"Matius! I found Lyra but she's disappeared—gone invisible I mean." Fenrin bounded over to the Third Apprentice who was blowing a volley of arrows harmlessly into the remaining stone wall.

"Invisible? She won't be able to hold it for long." Matius gave a blonde haired Azir a nod and left her to take his place on the line before making his way down to Fenrin.

Fenrin's shoulder was bleeding and Matius held up a glowing hand but Fenrin knocked it aside. "Save it. I think she's going to sneak into the city, we need to make sure we know if she gets inside."

They both glanced around nervously before making their way past the wall. Dozens of Azir militia fighters were doing their best to hold their own against the hordes of warriors. Swords and spears flashed with ice and fire but even with their magical advantage, it was obvious the group would be overwhelmed. They had to find Lyra and end this.

Once behind the wards Matius's fellow reinforcements had conjured, Matius pulled the pendant from his pocket. He closed his eyes and concentrated, the pendant glowing. He frowned, that could be right? It felt like...

In a flash of white hot pain, a wickedly sharp dagger sliced into Matius's stomach. He dropped the pendant, his hands reaching down instinctually for the pain.

Hot red rivlets of blood and gore poured out of the widening hole in his gut. Matius's vision blurred and desperately he pressed a glowing hand to the wound, trying to hold off the cold touch of death with his magic. He couldn't die here...Jayln was waiting for him at home....he promised to come back...he had to...

Matius's desperate efforts prevented him from hearing Lyra as she reappeared, one arm wrapped around Matius's throat, a dagger glittering near his chin, the other twisting the dagger in his gut.

Fenrin began to move but she chided, "Uh, uh, uh. He may be able to stitch his insides but I doubt even the Third Apprentice's magic would beat me to his brain."

Her brother froze, his face flickering between rage and anguish as he watched the lifeblood continue to pour out of Matius, his face growing paler. Fenrin grit his teeth and glanced to the side where a few Azir had noticed the queen's appearance. He opened his mouth to tell them to get help but Lyra spoke again sharply, "Anyone moves and the Arch Mage will have a new job opening."

The mages turned to Fenrin, waiting for his signal.

He should tell them to charge her. She wouldn't be able to stop them all.

But it was Matius.

Fenrin couldn't let him get killed by Lyra. He just couldn't. Not after everything they'd been through, everything Matius had done for him. Fenrin would make sure Matius got back to Jayln even if it killed him.

"What now, Lyra?" he said through his teeth, so clamped he thought they might shatter.

"You and me, dear brother, let's go somewhere more private."

His mind whirled trying to figure her game. It wouldn't take long for Yu'jana or some of the other mages to find them, he only had to buy time so he nodded. Lyra dragged Matius back to the edge of the square, the journey leaving a trail of far too much blood. Raising a hand, Fenrin signaled to the others not to follow and stalked after his sister..

Every citizen was either on the front lines or hidden deeper in the city so the alley Lyra pulled Matius into and surrounding houses were empty. Fenrin's eyes kept flicking to the wound Matius's magic was flowing into. His robes were crimson from the waist down and Fenrin flinched as Lyra cut the closing wound open again.

"Funny things, mages. I've had a lot of practice over the last couple of years and the good ones have this irritating habit of keeping themselves alive. Of course, it's all over when their magic runs out.” She gave the dagger another twist before wrenching it out. “Call it a gift, but I can usually tell when they are at their limit."

Matius gurgled, foaming red escaping his lips as Lyra released him. He slumped against the wall, falling to leave another stain against the flamboyant yellow paint.

Fenrin started to move but Lyra gave him a dangerous glance and crouched, her dagger reached Matius's face and she tilted it, leaving a long red line on his cheek. "Now, now Matius, you're not going to give up just yet, are you? You and I have a lot of catching up to do and you wouldn't want to die on Fen or your wife would you? Wouldn't want to leave Trevor, Theo, and little Hope fatherless?"

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Matius's eyes rolled up in his sockets but the golden glow pulsed brighter. Lyra tapped the dagger on his shoulder. "See, Fenrin. He'll be fine, I just had to make sure he used all that pesky magic."

"You're not going to get away, Lyra," Fenrin growled but his sister just gave a fake pout and poked Matius's cheek with her weapon.

"Oh, I have a plan but don't think too hard about it, Fenrin, wouldn't want to hurt your demon-addled brain."

