__________________________

The coming from Prae was unbearable. He could imagine it was similar in other villages but he couldn’t hear anything in any other village. He could only hear their wailing. There was no way to escape it. Sehun wanted to cut his ears off and stuff whatever remained with cloth so it would just stop.

The distance between the Fortress walls and Iutus’ camp was nearly a mile long. It gave Sehun time to think as they traveled. He’d decided last night, after Tao passed away in his sleep, that he was going to kill Edison. He just needed a chance, a moment, an opening. He was going to bury his sword deep in Edison’s gut. And twist it and turn it. And pull it out again and repeat it until either Edison died, or Sehun died of exhaustion. He was dying anyways. Or he felt like he was dying. They told him that if he wanted to survive heartsickness, he would need a goal. Something to live for. But what he lived for had been taken away from him.

Sehun wasn’t sure he wanted to survive the heartsickness.

At the front of their party was Yifan, a head above everyone else as he glared at the Iutus camp looming in front of them. A step behind him was Yixing, flanked left and right by Black Flame. It was for protection. He scoffed.

He didn’t want protection.

He didn’t want to make this journey to the other side of the battlefield.

He didn’t want to honor his Alphas’ decisions. He didn’t want to think about the cost of war.

He just wanted to curl up somewhere and die. His chest felt empty–the absence of another heartbeat there made him feel like he was half a person. He wasn’t whole. He was broken.

Blinking back tears, he laid his hand on a solid body wrapped in cloth–cold. He continued to blink back tears, and blink back tears and blink back tears and blink back tears until he realized that he couldn’t, that he didn’t want to. They were falling freely down his face. His heart lurched and he stumbled, falling to his knees.

“I can’t do this, Taozi,” he whispered moments before a sob escaped from his throat. Yifan was at his side in seconds, an arm over his shoulder but he couldn’t feel it. “I can’t. He–he doesn’t deserve this honor. He doesn’t deserve to see you. He’s the reason–” He buried the rest of his sobs in Tao’s chest, causing the two escorts to lower his corpse to the ground. Sehun collapsed over him and tried to control how his body shook, how every breath hurt.

“Sehun,” Yixing murmured.

“I’m supposed to protect my mate. I’m supposed to lay my life down for him. Where was I? I can’t even remember. When the attack first happened and we were confused, I looked at him and he urged me to help some of the smaller shifters to the gates because Jinki wouldn’t give such a command if it weren’t dire. He winked and I thought what an odd time to wink.” Sehun let go of a wet laugh. “I took my eyes off of him for one moment and I lost him. I should have been at his side. He was a fighter but he wasn’t a soldier. He shouldn’t have been out there. Why did I let him go out there?” Sehun’s face cracked again and he hugged Tao’s body closer to him. “What am I supposed to do now, Xing? Should I just...die? Should I just dig a grave next to his and die?”

“No,” Yixing, tried. “Live, Sehun.”

“It’s so hard. It hurts so much.”

“I’ve been your friend for years, Sehun but I can’t feel what you feel. I can’t tell you to live if you feel like dying. All I know is I don’t want to lose you too. If you die, they win. They can’t have both of you. Tao wouldn’t want that. You know that.”

Sehun raised his head and wiped away his tears. “You’re right,” he sniffed. Standing, he inhaled deeply and felt something clear in his head and in his eyes.  He felt the sadness take a back seat to the fury, to the rage. He turned away from Tao’s corpse and looked ahead to the journey between them and the Iustus’ armies. “He can’t win, can he?”

They continued and made the walk between the two camps in an hour’s time. When they approached, they were greeted by way of the end of spears. Three lines of Iustus soldiers were wearing an assortment of clothing that signified where they were hired from. None of them were from Prae. None were Blue Crescents. He wondered where they had gone.

“HALT” a short, squatty one yelled, his spear engaged.

“We are messengers from Prae,” Yifan announced, hovering over the guard. “He has a message for Edison, Elder of Old Se’hai from his son.”

The soldiers looked at each other in indecision before another soldier walked up to them. Well, he didn’t look like a soldier. His clothes were fancier and he wore a silver medallion with a chain that hung down to his hip. Sehun squinted. He didn’t know many people in Old Se’hai but Tao had told him enough to be able to recognize that.

It was Edison’s head advisor. A look of recognition crossed the advisor’s face when he looked at Sehun. Sehun frowned in answer.  He’d never seen the man before in his life. “Let them through,” the advisor commanded “That is the mate of the heir of Old Se’hai.”

Sehun almost laughed.

“Am I?” he muttered as they were allowed through.

The tent for Edison was large, large enough to be seen from the Fortress. It was an intimidating purple-ish black with the horn of Se’hai stitched onto the panel flaps. Two large pit fires burned on both side of it and a row of weapons racks were placed just on the outer sides of the pits.

Another guard came up to them as they approached the tents. “Leave your weapons here.”

Vivo shook his head. “That won’t be necessary. Tao wouldn’t have sent his mate on a suicide mission,” he said pointedly.

This time Sehun did laugh.

They were escorted into the tent where a tall willowy man stood, draped in white robes and Edison, the Elder of Old Se’hai, lounged in an exorbitant looking chair. Sehun stared as a man he’d only met once glanced at him before doing a double-take. The look that crossed his face was of pure and utter disgust. “What have I done to the gods to have to suffer such a visitor?” he spat.

Yifan cleared his throat to give some kind of important diplomatic speech, forgoing the bait to fall to such obvious disrespect but that’s because Yifan was diplomatic. He was a fierce fighter but he was diplomatic. Leehom had been diplomatic.

Sehun was not.

“Your son is dead,” Sehun intoned.

“Sehun,” Yifan hissed. He waved his Alpha off, something he was sure he’d hear a word about later.

Edison recoiled in shock or confusion, Sehun didn’t know or care. “My son is what?”

“Dead. He’s dead. He died.”

Edison looked at him for a long withering moment before laughing. “My son isn’t a soldier. He wouldn’t set foot on a battlefield! And he wouldn’t fight in Prae’s war. He knows better than that. Mating with you,” he spat, disgust laced in every word, “doesn’t change his loyalty to his father or his people.”

