________________________________________-

More and more years later…

“I’m telling you. The name of the game is to make money. You’re talented Min Sun, why not charge?”

“Because why charge? This is for the betterment of Prae. If Uncle Taemin didn’t charge–”

Min Soo sat up from where she was lounging to correct her sister. Which didn’t happen often, especially with Prae history. “Uh, uh, Sunny. Uncle Taemin never had that gift. It was Bong Soon who charged the weapon but she could only do it like...once. You’re like super charged and can super charge weapons at will. You’re just making excuses.”

Min Sun whirled to face her sister. “So you want to charge the people of Prae to learn how to defend themselves better?”

Sejun smirked. “They want to be charged, Sun. Look at this. The place we’re headed to already promised to pay us.” He pulled a piece of parchment out of his pockets, unfolded it and handed it over to Min Soo.

Min Sun snatched the paper out of Sejun’s hands and looked at it. “Well I’ll be damned. Five hundred golden dragons. That’s enough to buy us new practice gear! Gods know we’ve torn ours to shreds.” Ghepsa, a northern village on the outskirts of Morocco Song, had signed a contract with Sejun and they were willing to pay the money up front.

“They also want to pay us to convince your father to set up a security detail for one of their ambassadors to Morocco Song.”

“Why would they need that?” Min Soo murmured as she continued looking over the contract.

“Apparently because InWoo might rip his head off for making advances towards his adoptive daughter, Seungwan. She’s beyond mating age now and both he and Jinri are really over protective. We do a good job with that–meaning no one gets their heads ripped off–and think of the contracts that will start rolling in.”

Min Sun looked at Sejun with a frown. “You are the worst combination of your parents. Headstrong like your father and money hungry like your dad.”

Sejun shrugged and leaned into her space. “I call it confident and business savvy, but call it what you want. It’s still a good deal.”

They were a few feet outside of The Fortresses’ gates, lounging under a tree and enjoying the warming air. Winter was over and spring was starting to make an entrance. The teenagers enjoyed being outside and never turned down an opportunity to do so. Because they were the children of the heroes of the war, and the fact that they were the children of the highest leadership in Prae, they were often subjected to never ending lessons on leadership and manners and crap Min Soo hated but Min Sun’s adored. She, on the other hand, enjoyed their sparring lessons with Kyung and Yejin. Sometimes Victoria would come through and really kick their asses and that’s when Min Soo felt the most alive.

It had been seventy five years since the end of the 2nd Great War. Not much had changed but to be fair, Min Soo couldn’t remember what it was like beforehand because she wasn’t alive for the “good old times” her parents and aunts and uncles talked about. Their godfather Brea was the most talkative about it, going on and on and on about Durkhai's strength and a blah blah blah.

The new world the people of Prae had built was one of peace. The Third clan was thriving under Thunder and Gikwang’s leadership, bringing fringe clans into Prae’s alliance. Lark’s Nest had revolutionized Prae, upgrading the infrastructure of roads and the water supply, making Prae more like a network than a collection of villages. Rhyna Ghali had committed itself to Prae’s army since Prae had managed to almost destroy every Vampyre alive. Genocide never felt good to Min Soo, it felt like a nasty word in , but to know they had perished in the war eased her conscience a little.

She wondered what it would be like to fight a Vampyre.

“You kids come in already! You will be departing soon!” Na Eun yelled from the gates. Min Soo rolled her eyes but still smirked. She liked Na Eun. She used to be really quiet and nervous when she first came to Prae a few years ago but after spitting out three of Taemin’s brats, she’s learned the power of her voice.

Heading her call, they collected their things and Min Sun, that sly fox, slipped Sejun’s contract in her pocket. So she was considering it! It would be perfect. With Sunny’s skills, Sejun’s business know how and Min Sun’s almost endless web of connections, they could really make something of themselves. They had too. It wasn’t like any of them had any plans to succeed their parents. For Min Sun and herself, as Beta wolves, it was an almost impossible feat. For Sejun, he had no desire whatsoever to join any Dinfire’s army so he followed in Kibum’s footsteps, selling apothecary and cosmetics all around Prae. He wasn’t the biggest fan of the trade but Sejun was a fan of money and Kibum's reputation in the trade brought in lots of money. However, their true desire was to become skilled warriors, so this opportunity was for the best. With all of their desires to be great warriors, this would be the best option for them.

They would have a future from up under the shadow of their parents.

“I’m not saying that I don’t want to visit Jeongmyeong and Joo Won, I’m just saying that their village is a death trap.”

Jinki laughed as he helped Minho finish packing. The two of them plus Jonghyun and Kibum along with Yifan were escorting their children to Gespha for one of Min Soo’s training exercises. The Fortress would be left in good hands. While they were gone on their three month excursion, Nichkhun and Victoria, now mated, would be stewards until they came back. Which would truthfully really just be Nichkhun. Victoria was very pregnant and very irritable and Jinki could see her slapping someone heads from their shoulders for asking a stupid question.

