I love him.
Matvei is shattered—broken like me. And somehow… somehow, he’s still standing, still breathing, still bearing the weight of it all. And now, I understand why he’s so fiercely loyal. He’s told me, but there's something about witnessing the way he holds his brother, the way his hands tremble as he presses his forehead to the bloodied skin.
I’m sobbing so hard I almost don’t see Rafail behind him. The video continues. Rafail places a firm hand on Matvei’s shoulder.
"I’m so sorry, brother," Rafail whispers, voice rough, broken.
They’re both crying.
Oh my god, this is the worst day of my life.
I go to shut it off but see the video isn’t done yet. I sniff, watching, unable to look away.
Matvei’s face is pale, his shoulders slumped. Rafail falls to his knees beside him, and I force myself to understand. To trulyknowwhat he has lived through, what he has done. The weight of it settles over me like chains.
The video fades, but then I hear Rafail’s voice, steady.
"You know the law," he says like it’s gospel. "You took the life of a brother out of duty. A family member. The blood debt must be balanced.”
The blood debt.
Matvei doesn’t flinch or look away but lifts his head, his voice quiet but firm. Reciting the words like a vow.
“A life taken, a life given. I took blood from the family. Now I give it back.”
A pause. A breath.
“It is my duty to bring new life into this world.”
Rafail nods once. Solemn. And just like that, the sentence is passed.
A shiver of cold fear traces down my spine.
No.
No.
I stare at the screen, the words echoing in my skull.
The blood debt must be balanced.
This isn’t about revenge.
This isn’t just about ownership.
This is about legacy.
This is about continuation.
I am his future.
And I can’t bear children.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Matvei
We walk into the smoky,dimly lit pool hall like we own the place.
