Suzanne sat beside Willem’s bed, reading her book of research as she waited for the man to go asleep. Well, she tried to read, but in reality her mind was occupied.

  Everyone had consistent messaging. No one particularly liked Willem van Brugh, her brother. She couldn’t say everyone liked Willem Jansen, but perspectives were generally more positive. She wasn’t especially surprised. Perhaps Suzanne had only been able to like her brother because their interests had never conflicted. If he’d needed to, perhaps Willem would’ve left her broken like all of the rest.

  But it saddened her, somehow, that her brother could simply slip through the cracks, that no one would speak up for him. She didn’t want to be yet another that simply wrote him off as someone not worth saving, not worth preserving.

  Willem van Brugh sat up suddenly.

  “Brother?” Suzanne asked.

  Willem nodded quickly, looking over to her. “Got that artifact?”

  “I do,” Suzanne nodded, quickly setting aside her book and retrieving the Lovers’ Eclipse. They were a pair of bracelets bound by a chain.

  “Manacles?” Willem said incredulously. “Whatever. Give them here.”

  “Are you sure about this?” Suzanne asked.

  “I’m not killing him,” Willem said. “He’s too useful. Give it. I’ll talk some sense into him.”

  Suzanne hesitantly gave over the artifact, and her brother snapped it over both of his wrists. He inhaled deeply, then…

  ***

  Willem Jansen blinked open his eyes to see a resplendently beautiful sky above, hued by purples and reds of the sunset. He sat up, feeling full of energy, and looked where the sun slowly descended behind the distant ocean. There were pink petals all around, drifting lazily in the breeze. He seemed to be in a meadow of wildflowers, sitting under a cherry tree. He felt a warm touch on his hand, and realized that his hand was being held.

  By now, Willem realized this was a dream. He looked to his right, hoping to see his late wife, but…

  “Let go of my hand,” Willem van Brugh said, looking down.

  Willem saw a perfect reflection of himself wearing a revealing robe. He wore much the same, upon inspection. He considered for a moment that he’d perhaps taken the narcissism too far, and his dreams had warped to match. Perhaps he’d grown to love himself too much.

  But when Willem tried to pull away his hand… he couldn’t. His hand was locked with the other him.

  “You can’t, can you?” the other him said. “Damn. Suzanne said it would be strange, but I had no idea. How is this romantic?”

  A gentle breeze flowed through as Willem stared at Willem. Their hair moved elegantly and handsomely in the breeze.

  “I guess it’s fitting.” Willem van Brugh leaned in to look at him. “We’re already two heads on one bed, in a manner of speaking.”

  Willem raised a brow. “You’re the kid, aren’t you?”

  “Kid,” Willem van Brugh repeated scornfully. “Yeah, I’m your unplanned parenthood. You’ve been eating for two, Senior. And what you’ve been eating makes me want to vomit. But we’ll get to that.”

  “Senior?” Willem laughed at Willem. “Guess our names are confusing. I’ll call you Junior, then.”

  Junior stood up, forcing Willem to stand up with him. “Walk with me, Senior. We’ve got some things to talk about. The way you do my hair, for starters. You’d be better bald, it’s so bad.”

  Willem walked with Junior through the meadow, feeling out of sorts. “That’s over, soon.”

  Junior stopped, then pointed at him. “You see? That’s our priority number one, addressing that attitude of yours. Professional pushover, that’s you. Walk-away wonder. Maybe you don’t see it… but I was screaming my head off, rattling the bars of my cage about how stupid you were being the whole time.” Junior tsked, wagging his finger. “But that’s done. No more of your pity party.”

  “Pity party?”

  “Yeah,” Junior nodded, then mimicked, “’I have a disease, Dirk. It’s called integrity.’ Don’t make me laugh,” he said dismissively. “Still, I can’t denigrate you too much. Because you and me? We’re the same.”

  “Walking red flags,” Willem said with a nod. “And handsome as all hell. I know.”

  Junior put his hand on Willem’s shoulder. “You’re coasting on my good looks, let’s be clear.”

  “From what I hear, getting your brother’s fiancée drunk is the best you’ve done,” Willem countered.

  “Damn. That one stung a little, I’ll admit. But I deserve it.” Junior grimaced, then resumed walking. “Unlike you, though, I won’t run away from that anymore. You’re still running away when things get hard.”

  Willem laughed. “I am?”

  “Hey. I see and feel everything that you do,” Junior pointed out. “When your throat gets choked up. When you tense, when you relax. When you cry at a funeral.”

  “At a funeral? Unforgivable,” Willem said dryly.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  “When you talk about your problems, too, I’m listening. You think you’re no good for people—said so yourself to that chimera.”

  Willem couldn’t dispute that.

  “I’m just saying that you try and play the part of the heartless hustler, but you’re not.” Junior shook his head. “Whatever. Maybe you’ll see it when we switch shoes.”

  Willem narrowed his brows. “What do you mean?”

  “Suzanne says that twin-souled people supposedly don’t need to sleep,” Junior said. “Your proposal… just vanishing you? Not only is it wildly impractical given how tightly we’re bound, but it’s just downright inefficient. So, you’re staying on.”

  “Are you serious?” Willem asked.

  Junior tapped his chest. “My body, my choice. You were unexpected, but I’m keeping you.”

  “You’re making that choice on our first date?” Willem said, then put his free hand to his heart. “I’m touched.”

  “You can stand there and act like you don’t care, but I know the truth,” Junior said. “You are touched.”

  Willem wouldn’t say it… but the man was right.

