A:N: The Character guide was updated on the last update. Go there if you need a refresher!
A|N: Oh, more and more worldbuilding. Prae and the surrounding territories are big! That also includes..duh-duh-duh-daaaaaa! New creatures and people! Yay! I can see the end of the tunnel folks. Long tunnel but...still. Light. 

Jinki had been a late bloomer. It had always been a fact. He hadn’t been the fastest, the strongest or the boldest. He was smaller than most. The village elders had a habit of calling him a runt, said that all that time in the cold weather before Iseul found him had stunted his growth. To them, Jinki would be lucky to not find himself out of the outskirts of the village, begging for food, wishing for shelter. It didn’t matter that Jinki was a brilliant strategist and that the other wolves, even the tall and strong ones like Taecyeon, followed him around like puppies, enjoying his wit and his humor. That didn’t matter. A Durkhai wolf had to be strong, they had to be fast. Anything other than that was not a Durkhai wolf. Tradition curved the bolder.

Jinki’s natural gregariousness is what saved him. Wooyoung taught him how to use his smaller body to his advantage, developing his speed. Taecyeon and Junho taught him grappling and ground work. Changsun taught him weapons, and their spar master brought it all together. So by the time Jinki reached his seventeenth birthday and was declared as an Alpha, he had molded himself into something to behold, something fearsome, someone who could lead Durkhai.

With that he always knew that it would get him the best of the best. The best living, the best fighters at his side, and especially the best mate. He imagined him being a father; he imagined being the father that Yoon was never was.

Yet, he knew that dream would never come to fruition when he was chosen as Alpha Prime of Prae.

It was fine.

It was a sacrifice.

Maybe he could take an Omega lover, have a child that looked like him, same small eyes and heart shaped face. He imagined he would call his son, Junsu, or his daughter Ara.

But Minho happened and suddenly being with anyone else, even if it were for offspring purposes paled in comparison to just being with him. Monogamy wasn’t the something that was inherent in Durkhai. Be good to your mate, yes, but it wasn’t uncommon for an Alpha to have two-three other lovers beside their mate. Minho wiped that desire from all together.  And he was enough, he was simply enough, more than enough to consider what he would lose to be inconsequential. Not being a father was a sacrifice he was willing to accept.

Minho was all he needed.

Taemin’s frown morphed into a smile. “No, you’re not dying, Minho.”

“If I’m not dying…then–“

“You’re…Jesu, Minho, you’re pregnant.”

“I’m…I’m what?”

Jinki’s hands were trembling. Everything in the room disappeared, the light shining through the window, the quiet murmuring from those in the room, the white faded to black, until it was just Minho and he left.

His bond-mate looked down at his hands, this incredulous wonder shining in his eyes. Slowly, he lowered them to his flat belly, his hands hovering over it as if the answer to every question he’d ever asked lied there. Minho’s gaze rose to meet Jinki’s, tears lining his bottom lashes, his bottom lip quivering. Without words, Minho called to him and Jinki answered, crossing the room, and staring at Minho as if he were something rare and magnificent.

“I–I thought this couldn’t happen. How…” he said, his hands hovering over Minho’s, almost afraid to touch him. To touch anything, as if this could be a dream. “Are you really–“

“He is with child. I can sense your child’s life force within him.”

The black lifted, the sound rushed in and Jinki was back in the room with everyone else. Taemin was at his side, a goofy watery smile on his face. “He isn’t very far along. He must have conceived during your mating bond.” Taemin placed his hands at the small of Jinki’s back and pushed him forward, even closer to Minho. “You’re going to be a father, Jinki,” he whispered.

“A father…” All of Jinki’s dreams washed over his skin, warming him. In a surge of emotion, Jinki crawled into Minho’s bed, wrapping his arms around his mate and pulling him close. “We’re going to be parents?” he asked, his voice still light with wonder.

Without having to be asked, the others in the room withdrew, leaving them alone.

The click of the door closing changed something and the look of happiness on Minho’s face morphed into something dark, something full of worry.

“Jinki…what are we going to do?”

Jinki blinked down at his mate, not really understand the look on his face or the fear in his voice. “What do you mean?”

“Think, love. I’m pregnant. I am not supposed to get pregnant. I am not a bearer in the eyes of Prae.”

The entirety of Minho’s pregnancy flashed before his eyes and there was a solid thump of dread in his chest. But wasn’t this his job? If Minho was scared, wasn’t it up to him to quell those fears? He laid a soft kiss to crown of Minho’s head, hoping it would be enough to reassure him. “I’ll figure something out, Minho. It’ll be okay. We’ll be okay.”

“But–“

His inhaled and sank deeper into Minho’s covers. “Just for right now, I want to be with you and celebrate this miracle.”

Minho laughed quietly. “It is a miracle.” Minho paused and drew his bottom lip between his teeth, worrying it. “Your mother’s timing is wonderful. What a welcoming gift. A grandchild.”

