THE UNDERESTIMATED HEIR

LINES IN THE SAND

As Marvin stood in the doorway, his eyes locked onto Daniel’s. He could see the shock on Daniel’s face—the flash of fear, quickly replaced by defensiveness.

A faint glow appeared on Daniel’s forehead, right on the synapticore mark—a small, pulsing mark that made it clear to Marvin that Daniel was tensed and afraid.

Daniel's reaction was a detail that Marvin knew all too well, a sign that his stepbrother was unsettled.

For a moment, memories came flooding back to Marvin. He remembered what had happened in Westwood, the times Daniel had humiliated him, looked down on him, treated him as less than family.

The anger that had simmered for so long began to rise, hot and sharp. He felt the urge to storm across the room, to finally confront Daniel face-to-face after a long time and beat him up.

He wanted to show him what it felt like to be afraid.

Daniel could see it in Marvin’s eyes. The anger, the long-held resentment. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair, his mouth was opening slightl