As they approached the castle, they realized that Kaheen had Janak Nath pinned to one of its dilapidated towers. Simani stood a few feet away, petting the firebird foisted on her less than an hour ago.

Ashwin stationed Miranki next to them and hopped off. Ruban followed suit.

“He’s still alive.” Ashwin strode over to Kaheen, eyes intent on Janak. “I can help you fix that, anytime you’d like.”

“You see,” Janak croaked, struggling to speak with Kaheen’s fingers wrapped around his throat. “All he cares about is his own agenda. His own vengeance. He doesn’t give a damn about what you want, Kaheen. He never did.”

“As opposed to you?” Kaheen sneered, her tone icy.

“You know what I am. You always did. I told you from the beginning my goal was to Hunt Aeriels and sell their feathers for a profit. And that’s all I’ve ever done. I never pretended to be a hero. Never pretended to be anything more than I was. That’s his specialty, isn’t it?” He glared at Ashwin over Kaheen’s shoulder. “Making promises he can’t keep.

“That’s all this is, you know. A trick to get you on his side, so you’d help him and his friends get out of here alive. But what happens after Ruban Kinoh gets back to Ragah? You think he’ll just let you go, after you killed so many of his friends and colleagues in cold blood?” He laughed hoarsely. “The Hunter Corps will make an example out of you, Kaheen. I’d know; it’s what they did to me. And Shwaan will watch them do it, just like he watched them kill his own mother–”

“That’s not the same thing!” Kaheen snarled, knocking him back into the jagged tower wall. “Tauheen was a monster–”

“So are you, in their eyes. What makes you think your fate would be so different?”

“I am different. Shwaan and I–”

“Shwaan and you were playmates, centuries ago. That means less than nothing in the here and now. After all, Reivaa’s been dead for over a year. If he really cared for you, why didn’t he come looking for you before now? Before our tussle with the Hunter Corps forced him to confront his past in that bloody field outside Ragah?”

Stolen story; please report.

When Kaheen said nothing, Janak continued, his tone gentler. “I can help you, Kaheen. I know what it’s like to be betrayed by those you trust, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Not again.”

“It does!” she cried, her voice strained. “You’re a liar. And-and it’s too late, anyway.”

“It’s not. I have men inside the castle, even now. They haven’t defeated us completely, not yet. You have only to say the word, and I can get us both out of here.”

She laughed, the sound devoid of any mirth. “So that’s what you want, is it? A pair of wings to fly you and your men out of here–”

“Of course not!” Janak’s face was red, his eyes bloodshot. “I have Aeriels waiting on the eastern roof to carry us out of the country right now. I don’t need you, Kaheen. I want you. I always have.”

“Good to know.” She threw a glance over her shoulder. “You got that?”

Ashwin nodded. Instantly, Aeriels swarmed into the castle, some taking the doors while others flew directly up to the battered and decrepit roofs.

Her fingers clutching Janak’s embroidered collar, Kaheen spun. “All yours.” She threw the wide-eyed man into Ashwin’s arms.

Ashwin grinned, his arms around Janak’s shoulders. Only the look of anguished horror on the man’s face betrayed the fact that the embrace was less than comfortable.

A slight jerk of Ashwin’s body had the feather cloak slipping off his left shoulder. Ruban’s heart constricted at the sight of the brand – the skin bleached of color, raised and mutilated to form the letters of Janak’s name.

Kaheen had warned him about the branding. But nothing could have prepared him for the grisly sight of the inflamed, humiliating scars – the bastard’s name literally burned into Ashwin’s skin.

“What the hell?” He could feel the blood draining from his face as he turned to Simani. “Those scars should’ve healed by now. He doesn’t still have sif in his system, does he?”

She shook her head. “He was branded with enhanced sif. I don’t know if it’s permanent, but I can tell you it won’t fade anytime soon. Janak spent a fortune on the ores to make sure of that.”

Ruban turned back to see Janak babbling incoherently, twisting and turning in a futile attempt to break free of Ashwin’s hold. “L-Look, please, I didn’t mean–”

Ashwin clamped a hand over his mouth. “I’m sure you didn’t. But seeing how much you like carving up your guests…” The faint glow of a burgeoning shell emanated from the fingers covering Janak’s mouth. “I thought you might enjoy this.”

Eyes bulging and skin clammy with sweat, Janak let out a series of pained grunts.

Then, the sounds ceased, and his trembling body went rigid.

Ruban jumped back with a yell, narrowly avoiding the charred flesh, blood, and bits of bone that splattered the unkempt castle yard.

Slowly, Ashwin stepped away, allowing the headless carcass to crumple to the ground.

The sounds of the battle raged around them. Ruban stared unseeingly at the blood-spattered Ashwin flicking bits of gore off his sleeve.