by Isu Yin
Chi picked at the wood of the table. “Hell, if you are not going to say anything, then I will.”
“It is not our right, Chi,” Fortuna said. “This is your ground. I will not overstep my boundaries.”
“Cheers to that,” Kyou said, joining her for another shot.
“And I am grateful.” Chi bowed her head. “Lady Fate, there are many reasons that Hero is important to the Rebellion, but first realize that this is not only true for us. If he does not join our cause, he will become susceptible to the enemy. The Tainted are tempted, some more so than others, to do wicked things. Abyssus joined our cause, but now that we have lost him, we have also lost our grip on Hero.”
“What makes Hero any more dangerous than one of you? The miasma? That takes time, doesn’t it?” Fate scanned the group, and each member averted their eyes to avoid answering.
Only Chi remained steady. “I don’t suppose you’ve noticed, but Hero is branded.”
“Branded?”
Fortuna rubbed her brow. “I’m sorry. I didn’t teach her about seals.”
“That is quite all right. There is no time like the present,” Chi said. “A brand is a type of seal that restricts the soul from different abilities, or sometimes, memories. It is a burn in the skin, or an artifact that marks a person to their very foundation. Some seals are pieces of jewelry, usually heavy metallic pieces that have been engraved with warnings. If seals are broken or removed, anything buried by them will be unleashed.”
Fate understood why Hero might’ve been deemed unstable after spending time with him; however, a part of him seemed desperate to survive. “Why was he branded?”
“It happened a long time ago, when his mother was murdered. This is what you need to know, so listen very closely. I cannot repeat this after today.”
“Okay, I’m listening.”
Fortuna, Kyou, and Fortis snapped the shutters and doors closed as Chi explained. “When Hero was a child, he had the ability to conjure up a unique element—crystal. My sister, Elaine, was very proud, and encouraged him to hone his ability.”
Fate put up her hands to stop Chi from speaking. “Wait, how is that possible? Isn’t he a Half-Breed? Are you telling me they sealed this ability?”
“Hero is not a Half-Breed. He is a pure-blood child born to a member of the Fox Clan, and a member of the original Wolf Clan.”
“What? That’s insane. Then why is he with Niteo?” Fate thought of her old theory that Hero might not be Niteo’s son. She was certain he wasn’t a Doll, but he was still odd.
“His real father, Liulfr, was murdered in the Capital. In order to protect him, my sister needed a scapegoat. She entangled herself with Cruentus Niteo in hopes of protecting our lineage. We have seen war, Lady Fate. Our family was taken from us in the blink of an eye and we have so little left to hold onto. We were the only two women in our group, and I could not bear children. Elaine became desperate to conceal Hero’s existence.”
“Wait, you said Liulfr was murdered? By whom?”
“We do not know, and this is the problem. The attacks on Hero’s parents, and on others, have all been similar, but the Council wants to hold him responsible. However, Hero had not yet been born, so he could not have perpetrated the attack on his father, and it does not make sense to say the other murders were a coincidence. All of the victims were extremely influential members of the Rebellion.”
“Why didn’t the Council just kill Hero? How did Elaine and the others die?” Fate’s head spun with details of crimes in Mu. She finally had the chance to hear the truth, and it was nothing like she’d expected.
“It is the Council’s duty to protect Ancient lineage. Hero was still young, so they tried sealing and branding him to restrain his condition. They want to marry him off quickly to secure our lineage, but once they have done that—”
“They want to kill him once he has children? What if his children are tainted?”
“The Council seems to think that if they take children at a young age, they can prevent these events from repeating. “ Chi combed back her hair with her fingers. “We have one other family member, my cousin. He is even worse off than Hero, so they watch us closely.”
“Your cousin is worse than Hero? They’re both tainted? What the hell is going on?”
