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Lio finished wrapping his wrist, grimacing at the pain. Still, he couldn’t complain. He’d earned the injury through his own shortsightedness. He’d stupidly assumed that a young Jedi apprentice wouldn’t be as experienced as Lio with a lightsaber and he was paying for that stupidity. He was lucky that he’d only ended up with an injured wrist.
Lio could clearly remember the shine of the Jedi apprentice’s eyes as he’d moved in to make the final strike that would end Lio’s life—and then he’d tripped. Tripped over his own feet, from what Lio could tell. A stunned Lio had finally gained the upper hand.
Predictably, his master, Sith Lord Kray Foresight, had shown Lio no sympathy. Lio had been left to tend to his injuries and bruises alone. Kray wouldn’t let him shirk the consequences of his foolishness. To Kray, every injury was a lesson in and of itself.
Lio’s simmering emotions led him to pace up and down the empty corridor outside his room, restless and roiling. He was very much dissatisfied with his performance against the blue-haired Jedi apprentice—though Lio had ultimately succeeded in capturing him, Lio wasn’t sure he’d come off as the better in the end.
Lio’s restless feet took him down three floors to the cells where their new prisoner was being held. Lio wasn’t sure what Kray’s plans were for the young Jedi, but he suspected that Kray hoped to turn him to the dark side. Lio doubted that his master’s plan would be successful. The young man seemed like kind of an idiot. What intelligent kid would try to challenge a Sith apprentice on his own? Sheer stupidity. The guy would make a terrible Sith Lord—probably a terrible Jedi as well.
Still, Lio felt that making the attempt to turn him was valid. The apprentice had been a decent fighter—as hard as it was for Lio to admit that.
Lio had no trouble entering the cell. He knew the access code since he’d been the one to put the Jedi Apprentice there. Lio didn’t bother taking any precautions. He was confident that he was strong enough to handle whatever the guy threw at him. Lio had a distinct advantage since he still carried his lightsaber and the prisoner was weaponless—if anyone with the Force was ever truly weaponless. Nonetheless, Lio’s command of the Force was second only to Kray’s. In fact, Lio would say that he was superior to Kray in raw power—all he lacked was experience.
Clear blue eyes rose curiously to take in Lio’s appearance as Lio entered the cell. The door clanged shut behind Lio. Lio felt the pressure of the air in the room change as the young man eyed him suspiciously from his position sitting on the bed, which was really just a thin mattress on a bench. Not exactly luxurious, but better than being left in chains. It was this arrangement that had led Lio to assume that his master wanted to turn the apprentice rather than interrogate him.
“Want a rematch, runt?” the apprentice asked, sounding far too casual and smug for someone in his position. His eyes gleamed as if he found the possibility of fighting Lio again exciting. Lio filed that away, sure that it was a weakness that they might be able to exploit later.
Lio leaned against the steel door and sighed. “That really wouldn’t be worth my time, would it?” he asked in return. “What would I gain from fighting a loser?”
“I bet you’re scared,” the guy said with a laugh. His eyes lowered from Lio’s face to study his wrapped wrist. Lio self-consciously slid it behind his back, aware that he’d just exposed his own potential weakness. “Though I wouldn’t want to fight you until your wrist heals. I don’t want any handicaps.”
What an idiot. “You should take advantage of any weakness you see,” Lio retorted, his tone slipping into one more suitable to lecturing a child than interrogating a prisoner. “Your enemy probably won’t show you the same charity.”
“Charity? What would a little Sith runt like you know about charity?” the prisoner inquired, bringing his hands up behind his head as he stared up at Lio.
“More than you’d think,” Lio shot back.
“Really?” The prisoner looked interested. “Tell me about it, then.” He brought his hands down to his knees.
Lio contemplated the request. On the one hand, was it a good idea to give personal details to an enemy? But on the other hand, maybe it could help turn this guy to their side. Lio decided that he really didn’t have anything to hide, so he might as well share.
“My parents were killed when I was young,” Lio began. He kept eye contact with the prisoner, making it clear that he wanted no sympathy. “My master, Kray, took me on as his apprentice even though I was just a child with nothing to offer. He taught me everything I know.”
Without his master, Lio would be no one. Just another orphan kid crawling in the garbage. Kray had shown him that he could be so much more than that.
Lio was grateful to Kray for that, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t cut Kray down if Kray stood in the way of Lio’s goals. Kray would expect nothing less from him anyway—in fact, he’d probably be disappointed with Lio if Lio didn’t try.
“Did he give you that bruise as well?” The guy gestured toward Lio’s face. “Cause I know I sure didn’t.”
