The Sparks: Book I of the Feud Trilogy

by Kyle Prue

  “She’s lying,” Darius growled. “Michael is my brother.”

  Lilly moved to put her hands back on Anastasia’s forehead, but the hostage shrieked, “I swear it was him! He wouldn’t tell me why! Please, don’t touch me!”

  “If Michael hired you, then you must know where he is,” Darius said. “If you don’t tell me now, I will crush you in my hand like a stick.”

  Anastasia trembled. “He’s in the old Taurlum mansion. The Imperial Guards know he’s there, but they haven’t captured him. I don’t know why.”

  Darius looked confused. “He’s living in my house?”

  Anastasia nodded, but he wasn’t paying attention to her anymore. “I have to find Michael,” he said to his group of allies. “I have to get to the bottom of this.”

  Neil reached for his knife, his face red with fury. “This was you!”

  “What?” Darius asked turning his attention away from Anastasia. Neil was upon him in a second, swinging his knife rabidly. It bounced off Darius's stomach and he stumbled backwards. “Whoa kid! What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

  “Someone ratted us out. Someone told the empire where we were going to be and now Jennifer is dead. This is because of you and your damn family!” Neil advanced slowly. For a moment Darius was sure that there was steam coming off of Neil’s body. Rhys stepped in front of Neil and raised his hands calmly. Neil said, “Don’t defend him.”

  “I’m not.” Rhys had tears in his eyes too. “But think, Neil, settle down and think. Darius was there, too. So was Lilly. If Michael knew we were going to be at the church, then it must have been him. If this was anyone’s fault, it’s purely Michael’s. And Darius is just as confused as we are. He was betrayed.”

  Neil glared at Darius over Rhys’s shoulder. “This was such a mistake—trying to get the families back together. This feud is in our blood. Trusting you is just going to get us all killed.”

  “Listen kid,” Darius said slowly, “I’m just trying to figure this out. I had nothing to gain from your sister getting killed. All I want is to know what’s happening. I’m going to find Michael right away.”

  Neil sheathed his knife and stumbled backwards. He ran his fingers through his hair and tried to think. “I’m sorry, but you can’t,” he said. “Every day we stay here is another day we risk our lives. The gate won’t be open for another month. We’re leaving tonight, with or without you.”

  Anastasia took this opportunity to jump to her feet and sprint away through the brush. Lilly started to chase after her, but Darius grabbed her arm to stop her. “Don’t bother,” he growled. “We have to find Michael.”

  “What if she goes to the emperor?” Lilly said.

  “She’s not working for the emperor,” Darius growled. “She’s working for someone else.”

  “And that someone else appears to be Michael,” Rhys said.

  “Look,” Darius said growing annoyed, “I’m confused about all of this. I don’t know why Michael would do this, but I’ve got to go see him. I’ve got to know what’s going on.”

  “If you go after your brother, you’ll have to go alone,” Neil said. “The rest of us are getting out of here.”

  “I’ll meet up with you before we leave, then.”

  Rhys’s brow was furrowed. “Michael never showed up to the church …”

  “He’s the one who told me I should go,” Darius said. “He said he’d meet me.”

  “But he never did,” Rhys confirmed. “And instead, we were ambushed by the Imperial Army. The same Imperial Army that’s letting Michael live in your old house.”

  “What are you implying?” Darius said as he noticeably clenched his fists.

  “Michael could be feeding the emperor information in exchange for his own freedom,” Rhys said.

  Darius punched a tree trunk so hard it toppled over. “My brother is not a traitor. This is something we just need to clear up.”

  “Maybe not, but it all adds up, don’t you think?”

  Darius started walking. “I’m getting to the bottom of this,” he said.

  Rhys scrambled after him. “I’ll go with you,” he said. Darius felt a rush of gratitude at not having to face his brother alone. Darius felt confused about his feelings. Why would he want a Vapros to accompany him anywhere? For a moment Darius felt hope, maybe they could actually learn to overcome the feud. But those feelings were quickly replaced with skepticism when he heard Neil rush to catch his brother.