“Never mind that for now. We will discuss it again later. Listen, Elaine was killed by crystal. That is why the Council believes Hero is responsible for her death. I should not say it was just my sister, either—all the murders have been perpetrated by a crystal elemental, or at least, someone who has access to crystal.”
Fortis leaned his arms against the table. “On the day Hero was taken, he was arguing his innocence. He tried telling me who was responsible, but I couldn’t get through to hear him out. The truth is buried in his memories.”
Fate pushed aside the shot glasses with her arm. “Can the seal be broken?”
Chi shook her head quickly. “Absolutely not. There is a trigger—a reaction set to respond when a seal is altered or broken. Sometimes seals cause illness or disorientation, but Hero’s is there to kill him. If he uses his ability again, he will die.”
Fate gripped her head. “This is too much. How are we supposed to uncover the truth if it’s buried in his head? I’m not going to kill the Prince of Nitor! My brother died to protect him.”
“I am not asking you to kill him. That is the last thing any of us want. The real perpetrator is still lurking in the shadows. I want to protect Hero and the members of the Rebellion, but he does not trust anyone. We cannot get him to pick a side.”
Fortis took his sister’s shot and gulped it down. “You had an idea, didn’t you, Fate?”
“Yeah, but it’s completely insane.”
“Maybe that’s enough to make a difference,” Chi said, her silver eyes glistening with hope.
These people trust me too much. I am the least qualified person on this team. First, they ask me to decide who should die, and now they’re telling me there’s a murderer on the loose and it might be Hero? But Abyssus clearly believed he was innocent... and Madam, too. What am I supposed to do?
Fate ran a hand over her face. “I need help. I’ll never be able to match up to Hero’s strength or skill, but I can conquer his psyche if I have the chance.”
Chi reached out and touched Fate’s hand. “What can we do for you?”
“I need you, since he trusts you. I also need a strong sleeping drug, and someone who can tie a good knot.”
Fortis raised his hand. “I know bondage. Does that count?”
Fortuna smacked him against the back of the head. “She’s a child! Please restrain yourself!”
Fate separated the siblings with her arms. “You know what, that works fine. Let’s not argue. We’ll need to search him for weapons as soon as he’s unconscious, and we also need a room away from prying eyes. If we have any chance of winning him over, we need to do it while he still underestimates me.”
Chi frowned. “What are you intending to do?”
“You’re not going to like it, but... I need heat.”
“Heat?”
“I realized today that Hero doesn’t fight battles he can’t win. I can’t imagine how much training he really has, so I won’t face him without the proper tools. If he can move at all, he’s going to kill me. I need to keep the room hot, not enough to kill him, but enough to immobilize him. He’s a Caeles, after all.”
“That is torture. If he stays like that for too long, he will die regardless.”
“Do you have a better idea? I’m willing to bet my life on this. I know it’s torture, but don’t you think he’s already feeling tortured by the current conditions? Everyone talks about how he’s tainted, but who actually steps into the pit with him? I’ll go in.”
Kyou pointed with the hand gripping his shot glass. “I like her!” He smacked it onto the table and flashed a crooked grin. “Let’s do it.”
Chi’s remorse surfaced through her cool facade. Her expression reflect
ed the distant pain of battles lost. “I cannot believe it has come to this, but I will prepare something. Lady Fate. I will send an invitation for tea tomorrow. The drug will be placed in Hero’s drink. You must not react, not even a little. If you do, it will be the last mistake you ever make. Please do not forget that he is extremely volatile. This is an especially difficult time for him, and almost anything could make him attack you.”
“I know that,” Fate said. “I made this plan because he is volatile.”
Kyou clapped his hands to disrupt them. “All right, let’s calm down. I’ll act as a decoy while Chi and Fortis prepare. Use the boiler room—a few turns ago it stopped working properly and became the boiling room. It’s down by the prison so it’ll be quiet. I’ll warn the prison guards of disturbances beforehand, and we’ll keep this whole ordeal buried.”