Sehun shrugged. “Think what you want but he’s dead.”

“Get him out of here before I kill him.” Edison turned away from him, glaring at the sides of his tent.

Sehun tossed Tao’s bō staff before any of the guards could act on Edison’s orders. The metal pieces of it clanked against the dais Edison was enthroned on. Slowly, the older man bent low to pick it up, examining it. Sehun could see in his eyes when he recognized the Old Se’hai seal and Tao’s own sigil, a panda.

“Why isn’t this with him? He doesn’t...he’s never without this. He wouldn’t let you, even his mate, take this from him…”

“It’s because he’s dead. I’m in possession of it because he’s dead. He IS DEAD.” Edison’s face shifted, changed, as if he recognized Sehun’s words for the first time, and Sehun didn’t give a damn. “He is dead because you wanted power. He is dead because you wanted more ing land. He is dead because you wanted a seat that did not belong to you. He requested to speak with you time and time again, to explain to you why you were wrong, why you needed to call of this stupid, insipid war and you would not listen. Do you want to listen to him now? Do you have the time?”

Sehun grabbed the arm of one of the escorts and tugged him forward until they were in front of Edison. They put the pram down and Sehun wasted no time pulling back the sheet covering his mate’s face. The color drained from Tao’s father’s face and for the first time, in a long time, it humanized him. Grief humanized this monster who'd plagued his life, Yifan’s life, Yixing’s life. Sehun still didn’t care.

“You sent dark mages to cast a spell to kill off mates. Did you not think, not once, that Tao would be affected? Or did you not care?”

Edison turned to the man in the robes. “You said–you promised me if the spell hit either of them it would be him that died!”

The man in white shook his head, almost in a bored fashion. “No. I said that your son would lose his mate one way or another.” He glanced at Tao’s cold, lifeless body,” and he did.”

A look crossed Edison’s face before he lunged at the man in white. Sehun was faster, stepping in his path, digging his feet into the ground and ing his elbow in Edison’s throat. He stumbled back, his hand clutching at his neck in pain.

“You don’t get revenge, Edison,” Sehun hissed. “You don’t get to be angry. You get to look at your son’s face one last time before I take him home, with me, where he belongs. You don’t get to be his father anymore. You forfeited the right.” He pulled out his dagger and hovered over Edison. The guards in the tents began yelling and moved in formation with their swords and spears out, and in reaction, Yifan, Yixing and the Black flame did the same.

“Sehun,” Yixing pleaded, “don’t.”

“All I have to do is slit his throat,” Sehun marveled. “Half the war would be won. Edison was too stupid to secure an heir after Tao. There is no one. No one to command his armies.”

Vivo came forward, his hand out as if to placate Sehun. “That’s not true, Sehun. Tao instructed that–”

“Don’t say his name! None of you!” he roared.

“–You,” he said carefully. “You inherit until we designate a rightful heir. You.”

Edison growled. “Shut your mouth, Vivo.”

“No,” his advisor said, warning and anger deep in his voice. “No!” He turned and pointed at Tao. “I loved that boy like he was my own. Zhang’er and Jing’e loved him like a brother. Someone had to because you didn’t. Now he is gone. You’ve destroyed everything. We suffered this idiotic war of yours but you’ve destroyed our future.  But Tao was smart. Sehun should know that. He should know that Tao designated him as his steward in case of his death. Know that Mott Argan may have gone to war with Old Se’hai anyways because you would not have honored it.”

“He doesn’t deserve it!” Edison hissed.

342. neither do you.” He whispered something harshly in Old Se’haian that had the guards lowering their weapons. “Falja.” A statuesque woman came forward and brought her fist to the side of her weapon, saluting. “Stay back and guard the Elder. I don’t want him or anyone else in this camp doing anything stupid once we inform them of Tao’s death. She saluted again before taking station at the front of Edison’s tent. He turned to Sehun. “The rest of you come with me.”

“Vivo! Get back here!”

Vivo ignored him, sweeping out of the tent. The guards that followed Vivo into the tent followed him out. Sehun slowly eased away from Edison and back towards the tent’s entrance.

“Why wasn’t it you,” Edison seethed as Sehun and his party made his exit. “Why wasn’t it you?”

Sehun gave him one last glance. “I wish it had of been me, too. I’ll be back for him, you piece of .”

He whisked around and exited the tent, trying hard to catch up with Vivo.

“We will take care of Tao. We will prepare him for his travels to the eternal caves. It may be our only opportunity to grieve for him properly. And if it is your wish, we will help transport him back to Prae for proper burial. Vivo turned hard at the corner of a campfire and walked down a line of war tents. “Let me inform you a little about Old Se’hai, Prae.  Old Se’hai is not just ran by one stjórnandi, eh, a leader. It’s ran by a stjórnandi and a council, and the power is pretty much balanced between the two…except in matters of war. The stjórnandi would have the final say. I am his head advisor, however I also sit on that council.” The ended at the last row of tents and Vivo welcomed them inside. The guards that had followed in their wake took station outside. “These are Golden Council guards; they will protect you, no matter what, Sehun.”

“You’ll excuse my confusion. I don’t understand what’s happening.”

“Tao’s death will cause a rift in this clan considering how he died and why he died…which may work in your favor. You’ve also be dealt with an opportunity. Currently, Toggo is on the other side with Blue Crescents and our Vampyr contingency dealing with your rear attack from the east so this will strictly be Old Se’haian business. Tao had plans for this clan. There was much anticipation for his leadership and factions have grown from that. You will now control some of that. But understand,  you are not an heir. You will never sit at the head of the Old Se’hai clan. But you do, temporarily, have control. Technically, Edison still has control as well. This is where factions will come into play.  It will be up to those shifters on the other side of this tent if they want to follow you or stay put.”

“Is this just a power Sehun has? Or…” Yifan tried.

