Neither the collective gasps from the crowd of royals, nor the sheer shock and bewilderment on Baekhyun’s face stopped Andrea from releasing the arrow in her hands, and watching it strike the crown right out of the bishop’s hands.

  “An – “

  Before he could finish calling her name, the crown crashed to the floor, shattering into shards of glass – which meant it wasn’t made of gold at all, but how could his uncle tolerate a fake crown? thought Baekhyun – and almost at the same time, a black smoke exploded from within. It rushed outwards with sharp sounds as if finally free from being trapped within the crown, splitting into talon-like smoke and aiming straight for the crowd of royals and nobles.

  Screams erupted. People started running out of the front doors which more and more Stargazers were streaming in through, led by Luhan and Lilie, but some unlucky ones got caught up by the terrifying black smoke. They screamed even louder when it whirled round them, like a void black whirlwind ready to devour them, but just as suddenly it disappeared, and the royals weren’t screaming anymore. Instead, they stood stiff like statues, their eyes nothing but black, and their expressions blank.

  Horrified, Andrea knew what it meant. They were now possessed, or to say, under the influence of the owner of the frightening, black mist.

  “Tao!” She called out. “Stop time now – “

  “Foolish child. Your powers do not work here.”

  The blood running ferociously in Andrea’s veins instantly turned cold. Slowly, she turned her head around to where Baekhyun was standing, beside a horror-stricken Princess Celeste, but her eyes weren’t on him; instead, they were on the person behind him.

  She would rather be staring at the former.

   Menace and pure evil pulsed out of the figure like shadows of black as he strode forward, swirling around him and reaching out like talons. His eyes were as black as endless holes, sending cold shivers down Andrea’s spine. Just his mere presence was suffocating, and she had a strong, compelled feeling of falling to her knees and begging him for mercy.

  The faint groans and whimpers of struggling from the other Stargazers behind her convinced her that she wasn’t the only one feeling that way.

  “Byun Kang Dae,” she said through clenched teeth, fighting the urge to crumple to the floor. “Kai was right. You actually planned on putting a spell on your own nephew.”

  “What? No!” To Andrea’s – and everyone else’s – surprise, Baekhyun stepped forward, motioning to protect his uncle and Princess Celeste. “No, you’re speaking nonsense. Are you listening to yourself? How can you accuse the king – “

  “Baek, don’t tell me you didn’t just witness that… that black thing come out from the crown that was supposed to be put on your head.” Kai took a step forward. “I know you did. How do you explain that, then?”

  “How dare you?” Hurt and anger were seething in Baekhyun’s voice. “You’re a part of this, too, Kai? The crashing of my coronation? Whatever have I done to make you betray me like this – “

  “Baekhyun – “

  “And perhaps what just happened to the crown was a mistake – “

  “Mistake?!” Andrea cried out in unbelief. “Your uncle was about to poison you and you call that a mistake?!”

  “How can you be so sure it was him – “

  “Because he wants the throne, Baekhyun!” She yelled, not caring of there were still nobles and royals present, or all the Stargazers were watching her argue with a prince, or Princess Celeste was shivering behind her fiancé’s back. “He’ll do anything to ensure that you remain a mundane human, and as soon as you turn nineteen tonight, you’ll lose all your powers!”

  Baekhyun shook his head. “Powers? An – “

  “You’re a Stargazer, too, Baekhyun!”

  ‘He’ll never doubt your words, girly. As long as you have confidence in yourself. And as long as you speak the truth.’

  “Your name was on the Heritage Tree of royal and noble Stargazers, so was Kai’s, and mine, and… and so was your father’s – “

  “Nonsense – !"

  “And if a Stargazer doesn’t trigger out his powers,” she continued, “as soon as he or she turns nineteen, he or she will lose all of them, forever.” She cut her gaze to the man behind Baekhyun, and saw the darkening in his eyes, if possible because they were already so black. “You.” Andrea trembled with anger. “You had planned this all along.”

  Baekhyun whirled around to stare at his uncle with confusion.

  “You purposely told everyone that Baekhyun only wanted to be coronated when he turns nineteen, so as soon as he does, you can still have power over him. So there wouldn’t be a chance for him to be stronger than you. So you could still be in charge of the throne, making him your little puppet to pull strings at.” Disgust filled her voice, and she didn’t even try to hide it. “This today, was just another one of your acts.”

  After a few seconds of silence, a low, menacing chuckle escaped from Kang Dae’s lips, and she felt Sehun tense his shoulders behind her. “Such an interesting fairytale you have kindly shared with us, little girl. But tell me; do you have evidence? Do you assume we would possibly believe in your lies?”

  “They are not lies.” Andrea’s voice was loud and clear, and it rang among the whole rotunda, sending out feelings of unwavering strength and boldness like what a true leader would have. Sehun and Kai felt proud; Baekhyun felt his eyebrows rise. “I have evidence.”

  Kang Dae narrowed his eyes, but he didn’t speak.

