Sehun writhed, skin slick with blood, cells ruptured by walls of piercing sound. Screams split the night while echoing flashes of red lightning spread its fingers across the sky. When red lightning crackled across the sky, someone tackled him, pulling him to the ground just as the blast of spectral wind hit them like a wall.  He glanced up to see it was Kai. The emperor coughed and half his soul flew out of his mouth before Sehun grasped it and pressed it back in. Out of some reflex, Kai wrapped his arms around Sehun, cradling Sehun's head against his chest, apparently to protect him. Sehun kept his hand pressed against Kai's mouth as the wind and lightning surged over them, as the raw power of it cracked fissures in the bonds holding all souls in place. Something dark was flying above them,  And the city burned. Sheets of fire and screaming flowed down the streets like water. The air above black and thick with souls trapped between life and death. The black feathered was raining havoc. Sehun felt it with absolute clarity. She had to be stopped. The images changed to something else. Children in cells, some sat gazing blankly at the wall, while others screamed in agony of something being injected into them. He caught glimpse of a familiar face before the scenes changed again. A baby with red and golden hair, swathed in a green silk blanket. The babe was being held against the shoulder of an adult in fine red robes. A thick gold chain was wound three times around the baby's neck. The other end of the chain was tied around the person's slashed wrist. Blood slowly traveled along the chain, moving against all common understanding of physics. The person lifted their head and Sehun caught a glimpse of their red lips. It was a female. Sehun had seen her before, but couldn't say where and the image of her didn't fit with the baby. He also didn't like the look of that chain. It was a locus, drawing magic from the babe and it was going to kill the babe if he didn't stop her. Jerking from the dream, drenched in sweat, Sehun ran a hand down his face. Those visions were truly disbursing. An apparatus that could take away people's souls in numbers, the black feathered burning Lexn, the baby– his baby–being held by that person. And what was with the chain taking blood from his babe and– Deep breath Sehun! Blink's soothing voice penetrated Sehun's racing thoughts. Rest now, stress is not good for the baby. She said. As though the words were laced with sedative Sehun felt his eyes closing and no matter how he tried to keep his mind awake he couldn't and once again he was deep in slumber, this time without any visions. ****
The morning of the hunt dawned with crystal-blue skies and the perfect touch of breeze. House Shin hunting forest was beautiful. The trees towered overhead, their smooth, dark boles like pillars of an endless palace. Bright and dark leaves break up the sunlight like molten stained-glass windows, constantly moving, mottling the hunting party with shadows and light. There wasn't much undergrowth; few places to hide. It would be a good place to ride through if it weren’t a wyrm wood. The party gathered in a clearing with a small lodge and a central fire pit. Wooden benches surrounded the pit, so contestants could sit and chat while cooks work from the actual oven inside the lodge. Lady Shin confer with her hunting master, with Rue sitting nearby, while Kai and the rest of the attendant courtiers checked their gears.  Leather armor and bracers only, no chainmail or golden pauldrons. Wyrm fire heat metal up too quickly. All of Kai's six consorts and yet to be selected concubines were close by. “I’m glad you could make it,” Rue said to the first noble consort Jennie, adjusting her gloves. “I haven’t seen you in ages.” “I’ve been too busy having fun at inner court with my maids,” The first consort replied. "It hasn’t been nearly as fun recently, his Majesty rarely remember of my existence." She glanced at Kai."So I find things to entertain myself. Mark come over sometime. I truly like your company." “Shameless flattery Jennie.” Mark grinned. “Keep going—I love it.” "And you my dear, I've missed you." She winked at Kyungsoo."So pretty, I can't get enough of your beauty. I don't even mind you make me color blind." Kyungsoo rolled his eyes with smile. "You're such a flirt Kim." In response Jennie grinned. "So I've heard." Mark dipped his head in greetings."Hello fourth consort." Despite his effusive greetings, Mark didn't look happy to see Kyungsoo. This likely had something to do with how exquisitely pretty Kyungsoo was. His long blue hair was braided around his head with strands of seed pearls. No doubt Mark see Kyungsoo as