“Tao would have inherited power at the behest of Edison to keep the line of succession clean and stable. Sehun’s stewardship is equipped with emergency powers that trump Tao’s latent political powers. He is, at this moment, more powerful than his mate was in our clan. Because Tao’s faction was very strong in number and in power he could have usurped his father’s position but you must understand. Tao grew up with half of those soldiers. The other half helped raise him. This will force them to make a choice between families and friends, factions. It might result in death, much more death than fighting against Prae. This will reverberate through all of Old Se’hai.”

“Tao wouldn’t want that…” Sehun said quietly.

“No, he wouldn’t. But Tao also didn’t want to die.”

Sehun’s eyes narrowed. All this talk about factions and power shifts were making him wary. “Why are you doing this? How can you fight against us one day and then tell me all of this the next? ”

“I never wanted this war, Sehun. Never. We believed in Tao; in his vision for Old Se’hai. That one day we would grow from under the cold shadow of our reputation–power hungry elites hell-bent on destroying everything. We wanted to grow. We wanted to thrive under the banner of unity…starting with Prae. We ultimately bent to Edison’s desire for this war because he was our Alpha and we follow our Alpha. However yet, I see with this war, and with Tao’s death, it will force the changes that Old Se’hai needs to survive. That, in the end, is what Tao truly wanted. He wanted to build that…with you, Sehun. So, I will help you.”

“This is too much.” Sehun rubbed his eyes tiredly.   “I’m…I’m tired. My heart…it hurts. I don’t think I have the energy to do this.”

“Aye but you must. You need to turn around, gather your courage and speak to these men. You either convince them to fight with you…or risk fighting them on the battlefield. It is your duty.”

“A duty I never wanted! I just wanted to honor my mate!”

Vivo stood and grabbed Sehun by the shoulders and turned him around. “And this is how you will.”

 

 

Domon listened to Vivo’s little speech with a roll of her eyes. She did not care about this war or that little boy’s hurt feelings or the stupid shift in clan power. She only cared about Minho.

Her other half stood at Edison’s tent opening glancing out beyond it, his eye on Falja.“Oh, how amusing! Vivo is carting the young boy out in front of Edison’s armies! He’s asking for a revolution!” Kos laughed. “Oh, this is darling. Vivo really is...loyal. To something. It’s definitely not a person. It’s definitely not Edison.”

Domon her bottom lip. “Who cares? He’s dead anyways. Hell! I plan on giving the little squirt complete control! That way they’ll just march me straight into Prae undetected!” She leaned back and rubbed her now hair covered chin. “That worked out better than I could have imagined.”

“It always confuses me why people trust dark mages. Your little ploy to get them to release Hjärtat sjuk worked like a charm.”

“Death,” she scoffed. “Negative energy is attracted to death like flies to fruit. Sehun is wearing his mate’s death like a shroud. Edison was eaten up with it; the guilt would have killed him if I hadn’t.”

“You don’t know that, Domon,” Kos tsked.

“Does it matter?”

“No,” he sighed. “I suppose it doesn’t.”

Domon didn’t have a mirror to look into so she picked up a spear, the same one she’s shoved into Edison’s gut, and swung it hard, clearing it of some of the blood. She glanced down at Edison’s face then back in the reflection of the shield. Good enough. She looked over to Edison’s son’s body and felt, maybe the tiniest flit of guilt, but the negative energy his death provided was too delicious for it to linger. She walked over to him and bent down, carefully uncovering his face.

“Such a pity that such a sweet handsome boy had to die,” she murmured, caressing the side of his face. “Thank you for offering your life so that I may have a slice of happiness, child. I will honor your sacrifice.” She hoisted him up from the cot and walked forward, knowing her visage as Edison was complete.

“Hide the body, Kos then meet me in Prae.”

 

 

 

“They are prisoners of war. We execute prisoners of war.”

“I’m not executing them, your Highness.”

“Stop calling me that!”

Jinki stared at Toghon and Gi Jao from across the dinner table, discussing everything. They had to figure out what Toggo and Yoon’s game plans were now that Edison had practically marched Old Se’hai’s army, less the mercenaries and hired swords, to their gates, not to fight but to surrender and pledge loyalty to Prae under Sehun’s banner.

Sehun didn’t have a banner. He was of Dinfire but Edison didn’t want that. He wanted, per his advisor, Vivo, to be under Sehun’s banner. Jinki yanked the ends of his hair. He didn’t have one!

You’re saying that like he couldn’t get one. It’s a banner. It’s made of cloth. We have plenty.

Shut up.

“We utilize prisoners of war this far south, Toghon. We asked them to pledge loyalty and we accept them if they do. Only on the rare occasion do we execute and it depends on that person and their crimes. We are not doing mass executions because some boys and girls and men and women were unfortunate to be born in a clan with megalomaniac leaders.” He took a sip of wine. “Jonghyun, Yifan and Toqto'a are doing inventory of them now. If someone needs our attention, he will tell us so.”

Toghon glowered before bittting into a large chicken leg. Gi Jao looked just as bothered, while Biligtü and Julien kept a conversation between the two of them, ignoring everyone else in the room. Jinki was sure it was because Biligtü had been giving Kahi the eye for two weeks and wanted to know if they older woman wouldn’t mind being a second wife. He could understand the look on Julien’s face. Kahi would kill him for asking.

“Have your visions gotten any worse?” Gi Jao inquired softly.

Jinki sighed. “No, but they haven’t improved either. I’m starting to believe the tragedy that has befallen us wasn’t due to me. “

“That mage couple seems pretty sure. Either way, I’m glad. It can’t be good seeing those things.”

“No,” he said as he brought his elbows to the table and his lips to press against his thumbs. “Not at all. If you’ll excuse me. I’ll go see if Jonghyun, Yifan and Toqto’a need any help. I fear fighting will start soon again and we could use the extra soldiers.”

“Sure we do,” Toghon muttered.

Jinki gave him a look before taking his leave. As he left out of the secondary kitchen, he ran right into Toqto’a. Surprised, he opened his mouth to ask a question but Toqto’a beat him to the punch.

“You’re needed in the cells. You and Minho. One of the prisoners is asking for you and the other  is begging for Minho.”

Jinki frowned, confused. “Are they Edison’s men?”