Jinki hummed. “My mother has always been a master of timing things to be as dramatic as possible, although I did have a hand in this present.”

Minho suddenly grabbed his hand. “I–“ he hesitated and Jinki frowned. “I need to tell you something. I probably should have told you this a while ago but…

Jinki titled his head. “Don’t tell me you have another secret?” he laughed. “What are you this time? A frog shifter? An oracle?” He grinned. “Did you play match maker, bend the cosmos to make me yours?”

Minho laughed nervously. “I would have, you know if I could but no…I’m just a regular old shifter, no magic tricks up my sleeve.” Minho pushed himself to sitting. “Do you remember when Onew kidnapped me? Because he thought I was in danger?”

Jinki grunted. “Yeah, how could I forget?”

“Well, I never told you where he took me. We were always more concerned that he had brought me back and you and I were together again. Then things got so hectic here and one thing after another kept happening and I just never had the time to sit down and tell you. This news we received today and having your mother near, let me know that your child needs to know every member of our family.” He paused, his eyes jutting to Jinki’s for a moment before they settled on the sheets in front of him. “Including your real mother.

“My real mother? I wouldn’t know where to look for her, Minho. I’m not even sure she’s alive–“

“She is.”

Jinki frowned, confused.

“H–her name is Areum and she lives in the Wander’s Village north of Prae. She’s…she’s been living there, she’s always been there.” Minho looked up at Jinki. “You look just like her.”

Jinki blinked slowly, as if Minho had just told him he’d grown another head. “Wha–what?” he said dumbly.

“Onew. He remembered where he came from. He remembered your mother’s scent. When he took me somewhere safe, he considered her homeland to be that safe place.”

“You…you know where my mother is?” Jinki asked, blood singing in his ear as if maybe he didn’t hear Minho right. “She’s…I’ve met her?” Jinki quickly moved from Minho’s side, rotating until he was sitting opposite of his mate. He couldn’t be hearing this correctly. “She’s alive?”

Minho nodded, his brows still furrowed in worry, but his eyes hopeful. “She adores you. She misses you and I hoped that one day I could take you back there, except now with our child?”

Jinki face split in a smile, the smile so wide his eyes disappeared into little half crescents. “I don’t think I know how much more good news I can take today. My heart feels like it’s going to burst.”

Minho held his hand to his chest. “I know,” Minho said with a playful frown.

Jinki lowered his head towards Minho, touching their foreheads together, an act Jinki did with Minho when he was incandescently happy. “Are you out of secrets now?” he said quietly.

Minho bit his lip, looked down and nodded. “All out.”

“Good.” He placed his hand under Minho’s chin and lifted it back up. “Good.” He kissed him softly. “Thank you…for telling me. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life.”

“You’re welcome.”

They sat there quietly, embracing each other, enjoying the peace that came with silence until Minho pulled back. “Alright, alright,” Minho said. “I’m not going anywhere. Go spend some time with your mother. Your…your other mother. I’m still sleepy as hell and I can’t sleep with you being all cute and huggable and loveable and–just…go, shoo, doggy.”

“Did you just,” Jinki uttered, his voice dripping with mock indignation,” call me a doggy?”

Minho nodded, his features schooled but his eyes dancing with humor.

“I am not a dog.”

Minho hummed. “If I scratch you behind your ear, your tail,” Minho paused to look between Jinki’s legs, “is going to wag.”

Jinki followed his line of sight and laughed. “You’re right. Tonight, you’ll be paying for being right but you’re right.”

“Are you going to spank me?” Minho said, his eyes lighting up. Then he realized what he said and clamped a hand over his mouth. “I–I…hormones,” he finished with a grin.

Jinki wagged his brows. “I like hormones.”

“Have you heard back from your father yet?” Sehun said as he flawlessly worked through an Aiki-jō kata with a staff, his shirtless torso slick with sweat. He swung the bamboo staff above his head, rotating it twice in his hands before bringing it down to his side. “It’s been six days.”

Zitao answered with a grunt as he looked over a few ledgers he’d brought with him to Prae. Large amounts of funds were being circulated around Old Se’hai to an unknown merchant for an unknown cause and that worried Zitao greatly. What worried him greatly was the fact that Tuer, his most trusted advisor, had signed off on most of the purchases. He was about to open another ledger when the tip of a staff poked him in the chest.

“You’re not paying attention to me.”

Zitao looked up with a brilliant but largely unconvincing smile. “Yes, I am, love. I heard everything you said.”

Sehun raised the staff back to his side. “Liar. You want to know how I know you’re lying? Because you told me if I asked you about your father again you were going to stuff this staff down my throat. Yet here I am, with no staff down my throat.”

“No,” Zitao answered, huffing, “I haven’t heard from my father yet, Sehun. Seeing you asked me that two hours ago, and you have not seen a messenger deliver me anything, I don’t see why you’re wasting your time.” Zitao frowned and looked back down at the ledger, feeling Sehun’s heavy glare on him.