  “Oh no, you won’t!” Neil grabbed Rhys and pulled him back. “There is no way in hell you are getting in the middle of this.” Darius glanced at Neil who was glaring at his brother protectively. It was clear that Neil definitely didn’t want Rhys to be alone with two Taurlum, especially if one was working for the emperor. “Rhys—” Neil started, but his brother interrupted.

  “If Michael ordered this attack, then it’s his fault Jennifer is gone. I want revenge too, Neil.” Rhys lowered his voice and pulled Neil to the side but Darius overheard him say, “We need to know who we can trust and who we can’t, Neil. Michael might be able to fool Darius, but I will know the truth. It has to be me. You have to get word to Bianca. Let me do this.”

  Neil didn’t look convinced. Darius’s head was swimming and he was sure that the Vapros boy felt the same. “Fine,” Neil said as he rubbed his temples. He raised his voice to include Darius. “You can go kill Michael, but not yet. None of us has slept all night. You need a few hours rest before you kill anyone.”

  “We aren’t going to kill him,” Darius protested, but he did feel exhausted. “We’re going to get an explanation. My brother would never betray our family.”

  Neil looked like he wanted to argue but he simply nodded. “Just rest first. Rhys and I have had a hard day.”

  “Well then follow me,” Lilly said. “My home can accommodate us all.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  LILLY’S HIDEOUT

  NEIL VAPROS

  Lilly led them to her safe house, and the group followed her up to her rented attic. “This is definitely nicer than where I live,” Darius said as he took a seat at Lilly’s kitchen table.

  “We took a lot of money from my home before it burned,” Lilly explained. “We can afford the rent here. And we paid off the owners to keep their mouths shut about us living here.”

  Jonathan went to the cabinet, pulled out a loaf of bread and a bottle of wine, and placed it in the center of the table. No one took a drink and Darius noticed. “Nothing to drink, tiny shadow man?” he taunted.

  Jonathan seemed more confused than offended by the insult. “It is improper for servants to drink with their superiors,” he said. “And … tiny shadow man?”

  Darius tore off a piece of the bread. “You’re never far behind … Lilly.” It was a struggle to use her given name. “Kind of like a shadow.”

  “I am like her shadow,” Jonathan said emotionlessly. “I won’t let harm come to Miss Celerius.”

  No one else reached out for the bottle. Not even Darius. “You don’t drink?” Darius asked the table.

  Lilly said, “Not anymore. Not after it almost cost me my life.”

  The Vapros boys murmured in agreement. Darius sighed and handed the bottle back to Jonathan. “I guess there’s no time like the present,” he grumbled.

  Jonathan replaced the bottle in the cabinet, exchanged it for a pitcher of water, and returned to the silent table awkwardly.

  “So, we already know you’re always at her heels,” Darius said to the tiny servant. “Say a horde of troops came after ‘Miss Celerius.’ What would you do?”

  Jonathan looked determined. “I would not have to do anything,” he said confidently. “Miss Celerius is fully capable of handling attackers herself. But if I needed to step in, I would kill them.”

  Darius chuckled. “You?”

  “Yes,” his eyes narrowed fiercely. “All of them.”

  Darius grinned. “Well, I’m glad to have you on our side, tiny savage,” he said, patting Jonatha
n on the back. He pitched forward, unprepared for the Taurlum’s strong hand against his shoulder. Darius pulled back immediately, muttering an apology.

  “What do you guys think you’re going to do when you get outside the wall?” Rhys asked, chewing thoughtfully on a piece of bread.

  Lilly drummed her fingers on the table a few times. “Well, I had an uncle who was banished,” she said finally. “I’ll try to find him.”

  “What about joining the war against Altryon?” Neil asked.

  “I’ll get to that eventually. I want to find my uncle first.” She ripped off a chunk of bread as properly as she could. “I’ve lost a lot of people in this war. I’m not so eager to jump right into another one.”

  “I understand. I’m not sure if I’d join the war, either,” Neil admitted quietly.

  Rhys nearly dropped his bread. “What?”

  Neil covered his face with his hands. “Do you ever think about how things could actually be better if we didn’t have to be a part of the Vapros family?”