competition for Kai's attention. The idiot. Every one knew Kyungsoo and Kai didn't have that kind of relationship. "Excuse me!" Kyungsoo nodded, waking away, he must have noticed Wonho. The sea prince always avoided making people uncomfortable with his ability. Kai's eyes strayed to the edge of the clearing, where a certain guard stood between his two fluffy charge. According to Sehun, Zi and Zia were very interested in wyrms, so they’re happy to join Kai and the others on the hunt. Perhaps Kai imagined the way Sehun turned away whenever he looked over, as if he didn't want to be caught watching Kai in return. Was it the hug from yesterday? Or Sehun still didn't like him? Kai thought they were getting closer. Maybe it was his wistful heart. No something was changing between them, something good, he could feel it.To be honest, Kai was surprised by his own reaction yesterday. The fear he felt when Sehun suddenly disappeared, was so strong that he nearly lost control. Sehun meant a lot to him, and he should be protected. It was the one thing that kept ringing in his head. “Do you think lady Shin will give me a pair of hellacats too, if I ask her nicely?” Hoseok, from the house of Jung said, diverting Kai's attention away from Sehun.“I have to confess I’m a little jealous.” Next to Hoseok was his sister, lady Jia that would be participating in the three way selection. She’s taller and slimmer than her brother, with corkscrew curls pinned under a green cap “Beautiful, aren’t they?” Kai smiled. Hoseok leaned in closer. “Speaking of beautiful, you really must introduce me to that pretty blond.” “Don’t mess around with my employees,” Kai said, not quite casually enough— Hoseok's eyes took on a calculating glint. Lady Jia adjusted her quiver. "I really think you should be careful of that one, Your majesty, he has an unusual eyes. Surely you can find someone a bit more trustworthy to take care of the hellcats.” “Surely you don’t pick your people based on eye color, do you, Lady Jia?” Kai said a little more harshly. Jennie let out a chuckle, patting Kai on the shoulder. "Easy majesty." Before lady Jia could fake an apology, House Shin hunt master whistled. The party gathered by the fire pit.“Today’s hunt is in a five-mile square area,” lady Shin addressed everyone. “A red wyrm has been encroaching on the territories of other nearby wyrms. Whoever slays the beast will win not just glory, but House Shin gratitude for reducing the risk of fires. My hunt master has marked out the perimeter with red flags. Don’t hunt outside them, or you’ll disturb the established wyrms. And remember this isn't just about the thrill of hunt, but also a part of the selection for new concubines. The emperor likes to have his concubine accompany him on hunts." Kai wouldn't have the time to take a concubine on a hunt, if that concubine wasn't Sehun. But he didn't say so out loud. Instead he checked his crossbow and bolts as he listened. Wyrms were smaller, flightless cousins of Scylla basilisk, with six legs instead of wings. Much more aggressive than their larger cousins, they harbor particular animosity for other wyrms. While a stable, established wyrm might never be noticed except for burrows and mildly singed herds of deer, a new wyrm this close to human settlements was well worth a hunt. Since the wyrms had to be lured from their underground lairs, Kai and the rest would be bait as well as hunters, listening for the telltale slither beneath the earth. And wyrms were quick and nasty enough that hunting them all but required magic. In Lexn, that make wyrm hunting a noble’s sport more often than not. However Kai didn't want to use magic, it wouldn't be challenging if he did. Today’s hunters were divided into pairs, with one stronger person in each group. Kyungsoo and Yoona were together, Jennie and Taeyong– the fae, Kai's fifth consort, then Mark and Rue. Neither Mark nor Rue seem happy with the arrangement, which led Kai to think it was perfect. It was clear both had wanted to be paired up Kai. Also perfect: since Kai wanted to try hunting with the cat, Sehun was with him. Kai waved at Sehun as Lady Shin finished. “Ready? I thought we’d head northeast a mile, then cut along the edge. The ground’s better for burrowing there.” Sehun adjusted the tension on his own crossbow."Zia says she wants to go with you. Zi and I will follow behind.”All right, maybe it would be a bit longer yet before he got to talk with Sehun alone again. Kai couldn't fault the arrangement, though, so he put aside his disappointment and bowed to the elegant blue cat. I’m honored, Lady Zia. he said in Hella tongue.Zia blinked her big golden eyes, then yawned in an impressive display of fangs.
