Stunned at his father's orders, Jade snapped his head to him and then to Lazarus. "Why is he doing this?" he said and turned to Lazarus.
Magnus who was standing behind him shook his head. "He has gone berserk."
Jasper rolled his lips between his teeth. When his gaze met with Lazarus's, he let out a rough exhale. "I know what father is doing. I don't want to get embroiled in this game because I know what is the end. Or—" he took a step closer to his older brother. "You can kill me now and end it. I didn't realize that it would turn so ugly. But—" He searched Lazarus's eyes. "But you have to vow to the Lore that you were not involved in Jade's death."
Lazarus's throat bobbed seeing Jasper's miserable face. "I vow to the Lore that I wasn't involved in Jade's death." The air around them crackled with magic. Vows to the Lore were rare and the Loreans hardly made them, but for Lazarus this was an important moment. If not for his father, he wanted to do it for his younger brother.
Jasper closed his eyes and tipped his head up. Small beads of tears collected at the corner of his eyes. When he looked back at Lazarus, he said, "What do we do now? We can't even go against the king's orders. Going against them will invite terrible penalties which may be akin to death."
Lazarus clasped Jasper's forearms, his heart beating fast. "So you trust me now?"
Jasper nodded. His forehead creased with lines of worry. "I trusted you the moment father's game was revealed. I can't believe that he used us for his schemes."
"What are you two discussing?" Viktor roared from his throne. "I want both of you in the arena of the fighters in an hour." Saying that he got up and stormed out of the courtroom.
Along with Lazarus, Jasper went to his room. He was shaking as he paced the room. Magnus and Yul were sitting on the couch as they watched the two of them. "How about I trace you someplace safe?" Lazarus offered.
Jasper shook his head. "That is going to make me look like a coward!" He paced more. "Haven't you found Drogo?"
"Unfortunately, no," Yul replied. "We've sent our forces in all directions, but he is holed up in some bloody place where they can't find him."
"Why don't we get the village head here?" Jasper said. "He is going to stand as a witness? Or for that matter anyone else."
Magnus gave him a look of shock. "Don't you know?"
Jasper stopped. "What should I know?" he asked with a frown.
"Yul brought a few villagers from there, but the guards aren't letting them come in the palace, stating the king won't allow any villagers from there. Reasons are not specified," Magnus replied.
"Fucking hell!" Jasper breathed. "What is going on?"
"He is pinning Lazarus in some way or the other," Magnus said and went to the bar to pour drinks for all of them. He handed the drinks to his brothers and Yul. "If you kill Lazarus, then he wins because then there would be no one to challenge his crown. And if Lazarus kills you, he would still impeach him and send him to dungeons."
"This is the most ridiculous situation!" Jasper put his hands up.
"Can you tell me everything that happened over there?" Lazarus asked as he sat down on his bed. Jasper never came to his room but seeing him here was a nice feeling.
Jasper narrated every detail as soon as possible because they didn't have time. "Jade went to the weapons room and someone beheaded him. We are not even sure that it was Drogo, but yes Drogo was the one who led the rebellion and so every needle of doubt points at him."
"I have an idea," Lazarus said after listening to all of it. They were running out of time.
"I am listening!" Jasper replied.
In the next hour, the two brothers were in the fighter's arena circling each other as the king and his courtiers watched them from outside the ring. The ring was created outside in the garden in front of the main entrance. There were tall iron spikes that marked the boundary. So if any of them fell on them, they would die instantly.
Jasper lunged at Lazarus and he traced away. Jasper spun and jumped at him. Lazarus was down in a moment with Jasper straddling him. The courtiers started cheering and whooping. "Jasper! Jasper! Jasper!"
But Lazarus kicked his brother and in the next moment was on top of him. He raised his hand to punch him, but Jasper stopped the punch and threw Lazarus off him.
Viktor shouted. "I know what you both are doing! You won't come out of this ring unless one of you dies!" He knew that the two were staging it.
Jasper clenched his teeth hard to stop them from chattering. "I think we better fight for our life." Saying that he lunged at Lazarus and punched him hard on his face.
Lazarus's head reeled as black stars blasted in his vision. "Jasper!" he growled. "Don't!"
But Jasper didn't listen to him and punched him again. This time Lazarus's patience was lost. With a deafening snarl, he charged at Jasper and kicked him hard in his chest and then butted him on the chin. Blood sprayed from Jasper's mouth as he doubled over. He stumbled behind and when he looked up, he had a faint smile. And that was when Lazarus understood. Jasper was provoking him to kill him. Lazarus clenched his fists on the side, feeling like going and challenging his father rather than letting him watch his sons die. Truly, Viktor had become insane.
Jasper saw that Lazarus had halted. So he rushed towards him, grabbed him by the waist and shoved him to the ground. He landed right over him. Straddling Lazarus, he punched his face, but Lazarus stopped himself using his arms to shield himself. "Stop it!" he growled. But when Jasper didn't stop, Lazarus kicked his back. His bone in the rib snapped. With a roar traced away. Jasper was groveling on the ground, air whooshed out of him. He managed to get up and was about to charge Lazarus when from the periphery of his vision, he saw dragons flying overhead.
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