1982

The other Styx moved dramatically, with elaborate twists and thrusts.

I dodged to one side, remembering my brother's words. Keep it simple, only the basics. Better to avoid the blade by a mile than get carried away in the theatrics.

I grunted as my opponent's blade grazed my cheek. I cast a quick glance at my observers. Though their expressions did not waver, their disapproval was evident. I doubled my retaliation, avoiding the other Styx's flailing knife while I came at him from the side and leaped up to hook my leg around his neck.

We hit the floor with a dull thud!

My brother crossed the room to help me to my feet. "I botched it again, didn't I?" I mumbled.

"Nonsense. You won, didn't you? He may be older, but you're lighter, you're faster, and you're stronger."

"Of course she is."

We both glanced up at our guardian who was still standing in the doorway.

"Anything else would be a disappointing failure, isn't that right?"

My brother bowed his head. "Yes, sir."

"Shall I make the report?"

My brother shook his head, and a few strands of unruly hair fell over his forehead. "No, sir. I'll do it."

The older Styx's straight mouth twitched as if he were on the verge of a curious smile, but he finally clasped his hands behind his back and nodded. "Very well."

My brother bowed again and left the room.

The Limiter barked out my name and beckoned me over. "Clean yourself up."

I bowed and walked respectfully away from the room where just moments before I had been battling for my life. The Limiter remained behind, and I only just caught the beginning of the critical tirade he was directing at the man I had been dueling.

My brother found me later hunched over one of the sinks as I tended to the cut on my cheek. "Let me?" He offered.

I shook my head. "I've got it." I straightened up and looked at him in the mirror. "Make your report, did you?"

"I did."

"Well?"

"He seemed pleased."

"Not enough to come and watch so he could see for himself," I growled under my breath.

"Can we talk?" He said.

I turned my head. "What?"

He repeated himself.

I gestured for him to continue. "Thought that was what we were doing?"

He laughed and took my shoulders, turning me to face him. "I mean somewhere else? There's something I think you should know."

I nodded for him to lead the way, and we left the water-closet and started down one of the many hallways in the Citadel. "Well?" I prompted him.

"Not here."

We finally arrived at a vacant room, and he beckoned me inside. "I, um..." He wrung his hands. "You're getting older, and he's going to start paying more attention to you as these next years go by."

I snorted. "What makes you say that?"

"I just want to tell you before he makes his grand appearance and...he's not so good with words, and I feel he'd be a bit too blunt to talk to you about something so personal."

I frowned at him. "What do you mean?"

"There's a reason you and he are so similar, and not just in personality. You look so much like him, too. Have I ever told you that?"

I shook my head.

"You see, pet..." He took my hand. "My DNA is blended. It comes from him and another, from one of the women. But yours is an exact copy of his DNA, only with female chromosomes."

I pulled away from him. "What?"

"You're a clone of him, darling."

"Why are you telling me this?" I whispered.

"I already told you, if I don't, he will. And of the two of us, you've at least met me. I wanted you to hear it from friendly lips before you learned it from another."

"But why?" I gasped. "Why-?"

"Because with such a similar genetic strain, imagine what..." He swallowed. "Imagine the kind of children you could have."

My lips twisted in disgust. "So that's why I'm here. I'm nothing more than a broodmare."

"I never said that."

"But it's the truth, isn't it?" I spat. I looked down at my hands. They had always seemed a little large to me, and now I understood why.

He reached toward me, but I pulled away. "Don't you have somewhere to be?" I snarled.

He looked hurt. "I suppose I do," He said quietly before he left the room.