  “Fact is, I ruined just about everything,” Junior continued. “Family, friends, the Brugh name, the barony—hell, maybe even the kingdom if I’d been left to run things on my own a few hours longer.” He looked Willem in the eye. “You unwound a lot of the mess that I made. Honestly, I don’t think I even deserve a second chance.”

  “My youth wasn’t without blemishes,” Willem said simply. “I enlisted in the army because I’d destroyed every bit of goodwill I had. You can still bounce back.”

  “You’re older,” Junior continued. “Got a little wisdom on you. I think that you and me, we have the same deficiencies. You’ve just had a little more time to sort them out, but you’ve still got some of your own. That’s why you’ll be staying on for sixteen hours, while I stay on for the eight that you’re sleeping.”

  “Shouldn’t it be the other way around?” Willem said.

  “What can I say? I’m just a lovely guy,” Junior said, holding his arm out.

  Willem studied his face for a few seconds. “You’re holding something back.”

  “What?” Junior cocked his head back. “No, I’m being generous.”

  “No, I recognize that look,” Willem said, holding his finger out. “C’mon. What aren’t you saying?”

  Junior bit his lips for a few moments, then looked off to the side. “Alright, you bastard. Fact is, you’ve got an iron will. Even when you’re sleeping, I can barely wake up for a few seconds. I don’t know what the hell it is you’ve been doing to temper yourself like that, but you’re like an elephant sitting on my chest. When we started out, I could barely wake up a second. After these few months, I’m up to almost a minute.”

  “A minute?” Willem repeated. “Wow. Keep it up, you might have the lifespan of a mayfly someday.”

  “It’s my penance for all of the horrible things I’ve done. I’m sure of it,” Junior said. “I have to watch you preen about, acting like the king of kings. I’ll overcome it someday, on my own—not with your help, or with Suzanne’s. But until I do, I’ve got some directives for you. Don’t pout, either. You were the one that was so eager to pay rent.”

  “Is that right?” Willem raised a brow. “Let’s hear it, then.”

  “First off, forget the sad act,” Junior demanded. “You’re here, and you’re staying here.”

  “Fine,” Willem nodded easily.

  “Second, treat my family like your own,” Junior said. “I mean it. As far as I’m concerned, you’re now my brother.”

  “Ah, c’mon…” Willem looked to the side. “I’m an eighty-seven-year-old man. I’m older than my mom was when she died.”

  “What did I say?” Junior pointed his finger in Willem’s face. “Rent, Senior. Pay your rent.”

  “Why?” Willem asked. “You just want me to squirm? A little vengeance?”

  “It’s mostly for them,” Junior said. “And partly for you. I heard your little conversation with Petronella, remember? Your soiree of senior citizen sorrows.”

  Willem sighed. “Alright, I guess. I’ll do your damn bucket list. Anything else?”

  “Yeah.” Junior put his hand on Willem’s shoulder. “Make as much damn money as you can. Killing Gustav was the most satisfying thing I’ve never done in my life. The business world… I see the appeal. And you’re going to teach me all of your tricks before I take back the wheel.”

  Willem laughed. “You don’t need to tell me to make money, Junior.”

  “I know I don’t. Just felt it needed to be said. As for the rest… Suze can tell you. I already told her.” Junior waved his hand. “Oh, actually… the next time a fight comes up, you aren’t chickening out.”

  “What?” Willem narrowed his eyes. “Not to mention my promise, I saw what aura can do. I’ll pass on that.”

  “You’re right.” Junior nodded. “You’ll pass, to me.” He tapped his chest. “Whoever you’re up against… I’ll end them. Suze is going to make you an artifact.”

  “Hm.” Willem thought on that ponderously. “It’s… an interesting workaround. Kind of feels like cheating. Still, what could you even do in the one minute you’re conscious?”

  “It’ll only take me one minute to finish,” Junior said coolly.

  “Well, you’re young. That’ll change as you age.”

  ***

  “You know, Dirk…” Willem shook his head as Dirk walked down the stairs in the morning. “I finally understand why people hate their landlords so much. Paying rent is truly miserable.”

  “You’re here,” Dirk said, and looked to Suzanne, who also sat with him. “Look, I wanted to talk to you about what you said. This whole twin-souled business.”

  “Relax,” Willem said. “The matter’s settled. You don’t need to stage an intervention or connect me to a crisis hotline.”

  Dirk walked over, looking to Suzanne questioningly.

  “Nothing is going to change,” Suzanne assured Dirk.

  “What?” Dirk looked between them. “Really, Willem?”

  “Yeah. I was adopted,” Willem said bitterly.

  “Doesn’t exactly make the situation less complicated, but…” Suzanne shook her head. “I honestly can’t believe it. The Willem that I knew wouldn’t have even entertained the option.”

  “What can I say?” Willem spread his arms out. “Being near me… it changes people. You see now, Dirk, what I mean? Integrity. It touches the hearts of even the most hardened of killers.”

  Dirk let out a long sigh of relief upon hearing the news, hanging his head as tension drained from his body. He put a hand on Willem’s shoulder, surprisingly grateful that this business-minded bastard wouldn’t be leaving.

  “Maybe…” Dirk began, then looked at Willem. “I guess he saw how awful you ended up, and he decided to reform.”

  Willem laughed. “Alright, alright. All jokes aside… I’m relieved. I am.” After that declaration, Willem leaned back, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Family, huh.” Willem looked pensive… but Dirk couldn’t miss the faintest of hopeful smiles on his employer’s face.