“You don’t think it’s a death trap?” Minho asked as he slid a servant the final packed chest.

“No. It’s a definitely death trap but Seungwan is a wonderful guide. She’s not going to let those scary whirlpools gobble you or your children up,” Jinki teased.

“Oh, you think you’re safe? I hope one gobbles up your shoe,” Minho muttered under his breath.

Jinki laughed again. “You’re in a mood.”

Minho glared at him over his shoulder. “I…,” his shoulders slumped. “This business the kids are talking about. It sounds dangerous. Teaching other villages for money, being bodyguards for nobles and ambassadors? It just sounds...dangerous. Min Sun is a gifted mage but this is… a lot for me.”

“It is dangerous but they seem really adamant about it. I think they just need something to do that isn’t lessons.”

Minho hummed but Jinki could still hear the worry in his voice. He waited until his mate stood and slinked up behind him, wrapping his arms around his waist and pulling him close. “We have amazing kids, Minho. They are smart and they are extremely talented. Min Sun’s taking right after her grandmothers and Min Soo–”

“Is taking after you and your father. And her grandparents up North… and every soldier in this Fortress. We should have never put a sword in her hands or her sisters.”

“Sejun too.” Jinki shrugged. “The three of them are like a trio of feral wolves.”

Minho poked him. “Hey! I’m the descendant of feral wolves.”

Jinki kissed his neck. “Yes, your majesty. My apologies.”

Minho punched him. “Insufferable.”

“You love it.”

“You guys ready?” Kibum said, appearing in the doorway and leaning against the frame. Kibum was shirtless again, wearing only pair of pants and his long coat with the triskelion embroidered into it.

“Are you a little old to be strutting around his half ?”

Kibum struck a pose, one hand in the air. “You’re never too old to be as y as I am.” He flashed them a smirk. “Come on, you old farts, we have traveling to do.”

“Honestly, Kibum. We’re not that old! We are still virile young men! You can still get knocked up! You’re no spring chicken!”

His laugh echoed in the hallway. “Spring chicken? Ha! More like  an old goose!!”

Their riding party departed without all the fanfare that was accustomed with the Magnus Couple leaving the Fortress. Well...almost. Taemin and Na Eun were there as well but Na Eun always saw the twins and Sejun off without fail. Victoria was there but that’s because the sooner they left, the sooner she could eat.

Na Eun wrung her hands as she stood in front of Min Soo, Min Sun and Sejun. “Don’t cause any trouble, you three. Three months away doesn’t mean you get to forgo your reading. I want reports on the third–”

Taemin put a calming hand around his mate’s shoulders. “Darling. You’ve told them four times already. I believe they understand.”

“Five,” Sejun muttered.

Victoria waddled closer to the horses and looked at the adults. “Don’t cause any trouble, you five,” she said, mimicking Na Eun. “Especially you two.” She  pointed a stiff finger at Jinki and Minho. “Every time the two of you leave this damn Fortress, happens.”

Minho frowned. “That’s slanderous, Vic.”

She raised a brow, held up a hand and starting ticking items off. “That one time Onew kidnapped you. The time you ran off to Wheph on a suicide mission to be a hero. The time you built an entire barrier around you, your mate, and a damn dark mage because you’re hardheaded and stubborn. The one time you,” she pointed out, eyeing Jinki, “tried to walk to Rockfall because Boa was teaching Min Sun about mating.”

“She was fifteen!” Jinki yelled.

Victoria rolled her eyes. “Be safe is all I’m saying. I don’t actually like running this place, you know. Nobody listens to me.”

“Uh, yes, they do,” Sejun stated astounded. “Everyone is scared of you. Gae Shi called you an evil overlord.”

“She exaggerates too much sometimes but not all the time.” Victoria shrugged and turned back for the gates, throwing a wave over her shoulder. “I’ll see you all when you get back. I’m too hungry to keep telling you goodbye.”

“I’ll divert all of mom’s worried letters about you to Victoria until you get back. That’ll save a few of us from her reign of terror. Send a messenger hawk when you arrive in Wheph,” Taemin said. “Bi-So said she’d meet you on the other side and travel the other leg with you.”

Jinki nodded at his brother and begun to spur his horse into action when Taemin stopped him. “Aye, Jinks…be careful. All of you…”

He smiled at his brother before leaning down to muss his hair. “Aren’t we always?”

The riding party was lively for the first day–having the kids with them always made the trips interesting. He guessed he couldn’t call them kids anymore. They were adults–Min Soo and Min Sun had held their coming of age ceremonies a year or so ago, and Sejun completed his last fall. Adults they may be, but Jinki would always see them as the kids. The three were an oddly wonderful balance of personalities. Min Sun and her quiet, but reassuring intelligence and confidence, Min Soo’s bravado and brightness and take no attitude and Sejun who was a mix of Kibum’s sass and Jonghyun’s cocky boldness, made them quite the Prae celebrities. A lot of people contributed it to their parent’s prominence but Jinki knew the three had something special, something that would last, a friendship that would bring Prae something greater than they could ever dream of.

