Darling Belle

Fourteen

He'd done this once before when they were twelve, had Noah forgotten so easily? Nereus leveled himself with a curled up Noah. 'And this, this is all me, Noah.'

Noah gasped as he felt a cold sensation at his neck, it stung. He had no choice but to become still, to ignore his mother's now shattered mirror and slowly raise his eyes to Nereus, the boy who held a keen object to the base of his throat, his brother, his blood.

'Then what?' taunted Noah, crazed, the weapon moving against his flesh. 'He may've stood by you when you finished off Elias but he won't stand by you for this. You can't kill me, Nero,' his voice cracked at Nereus's nickname.

Can't? Nereus liked a challenge.

Nereus smirked, eyes glowing. 'He wouldn't want to lose another son after you, would he?' But before he can make a slitting motion with the glass, he's shoved by the shoulder with a fueled strength. The push was personal but not angry. More annoyed than anything. He fell onto his side, across from Noah.

Nico swore underneath his breath, towering over both of them. 'If you kill him, father will worry.' But what he meant by worry-was code for chaos. Father never worried. Then he placed his attention firmly on Noah whose eyes were wet, glaring, then to Nereus. 'You two have been playing on opposite fields since birth. And it needs to end. Right now.'

'Don't stop all the fun.' Nereus interjected, of course. Picking at glass powder on his forehead.

Noah stayed silent, gaze hard.

'I'm only making it fair,' Nico said blankly. He reached into his pocket and a deep clank noise followed.

He'd thrown a gun between them.

'Let's play a game.'

Nereus and Noah lunged for it in unison.

MAISIE
SIX YEARS AGO

It'd been one of those rare occasions where Noah and Nico were in one spot.

They were all sat at the dinner table as Nadine, the Vale brother's mother worked in the kitchen. Preparing a meal for the five kids. Their parents were out of town for some ball.

Saffron reached over Maisie for a grape while Sawyer poked fun at his sister over her hippie pants. Maisie had this enraptured look in her eyes as if she'd just witnessed the creation of the universe when Noah had shown her a silly magic trick involving his mother's wedding ring and a rubber band. Nadine didn't have much use for it anymore.

Maisie laughed when the ring passed through the band.

Nico snorted. 'Seriously? That's all it takes to make you laugh? You're like a baby,' he sneered cruelly.

Her expression fell immediately. She hated being called a baby.

Noah flicked the rubber band at him. 'Shut up, Nico,' he bit out. Nico dodged, glaring.

'Yeah, shut up, Nico,' mimicked Saffron, brows furrowed.

Nico just rolled his eyes, now conversing with Sawyer who shoved a comic book in his face.

Maisie turned to Saffron who smiled at her brightly, and whispered, 'let's make Nico a voodoo doll.'

She stifled a giggle with the back of her hand as Nadine entered, setting down a duet of bowls containing Alfredo pasta. Sawyer and Saffron thanked her as she went back into the kitchen to retrieve the rest of the food.