“No...but they say they know you. Personally.” Without explaining, Toqto’a pivoted and began walking towards the exit. They crossed the courtyard and headed towards the rear of the Great Hall and to an iron wrought door.

Jinki pushed at the door and it opened slightly. Enough for him to hear a heated argument between Yifan and Jonghyun on the other side.

“I’m not killing my best friend, Yifan.”

“He may not be my best friend, but he is my friend as well, Jonghyun. So don’t think I take this lightly.”

Jonghyun rolled his eyes. “You don’t take anything lightly.”

“Which is why I would only bring something like this up if it were absolutely necessary. We wouldn’t be dealing with our friend anymore. We’d be dealing with a weapon of war. Jinki is the best fighter in all of Prae. He is smart, he is pragmatic, and strong. It is why he is our leader. Imagine that sort of power in the enemy’s hands? Imagine what it could do to us?”

“So you want to sacrifice him because we aren’t strong enough?”

Yifan groaned. “Sacrificing him would be allowing him to stay in Iutus’s hands, to allow him to live a life he would not want! And we are leaders, too! We have to think about the people that depend on us! What if he kills Minho? What if he attacks Min Soo or Min Sun? What if he attacks Kibum?”

“Don’t do that. Don’t make this personal.”

“It is personal!”

“I’m not going to do it.”

Jinki had heard enough. “Yes you will.” He pushed the door all the way open and took in Jonghyun’s angered surprise and Yifan’s guilt.

“Jinki…it’s not what–“

“It is, and I’m thankful the two of you are having the conversation.”

Toqto'a filtered in behind him, concern clearly on his face. “Is it not a crime here to discuss killing your leader?”

“Not if I give them permission,” Jinki stated quietly.

Jonghyun pulled up short. “Excuse me? You think this is your decision to make? It’s not. After you and Minho comes me. I get to make some decisions around here to for ’s sake.”

“Which is why you are here, Jonghyun. To make decisions. And I’ve known you long enough to know you’ll make the right one. You will not endanger this clan, our mates or our children because you hold affection for me. This applies to all of you.”

“Screw your affection,” Jonghyun snarled.  “You don’t know what you’re asking me to do. You’re asking me to kill you. And you won’t even have a memory of it! You will just cease to exist! You want me to say goodbye to you!”

Jinki inhaled deeply. “That’s a good idea. Let’s say goodbye. Here and now.”

Yifan rubbed the back of his neck. “Jinki…I don’t think…”

“Yifan,” he said, turning to the Bone Pack member. “You…are the youngest of us all. One of the youngest Alphas Prae has seen, save Minho. You are wise, loyal, disciplined and dependable. You’ve listened to me, rant, yell, scream, laugh…cry….and not once did your actions show your age. I am thankful that even when I’m away, I know that your concern has been Minho. Even now, in the face of this…situation, your concern is Minho and my children and all the children of Prae. Your presence in my life is priceless.”

In that instance, Yifan did look his age, a sort of childlike uncertainty and grief on his face. Jinki clapped him on the shoulder and nodded, hoping that Yifan could feel secure in his decision that he was doing the right thing.

“I would say something to Nichkhun but…he’s not speaking to me so,” he said, turning to his best friend. “Jonghyun–“

“You’re ing insane.”

“–You are my best friend. You don’t…get a lot of those. You get friends, you get people who listen to you, people who allow you to listen to them, mates…but you don’t get a lot of best friends. Friends who have walked by your side through all of your bull without complaint or faltering. You have never, not once in the years and years I’ve known you, let me down. You mean more to me than you will ever know. I would die for you, Jonghyun, if you asked it.”

“I’m not asking you to!” He abruptly turned away and Jinki noticed his shoulders shaking. Apparently everyone else did too.

“Are you…are you crying?” Toqto'a asked.

He whipped back around. “Yeah, and what of it? I may have to kill my ing best friend if he goes crazy so excuse me if I’m emotional!”

“Jjong–“

“Don’t.” Jonghyun wiped under his eyes. “Don’t, okay.” He inhaled deeply. “Let’s get this over with.” He pivoted and began to travel deeper into the cells.

The holding cells weren’t very large considering the Fortress’ size but it was large enough to hold up to a hundred people. Most of Edison’s army were being sequestered inside of the Great Hall but per Vivo’s suggestion, some of the soldiers who were less than thrilled to be in the enemy's camp were held separate from the rest to avoid a mutiny.

But they weren’t there to see any of them. Toqto’a led him to the opposite side of where Edison’s soldiers were to smaller individual cells. He could have bit his tongue off when he saw who was waiting for him.

Yoon.

Jonghyun was staring at him, his arms crossed and his sword dug into the ground, standing straight up between him and the cell.

Jinki walked to Jonghyun’s side, his eyes locked on his father. “How?”

“Edison.”

Yoon shrugged. “Maybe. All I know is I was betrayed and jumped like some kind of dog. Then these mangy mutts,” Yoon growled at the other cells filled with Old Se’haian soldier, “delivered me to you.”

Toqto’a came up on the other side of him and peered in the cell. “Who is he?”

“Jonghyun didn’t tell you?” Jinki asked, raising a brow at his best friend.

“Not my to tell.”

Jinki eyes shifted his back into the cell. “He’s my father.”

Toqto’a frowned. “I thought Lord Xiah was–”

“It’s a very long story.”

Yoon growled at the mentioning of Xiah’s name. “Go find my mate,” Yoon demanded.

Jinki gave Yoon a hard, hostile look before he shrugged. “Guard!” One came to the door and bowed. “Find me the location of Asiyah of Vellum. She should be in the kitchens.”

Yoon lurched forward. “Asiyah is here?”

Jinki nodded. “So are Ma’ab and Ruqayyah. They’ve been getting reacquainted with their old leader, Kahi. Do you know how easy it is to get people to betray you? Very easy. It’s because you treat people like . You try to rule with fear and abuse. It’s not sustainable. That’s why every person you’ve ever trusted has betrayed you or will…” Jinki smirked. “But I’m sure that’s not the mate you want to see is it?”

