Mirrored

Chapter Twenty-Eight - Nico

                          I don't know who I am anymore. I'm no longer Nico Song, but I'm not quite Nikolaius either. I'm somewhat of a combination of both, standing in the courtyard of the Bone Court, waiting for Antimony to come and face me. Harlequin stands beside me, studying me with a curious expression on her face. 

               I feel... powerful. It's like there is something inside of me that has always been there, like a flood held back by a dam, and now the dam has been destroyed, letting everything come spilling out, all that unlocked potential. It's immensely freeing, I feel lighter than I ever have, like everything is in its rightful place. Except for one thing. 

        "Nico?" I look up to the balcony above the courtyard to see Tristan leaning over the rail, staring at me in shock, brow furrowed. "What is this?"

       "There is an imposter on the throne," I say. A bit dramatic, but I'm feeling the drama right now. "I'm here to take him down. Unless he gives up his rule willingly."

        There's a rustling sound from up on the balcony, muffled voices having a quick argument, then Antimony appears where Tristan had been standing. "Hey there Niki," he says with a teasing smile. "Long time no see."

       "Antimony," I snarl. "Having fun letting our home go to shit?"

"That's not what I'm doing," he snaps. "I'm ruling. In my own way. I love this world, Niki, you know that."

         A part of me softens at that. He's telling the truth. He doesn't really understand what he's been doing.  "I know," I tell him, meeting his eyes. "I know you do. Just not enough."

       Antimony stares me down with his fractured gaze, calculating. "So what are you going to do?" he asks softly. "Are you going to kill me?"

        "I don't want to hurt you," I say, stretching my hand out to my side. An axe materializes there, long-handled with a curved silver blade. It feels familiar in my hand, like being reunited with an old friend. "If you agree to step down and let me take my rightful place on the throne, I won't have to."

        Antimony narrows his eyes, then leaps over the balcony railing, ignoring Tristan's protests, and lands gracefully on his feet at the other end of the courtyard. He flicks his wrist, and a long thin dagger with roses carved into the hilt appears in his hand. He twirls it between his fingers, showing off a bit. I smile grimly. 

       "Are you sure this is a good idea?" Quin asks. I had almost forgotten she was there. "Stay out of this," I hiss at her. She looks like she's about to protest, then shrugs and steps back.

        "Go on," Antimony says to me, still twirling his dagger. "Do your worst. I am not stepping down."

        In a flash, I lunge at him, swiping at his legs with my axe. He leaps back, spinning behind me and slashing at my back. I whirl and catch his dagger on the hilt of my axe. I shove him backwards, and he stumbles before regaining his balance and leaping at me. I duck and roll under him, coming up and slicing across his shoulders. It's not a deep cut, but it has to hurt. 

       Antimony snarls and turns to me. I advance on him, swinging my blade back and forth. He does something I don't expect then, and throws his dagger. It spears my shoulder and I stumble, faltering in my attack. While I'm distracted, he darts over, yanks the dagger out, then plunges it into my back, in between my shoulder blades. 

       I howl in pain and jab my elbow into his stomach. He gasps, and I take that brief second to hurl my axe at his head. His eyes widen as he sees it rushing toward him, and for a moment I think it's all over, that I've won, but then a hand comes out of nowhere and catches the axe in midair. 

        "Tristan," I growl, facing the Hunter, who now has my weapon in his hands. "This is not your fight."

         "I'm not letting you kill him," he says, eyes blazing with fury. 

"He had caused nothing but trouble," I hiss. "He isn't fit to rule. And I know him. He won't give up. This is the only way."

        "This? This is the only way? Killing your own brother is the only way?"

"Look, Tris, I don't want to hurt you either," I snap, "You're Chance's best friend. But I will if you try to stop me."

     And I mean it. I've tasted it again now, the thrill of the fight, the joy of delivering punishment to those who deserve it, of taking down those who aren't worthy of the power they have.

       Tristan doesn't move. I sigh and pounce at him. He swings my axe at me, but I catch it and tear it out of his hands. I slam him in the gut with the hilt, and he falls backwards, gasping for breath. 

       There's a howl of anger, and suddenly I'm knocked to the ground, the axe falling out of my hand and skittering a few feet away. Antimony is on top of me, pinning my arms and legs so I can't move. 

         "Don't you dare touch him," he snarls, sparks catching in his hair and around his fingers. He's losing control of his powers, I've made him that angry. 

       Two can play at that game. I rip my hand out of his grasp and cup his face, shoving everything I've got into him. It's a little harder to use my ability on my siblings, because of their own magic, but I can still do it with enought motivation and focus. And right now I have both.

      Antimony's eyes widen, and he freezes in place. His skin under my touch begins to rot as the life slowly gets sucked out of him. 

      I laugh, the use of my powers filling me with an exhilaration that I haven't felt the likes of before.

        Antimony makes an anguished sound, and suddenly the terror in his eyes becomes clear to me. I hear Tristan scream his name, and something in me breaks, the human half, the Nico half, poking through for a second. I let go of Antimony, shoving him off of me, shattering our connection. He collapses, and Tristan rushes over and gathers him into his arms, stroking his hair and whispering to him softly.

        "He's alive," he gasps, the relief in his voice piercing my heart. 

"He's alive," I confirm. "But he has no choice but to step down." 

          I straighten up, pick up my axe, and march straight to the throne room. I fling open the doors and stride in, grinning. The guards make no move to stop me as I approach the throne and hoist myself up onto it.

        "Ladies and gentlemen," I declare into the silence of the room. "Your rightful king has returned."