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Because I hate him, and to have her would be divine in its vengefulness.
It is in that moment I know I’m going to seduce my brother’s wife.
“Wait for me, brother,” I call, flying behind him, accepting his jibes and his cackling laugh as we soar above the city that belongs to him and only him.
“You will never be able to keep up with me, Eldrion. Just admit it.” He laughs and spins so he’s flying upside down, face tilted towards the sun like he’s floating in a stream instead of on air.
I raise my hands, treading the air in front of him. “You’ve got me,” I reply. “I will be forever in your shadow, big brother. No doubt about it.”
The sun hangs low on the horizon as Raylon and I ride towards the distant settlement of Gloomweavers. As heirs to the lordship of Luminael, it is our duty to deal with them. His more than mine. But where he goes, I have always followed.
The journey has been long, the mood between us tense and uncomfortable. Raylon has been unusually quiet, his normally jovial demeanour replaced by a brooding silence that sets my nerves on edge.
As night falls, we set up camp in a small clearing. I busy myself with building a fire, trying to ignore the growing sense of unease in my gut. Raylon sits across from me, his gaze fixed on the flickering flames, his expression unreadable.
Finally, he speaks, his voice low and cold. “I know what you did, Eldrion. With Saera. With my wife.”
The blood freezes in my veins. He knows? How?
“Raylon...” I start, but the words die on my lips. What can I say? How can I explain? Do I even want to explain?
He stands, his hand going to the hilt of his sword. “You slept with her, Eldrion. Your own brother’s wife. The woman I love. How could you?”
I try to bite back the urge to scoff at him. He never loved her. He only chose her because he knew I wanted her.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, trying to feign repentance. “I never meant for this to happen. It was a mistake, a moment of weakness. I...”
“A mistake?” Raylon’s laugh is harsh and bitter. “You’ve always wanted what was mine, haven’t you? My birthright, my power... and now my wife. You’re not fit to be Lord of Luminael. You’re weak. Pathetic. No better than the Shadowkind that serve our meals and clean our stables.”
I stand up, my wings flicking out to the side.
He laughs again. He thinks so little of me that it doesn’t even occur to him I would fight him. Or dare to stand up to him.
In that moment, as he laughs at me, something in me snaps. All the years of resentment, of living in his shadow, of being the second son, come boiling to the surface. And with it, my shadow magic, usually so carefully controlled, bursts forth in a surge of uncontrollable rage.
Dark tendrils lash out, wrapping around Raylon’s throat. He claws at them, his eyes wide, his lips helplessly trying to form my name.
I stare at him, yanking him to his feet and holding him hovering in front of me, the shadows gripping tighter and tighter around his throat.
I watch, as if from a distance, as the life is squeezed from him.
It is over in moments.
Raylon falls to the ground, lifeless, the shadows receding from his bruised neck. I stand there, shaking, staring at what I’ve done.
I’ve killed him. My own brother.
He is dead because of me.
I wait for guilt to crash over me, brace myself for the tidal wave of self-hatred, and the fear, and the loathing.
But it does not come.
Instead, I feel calm.
He is gone. And now, nothing stands in the way of me and Saera.
I will inherit everything that belonged to him, including her. And I will never have to hear his arrogant laugh ever again.