Yoon’s face hardened at the question. “Where is Iseul?”

“With Xiah. Mated, happy and in love, where she belongs.”

“You can’t keep me from what belongs to me.”

Jinki laughed. “Yes! Yes, I can! You seem to forget that I am in charge. That I am the leader...of everything. So much more than you could ever dream to accomplish. For every step you took, I took ten, a hundred! I am a better person, a better shifter, a better leader, a better Alpha than you are.”

“I should have strangled you the moment Iseul discovered you. I should have let you starve. Freeze to death,” Yoon said, lowly.

Jinki chuckled. “Regret is a bitter pill isn’t it?” he finished, coldly. “Toqto’a, Toghon was telling me how The Artic North deals with prisoners of war. Do you have someone who deals with interrogations?”

Toqto’a smirked. “Köke Temür has a particular...affinity for it.”

“Good. Get every bit of information out of him that you can. But don't kill him.” He stared at Yoon, who glared back at him. “You can get close, however.”

“While you are enjoying that, I’m going to get a status update. I’ll be back shortly,” Jonghyun informed.

As Jonghyun was leaving, Minho was peeking his head through the door.

“Oh,” Jonghyun said, a flit of guilt in his voice. “I didn’t know you were so close.”

“Well I was requested.” The Omega frowned. “Are you okay?”

Jonghyun nodded and abruptly left. Jinki wanted to react to Jonghyun’s petulance but he wouldn’t and couldn’t do it now. Not with Minho near. He’d talk to the Alpha shifter later. His mate came up beside him. He looked inside the cell and then at Jinki’s face. “Someone you know?” Minho asked, concern in his voice.

Jinki spat at the cell. “He’s no one.”

Yoon chuckled and rolled his eyes before turning on his straw cot and facing the wall.

“My Lord? Is...is that my Lord Minho?”

They both looked down to the hall of private cells to where the sound was coming from.

“Guess I found who was requesting me…” Minho murmured.

 The private cells were often used to separate Omega shifters from a group of rowdy Alpha and Beta ones. A cell full of shifters who’d just reluctantly switched sides and were clueless about their lives? Yeah, rowdy. The decisions to put Yoon near the others was hilarious to Jinki. He wanted to promote who ever thought of it.

They rounded the corner and came to the private cell row. It was darker than the larger cells and cooler, as it was further away from the fires. Jinki lit the torch on the wall, watching light filter into the cell and was sure he was going to actually bite his entire tongue off when he saw who was in this cell this time. He wasn’t sure if this was better or worse than Yoon.

“Gikwang,” Minho laughed incredulously, looking the battered shifter over. “I guess the world hasn’t been too kind to you.”

“My Lord, Minho!” Gikwang exclaimed, rushing to the cell doors, dirty fingers spotted with blood wrapping around the bars. “You have to help him,” the former eunuch pleaded, his eyes wide.

Jinki looked to where Gikwang was pointing. His brother was here too?

Thunder was in terrible shape, his eyes swollen and bruised and his shoulders slumped. A large gash was across his forehead and his was lip busted.

Minho glanced down at the shorter shifter. “Why do we have to help him? He is a prisoner and has committed high treason against Prae. Both of you have.”

“We were leaving. We were leaving! We didn’t want to fight anymore,” he spluttered. “Yoon…” Gikwang looked down, and then back up. “Have you ever been manipulated? Have you ever...have you ever been made to think that you were somebody only to learn that you weren’t? That you were being used? Have you ever been made to feel small? So small that you would do anything to not feel small anymore? Even our Alpha Prime made me feel small.”

“It’s because you were a jerk,” Jinki gave back. “You were weak and let others lead you. You were given a position of power and you still acted powerless.”

“I thought I was,” he said quietly. “I’m a magic barren Omega from feral lands. I didn’t mean anything there, and I didn’t mean anything here. I really thought I held no power.”

A look passed over Minho’s face and Jinki couldn’t read it but their bond spoke of empathy. Still, Minho squared his shoulders and stood taller. “We’ve all...experienced hardships. For some of us, it has made us stronger. For you, it made you betrayed your clan. You betrayed Jinki. You betrayed me, my children. I almost died because of you.”

Gikwang’s shoulders slumped. “I’m not asking you to save me. When Yoon saved me, I thought I owed him. When you’re small and you feel small, when you don't think much of yourself and belong to nothing, you think you have to give the ocean back for a sip of water. I have sins, I know this. I’ll accept them. But Jinki,” he said looking at him, “Lord Alpha. You know what Yoon is like. Look at Thunder. If you look really hard, you’ll see some part of yourself in him. He isn’t like you. He didn’t have a mother that loved him like Iseul. He didn’t have siblings around him. He had the Blue Crescents. They warped him. I…” he gazed back at him, a loving look in his eyes. “I’ve changed him. That’s why we ran. We...wanted to start over.”

“Stop being so pathetic, Gikwang. You can’t just start over,” Minho countered. “You can’t run from what makes you small. You face it. You grow. You become large, so large you fill every space in the room. You crowd out those you think you are lesser. You become everything they said you couldn’t be. And you stare them in the face while doing it.”

Gikwang chuckled sadly. “Maybe it’s a lesson I’ll learn in the next lifetime,” he whispered. He looked at Jinki. “But please don’t let your brother die.”

Jinki rolled his eyes. “He’s not going to die. No brother of mine is that weak.”

“,” Thunder muttered weakly.

“I’ll….” Jinki paused, then looked away. “I’ll send for a healer.” He his heels and marched out, Minho right behind him.

“What are you going to do with them?”

Jinki slowed, then stopped. He reached back and grabbed Minho’s hand. “What do you think we should do? Gikwang and Thunder betrayed you far worse than they did me.”

“Was that man your father? In the other cell?”

Jinki tensed but nodded after a moment.

“Is he that poisonous? Even if you survived him, could others?”