Eunsook said it was because they were born during the war, that they’d been forged by fire and justice, and tempered by the sweet kiss of peace, a period when building and growing was priority over death.

Jinki glowered thinking of his sister. She was still wandering around unmated. After the war she had an influx of suitors, a lot of them from the hired swords. Apparently her prowess on the battlefield in Prae’s rear army had captured the hearts of those she hadn’t killed.  But you can’t settle down if you won’t literally settle down in one place. He could have sworn his sister hated wandering.  On that note, he hadn’t been to Nihill in a couple of years. He should schedule that trip. The twins absolutely love the damn place. They’d spent so many summers there that the Wanderers tried to turn them into bonafide Wanderers. Minho put a cork in that quickly. Sometimes he thought it would be safer for them there. There were still people out there who wanted to hurt them. That threat would never pass.

“What’s bothering you?”

Jinki glanced over and saw Minho’s worried gaze, concern all over his face. “You look like you’re a million miles away. What’s wrong?” Minho prodded.

He shook his head. “Nothing, really. These trips always make me think.”

“Of?”

“Of everything. All the mistakes I’ve made, all the right things I’ve done,” he said, glancing at the twins. Min Sun was shoving Sejun away with a snarl. The young man laughed but didn’t trot away, choosing to stay close to her side. Min Soo laughed like it was the funniest thing ever. Kibum pointed at his son with a smirk and Jonghyun rolled his eyes. “Regret never goes away. It lingers in the background and catches you off guard.”

“You harbor too many of them. Is it Yoon?”

“No,” Jinki sighed. “Although it would be nice to know where he is. It'd be easier to track him down if he had something to track. Even Thunder doesn’t remember his scent.”

“Good for him. I’m glad he was able to put that man behind him. I wish,” Minho said, bending his head to look at him closer, “his brother could do the same.”

“He was supposed to die, Minho. By my hand! Escape? How did he even manage that without help?”

Jinki remembered waking up to the news of Yoon’s escape. At first he’d been furious, interrogating every guard, chamberlain, and maid who’d come within forty feet of the holding cells. It led to absolutely nowhere. As time went on, his anger lessened, but it never truly left.

“The reason I want you to put it behind you is because you’ll drive yourself crazy thinking about it. There isn’t anything more you can do other than what you’re doing. If we ever met him again, you’ll get a chance to deal the justice he deserves.” Minho straightened up on his horse. “But Yoon’s an easy subject. Way better than I expected. You had a bad dream last night. I thought it was still plaguing you.”

Jinki winced. “The visions never really go away. They’ll lie dormant but sometimes I’ll see one and I’m reminded that I was weak enough to let a dark mage into my mind–that I almost lost you because–”

“Two muffins were sitting in an oven. One turned to the other and said "Hey, it's pretty hot in here, isn't it?" The other turned and shouted "Oh my god a talking muffin!"

Jinki blinked, his mouth dropping open before he laughed. A laugh that reached his eyes, a laugh that he felt all over his body. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard!”

Minho smiled and his eyes crinkled. “I know. It’s also the best joke to get a wolf to leave his one man pity party. I’ve told you, love, magic is a powerful thing but it isn’t tangible. You can’t train your mind to overcome something that your mind can’t even comprehend. You didn’t almost lose me, Jinks. I almost lost you.”

“Minho…”

“But,” Minho said with a bright smile. “That, all of that, is behind us. Far, far, far behind us. We survived and our legacy lives. It’s okay to forgive yourself. If you’re waiting for my permission, you’ll never get it. For me, there is nothing to forgive.”

“I’ll try harder.”

“We can consult with Bi-So about the visions to see if there isn’t anything we can do.”

“You know who I never thanked?” Jinki mentioned after a stretch of silence.

Minho raised a brow.

“Kyungsoo and Minseok. The Oracles. They are pretty good match makers. I couldn’t imagine a more perfect mate.” He winked at Minho.

Minho laughed. “I’ll remember those words when you get mad at me and start stomping around the Fortress like a big angry wolf.”

He stuck his tongue out. “Sometimes you deserve it.”

Shrugging, Minho reached for his hand. “The make-up is always my goal. Plus it’s kind of funny when you get so mad you turn red.”

“You little–”

“HALT!”

Jinki’s head snapped up to the front of their party. Yifan’s hand was on his weapon and he was staring out into the field before them. Jonghyun galloped to the front of the party with him.

“What’s going on,” Jinki wondered out loud. He began to spur Eclipse to move when he saw it. Or rather him. A shifter was running towards them. Jinki squinted and could only make out the colors they were wearing–teal and purple. “What’s a Third Clan member doing this far north?” This time Jinki spurred Ellipse towards the front of the party as the shifter ran closer. He stumbled on the ground and when he came back up, Jinki noticed the blood running down from his scalp.

“He’s been hurt…” Minho surmised out loud as he galloped to Jinki’s side. “Who would have?–”

Jinki’s eyes widened as an arrow flew out of the woods east of them and landed in the shifter’s shoulder. He stumbled again with a pained yell. “Yifan! Jonghyun!” Jinki commanded. “Fall back! Guard the children!”

