Seeing is Believing (20 page)

Nesfir looked startled briefly before looking amused. "I've had worse from him. I think I get to go along."

Asahi paused, about ready to launch into the spell that would conjure bonds around Nesfir's hands and feet for him to pull tight.

"Did he shoot you?" Asahi demanded, but his voice was quieter and he watched Nesfir carefully, not sure if he wanted the answer from the look on Nesfir's face.

"He killed our parents," Nesfir answered slowly. Asahi stared at him for a long moment before deciding he wasn't making it up.

"Fine," Asahi agreed quietly. "But you do as I say, and we're not leaving until you've eaten something."

"Alright," Nesfir agreed. He wasn't smiling, but Asahi left it. The best thing he could do for Nesfir at this point was get him vengeance.

Asahi was unhappy. It wasn't the snappish, annoyed unhappy he'd had before, when Nesfir visited his cabin in the woods. It was more of a worried and angry unhappy. Not that he could really blame Asahi—he had been shot twice and that could make the nicest of people cranky.

Nesfir was a little surprised Asahi hadn't done worse to poor Paxif when he'd thrown that spell, especially since he hadn't known Paxif was enchanted. Not that Nesfir could really say much on Asahi's inclinations to cause harm. Certainly he seemed like he wanted to do Resdi harm.

And that was the crux of it. The smart thing to do would be to get rid of Resdi, once and for all. To kill him as quickly as they could to minimize the damage he'd done. So far no one was dead this time, but if Nesfir hadn't been with Asahi, the witch probably wouldn't still be alive.

Resdi had more than earned his fate. He had at least half a dozen deaths to his name, including their parents. That alone should be more than enough for Nesfir to want to see him dead.

Only, Resdi was his brother, which was an incredibly stupid reason against killing him. Just because they were related … Nesfir was the Mayor of Shakartha. They counted on him to keep them safe. He needed to get rid of Resdi's threat, but was there a way to do that without killing him? There had to be some way to convince Resdi to leave and never come back.

Nesfir just wasn't smart enough to think of it, and they were getting closer to the grove where Resdi would be. Even after five years, Nesfir could still anticipate Resdi's actions. The grove was quiet, a little too far away from the village for anyone to stumble onto it accidentally.

They'd played there as children, hiding from their parents and the chores they'd been assigned.

At least Asahi had agreed, however reluctantly, to not go without him. That gave Nesfir a chance to reason with Resdi, and a chance to make sure Asahi didn't immediately try and kill Resdi.

Asahi's footsteps were quiet and barely discernable behind him, and Nesfir really wanted to not be thinking about Resdi and keeping the village safe. He would much prefer to be thinking about that moment in the Cinades' bedroom, where he was positive Asahi had been about to kiss him.

They were fast approaching the grove though. Nesfir had no doubt that Resdi knew Nesfir wasn't dead and that there was another witch residing in the village now, though Nesfir doubted he knew that before his attack. No, Resdi was smarter than that and he would've figured out a different way to neutralize Asahi before that.

"Let me talk to him, first," Nesfir instructed quietly as they neared the little grove. Asahi looked like he was about to protest and Nesfir stopped and rested a hand over Asahi's mouth. "Please."

Asahi's eyes narrowed, but he nodded. Nesfir tried a reassuring smile, but it fell flat. Asahi did roll his eyes though and Nesfir took that to heart, marveling a little because Asahi had been barely civil to him just a few days ago. Turning away, he stopped when Asahi's hand touched his arm.

"Hold on," Asahi ordered, his voice quiet as he started to chant. Nesfir waited uneasily, wondering what Asahi was doing, but he didn't interrupt. It took a moment, and then a curious tingling sensation ran along his skin.

"I'll be staying close. Don't go too far into the grove or you won't be protected anymore," Asahi directed, not elaborating what the protection was for. He hesitated, but shook his head instead of saying anything more.

Asahi's hand slipped away from Nesfir's arm, and Nesfir took a slow, steadying breath. He could do this. He
would
do this, because he
was
the Mayor of Shakartha and it was his duty to make sure his village stayed whole.