  “We have to save our family,” Rhys said.

  “I know that,” Neil muttered. “But do you really miss it? Do you miss the pressure? Do you miss being beaten? Do you really miss everything Father did to us?”

  “Stop.” Rhys said. “I know you got the worst of it, but Father was good to Jen and me.”

  “Really? Because to me, it looked like he wouldn’t let you be a human being. Do you ever wonder what it would be like to be able to be a normal person or even wear spectacles for that matter?”

  “Okay, so he wouldn’t let me wear spectacles, but that doesn’t mean I want to abandon him. And he never did anything to Jen. She was fine—”

  “You’re a smart kid, Rhys,” Neil interrupted. “You’re smarter than I am. So don’t sit there and pretend that at the end of the day Jennifer was okay. Don’t pretend that you didn’t notice anything.”

  Rhys was silent, but his jade eyes teared up. Neil’s eyes flicked over to Lilly. “Look, we can talk about all of this later but I think we both know that there were a lot of things we didn’t know about Jennifer. Let’s not insult her by saying she was ‘fine’ when we both know she wasn’t.”

  Neil stared at him for a moment and then ran his hands through his hair. “I love our Father,” he continued, “and I want to see him and the rest of the family free, but I’ve lost a lot of people, too. I only have two really important people left. I would rather take them and run far away. Just keep them safe with me.”

  “Two important people?” Darius echoed. “Who’s the second?”

  “She’s a girl from the streets. You wouldn’t know her.” Neil thought for a second. “Actually, you would. Do you remember the girl who knocked you out in the markets once? The day before you attacked the Opera House?”

  Darius laughed a little. “How could I forget?”

  “Well, that’s Bianca, my best friend. She’s the one who told me about the back gate in the barrier.”

  Darius said, “I can’t believe I’m relying on a street girl who made me a laughingstock.”

  “She’s not part of your family, though,” Lilly mused. “This isn’t her war. Would she still want to leave with you?”

  “Would Jonathan want to leave with you?” Neil countered.

  All eyes turned to the servant. “Miss Celerius is my duty,” he said formally. “I have no choice but to leave with her.”

  “Right,” Neil said. “But do you want to? Are you happy about going?”

  He didn’t miss a beat. “Of course I am.”

  “And what about the fighting?” Darius jumped in. “This isn’t your war, Shadow Man.”

  Jonathan reddened. “My family has served the Celerius for generations. I may be a servant, but I still wear a Celerius military coat.” To prove it, he carefully adjusted one of the buttons on his oversized jacket.

  Darius wasn’t satisfied. “If Lilly died, would you continue on?”

  Jonathan looked at his hands. “I serve the Celerius family, in life and in death.” He didn’t sound completely sure. He wouldn’t meet anyone’s eyes.

  Darius, sensing it was time to let the subject drop before Jonathan cried, moved on. “What about you, Lilly?”

  “What about me?”

  “You have a military coat. Why? Most Celerius girls don’t choose to look poised for battle at all times.”

  She smiled. “I am not most girls.”

  Darius opened his mouth to continue his interrogation, but Neil jumped in before he could offend anyone else. “Why are you asking so many questions, Darius?”

  Darius said, “I’ve spent my life hearing stories about how horrible your families are, and now I’m about to go into battle with you. It’s probably about time I learn some truths, don’t you think?” He looked at Rhys. “I already know you’re a brain. But what about your brother?” His eyes settled on Neil. “What about you, kid? Got any stories to tell? You seemed like a more enthusiastic guy when we first met. I miss the preaching.”

  “I don’t feel like preaching anymore,” Neil replied. “I’ve lost both of my sisters, I’m not sure how I feel.”

  “I’m used to losing people,” Darius said, trying to be comforting. “It’s been happening since I was born. Taurlum would go on raids, and a few wouldn’t come back. You learn to live with it.”

  This didn’t make Neil feel better. “Well, I’m running out of people to lose.” A silence settled over the table as each person remembered the loved ones lost.

  “I have a question for you,” Jonathan said boldly to Darius. The Taurlum looked mildly surprised. “Sir Anthony used to talk about his adventures in the Taurlum Coliseum. Is that a real place?”

