But as quickly as I can break them, Fenix sends out more. Over and over again. Faster and faster.
And I can feel that well in my chest, screaming in rage, threatening to break, and wanting to retreat. My jaw aches, my limbs shake, and my muscles quiver as I wrestle to force myself to beat him. To break every tie and hold that Fenix has.
Until I can’t.
Until there’s nothing left in me and I am spent. Empty. And I collapse, panting, and aching, the burning behind my ribs so hot I fear it might set fire to my lungs.
“Ever!” Ten is at my side, and I look up at him through my gloomy vision. “Ever… your eyes.” He pulls back and keeps his hands by his sides.
I blink a few times, trying to clear my vision and whatever he might see in them.
“Crimson?” I check as I gulp down air as if that might help extinguish the pain rupturing in my chest.
“She’s good. Still standing.”
“Seems like you have no trouble aiming your magic at me, Sister.” Fenix’s voice booms over us.
“It must be something to do with how we met, Fenix. Seems I can’t get over that.” My retort encourages a coughing spurt that has my lungs screaming.
“Leave her. She’s used her power for now.” The Usher’s tone pierces my ears.
“She can still fight.” Fenix doesn’t seem satisfied with leaving me in the dirt for the day.
He tosses two swords into the ring, and they clatter to the ground. “If your power is too weak, you’ll train another way. Fight. We need you strong. Same rules apply.”
I look at the sword glinting in the sunlight before turning to Ten, whose expression has grown deadly.
“I won’t fight him, Fenix.”
“Fine. You won’t fight him. Then let him fight you.”
Ten’s eyes fly wide with fear as he stands to turn to my brother. “I won’t—” but Ten’s voice is halted abruptly. His movements are stuttered and sharp, unnatural. And I realise that he’s moving towards the discarded weapon on the floor.
“Ten?”I reach for the connection between us, but it’s weak, just like me. And there’s no answer in my mind.
His hand curls around the hilt, and he lifts the sword, dragging the tip of the blade through the dust as he stands.
“Stop it, Fenix.”
“I’m not doing anything. This is all him.” But his smirk tells the truth.
“He’d never lift a weapon against me.”
“Maybe. Shall we find out?” Fenix claps his hands together, his focus on Ten as he stutters forward, raising the sword and bringing it down towards me.
I roll out of the way and scramble on my hands and knees to the other sword. “Fenix, please don’t do this,” I plead, but Ten just comes at me again. This time, I grab the other sword andraise it to block the strike, the clang of the metal ringing against metal vibrating through the air.
I lock eyes with Ten and see the pain in them and the strain on his face, showing me how hard he’s fighting inside, fighting against the hold that Fenix has. Fenix can freeze us—stop us from moving. He forced me to move on the ship, so why wouldn’t he animate us in any way he chooses?
A new level of terror unlocks in my mind at the power he has and what damage he could do.
Ten’s arms start to shake, but he still rallies blow after blow down on me as sweat licks his forehead.
I drag myself to my feet and clutch the sword in my hands.
Calix taught me how to do this. Fighting with Crimson taught me how to do this. Only I never thought I’d be using those skills against Ten.
No. This isn’t Ten. It might look like him, but it’s my brother’s actions I’m fighting against. Not the man I love.
