Ryxin entered first. Of course. His brother moved with the confidence of a male who knew exactly where he stood—commander, prince, the only one Sylas trusted completely. Black fur caught the pale light, fine streaks of dark gray rippling across broad shoulders. Behind him, one of his Lux Knight Captains followed. Xar, judging by the particular shade of his pelt and the predatory set of his stance.
Then came the humans.
Two females, heads down, hands bound with cuffs that gleamed dull silver in the morning light. They shuffled forward, their movements restricted, humiliated. The chains weren’t strictly necessary—what could these fragile creatures do againstYzefrxyl strength?—but they served their purpose. Reminded the prisoners exactly how powerless they were.
Sylas straightened slightly, his interest piqued despite himself.
The females looked even more pitiful in person than they had in the vid-streams Ryxin had sent. Furless. No claws. Blunt, pathetic teeth hidden behind lips too soft to do any real damage. Their skin was pale, exposed, vulnerable in ways that seemed almost offensive. How they’d survived long enough to traverse the stars defied logic.
A species with no natural defenses had no place in the cosmos.
Let alone on his planet.
Ryxin stopped a respectful distance from the throne. His Lux Knights stationed around the chamber snapped to attention, fists crossing their chests in salute. The sound echoed—precise, practiced, powerful.
Sylas noted the subtle difference in how they addressed him versus Ryxin. For his brother, respect tinged with camaraderie. For Sylas, respect that bordered on fear.
As it should be.
He was the one who reigned. The one who’d won Lux’s Blessing through the Great Challenge, who’d torn apart three challengers in a single Blood Moon to claim the throne. The Alpha King who held this fractured society together through sheer force of will and the power the Moon Tears granted him.
But he didn’t begrudge Ryxin the reverence his knights showed. His brother was honorable. Ruthless in battle, strategic in planning, loyal to his core. Ryxin didn’t covet the throne—unlike others who would leap at the first sign of weakness during the next full moon.
Sylas’s gaze dragged to the two humans.
The one in the red dress shook so violently it was a wonder she remained upright. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks, shoulders hunched as if the weight of their stares would crush her. Her whole body radiated terror—the kind that came from being broken before the fight even started.
Weak. Hopeless. Worthless.
She wouldn’t last a day in any real test of survival.
The other, however—
Sylas’s attention sharpened.
This one wore white. A gown, formal and expensive-looking despite the tears and ash stains. Her hair gleamed like sunlight on fresh snow, falling past her shoulders in tangled waves. She stood tall despite the chains, despite the obvious fear that made her hands tremble.
Defiant.
Her chin tilted upward just enough to be noticed. Just enough to suggest she hadn’t given up yet.
Interesting.
“What about the others?” Sylas’s voice rumbled through the chamber, deliberately casual. He scanned the entrance, found it empty of additional bodies. “The report said five were discovered. Yet you only present two.”
Ryxin’s expression remained neutral, though a flicker of something—exasperation, maybe—crossed his features. “The males didn’t respect the rules. They nearly injured these two females with their stupidity.” He paused. “They’re being sent to the pits to be…disciplined.”
Sylas raised an eyebrow. The pits. That explained the delay. “And the third female?”
His brother’s lips curled into a sly grin, tail flicking with satisfaction. “She’s warming my nest.”
The words hit Sylas like a physical blow.
He sat upright fully, legs uncurling from their lazy sprawl across the throne. “You brought a human into your nest?” Disbelief colored his tone, sharp and immediate. “Why would you trust onethere?”
Of all the reckless—
Ryxin chuckled, the sound rolling through the chamber with no trace of shame. “Look at them.” He gestured toward the two females with one clawed hand. “Do you think I should be concerned?” His grin widened. “My Ari enjoys being pampered. After I carried her from the wreck, I felt…responsible for neglecting her well-being. She’s grown on me. Nice to have around, actually.”