Miraclebound | Miraculous Guardians Book 2

Chapter 19: Ninth Life

Grimm chuckled, retracting his cane and adeptly swinging it away from Nino's head as he turned sharply on his heels to confront the new arrival.

And not just any arrival.

"Step away from my little brother."

This wasn't just some guard sent to prevent intrusions or protect the Temple's secrets. This was the entire reason Nino had flown halfway across the world and back. This was his brother standing before him in the flesh. He was alive. It was all real.

Nino really wished he had time to cry because it was all true. The impossible had become possible and this moment, right here, was one he knew he would never forget.

"Nicholas?" he gasped, grabbing his shield and moving quickly to defend his team as they staggered back to their feet.

"No way," Adrien breathed, the first to recover. He knelt down to help Marinette up as the girl rubbed her head sourly. "Is that--"

"ENOUGH TALKING!" Grimm interrupted, summoning up his ability once more and swinging a fist at the new superhero. Nicholas moved swiftly, ducking under the punch and twisting around the villain in three graceful steps, placing himself between the Parisians and Grimm.

"Oh, really?" Nicholas retorted. "You sure? Because that's about all you seem to be good at. All talk and no--whoa!" As the villain charged at him once again, he swung wide to the left and brought his own weapon swinging back. Grimm was faster, however, and narrowly avoided the blow. "Close, close. I see you've been practicing those pulled punches I showed you. Now, try following through and you might actually do some damage. If you can hit me, that is."

"SHUT UP!" Grimm screamed, whipping back to him once again. Nicholas only laughed and stepped back, his focus solely on his archrival and not the teenagers once more gathering their bearings and preparing to rejoin the right. Not even Nino, whom Nicholas was working very hard to avoid looking at.

My brother is a superhero ninja.

Nino was still having a very difficult time processing this train of thought as he watched Nicholas duck, weave, and work his way around each and every one of Grimm's jabs.

That is so sick!

"Are you all right, Princess?" Adrien inquired, snapping Nino out of his thoughts. He twisted to the scene unfurling behind him. Marinette kneeling on the ground, hands over her head as though fighting off invisible ghosts, Adrien next to her, trying to coax her to her feet.

"Where...where am I?" she whispered, her voice strange and forced.

Oh no, Nino stared, stricken. It's happening again! And this is the worst possible time! Adrien looked at him with panic and then back to Ladybug.

"M'lady?"

"She's having another memory lapse!" Nino exclaimed loudly, probably louder than he should have, he realized, as Adrien winced.

"A what?"

Oh, right. She didn't tell him about this. Feeling immensely guilty for outing her, Nino tried to look anywhere but at his best friend. "I'll explain later!" Instead of answering, he knelt down on Marinette's opposite side and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Marinette. Just take a deep breath. It'll come back to you. Just give it time."

"Nino, what is going on?" Adrien cried.

Nino could hear the betrayal in his words at being left out of the loop. Again. But there wasn't a moment to spare for him to explain. "Later, Adrien."