“We can’t stay here forever. We could, and I’m not saying I wouldn’t like to but we shouldn’t have to. You are the heir of Old Se’hai. It is yours, granted by the Old Se’hain Golden council. Your father cannot take that away from you. And he cannot deny you entrance back into court.”

“I know that,” Zitao said quietly.

“Then what are you going to do?”

“I was thinking of accepting Minho’s offer. To be the High Treasurer. My father…he isn’t an old man. He’s ornery but not old and there are many years to come before I am given his seat. In the meantime I can serve Prae in a way my father never could with his pride in the way. He couldn’t imagine a power stronger than his. Still can’t.” Zitao lifted the ledger in his hand high. “I’m really good with the books.” He glanced at it, his thoughts from earlier about the suspicious purchases coming back. “Maybe too good.”

Sehun put his staff down and reached for a towel to sling around his neck before he took a seat by his mate. “What’s so important in these books anyways?”

“These are the financial records of Meidou. It’s the trading company of Prae’s East, mostly between Old Se’hai, Mott Argan and Lark’s Nest. There are some other settlements such as Rhyna Ghali but they are far outside of Prae. I know each and every last merchant. I have no idea who this is.”

Zitao rotated the ledger towards his mate, pointing to an entry titled ‘Iustus’. “Iustus means righteous but this doesn’t look very righteous.”

Sehun squinted at the figure listed, then whistled. “That’s a lot of money. Too much money.” He frowned. “It’s almost as if…”

Zitao looked up at Sehun, his frown deepening. “And army is being commissioned.”

“Is she okay?” Jinki said as he hovered outside of the Taeyeon’s room. He tried peeking past the door as the others filed out. His mother, the last of the group, pushed at his chest, closing the door behind her.

Jinki grabbed Iseul by the shoulders, his eyes lined with worry, with hope, with the unknown. His sister had been unconscious for far too long and he worried about her, greatly. The healers said she was fine physically, that it was her mind. And that was what caused him so much grief. Taeyeon was a brat, but she was damn smart. To know that they’d found a way to shut that down, to trap her in her own head with their devil magery…he’d never forgive them.

“Your face, my darling, is dark. Brighten up,” his mother said with a small smile. “She’s awake, she’s just very tired. It’ll be a while before she can have visitors for extended amounts of time. Jungsoo is a little worse for wear–the ride here was hard and they didn’t feed him for the time he was there. He’s been through quite a bit. I’ve blocked visitation for the time being.”

“I’m just glad he’s okay. I wouldn’t have been able to face Kibum if something had happened to him,” he said, his eyes fluttering to the door one last time before he reached down and grabbed onto his mother’s hands. “It’s…it’s been a very long time…I don’t really know what to say to you. I don’t know how to…”

Iseul didn’t look as lost as he felt. “Do you remember when you were a boy and you wanted me to teach you how to be a mage?”

Jinki smiled faintly, remembering how angry he’d been when she said she couldn’t teach him such a thing. It was something he had to feel.

“Although I’ve had a connection to Taemin and Taeyeon all these years, it was your spirit, your warmth and sweet kindness that I could feel. On the nights when I couldn’t take being away from you three any longer, it was your courage, in helping me escape, that kept me sane. You were my rock, and you still are. What are words, Jinki?” She raised her hand and placed her hand on his chest, just over his heart. “I feel you, my love. I always have. It’s as if we haven’t spent a day apart.”

“Mama,” he whimpered pitifully before he pulled her into a hug, squeezing her so tight she gasped playfully.

“So strong!” she exclaimed! “All this strength you have is the reason you’re going to be a father soon, eh?” Iseul said, her voice light and teasing.

Jinki let her go with a shy laugh, his hand fluttering to the back of his neck. “Yeah–it’s a little bit crazy. I never thought…” Jinki paused. “You do know my mate is an Omega,” he asked, his voice lower than a whisper. “If anyone finds out–“

“I know and I trust you will protect him as needed. It’s going to be rough but you were not chosen by the gods for nothing. You’ll figure it out.”

Jinki didn’t understand why her simple statement of confidence assured him so, but it did. They would find a way. They would.

“Speaking of figuring it out,” came a voice from across the hall. “Jinki, the meeting is about to start and everyone has arrived in the Beam Room,” Kibum informed. His eyes strayed to Iseul for a second before he took off

Jinki nodded and turned to his mother. “I’d like for your group to join us in the Dongbang Library. There are matters that need to be discussed.”

Iseul frowned. “I’m…I’m not really built for politics, Jinki.”

 “Oh, no, not that.” Jinki laughed. “I’ll need you around to keep Xiah from killing me when I actually enforce my plan!”

