Page 101 of Poison Sun

“Wrong.” He laughs, harsh and mocking. “You’re so obsessed with getting her to be your queen that you can’t see the forest for the trees. She’s making you weak. You think she’s your salvation, but she’s actually your Achilles’ heel.”

“Is that why you tried to kill her?” I narrow my eyes at him, my magic rising inside of me.

I have to call on every ounce of restraint to not use it against him.

“Yes,” he says, his eyes locking onto mine with a ferocity that makes my blood run cold. “And I’d do it again.”

The declaration hits me like a physical blow.

My magic is a howling storm inside me.

And then, with the force of the wind at my heels, I pounce.

But not quickly enough. He dodges my attack at the last second.

I stagger, but recover, spinning to face him with my dagger at the ready.

He’s also in fighting stance, his dagger in front of him. It’s an exact replica of mine—weapons we had forged decades ago, to symbolize our connection as brothers.

“You won’t do it,” he snarls. “You don’t have what it takes.”

“I’ve always known you’re capable of a lot, Viktor.” My voice is steel, my resolve unshakable. “It’s why I chose you. But I never thought you’d underestimate me.”

We circle each other, the tension thick, our daggers catching the dim light of the hotel room.

Then, without warning, he lunges, his blade slicing through the air toward me.

I block his blow and send him flying back with my magic.

His back hits the dresser, the items atop it clattering to the ground, but he recovers quickly.

“You can’t win this,” I tell him, prepared for his next move.

“Watch me.” He launches at me again, jolting me back into action.

From there, neither of us hold back. Our fight is a rapid exchange of thrusts, blocks, and counters, our knowledge of each other’s techniques making each move predictable yet no less deadly.

“You taught me well,” he taunts, attacking with a kick that I barely dodge.

I don’t bother replying. Instead, I summon a vortex, aiming to disorient and distract.

But Viktor’s air magic is strong. He disperses mine with a wave of his hand, smirking.

“Lucas was right,” he says. “You have grown weak.”

“Because I didn’t descend into barbarity? Because I didn’t betray my family?”

I rush toward him, and our blades clash in a shower of sparks, our faces right up against each other’s.

“You forgot who your true family is when you decided to make her your queen,” he snarls. “It’s pathetic. She doesn’t want to be with you. She only stays because you’re keeping her prisoner in the city. She sees you—all of us—as monsters.”

“That’s not true,” I growl, although I can’t ignore the itching feeling in my brain that his point can’t be completely disregarded. “She was star touched by Sunneva so she can stay and fight with us. It’s her destiny. She’s the key to defeating the shadow souls. She’s on our side.”

“According to who?”

According to Morgan, I think, but I bite it back. Viktor can’t know about Morgan’s blood magic. He’ll tell Lucas, and it will make another one of my allies a bigger target.

Besides, nothing Morgan sees is ever set in stone.

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