Witches in Training (#2 in the Witches Trilogy) [rewrites ongoing]

Chapter Thirty-One: The Confrontation

VINNI

In the couple of months I’ve known him, I’ve never seen Russell mad. But that’s certainly what he is now.

Sher is keeping a restraining hand on my arm as Russell confronts Louis with a cold gaze, pinning him against the wall. When they’re not deliberately measuring up to each other, I’d say they were about the same height, and certainly equally formidable if you knew about their magical and physical prowess. But now, Russell backing Louis up against the wall, it’s frightening when I realise how much I’ve missed when comparing the two. Russell is undoubtedly taller than Louis, by at least three or four inches, a comparable height. It shocks me to have looked past so much simply because I had, for lack of a better word, been somewhat blind to the older fairy in favour of the younger one.

“You think you can defend Vinni sufficiently, when you’ve lost half your magic, when you barely have a quarter of your strength, and when Raelynn has all but put a death mark upon her head?” Russell’s voice is as quiet as it usually is, yet an undertone of white-hot fury with an accompaniment of a snarl lies under each and every syllable of his words. I had no idea how this was going to turn out, but I knew it wasn’t going to be pleasant. "You thought it'd be fine going to a freaking party at her freaking house?"

Louis stiffened, and in that second he went from the sober, guilty boy he’d been to the side of him I disliked most heartily, the one he’d possessed when I’d first met him, a cocky, defiant and bold fairy, who met his brother’s glare confidently. “I’m strong enough.” He says with a voice like steel.

The urge rises in me to get up and stop the brothers before they do something rash. But the look on Sher's face as she watches, slightly pale, is enough to stop me.

“Raelynn has allies as strong as me and more.” Russell tells Louis, taking a step forward. The tension in the air is biting. “Spar with me. You say you’re strong enough. Fight me. Prove me wrong.”

Louis’ confidence falters-even I can catch hesitation flickering in his eyes. There’s no doubt Russell sees it easily. But the fairy was never one to gloat.

Russell steps back with cool air. “Come on. And I daresay you’d better put up your shield. That is, if you’re strong enough to make one.” He throws Louis’ words back in his face mockingly.

Louis shows no sign of eagerness to fight or prove himself right. In fact, something else kindles in him that I don’t see often-and truthfully, almost never-fear. Is Louis afraid of Russell? Even with his depleted strength, I would any day have bet that Louis could beat Russell hands down. Even without magic, I would have guessed that Louis was ultimately more powerful than his brother. But now I realise I’ve never seen the brothers fight. I’ve never had the chance to prove or disprove that theory.

And I’ve never seen Russell like this, with such an icy anger in him, especially towards his brother. The elder fairy narrows his eyes. “Use your magic.” He says coldly. “Or this is going to hurt.”

Louis looks nothing like his usual self. Faced with his brother challenging him to a fight it seems like he’s going to lose, he’s all but squirming. A faint shimmer of magic envelops Louis, indicating he’s put up a shield. “It’s weak.” Sher murmurs. Even she sounds worried now. “It’s not half as strong as it should be.”

If Sher’s worried, then I definitely am ten times more. They don't know I'm awake yet. I don't know if I want them to know. The tension in the air is freezing.

Louis has moved over to the empty space in the room, and Russell follows. From the brothers’ hugely contrasting attitudes as of current, I know my reckless somewhat-boyfriend is not going to come out triumphant. Still, I was expecting him to at least be able to hold his own against Russell for a while. I was dead wrong.