hair on his head!”

Bella’s eyes widened. She took two steps towards her lost fiancé, but then came to a sudden halt and stepped back. “There’s something wrong with him! His eyes! He looks…he looks like he’s dead!” Bella’s hands flew to her mouth in horror. His eyes were blank and lifeless. They didn’t seem to focus on anything, not even his long-lost fiancée. “What did you…?!”

“Nothing.” Donovan’s voice was sweet as honey. He looked at the cluster of people behind them. “How noble. Rescuing…” His eyes flickered to Rhys and Shahar. Shahar stood projectile beside Skyla, as if he were prepared to use himself as a shield. Rhys was cradling Nalo in one arm and holding on to Calanetta’s hand tightly with the other. Each stiffened as his gaze fell on them. Rorek’s eyes widened when he too caught eye of the brothers.

Bella looked from Donovan and Rorek to the Rhys and Shahar. Her eyes widened in realization, she whirled around and screamed, “RUN! BOTH OF YOU! TURN BACK!”

Donovan yelled something that Skyla couldn’t understand. It sounded like Witchan…but…it wasn’t. Suddenly Rhys let go of Calanetta’s hand and dropped Nalo. The little boy began to wail, but was ignored by his father as both he and Shahar began to stride towards Donovan. Skyla grabbed Shahar’s arm and tried to pull him back, but it was all in vain. He didn’t stop. She started to run after him. Calanetta surged forward after Rhys, but Bella stopped them both.

“They’re trying to fight it, you can see it on their faces. But Donovan’s controlling them.” Bella told them grimly. Skyla stared at them. Rhys was gritting his teeth with effort, and Shahar’s face was twisted in fury and frustration. “He won’t hurt them yet. He likes to play with people first.” Bella wouldn’t admit that she could see in Donovan’s suave expression that he was very angry. And the king was known for being very unpredictable when he was angry.

With the flick of the wrist, Donovan forced both boys to their knees. He walked to Shahar, knelt on one knee and grabbed a fistful of his hair. “His great-grandfather’s copper hair…his father’s nose, his mother’s chin.” He tilted Shahar’s head upward. “Mother’s ears, mother’s stature…the Emerald Eyes, of course…” He shoved the boy’s head to the side and moved to Rhys and grabbed a fistful of his jet-black hair. “He has the same jet-black hair as his grandfather, father, and uncle.” He jerked Rhys’ head upwards, still keeping a firm grip on his hair. “Father’s nose, chin…father’s stature, only smaller…” He muttered something else. Rhys let out a grunt of pain. His teeth sharpened and elongated until they were like vampire fangs, his pupils grew to where they were fat diamonds. “And he’s a dirty half-blood. Not a full wizard, not a full vampire. A rarity.” He let go of Rhys, and his teeth and eyes returned to normal.

“Brother…” Rorek said meekly, as Donovan stood up, casting a shadow over his brother’s shivering form.

“You told me you killed them, Rorek! Burned them alive!” Donovan whirled around and bared his fangs at his younger brother. “You lied to me, you miserable rat! Do you know how much trouble this creates for me?!”

“I set a fire and it killed two people!” Rorek put his hands over his face. He was shaking from head to toe. “I thought I’d killed them! I swear!”

Skyla suddenly remembered the story Shahar had told her so long ago when they had first met. About his parents and how they died in a fire that couldn’t be put out or controlled in any way. How his parents had been the only ones to die. “Shahar’s parents died in the fire! Not him and Rhys! They were away when it was set!” Skyla screamed, having Bella stare down at her with a scolding expression.

Donovan looked from her to Rorek and muttered, “Parents…”

“Cadoc…Adiva…” Shahar forced the words out. “Cadoc…Adiva.” He repeated and narrowed his eyes at Donovan in defiance.

The king raised an eyebrow in confusion, but soon a smile spread across his face and laughter began to build from his throat and roared out. He laughed for what felt like an eternity, with his back arched and his head facing up at the sky.

“Oh, clever Dandre! I was wrong to mistake you for a helpless fool!” He screamed at the stars. He turned to Rorek, a smile still dancing on his face. “Don’t you remember what he said to us, brother? ‘What people cannot remember, cannot hurt them!’ Don’t you see, brother? He even had one of the most powerful sorceresses of our time at his hand! Not to mention clever old General Cadoc!”