  “I have evidence, from the memories of my brother.”

  Baekhyun gaped. Brother?!

  “From the memories of my brother who witnessed everything you did to your own brother seven years ago, Byun Kang Dae. From the memories of my brother who almost lost his life in the Fire that was actually set by you. From the memories of my dearest brother, Park Chanyeol.”

  Baekhyun almost lose his balance. Kang Dae roared. “Nonsense! You are all of lies! The Park family is dead; I am never wrong!”

  “Is that so?” Andrea questioned, feeling smug at the outraged emotion on his face. “But as you can see, I am standing perfectly right here, and my brother is still breathing.”

  “You – “ For a split second, Andrea thought she saw panic flicker in his eyes, but it vanished as he realized out loud: “Park Min Sae.” To her confusion, the sides of his lips twirked up, revealing a grin which turned into a sinister laugh, a laugh that could turn the air around her cold. “So it has indeed occurred. Finally, I have had the honor to meet the legendary Princess Sabrina.”

  “Princess – “

  Andrea’s sudden cry of pain cut off Baekhyun’s exclamation.

  Sehun, Kai and Baekhyun motioned to rush to her, but only the former two really moved their feet. “An – “

  “No!” She her hand to them behind her back, one of her knees on the floor. “Don’t…” Don’t say my name!

  It was a telepathic message meant for Sehun and Kai, but somehow Baekhyun heard it, too, freezing him on the spot.

  Why aren’t we doing as planned, Andrea?! Frustration colored Kai’s voice. Why can’t we just charge up there and grab him –

  And make it look like you’re the traitor? No! I need to make Kang Dae admit all those sins he had committed in front of everyone. I need to –

  With another whimper, Andrea’s palms hit the floor, the excruciating pain in her head intensifying under the power Kang Dae was pressing onto her by her Name.

  Girly –!

  “Did you think I wouldn’t have predicted this?” Everything seemed to silent down in fear as Kang Dae walked down the marble stairs, slowly, toward where Andrea was bending in pain. Baekhyun, Sehun and all the other Stargazers fell to their knees, succumbing to the invisible force vibrating from Kang Dae, pressing on to them. “Did you think I wouldn't have heard the whispers among the wind, the rumors of a ‘savior of the Stargazers’, and do nothing?” He half-scowled, half-chuckled. “I just didn’t expect it would be you, Park Min Sae.” Another wave of pain shot through her. “Although it is very surprising to see you here, I blame myself for not going with my plans thoroughly. I should’ve killed you seven years ago.”

  Struggling, Andrea lifted her head. “And why… why didn’t you? You killed my family, and your own brother. What stopped you – “

  “I hadn’t known of your presence!” Kang Dae raged. “Your father… he hid you well. Too well and too protected, only telling a handful of people about you. And when the light died in his eyes as he died, when I tried to penetrate his mind, there was this one box – one tiny, little box he protected with his life – that I could not see. Only when I read the Heritage Tree, did I realize it was of you. His hidden daughter.” He sneered. “I did try to hunt you down, my dear, but it was already months after the Fire. I assumed you were already dead, killed in the scorching flames – “

  “How… how could you?”

  To see Baekhyun on his knees, bending like the rest of them in pain, squeezed at Andrea’s heart like it were being tightened by a rope. But how could he only be affected by Kang Dae’s suffocating aura now, when for seven years he had not?

  The horror on his face and in his voice were so pure, it made her instantly feel sorry and guilty for revealing to him the ugly truth of his uncle, his uncle he had respected but had been lied by. “You… how could you desire to murder a – a child, uncle?! You – “

  “She was, and is, a Stargazer.”

  “And for that we ban them, not kill them! You were the one who taught me to show mercy! You were the one who told me a king must know when a must is a must, and shed as little blood as possible – “

  “I lied.”

  Those two words, simple but meaningful, shattered everything Baekhyun knew, and they came out of Kang Dae’s mouth as easily as if he were announcing that he were full. “Very well; if you all intend to turn this ugly.” His eyes gleamed with hatred and anger, but no fear. “I lied to you, my dear nephew. About everything.”

  Andrea swore she saw Baekhyun’s eyes glisten with tears when he stopped struggling against the strange force he had tried to bear. “So it is true.” His voice was barely above a whisper, but the surroundings were so quiet even a commotion happening outside the closed palace doors could be heard. “They weren’t lying. You… you killed my father? Your own brother – “

  “Yes, yes, yes, your father is my own brother, what is the purpose of everyone repeating that part numerous times?” Kang Dae waved his hands, irritated. “Indeed, I killed my own brother; so what? He deserved it. So did the others who had died under my hands. Park Chan Yong should’ve told me, he should’ve told me that we are all Stargazers! He was responsible for hiding such a secret for so long, for causing me to lose what could’ve been mine! And that Byun Soo Jin, who dares call himself my brother,” he spat, “when only he had kept so many secrets from me, including having ‘accidently’ triggering his special abilities and possessing them! Keeping me and even you, his own son, in the dark for so long!”

