Chapter 34

Yoona weakly opened her eyes and looked around her to search for Seohyun after the blinding light swallowed them. She saw her lying down a few meters away her, she could see her chest rise and fall which made her relieved that at least she’s still alive, but seeing her battered and bloodied made her wince. She can smell burnt flesh right where she was prone. Yoona crawled her way to Seohyun and sat down to cradle her when she reached her, she saw half of her left shoulder was smoldering with burn. “Seohyun” she whispers as she held her hand, a tear threatening to escape her eye. “Because in my life, whenever I go in a quest with you, - I die.”

‘Is this it? Is this the reason why she’s going to die? My poor judgement in life?’ Yoona thought. “I-I’m sorry…” This time, tears started running down her face. Seohyun weakly reached her face to wipe away her tears then smiled at her as if she wasn’t in pain. “You did well.” She said, she must’ve read her mind. “I’m proud… of you…” This made Yoona cry even harder. Her eyes went and scan where Tiffany was to see if they were still in danger.

When her eyes saw Tiffany, she was scooping up Irene from the cot carefully as she nuzzles her nose in her hair; possessively hugging the human- no, the halfling in her arms. ‘Right, she was a halfling now.’ Yoona thought. ‘Wendy might hate me for turning her mate into a halfling, but it was the best choice I could manage to think of to help Irene.’ Seohyun squeezed her hand agreeing to her thoughts. Just then, Tiffany and Irene vanished into nothingness.

“I’ll bring you back to the Big House. Dara can fix you up, I’m sure!” Yoona sobbed as she fumbles her jacket for the bookmark to call for help- but that wasn’t needed anymore.

*

Taeyeon could smell something awfully familiar as they near the facility. ‘, let’s go faster Wendy! Someone is hurt!’ she said as she figured out what was the smell; burning flesh…

Wendy kind of panicked after hearing what Taeyeon said so she ran past her and shifted back as she saw Yoona’s back facing them. She pushed Yoona’s shoulder away thinking it was Irene lying in her arms to see if she was right. Taeyeon who followed suit saw who was lying in Yoona’s arms and she faced away for a minute combing her fingers through her hair with frustration. She then pushed Yoona away from Seohyun and scooped the fairy out of her hands the carried her away of that place leaving a seething Wendy to tend to the dazed Yoona.

Taeyeon ran as fast as she could to a place where the bookmark wasn’t being jammed then opened a portal right away to the Big House. As soon as she walked past the portal she screamed, “Someone! Whoever! Save her!” Taeyeon knows it too, she could feel Seohyun slipping away from life. Holding at any strand of chance to save her she went inside the Big House to scream for Dara. She owes her mate’s life to this fairy she can’t let her die.

Dara who was fighting with someone inside heard Taeyeon scream and saw Seohyun in Taeyeon’s arms as soon as they entered the doors of infirmary. The man who was having heated conversation with her screamed, “Seohyun!” another man beside her which seemed to be accompanying the man held her back as Taeyeon and Dara placed Seohyun in a bed. Dara went on and began to multiple chant spells beside Seohyun putting her hand above her. Her hair turning white as she focuses on saving the fairy.

Just as Taeyeon was watching Dara do her thing a man grabbed her collar catching her off guard. “Who did that to my empress?!” The man who grabbed her collar asked. Taeyeon noticed his eyes turn ambers with a black slight- like reptile. Taeyeon was still confused, she never knew Seohyun was an empress?

“ing shut up Yonghwa, she’s not your empress.” Dara muttered, getting a bit distracted so a part of her incantation falters. The man accompanying the man named Yonghwa glowered his eyes at Dara while taking out karambits from his pocket but the man holding Taeyeon’s collar calmly said, “Minhyuk, help her save my empress.” Minhyuk without a word went to Seohyun’s left and began focusing on healing Seohyun’s burn until the wounds were spotless that as if there was never a wound in the first place. “You shut up your mouth cursed one! Seohyun has always been my empress.” Taeyeon felt like a total outsider in the conversation, it was like there were tons of context in the argument that she didn’t know but still, Seohyun was her beta’s mate she should say something… right? “She has already worn my salvia pendant. I think that says enough, aye?”  Yonghwa said as he turned to Dara.