It was cold in the Beam Room. It was always cold in the Beam Room. Kibum looked at the fire and wished it would do its job. It seemed ornamental in fighting the bite of the chill in the air even as it coated everyone in an orange glow. He thought about briefly moving closer to it, maybe to warm his hands, but their meeting was full under swing and he didn’t want to interrupt it by being needy. Instead, he slipped his cold hand into Jonghyun’s pocket. The Dinfire Alpha smiled at him briefly before he redirected his attention back to the speaker.

“From Jungsoo’s intel from his unfortunate stay in Toleran, there seems to be a large number of Blue Crescents and mages intermingling in what Tolerans call the “Den”,” Julien reported from his seat at the table. “Which we all know is very strange because one of the Blue Crescent tenants is the extermination of mages. To find them working with them in any capacity seems foreboding.”

“They’ve used them to execute members of Wheph as well as kidnap members from Dinfire and Mott Argan. Their last attempt was on the Alpha Beta of Prae, the High Steward and a renowned apocrathist,” Nichkhun stated. “Which is also strange. Did they force Jungsoo to make anything for them? It seems like it would be the only reason they would kidnap an apocrathist. Although I’m relived he was retrieved and this is no offense to you, High Steward, but his kidnapping wasn’t the largest blow Prae could have taken.”

Kibum shook his head. “No offense taken. Father didn’t say anything about them forcing him to do anything. I believe it may be because they didn’t have a chance to. You guys moved pretty quickly to get him rescued, Xiah, Kahi, Julien, Iseul and…” Kibum’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the fifth member of their group present. “And I’m sorry, forgive me, I didn’t catch your name.”

“Dany–“ she paused. “Dannie,” the woman finished calmly.

“Dannie,” Kibum repeated, gazing at her face. I’ll ask the question why she looks a spitting image of Minho and Minjung later. Maybe she was a distant aunt or cousin. Heaven knows that would be wonderful, for Minho to have a connection to his family. “I thank you for rescuing him. Doing what I couldn’t.”

All four bowed their heads in response.

“Because the Blue Crescents have always been, historically, insane, their actions, while uncustomary to their creeds, are not surprising. They’ve declared war on us, so by gathering up Toleran dark mages, they believe they will have an edge on us, “Jinki stated from the head of the table. “It’s safe to assume that Toleran and the Den are two separate entities? Toleran is an ally of Durkhai and customarily side with them.”

“I would say that’s a very safe assumption,” Xiah answered. “Although, Toleran is more of a sister town than an ally. They will make their own decisions but I would consider them an ally for now.”

“Thank you, Xiah. And while we are counting all of our eggs...” Jinki looked further down the table. “Zitao, any word from your father?”

Zitao’s mate, Sehun, looked at him pointedly after Jinki asked his question and Kibum assumed that he had asked the same question, maybe on several occasion.

“Not as yet, my Lord. However, it shouldn’t be much longer. As my mate reminded me earlier, my father may not like this arrangement, but there is only so much he can do. If you’re asking if he is an ally or not, for the time being, I would consider him as so. If my investigation proves otherwise, I will inform you immediately.”

“Either way, we’ll find out sooner or later,” Jinki said. He gave Kibum a look, which Kibum understood. He stood from his seat and ruffled around in his bag, looking for something. When he found it, he pulled it out–a scroll–and unrolled it.

“As you all know very well, Prae is the creation of the original treaty created and implemented by Exorsa, the first Blood Moon couple, Heechul and Han Geng. That treaty, technically, only extends to the five clans. Those within our borders were included de facto. We propose a new treaty, one to renew our ties with each of the new Alpha leaders as well as the hamlet settlements and outlier cities, such as Ves and Toleran.”

“Ves? Toleran? They aren’t going to sign that,” Dannie supplied.

“We aren’t expecting them too. We do expect the five clans to renew but this will allow us, one, an ambassador and a small occupation in each of the settlements and cities, as well as allow us to test any discontentment amongst them. It’s fine to have your allies on paper; it’s another thing to know.”

“We have to move fast. The Blue Crescents have been aggressive in their attacks and I don’t want them to catch us unaware again. This time we will take the offensive.” Jinki paused. “Speaking of taking the offensive…” Jinki’s gaze moved from his mother to Xiah. “Did Julien make you aware of our plans for Durkhai?”

Xiah groaned and a hand came to the bridge of his nose. “Yes. And I’ll tell you as I told him–it’s foolish! I am dead for all they know. Showing back up after all these years to contest their new leader?” He scoffed.

“It’s not as complicated as you think. The day you left, I never actually considered you would be gone forever. When I became Alpha, I prepared for your return. I always worked to protect your legacy and to protect your territory. If you want it, you can have it back, all of it. Do you want it back, Father?”

Xiah frowned. “Want what back?”

“Durkhai?”

“That’s not possible unless you’ve,” Xiah paused, then raised a brow, “amended the bylaws?” Jinki smiled and Xiah brow’s furrowed. “There is no way you could have amended the bylaws by yourself! How did you get the elders to agree?”