Hellacats were perfect for wyrm hunting, Kai decided. Zia moved in near-perfect silence, only occasionally disturbing the leaf litter on the ground. Any sound she made was far quieter than the rustling of leaves far above, or Kai's own quiet movements. At least, she was quiet until a cool female voice out of nowhere made him jump. I smell the little beast to the east. Follow me. Kai whirled to meet Zia's golden eyes. The words were in Hella, so he answered in the same language. “Are you talking to me?" Obviously, since you heard me, it's not like the first time I spoke to you, I told you about Hyunjin's attack. Zia sounded very smug, and Kai nodded. This wasn't the first time he was hearing Zia spoke, however since she only spoke to him once he was started. “Congratulations, if you meant to startle me. Well played.” Speaking to multiple people was troublesome, and speaking to people I dislike is troublesome. And I don’t dislike you. “High praise.” Very high praise. She veered eastwards. Come along. I hear Zi and the kitten catching up, and I want to catch the little beast before Zi does. “The kitten?” Kai grinned, following behind Zia.  Yes, he's like a cat, that's why we like him a lot, cat to cat, if you know what I mean. Lyla and I call him kitten, but he doesn't know about it. “That suits him.” Kai agreed with a chuckle. Her spotted ears flick towards him. See? I dislike you less and less every day. Zi disagrees with me, but I think the kitten is very much like a kitten. A very good kitten. Dappled sunlight waver across the ground, and the cat’s stripes. Kai strive valiantly to pay attention to his surroundings, the fresh scent and birdsong, instead of losing his imagination to the thought of Sehun as a kitten. “What else can you tell me about Sehun?” Kai asked. I’ll tell him you asked. I dislike secrets. “That’s fine. Honesty’s too rare at court.” Not that Kai was any help with that. Zia's tail swished. He’s good with his hands. He always finds the right place to scratch behind my ears. He doesn’t talk too much unless he's with the death mage, but he pays attention.  Her ears flickered toward him again. He pays a lot of attention to you. Kai's mind was so caught up on the phrase ‘good with his hands’ that he took a moment to process Zia's last remark. “He pays attention to me?” Zia's laughter rolled through his mind. He watches you more carefully than Lui watches Zi. It’s absurd to witness. "You think he likes me, like Liu and Zi?" I don't know. You ask him. "Do you think he's happy with the wedding?" Happy? Not really, but he's willing to compromise. "I want to make him happy. You think he'll allow me." Kai confessed. No idea. Zia huffed. Just treat him well, or else Blink is surely going to assassinate you. And she can be brutal I tell ya. "Blink? Why?" No one messes with her baby boy, she sees the kitten as her son . "What–" Kai wanted to ask for more details, but a sound interrupted his pleased curiosity. The subterranean hiss and rattle of a scaled creature moving under the forest floor. Zia paused too, then circled around. Heart quickening in anticipation, Kai adjusted his two-bolt crossbow and readied it to fire. This hunt was his to win. Kai didn't want any to be concubine to get points. Honestly he didn't want anyone to join his Harem other than Sehun. The other six, he had a reason to have, but no more. Almost here, Zia said. Kai didn't reply; the wyrm would hear him. He pointed at a clear spot, free of rising roots, then gestured away. Zia moved to the side, clearly intent on the spot he pointed to. His siblings would be able to tap into the network of roots and precisely map out the burrow. Kai had seen his brother kill a wyrm before it even burst from the earth, on one of the rare occasions Taehyung came out hunting with him. Taehyung didn't enjoy the hunt, and Kai understood why; Taehyung hated violence and prefer to be making new clothes. However if one made the mistake of thinking him weak they were in for a surprise. Wyrms sensed heat as well as sound. Thus a little air magic would be best in this. Kai exhaled. Imagined his breath merging with the air around him, a mental trick to visualize his control. When his awareness settled, he concentrated on cooling the air surrounding him and Zia. Her tail twitched.The rattle-hiss beneath their feet stopped. The wyrm hadn’t moved away, but it was no longer so sure of its prey’s location. This next trick was more difficult, and a bead of sweat slid down Kai's temple despite the chill., Holding his magic back was harder than he thought. As he maintained the cooler temperature around himself and Zia, he spun the air faster above the targeted spot. Hopefully heating the air. Possibly just spinning fallen leaves up into a tiny tornado. Moments passed. The wyrm stayed silent. Okay, tiny tornado was a failure. Time for plan b. Kai pushed back his magic, lifted his crossbow, and fired. The bolt quivered into the soft earth.