Jinki looked at Minho and Minho looked back at him. “Yah!” Jinki cried and both Eclipse and Nightdream moved as one, galloping full speed at the fallen shifter. He got to his feet up and Jinki could see the fear on his face. “Minho, to the shifter! I’ll head for the woods!”

His mate nodded and Nightdream picked up speed, dashing forward. The shifter began waving his arms.

As they got within ear shot, Jinki heard the man’s warning. “No! My Lord! Run! Run! It’s–”

Another arrow caught him in the back of his neck. He lurched forward, his eyes already rolling to the back of his head and landed in the grass with a grunt. Jinki looked at the shifter then at the woods where the arrow came from. Blue, black and silver could be seen along the trees.

“Blue…” Jinki cursed and tugged on Eclipse’s reigns, turning her around. Minho must have seen the same thing because he yanked Nightdream around and began racing back towards him. He didn’t make it–a few feet before another arrow came sailing through the air, lodging in Nightdream’s flank. The horse reared in pain, throwing Minho from the saddle.

“Yah!” Jinki flew through the clearing, bringing Eclipse between the woods and his fallen mate. He jumped down from his horse and helped Minho to his feet.

“Jinki, get down!”

He looked up and a barrage of arrows filled the sky. He covered Minho as best as he could and squeezed his eyes closed. He heard the sound of arrows landing in the grass but none sounded near him. He opened an eye and saw the arrows were hundreds of yards from them. Odd, he thought, but it didn’t erase the danger. He looked back at the children, still being sheltered by Yifan. Jonghyun was galloping towards them, fire in his eyes.

“No!” Jinki yelled! “Get the kids out of here! It’s the Blue Crescents!”

“Wha–”

“Go Jonghyun! Get them to Wheph! Send a hawk! Have Taehyung send riders!”

There was a battle cry, long and high, and both Jinki and Minho heads snapped to the forest. Twenty or so Blue Crescents were charging at them.

“It’s always them,” Minho muttered as he began patting himself down. He cursed. “Min Sun!” he yelled. “The ampoule I gave you this morning! A red wall! Protect your sister and Sejun!” He turned to Jinki. “Close your eyes, this will be bright.”

Jinki did as his mate said, and heard him mutter some words before he felt the heat of a spell being invoked. When he opened his eyes again, they were behind a white barrier wall. “This won’t hold long if they begin to strike it but it’ll give us and the rest some time.” Just as the words left his mouth, the attacking party crashed against the spell like a wave. “If we stay here, it’ll be the distraction they need.”

Jinki nodded before looking at Nightdream. She was whimpering and Jinki tried to soothe her by running a hand through her mane. “It won’t be long, Nightdream. Hold on, girl.” Across the field he could see that Jonghyun, Yifan, Kibum and the kids had not fled yet. It looked like Yifan was arguing with them. He opened his mouth to command them to leave again when something loud and heavy rammed up against the barrier.

“A battering ram seems like overkill,” Minho trailed off when the barrier cracked. “Or not.”

“Can you put up another one?”

Minho shook his head. “Maybe one more but I’d rather save it to put between the kids and us if they give chase.” Minho reached for his longbow and grinned. “It’s just twenty of them. We can handle that?”

Jinki smirked and pulled Espada from her home. “Haven’t had a chance to fight in a while. Might be dusty.”

“You?” Minho laughed. “Never!”

Jinki backed them up and away from the horses and waited patiently for the barrier to break. It shattered in brilliant pieces, like white glass. The Blue Crescents didn’t hesitate. They attacked in volleys, two and three of them coming for Jinki and Minho at the same time. Minho had been right. These weren’t trained fighters; these weren’t the Blue Crescents from their youth. They seemed awkward with their weapons and sloppy in their attack. It was almost a shame to kill them. Almost.

Minho and Jinki reduced their numbers rapidly until a group of four were left. Minho yanked an arrow out of a dead man’s gut and aimed it at the boldest one. “How long am I going to be plagued with your ridiculous presence? How long are you willing to be devoured by my intent to stay alive? How long will you waste your lives for some foolish emundet? The Blue Crescents were defeated! You are not welcome here! Anywhere in Prae!”

“What are you talking about?” one said, his voice quivering as he realized any moment he would die. He couldn’t have been more than sixteen or seventeen, the same age as Sejun. “We aren’t…” he looked down at his clothing.

The bold one pushed him away and accosted the two leaders. “We came here to seek revenge for those ousted by the Third clan! That shifter,” he said pointing to the one in the Third Clan clothing, “was supposed to guide us to Prae but then he us as well!”

“You’re dissenters?” Minho asked.

Jinki remembered getting a letter from Thunder about the whole rebellion. “Why are you this far north if you’re disagreement is with The Third clan?”