Taeyeon didn’t know what that meant but she saw Dara turn to him and then at Seohyun’s neck. As if Dara can’t refute anymore in the conversation, she just glared at him defeated. “You, tell me who did that to my empress.” He said emphasis on ‘empress.’

Taeyeon removed his hand on her collar and calmly said, “I don’t know who did that to her. I came there and saw her like that at Yoona’s arms. I didn’t think twice and thought she had to be saved.”

Yonghwa turned to Dara again. His royal aura commandingly laced his words. “It’s her, isn’t it? It’s her fault like always!” Dara then reverted to her normal self, her hair turning black again and Minhyuk also faced and bowed at Yonghwa. “She’s safe now, your highness.” Dara didn’t answer but her lips pursed into a thin line and that’s all Yonghwa had to see to know why Seohyun ended up like this.

“That’s it.” Yonghwa said with his chin up. Taeyeon could tell Yonghwa was keeping his temper in check. He walked to Seohyun’s side and scooped her out of the bed. “What are you doing?!” Dara said blocking the path to the door.

“You can’t stop me. I’m taking her to Draco Campis with me.”

“You can’t do that!” Taeyeon said “She’s my beta’s mate! You can’t just spirit her away to somewhere!” Just then she felt a blade by it was when she realized the man with Yonghwa was behind her.

“That’s not how it works Yonghwa. You know that too.” Dara said her voice was solemn.

“We both know she’s safer with me than with her. I can’t watch her dying anymore. I’m not going to let her die and go through that painstaking cycle anymore Dara. I can’t.” Yonghwa’s voice was faltering. “I will take care of her in this lifetime. I won’t let anything harm her anymore.”   

“You can’t let him take her Dara. Yoona would be devastated!” Taeyeon yells and felt the kambit’s blade draws neared at .

Dara looks at her with defeated eyes, “I’m sorry Taeyeon.” She said as she steps away of the door carrying Seohyun in his arms.

Minhyuk whispered to her before leaving. “Just so you know, the only reason we helped you was because of her. My liege did it for her empress. You’re welcome.”

*

Yoona was dazed. She swore she heard Seohyun saying that it was okay and she was ready before she closed her eyes in her arms. Suddenly she was gone in her arms and she was being punched by Wendy mindlessly as she shouts at her asking where was her mate. “Where is Joohyun?!” she says as she showers Yoona with barrage of punches. “Tell me where is she?!” Wendy said, crying while she shakes Yoona by her collar.

“Wendy!” someone shouted. It was Krystal and Victoria running to them. Krystal ran and pushed Wendy away from Yoona. Next to Victoria was a familiar girl she had seen once or twice from school before with Yerim.

“Hurting her won’t get you closer to Irene.” The girl said. “We need to re group and plan things if you still want to see her.”

“And who are you to say that?” Wendy asks.

“I’m called Sooyoung. Joy to you, maybe?”

*

Tiffany placed Irene lovingly in her bed inside the manor and looked at herself in the mirror caressing her face and looking at her mismatched colored eyes, one is red and the other dark brown pool as she recalls how has she come this far to search for Hyun.

“Little child…” she heard a voice call her from outside her room. She has been starving. Her aunt Bom and dear Joohyun where nowhere to be seen in the apartment as she looked around but she saw her dad lying face down at the floor by the door. “Daddy?” she whispered scared as she drew nearer to him. She squatted near him and poked him with a finger, “Daddy, Miyoungie is hungry.” But her dad didn’t budge- not even a bit.

“Oh, poor little one, come here…”

Tiffany went near to where the voice was coming from. There lay an amethyst near her dad’s body. “Who are you, lady?” She asked as she picks up the stone and climbed up the sofa holding it.

“I’m a friend, your dad asked me to look after you…” the voice within the stone seemed weak. “Are you hungry?” she asks to which the child just nod. “If you do as I say, you won’t ever grow hungry anymore.” Tiffany could tell that of the stone had a face she would have this smile on it’s face.  “Okay~” Tiffany said excitedly.

“Your daddy wants you to drink from him. If you go near him and raise his wrist- you can bite and drink as much as you like.”

Tiffany tilted her head, “Will daddy be okay if I drink from him?” she might be a child but she did know that it could put his dad in danger if she drank too much. “Daddy always limits me with three bites a day” she sulks.