“General?” Calanetta repeated quietly. Skyla glanced at her. She was holding Nalo now, who was still bawling. But then she noticed…all of the children were. Each was wailing and screaming and sobbing.

Donovan laughed again. “Well this makes everything a little too easy. I bet you can’t even remember how to fight, can you Parvuli?” He grinned nastily at Rhys. Nalo’s ears pricked at the sound of his nickname. Donovan was oblivious to them, however. Every single being expect for the two men knelt before him. “There’s no honor in that, is there Parvuli? Here, let me release that spell that Adiva placed on you.” He set his fingertips on Rhys’ temples.

“DON’T HURT HIM!” Calanetta screamed, but Donovan didn’t even flinch. In fact he grinned in response and yelled, “Misssoyo!”

Rhys jolted upright and screamed bloody murder. His screams continued to tear through and through. Donovan stood back and released him from the spell, causing Rhys to collapse on the ground and continue his screaming in the dirt. It was as if someone were stabbing him over and over. Shahar looked desperate to help his brother, but he still couldn’t move. Bella was cringing and holding tightly on to Calanetta’s arm to prevent her from running towards him. Finally, his screams grew quiet. Soon he stopped and was now gasping for air, taking in deep, rasping breaths. His chest rose and fell quickly, Shahar could see out of the corner of his eye his brother blink a few times before sitting upright slowly. Skyla gritted her teeth in worry.

Rhys looked like a different person when he stood up. Nothing physically changed, but there was something different about him now. He’d always slouched a bit and been so easy-going. Now he stood with his shoulders back and head held high. Like a prince. He had a different aura around him. He didn’t look like Rhys the Stable Hand. This man looked like Prince Rhys Rohphilus.

“Bro…ther…” Shahar’s voice was amazed, questioning.

“Set him right.” Rhys growled. “Then we will finish what was started fifteen years ago.” He raised his hand and murmured something. A silver sword appeared in hand, gleaming brightly as if it had just been cleaned for its master. Skyla recognized it as the one she’d seen in the trunk, months before. Rhys jerked his head from Donovan towards Shahar. “On with it!”

Donovan moved towards Shahar, grinning from ear to ear and chuckling evilly. Shahar looked fearfully at his brother. How could he set this demon upon him?! But Rhys gave him such a reassuring smile…Shahar realized this was still his brother. He managed to find the strength to smile back. He clenched his eyes shut and took a deep breath as he felt the snake-like fingers tap his forehead.

“Misssoyo!”

A dam built deep inside of Shahar’s mind burst without warning. But instead of holding back water, it held memories. It rushed to replace the false ones, the ones that had been put there to keep him happy. Cadoc and Adiva were replaced by images of a beautiful blonde witch and a vampire with jet-black hair. Shahar marveled at them. This suddenly made sense to him. These two seemed familiar…

Oh yes…Mother and Father. Shahar thought happily.

Rhys was among the memories. Usually laughing, happier than Shahar had ever seen him. He wore a prince’s clothes and stood beside another boy…one that was familiar to both the prince in him and the peasant. The peasant in Shahar viewed him as an enemy, a murderer. But those memories were swept aside by the memories of the prince in him. Erebus wasn’t an enemy. He was a serious, yet loving brother.

Erebus…Bats… Shahar remembered. They’d all had nicknames for each other.

A baby came to his mind…a baby girl. Sister! His baby sister! Who always wriggled in her blankets and never cried when she was in his arms.

Chi…Squirt…

Shahar began to remember all sorts of faces. He remembered his Uncle Donovan and Uncle Rorek. How much his brothers disliked them and yet respected them at the same time. Every single person that belonged to his lineage…people in the court…Katrina, his nurse…General Cadoc and his beautiful wife, Lady Adiva…every memory was vivid and clear, as if it had happened two minutes before. He remembered things that usually faded as children grew. The spell had preserved his memories well. He could still recall his visits to Felcin, where he played with Queen Paka’s daughter: Skyla. And…how they’d been good playmates, and when they’d exchanged their gems…

Then the happy memories ended abruptly with one night. Shahar instantly veered from it. On a second thought, he decided to explore it. His gut told him it was a horrid memory. One he would not be fond of. But he had to know…

xxxx

“Sunny…wake up…”

Erebus woke him using telepathy. Shahar opened his eyes and groaned. He could just barely make out the outlines of his parents and his two elder brothers. He squirmed and groaned again as his mother lifted him out of bed. It was still dark out! He should still be sleeping! His mother soothingly stroked his hair and murmured calm words. But the sweet, melodic words couldn’t mask the fear in her voice.

