"So that was your brother," Meg said.

Theo nodded. The group had reconvened in the parlor; wrapped in a blanket and nursing a cup of Lodo's lavender chamomile tea, Theo felt a little bit more like himself. But he didn't know if he would ever return to normal, or if he even wanted to.

"Victor Hua is his name? By any chance, does he happen to be this Victor Hua?" Out of nowhere, Meg produced a CD and waved it in Theo's face.

Theo's throat tightened when he saw the cover image. The teenage Victor in his tux, posing alongside his cello. The Victor of his memories, not the Victor of reality.

"Why...why do you have that?" Theo made himself ask.

"Why not? I remember quite enjoying his music when it first came out. A shame he never released any other albums, but I did hear rumors about how the prodigy cellist seemed to have dropped off the face of the planet. Well, it seems we have our answer."

"That's right," Darian said, her voice thin. "He's joined the Infernal Legion."

Theo gripped the blanket, willing his hands to stop shaking. Zenith moved a little closer, which touched him in a way he couldn't put into words.

"It may be possible...that the Infernal Legion has made him a slave," Lodo said hesitantly. "Though we've not been able to confirm it yet, we've heard that the Legion brainwashes the wizards that serve them."

Bizarrely enough, Lodo's words sent a little spurt of hope through Theo's chest. Maybe – but no. He only had to remember the cold resolve in Victor's eyes, the words he had spoken.  "No...I don't think so. He made the choice. Because...he wanted power."

The power to protect Theo. And it didn't matter who he had to hurt or what he had to sacrifice for that power.

Theo had never imagined Victor was that devoted to him. All this time, he'd thought Victor had never cared.

"So. Theo, what are you going to do now?" Darian's voice, uncharacteristically soft, made him snap his head up. She sat across from him, one ankle crossed over the opposite knee and hands clasped in her lap. Her expression wasn't kind, exactly, but it was softer than he'd ever seen it.

"What do you mean?" Theo asked.

"You were pulled into this battle against your will. And now, if you continue, you're going to have to fight your brother. Theo, what I'm asking is if you're absolutely sure you want to do this?"

"My liege!" Zenith spun toward her, but Darian held up her hand and he fell silent.

"It's not too late," Darian said, still staring into Theo's eyes.  "If you say you want out, I will not hold it against you. Far be it from me to force you to turn against your own flesh and blood."

Though he didn't speak, Zenith's brows were drawn and he'd pressed his lips into a thin line. It made Theo's heart lurch painfully.  And he wasn't just thinking of Zenith, but Victor.

"I'm not quitting," he said, amazed at how firm his voice came out.  "No, now I should say I have an actual reason to fight."

Zenith jerked up, eyes wide. Theo offered him a smile before setting down the teacup, shrugging off the blanket, and standing up. His legs trembled a little, but he didn't fall.

"I don't mean anything bad by this, but it's not like I have a personal stake in your quest. I think...I've been mostly sticking at this for Zenith's sake." He nodded at the knight. "And that was fine, but it still wasn't my own reason. But now...."

Theo drew in a deep breath, straightened his back. "Now...my brother is on the enemy's side. I have to bring him back."

It scared him, this resolve. As a kid he'd been content to follow Victor's shadow, and even after Victor left he pursued his own dreams half-assedly at best. He'd never wanted anything badly enough to put his life on the line for it. Even when he'd decided to become a stronger wizard, he hadn't fully believed in it. Not like now.

"Theo," Darian said, soft with awe.

Not just her. He had the feeling everyone in the room, including Zenith, was staring at him like they'd never seen him before. Theo himself felt like he'd been reborn. As what exactly, he didn't know, but he did know this: he was no longer the helpless boy who could only watch while Victor walked away.

"I'm going to fight," he said. "I'm going to save my brother."

~*~

"Must I always repeat myself? I thought I told you to investigate, not instigate. Honestly, am I cursed to be surrounded by idiots?"

Captain Mirage heaved a dramatic sigh, tossing his hair over a slender shoulder. Below him, Victor Hua remained stolidly kneeling.

"I also recall you telling me to do as I pleased," he said, emotionless as ever.

"I assumed you possessed rather more brains than Imago. Apparently that was asking too much of you. What exactly did you hope to gain by engaging Prince Darian's forces in a battle you could not win?"

"My apologies, Captain." Still no sign of genuine contrition in his voice – but it held no challenge or sarcasm either. This was perhaps the most infuriating thing about the wizard, though Mirage was rather spoiled for choice.

"I think we've learned a valuable lesson here, haven't we?" the captain drawled, leaning forward. "From here on out, you had best obey my every order to the letter. Typical human. I simply can't leave you unsupervised."

"As you wish, Captain." Victor lowered his head further, his loose ponytail sliding over his shoulder, but his stoic tone did not change one iota.

That annoyed Mirage far more than he could ever put into words. So he didn't – instead, he extended his leg and stomped on the wizard's head, digging the high heel of his boot into Victor's scalp.

Victor grunted a little, but still no other reaction. "Tell me," Mirage hissed, twisting his foot back and forth. "Doesn't this bother you in the slightest? Forced to grovel before a demon, a mere familiar. Surely your precious wizard's pride couldn't stand to bear it!"

A few more twists, driving forth the enjoyable sound of Victor's nose scraping the floor. Then Mirage drew his leg back and kicked the wizard across the face. Victor's head whipped to the side.

When he looked back at Mirage, a line of blood trickled down his chin. But his dark eyes were as indifferent as ever. "There's no point in having pride. All I need is the power to accomplish my mission."

An incredulous grin lifted Mirage's lips, twisting the skin of his face. Then a laugh came, a couple of high, harsh barks that rippled through his entire body. When he was done, he tilted Victor's chin up with the tip of his boot and gazed down at that still-expressionless face.

"You're an odd one, Victor Hua. Much more entertaining than the average human, I'll grant you that."

"Thank you, Captain," Victor said.