The Dragons of Nova (Loom Saga #2)(87)

Cvareh started in that direction. He had to get to Petra. She would know how to make sense of this.

“She is alone with Finnyr’Kin.”

The words made Cvareh pause. He turned to look back at the Dragon who stood several steps away now, and whose words held an unspoken caution. Cain would say no more, clearly. He had been put too far in his place of late to do so. Furthermore, it was not a matter of the House’s safety. This was now a matter of family.

“Thank you, Cain.”

“Walk in the protection of Lord Xin.”

They went separate ways.

If Petra had called Finnyr, she suspected him to be involved, or to know something of the crime. She was dumping all wine on Ruana, which led him to believe the damage was widespread. Dread grew with his every step.

It wasn’t until the sharp smell of cedar drifted through the halls of the Xin Manor that Cvareh broke out into a run. He pushed slaves out of the way, focused only on his destination. The scent of blood grew to an overwhelming, pungent stench as he neared Petra’s parlor.

Cvareh broke through the door, skidding to a stop at the sight of the scene before him.

Petra was straddled atop what could only be described as the pulp of their older brother. Her claws dripped blood with every swing, spattering around her in wide arcs. She rocked atop his chest like death’s lover, a dark and primal savagery overcoming her.

“Useless. Useless. Useless!” she screamed the word over and over.

Finnyr cried and gasped through lips that were sheared back to bone. If he could make noise, then he was alive. That meant Cvareh wasn’t too late to save Petra from her own madness.

Cvareh ran to their side. He gripped Petra’s wrist, stopping her mid-swing. Petra snarled at his tether.

“Sister, enough!”

“Unhand me,” she growled.

“Petra.” Cvareh slackened his grip, but he still held her. He needed his sister to feel his magic, their magic, the magic that their brother also shared. “You will kill him if you continue.”

“It is because of him that Xin have died this night.” She spat the words. “Save him and you are no better than the cowards and butchers he works for.”

“Kill him, and neither are you.” Cvareh knew his sister. He knew when she needed to be pushed. He knew he was the one person in the whole world who could get away with it. “Did you intend to murder him without witnesses? Without calling his crimes? Without a proper duel? Will you stoop to the level of House Rok?”

Petra panted. Finnyr groaned. Cvareh was left to speak sense into the madness.

“You are the Xin’Oji. Your House needs your example.” Cvareh knelt. He focused only on his sister. “No one doubts your ferocity, Petra.”

“Move.” She pushed him away. Cvareh thought she was merely making space to strike at Finnyr again, but she stood with a small sway. The death of House Xin’s fighters and innocent alike had taken something from her. “You’re right, Cvareh.”

Cvareh remained silent, letting Petra speak. Just as he knew when to push, he knew when to back away. And this was a Petra who would skin anyone or anything alive that prevented her from being heard.

“He doesn’t deserve to die a death hidden away.” Petra bared her teeth. “Finnyr, I will challenge you at Court this day the moment it convenes. And if you run, I will still challenge you. I will leave it standing for all Dragons to hear.” Petra spit on their brother as he groaned, his flesh knitting sluggishly from the tax on his magic. “So that I may hunt you down and kill you at my leisure. There will be nowhere you can run from a duel called in Court.”

Cvareh did nothing to help Finnyr up as he tried to pull himself off the floor. Their brother locked eyes with Petra—one eye, the other was still a slow-healing, bloody socket—as if somehow he still thought he could fight her. The majority of his face had been scraped away down to the bone.

“I have powerful people who will stand for me, Petra,” Finnyr uttered darkly.

“Who? Yveun’Dono?” Petra scoffed. “Let him challenge me. I invite him! Let us settle this like Dragons rather than the coward he is, poisoning my men and women his only means of securing an advantage.”

“Do not cast me aside,” their brother cautioned. “I will be your undoing.”

“You undo nothing but my honor with your existence.”

“You never valued what I could offer this House!”

She snorted. “There was nothing to value.”

“House Xin does not need you or any information you can give us.” Cvareh interjected himself into the shouting match before it got out of hand again. Both sets of eyes were on him, but he looked only at Petra. “She will produce it.”

“Cvareh…” Petra gave a cautionary look to Finnyr. That was already saying too much in front of their brother. Not when they had just effectively disowned him and marked him for death. An animal in a corner could still be dangerous, even one as small as Finnyr. Especially when that corner was backed by Yveun’Dono. “You mean…”

“Yes.” There was no doubt they spoke of the same thing.

“Then the night was not a total waste.” His sister clapped her hands together as though she cheered for the arrival of the Lord of Death himself. “Cvareh, remove him from my sight. Keep him, tucked away where I can’t see him until the Court begins. Yveun wanted him to stay in the manor? Very well, he will stay, long enough for me to kill him.”