Even if it meant killing his brother.

Steeling himself, Nesfir walked into the clearing. He didn't bother to try to keep his steps quiet, even if he hoped Asahi had more or less stayed undetected so far. Remembering Asahi's edict, though, he only took a few steps into the clearing.

It wasn't that different than it had been when they were younger. Some of the trees were bigger, and there were a few fallen branches and what looked to be a fox den under the far trees. The stream that cut through the center of the clearing was just a dry, empty bed this late in the fall.

Most importantly, Resdi was leaning against one of the far trees, a knowing smirk curving his lips.

"That certainly took you long enough," Resdi commented idly, not moving. He looked extremely casual, leaning against the tree. One foot was propped up against the tree trunk, and he was barely looking at Nesfir, seemingly finding his nails much more interesting.

"Resdi, what are you doing back here?" Nesfir asked, unable to keep the weary note from his voice.

"What, no backup this time?" Resdi asked, glancing up with sharp green eyes that were the exact shade of Nesfir's. "Sloppy of you, Nesfir. I would have thought you'd bring more. Or could you not convince anyone to come?"

"I can't imagine you'd be happy here," Nesfir tried, ignoring Resdi's attempts to ferret out what he was up to. Resdi was probably a little thrown at only Nesfir showing up, and Nesfir wasn't going to give Asahi up before the witch wanted to be given up. "Shakartha's not a large town and it's not close to anything."

"Ah, but that's why. No one would notice if something happened to tiny, backwater Shakartha," Resdi informed him with a smirk. He pushed away from the tree, his intent gaze suddenly focused completely on Nesfir.

Their mother had had that same look whenever she was working magic, or about to. Nesfir didn't back down though, trusting that even were Resdi to try and enchant him, Asahi would break it.

Even if he didn't know how a conjurer could interfere with an enchanter's magic.

And then Resdi was chanting, words that Nesfir didn't know and hadn't learned from the little he'd seen his mother teaching Resdi. He'd been curious, and they'd done everything together as children, even the learning Nesfir couldn't use.

"Hmm," Resdi murmured when nothing happened. Nesfir blinked, wondering if Asahi's spell had deflected whatever Resdi had been trying to do. "I guess you really are stupid enough to have come alone."

"What?" Nesfir asked, regretting the question as soon as it left his mouth. Resdi laughed, leisurely making his way across the clearing to where Nesfir stood.

"Either all the people you brought with you are dead, or you brought no one," Resdi answered, smirking at Nesfir. "No one came out to play."

"Resdi—"

"Shh, Nes," Resdi chastised, coming to a stop a step or two away from Nesfir. "Just relax, this won't hurt. At first."

Resdi opened his mouth to start chanting, and Nesfir lunged for him, his fist connecting painfully with Resdi's jaw. Resdi stumbled back, looking shocked. He wasn't stupid and he wasn't going to stand still while Resdi attempted to manipulate him again.

"You shouldn't have done that," Resdi muttered, and before Nesfir could stop him, spouted off a quick, six-word chant. Nesfir froze, but it was because he was startled at the tingling sensation that washed over him, stronger and more chilling than the one that had rushed over him when Asahi had put the spell on him.

"Are you done talking with him yet?" Asahi demanded crossly, stepping into the clearing with narrowed eyes. "Because I really would like to get this over with."

"What?" Resdi spat, but Nesfir ignored him.

"You weren't supposed to come out," Nesfir chided, feeling a little frayed. He didn't know how to make this end right. Asahi scowled at him, taking a few steps into the clearing. The expression was so
normal
for Asahi and that steadied Nesfir a little.

"The enchantment he tried to put on you was filthy." Asahi glared at Resdi, the expression sharper and angrier than anything he'd turned on Nesfir. Resdi stared back brazenly, watching Asahi speculatively.

"A western witch," Resdi murmured, and Nesfir didn't like the look in his eye.

"Oh, don't even try it," Asahi snapped, not looking at all amused. "I have
at least
ten times the training you do. I could flatten you with the bat of an eye."

