Ahryn watched the fight, his heart in his stomach.

He had wanted to help. He had thought this was his chance to help.

Kohen was always helping him. Miss Cass's encouragement had been unexpected, but all the more dear for it. Emenie was his daily strength.

He just wanted to help.

Focus: 14/126

Health: 22/112

Just the barest trickle of resources left. Sure, he'd helped Miss Cass a little, but he was sure she would have figured something else out. If he hadn't been in the way, wouldn't she have effortlessly dodged every attack?

If she didn't need to protect him.

It was the same for Kohen. If he hadn't been in danger, would Kohen be like that?

Kohen—he forced himself to call the demonic figure sword fighting the big tauran man his brother's name, because the alternative was to admit he was only a demon—had only become like that because he, weak Ahryn, had been in danger. They'd only been in danger because he, useless Ahryn, had insisted he could save Emenie.

It was all his fault.

No. He shouldn't think that. He wasn't that important. He wasn't. He never would be.

He was sure, when the dust settled, they'd blame Aunt Ashrel for failing to protect the dragonlings. They'd blame Kohen for failing to protect him. For failing to keep him out of danger.

His chest hurt, like a frayed knot was burning within. It pulsed and twisted and every time he moved it felt like something was trying to rip his organs out.

If he weren't painfully familiar with the pain of missing Health, he probably would have assumed that was all it was. He was down to just 22 Health after all.

But he was, and that wasn't it. Health loss felt more like a draining exhaustion. It made even breathing difficult. Sleep felt shallow. The world muted.

This was stabbing.

Perhaps, if he were more prone to dramatics, he might assume this was simply crushing guilt. It was certainly the kind of pain that made him wonder if death would be easier.

But he knew what crushing guilt felt like. He felt it daily. It was more of a sinking hopelessness. Sourceless and breathless.

No. Something else was wrong with him.

Something new.

His mother would cry when she found out. She didn't like to show it, but he knew she did.

Maybe he could hide it.

Concerns for later. If he lived. That brought a twisted smile to his lips. If he died here, she'd never know he'd hurt himself in some new way. That was something, wasn't it?

Not much of a silver lining, but it was something.

He'd still rather not die. She'd cry worse if he died.

Kohen would have done that to himself for nothing.

Maybe even the desire to help was too ambitious a goal for him. He should have run when Miss Cass had asked him to.

The big tauran erupted in purple flames. Ahryn found his eyes drawn to him as the dragon and Kohen both turned to attack the man.

A moment later, Miss Cass appeared at his side. She must have Stealth skills besides her mage ones.

What was that like, to go wherever she wanted without everyone looking at her?

The purple fire over her skin was gone. Her cat was nowhere in sight.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"Do you trust me?" she asked. Her voice was tight. She was worried about something. Him probably. Maybe Alyx, too. Did she know Alyx was here? Maybe not. Maybe she was just worried about him.

What was the question again? Oh. Did he trust her?

The correct answer was 'no'. He knew that. You didn't survive as a noble of Vaisom without learning that.

Miss Cass, as kind as she seemed, was a stranger. From everything he'd heard, she was from distant lands. There were all kinds of reasons his parents would tell him not to trust her. All sorts of reasons Kohen would tell him not to trust her.

But she was also the first to assume he'd enter the catacombs this year. The first person to ask him what he wanted to study at the Academy—the rest of that conversation hadn't made a whole lot of sense. What was a Large? Why would he pick one?

This wasn't her city, but it sounded like she was fighting to protect its people. She was certainly fighting to save its dragons.

To protect Emenie.

Wasn't that alone enough?

Plus, Alyx trusted her. Trusted her enough to give up on the coliseum fight to look for her.

And if that wasn't enough, what would be?

He nodded.

The tension left her shoulders, but her expression darkened. "This might not work. You'd be putting your life on the line."

He hesitated. Kohen had bought him this moment. He couldn't throw it away.

"More accurately, you'd be putting your life in Kohen's hands." She looked meaningfully at the demon his brother had become.

Demon of Blood and Lightning

Lvl ???

[A beast born of pride and desire. Fear it, for it will consume you and all you hold dear.]