“Yoon convinced them with his revolt. After that it was easy to explain to Elder Mun, Elder Minwoo, Elder Dongwan, Hyesung, Jin and Lee your circumstance.  They are the only ones other than you, mother, me and now Julien, who know that you are alive. They’ve always known and they’ve always wanted you to bring Iseul back to the village. Of course, they didn’t want to force you, not with my mother’s life a stake. You will be allowed to challenge Thunder for his seat. You just have to want to.”

Xiah still looked conflicted but Kibum understood. Jinki was playing a very heavy and dangerous political game. If Jinki were to send Xiah back to Durkhai, alive, and explicitly to challenge Thunder, who quite possibly was still connected to the Blue Crescents, for his seat and actually win, it would send out of a very clear message to those amassing against them that simply stated: We know.

Xiah must have realized that because he looked determined but calm. Xiah knew, just as well as everyone knew that, no matter skilled or talented Thunder was, he was no match for Xiah. There were very few, young or old, who were a match for him.  “If, I were to do this, if…I propose we enact VENIAT.  I remember Thunder from your childhood. He seemed like a decent boy, maybe too blinded by his father’s ambition to realize his own good. Just like with you, maybe we just need to sever that tie. With VENIAT, I’ll still give him a sizable portion of command under me. I’ll need generals if this comes to war.”

“That’s fine with me. It’ll allow you to keep him close and watch him as well. You’ve always been excellent at molding good men,” Jinki finished with a smile. “I’ll travel with you, mother and those who wish to join you in Durkhai–“

“I’m not leaving,” both Iseul and Dannie said at the same time. Iseul glanced at Dannie and Dannie glanced back, shrugging. “Minho is going to need someone around him and I just so happen to think I–“ she gasped when Dannie elbowed her, “Dannie and I are the best qualified.”

“I humbly request to be by his side,” Dannie said, her eyes wide and desperate.

Her passion confused Kibum. She’d just met Minho. Although her looks were young and refreshing, she still was too old to be interested in Minho in a romantic capacity, so Kibum took that idea off the table. He’d heard of Minho quite possibly being a mage, and with their group just traveling from Toleran maybe he was interesting to her as such? But…her request was far outside of mere curiosity.

Kibum glanced at Dannie again. Really glanced at her. Her eyes jutted to his and then quickly away. It was then it all clicked. The red hair, the tanned skin, her infatuated curiosity in Minho’s wellbeing.

“You’re ing kidding me, right?” He stood and peered at her closely from the opposite side of the table. Jonghyun, surprised at his outburst, tugged on his sleeve but Kibum yanked it out of his grip. Dannie, on the other way backed up, a look on her face like he was insane, but although the woman was a damn good liar; no one was as good a liar as Kibum. “Say, lady, where did you say you were from again?”

“I didn’t,” she bit out.

“Don’t worry, I already know–I was being polite in giving you a chance to answer. You’ve got the tanned skinned of a Toleran. Not only are you from Toleran, you’re a Toleran mage.  The tips of your fingers are blue, just like Iseul’s and Taemin’s because you’ve recently used your powers. It was you who felt Minho’s pregnancy first, was it not? ”

“Kibum…what’s the cause of this?” Jinki asked slowly, one brow raised.

Kibum sat down and crossed his arms. “There is only one woman on this planet–one! – who is from Toleran, who would be this concerned about Minho and would think a name as ineffectual as Dannie would hide her true identity.”

The woman he directed this to all to curled her lip up at him. “And who the hell are you?” she asked, snarling.

Kibum matched her attitude. “I’m your son’s best friend and his only confidant in Wheph.”

The room grew deadly silent.

“I’m sorry, she’s who?” Jinki asked, blinking.

“Choi Danye.”

The room remained quiet except for Taemin, who began laughing so hard, tears streamed from his eyes and down his face.

“Maybe I’m missing the funny part,” Yifan muttered to Yixing.

“I get that every village has their secrets but this is ridiculous,” Taemin said once he got himself together. “You’re telling me this is Minho’s long lost mother? Who was brought in along with my long lost mother, who happened to drag along Minho’s long lost brother in law, who also brought along our former Alpha, who was…you guess it! Long and lost! ” Taemin started to laugh again, barely able to get his words out. “This is the most dysfunctional clan collective I’ve ever heard of in my life! No wonder those outside of Prae laugh at us!” He stood and began to walk from the table, his hands around his middle.  Jinki stopped his with a hand around his wrist.

“Where are you going? “

“I’m going to go check up on my sister before any other life changing secrets are revealed. I’m not sure if Prae can survive them! Let alone I!”

“You should be resting.”

Taeyeon peeked open an eye and rolled it. “I’ve been sleep for weeks. How much more rest can I get?” She watched as her twin brother came closer, pulling up a chair and setting it beside her bed. The room still smelled strongly of burnt rosemary and sage–something Taeyeon recognized as mage magic. She recognized the smell and she recognized the procedure. Taemin smelled of it stronger, though.