Jinki answered honestly. “No… no they couldn’t. I knew. I knew what he was doing to Thunder.” Jinki took a seat outside of the guard station and waited until Minho sat down with him. “Thunder was eager for love. He wanted what Taemin, Taeyeon and I had. A loving home. Yoon wasn’t always so terrible and from the outside it really did look like he was a loving father and Thunder yearned to be a part of that, our family. So Yoon would bring him around, try to pit him against me, making Thunder try to prove himself, prove his place in a family that was full.  It became less about me and more about gaining Yoon’s love and affection. It wasn’t a competition. We both wanted it. Yoon knew that. There was enough room for the both of us. ” He sighed haggardly and put his head in his hands. “One of them has to die...but I don’t think I can kill my brother. Not after what he’s been through.”

“Then they sit there until we figure out what to do with them. They sit there...alive.”

Jinki looked at his mate, grateful. “Thank you, Minho,” he said softly, before pulling his hand and pressing his lips to his knuckles. “Guard. Please find a healer for the prisoner in cell 8. Get them some food and some hot water to bathe with.”

“Jinki,” Minho said, as the guard left his post in search of a healer. “I heard…”

Jinki frowned as he turned to his mate, giving him a moment to finish his thought but his mouth just flopped open and closed for a moment before something changed on his face.

“Nevermind.”

“Are you sure, Min? I know we’ve been a bit busy but…you can tell me, honestly, no matter how small it is.”

Minho shook his head and caressed Jinki’s face. “It’s nothing, love. I can handle it. I already know what I have to do.”

 

 

 

It had been five days since her on attack on Prae’s mates. The energy was delicious and she devoured every last morsel of it.  She wanted to say how silly and ineffectual it was to revere something that could make one so weak that they would die for the loss of someone else, but she knew. She knew the hunger of longing and the kiss of loneliness.

Outside the Fortress gates, Toggo’s stupid army was attempting a stupid siege as if Prae didn’t have his army surrounded. What a stupid man. Toggo could do what he wanted. He could burn the Fortress to the ground. That idiot just better had not mess with his plans. She would flay him alive.

Domon lingered in front of The Magnus Suite, now in a glamour that looked identical to the pregnant High Stewart. The real High Stewart was inside, nestled away inside somewhere but it wasn't like he was waking up anytime soon.

She glanced up at the crescent moon in the sky. A crescent moon meant to create. She could see how the Blue Crescents had twisted it, using it to harm her precious Minho. Makes no matter. She would make them all pay for their barbarism in the end. She just needed to get her man first.

She waddled past the two guards, nodding at them friendly like. One frowned at her for a moment, taking a look over his shoulder back towards the Suites, but shook it off and offered her a smile back. Fools, she thought as she entered the Suite.

She didn’t venture in far. She didn’t need to. She just needed to lay the last part of her spell, one that would allow her the level of control she wanted. She felt the negative energy she’d collected swirling around her.  Not just visions, not just hallucinations. Control.

Bong Soon and Minhyuk’s suppression attempts were adorable. They were the bane of her existence. Domon thought she’d drummed up enough anarchy in Toleran to prevent their wanting to assist. She guessed not. Wasn’t like they could stop her. She laughed as she crushed a vial in her hands, the sharp edges of glass cutting deep. Blood spilled forth from her wounds and from the blood she’d stolen from the Temple. Jinki’s blood.

Cordia’s Flower so softly bloomed, red petals of love and a lust unquenched…

Glancing at her palm, she invoked her spell. Varkspha-hem-tu-ovaldaci frånfälle-Jinkituvarkspha!

There were no flashes of light, no grey, ominous smoke, just the sound being carried to the ears of the victim of her spell.

Smiling, she placed her hand on their door, her blood smearing across it. . “Soon, Minho. Soon.”

 

 

 

GAAAAAA’OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

GAAAAAA’OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

The sun was bearing down on them but it wasn’t hot. A fall breeze whipped around him and across the back of his neck. It rustled some dry grass and the blades floated in the air. Minho, perched high on Nightdream, looked past the twirling grass to the other side of the battle field.

Iutus.

Their lines looked thick and full, as if losing Old Se’hai’s army didn’t damage their numbers. The one good thing was there were down a battalion of dark mages. The bad thing was they still had a dark mage who had the ability to do unspeakable damage. In light of Domonkos, they’d tried to prepare. The mages were scattered to spread their coverage . They were protected by a Lycan and wolf contingency whose only mission was to tackle the physical element of the mysterious.

Vampyres.

A heavy battalion of them led the vanguard. Minho prayed the tactics that Yejin and Fatima had taught their forces would come in handy. If not, they had plenty of first responder prepared to swoop in and retrieve those bitten.

In a formation born of Toghon and Gi Jao, a checkered formation of Prae soldiers and Artic Wolf soldiers filled the fields in front of the Fortress. Their numbers seemed swollen in comparison to Iustus.

Minho believed they were prepared. All of the Alphas and their Firsts were in position– Jeongmyeong and her mate Joo Won, Hwasa sat proudly on her steed with Kwon Nara at her side, and Xiah, perched high on Javier, was surrounded by Wooyoung, Taecyeon, Changsun and Junho.

Riding center next to Minho was the Supreme Commander of the Aligned Prae armies, Lee Jinki, Alpha Prime of Prae. Eclipse pawed at the grass and sent her sister a steadying look before concentrating her gaze forward. He looked to his left and noticed Sehun flanked on both sides by Old Se’hai generals.  Sehun was carrying his mate’s bō staff with him as a symbol of his authority. Edison spared both Sehun and his troop a bored looked before pinning Jinki with an almost hostile one. The look confused him, but then again, a week ago Edison had been their enemy. Jonghyun still didn’t trust him, so he kept the Bone Pact’s First near Edison. Biligtü sat on a horse, one step back from his mother and father while Köke Temür stood at their side, a pair of mace in his hands.

They looked strong, they looked formidable, and they looked like the Prae he’d always dreamed of.

GAAAAAA’OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON!

The war horn was thirsty for battle. They all were.