 
After a moment of supreme silence, the ground exploded beneath it.The wyrm’s jaws snap shut on air and earth. Orange flame blazed between its jagged teeth, and its dirt-crusted body whipped into the air. As large as Zia, the wyrm’s twisting serpentine body was difficult to focus on. Using its blazing white eye and the joints of its limbs as reference, Kai darted sideways to get an angle on its neck. There was a downside to this technique for drawing out the wyrm: Kai only had one loaded crossbow bolt left, and he couldn't count on a chance to reload. Zia pounced from the side. The wyrm was quick, but not quite quick enough to escape her grasp. Her paws land heavily on its tail, and the wyrm shrieked with sparks of fire. It heaved against her clawed grasp—and its tail detached with an audible tear of flesh. How dare it! Zia shouted in Kai's head. That isn’t fair! Kai didn't have time to answer; the missing tail didn't slow the wyrm down at all. “Get back.” Kai aimed his crossbow. He needed just the right angle. “Jump it if I miss.” Pathetic. Just don’t miss! “I don’t intend to.” His voice drawed the wyrm’s attention. Kai braced himself and focused on the wyrm’s writhing body. Twenty feet away, its six legs tense into a crouch, then launch its serpentine body toward him. Forcing himself to relax, Kai waited as the creature barreled closer. Concentration linked him again to the surrounding air, and he pushed it toward the wyrm as hard as he could. The sudden rush of wind didn't stop the wyrm, but the extra air resistance was enough. The wyrm slowed down for just a second. When he released the bolt, the wyrm crashed to the ground. Zia pounced around the convulsing creature, watching intently until it fell motionless. The smoother scales of its belly twist up toward the sky, and from its throat protrude not one but three steel bolts. Turning around, Kai found Sehun standing behind him, already loading fresh bolts into his crossbow. Kai hadn’t heard him and Zi approach at all. “Hello, there.” Kai laughed breathlessly. “Were you trying to steal my kill?” He slung his own crossbow over his back and drew his sword. The wyrm looked very dead—black ash smears across its once-powerful jaws—but being careful never hurt. Sehun walked closer, his focus still on the wyrm. Zi, who blended with the dappled light even better than Zia, padded behind him. “Your bolt hit first.” “Of course it did. I’m an expert wyrm hunter.” And thankfully his little experiment mostly worked. Kai poked the corpse with the tip of his sword. It didn't move, so he sheathed his sword. “If you wanted the kill, you should have told me earlier. Next time you hunt with me, you can have it. I’ll make sure of it.” Sehun's lips part slightly, the faintest crack in his unreadable expression. This close, Kai could see just inside the soft pink curve of his lower lip. Its movement was mesmerizing as Sehun spoke. “I don’t care about the kill. I just wanted to make sure you were all right.” Kai wanted to kiss him, scratch that, he wanted to do a lot more than just kiss him. Hold him down and him senseless in different positions. Shaking his head, he said.“Were you concerned for me?” Something about the leaf-scattered sunlight in Sehun's hair drove Kai dazzled-mad. He considered reassuring Sehun that he had things well in hand, but he didn't, having Sehun worry about him was something. “I think I like you concerned for me.” When he took a strand of Sehun's hair between his gloved fingers, Sehun stood almost still. Only his eyelashes shivered briefly. “I don’t like you reckless,” Sehun said quietly. “Your majesty.”Somehow, the honorific didn't increase the distance between them. It bridge the gap. Zia's mental voice shattered the moment. Can we eat it yet? If not, somebody do something, because Zi is about to eat it. When Kai whirled around, Zi innocently retracted his paw from nudging the wyrm’s dead face.