Fate suddenly remembered that, as senseless as it sounded, Hero had a father. She never saw him around the palace so she often forgot about him altogether. “What about Niteo?”
Kyou smirked. “He’s on another trip with my father. He’ll be home in two or three days, so we need to make quick use of our time. Let’s get this rolled out by dawn.”
Fortis pressed a hand to his chin. “I say we bring in several of the spare heaters and place them around the room. The more extreme his conditions, the quicker he’ll fold. We can’t risk a chance of survival, or he’ll never give in.”
Kyou nodded. “All right. Let’s go then.” He stood from the table with Chi and Fortis to initiate the race against time.
In these situations, Fate hated the waiting period, because all she could do was fret about the possible outcomes. She couldn’t handle waiting around all night, so she went out to purchase a proper gown, and late that night she lay down to review the journal.
I shouldn’t read this anymore. This is about Hero. I wouldn’t want him to read about me.
It had been noted that the second journal, Ulnaire, would be in Hero’s favorite place, but he never gave the impression that he knew anything unusual about her. Either he was a good liar, or he didn’t know about the journal yet.
What could be written inside of it?
With daybreak came the letter about a tea meeting arranged to start the day, or as the note suggested, Chi’s way of thanking Fate for saving Hero’s life. A vague note in small print accompanied it:
It should only take a matter of moments to take effect. Stay strong.
Fate was so nervous about the preparations, she found it difficult to go. Of course, Kyou had told her when they were prepared, but even the smallest mistake could lead to failure.
Upon her arrival at the palace, a guard escorted her to the music room for the meeting. Chi sat and listened to Hero play piano for some time, and beckoned Fate to the sitting area.
“I decided to serve Hero’s favorite tea, so we can share something new with you.”
She’s really believable. Even I feel like she’s being sincere. Maybe she is, to a certain extent. I can’t believe they even agreed to this.
Fate smiled despite her anxiety. “What kind of tea is it?”
“It is made with spices and honey secreted in the Ussan.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“They are old trees preserved inside the crystal, so it is not as dangerous as it sounds. You do not think we serve it raw, do you?” Chi laughed the way Fortuna often did when the girls in the brothel did something endearing. “Of course, each batch is properly filtered. We cannot have people consuming crystal, no matter how small.”
“Abyssus told me that it grows when it touches moisture.”
“That is correct. In the past, many citizens of the Capital died because they ingested pieces of crystal without realizing it. Depending on how much you swallow, it can take a very long time to grow.”
Hero closed the key lid and sat on a chair between Fate and Chi, remaining a careful distance from them to watch.
“I am glad that you decided to join us,” Chi said.
He folded his hands. “I have to study soon, so I can only stay for one cup.”
One? He’s not going to chug it, is he? No, he’s too refined and polite towards his aunt.
Fate calmed her thoughts as best she could, then concealed her feelings with her practiced smile. “Thank you for sharing with me.”
Chi poured tea into three porcelain cups. “It is my pleasure. You saved Hero’s life. This is so menial by comparison.”
How is she administering it? Can I really drink this? Stop it. Think, Fate. It must be at the bottom of his cup already.
Hero’s eyes moved towards her, running up and down her body. “You smell different.”
“Are you talking about my perfume?”
His mouth quirked back on one side. “Honeysuckle, that’s it.”
How keen is his sense of smell? He’s like a wild dog.
Fate didn’t mean to, but she swallowed hard under his inspection.
His eyes dropped as if he was noting the movement of her throat. “Did I make you nervous?”
Chi extended her hand and smacked his knee. “Stop that! You know what happens when we study people too closely. Do not make her leave.”
“You’re not that spineless, are you?” Hero’s remark seemed more a challenge than a real question.
“Oh, Hero, drink your tea.” Chi huffed at him. “I dislike when you prod at your friends in front of me.”
Hero and Fate echoed her in unison. “Friends?”
