The Weight of the Family

29 (NEW)

ETHAN

His little brother sat on the couch within the VIP lounge, his arms slacked over his knees as he stared into the abyss of the universe. Mother's words chewed at his spine. Of his responsibility. Of his existence pushing Keren onto the path he chose. Foundations splattered with blood and the bones of control and advancement as he dragged his feet closer to his baby brother, wide-eyed and innocent until the chains crashed down on him.

The hidden weight of their family.

Her disappointment turned to hatred.

Ethan reached his hand out to poke Keren's forehead, but he stopped when Keren trembled underneath the shadow of power they held, eyes darting from side to side when he came closer. He scooted until his elbow rested on the arm of the couch, gaze zoned in on his shoes.

"Keren, I-"

"Is that what she meant?" Keren whispered. "Is that why Mom was never happy?" He dug his fingers into his kneecaps, and his shoulders shook when he raised his head. "Why... why was that happening, Ethan? Why were you just standing there?"

Questions had a consequence. Rules had punishments. Each interlocking chain stained with blood. So, I don't look away. Ethan loomed over Keren, wanting nothing more than to throw close the veil of innocence and serenity. "It-"

Every bone in his hand cracked when Father's heavy footsteps sounded behind him when the door slid open after someone tapped the code into the panel. Frozen in space, he chewed on his tongue when Father rounded him. Electricity spiked through his spine, but he dug his teeth deeper. "Ethan is bound by silence," Father murmured.

Bound by the chain.

Father glared down at Keren. "I can answer your question, Keren, but I want some of my own answered first and foremost. Why and how did you sneak in here?"

Keren stared at him, slack-jawed.

"Answer me, Keren Malakai."

He dragged his nails against his skin.

"I just wanted to find Ethan," Keren squeaked, the consequence of an answer, and Ethan tasted the blood of his failure. "I managed to slip past the guards and I just... I couldn't see Ethan out on the casino floor so..." His words faltered, and he pulled his attention back to his knees. "I told them to go get Chalen, one did, and the other..."

Father imposed on their space, and Ethan chewed on the code of silence. "You ask why that man suffered that fate, Keren?" Father leaned closer. "Why do you think that happened?"

It's our rules. It's not his world.

Keren gave a tiny shake of his head and went pale.

"Rules were broken, and if we don't uphold the rules, the whole system falls apart," Father revealed the truth of the world. "All we worked for will become nothing but solar ash. In this life, people understand and accept those rules, and if they break them, they know the consequences."

Keren winced.

"We work together with this understanding, and those who can't work on that same principle will be the end of all of us. The system, these rules exist for a reason," Father explained. "And that is why I had that man killed. On my orders. He skimmed off the top of our own market and thought we would not find out. He passed information to a rival family."

Ethan turned to Father and stared into the cold gray eyes. "If all we ever did was hits, who would do the actual business?" he pointed out and slid in front of Keren, causing him to stand. "You say so yourself, you know. It's a risky gamble if you're caught. It is a serious action with permanent consequences. Who'd keep those that do the dirty work out of trouble?" He came closer into the shadow of Father. "I've been around enough times. We're not on Tersilia anymore. This is Eteran. Maybe if the old timers took their own foot out of their ass—"