Savage

Chapter 8

Xev watched Mal as he finished practicing against Kuru in the garden of their father’s temple. “Impressive.”

Shaking his head, Mal angled his sword in Xev’s direction. “Care to spar with me?”

“Don’t want to damage your fragile ego. Be a shame to see it bruised after you went through all this to nurture it.”

Kuru laughed, not realizing that he was the brunt of Xev’s joke.

Until Malphas growled at him. Then Mal’s expression turned speculative. “Why don’t you two spar?”

“Kuru’s too tired.” Xev pushed himself away from the column where he stood.

That seemed to upset Kuru. “You think I can’t hold my own?”

He definitely couldn’t. As good as Mal was, he still wasn’t in Xev’s league, and they both knew it. Mal was young and lacked Xev’s fury. Not to mention the fact that Mal wasn’t even trying against the Sephiroth, and they both knew it.

Mal practiced for fun and to learn Sephiroth techniques. Same reason Xev watched them. Neither of them would ever teach a Sephiroth how they fought or give him pointers on how to defeat them or their kind.

However, Kuru’s ego was weak, and Xev didn’t want to get into a fight with him. Verbal or physical. “Didn’t say that.”

Fury flared in Kuru’s eyes. He flung a sword at Xev, who caught it in one fist.

He shook his head. “You don’t want to do this.”

“Yes, I do. I’m not tired at all.”

Mal laughed. “Go ahead, Xev. I’ll get cleaned up while you teach him some manners.”

Xev tested the heft of the sword, then gave Kuru a look of warning. “I’m not my brother, Sephiroth. Take heed and walk away while you can.” Even in play, he was a lot deadlier than Malphas.

Kuru attacked.

Xev parried the blow. Then, without thinking, he zapped him with his powers.

Kuru went down, face-first.

Oh crap!Xev panicked as he realized what he’d done without thinking. He wasn’t used to practicing. In his mother’s realm, all fights were to the death.

Even a practice match.

“Don’t be dead. Don’t be dead!” Crap! He pulled the much smaller Sephiroth over. There was no telling what kind of tantrum or seizure his father might have over his little pet being hurt. Even if it was accidental.

“What happened?”

Xev looked up at the female voice, then cursed himself even more as he saw Myone there. “We were sparring and, I don’t know…he fainted?” Maybe.

Or I killed him.

With a gasp, she knelt on the other side and felt for a pulse. “Did you stab him?”

“No.” It was something much worse. Normally, a zap like that just pissed a demon off and made them do something stupid so that he could finish the fight easier.

He’d never zapped a Sephiroth before, so he had no idea what it would do to one of them.

Had he killed him?

“Kuru?” She slapped gently at his cheeks.

He came to with a curse.

Xev sat back in relief. Thank the Source!

Until Kuru cursed and went to stab him.

Myone caught his hand. “Don’t you dare.”

“He tried to kill me!”

Xev scoffed. “I don’t try to kill anyone. Had I wanted you dead, you’d be gone.”

Myone believed those words unequivocally. From everything she’d heard about Daraxerxes, he wasn’t one to play at war. He had a furious temper and a sword arm no demon wanted to test.

Which was probably why he’d been ambushed by one of his mother’s soldiers.

She helped Kuru to his feet. “You don’t appear harmed.” Other than having been knocked out, which could have been accidental. “Perhaps you should return to the barracks.”

His eyes still showing the depth of his fury, Kuru nodded, then vanished.

Alone with Daraxerxes, she glanced about nervously. He always seemed so massive and…masculine. Much more handsome than he should. “I should be going, too.”

He bit his lip in an adorable way that showed her a strange hesitancy for someone she was sure never hesitated in anything. “Why are you here?”

“To see your father.”

“Ah.”

“Ah? Why the weird note in your voice?”

He smiled at her and shrugged in an adorable manner that strangely reminded her of a boy. “It was directed at me for being dense. Of course you’re here for my father. Why else?”

She returned his smile. “Well, I’m glad you didn’t kill Kuru.”

“Me too,” he mumbled.

That confession caught her off guard. “Pardon? You meant to do that?”

He actually blushed. “No, of course not. I didn’t mean to hit him so hard. I’m not used to pulling punches. I forget that other creatures aren’t as tough as demons.”

That unexpected arrogance irritated her. “You really think a demon is stronger than a Sephiroth?”