“Don’t act as if you don’t know!” The bold one said, his eyes full of anger. “It is known that Thunder and Gikwang don't act without the Magnus couples leave!” he spat. “It was you who forced us out of our homes and into the wastelands! We would have died in the desert if it wasn’t for Yoon!”

The breath caught in Jinki’s throat and his eyes slammed open.

“He told us how to seek our revenge! Told us how to find you! To kill you! He gave us this clothing–” The man’s words came to a halt when Minho’s arrow spiked into the base of his throat. Jinki immediately cut down the two others. The young man left was curled into a ball with his hands covering his head.

“You want to live, you’ll come with us,” he growled. The young man looked down at the blood pooling around his clansmen’ bodies and quickly nodded.

“Where is Yoon?”

The boy shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. “I don’t know! He sent word to us in the wastelands to meet him here and he would have someone guide us to Prae. The man,” he pointed a shaking hand to the Third Clansmen who’d tried to warn them, “was supposed to show us how to get to Prae undetected until he Nedi,” he pointed again, this time to the man with the arrow in his throat. “Once we got here, Yoon provided us with clothing…I don’t know what they mean! I just followed because my father is in Prae! This Yoon person…I haven’t–haven’t seen him since before!”

“Are there any more of you left,” Jinki questioned, his voice full of warning.

The young man shook his head hard. “No–no, my Lord.”

Minho glanced around the clearing, his body tense and their bond screaming anxiety. “Something feels off, Jinki. We still need to get the hell out of here.”

“No,” he growled, snarling in the young man’s face. “I let Yoon go once. I won’t let him get away again.”

“I understand how you feel,” his mate said slowly, calmly, “but we need to get your bullheaded children out of this clearing. They still haven’t left.” Minho’s head rotated back and forth as he scanned the forest line. “Let’s take cover and then you can interrogate him. Staying here or trying to cross this open field right now will make us too vulnerable. And Nightdream’s suffering.” He looked down at Nightdream. “There are too many variables. You’ll get your revenge Jinki. Just not right now.”

Jinki wanted to scream. Instead, he listened to his mate’s council. “You’re right.”

Minho nodded. “Cover me for a few moments while I try and heal Nightdream and we can go.”

They took cover deep in the woods, just a few hundred feet from a long rope bridge that crossed over a deep cavern. Realizing their best chances would be to get Wheph to come to their aid, they sent Jonghyun and Kibum to speak with Taehyung, the Alpha of Wheph. It was only a quarter day ride there and back so they should be back to the campsite by midnight.  Until then, Jinki, Minho and Yifan would take turns with the watch.  

The Third Clan shifter they were holding hostage was tired to a tree, looking forlornly at the other teenagers. His name was August, and his father had sent him to Tropica to learn a different type of governing style than he would find in Prae. It was true that Thunder and Gikwang did defer to Jinki and Minho when making decisions, but they trusted them, and always allowed them to make the best decision possible. The issue August ran into, he stated, was that Nedi was who he was apprenticing under, as he was a lorger, or a high advisor in Neeshi’s court.

“Nedi was really good with his words so I believed him when he told me he would get me out of the Wastelands and deliver me to my father. I shouldn’t have followed him out there to begin with but it is shameful to abandon your teacher. So…I went. Mother was killed in the uprising…”

“Who’s your father,” Min Sun asked.

“Tal-Tal Majarday.”

Sejun tilted his head. “Wait. Tal-Tal? Your father is Toqto'a?” He looked at Min Sun. “As in Uncle Toqto'a?”

Minho pinched the bridge of his nose. “He’s not in Prae, son. He left for the Arctic soon after he departed from Elypsion.”

“Oh.” August’s head dropped and he shuffled uncomfortably around his bindings. “I guess Nedi fooled me really bad.”

Minho sighed. “I’ll send a hawk to Fallow Forest and make arrangements. Toqto'a will have my head if you’re harmed.”

“His son should have thought that out before he attacked us,” Min Soo said, looking him up and down. “Uncle Toqto'a is a very smart man and probably gave you sound advice.  I’m sure Uncle Toqto'a would be more upset that his son didn’t listen to him.” She leaned forward. “You’re really cute. Do you want me to teach you how to–“

“Min Soo!” Minho admonished.

“What,” she said defensively and a little scandalized. “I was going to say deference! Maybe he doesn’t know how to mind his elders!”

“Oh, like you do?” Jinki said over his shoulder. “Like when we told you to leave and you didn’t? That’s really minding your elders.”

“We only didn’t leave because we can join in too, Papa! Let us!” Min Sun said petulantly. “If you’d let us fight we could have–”

Jinki, angered, rounded on her. “You could have what, Min Soo? Gotten yourself hurt? Killed?”

“No, we could have helped!” she said, standing. “We could have helped! Do you know how scared we were watching you two fight off a whole army of men? We’ve got the skills, Papa! You and Dad made sure we did!”

Jinki opened his mouth to press home his point, albeit loudly, when he felt Minho’s hand on his forearm. His mate sent a bit of calm through their bond and Jinki pulled himself back from his anger. “You three are brave. You’re strong, you’re damn good fighters. But that’s in a sparring ring, that’s with dull weapons and layers of protective armor on. It’s my fault, that I have yet to give you weapons but I won’t apologize.”

