“I came to kill Laredo.”

Memories passed before Arelia’s eyes. Sasha’s evasiveness in the alley. The strange look on his face. From the start, back in the scrapyard, he’d said it outright. “Cut off the head of the snake.” Exactly what the other boy said just now. Her expression wavered. Hurt, confused, she looked at Sasha. Despite her best efforts, tears glimmered in her eyes. Why? Didn’t we agree? I trusted you.

“I’m warning you one last time. Hands up!” the nearest man shouted.

Sasha’s hand flickered. Almost simultaneously, all three men staggered back. Two grabbed their throats, trying hopelessly to stop the gushing blood. They staggered backward and fell, one leaving a trail of blood down the window as he squeaked down it. The third screamed and clutched his face. Glistening in the sunlight, a razor blade stuck out of his eyeball. A few thick drops of blood and a whitish fluid rolled down his cheek like tears.

Behind him, Arelia whirled back around the corner and desperately fought down the urge to scream. Ragged breaths caught in her chest, almost sobs. Her heart ached in time with the man’s screams. He killed them. Again. Right in front of me. I watched them die, and I did nothing.

The boy raised his eyebrows as the man collapsed in the corner, sobbing. “Pathetic. Couldn’t even take down—”

As soon as his head turned, Sasha ducked low and lunged. A dagger materialized in his hidden hand. One step, two, the distance between them disappeared. The boy began to turn back, but too slow. Sasha jabbed at the boy’s stomach, a glimmer of victory in his eyes.

Arelia cringed and covered her eyes, but still leaned around the corner to watch. Please don’t kill him. Please don’t die.

The boy blurred and reappeared a foot to the side. Sasha’s dagger swept through air. “—three ordinary men.”

Sasha pivoted on his toes and followed with a high slash that arced up at the boy’s chin. The boy danced backward, but there was something lazy in the motions, as if he couldn’t be bothered to exert himself.

Expressionless as ever, Sasha gave chase, slashing again and again. In return, the boy dodged backward again and again. Sasha’s blade never so much as scratched his skin. Arelia knew nothing about fighting, but even she could see the difference between the two. Compared to the boy’s speed, Sasha might as well be standing still.

They drew close to a wall. Sasha bounded up a series of boxes and kicked off the wall, hurtling down at the boy. Instead of dodging, the boy stood still. Go, Sasha! Arelia cheered silently.

At the last second, the boy turned to the side and clenched his fist. Sasha abandoned the lunge and twisted in midair, but too slow. A meaty blow and a deep crack, and Sasha tumbled past the boy, helplessly off-balance. He threw himself into a somersault and rolled to a crouch, hand on the floor, eyes narrowed.

Arelia winced. That looked like it hurt.

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“Coming here injured, do you want to die?” the boy asked, glaring at Sasha’s sling.

Again, Sasha lunged at him. The dagger flashed wildly, too fast for Arelia’s eyes to follow. Yawning, the boy planted his feet and deflected Sasha’s blows bare-handed. Sasha danced around him, always in motion. In contrast, the boy was statue-like aside from his hands, which fluttered around him, seemingly light but always firm enough to turn aside Sasha’s attacks.

He’s faster. Stronger. Fear welled up in Arelia’s stomach. If Sasha can’t kill him… will he kill Sasha?

For the first time, she felt as though she understood Sasha. Why he killed so easily. This boy who looked exactly like him, who seemed to know him well, wouldn’t hesitate to kill him. If this was who he grew up around, wouldn’t he think he had no option but to unhesitatingly kill?

Her hands clenched. This isn’t my world. I didn’t grow up in a world like that. But the men under father… don’t they see things the same way? And here I am, unwilling to watch someone else murder them, even though they would kill us if they had the option. Maybe I am too naïve.

Abruptly, the boy dropped his hands and stopped deflecting. Noticing the gap, Sasha immediately slashed at his neck. As the dagger swung, the boy snapped his hand out and caught Sasha’s wrist. The stab stopped dead, blade-tip inches from the boy’s jugular. Sasha pushed against his hold. His dagger trembled and his wrist reddened where the boy held it, but the dagger didn’t move forward.

The boy glanced down at the dagger and smirked unpleasantly. “How pathetic. No wonder you ran away.”

Sasha smirked back. Fast as a viper, his silver arm darted out from the sling and grabbed for the boy’s throat.

The boy darted his head back at the last instant. Silver fingers barely brushed his neck, and a spark arced from Sasha to the boy. The boy jerked, eyes wide. His entire body went rigid, then loose. He dropped to his knees, then to the ground. His eyes drooped shut.

Arelia ran over. Halfway to Sasha, she hesitated. The boy looked so small when he was unconscious. So much younger than her. “Is he dead?”

Sasha tossed the sling off his arm and shook it out, rolling his shoulder. He watched the boy silently, lips pressed together.

Suddenly, the boy jerked. He closed his eyes. Blue light spilled from under thick black lashes, blazing brighter and brighter as he slowly opened his eyes.

Sasha’s eyes went wide. He threw his arm out toward Arelia. “Run!”

The boy jumped up. Sasha jerked back, but too slow. A pale hand lashed out and wrapped around his throat. Teeth bared in a wild grin, the boy lifted him above his head. Despite the fact that he and Sasha were the same size, with slender arms, no effort showed on the boy’s face as he held Sasha off the ground.

“Did that make you feel good? Did you enjoy that? Landing a single blow on a your superior, you must be so proud of yourself,” the boy whispered. Bright eyes stared at Sasha, wide as dinner plates.

“Sasha!” Arelia screamed

“Get out of here!” Sasha gasped. He clawed at the boy’s arm, legs swinging desperately. The boy barely noticed.

Arelia bit her lip. She glanced at Sasha, then at the hallway, then back at Sasha. “Stay alive, okay?”

Gasping for breath, both hands biting into the boy’s wrists, Sasha gave no indication he’d heard her.

She hesitated one second longer, then turned and ran.

Attracted by the flicker of motion, the boy’s head snapped to follow her. He released Sasha and stared, stock still. Half conscious, Sasha slumped to the floor.

The boy vanished. Arelia caught a blur of motion out of the corner of her eye and screamed, flinching back.

No one grabbed her. Nothing closed around her throat. Slowly, Arelia opened her eyes.

Fingertips clawed for her visor, bare inches from reaching. Yelping a second time, she staggered back.

The boy reached for her, but couldn’t move any further. Something held him back. She dragged her eyes down. Sasha had wrapped himself around the boy’s leg and dug his heels into the carpet. Sparks of faint blue light flickered depths of his eyes.

“Go!” Sasha snarled.

This time, Arelia didn’t hesitate. Head down, she hurtled through the room and along the next hallway. Hold on, Sasha. At least until I talk to Father!