Fenrin took a threatening step closer but the dagger steadied by Matius's closed eye and he forced himself to stop. The twins stared each other down until the golden glow faded from Matius's fingers. Lyra knocked his gore covered hand aside and checked her handywork. The skin was puckered but closed. She ran another line down Matius's cheek and his eyes shot open with pain.

"Nicely done, but no passing out now. Up and at 'em—on your feet." Lyra pulled Matius up, her dagger never far.

The Third Apprentice stood up, his hand slowly raising to his bleeding cheek. He flinched as Lyra patted his shoulder before gripping the back of his neck.

"Best not irritate that too much, you're out of juice and I don't know how much blood you can afford to lose." She turned to Fenrin who had inched a bit closer. "Don't get any ideas, dear brother, now I think it's time you showed me where you've stashed my daughter."

"Fenrin don't—" Matius's words were cut off as Lyra slithered her hand around and squeezed his throat. His crimson fingers attempted to pull her off but they just hung off her hand weakly.

Lyra shook her head. "You know how impatient I am, Fen. Do you really want to have to explain to Fiona how you left another of her loved ones dead at your feet?" She turned and hissed in Matius's ear, "And as for you. I don't think you did all that healing to die now, so keep your mouth shut, this is between me and my brother."

Fenrin weighed his options. Lyra had made it obvious earlier that in a one and one battle, she had the upper hand. He was too out of practice while she'd been honing her skills in battle for years non-stop. No, his best bet was to try to mislead her, get her somewhere he had allies. They wouldn't get far into the city before reaching some of the back defenses and help was surely on its way. If he was careful, the mages at the back of the city might be able to heal Matius if Lyra hurt him.

He just needed more time.

Lyra slowly released Matius's throat when Fenrin nodded, bruises already showing on Matius’s pale skin. She smiled. "That’s better. You two walk merry as can be in the right direction and I'll be right behind you. Right behind you."

When she blinked invisible, Fenrin frowned. She shouldn't be able to do this much magic. It made him even more nervous. Matius took a sudden step forward and Fenrin made out a daggerpoint shaped divot on the back of his robes.

"Go on, start walking," Lyra's voice sneered from thin air and Fenrin tightened his grip on his sword and turned to leave the alley, the hair on the back of his neck raising.

Fenrin walked and Matius stumbled beside him through the empty streets. Unfortunately, Fiona was also at the back line where any help would be so Fenrin led them according to Lyra’s wishes.

A few mages ran by headed for the frontline but didn't give Fenrin enough of a glance to be of any help. Probably for the best, he needed someone he knew would be able to help him handle Lyra.

They were nearing the block where the beginning of the back lines were when Matius gave out a small yelp and Fenrin turned quickly. He was standing oddly, head tilted to avoid an invisible knifepoint.

"I don't think so, Fenrin. I think you’d better tell me where exactly my daughter is. And be honest, you know I can always tell when you're lying."

Lyra was deliberately keeping Matius's face from him, unable to help Fenrin with his decision and Fenrin felt his blood boil. His heartbeat pounded in his skull and everything seemed tinged with red. Gods he hated her so much. She'd been haunting him for years and now she was right there. Somewhere in that space behind Matius, he could slide his sword and end her taunting once and for all.

"Hurry up or your little mage loses an eye. Don't worry, it wouldn't make him bleed much although I've heard the pain is excruciating."

Matius was trembling, with fear or frustration Fenrin couldn't tell, but it snapped him out of his rage. Guilt clawed at his heart but Fenrin couldn't let her hurt the man that had saved so many lives any more.

"She's in a house at the back edge of the city," he growled.

"Every city has a back way. Let's find it, shall we? And we best hurry, I'm not sure how much farther this one can walk."

Matius lurched, pushed forward by invisible arms. Her knife could be anywhere. Maybe she wasn't able move quickly so her spell wouldn't wear out...Fenrin was grasping at straws but he didn't have anything else. Once more Lyra had pinned his bleeding blackened heart to the wall.

So they walked. Weaving between tall rainbow toned houses and avoiding Azir who occasionally dashed from building to building with news and supplies.

At this rate there would only be allies when they reached the safehouse.

Of course! Fenrin carefully avoided showing any emotion. Fiona may be young but he'd taught her how to use the sword. It would be painful for her, even traumatic, but together they could defeat Lyra—he was sure of it. He only had to get them the chance to end the heartache they shared by blood.

He just had to give Fiona some kind of signal in time, but how?