Page 145 of Andreas

A worm of recognition nestled into the back of her mind. Human machinery with elven magic.

Inside the vat floated a woman and a lizard-like creature that Areanel had not seen in over two decades. No, that couldn’t be…

‘Sil—’ She was interrupted by a loud popping sound. The noise reverberated off the cavern walls, and a citric scent engulfed her lungs as something buzzed behind her. She felt the air suck in on itself as a phantom wind blew her hair around her.

Nymlaris.

Her mind recognised the way goosebumps prickled at his power. From the corner of her eye, Areanel saw a spear glint in the unnatural green light—Vasilio’s spear—Nemesis flew through the air to her left, disorienting Caius long enough for a blur of red, white and midnight blue to warp out of sight. Her shoulders slumped like a weight had been lifted.

They would get him to safety. Rymedur would be okay.

There and gone in a split second. Yet, the sensation of the world turning in on itself lingered like a scorched mark against the skin.

‘Fuck!’ Caius launched forward as though to intercept them, but it was too late. They were already gone, disappearing into the folds of space as Nymlaris jumped them to safety.

It only lasted a second, then the confusion and defeat on Caius’s face morphed into a raging beast as he whirled on Areanel. The blade flashed against the light as it sailed through the air, aiming right for her heart, but the pain she expected to feel did not come.

The air twisted before her, and a lemony tang wafted through the space as it bent, sending a thousand little pinpricks racing across her left side. Light bounced off the silver pendant at her neck, a blue pulse beating like a beacon burning against her skin. A buzzing fizz travelled across the fine hairs along her arm, singeing the skin through her ripped and tattered fighting leathers. And then… Pop.

White hair filled her vision as a lean body stood before her, swinging their sword.

Clash!

The blade Caius had thrown bounced off the sword Nymlaris swung, deflecting the trajectory of the weapon and sending it clattering to the stone floor. Areanel watched in shock and horror, her heart beating erratically as the weapon slid to a stop by the cave’s opening.

It had been aimed at her heart. It would have killed her.

Caius would have killed her.

‘You’re welcome,’ Nymlaris said, though his heavy breaths told her he had not thought he would deflect it on time.

Standing a hairsbreadth away from her, she saw the moment Nymlaris noticed their elder brother, and his entire body seemed to visibly recoil at the sight of Silas: blue stare, icy and wild, hair knotted at the side of his head from where he had pulled it, hands desperately grabbing Areanel as he leaned his weight on her; chest rattling with every wheezed breath.

Nymlaris’s gaze jumped to hers over his shoulder, like she could give him the answers to all his questions. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water as he gaped between them. ‘What… How—But he’s—’

Areanel did not hear what her brother was going to ask because Caius had recovered from his shock and sailed forward with a wordless yell, attacking Nymlaris.

The clash of swords became a distant thing as Areanel focused all her attention on Silas. He had to see reason. The rebels had to be using him, using his illness—his vulnerability—for their cause. Her brother could not be so far gone. She hadn’t seen him since the war two decades ago; she had no idea what had happened in that time—but he was alive.

She no longer cared if Caius died, but Silas? She could save him at least.

This wasn’t his fault. He was just confused, his thoughts muddled. He wasn’t gone yet. He couldn’t be.

‘Stop this, Silas. Come home. We can get you help. Father has employed the best healers in all of Idyssa; they can help you.’

Silas let out a frustrated huff. ‘You don’t understand. I did all that I could. Father won’t…’ His voice trailed off along with his gaze. Areanel followed his line of sight. Again, it travelled to the cave's opening. What did he see? The glint of silver continued to clash as Nymlaris moved Caius further from them and towards that opening.

Shuffling back a step, Silas staggered, taking Areanel with him. They stumbled until Areanel got her footing and righted them both. Her brother was heavier than he looked.

‘There’s chaos in your veins.’ Silas held her wrist, bringing it up to her face, forcing her to examine the greenish-blue vein that split like a river, disappearing under the sleeve of her leathers. ‘I tried to do it just like you did. I thought that if I could use the same methods, it would work. But it didn’t. No. Mad. The screams. I couldn’t take it. Everything fell into a void. Despair. Dread. Darkness. He could wield them as his father did. I thought… I thought… What did I think?’

Silas angled his head over his shoulder like he was listening to someone who whispered in his ear. Rolling his neck, Areanel heard it crack before his eyes returned to hers, and guilt swam in his eyes.

‘What did you think, Silas?’ she asked.

‘It’s better this way.’ Silas reached a hand to cup her cheek, a tear sliding free from the corner of his eye—there was pain there, raw and new, like whatever he did, he could still see it. ‘Father is right. I was weak. Pain. It’s all-consuming. All I feel, all the time. You will feel it, too. There will be no more pain for either of us now.’

Silas’s twisted smile crept its way back onto his face, and a slick, oily sensation poured into her mind as his fingers pressed into the side of her temple. ‘No more pain.’