“PRAE!” Jinki yelled, his eyes clear but hard. “Hear me.” The armies behind him banged their swords across their shields. “Months ago, I told you, pleaded with you, to helm to the need for unity. That without one another, we would lose, and we would die. Although those words were true, I regret them. I have never wanted to lead you in fear. I do not want to lead you under duress. I do not want you to follow me, or my mate,” he paused and glanced at Minho, “because you have to. I’ve always wanted you to do what you believe in. And you have. Look at you! You, united, are Heechul and Han Geng’s dream! To think we used to be each other’s enemies. And to think, today, we are each other’s brothers and sisters. Now we must fight. Against those who know nothing of loyalty and love, to those who rule with bigotry and fear. To those who care not for wolf, or shifter, or human. Who only care for greed and power. So I ask you, today, to fight with me, to fight with your brothers and sisters, to protect this land! Protect our land from those who want to ruin what we have built with blood and tears.” Jinki pulled Espada out of sheath with a crystalline sound that echoed over the battlefield. “ARE YOU WITH ME?”

The soldiers bang on their shields three times before a large united “A-UOH! A-UOH! A-UOH!“ rang clear over the battlefield.

Minho could see Toggo, far off in the distance, behind his troops. Minho smiled. “He’s alone,” he said quietly. “Good.”

Jinki turned his horse back to face Iustus. He raised Espada high in the air. “LET THEM DIE BY OUR SWORD, FALL BY OUR ARROWS, AND BLEED FROM OUR BITE! TO PRAE!” Jinki pointed Espada forward. “CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE”!

 

 

 

“Gaussian! Get those Vampyres around that fire wall! Do it! I don’t care how!” He turned to another one of his generals, although to say his general was unsatisfactory because he barely knew the guy. Yoon was the tactician behind warfare and he was nowhere to be-ing-found! He snapped at the general when he couldn’t think of his name. “Take the eastern fourth quadrant and have them shift up. Their Lycan forces are too strong! We have to meet it!”

Toggo didn’t understand. He didn’t understand a thing that was happening. This wasn’t an even matched fight. Not at all. Not even with all of his armies and mystics and mercenaries did they have a chance. Prae was breathing down their necks. They were supposed to have the advantage. They were supposed to have the advantage! That’s what that stupid mage said! Instead they were fighting on all sides! Keeping Prae’s rear army from swallowing them whole and their main power from ripping them to shreds was increasingly difficult being down two commanders.

“Lord Toggo!” Minzy jogged up to him and stood at his side. He’d grabbed her and whirled her towards him when an arrow landed just yards from them. He yelped and took a step back.

“Aaelon! Fire at will! Fire at will!” he yelled at the archery general. “What is it Minzy,” he asked as he tore his eyes from the battlefield.

“I’ve located Yoon and Edison, my Lord Commander.”

“Where are the bastards?” Toggo snarled.

“Yoon is in Prae’s dungeons, I’m afraid.”

Toggo wanted to rip his own hair out. “How in the gods name did he end up in their dungeons?” he bit out between clenched teeth.

“Edison. The rumors are true. After the mate of his son attacked him and revealed the truth behind his death, his generals turned coat and Edison followed along behind them. One of the demands of the Magnus couple was for Edison to prove his new fealty to Prae. He did so by handing them Yoon.”

“If that old er was going to betray us in the end he should have just stayed out of it!” Toggo roared.

“Edison didn’t betray you.”

Both Toggo and Minzy’s head snapped to the side. Domonkos stood there, staring passively out over the war Toggo was losing. “Where have you been?” Toggo hissed.

“Minding mine,” he answered coolly. “Although it might be of some help to you. Minzy should have been able to pick it up but Den mages aren't...exactly skilled.”

The mage bared her teeth but Toggo held his hand out, keeping her from possibly attacking him. “Speak your piece.”

“Edison is didn’t betray you. He’s dead,” the dark mage commented in the same tone one would comment on the weather.

Toggo pointed to the man who could be seen clear across the battlefield sticking closely to the Alpha Beta. “He’s right there, you idiot.”

He yawned. “That’s Domon. My other half. I’m Kos.”

Toggo pulled a face. “What–”

“Domon has infiltrated their ranks through Edison to get closer to the Alpha Beta, as per our agreement. She also has delivered the final piece of her spell. If you want to survive this, just give the word. Otherwise, you have less than an hour till your army falls to Prae.” He on something between his teeth. “You might have a chance with the Prime on your side. Might. You have no chance without him. That is, if you have no qualms with the Alpha Beta living. Indefinitely.”

Toggo gnashed his teeth. He really wanted to rid this world of the stench of his nephew. It was his burning desire. He wanted to cleanse the entire clan! But he couldn’t do that with holding the title of Alpha of Prae. He was weighing his options when a large fireball erupted from the battlefield. The screams of Vampyres filled the air along with the guttural cries of Lycan soldiers and the howls of wolves.

“Vampyre squadron two has been hit! They’ve eliminated the Vampyre squadrons!” Gaussian screamed over the fighting. “Quadrant seven! Advance! They are charging again! Keep them from breaking that line!” Another bright light of fire ripped across the battlefield. “That was squadron five. ! Retreat!”

Watching the last two of his Vampyre squadrons go up in flames, literally, was all he needed.  “Do it!” Toggo pleaded. “Do it! I don’t care!”

Kos closed his eyes for a brief moment before they snapped back open. “Done. White out your sigil and follow me.”

Toggo recoiled. “You want me to surrender?”

Kos rolled his eyes. “I want you to appear to surrender, Toggo. Keep up.”

“Why?” Toggo said, tensely, trying to keep from yelling.

“Because,” Kos turned around and eyed him. “How else are we to welcome the Alpha Prime but personally?”

 

 

 

“I never loved you! I only did what I had to do to survive! That includes birthing your demon spawn!”

Jinki shook his head, trying to dispel the visions.

Jinki! Heads up!

Caleo’s voice cleared the vision in his head just as a spear zoomed past his head, flying over his shoulder and into the back of a Durkhai soldier. The one who threw it yanked another spear out of the throat of a fallen Dinfire shifter and held it above his head, glaring at Jinki.

He’s left his entire middle open. Amateur.

“I see that,” Jinki growled as he landed a kick to the enemy’s midsection. The shifter fell over holding his stomach and Jinki brought his elbow down hard over the crown of his head, watching him collapse to the ground. “Find Minho,” he commanded.