The flat spot on the bridge of his nose flared red. “Why would I want to be her friend? She’s insolent, and she can’t even throw a decent punch.”
Is that punch going to follow me to my grave? What’s his deal?
Chi broke into a fit of cackles. “Is it that disappointing?” She tried containing herself, and soon had to put down her tea to hold her stomach. “That is so cute. Do you want her to beat you up?”
What in the world is happening here? He needs to drink the tea.
Fate sipped the drink. Its scent and taste were so rich and warm that it soothed her nerves. “Um, what? I’m sorry, I’m not following.”
Chi slapped her thigh while trying to wipe tears of laughter from her eyes. “Should I tell you?”
“You should, because I hate being confused all the time.”
Hero slammed his hands against the arms of his chair. His face flushed in a straight line across his nose and cheeks. “You’re such a damn prattler! I’m going to study!”
Chi waved him down. “Sit. I am just teasing you. Let us settle down and have our tea, then you can go and study. I was trying to lighten you up a little, but I see my efforts are still fruitless.”
Hero took the tea cup, scrunched his nose, and sipped from the top.
Chi cracked a smile. “It is too hot to chug, you imp. I know you too well to fall for it.”
She’s good. Too good. No wonder she’s Head of the Queen’s Guard.
She managed the situation tactfully. “How do you like your tea, little Fate?”
The way Chi called Fate little brought back memories of the Elders, whom Fate met only once during childhood, when they visited the Madam. She smiled. “It’s very soothing, thank you.”
Every sip Hero took made Fate more anxious. She measured the time, wondering how long it would take for him to lose consciousness. A clock ticked somewhere behind her, seeming to reverberate off the walls and back into her head. Several long moments later, she snapped back into the conversation.
Chi waited for a response, encouraging Fate to speak with a smile.
Did she say something? Or was it him?
Hero squinted at her. The fluid in his cup had significantly lessened since she last looked. “She asked if you’re planning to stay at the brothel.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. These days... with all that’s happened, I find myself lost in thought.”
“That is understandable,” Chi said. “Perhaps it is difficult to leave after growing up under Fortuna’s wing. You hav
e your sisters, too.”
“I guess there wasn’t much time to grieve,” Fate said. “It’s still hard to accept that Abyssus is gone.”
Hero sat back, placing his tea cup on the table. He pulled up the front of his scarf to cover his face. “I know what you mean.”
“I’m glad you have something to hold onto,” Fate said.
Hero stopped in the midst of forming a smile and swayed back and forth.
Fate inched away from him, expecting him to attack.
His hand trembled. He gripped the arm of the chair and reached for the switchblade.
Chi pulled back his arms and carefully lowered him to the ground, using her knee to hold him in place. “Keep still.”
Hero’s piercing gaze had dissipated, expressing only pain and sadness in place of his usual edge. He watched Chi as he fought for consciousness. His lips clasped to fight the quiver from the drug. “You... betrayed me....”
Fate slowly extended her hand to him the way she remembered Fortuna doing when she was sick. She saw him as a wounded animal or child, incapable of stopping an infection from spreading.
Shortly, he drifted off.
“He’s unconscious,” Fate said. “Let’s get him to the boiler room.” With every passing moment, she leaned closer to believing the twisted morals of the Tainted.
Do the Tainted really deserve to die?
She stood back to allow space for Fortis and Kyou to enter and carry Hero out. Everything she previously believed had turned out to be false. At that point, she doubted her knowledge so much, the only thing she could believe was Hero’s innocence.
His philosophy was skewed—no amount of misdeeds could ever amount to something truly good—but in his defense, she was about to do something bad for a good cause.
What does it really mean to be good, anyway?
Something happened to me then, and we can blame the miasma or even my soul. Everyone will have a different opinion of how I changed my outlook on our society and its many rules. The question I had been asking myself found its resolution.
‘Why does he deserve to die any more than we do?’ I realized, ‘He doesn’t.’
