This is why he was the brother I needed with me.
He, his time, and his blades cut through the darkness just as fast as Obsidian commands more to form.
None of them get near me as I approach the God of Shadows.
His power pulses the short distance I leave between us.
Familiar. Fear inducing.
His eyeholes glow a faint red as he observes Kyzen’s every move.
“He’s even more graceful now than he once was.”
“Please don’t flirt with my brother,” I gag. “It’s uncomfortable for everyone.”
“You still hide fear behind humor.”
“I still hide a lot of things behind humor.” I shrug.
There’s no point lying to him. This may be the first time I’ve ever met the God of Shadows in person, but his energy is impossible to forget.
He and what he’s capable of have haunted me for years. He knows parts of me better than I do.
He knows all who’ve faced their fears because of him.
“You reek of chaos. Of instability.”
“You flatter me.”
His chuff is unkind and more shadows spill across the ground like ink dumped from a broken bottle.
I allow him to believe I don’t sense them circling my arms, but how could I not? They create an itch you can’t scratch. A hum that doesn’t sound like my own.
A clank echoes around us, and I dip my head toward the sound. My sigh is small as I rattle the constraints he locked around my wrist.
“Chains. Very fitting choice.”
“I thought so as well.” He drifts closer, floating across the ground rather than walking. I don’t jerk my head away as he grips my jaw.
“What did you hope to accomplish by coming to me today, Riven? You’re too impulsive, unprepared, and nonchalant. Youcouldn’t have truly believed it’d be that simple to kill me. Darkness cannot be defeated.”
“Of course I did. That’s still the plan.”
“Plan.” His harsh laugh is accompanied by more shadow figures falling from his fingers. “You’ve marched your brother and yourself right into a room full of endless fears. I could feed from you until my heart is content, then hand you off to your father. What then? You’ll wait in your chains until your Binder comes to save you once again?”
My powers sharpen to points, stabbing into the restraints on my wrist.
“Don’t.”
“Don’t what? Tell you how she screamed so beautifully. I’ll do you one better. Let me show you.”
Fingers that weigh no more than smoke on the wind sear into my forehead. Shadows crawl down my face and plunge into my swirling eyes.
The dark landscape before me shifts into a blood-stained arena.
My breathing stops.
My body goes rigid as my power goes ballistic.