“What’s…what’s wrong?” Shahar’s voice was too loud. His mother shushed him. She hurried out of the dark room and into the corridor. Torches always lit up the hall, day or night. Shahar saw that his family was fully clothed. What’s was going on? His father and brothers had their swords in hand; ready to fight anything that came their way. Rhys walked briskly beside their father, who led them down the hall. Erebus walked protectively beside himself and his mother. He could see his brother’s eyes dart to inspect every single aspect of the hallway. Shahar clasped onto his mother’s dress. Something was wrong…very, very wrong.

Now they were making their way to the nursery where his baby sister was kept. Shahar was handed to his father as his mother dashed inside.

Erebus peered in after her. He grimaced and turned away. “Katrina is dead, Father.”

Tears instantly stung Shahar’s eyes. Katrina was dead?! She was his nurse! He loved her as much as he loved his own mother! Palesa emerged moments later, tears streaming down her face. She looked so sad and forlorn! Wordlessly, she took Shahar back from his father. She stroked his copper hair again, comforting both herself and her child. Shahar felt her tears falling on to his head like small little raindrops. He leaned his head against her bosom. She had not come out with Chi…where was she?

Dandre kept moving, with Rhys still at his side, occasionally glancing back to see if Palesa was keeping up. Shahar could tell Rhys was having a conversation with Erebus, one that wasn’t being spoken aloud. You could tell because Erebus would occasionally cast his brother a meaningful glance before continuing to look around carefully. Then, his father and Rhys froze. Shahar looked ahead, squinting into the darkness.

Uncle Donovan was standing in the hall.

“Running away, brother?” Donovan asked cruelly. “How cowardly. You always never did like to fight!”

“Just because someone refuses to fight does not make him weak!” Erebus snarled.

“Erebus!” Palesa murmured. “Please, don’t!”

Erebus snarled again. “You murderer!”

Donovan smirked. “What’re you going to do? You might as well not belong to the family. You’re marrying to Isabella tomorrow at sunset. You’re a traitor and an outcast…you should not associate yourself with that helpless Angel bitch!”

Erebus let out a roar of rage. Before his family could stop him, he charged at Donovan with his sword at his side, ready to strike the very moment he came five feet close to the man. Donovan swiftly kicked Erebus’ sword out of his hands before he could even more. Shahar saw the flash of Donovan’s sword and heard his family scream. Donovan swung his free arm and slammed Erebus into the wall, who then fell to the floor, a crumpled bleeding mess.

“EREBUS!” Rhys tried to run to his brother, but Dandre roughly grabbed his arm and stopped him. But this didn’t stop Rhys from squirming and screaming as tears of anger and loss rolled down his face, “Father, let go! LET GO! EREBUS! EREBUS, NO!”

“Get your mother and Shahar out of here! We can do nothing for him!” Dandre ordered, pulling Rhys closer to him and staring at him in the face with a stern expression.

Rhys’ expression softened. His brave and vigorous father…looked…scared.

“Father…you’re going to…” He glanced at Donovan, who was smirking, apparently enjoying this scene. Rhys shook his head. “No, Father, you can’t! I…I can’t! We need you!”

Dandre set his hand on Rhys’ shoulder. He smiled warmly at his second born son and said, “You can, Rhys. Watch after them. They’ve all you got left.” He pushed Rhys forwards. “NOW RUN!”

Rhys didn’t look back and followed his father’s command. He grabbed on to his mother’s free hand and dragged her down the hall. Shahar looked back to see his father lock swords with Donovan. Palesa looked over her shoulder, letting out a hopeless sob before screaming, “I LOVE YOU!”

Then she gritted her teeth and looked away. Shahar buried his face in her bosom, trying to hide from this chaos. Outside he could hear the cold, merciless rain pounding against the castle. The wind howled around them and the torches flared as they passed.