"So do it," Resdi challenged, stepping forward, towards them. Nesfir stepped in front of Asahi, trying to distract Resdi.

Resdi just laughed, though the sound died off when Asahi started to chant. He tried to get past Nesfir to get to Asahi, but Nesfir just knocked him back. Even if Resdi was his brother, and he had reservations about killing him, he wasn't letting him anywhere near Asahi.

Asahi stopped chanting and a long scarf, colored a brilliant red and orange, appeared and twined itself sinuously around Resdi. It pinned his arms to his sides and wrapped his legs together tightly, before finishing and tying itself into a neat bow in front. Nesfir stared. He hadn't known it was possible to create
moving
objects.

"What the hell?" Resdi spat, surprised and less than thrilled as he fought with the scarf.

"Shut up," Asahi snapped, crossing his arms and stepping around Nesfir. "You
shot
me. Be grateful I haven't done worse." Asahi paused, his eyes narrowing. "Yet."

"Asahi," Nesfir said, drawing Asahi's attention. "What are you planning?"

"It's up to you," Asahi answered, shrugging. "I can kill him." He looked entirely serious and Nesfir felt a bit uneasy. He didn't really know that much about Asahi, did he?

Nesfir stared at him for a moment. "I hope you're joking."

"I am." Asahi cracked a smile, looking amused for a moment. "What do you want done with him?"

Nesfir sighed, rubbing his forehead and not looking at Resdi.

"I don't suppose you know some magical trick to take his magic away?" Nesfir asked, tired and wishing they'd had more time to rest before confronting Resdi. That Resdi had stayed away so he wasn't forced to make this sort of decision. Hell, while he was wishing, he might as well wish for Resdi to not have decided people were better when they were under his control.

"No," Asahi answered, his mouth twisting a little. He looked about ready to say something more but it came out a twisted curse as Resdi let loose his magic without a spell. But not aiming at them, Nesfir realized as the tree behind them came to life and Resdi collapsed to his knees, sapped of all his magical energy.

"Go that way," Asahi snapped, gesturing even as he moved the opposite way. Nesfir wasted no time in obeying the order as a tree branch shot towards him with more speed than should be possible for a tree. And wasn't this just fabulous, running from a
tree
of all things?

Asahi was chanting something, and Nesfir made the mistake of glancing back to make sure he was okay and maybe to see what he was chanting about—only to trip on a root that had pulled itself out of the ground.

He sprawled face-first into the colorful, dead leaves that carpeted the clearing's floor. Rolling over, he flinched at the tree branch shooting straight for his face, too fast for him to get out of the way—and all he could think was that he really wished he'd kept his mouth shut and kissed Asahi when he'd had the chance earlier.

Only, instead of spearing into Nesfir's brain, the tree branch splintered inches from his face. The tree was still moving and another branch tried to get him, only to meet the same fate. Nesfir frowned, reaching out in confusion—only to have his hand hit a clear, solid barrier. Running his hands along the smooth, clear surface, Nesfir was unsurprised to find that he was encased in a large, clear box.

Asahi's spell then, and Nesfir looked up, hoping Asahi had given himself similar protection. Asahi was still dodging around tree roots and branches, weaving through them with steadfast concentration, jumping at the right moments and ducking when he needed to. His lips were still moving, and Nesfir's heart jumped with alarm every time a tree branch lunged for him.

Resdi's eyes were on Asahi, too, though there was a gleam of anticipation in his look that made Nesfir wince. When had Resdi started to take pleasure in seeing other people hurt? Nesfir smothered the thought, tearing his gaze away from Resdi to watch Asahi.

Surely Asahi couldn't keep dodging forever. He'd get tired or trip and the tree would catch up to him. Nesfir couldn't heal unless he was out there. Why hadn't he simply boxed himself up as he'd done with Nesfir and chanted spells from there to take out the tree?

Except that, even as Nesfir thought it, he realized he couldn't hear anything. Asahi was casting, even as he dodged, the tree had to still be creaking, and Resdi was laughing, but he couldn't hear any of it. He could hear his own, too-fast breathing, but nothing outside the box.