I was too late.
Nathan charged, a roar filling the air as he flew at the other man. I raced after him, my speed no match for his.
Liam looked startled for a brief moment, before he crouched to meet him. The two men clashed, the sound of battle ferocious and violent as they moved almost too fast to see.
Thomas arrived in the next second, Anton and Daniel behind him.
“Sweet Jesu. I didn’t believe it,” Anton said, his voice hushed as he watched the two fight.
All three men were grim-faced and disbelieving as they watched Liam and Nathan tear into each other.
“Help him,” I said.
Daniel waded into the fight, grabbing Nathan from behind and throwing him to the ground. Anton was there in the next second, helping hold Nathan down as Daniel fished out a pair of silver handcuffs from his pocket.
Together, the two of them subdued Nathan, forcing him on his knees, his hands bound behind him.
Nathan looked around, betrayal written on his face as Liam walked over to where Thomas and I stood.
There was blood on his shirt from a bite and several bruises on his face that were already healing. Nathan had a swollen eye and several cuts and bruises in a similar state of healing.
“What are you doing?” Nathan asked.
“Settle down, brother,” Daniel said.“This is for your own good.”
Both Anton and Daniel looked sickened by the whole matter.
Liam touched my hand when he reached me, a silent acknowledgment he was fine.
“Explain this,” Thomas said, his voice quiet.
“Nathan is under a compulsion,” Liam turned and looked at the man who was considered his second.“His actions are not his own.”
“Bullshit,” Nathan said.“I’m fine.”
“Then you just felt the sudden need to rip Liam’s head from his body?” I asked, a bite in my voice.
Nathan looked away, his expression slightly lost. He didn’t try to explain it. He couldn’t, and we all knew it.
Defeat shone in his gaze as he stared down at the ground.
My heart tightened, seeing the dejection in the slump of his shoulders. I couldn’t imagine what he must be going through at the moment, to know that he wasn’t quite in control of his actions, that he might betray his friends for reasons he didn’t know or understand.
“Why go after you?” Thomas asked Liam.
I looked up to find a considering look on Liam’s face. He crossed his arms and looked contemplative.
“None of this makes sense,” I said.“First the attack by the bridge, then the attacks last night. Now this. It doesn’t fit.”
It was like our enemy had split personalities and couldn’t decide on what objective they wanted. It made it difficult to see the big picture, let alone stop it.
“Perhaps that’s the point,” Liam said.“Fae plots tend to be convoluted, at best.”
Thomas shook his head and speared Liam with a look.“It doesn’t matter. You know what you need to do.”
Liam’s nod was slow, grief on his face. He stepped forward, going to a knee in front of Nathan.
For a moment I didn’t understand. Not until I saw an answering pain in both Anton and Daniel’s expression, the resignation on Nathan’s.