Xev realized he’d just stepped into a treacherous pit. Her eyes were fired by her fury. And that offended tone warned him to walk his statement back. “Uh…” Crap. He didn’t want to lie to her. Nor did he want to anger her more.

How could he get out of this?

Help me!

“You want the truth?” he asked her.

“Of course.”

“If a war was to break out, it wouldn’t go well for your species.”

Myone glared at him and his audacity. Did he really think for one second that a demon could hold his own against her people?

He was deranged.

Or was he?

She forced herself to calm down as a bad feeling went through her. Kuru had been unconscious on her arrival. Daraxerxes hadn’t even been breathing heavily.

Putting aside her own arrogance, what if he was right? The Sephirii always assumed they were stronger and better at fighting, but what if they weren’t?

What if he knew something they didn’t?

“You’re not being mean, are you? You really think that.”

“I don’t think anything. It’s the truth.” That wasn’t an obnoxious boast. He was speaking honestly.

Myone felt sick to her stomach. The last thing she wanted was to see her people harmed. If there was a war, they needed to know how to fight against their enemies. Both the demons and the dark gods.

“Can you teach me how to fight against them?”

Xev wouldn’t have been more stunned had she slapped him. That, he would have at least expected. This…

“Seriously?”

She nodded. “I was born to protect the gods. I need to know how to fight demons. Was that not what Kuru was doing with Malphas?”

No. Mal had no interest in teaching Kuru any of their secrets. He only sparred with the Sephiroth to gain knowledge as to how they fought and to learn what sword skill they knew.

Mal had never once taught Kuru anything that would be beneficial to the Sephiroth in a real fight against any demon. Why would he? If they ever went to war, none of them would want a level playing field.

But if it would allow Xev some time with her…

He could share a few things to help her fight against them. It wasn’t as if any of the demons meant anything to him. Other than Mal, he couldn’t care less about a demon. All they’d ever done was make his life miserable. Abuse him at Azura’s command.

Honestly, he hated them.

But he didn’t hate her. She beguiled him.

“You really want to learn?” he asked.

She nodded.

You know you shouldn’t do this.Training her would be all kinds of stupid.

It’ll keep her coming back to you every day.

That was the one major advantage.

Do it.

Mal would kill him. Azura and Noir would want his throat for even considering it. Last thing they wanted was a Sephiroth who knew how to quell them or their army.

That just made it all the more appealing. Aggravating his mother was the only pleasure he had in life.

Let the rain come down on me.

Xev smiled at her. “Sure.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Come dressed and ready to learn skills you can’t imagine.”

“I will. Thank you.” She rose up on her toes and placed a chaste kiss to his cheek, then she ran toward his father’s area of the palace.

Xev stood there, completely stunned. She’d kissed him. Well, not really, but still his cheek burned from the softness of her lips.

Never had anyone given him something so chaste that had meant so much.

Touched him so deeply.

This is madness.

He couldn’t argue that. Any more than he could argue how much he was looking forward to their first session.

* * *

Paimon clappedKuru on the back as they watched Myone and Daraxerxes from the shadows. “What did I tell you?”

The demon had been right. There was something weird between Myone and Daraxerxes. “It doesn’t matter. No Sephiroth is supposed to mix with a Primal or their offspring. Myone would never break her vows.”

Paimon snorted. “If you say so.”

Kuru did, but it didn’t mean that he might not be able to use this to his own advantage…

“Keep an eye on them, demon. Let me know if anything changes.”

Paimon rolled his eyes as the Sephiroth flew off. Stupid insect had no idea the gift he was giving him. At least, not at the moment.

But Paimon knew. This was juicy. Unlike the others, he paid close attention to his enemies. While he commanded three legions for Azura, Daraxerxes commanded more these days.

Even though he was a traitor, Azura had yet to denounce him.

That galled him most of all. Xev might be her son, but Paimon knew he was a traitor. This attraction to a Sephiroth proved it, and one day, it would be his undoing.

I’m a true son. Yet Azura and Noir treated Paimon like an animal.

It infuriated him. What would it take for them to show the same loyalty to him that they showed to Anat and Daraxerxes? Why was he denied?

Because his mother was a demon?

It wasn’t right.

Daraxerxes shouldn’t have survived Paimon’s attack. But maybe it was a good thing that he had.

Maybe letting the gods kill his enemy would be the best revenge of all. This way, he wouldn’t risk dying for it.