“You helped Mama with the unsealing didn’t you?”

“Had to! You were draining me dry,” Taemin said, his voice a touch playful. He leaned forward onto her bed and cradled his head in his hands. “How do you feel?”

“I’m not tired. I’m more…confused. It’s hard telling what’s real and what’s not right now. Images keep fluttering around my head and they are disjointed. If I can manage to put them together I think they’ll go away. ”

“Well, I can tell you what’s real, although you might not like some of it.”

“Ah, what I’ve missed in dream land.” Taeyeon sniffed. “Come on with it.”

“Let’s see. Your brother is good and mated now. Happily, even. Surprise there, huh?”

“With that tall idiot, huh? I knew it was going to work out–he had that look in his eyes. Disgustingly sweet and completely smitten.”

“Minho’s pregnant.”

“I’m not surprised. How bad is Jinki freaking out?”

Taemin chuckled. “He’s taking it pretty well. Mom isn’t. She might be more overprotective than Jinki is. Ah, that reminds me. Minho’s mother is alive…and in the other room. She trumps Mom on the overprotective front. I’m sure she’s planning on skinning Kibum alive, so if you have anything you want to say, you might want to do it quickly.”

At the mention of Kibum’s name, Taeyeon’s face fell. “He’s…”

Taemin took her hand into his. “You already know the answer to that, Tae…”

Taeyeon grunted. “I always knew that would happen,” she admitted, sighing. “I don’t know why I held on for so long,” she said, her voice raw with disappointment.

“Jongin is still available.”

With what little strength she had, she slapper her brother across his arm. “I wake up out of a coma and you’re still sprouting nonsense.”

“That’s my job. To annoy you with nonsense,” he said cheekily.

Taeyeon made to hit him again but the sound of her stomach growling stopped her.

“They said if you were healing correctly, your hunger would come back quickly, and by the sounds of it, furiously,” Taemin said, his face squinted in mock disgust. “You think you’ll be fine here till I get back?”

“I’m a grown woman... of course I’ll be okay.”

“Good. I’m sending Jackson in just in case. He’s your guard at the door until you are well enough to travel back to your suite.”

“Whatever, just get me some damn food.”

Taemin rolled his eyes, “Right away, Princess.”

As he walked out, another shifter walked in. Taeyeon sniffed. It was always the first thing she did when she met someone new, it wasn’t an uncommon practice. He was a wolf shifter, Beta, but a rare breed of wolf than what was normally found in Prae. His wolf smelled familiar in essence. She took one look at his tanned skinned and understood.

“You’re Toleran,” she stated. “But not a mage.”

The shifter paused as he shut the door behind him, his brow lifted. “How did you know?”

Taeyeon grinned. “I’m really good at the mage thing. Why are you in Prae? They tend to only send tributes. Are you a tribute?” She glanced him up and down. He had a solid figure, broad shoulders and narrow hips; one that looked like it was honed by hard work and sparring. Stubble lined his square chin and his face looked like it was easy to smile. He proved it by breaking out into a grin.

“No,” Jackson laughed. “I’m not a tribute. I’m a part of your mother’s entourage. I’ve been her bodyguard for the last few years,” he glanced up at her, then back down quickly. “You look like her.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” she asked, her brow raised.

“It’s good,” he said resolutely. “Your mother talks about you a lot, you and Taemin and Jinki. I feel as if I’ve known you my entire life.  She’s missed you, so I’m glad she finally found her way back to you all. When she heard you were sick, the floor almost caught on fire with her pacing. It would have taken an army to keep her away.”

“I never wanted her to come back,” Taeyeon said softly. Jackson tilted his head in confusion, his brows furrowed deep, his lips pulled down at the corners and she hurried to correct herself–she didn’t know why, but she felt the need to. “Not that I didn’t miss my mother but…our father was not good to her. If she came back, then she was in a definitive place, a known place, somewhere he could get to her, exile or not. I just wanted her safe,” she finished quietly.

Jackson walked up to her bedside and kneeled down until they were eye to eye. “Your mother is safer now than she ever was before. I promise to protect her with my last breath.”

Taeyeon cocked a brow at his passionate speech. “What’s your deal? You her son or something?”

His easy smile returned as he stood his full height again. “No, no. She was just really good to me. I was born in The Den–you were born away from Toleran, so you don’t know. It’s…pretty bad in there. When we went to rescue Jungsoo I noticed nothing had changed and it hit me hard. Your mother, she hired me just because I asked, desperately, for help. I don’t even think she really needed the protection but she said my energy reminded her of Jinki. She saved my life.”

“It’s that bad?”

Jackson looked away and out of the solitary window in Taeyeon’s healing room. “Orphans. Part of the Old Way says something really vague about the fate of orphans. Prophecy layering….I was a candidate.”

Something flashed across Taeyeon’s mind, so fast and so hard, it hurt. She screwed her eyes shut as the vision took ahold.

