The Dragon Bond: Heirs of Lyra

Chapter 31

"Will you stop and listen for a minute?" Ralf desperately wanted to explain everything to Henry.

"Why should I listen to your lies? I know you're in love with her and I know you kissed her." Henry leapt forward and grabbed Ralf's neck with both hands, squeezing with all his might.

"You...don't...even...like her!" Ralf struggled to get the words out as he fought for air. Unable to breathe any longer, Ralf resorted to using his magic to propel Henry away from him. Henry fell to the floor but immediately got back to his feet, his hands up and ready to fight.

"That doesn't matter," Henry said. "She's my fiancé, she's my betrothed. We're supposed to unite the kingdoms."

"I know that. But I never meant for this to happen. I didn't even like her before, but you kept pushing her on me. You made me hang out with her and then you never spent time with her. What did you think was going to happen?"

"I thought you would keep her entertained! I didn't think you'd actually fall in love with her. I especially didn't think you'd get her to fall in love with you!"

Blind with rage, Henry now pulled out his weapon of choice and Ralf's eyes widened as he realized his brother really did mean to plunge a sword into his chest.

"Karolina get out of here!" Ralf yelled, glancing at her to make sure she was out of harm's way. Tears were streaming down her face and she was still positioned on the floor from when Henry had shoved her. Her eyes looked torn as if she didn't know if she should run away or stay and help Ralf. Her gaze turned to the sword in Henry's hand and the look of pure rage on his face. She got up slowly, looked at Ralf, then hurried out the door to safety.

Ralf turned his attention back to Henry. He remembered back on the serious fights he had gotten into with his older brother before. Though their past fights had been severe in anger, they paled in comparison to this. Henry was actually determined to cause Ralf severe physical harm. Although Ralf had always restrained himself from using magic to attack his brother before, he had different thoughts now.

"You must be pretty proud of yourself right about now," Henry sneered from the other side of the room. He was slowly getting closer, his eyes never leaving Ralf's.

Ralf shook his head. "You know I'm not, Henry. I'm so sorry, I tried to fight my feelings for her, I really did."

"Then for your sake I hope you fight me better than you fought your feelings."

With that, Henry stepped forward and swung an attack at Ralf. Ralf stepped back just in time before the blade could slice his abdomen. Unable to restrain himself any longer, Ralf summoned his magic and focused it on Henry. With one thought Ralf lifted Henry's sword high in the air.

Henry's grip was unrelenting, causing his feet to leave the ground as he was pulled upward by the sudden mystical antigravity of his sword.

"Typical," Henry managed to grumble from the air. He grunted with the effort it took to hold on to the hilt of his sword. "Using your magic as a crutch because you know you'd never be able to defeat me."

Ralf glared up at his brother. "Magic isn't my crutch, you are. I always held back during our fights but not anymore."

Henry laughed like a sick animal. Unable to support his weight with just his right arm, he thrust his left arm up to hold onto the sword as well. "Little Ralfie thinks he's so big and tough with his magic. You wouldn't last one minute with just a sword."

"Probably not," Ralf admitted calmly. "But you wouldn't last one second against my magic. I could end your life without even blinking if I really wanted to."