Gav was twisting the plasma dirk and pulling it down, but Ved headbutted him as hard as he could. His brother reeled back, knocked off balance, and Ved struck without hesitation. He lifted Gav up, then threw him down again, knocking the breath from his lungs in a pitiful wheeze.
With his right hand, Ved pulled the plasma dirk from his shoulder; with his left, he gripped Gav’s helmet.
Gav tried to get out from beneath him, punching and digging his heels into the dirt, but Ved refused to be pulled away from the challenge. He worked the edge of the dirk into the seam of Gav’s helmet and began to pry it off.
“You’ll never be a true qon,” his brother raged. “Weakness doesn’t just go away—it’s an incurable disease. You are still that same runt you were when I gutted you.”
Even as Gav plunged another blade into his thigh, Ved’s dirk hummed, breaking off a piece of the helmet.
Gav wrenched his blade back and stabbed him again. “Cleave ismine.You’re nothing.”
Metal clasps gave way to the searing edge of the dagger. Gav pushed Ved’s hands away, but it didn’t matter. His helmet came off anyway.
They shared the same eyes. And though Gav’s dark blue face was contorted in rage, Ved knew it was the face of his brother. It was the same face of the youth that had left him to die. The face of the Xaal who had taken his bruvya and his Isobel.
“You’re the weak one,” Ved snarled, and punched him. “After everything you did to try and destroy me”—another strike—“you’ve still managed to be dishonored and lose.”
Ved hit him again, and again, until his face was nothing but abstract crimson. Until there was nothing of himself left to see in his brother.Ved didn’t stop, even as Gav choked on his own blood. His struggle grew weaker, but he was still alive when Ved moved on to his next task.
It took six strikes to break the armor covering Gav’s upper body enough to pry it away. He tore the fabric beneath next. Then five more punches to shatter his ribs. Several more before flesh broke and he could reach inside his chest cavity.
His brother was still hanging on to life through it all, but only then reeked of fear.
Finding the thick, corded artery in the center of his chest, Ved pulled up and out, bringing bone and chunks of meat with him. The hearts were pumping steadily, not yet realizing their defeat. Discarding them on the blood-stained silver of what remained of Gav’s armor, Ved stood up.
“You’re nothing,” Gav garbled.
Ved’s chest heaved, his vision sharpened. “I am Ved Qon Cleave,” he growled.
One violent stomp, and the squelch and spray of blood sealed an oath made long ago.
Chapter 38
Isobel
The island was filled with the dead.
But Ved and Kravis still stood, covered in carnage. They stared at the bodies like overlords of the battlefield, chests heaving.
When Ved turned to look at her, his gaze caught on Andrix. Even she’d forgotten he was there.
The Xaal stood with his arms folded as if he weren’t about to die. Driskos, sensing the very real threat, lowered himself into an offensive position, his ears going back and his black lips curling in a silent snarl.
Ved moved toward Andrix, the threat of death evident in every aspect of his being.
Isobel had seconds to decide. Andrix had told her that someone who stood by and did nothing wasn’t an ally. He’d remained truly neutral, yet she didn’t want to see him torn apart.
“Don’t kill him,” Isobel said, her voice too loud in the quiet aftermath. She moved so that she was between the two. “He isn’t like them, Ved. He gave me food and a translator.”
Ved stopped short as if her words had finally sunk in. “You didn’t fight with your clan.”
Andrix lifted his shoulder in a lazy shrug—a universal mannerism. “It wasn’t my fight. I owed Gav a debt, but there was no honor in this. I don’t claim this clan.”
“Who are you and what clan do you belong to, then?” Kravis asked, coming to stand beside Ved.
“My name is Andrix, and I have no clan.”
Something she didn’t fully understand passed between the Xaal in the silence that followed. Finally, Ved gestured with his chin for Andrix to leave. Isobel had a feeling that the offer would expire quickly.
