Bab 2: Before the festival (additional chapter)

Devon bends over the body of the dead man and turns him over. It was the fifth murder this week. It was a two of hearts, as so was imprinted on his temple. About two in the morning one of the neeners had come running to them, shaking all over as she stumbled for words then finally gave up and showed it to them instead.

It was a clean hit on the head with an arrow. A skilled shooter indeed. The man's eyes were wide open, so Devon shut them and ordered the other aces to let his family decide how they wanted to bid him.

As far as Devon could guess, he was coming from the Darklands. So were the other four.

"Ace?" Guilford asked from his side, raking his exhausted eyes up and down the body of the dead man. After all these years, one would think Devon was used to seeing Guilford's blond hair look purplish in the morning light, little did they know that everytime he looked at him he couldn't resist looking at the hair.

Before Guilford had been turned into an ace, his hair colour had been brown. He'd hated the blonde hair, he'd even spent a week staring into the mirror or hoping he could somehow get rid of them, the memory still made Devon laugh. How innocent they both were back then.

Now Guilford only wished to stay alive. Considering how risky things had become, Devon did too. His violet eyes, the same as Devon's (Only without the blues), moved to him silently asking the confirmation to his earlier question.

Devon nodded "Ace." He looked at the body again. the man had fought, Devon knew that by looking at the red marks on his skin, but looking at how cleanly and silently he'd been killed...not the work of the common residents, clearly an Ace.

Guilford's eyes followed the aces taking the body on the family's command to heaven-knows-where. "Where do you think they're taking him?" He asked, slow enough so the family couldn't hear their conversation. They anyway, didn't look interested in eavesdropping no matter what.

"They're going to bury the body," Foyer said, coming to rest near them; where the body had been a few moments ago. "The family wants him buried behind the house, so they could watch over him"

"Goddess save the children from the lifetime of nightmares then" Devon said propping his chin on his knuckles as he sat on the fallen tree.

Foyer snorts and rolls his eyes. His brown and perfectly tanned skin suited his hair worse than Guilford's had. Although it was a matter of debate how Guilford looked good no matter what the colour of his hair was.

His lean body stood towering over Devon and Foyer who was slumped beside him. He glares at Devon "You could at least be kind enough to show sympathy towards the family. They just lost a member"

Devon clicked his tongue "Not one they loved then, it looks like their wish has come true." Guilford frowns at home "I saw the mother hiding her smile"

Guilford sighed "Devon it probably looked like she was smiling"

"No. It's incredibly hard for humans to hide how they truly feel. And she felt happy. If you look close enough, you'd see too"

Foyer crossed his legs and leaned on his arms "I do agree with you, that family is one suspicious bunch. I smell poison on the dead body. Probably mixed something in the food "

Devon nodded his agreement.

Between them, one to another. Then finally, settled down next to Devon, "whatever it is, let's respect the dead"

Devon smirked "Too late for that now"

Foyer merely pointed a finger at them "also" he said shifting a little, the only hint of his discomfort "they deserve it"

Guilford rubbed his temples with his calloused fingers. A headache. Devon was getting one too. Too many sleepless nights and too many things happening all at once, all Devon wanted now was to feel the soft mattress and breathe in the scent of thorns lingering in his room.

Romantic as it might sound, he did have real thorns in his room, looping over the pillars, something Devon could no longer insist on ignoring since Guilford made sure to remind him that every time he walked into his room.

"Do you think the attacks would carry on for a while?" He asked Devon. Foyer, safely, pretended to not be interested in listening to them talk.

Devon shrugged "They might...they might not"

Guilford looked around anxiously "But the festival's tomorrow"

"I'm hoping we'd somehow be successful enough in convincing the one-eyed royals to increase the security" Devon reasoned, if only to calm him.

But Guilford was not going to have it "You and I both know they wouldn't listen, the royals like to celebrate, and they are certainly going to allow visitors to enter"

Devon nodded casually "It wouldn't matter anyway, the killer's probably inside the kingdom now"

Guilford frowned "And you, not-surprisingly, sound okay with it"

Devon gave his partner a lopsided smile "I am sure no one, and i mean it when I say-- no one can bear to live in this kingdom, so don't expect the attacks to last too long"

An involuntary smile forms on Guilford's lips as he nudges Devon "Hey, its not that bad"

Devon narrows his eyes at him, the sun outlining Guilford's chameleon hair, then looks at his face again "You have no idea how bad it is" It was bad really. And in all honesty, the kingdom of oakrien; their kingdom, was the worst one so far.

