The man was out of his mind. Russell flexed his gloved hand on the hilt of his sword. If he charged at Han, the bastard would teleport away. He needed to trap him somehow. He could loop the silver chain around Han, or . . . a better idea came to mind.
“Xiao Fang.” Han motioned toward the jail cell. “Get back in your cage where you belong.”
Jia held tight to the boy. “He will not.”
Han walked toward them, his hand resting on the hilt of his weapon. “You’re a gutsy woman, I’ll give you that.” He slid the dagger out with a soft, metallic scrape. “But I could teleport behind you in a second and slit your throat.”
With tears in his eyes, Xiao Fang pulled away from Jia and eased back toward the prison cell.
“No,” Jia whispered.
“You heard the master.” Russell sheathed his sword, then grasped the bars of the prison door with his gloved hands, opening it for the boy. “In you go.”
“What?” Jia gave him an incredulous look.
Xiao Fang backed away, his battered face crumbling with despair.
Han chuckled. “Excellent.”
With a mighty heave, Russell wrenched the prison door loose and zoomed toward Han, slamming the silver bars into him and pinning him against the wall.
Han cried out, dropping his dagger. His silk robe smoldered where the bars touched him. Smoke curled around the bars as the silk burned away and the silver sizzled against Han’s skin.
“You’re going to die,” Russell growled, pressing the prison door harder into Han. “You destroyed my life. I lost everyone I loved because of you.”
“Not everyone,” Han hissed. “Stop it, Russell.”
The way the bastard kept saying his name was infuriating. “Stop acting like you know me!” Russell reached up and ripped off the mask.
He froze. All breath was sucked out of him as he stared at the familiar face. No burns or scars. A face much like his own. The mask tumbled from Russell’s hand.
“Hey, bro,” Markos said in English. “Miss me?”
Russell stumbled back, the prison door falling to the floor with a clatter.
“I told you we belong together.” Markos looked down at his burned skin and winced. “I understand why you’ve been angry. We’ll just call it even now, okay?”
Russell shook his head, not believing what he was seeing and hearing.
“He’s not Asian?” Jia asked in Chinese. “Russell, what’s going on? Why aren’t you killing him?”
With an amused smirk, Markos answered her, “You expect him to kill his own brother?”
Jia gasped.
Russell glanced back at her. Her face had gone white with shock.
She pressed a trembling hand to her chest. “Your brother killed my family?”
Russell’s stomach twisted. Oh God, how could she ever forgive him? How could she ever look at him again?
“What is this?” Markos asked, watching him curiously. “You care about her?” His eyes narrowed. “I didn’t expect to have competition for you.”
Russell gritted his teeth. “Leave her alone.”
“Or what?” Markos smirked as he pulled a second knife from his sleeve. “Can you really kill your brother?”
Russell drew his sword but hesitated, and in that second, Markos teleported behind Jia and plunged his knife into her chest.
“Game over!” Markos shoved her onto the ground. “I win. And you’re mine.”
With a roar, Russell charged, his sword aimed at his brother’s heart.
Markos teleported away.
Russell collapsed onto his knees in front of Jia. His head fell back and he screamed his rage to the heavens.
Chapter Seventeen
Russell pressed his hand against Jia’s wound, but the blood continued to seep out. Panic ignited inside him. “I’ll take you to Tiger Town. Neona can—”
“No,” Jia whispered, her eyes shut tightly against the pain. “You promised you would let—”
“I can’t let you die!”
Her eyes opened, and the desperation he saw there nearly killed him. “Take me home. To the cave. You promised.”
“I promised I would keep you safe, and I failed you.” Tears blurred his vision. “My brother killed your family. He’s killed you! How can you bear to look at me?”
She gripped his coat with her fist. “You have never failed me. Honor your promise. Take me . . .” Her hand fell limply to the ground.
“Jia!” He felt her neck. Her pulse was still there, but weak. She’d lost consciousness.
The boy was crouched beside them, his breaths coming in soft wheezes, tears streaming down his bruised face. Russell wasn’t sure what kind of terror the boy had survived, but he knew the kid shouldn’t be left alone, even for the few seconds it would take to teleport Jia to the cave. And he didn’t dare leave her alone. What if Han came back and chopped her into pieces like he did with her family?
Not Han, he corrected himself. Markos. His little brother was a mass murderer. Russell’s stomach roiled, and bile crept up his throat.
He swallowed hard, mentally pushing aside all thoughts of his brother. No time for it now. Jia needed him. So did Xiao Fang.
“Don’t worry. You’re safe now,” he assured the kid as he carefully picked Jia up. “I’m going to call Jin Long to come get you and take you to Winifred. We have to go to the surface for the phone to work. Can you follow me up the stairs?”