“Jokes on you if you think any of us haven’t fought with a real blade before,” Min Soo muttered.

“Maybe you have. But you haven’t fought against a real enemy before. And I pray to the Gods you never have to.”

Min Soo didn’t look appeased by her father’s words and sat down with an hmph beside her sister. Her sister looked just as upset in her own way, her brows bunched together. Sejun’s arms were tight across his chest and he stared at Minho’s flameless fire with a frown. August looked embarrassed and kept sneaking glances at Min Soo as if he wanted to apologize.  

“Look. It’s our duty to protect you. I love you. Each and every one of you. Sejun you're like a son to me. You don’t know how it would destroy us if any of you were hurt. You are the future we fought so hard to protect. Even when you were little babies, it was this future we wanted to see, with you. Don’t make us old folk useless yet, kids. You’re already better people than we are,” he said quietly.

Min Soo glowered at her father but when Min Sun elbowed her, she relented. “You’re…”she sighed. “You’re not useless, Papa. You’re the strongest wolf I know.” She kicked at the dirt. “Sorry I didn’t follow your commands,” she said, contritely. She got up and walked around the fire, her arms held out. She hugged her father around the waist and inhaled deeply. “I love you, too.”

“And I’m sorry I yelled, Sunflower,” he whispered in her hair. Jinki glanced at Min Sun and Sejun and the two managed small, but meaningful smiles back. A moment passed and Min Soo let go to go back to her seat.

 “You’re still not getting watch duty,” Minho informed as he spoke over his fire.

She grumbled but he could hear the smile in it.

Hours later, someone was shaking his shoulders. Jinki jolted awake, his hand on Espada’s hilt. He breathed out a heavy breath when he saw Yifan’s face. “Jonghyun and Kibum sent a hawk ahead. They’ll be here within the hour.”

Jinki rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and hummed. “Is it my turn?”

Yifan shook his head. “Actually it’s mine but Minho hasn’t come back yet from his rotation.”

“Come back?” Jinki sat up straighter. “Where did he go?”

“I think he was embarrassed to take a leak anywhere near the twins so,” he pointed towards the bridge. “I can continue to stand watch here but I would feel a lot better if he’d hurry the hell up.”

Jinki grunted. “Yeah.” He sniffed and worked his way to standing. “I’ll go get him.”

The bridge was down a slope and around a thick patch of trees outlined by a path. Fog from the canyon below it permeated the air, making it hard to see through but his mate was pretty tall so when he rounded the path, he saw him easily.

He chuckled because Yifan was right. He had to have been pretty embarrassed. He was on the far side of the bridge, just a little past the middle point–far enough for privacy. He was being ridiculous. “Oi! Minho! Hurry up would you?” he laughed. “You can come back now. I promise no one is going to sneak up on you.”

Minho looked at him but was completely silent. Jinki frowned. “Minho?” He took a few steps closer, wondering what got his mate’s tongue all of a sudden. “Are you okay?”

A gust of wind blew across the cannon and over the bridge, clearing the fog away. His heart lurched and he immediately went for his weapon.

“Yoon,” he growled.

Yoon stood in the pale moonlight of the full moon, his hands stuffed in his pockets. He sported a full beard now, helping hide what Jinki always considered a weak chin. Behind him was Jungmo–the last true Blue Crescent–a curved dagger in his hand and dug into Minho’s side.  A gag had been placed between his lips, explaining his silence.

“I’ll give it to you. I won’t say you're predictable. Someone as stupid and frail as you should be, but you’re not. It’s taken me twenty years to plan this exact moment. Well...not exactly. I planned on killing you, your mate and those mangy mutt children of yours in the open fields but I forget...your mate is a mage.” He laughed. “Those red walls plague me.” Yoon took a step forward. “You remember red walls, don’t you Jinki? It what your mother used to hide from me the night you helped her do that ungodly, unforgivable act.”

“It’s been almost a century, Yoon. You’re still sore Iseul left you? Still scheming to get her back? Still trying to get Prae under your control? You’ve done a lot of stupid and come up with a lot of idiotic schemes and they never work.” Jinki chuckled darkly. “Yet you never stop.”

Yoon’s laugh filled the canyon, the echoing making it sound like there were dozens of him. “You think I’m still trying to get that back? You know she had the audacity, the unmitigated gall to come visit me while you had me chained to the wall like some kind of dog? The years had been good to her. She was still as beautiful as ever. But when she opened , I almost got sick to my stomach. Xiah’s poisoned her, Danye and her witchcraft had poisoned her. You have poisoned her and from that moment on I wanted nothing to do with her. You think I give a damn about Prae anymore? No, this is just about you. You’ve turned everyone I’ve ever loved, everyone I’ve ever trusted against me. My eldest son won’t even speak to me! Taemin and Taeyeon don’t even remember I exist! And it’s your fault!’