  Darius said, “Of course it’s real!” The Coliseum was in the basement of the Taurlum mansion. It was a giant battle arena where prisoners were pitted against animals, soldiers, and sometimes members of the Taurlum family. He’d grown up watching fights to the death.

  “And is it as horrible as they say?” Jonathan asked.

  “I used to play in it with Michael when there were no battles going on. It was like a playground as a kid. I even fought in it for real once. I won—clearly.”

  “Did you fight my brother?” Lilly asked.

  “I don’t remember Anthony Celerius, but if he lived to tell the tale, then whoever he was fighting is long gone. Coliseum battles are to the death.”

  Lilly shuddered. “That is absolutely gruesome.”

  “What about Nicolai Taurlum?” Rhys asked. Neil felt a thrill course through his veins. Nicolai Taurlum, the Sewer Man, was one of his favorite myths. “Is he real?”

  “Yeah, Uncle Nicolai was real. People talk about him, but I don’t really remember him too well. People say he was the biggest Taurlum.”

  Neil’s jaw dropped. “He’s real?” he said incredulously. “Did he really escape the Imperial Guards and live in the sewers?”

  Darius said, “I have no idea. He probably ditched the sewers years ago, if he did survive.”

  “Oh.” Neil was disappointed.

  Rhys yawned. “I’m going to sleep,” he announced, rising from the table. Darius followed suit. “We have a big day ahead of us.”

  Neil agreed. “A gate to get through, a Taurlum to kill—”

  “We aren’t going to kill him,” Darius interrupted. “He’s innocent.”

  “A Taurlum to talk to,” Neil amended. “Either way, we should all get to bed.”

  They began to strip off their armor. “So, the Vapros eating children: true or false?” he heard Darius ask Rhys as they settled into their positions on the floor. Neil closed his eyes. The last thought that entered his mind, before he drifted off to sleep, was one of confusion. For once in his life, he had shared an amicable moment with his lifelong enemies. But where did the feud end? Was it something that could be overcome or was it something destined to continue forever? Could he ever really trust Darius and Lilly or were they just using him to escape? Would they then try and kill him and his broth
er?

  Neil awoke to the sounds of Jonathan sweeping the room. He sat up and rubbed a hand through his hair. “You do this every morning?” he asked, eyes squinted against the light pouring in through the window. It had to be about midday.

  Jonathan didn’t look up. “Anything Lilly needs,” he said, not pausing in his diligent cleaning.

  Neil whistled. “Why didn’t we ever have servants as loyal as you? When we were attacked, all our servants ran for the hills.”

  Jonathan said, still staring at the floor, “I don’t have anyone else. Carlin’s men killed my parents that night. Lilly is the only family I have left. I took a vow to care for her a long time ago.”

  Neil groaned as he stood up. “Have you seen my armor?”

  “It’s being cleaned by one of the guards,” Jonathan replied, sweeping his small dust pile into a dustpan. “I’ll have it to you soon.”

  “Wow. Thanks.” Neil flopped back down onto the floor. “Any ideas about what you’re going to do once we’re outside the wall?”

  “Lilly’s going to join the rebellion, eventually, of course,” Jonathan said, tucking the broom away in the corner. “But I’m not cut out for that life. I’ll wait until she joins up and then I’d like to settle down. Find a nice girl, start a family. Lilly pulled me aside last night to talk to me and told me that once we’re outside the wall she wants to free me. Let me live some other kind of life.”

  “Any wife of yours would be lucky,” Neil said.

  “Well, one thing is for certain. She’d never have to lift a finger.”

  “It’s funny,” Neil said, folding his hands behind his head and looking up at the slanted roof, “I’ve spent all this time wanting to start a revolution, but now that it’s happening I think I want the same thing you want.”

  “A family?”

  “Yeah.” He rolled over to look at Jonathan. “Do you think that’s weak?”

  Jonathan shook his head. “I think it’s admirable. War is fueled by hatred. A family is something to love.”

  Neil smiled slightly. “How many hours until sunset?”