“It’s ok- say what’s your name again?” the stone said. “Miyoungie is called Miyoung.”

“Miyoung huh, that’s a nice name nut from now on, this lady will call you Tiffany. Okay?” Tiffany just nods. “Go ahead and drink now, this lady has so much adventure ready for you, little one.”

Tiffany then looks around the flat once more, “But where is auntie Bom and my Hyun?” she asks. “Oh, that’s part of the adventure honey. We’re playing hide and seek. We’re the seekers. We’re going to find them both.”

“That’s fun!”

“You want to play?”

Tiffany nods. “Yes! Yes! Miyoungie- uh no, Tiffany loves hide and seek!” she said putting down the stone at the sofa and jumping down from it sitting next to her dad. She reaches out for her dad’s hand and bit his wrist to feed.

“That’s it little one, have your fill.”

*

Tiffany has been feeding from his dad’s body for a day now and roaming around the building in search for her aunt and Hyun. Her dad has no more blood left on him. The voice in the amethyst stone which she hands around her neck as a necklace now hasn’t spoken to her since she has told her to drink from him whenever she needs to feed.

As she draws nearer to their flat the amethyst spoke to her again, “Little one, don’t you think your aunt and Hyun aren’t here anymore?”

Tiffany sulks and kicks at the door, “I think so too! They’re such cheaters, no one told me they hid outside.” She crosses her arms. A few tenants pass her by the corridor whispering how strange she is. “I’m not strange!” she stomps and glares at the passersby.

“Oh~ are they bullying my little one?” the amethyst says, to which Tiffany just cries putting her right arm over her yes as she shed tears. She’s sad. She misses her Hyun. “I think our little one is ready to search outside this place for her Hyun. What do you think about teaching those people a lesson and leaving to search for Hyun, huh?” the amethyst convinces her.

Tiffany does as she was instructed. She went inside the flat and packed a backpack, the lady asks her to search for papers inside the flat. She said it was money, whatever that is? She was also asked to get all the shiny things her daddy was wearing. Tiffany loved those- her dad has lots of those inside the room too. That was all her backpack had inside. “Are we leaving daddy?” she curiously asks as she looks at her dad still lying face first at the living area. “Your daddy already went someplace elsewhere. You’ll understand when you grow older, darling.”

“Why did he leave Miyoungie?” she asks tears threatening to fall. “Because daddy knows you are strong. Didn’t this lady tell you not to use that name anymore? What’s your name?” she asks. “Tiffany…” she said. Next the lady told her to leave the building already.

As Tiffany was asked to stand in front of the building she looks up to their flat. “Now little one, all you have to do is repeat what this lady says. Okay?” Tiffany nods to no one. “Incendere.” The voice inside the amethyst sounded harsh than the one she uses to converse with her, it scared Tiffany for a bit before the voice said caringly at her, “Now try it little one while you raise your hand in the buildings direction.” She nods and raise her right hand while her left hand was holding on a bunny plushie Hyun loved to play with. “Incendere.”

The building in front of her started to burn instantly, making people inside burn as they all try to escape the building. Flaming people jumping from the building not minding if they break a few bones as long as they live.

“Hey kid! What did you do!?” Henry, the guardian overlooking the place said as he grabbed Tiffany ‘s wrist. The innocent kid wasn’t there anymore. “Unhand me deity. Don’t try to meddle with my business.” Said a distorted voice making Henry flinch and let go of her. Tiffany blinked and she was back to normal again. Henry was flabbergasted. She wasn’t that scared kid who went in and out of the place anymore… she was becoming someone else. “Who are you?” he asks. But the distorted voice who made him flinch didn’t answer, instead that innocent voice did. “Miyoungie is called Tiffany.”

She turned and walked away from the building. A few steps away and she turned again, that distorted voice said to him, “I left quite a gift inside that building.” No trace of innocence in the face of the child as she smirks. “I’m going to get it back someday.” With that the child walked away never turning back ever again.

Henry looked at the burning place behind him. He felt a strong curse placed inside one of the many rooms of the building as horror engulfs him. He has to stay here and warn whoever comes near from now on. But before that he has to report to to the grand deity...