“Calm, Sunny…calm down…” Rhys’ words were distant. Shahar looked out of the corner of his eye; Rhys looked so scared, so thoughtful! They raced down a flight of stairs and into the entrance hall. Rhys didn’t bother unlocking and opening the door like he usually would. Instead he raised his free hand and used his element of lightning to blast it open. Wood flew everywhere in great heaping chunks. Cold winds and rain blew in, chilling Shahar to the bone and began to soak the tile. Rhys led them out into the rain, through the gardens and into the courtyard. They ran through the mud and the freezing rain until they made their way towards a carriage. Nadir was sitting in the driver’s seat, looking like a drowned rat. The door to the carriage flew open to receive them.

Palesa handed Shahar to Rhys, who then handed the little, shivering prince to someone inside the carriage. Thankfully it was warm inside, but yet so quiet and full of remorse. Lady Chaya, their tutor and wife of the Councilman Ruel, sat with General Cadoc and Lady Adiva. Shahar watched as Rhys began to help his exhausted mother into the carriage. Yet suddenly, in a blink of an eye, she let out a pained shriek and fell backwards into Rhys’ arms. He let out a wordless scream and turned around to see Donovan standing in the rain. It seemed he was getting tired though for he was on his knees with one hand grasping his sword planted into the ground. Yet the dark smirk was still present on his face.

Rhys looked down at his mother, whom he had cradling in his shaking arms. Shahar watched from the doorway of the carriage, his frightened eyes never leaving her.

She reached up with a trembling hand to stroke Rhys’ hair, like she so often did to each of her son’s, as she muttered helplessly with all her strength to say the words “I love you”. Yet her fingertips brushed his cheek instead. She smiled up at him weakly before her eyes fluttered closed and her hand fell limply down at her side. For a moment Rhys sat crouched there, too stunned to move. Only staring down with tear filled eyes at his mother in disbelief that she could actually be dead! Tears flowed freely down Shahar’s face now, blurring his vision and everything around him. Even the sounds seemed to come to a blur as he kept his focus on his now deceased mother and ignoring everything around him.

Rhys snarled, slowly getting up and turning to face Donovan. Anger flared in his eyes. “Traitor! Listen well, dear uncle!” He screamed to the man who had just murdered his mother. “You have just committed a sin, a terrible sin…slaughtering your own brother! Your kin! You murdered my father, my mother, my sister, and my brother!” He took a deep breath before going on. “Blood for blood, Donovan! Isn’t that what you always said? I WILL HAVE YOUR BLOOD!” Suddenly the castle behind them was engulfed in flames. It could have only been Rhys’ doing. Rhys stared at what he had done and nodded his approval. He stared at the flames for a moment, suddenly lost in thought again.

“RHYS!” Chaya screamed, her head poking out of the carriage.

Rhys jumped as he was brought back to reality. He turned heel quickly and leapt into the carriage, slamming the door quickly behind him. Not a second after Nadir cracked the reins. Rhys fell back on to his seat as the carriage jerked around him. He stared down at his brother, and Shahar stared right back. Rhys took a deep, mournful breath before hugging his little brother close and began to stroke his hair, just like their mother had done. Shahar returned the hug and let his tears flow freely. Then he suddenly realized that his brother was crying too, more like sobbing but very silently. After what felt like an eternity, Rhys let go of him and looked at their elders.

“What do we do now?” he asked quietly.

“We will go to Felcin.” Cadoc said. “But…your father told us that in the event of his death…to wipe your memories. So you will blend in with the commoners. He doesn’t want you in the capital. And…to keep you from doing anything rash.”

Rhys nodded slowly. “Whatever he said. I won’t be the one to disobey his final order.” He looked out the window. He could still see the burning castle, but it was starting to become a little orange dot among the darkness of the cold, wet night.

“Why…did you do that Rhys?” Chaya asked, rather astonished, as she returned her gaze from looking outside.

“For a thousand years Rohphilus kings have dwelled in that castle. By killing his own brother he has cut himself off from our lineage.” Rhys’ voice was so quiet the rain almost drowned him out. “No king that is not of the Rohphilus bloodline, no traitor, will live in my ancestor’s castle.” He looked at Adiva. “Let’s get it over with. I want this pain to go away.”