“Stop blaming everyone, Yoon! It’s your fault! Yours! You treated Iseul like . You treated Taemin and Taeyeon like and you treated Thunder like . You did this to yourself.”

“Subjective nonsense! But I never wanted to change the mind of the ungrateful. I wasn’t the best but I sure did everything I could to keep you fed and a roof over your head.”

Jinki rolled his eyes.

“I may have lost everything but I can still make you suffer. I can still make the son pay for the sins of the father.”

“I’m not your son,” Jinki growled. “Remember?”

“True.” He gave Jungmo a look over his shoulder. The blond moved the dagger from Minho’s side to his neck.

"Witness the consequences of making me your enemy, Jinki. Who always suffers when you leave someone with nothing but regret and vengeance? The answer?  Your family, boy. The people who have connected themselves with you, stood with you, pledge loyalty to you. Trusted you with their lives! No one should do that. Not with you. You're too weak to protect them. You're too weak to guard something so precious.”

Jinki’s growl heightened and he could feel the vibrations all the way down to the base of feet. His grip on Espada tightened. His heart raced. Minho’s heart raced.

“Trade yourself for him and I’ll let your mate and your children live.”

Minho’s eyes went wild and he tried to say something around the gag in his mouth. The bond spoke of Minho’s terror, his dread.

“How can I trust you to honor your word, Yoon?”

“You can’t,” he retorted. “But you don’t have a choice. Unless you want me to kill your mate in front of you. Then your friends…and then your children you’ll do as I say. And I can, boy. I can.”

Jinki thought fast. If he did let Minho go, Minho could go back to the children and buy them enough time to escape Yoon and Jungmo if he fell on this bridge. It wouldn’t be long. He could still delay it. “Let him go and I’ll come to you.”

Yoon laugh. “And you want me to trust you? What did we just discuss about trust, boy?”

“I’m not asking you. I’m telling you. You want your revenge, I’ll give it to you, but I want to see my mate freed.”

Yoon glared at Jinki, his jaw clenching and unclenching, before he motioned for Jungmo. “To the end of the bridge, then let him go. Not a moment before.”

Jungmo did as he was asked, pushing Minho forward, the dagger still at his throat.

“Don’t try anything stupid, Jinks. I’ve got a very potent combination layered on this dagger,” the Blue Crescent stated, his eyes flashing menacingly. “One nick and Minho’s going to have a very bad last day alive.” He eased closer to Jinki, his back to the wind and the handrail and Jinki put his hands in the air to show he was cooperating. As they passed, Minho looked Jinki in the eye and something reflected in his eyes, red.

That’s Caleo’s spell…

No! No! He wanted to tell Minho “No!” To not try anything stupid, to do what he was told and escape but it was too late. Minho’s spell was already cast. Fire erupted from Minho’s pores and Jungmo screamed as he tried to escape the sudden onset of heat and flames.  He wasn’t fast enough. The flames caught to his clothing like kindling and he lit up like a camp fire. The Blue Crescent screamed as he tried to put out the flames, dropping to the ground and flailing. A few moments of that and the flames were eventually put out. Jinki grimaced. Jungmo groaned in agony as the right side of his body was blackened and charred, smoke rising from cracked skin.

Minho backed up until he was at Jinki’s side. Keeping an eye on Yoon, he hacked through Minho’s bindings and yanked the gag out of his mouth.

“You are a complete dumb !” Minho hissed.  “Stupid, stupid, stupid, big !”

“So are you!” Jinki hissed back.

“Can’t you read “Run, you fool! I’m about to set everything on fire” in my eyes?”

“I didn’t even know you could DO that you, you…dragon! And couldn’t you read “Just ing escape already” in mine?”

Minho’s hands landed on his hips and he frowned. “Like I would ever leave you out here.”

Jinki breathed out a laugh. “Yeah. Couldn’t see myself doing that either.” He pulled Espada out of its sheath with a crystalline ring. “Yoon,” he rumbled and pointed his sword at him. “This revenge as you were saying?”

The older man sighed. “Is this the point where I say it’s not over until I say it’s over?”

“You can scheme until your dying breath...which will be coming very soon for threatening me and mine,” he snarled.

“You sure about that?”

“Just kill him already,” Minho growled, glaring at him.

“You can. I’m sure you could actually, easily, but…” he paused to chuckle. “Kill me and your mutt daughter dies with me.”

Jinki’s frowned. “What…”

“Papa? Dad?”

Both shifters whirled around to find Min Sun standing there, her eyes wide with fear and Jungmo standing just a few feet away from her, glaring.

“Actually never mind the posturing and the deals, Jungmo. She is almost as deadly as her parents. Kill her now.”

“No!” Jinki screamed but it was at that exact moment that Yoon lunged at him, his weapon now in hand, a club with long spikes that came dangerous close to his head. Jinki brought Espada up to block the next down swing, pushing Yoon back into the ropes. There was a scream. Min Sun! He turned his head, panicked, and it cost him. Yoon’s club came down hard and he felt every bone break and ever muscle rip as it tore through his shoulder. He staggered, and then fell, the pain blinding him but his suffering was secondary. Min Sun!  He kicked Yoon away, watching his weapon scatter across the bridge. Jinki struggled to his knees, and then then to his feet. He had to get to Min Sun!