Lio flinched, suddenly recalling the punch Kray had delivered to him after the apprentice had been captured. A punishment for Lio’s poor performance, and justly deserved as far as Lio was concerned. If his performance didn’t improve, he might well end up dead next time.
“That’s none of your business,” Lio said curtly.
“Huh, well, I’m an orphan too,” the guy informed him. “Name’s Galo Thymos. Jedi Apprentice Galo Thymos. And my master doesn’t hit me.”
“They can’t be much of a master, then,” Lio muttered.
“Yeah? Yours seems pretty shitty too. If he’s so great, then why are you such a weakling?”
Lio glared, his anger rising inside him and causing his eyes to harden. He clamped down on it with determination. It wouldn’t serve any purpose here. He should keep it for when he really needed it.
“Don’t like that, huh, Mr. Sith Apprentice?” Galo Thymos said with a laugh. “Maybe you should find a better master.”
“Like yours, you mean?” Lio inquired, crossing his arms. “That’ll never happen.”
Galo leaned forward, expression suddenly turning serious. “Haven’t you ever considered a different path?” he asked. “Where do you see the one you’re on leading? I can tell that you want to be strong, but what about beyond that?”
“Beyond that?” Lio asked, hating himself for being just a bit curious about what Galo was talking about. All he’d ever sought was strength. What else was there? What was there that strength couldn’t get him?
“Do you want a home? Family? Do you even have any friends? Is anyone really on your side?” Galo’s eyes gleamed in the artificial light as he stared at Lio.
Friends? Definitely not. Lio was Kray’s only apprentice. He viewed others as competition. Why would they support his rise when his rise meant their fall? Even if Kray took Galo on as an apprentice, Lio would treat him as a rival.
“My home is here,” Lio said, his uneasiness showing in his tone for the first time. He chose not to address the rest of Galo’s questions.
“I’ve got friends,” Galo said quietly. “And, word of warning, they’ll probably be coming for me, so you’d better watch out, Mr. Sith Apprentice.”
Galo’s friends weren’t a concern. Lio was confident that their base was well hidden. The desert seemed like a bad place to hide, with sand for miles and little to no cover, but it was surprisingly difficult to navigate a desert without an experienced guide. The chances of anyone stumbling upon this place by accident was low, and if they did stumble upon it, they’d be dealt with by the stormtroopers.
“It’s Lio Fotia. My name is Lio Fotia.” For some reason, being called Mr. Sith Apprentice felt like Galo was getting his fingernails under Lio’s skin. Lio didn’t like it. Perhaps that had something to do with how Galo said it, like he was subtly mocking Lio.
Galo grinned. “Nice to meet you, Lio Fotia.”
Lio gaped. This guy was definitely an idiot. Didn’t he understand the gravity of his situation at all?
“I’m sure you’ll feel differently soon.” Lio turned and left the cell.
“Nah, I don’t think so.”
Lio caught the words just before the door closed and he scowled. He’d hoped that he’d feel better after seeing the prisoner, but somehow he felt more conflicted than he had before entering the cell.
“Saying hello to our new guest?”
Lio froze at the sound of his master’s voice. He turned to see Kray standing in the hall, a genial smile on his handsome face. His red eyes glinted in the light. Even though he wasn’t wearing his black helmet, he still looked severe and intimidating, despite the smile.
“Something like that,” Lio muttered. His bruised cheek stung. He wanted to touch it, but he resisted the urge.
“He’ll try to confuse you, but don’t let him,” Kray advised. “Remember your lessons and don’t let his foolish ideals corrupt you.”
Lio bowed his head. “I won’t, master,” he said respectfully.
“Good. Now come with me.”
Lio fell into step beside the tall man, his boots keeping rhythm with Kray’s as they walked toward the lift.
“I want you to spend an extra hour on your lightsaber training every day,” Kray informed him.
“But my—“ Lio broke off. He’d been about to remind Kray that his wrist was still injured, but he’d just realised that was no excuse.
“But?” Kray paused to stare at him, jaw set sternly.
“Nothing, master. I’ll do the extra training,” Lio murmured.
In a rare show of affection, Kray patted Lio’s head of blond hair, and Lio felt some of his unease settle. His master was right. He shouldn’t let the Jedi apprentice get to him. Their aim was to bring the apprentice to their side, but if Lio wasn’t careful, he risked being lured over to the light side. The Jedi were fools, but they were still dangerous. Their ideals could be deceptively attractive if presented right. Lio had already underestimated that idiot once, and earned himself a painful injury. He would not do so again.