Guilford frowns "Have you been to other kingdoms?"

Devon shakes his head "No, but I dream; I don't know if it's a real experience of my childhood or just something my brain made up, but I remember a female sending me back to sleep, I remember the scent of roses and magic, and I remember being free and happy"

He looks around himself, blinking as the dream vanishes from his eyes too early for his liking. And it doesnt come back, even when Devon tries to remember, the fresh clouds, the scent of rain and dirt, the feel of moist glass under his feet and being free enough to run all around the kingdom without anoyance.

All he saw now was the boring stone wall in front of his eyes marking the end of the kingdom. The air here was nowhere fresh, it was...dusty and dry and hot. There was no happiness in this kingdom, no freedom despite the privileges being an ace got him.

He turned back to Guilford who was gazing at him too intently, and he seemed very focused on it. He frowned as if he couldn't quite understand Devon's face. "What?" Devon snapped.

"I don't believe such a kingdom even exists" He says slowly.

Devon shifts to ignore the pain in his ass he developed by sitting on the tree trunk.

Guilford smiles then "Looks like you aren't the only one with a pain in his ass" He looks up at Foyer.

Devon following his gaze looks at Foyer who's continuously shifting on the trunk. His cheeks heat up when he notices them observing him. "I'm not used to this"

Devon tips his head back and laughs, Guilford was laughing with him.

...

While the summer was too ordinary for her, the cold wind that blew the hair away from her face was too extraordinary for her to not think about it and the way it made her shiver. She wrapped her arms around her torso and prowled ahead into the dangerous forest she called her home.

And there those beasts were, chewing on the flesh of an animal. She gambled it was a rabbit. Those beasts were dangerous creatures and although she has wards set up around the house one could never be too careful.

She knew it was stupid on her part to use a whip instead of the bow and arrow her father had taught her but, this was what she loved, living in the Darklands and hunting down beasts in secrecy.

Quicker than lightning, she lashed the whip on the beast. It curled around its neck, as the beast's arms struggled free itself. Meilie pulled the whip backwards letting the beast's body explode into an ugly green slimy substance that coated the sand.

She grimaced as she looked at the ground. Unpleasant. The morning light flooded inside the darklands as the darkness from the river of hatred dulled. Lesser beasts formed out of it.

The river of hatred was a body of thick black stinky liquid that started from the wards of the kingdom and ended where the Darklands ended. It fed on everyone's hatred, their lust, their desires, even their regrets and guilts; all sorts of negative emotion. The beasts were the demons inside one. They roamed in the forest and destroyed things during the night.

That was the last one, the sunlight would terminate the rest anyway. With silent footsteps Meilie prowled ahead, savouring the morning light even though she couldn't see the sun, which was hidden beneath the clouds.

For some reason, she hated the sunlight. Perhaps because it was too hot or because it was sometimes red in colour.

"Not really as pleasant as you look, are you?" The voice sounded oddly familiar to her. When she turned, she knew why. Devon, as the ace of hearts had called the spadille, stood there leaning against a tree. The creases on his forehead were enough to indicate that he didn't have a good night's sleep, but he also looked a little shaken.

Meilie looked around herself. Surely something went wrong in this forest. "Did I kill your pet?"

Devon raised his eyebrows, amusement flashing in his eyes "Did I say you killed my pet?"

Meilie shrugged "You look like I did"

Devon rubbed his forehead "who do you consider my pet to be?" He mumbled.

Meilie tilted her head, studying him. Upclose, he looked to be in a worse shape, his eyebrows knitted as if he had a headache. "Too many sleepless nights or simply the crowd?"

"Huh?" Devon blinked.

"Which is it?" She said waving her hand on her head to indicate the headache "Sleepless nights or the crowd" she repeated.

Devon was silent for several beats, taking his turn to study her. He directed his judgement towards her whip. Correcting the accusation in his eyes. What the accusation was for, Meilie had no idea. Though there wouldn't be any need to worry, he seemed to have talked himself out of it.

"It's not safe in here, even if you know how to use a whip" was all he said.

She heard the answer echoing in her head, clear as crystal; neither.