Adiva nodded, cleared her throat before raising her hand and setting it on Rhys’ temples. He let out a short scream, which was cut off by a gasp of air, before slumping forward. Shahar gasped and stared down at his brother, when he turned back up Adiva was reaching for him. He screamed in protest, raised his arms and set one of his hands on her face. He felt such blinding fear, that an unexpected rush of energy escaped his fingertips and next thing he knew exhaustion hit him and he blacked out.

xxxx

The information was easy to sort out. Donovan had killed his family, then made himself king. He had said that the entire royal family was dead through no matters related to him… but Shahar had seen Erebus and Chi. They were alive. Donovan had kept them alive knowingly, but he’d sent Rorek to kill him and Rhys…resulting in the deaths of Cadoc and Adiva, the only people who he could still consider his parents. He realized, slowly, that someone was screaming, till he finally noticed that it was coming from himself.

Shahar quieted himself and sat up slowly, staring forward blankly and feeling emotionless…until it hit him- that cold, unforgiving sorrow. He could see his mother’s lifeless face, Erebus laying wounded…

“MURDERER!” Shahar screamed suddenly. “MURDERER!” He scrambled to his feet. Freezing sorrow mixed with white-hot fury as he stared at his uncle. This man he’d once trusted with his life. “YOUR OWN BROTHER! YOUR OWN BROTHER!”

“Shahar…” Skyla’s voice was so small, so afraid.

He looked back at her. Tears were flowing down her face and Marcellus was holding her back. Had she tried to run to his aid? Shahar mustered a small, deceptive smile. “Family matters, La…”

“SUNNY, WATCH IT!”

Before he could look over his shoulder after receiving the warning from his brother, Shahar hit the not so soft, as it usually seemed, grass with a thud. Rhys stood over him, sword raised to block a blow delivered by Erebus. Our own brother.

Rhys lowered his sword and took a step back. Shahar scurried to his feet and summoned his staff with a deafening CRACK, then took his place beside his brother…the one that didn’t want to kill him at the moment. His mind was racing now. There was no way he was going to fight Erebus. Not Bats, his beloved oldest brother. He held his staff up in some feeble defense.

“Erebus!” Shahar began, letting out a desperate cry. He bit his lip, maybe using nicknames would get to through to them better, “Bats it’s us! Shahar and Rhys!”

“I’ll take care of Bats…you get Squirt!” Rhys jerked his head towards Chi. She was walking towards them, her club resting on her shoulder. “And by the gods be careful!”

Shahar stared at Rhys in horror. “What are you planning to do?”

“No idea.” Rhys admitted.

“PAPA!” Nalo screamed once he realized what was going on. He was wriggling in Calanetta’s arms. “PAPA NEEDS HELP! MAMA, LET ME GO! LET ME GO!” Calanetta held him back with all her might; she stared down at the child in sorrow. She refused to let him down, no matter how much he begged.

Shahar was suddenly reminded of Rhys begging their father to let him help Erebus. He shuddered at the memory. Shahar looked at Bella. She nodded briefly and turned to the people. “All of you run! You should know the rest of the way from here! Just run!” Everyone followed the order without a second thought. All except for the ones who definitely did not want to leave the ones on the battlefield behind.

Bella let out a grumble and had to give Calanetta a little extra push. She seemed reluctant to leave Rhys. Bella tried to usher her sister along, but Skyla made it clear with just a look that she was not leaving. A skill she learned from Chaya, who was firmly rooted in her place as well. Marcellus stood protectively beside them, unwilling to leave the three women unguarded. Marcellus sighed and looked ahead to see Shahar dodge a hit coming his way.

It was hard, fighting his baby sister. Half of the time he was almost lost in staring at her. How grown-up she was, how much she looked like their mother! Then she would swing that deadly club and he’d be forced to duck or dodge quickly. He kept his attacks weak, afraid to hurt her. Chi didn’t need his pity. She was swift and quick. She swung at his head and he would automatically drop to the ground to avoid it. The princess raised her club again to slam it down on him. He rolled to the side and the club slammed down into the grass, leaving a deep hole into the dirt, it even caused a small tremor around them.

Chi let out a “tsk” and shook off some of the dirt and grass before raising her club again.

But her brother was faster. Shahar shot a bolt of lightening from his hand. Chi grunted and stumbled back. She recovered quickly and swung again. Shahar ducked for the twentieth time now.

Her eyes are lifeless. Shahar told himself so many times. Was his sister just walking dead? Had a spell obliterated her mind? What had Donovan done to her? And the same with Erebus, for that matter. Shahar’s mind raced with questions. But he found one kept repeating, over and over, in his head…

Can they be saved?