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"Don't be so ridiculous," Rhys snapped, his gaze hardening. "You know that's not what I am saying."

In a perfect world, yes. Holly would eventually come to her senses and in stride take on whatever codswallop Theo had fed her about his past being the past and it had all just been something he deeply regretted. Could he forgive her for trying to make amends through his future? Rhys had heard it a thousand times before. But, they weren't in that world any longer, the war had ended and he and his brother had wound up on the losing side.

Forces on the losing side didn't last long under the winner's regime.

Rhys clenched his jaw. His brother was so blinded he couldn't even face reality. Curling his hands into fists, in the next second he released them completely. Turning to inspect the container of alcohol Theo had left behind, he spoke lightly and airily.

"No, you're right," he conceded, much in a tone that he reserved for when dealing with a witness he had just trapped in his own words. "She won't turn you in, she'll decimate you. She's probably collecting all the necessary information and evidence to one day, while you're waiting for her to return alone, swoop in here with a legion of aurors and take you for everything you're worth. The estate, the family, your family, Theodore, your livelihood..." he trailed off, his hand rolling on his wrist as he spoke.

Turning sharply, he watched his brother out of the corner of his eye. "This isn't something you fuck around with Theo, it's your life we're talking about here, not the life you had with her. That's never going to happen again. It's just you now. It's never going to be like it was. You can't just---"

Rhys approached Theo now, reserving the pleading tone in his voice. How else could he make his brother understand that by doing nothing he was ruining himself?

"If you separate you're giving her the space she wants, the distance she needs. Then she won't feel inclined to attack you to feel safe, maybe she'll come around and you can start something again, but staying in this estranged state is not an option."