  “That is why you resorted to using Dark Magic,” Andrea realized. “Because you wanted powers, too.”

  “They took away what was supposed to be mine. My own brother told me to just accept the fact that I missed the chance to possess such powerful abilities, before we found out Park Chan Young had the same advantages as him. And yes, before realizing the king himself had such a big secret, I learned Dark Magic, controlled it, mastered it. However, when I finally had gotten stronger than my brother, I found out that they two were actually plotting against me, scheming to ban me of my newfound powers – so indeed. I murdered them.” He smiled. “Hence, I finally became king.”

  “You monster!” Andrea bared her teeth as a new surge of rage flew inside her, giving her energy to stand up on her feet, though not without effort. “You blood-thirsty, power-corrupted monster, I will disclose all your ugly doings to every single person in this world and take you down – “

  “Take me down?” Kang Dae’s chuckle turned into a sinister laugh, as if he just saw a little child pointing a pillow at him and declaring war. “Are you certain you want to charge at me, Princess? Although I do admire your foolish bravery and the uncommon strength against my wrath – which is a part I do not understand – that should have you screaming for mercy because I am calling you by your Name…” he grinned. “I suppose it is time to show you something, my dear, before I let you die a miserable death for trying to take away my throne.”

  “You – “

  Kang Dae snapped his fingers once. A second later, the large door on the left – the one leading to the kitchen, Andrea remembered – opened, and six Royal Guards stepped out, every two holding a prisoner by the arms. The prisoners on the very left and very right had their heads hung low as if exhausted from years of torture, but the one in the middle, the one Andrea recognized immediately with a horrified shriek, was thrashing around, open and obviously screaming but with no sound coming out.

  “Hazel!”

  At the mention of her name, Hazel stopped thrashing in the Guards’ grip, her wild eyes locking with Andrea’s. She realized her dress – the maid outfit she had been wearing at the Grand Feast – was torn and ragged, and like her face was colored with stains of fresh, bright-red blood, and with a jolt Andrea realized that Hazel hadn’t gone home last night.

  How could I have been so careless? Not noticing that Hazel hadn’t come home? Is that why Gillian had seemed so disturbed?

  Where is Gillian, anyway?!

  The Guards stopped a few feet away from the crowd, Baekhyun, Andrea, and Kang Dae. The metal cuffs on the wrists and ankles of the prisoners clanged against the floor as they were pushed to kneel on the marble floor, and even though they somehow couldn’t make any sound, Andrea could feel their excruciating pain.

  “What is the meaning of this?!” She exclaimed, stunned. Hazel’s mouth seemed to form a ‘No’ as Andrea started toward her, but that didn’t stop her. “Let them – “

  “Let them go, I command you!” Kai beat her, his voice strained but clear, his brown eyes on the Guards. “As your leader, I command you to – “

  “They do not listen to anyone but me,” Kang Dae said with a smirk, watching as defeat washed over Kai’s face. “Only me, their king.”

  At the sound of Kang Dae’s voice, the other two prisoners lifted up their heads, slightly, but enough for Andrea to drop her bow and Sehun to let out a strangled cry.

  “Owl!"

  Sehun started, but before he could get three feet near the black-haired, hazel-eyed girl with a look of fear and love on her face and in her eyes, directed toward Sehun, an invisible force like a wall between them blasted him away, sending him flying backwards into the air.

  A loud thud erupted when he hit the floor. “Sehun!” Despite the fact that she had been staring at the other prisoner with sheer shock and confusion, Andrea ran to Sehun’s side, a few feet away. He groaned as she surveyed his body for any injuries; fortunately, there were none.

  “Girly…” he managed to open his eyes.

  “Ssh, don’t talk right now; that must’ve been some kind of protection shield.”

  “Owl…”

  She nodded. “She’s fine, other than crying since you got blasted – “

  “The other.” Sehun grabbed her hand suddenly, with a force not so gentle. “He’s – “

  “I know.” Andrea lifted her head again, to stare at the other prisoner, to let all her unbelief and shock show on her face. “I know, Sehun. It’s Rick.”

  A… Andrea…?

[A/N] /FALLS TO KNEES/ YOU GUYS CAN THROW TOFU AT ME OR KIMCHI OR ANYTHING YOU LIKE I WILL ACCEPT THE PUNISHMENT ;_____; I am terribly sorry, and I swear, the next update will not make you wait so long again or I will deprive myself of the soul-killing Yeol gif I finally found yesterday and let my heart shrivel into the size of a pea.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE COMMENTED SAYING HOW MUCH YOU LIKE THIS STORY, I GIVE YOU ALL MY GRATITUDE AND 73 TIMES MORE LOVE!! I love this story so much and it really means a lot to me, thank you all <3 YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST.

P.S. SO YES... this is the chapter that I wrote first, and the chapter that started this whole story. I mean like, the 'YOU'RE A STARGAZER, TOO, BAEK!' part LOOOOOOOL <3<3<3