Jungmo advanced on her, his dagger raised and his lips wet with anticipation.

Gods, if you are listening, please. Please save my child!

Out of the corner of his eye, Minho, blurred, disappeared, leaving a trail of purple behind him. Jinki hadn’t seen a purple essence like that since he was bound to Caelo.

Time slowed down. Jungmo still had his dagger in the air and it was slowly coming down towards his daughter.

Gods please–

Minho reappeared in a blink of an eye.

Jinki choked.

His heart clenched painfully.

“You…piece of ,” Minho wheezed. He wrapped his hand around Jungmo’s throat and squeezed so hard his hand shook. Minho yanked the dagger out of his chest, flipped the handle and stabbed it into Jungmo’s shoulder. “Die. Die!” He pulled it out again and this time slammed it in between Jungmo’s eyes. He rotated his wrist and the handle broke off. “Die you piece of ! Quit haunting me and my family and die!”

Jungmo uttered a weak cry before his eyes rolled to the back of his head. Minho pushed Jungmo’s lifeless body away from him and it toppled over the side of the bridge, disappearing into the fog.

Minho laughed, his shoulders shaking, exhilarated–his battle with the Blue Crescents finally over! “I–”

Minho coughed. His knees buckled and he dropped to the wooden planks of the bridge.

Jinki felt his mind go blank. Yoon swung at him and he twisted, the club barely grazing his side. He didn’t have time for Yoon! He needed to make it to his mate and his daughter! 

Yoon swung again, underhanded and it was aimed for his chin. Jinki bent backwards and it missed.  

“Let me be,” Jinki uttered, rambled, delirious. “Let me go to him!”

Please, he begged, please, please, please!

“Stay here and fight me, you insolent whelp! He’s as good as dead.”

“No!” Jinki turned and felt red bleed into his eyes. “My mate…” Jinki didn’t think, he didn’t want to think. He was going to kill Yoon and he was going to kill him now. He raised his sword high. Yoon swung his club.

He heard the spikes breaking through ribs and his bone before he felt the spikes deep in his chest and through his back. It didn’t matter. Espada cleared its downward path, taking Yoon’s head with it. It fell to the ground in a hard thud and rolled, stopping at Jinki’s feet, cold angry brown eyes looking back at him.

Jinki spat on it. “Burn in hell, you ing demon.” He pried the club away from his chest, roaring in pain, and threw it to the ground. Staggering, Jinki made it over to where Minho sat, his skin pale and grey and his arms listless at his side.. Min Sun was hovering over him, her face wet with tears. “I felt the spell and I thought something was wrong, that Daddy was in trouble,” she cried. “I didn’t…I never wanted…Daddy, please!”

“It’s not your fault. He’s going to be alright,” Jinki whispered, finding it hard to inhale. “Do me a favor, sunshine. Go…,” he gurgled around the blood in his mouth. “Go find Kibum. He...he can help Minho.”

“Kibum? He’s…he’s not back yet…”

Jinki knew that but still. He had to get Min Sun away. “Please sweetheart,” he said, brushing the hair out of her eyes and caressing her face. “Find Kibum. Have Yifan help you.”

Min Sun nodded and took off, sprinting up the bridge and around the path.

Jinki shifted Minho down into his lap and his mate looked up at him with the brown eyes he loved so much. “You told them to never–never tell a lie.” He attempted to laugh but it came out like a pain groaned. “Kibum can’t.”

“You don’t know that. He could–”

“He can’t. I can’t see anything, Jinki. The po–poison is working. It hurts.” Minho turned towards Jinki’s stomach and tried to sit up by grabbing Jinki’s shoulder. He slipped and fell back down to Jinki’s lap, his hand slick. “You’re bleeding,” he said softly. “There’s so much blood…”

“Don’t worry about me…” Jinki felt his vision swim.

“Jinki...your heart,” Minho gasped. “It’s so weak.” Minho tried laughing again. “When I said I wanted to go to the eternal caves with you, I didn’t mean like this. I thought we’d be like 900 years old.”

He couldn’t hold it up anymore. His bottom lip began to tremble. Not because he was dying, but because he couldn’t feel Minho’s heart in his chest anymore. “I wanted,” he tried. “I wanted to spend so much more time with you. I needed more time. More time to love you. Eternity wasn’t supposed to be this short.”

“I love you, Jinki,” Minho sobbed weakly. “I do. I love you so much and…you…were the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

“You are my heart.”

“Evidag...yang…” Minho uttered his voice barely above a whisper. “You have to...you have to find me. Find me again. Wherever we end up, find me. L–love...me, Jinki. Love me ag…”

“I’ll...find–“

Jinki’s hand dropped and his bracelet banged against the bridge.