Ames:

"Dustan." Nathaniel snaps. "Drop a declaration of neutrality with the Francium citizens. We don't need to be involved in their war of independence with Alberich."

"On it!" Dustan send a message from his Net-pad."

It's surprises me how much this moment feels like déjà vu. Each word that comes from Nathaniel's mouth sounds like Azun's words to me from our time in court together.

I sit in the main chair, I am king of Malison and I give no input to the whole meeting. I feel useless, I finally have everything I want and I don't feel happy, or even satisfied.

Dustan looks at me. We both know the wall is breaking when Nathaniel grips his forehead and grunts in pain, then turns around to continue his argument like nothing happened.

At the end of the meeting I text Luke:

Going out for drinks with Nat, Jasper and Dustan. Wanna going me?

I highly doubt I will get a reply, but it's worth a try. Jasper hasn't come along with us lately. I don't think she ever has. Larkin is busy with her bird, lately she has been really attached to the thing.

"Another round." Nathaniel calls out to the boy working the drinks. Nathaniel smiles as the man pours us each another round of sprite shots.

"I raise a toast to you Ames." Nathaniel smiles at me. "My only real friend."

I give Dustan a look, he shrugs. Something must of happened between them.

"Good job at the debate." I comment, downing the drink in a second. "You really have the other parties wrapped around your finger."

"Thanks." Nathaniel waves us more shots.

"You ever been to law school?" I ask. I haven't really payed attention to anyone until after Azun died. I was such a brat back then, a real pain in the butt.

"No." Nathaniel takes another shot. "But I rennet a few thugs Azun taught me for fun."

"For fun?" I snicker. "What else did you do?"

"We did everything." Nathaniel sighed. "I wish you would tell me where he is, I really miss him."

"I'm sure he will come by eventually." I lie.

"I'm not so sure." Nathaniel waves another shot for himself.

"What makes you say that?"

"I'm not an idiot." He swishes down the drink.

"I didn't say that." I waved my brother another. I am worried about what he knows. He can't know I killed Azun. That's impossible.

Dustan and Jasper leave to play some pool together. I sit with Nathaniel at the drink counter. I hear the little bell ring by the door, out of the corner of my eye I see Luke and Mike enter the pub. This is the worst possible timing.

"I found an empty box in Azun's room." Nathaniel takes another shot.

"What were you doing in his room?" I pass on more drinks. "He always has it locked."

"It wasn't this time." Nathaniel takes another drink. "Ames, in that empty box was a place for a gun. A pistol gun."

"So?" I try to start a new topic. "So what? Everyone has guns in their room, even I do. I got loads of empty gun boxes in my room. Anyways, do you wanna go play some chess or karaoke or something?"

"Why are averting the conversation?" Nathaniel ask me.

I pause. I can't admit I killed Azun, that's too much and the wall will tumble down. Azun is dead and Nathaniel can never know. All I can think of is all the secrets Luke is making me keep from my brother's pleading blue eyes. They are so bright, like a puppy dog begging for food.

"Well if it isn't Ames and Nathaniel." Luke walks over to me.

"Luke." I smile, glad he got me out of that conversation, but no glad that he showed up.

"You have separated this planet into parties." Luke points out.

"Yes." Nathaniel states, anger fills his voice, so much like his older brother. "We plan on letting everyone have a voice. Unlike you."

"You are making provinces as well, I heard."

"Yes."

"That's new, must be easy to separate this planet into sections."

"Honestly, it's kind of tiring."

"Nathaniel?"

"Luke."

I could not stand the awkwardness of this conversation. I was going to shoot someone if t went on any further.

"Is there anything you need?" I interrupt, a little louder then I hoped to be. The pub goes silent and all eyes are focused on my brother's and I.

"No." Luke picks at his nails. "Just getting what I want in the end. I know the future, remember. Thought I would come down and rub myself in your face."

"You know what?" Nathaniel stands up. "I am sick and tired of you thinking you are better then everyone. You are not better then me, smarter then me or even more powerful then me. Ames took freaking light and made it into something he could use, he can create shapes out of nothing, lay out plans that show us what's going on in his mind."

"So?" Luke snaps, grabbing Nathaniel's shot and slipping it down his throat.

"I am not going to let you run my life for one more second." Nathaniel spat in Luke's face.

"I'm leaving." Luke smiled. "I learned that from your brother Azun, who abandoned you."

"He didn't abandon me."

"Then where is he?"

Nathaniel opened his mouth, nothing came out.

"Exactly." Luke laughed. Then he and Mike left the pub.

Nathaniel slammed into his seat. "Another." He gestured.

I hesitated before running after Luke. I barely caught him before he turned the corner. Cars honked as I ran around pedestrians. Everyone recognized me and felt they needed me to know them, but I didn't really care. I grabbed Luke's shoulder in the nick of time.

"Ames." Luke looks me over. "What do you need?"

"He is Azun." I pant.

"What?"

"Nathaniel." I sigh. "He is turning into Azun."

"That's absurd."

"No." I snap. "He is getting the snarky attitude undertone that Azun always had when he got angry. He is crazy good at debating and hat wall is coming down. Worst of all, you don't even give a crap!"

"The wall won't come down if you don't scratch it." Luke tried to move away but I grabbed his wrist.

"Listen to me." I beg. "Azun died, and Nathaniel if following down the same path. This path only ends in depth and despair. I can not lose another sibling, please take a look."

"Why should I?"

"Because he is your brother."

"Azun was yours."

"What's the point?"

"You kicked Azun out of his job." Luke pointed out. "You caused him to commit suicide from depression."

"I did not!" I snapped. "Azun didn't die because of depression."

"Then how did he?" Luke raised an eyebrow. He is suspicious of me, trying to corner the truth out of me.

"You didn't take away his memory, you just put up a wall he can tear down." I change the subject. "Luke, all you did was delay the same outcome."

I let go and turn to find my little brother.

Whatever happens, Nathaniel is not going to die before I do. I won't let any of my siblings die in vain ever again.