When it ended, she gasped, her hand coming to her neck. Was that real? Was that real? She looked around the room, the edges of reality coming back into focus.  

Jackson was at her side in a flash. “Lady Taeyeon, are you okay?” He pulled her hands from her neck and the tips of her fingers were blue. “I–I’m going to get Master Taemin. I’ll–I’ll–“

“No,” she gasped. “No! Take me to Jinki,” Taeyeon demanded as she began to push the covers back. Her garment was thin and Jackson turned his head away. He grabbed a thick robe off a hook off the wall and pushed it towards her. Taeyeon accepted it with a quiet thank you.

Together, they rushed down the hall but after Taeyeon stumbled for the third time, her legs weak and wobbly from not using them for weeks, Jackson picked her up and carried her the rest of the way. They came to the door of the healer alcove and Jackson had a guard open the door. He grimaced as he looked outside.

“Lady Taeyeon, it’s raining.”

Taeyeon inhaled and set her shoulders. “It’ll be fine, let’s go.”

Jinki sighed deeply. Kibum and Danye were still arguing and battle lines had been drawn in the Beam Room. Jonghyun backed his mate, while Nichkhun and Yifan followed in a show of solidarity. Victoria and Tiffany stayed out of it. Iseul naturally backed up her best friend, while Xiah and Julien tried to stay out of it.

The issue, still thirty minutes after it started?

“I already explained to you a thousand, you brazen idiot, I had no choice!”

Danye leaving her family.

“I don’t care,” Kibum said, sitting down and crossing his hands over his chest. “You have no idea what he went through because he didn’t have any family around him. How your psychotic brothers hunted him down like a wild animal. He should have had someone there for him!”

All the anger left Danye’s face. “He did, you dummy. He had you! He had Jungsoo and Julien and that entire village. He didn’t need me!”

“We were pale substitutes for a real mother,” Julien said, his first offering towards the argument. “However, she’s right, Kibum. He wasn’t alone. You have to understand why she did what she did. Trust me; I didn’t understand for years either, you know that, but now I do.”

“Great. YOU explain it to Minho, then. Explain to, not the grown up Minho, but the young man–a boy, really–who lost his entire family in one night and thought he had no one left. Explain how his mother was tra-la-la’ing in Toleran while Minho took on the Blue Crescents year after year.” Kibum looked away, his jaw hard and his eyes angry. “Because I’m not.”

“I had no reason to think they would be after him, Kibum. I thought I’d removed that threat,” Danye offered quietly, pitifully.

“Checking in on him every once in a while would have fixed you “thinking”, wouldn’t it?”

“Kibum,” Iseul offered. “Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on her?”

Kibum rolled his eyes.” A little hard on her? Oh, the chief of “the mothers who abandon their children” clan has spoken. Let me try and be nicer, then.”

Iseul’s anger flared, her mage powers pulsing as she stared at Kibum in shock. Xiah, stood, outraged, sputtering, while Jinki rubbed the bridge of his nose. “High Steward, you’ve gone too far!”

He didn’t want to yell or command them to shut the up–Kibum’s anger came from his loyalty for Minho and Danye’s from guilt but if he let them continue at this, hacking away at each other’s feelings, they’d never get anywhere. Minho had told him something about a gentle touch before sharp claws but he was losing his ing patience.

“Kibum,” Jinki tried, “Xiah is right. You’ve over stepped your bounds.

“I haven’t said anything that isn’t true,” Kibum rejoined.

“Kibum,” Jinki tried again.

“You little ,” Kahi hissed.

He sighed. “Kahi, please,” Jinki said.

“How dare you talk to my mate that way?!” Jonghyun shouted, glaring at the Durkhai bodyguard.

“Jonghyun…control yourself,” Jinki directed to his First Captain.

“Never mind her! How dare you let your mate talk to my mate that way?!” Xiah bellowed.

Okay, obviously Minho’s approach wasn’t going to work. “EVERYONE! SIT DOWN! SHUT UP!”

His exclamation brought the room to an immediate halt. Good! Good I hope they don’t utter another word!  “This is the war council room where we are supposed to discussing strategies for a war looming over our heads and you are letting your personal feelings interrupt it!” He turned to Kibum. “She left, she’s back, deal with it.” He turned to Danye. “You’ll have to tell Minho yourself, because none of us are going to. Deal with it.” He turned to Xiah, who put a hand up while the other rubbed his temples.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. Deal with it. I got it.”

Satisfied with Xiah’s answer, he took his seat. “Now,” he huffed, “can we get back to the–“

The door burst open before Jinki could finish his sentence. Everyone in the Beam Room whipped around to see who it was. Iseul was out of her seat the fastest, followed by Xiah and Kahi. Jinki stood, confused.

The young man he’d recognized from his mother’s entourage was standing at the door, soaking wet, Taeyeon shivering and cold in his arms.  

“Jackson,” Kahi said, staring at him from over Iseul’s shoulder. “What is the meaning of this?”

