Page 117 of Claimed By My Fiancé's Brother

I scrambled back, ignoring the burn of the chains as I moved, using them to block Anastasia’s attacks.

I couldn’t move very quickly while I was hampered by the silver, but Anastasia couldn’t come any closer to me without getting burned by the long silver chains. We settled into a deadly game of tag.

Stab, block. Stab, block.

My breath came in harsh gasps. If I kept up this defense, I’d be tired soon…and then I’d be dead.

What had West always said during training?

When in doubt, feint and run like hell.

I couldn’t run now, but I could make a feint.

I let my movements lag, exaggerating my fatigue.

Anastasia closed in for the kill, but I moved faster, hitting her across the face with a length of the silver chain.

Anastasia fell back, a curse on her lips and a red welt on the side of her face.

“Does Alexander really have less than two months left?” I asked, both curious and hoping to distract her.

Anastasia circled me warily, but her gaze held a touch of distraction.

“I can’t believe he told you,” she rasped, her voice low and pained. “I was at his side for years, yet he cut me out of his life and chose you over me.”

I didn’t bother correcting her. Seeing her at that moment, something hit me.

“You love him,” I said.

Anastasia’s gaze flicked to mine, but she didn’t deny it.

“It doesn’t matter,” she spat out, and suddenly there was a dull thud above us.

Anastasia glanced away for a moment, and I launched myself at her, kicking her feet out from under her—or at least I would have, if she hadn’t turned at the last moment and placed her blade above my heart.

Her eyes were ice-cold as she spoke.

“I will stay at his side long after you’re gone, like I have all this time, and eventually Alexander will see me. I know it.”

The blade tore through my shirt, pricked my skin—and fell out of Anastasia’s limp grasp.

My jaw dropped as Anastasia fell to the ground, Seraphina standing behind her with a brick in her hands.

Seraphina dropped the brick before patting down Anastasia, presumably looking for a key.

“I know you know everything,” Seraphina said as she searched, her voice heavy with regret and urgency. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. Father swore us all to secrecy, and Alexander wanted it to stay that way.”

Her eyes met mine, silently begging me to understand.

“I just wanted both of you to be happy for the few months he had left.”

My heart clenched painfully as I thought of how difficult it must’ve been for her to keep this from me, especially when I’d come asking for answers.

Seraphina found the key.

The moment she unlocked my chains, I pulled her into a hug.

“I understand,” I whispered. “I do.”

---