He shouldn't trust Kohen now. That was a demon. He couldn't pretend it was anything else.

Only a fool would trust a demon. That was what the stories all said. Demons lied and betrayed. They killed everything in their path.

He should resign himself to the facts. Kohen was a demon.

His hand drifted over his chest and the burning pain within. Kohen had done something to him. He could still see the madness in Kohen's—in the demon's—eyes as he'd pressed Ahryn against the altar. He'd hurt him and been happy to do it.

Kohen, as Ahryn knew him, was dead.

And yet.

He opened his message log. He reread the last Starlight Message he'd sent. The panicked message he'd sent after Miss Cass had pushed him out of the way of one attack and into the sword range of the next:

Kohen, please, help me. Please.

The message he sent, and the impossible reply he got back:

Coming.

It wasn't much.

It wasn't anything.

But Kohen had come. He'd appeared with a bolt of lightning and heralded by thunder.

Kohen had saved him.

"It'll help Kohen and Emenie?"

Miss Cass nodded. "If I'm right."

He nodded. "I can do it. Just tell me what."

"I'm going to have you attract everyone's attention," Miss Cass said. "I'm hoping Kohen will protect you."

He was the distraction then. The distraction for what?

Miss Cass's eyes flicked back to the fight in the room's center.

If she had time to explain the details, she would have. And he'd already decided he'd trust her. So instead he asked, "What do I need to do?"

"Don't die." Miss Cass's stare was serious.

He honestly didn't know how much control he had over that, but he nodded all the same.

"But let yourself be in danger," Miss Cass continued.

Again, he doubted he'd have much control over that, but he nodded again. "Is that all?"

Miss Cass hesitated. She shook her head. "Try to get as far from the dragonlings as you can."

His eyes widened. He understood. "I'm the bait to get the dragonlings to safety?"

Miss Cass nodded, but it was a slow, unenthusiastic thing. There was more to this plan then.

"This will save Kohen?" he asked.

She hesitated. Just a moment. But she nodded, her voice strong and confident. "Yes."

It was a front for him. She was anything but confident.

But she'd also promised to do what she could. And he'd decided to trust her. "Okay. I'll do it."

The glow of Miss Cass's eyes flickered. Her face flinched, like she was moving through several expressions in an instant. Less than an instant. Fast enough, he'd probably imagined it.

His skin erupted in magenta flames.

He jumped.

But they weren't hot. Instead, they were a temperature-less illusion.

The feel of eyes on the back of his head wasn't. He turned. All the paladins were looking at him.

The nearest one charged him.

His heart skipped. He raised his hands, casting Lightscreen Barrier.

The screen of white light flickered into existence between him and the paladin, his mind straining as the spell ate at the dregs of his Focus.

He had a few more spells left in him.

The paladin raised his sword. It swung through the Lightscreen, the blade slowing as it cut through the debuffing space, slowing enough for him to stumble backward out of the blade's path.

He held his barrier as the paladin swung again.

His entire body sagged under the strain. How long had Miss Cass hoped he'd last? He should have asked that much, at least.

The blade sliced through the barrier, slowing again as the silver light enveloped the attack.

Thunder roared. The scorching smell of burning air filled the cathedral.

Kohen appeared, his sword buried up to its hilt in the paladin's back.

Ahryn's heart pounded in his chest.

Relief and fear mixed into a paralyzing concoction.

Kohen had saved him.

But what would come next?

His chest throbbed with its mysterious but piercing pain. Kohen had done that to him. He could do it again. He could make it worse. He was a demon.

Kohen could kill him now.

Another paladin ran past Kohen.

His brother's casting hand twisted through a series of gestures Ahryn knew well.

The spell bolt shot from his hand, striking the second paladin in the back. The man seized, falling to the ground.

Kohen's sword disappeared, and the first paladin fell to the ground. Kohen stepped over the second, his eyes widening at the fallen man. Kohen didn't touch him, but the man screamed, then fell silent.

Those eyes fell across Ahryn. Wide and dark, glinting with the purple fire of Miss Cass's skill. But they weren't empty.

They were desperate.

Desperate for things Ahryn could not know and did not understand.

But also to protect him.

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