“She–she,” he said, his teeth clattering.

“She what, Jackson?” Iseul yelled, obviously upset at the condition of her daughter. “What were you thinking? She just woke up from a coma!”

“Don’t yell at him, Mother, please,” she pleaded. ”I had a vision!” Taeyeon yelled out. “Well, more of I remembered something and I demanded he bring me here.”

Xiah shrugged off his outer coat and slung it over Taeyeon’s shoulders before he directed the both of them to the large fire behind Jinki and Minho’s seats. “Warm up, first. Jackson, take off that wet cloak.”

Taeyeon took a seat by the fireplace, Xiah’s coat around her warming her up and bringing color back to her face. Jackson took a seat next to her, and immediately, as if on instinct, grabbed her hands and began rubbing them between his hands. Jinki raised a brow at the action but said nothing.

 “Jackson was keeping me company while Taemin went to get me something to eat.”

Iseul’s face brightened. “Your appetite is back?” she said hopefully.

Taeyeon nodded but forged ahead. “He’s Toleran, so he was discussing back home and how they treated the orphans and–“she paused and shook her head. “The point is he spoke of prophecy layering.”

Danye scoffed. “Prophecy layering is nearly impossible to do. The prophecies become intermingled and they collapse, often sending the caster and the subject into unbreakable comas. They become trapped in their visions.”

“That’s true,” Taeyeon said looking down, her teeth still clattering,

“Not quite,” Iseul murmured, her finger on her chin as she thought, “That happens with non-mages. Most cases we hear are of the orphans in The Den because mage-blood children would be trained to use it, not experimented on. Non-mage blood children are more susceptible to it and it collapses because there isn’t a connection, just a demand of ovladaci prevek…control. But with mages, the castee has to share a connection, their minds–and prophecy layering happens, successfully.”

Danye frowned. “How do you know something like that? Prophecy layering is regarded as a myth.”

Iseul smiled, but it was devoid of any warmth. “Because I’ve done it before.”

She walked back over to her daughter and squatted before her. “I had to share my mind to take control of someone and in order to protect any prophetic thoughts, even ones I didn’t know existed, and I had to layer them between false ones.” She took Taeyeon’s hands in hers. “What did you see?”

“The dark mage’s name is Domonkos–that was the only clear vision I received when he performed ovladaci prevek and took control over my body. It was so terrible mother,” Taeyeon whispered. “The things he made me do to those poor men. They looked at me like they understood, and at first I couldn’t understand why they didn’t fight me. They were not restrained. But the connection was three fold. Every time I touched one of them, I received another vision and another. The threats that had been made against the Alpha Beta’s life, why they were willing to give their lives to protect him. The one named Siwon actually apologized to me…”

Jinki looked from his sister to the two from Wheph. Chanyeol cursed under his breath and Kibum looked like he could cry at any moment.  

“In the echo of my screams, I could feel the layers in Domonkos’ mind. The first, I could tell was a lie. Old Se’hai would never bow to Prae. Edison would fall on his sword first. The second was a little harder to decipher. There was a river of blood. Floating along it was a simple five by five box made of five pieces of wood by two sets of hands.”

Jinki frowned.

“It was a very strong box and had lasted for a very long time. Atop of the box were five stones with five symbols. A Celtic flame knot, two pyramids, a triskelion, an embroidered tree, and three waves.”

“The five clans,” Jonghyun murmured.

“Correct,” Taeyeon affirmed. “They kept the box sealed and the blood out.”

Kibum leaned forward, cradling his chin in his hands. “What’s in the box?”

Taeyeon shook her head. “I don’t know. All I know are the words “What is protected will save but greatness will die with its salvation” are engraved on the box.”

“What the is that supposed to mean?” Kahi exclaimed, his lip hitched.

“The box is Prae, Kahi,” Julien explained, his eyes jutting back and forth as he thought. “Five by five, built by two pair of hands? Prae, created by Heechul and Han Geng, correct? The five stones, as Jonghyun pointed out, the five clans. What’s inside, however…”

Jinki glanced back at his sister. “This is what you determined to be the true prophecy?” Taeyeon nodded and Jinki rolled his eyes. “I am plagued but with two things, letters and prophecies. I’m sending you to Salt Kys the moment you are well enough. We will need the Oracles help.”

“Did you see anything else?” Yifan asked from his side of the table.

Taeyeon nodded. “But I know it’s a lie,” she said quietly, looking down at her hands.

“How do you know?” Kibum asked.

“Because I believe what is inside that box is Jinki and Minho. They are what’s being protected. I don’t know how I know but I just know. And if I believe that, then the third revelation cannot be true.”

“Well, what was it?” Iseul asked. “What did you see?”

Taeyeon gulped. When she looked up, tears were in her eyes. “I saw…I saw Jinki and Minho’s death.”

__________________________

A/N: So many prophecies! ALL OF THE PHROPHECIES!