Caelo was quiet for a moment. Southwest of you. He’s with Jonghyun. He’s doing pretty well. Better than I imagined, anyways. He, Jonghyun and Onew are working in a three man team to rebuild the fire wall. Yejin and Fatima say they can’t feel any of that prana stuff but Minho didn’t want us to be surprised.

The Alpha Prime nodded before he headed in Minho’s direction using Caleo to speed him along.

There was the ever familiar pain across his eyes.

Xiah stood above him, his eyes dark and menacing. “I wasted so much time with you and chasing after your mother that I never had a son of my own.

Jinki’s mouth parted. “You–you said I was like a son to you. You...took me in! Taught me everything I know! You…are my father!” Jinki’s face hardened. “I am your son!”

Xiah laughed. “Nobody wants you Jinki. Not your birth father, not Yoon and not me. You’ve always been more trouble than you’re worth.”

Jinki turned away. “No. I don’t believe you.”

“It’s true.” His eyes slammed opened at the soft voice near him. “I have a son. His name is Taemin. You...I felt sorry for you but you were never my son.”

Jinki rushed towards his mother and grabbed her hands. He placed them on his face. “You don’t mean that, Mom.”

“Since we’ve found your mother...your real mother, can you stop calling me that?” she muttered, her tone disgusted as she pulled his hands away from her.

“Mom…”

Jinki! What was that?

Jinki frowned. “You felt that?”

I saw it! I never...never felt that before! Are those your visions? Jesu! They are horrid!

“They must be getting stronger if you can see them too.” Jinki cursed. He spotted Minho in front of him. His mate noticed the proximity of their bond and turned. His face was covered in gore and blood but he still managed to smile as Jinki drew near. That’s what he needed. He needed his mate. Then he would go find the Toleran mages and–

He looked down…around...

He wasn’t moving.

“A white moon!” someone yelled out! “It’s a white moon from the Iustus camp!”

Jinki wanted to turn around and look at it. He could see the surprise and jubilation on the faces of everyone else.

He couldn’t. He couldn’t move. A squeal so loud was only sound he could hear. It paralyzed him.

“A White Moon! They’ve surrendered! They’ve surrendered!” someone else yelled.

Jinki didn’t see a white moon. He saw black sun. At its center was a vision.

“Now that this war is over, what good are you?” Minho hissed. In one arm was Min Sun, across his back was Min Soo. His hand was bleeding and a knife lay discarded on the ground.

Jinki was confused. He reached out to his mate. “Minho...what are you saying?”

“Thank you for helping me figure it out, Jinki. Everything! I don’t need you anymore! I’m cured, I’m well-loved and I don’t have to pretend anymore. I can be by myself!” Red began to swirl around his hand and Jinki recognized that magic. Red magic. The same magic he’d witnessed the night his mother ran away. It was the magic to break a bond.

“Minho,” he tried, trying to keep the growl out of his voice. “Come back here.”

“No.”

“You can’t leave me. I’ll, I’ll,” Jinki stammered, his voice shaking and his aura heavy with paranoia and desperation. “I’ll gather the armies, hunt you down and bring you back to me,” he finished, his voice hard. It didn’t sound like his voice. It sounded like Yoon’s.

“Why?” Minho frowned.

“Because you’re trying to break your bond with me! Because you belong to me! You said you were mine!”

“I lied.” The magic swirled faster, harder. It enveloped his children. He’s trying to break my bond with them too? “I was never yours.”

“Minho,” he pleaded. “Please...please don’t do this.”

“Goodbye, Jinki.”

! ! Jinki squeezed his eyes shut to ward off the vision but another one attacked him the minute he opened his eyes.

“We sentence the Alpha Beta of Prae to death.”

Jinki grinned from his place on the dais. “Finally,” he muttered.

Changmin, who stood at his side, stared at him, a strange look on his face. Jinki didn’t care. He just wanted to be done with it. He wanted this poison out of his life.

“Daddy, no! No!” Min Soo was being held back by a guard while another handed Jinki Espada. Min Sun looked as upset as her sister but Min Sun didn’t thrash against the guard holding her arm and keeping her from her father like her sister. She just lowered her head and sobbed. Min Soo turned to Jinki. “Papa! Please. PLEASE! Stop this! They are going to kill Daddy!”

Jinki stepped down and unsheathed Espada. “No, they aren’t, my sunflower,” he cooed.

“Really?" Relief flooded Min Soo’s face and Min Sun’s head popped up.

“Really.”

“Oh, thank you, Papa! Thank you, thank you so–

“They aren’t, my loves.” The relief was replaced by dawning horror as Jinki held Espada high in the air above his mate’s neck. ”I am.”

He brought his weapon down.

Their screams filled the air

When he opened his eyes this time, his mate was staring at him from across the field. There was a look of worry on his face, deep troubling worry and his eyes moved past Jinki’s form to someone behind him.

He said something but Jinki couldn’t make it out.

“They are here!” Someone yelled. “Toggo of the Blue Crescents has come! He is truly surrendering!” Shouts and exclamations filled the air. The horn on top of The Fortress bellowed a deep “GUUUHUUUUUNHN!”

Jinki couldn’t see any of it. All he could see was a hash of visions flying in and out of his head. There was someone in his head, somewhere in his head, whispering words he didn’t understand, showing him things he didn’t want to see.

This was different. These visions were different,” he thought, completely panicked. He clenched his fist and willed his body to move.

It did.

Just not in the way he wanted. He rotated in place until he was facing the front of the battlefield. Just in front of him was Toggo, grinning at him. At his side was a tall slender man with long hair who looked at him with amusement.

He felt the brush of his bond and knew Minho was near him, at his side. He felt him, but he couldn’t see him. He couldn’t see anything anymore. Everything was black.

Jinki, Caelo said, his voice weak and confused. I can’t...I can’t see anything. I can’t feel Onew.

Jinki’s eyes fluttered.  He dropped Espada.

Varkspha! screamed in the back of his mind.

Jin...ki.