I stare at him, knowing what he’s asking but not wanting to go there.
“Give me mercy.”
I lower the sword. “I can’t do that; we can save you.”
He lunges up, sweeping up a metal pole and swinging it at me. “No, we can’t. You can’t save me. I’m already dead. I was the minute I walked into the citadel to save him. They destroyed me!” he cries and stumbles towards me again.
I recognise him in that movement, in the pain I’ve never seen on his face, the agony that no god ever felt. A memory sliding open, a secret that few gods even know. Not one luna god. Two.
“Brother,” I whisper. “I can save you. The way you saved me when you opened that door. Let me help.”
“Don’t let me live like this, with her inside me. Don’t you make me live without him.”
“But—”
“Don’t you dare!”he roars.
He swings, and I get the sword up in time to deflect the weapon before it crashes into my skull. His eyes are wild; blood pours from his mouth and nose. His skin splits.
I stare at it in horror.
“I saved you, so save me now,” he whispers. “Kaida, please,” he begs. “Kill me. I can’t live like this.”
I let out a low moan and dart in, my sword lifted to slide into him.
“Don’t you dare!” Walker roars, but it’s not him, it’s her.
She takes control of his body, slashing and attacking in a wild frenzy that drives me back mercilessly.
“I’m not dying. I’m going to live!” she snarls.
Arrogance is her downfall, I remember.
“Have you recalled who we are?” I sneer.
She stumbles, and I attack, cutting his arm. It hurts me to do it, and I dance back, uncertain if I can continue.
The Resistance are standing around watching us. A crowd of so many waiting to see which of us will succeed. Will they live or die today? It all comes down to my finding the courage to kill my friend, my brother.
She lashes out, and I go back, around and around. My arm burns, and I look down and realise she’s got me with a fairly deep cut to my arm.
“I’m not going to die. I won’t!”
“I am Kaida Keres. My mother was my hero. She loved me, and she loved Walker. I am the mate of three alphas. I escaped you four times, and I am the Luna Omega, the chosen warrior for this planet.”
Her arm jerks, and I lunge forward, feeling the bonds of all three of my alphas; for one shiny moment, they glow alive in me. It’s like they are allstanding there with their hands on me. In my mind, I see them all, all the ones who are gone, lined up behind me, and I’m strong, and I’m able to do this evil thing.
“No!” she whispers.
Walker collapses, blood welling from the stab wound. It has pierced his lung. He’s drowning.
She screams, thrashing his head around, jerking. I hate that she’s making him look like this, that she’s there, and I can’t see him.
“Walker,” I say his name.
“Legion?” he begs piteously.
I look quickly at the people gathered around. “Get Legion’s body now.”