Something truly was bothering him. And she knew he could have easily meant the beasts roaming around...but something in his expression told her not to be so sure. Her eyes traveled down to Devon's hand; blood. But not his for he seemed unharmed.

She combined the pieces together, finally understanding "Ah" she said, struggling to hide the small upturn of her lips "A death it is then, isn't it?"

If anything, Devon looked at her like she had grown antlers over her head, "Uh-yes"

"A beast then? You know it happens everyday...someone or the other falls in the trap and the beasts eat them. Bit by bit" She added the last bit with a look predatory enough to fuel Devon's suspicion.

But he saw it for the trick it was, for he laughed "What kind of an idiot would try to frame themselves in front of an ace."

She smiled "It wouldn't matter. I'd get away before you can get a hold of me" Before he could say anything else she asked concern lacing her voice now "It was a beast, wasn't it?"

Devon looked at her long enough to make her uncomfortable, his gaze shifting from her left eye to her right eye "A man. It was a man"

Meilie wondered where it had been, how had the victim felt? Was it too painful or was it quick? "Tell me more" She said, making no attempt to hide her desperation. If the aces were concerned, there was no reason for her to not be.

Devon leaned against a tree "I'm not allowed to"

"Who says?" Meilie snapped.

"It might cause panic in the kingdom"

Meilie snorted "Then I can't be sure you and I are living in the same kingdom. This is by far the worst kingdom I have known; I can't recall the last time I ever saw anyone worried about their lives rather than trying to not spend their days brooding"

Devon grins at her "That's what I said; but no one ever listens to me"

"So go on" She pestered him.

Devon rolled his eyes but his smile vanished "There have been four more. All leading to the darklands, the murders are random so far, but we suspect there might have been witnesses"

"Witnesses of what?" Meilie asks.

Devon runs a hand in his blonde hair in frustration "We don't know. And the royals are going to open the wards tomorrow, for the festival--" he didn't continue after that, only shook his head.

"But it might not be something from another kingdom, it could be us, any of us"

Devon nodded "But the royals shouldn't be holding the festival this year, anyone could die."

By his tone, Meilie knew he hadn't voiced out his worries to anyone, so she asked "Why tell all that to me?"

His attention shifted to her "You're awfully good at reading people"

"So are you" She flipped it back.

Devon smirked "Where did you learn to read people so well?"

Meilie scoffed "Nice try, but wherever I learnt to read people so well, I was also taught to understand when someone is trying to change the topic."

Devon laughed "You aren't what I expected" She let him change the topic this time. Meilie knew when to pry and when not to.

"You judge people rather quick, don't you?" She raised an eyebrow

"What does it matter, my judgement is usually correct" he snorted

"Well, wouldn't want to argue with peasants", she raised her hands in defeat.

Devon then gave her a look she couldn't read "Try not to be seen roaming in the Darklands, anyone can hold you accountable at this moment" more so because you are a neener. The words stayed unspoken between them.

"Thus the accusation. I can't say I'm completely dishonoured though."

Devon frowned "I never accused you."

Meilie scoffed "Of course." She looped her whip around her waist to make it look like a belt. Preparing to be the innocent slave she was. "Now, if you don't mind then I might have to leave, I have work to do"

Without waiting for him to reply she turned to leave before his voice cut in "You'll hurt yourself"

She turned to look at him with raised eyebrows. He eyed the whip looped around her waist as a belt "You'll hurt yourself that way" He repeated.

"Will I?" She knew it. Had even hurt herself too deep if she was honest. But she won't confess. No one knew it, not Unther, not her master, and not even her best friend Arganum. They knew she used a whip but they had never shown any indication that they suspected the whip could hurt her.

But perhaps she shouldn't be surprised Devon knew that. Weapons were playthings for him anyway. He moved towards her and removed the whip from her waist. Meilie tensed at the touch, a little surprised too.

Devon stretched the whip in his hands and tied it around her waist where it wouldn't push against her thighs when she sat, or her ribs. She didn't have to try to sit to know just how easier it was that way.

"There," Devon said and stepped away from her with an unreadable expression.

Meilie smiled at him "Thank you"

Devon nodded.

Before leaving, she looked at him over her shoulder "Tell me one last thing" She said looking into the blue shades of his violet eyes "Whatever you told me now, it was meant as a warning wasn't it, to stay away from the aces and the royals"

Devon was quiet for a long time, then "Yes"

She nodded and walked away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~