"Eisha knew nothing... I led her and Shin directly into everything. I told her that location mattered when having sex, they say the forest is a very good place to have a child because nature blesses it."
’How sleek...’
Anike chuckled.
"It wasn’t until after she found you... and the dead bodies that she pieced it all together and contacted , absolutely furious."
She looked down, slightly sullen.
"Regardless of my intentions, I manipulated and lied to her, which was essentially what Eisha had always hated most. It led to our... disagreent over the past seventeen years."
Northern looked at her, amused.
"So you and Mother were fighting all that ti? You just—"
Anike nodded.
"I was surprised to find her here. She was being pursued, and this was the closest haven she could think of." Her expression softened. "I’m happy, though. It’s nice to have my Eisha back."
Northern studied the sweet smile on the priestess’s face—she truly seed happy. He looked away, staring into the cascading water at the edge of the oasis.
’So it really was arranged. All of it.’
The timing, the place, Eisha and Shin showing up exactly when he’d needed them. A part of him wanted to feel manipulated, used like a piece on so cosmic ga board. But the pragmatic side won out, as it always did.
’If they hadn’t been there, I’d be dead. Whatever conspiracy she cooked up, however she pulled their strings... it saved my life.’
Hard to complain about that.
"There’s more," Anike said quietly.
Northern looked back at her. Sothing in her expression made his chest tighten slightly.
"Your birth mother is alive."
The words hung in the air between them, heavy with implications he’d already worked through months ago.
Northern’s face remained impassive. No shock, no surprise.
Anike tilted her head, studying him.
"You already know?"
Northern exhaled.
"We t in Luinngard, before it got destroyed at least."
Her hands imdiately flew to cover her mouth. "Luinngard has been destroyed?!"
Northern belatedly realized the problem.
’Right... the people here have been cut off. No news gets through.’
He sighed and added in a tired tone, "This and that happened. The small empire was consud in the midst of it all. Many people died." He paused. "Many people are also alive."
Anike still looked stunned, but her eyes had returned to normal. She seed to contemplate sothing deeply, processing the weight of what he’d just said so casually. Then her gaze sharpened, fixing on Northern.
"I’m sorry, what exactly did you an by ’this and that’...?"
Northern looked at her for a mont, hesitating. At last, he turned away and conveyed the truth with an absurdly casual tone.
"I battled a bunch of bad guys. One Tyrant, one half-Tyrant half-Origin, and one Origin. I couldn’t keep it contained no matter how much I tried, so it got out of hand and devastated the lands..."
He chuckled, almost sheepish. "Now that I think about it... perhaps I should have been more careful."
’Probably shouldn’t have let that escalate quite so much.’
Anike was staring at him, eyes wide and face pale. She swatted Northern’s shoulder with reproach.
"Child! What do you an ’more careful’?! It’s a miracle you’re even—how can one person even survive—are you human?"
Northern smiled wistfully and shook his head. "I’m not. Well, I used to be." His voice dropped. "But I’m not anymore."
Anike blinked at him several tis. Then she chuckled, clearly misunderstanding his words as so kind of taphor.
"I see... you must carry a lot of burdens. Wherever you are today, whatever the sacrifices were, they were worth it. And what matters is that you’re here, and they weren’t for nothing. You made it count."
Northern stared at her, eyes frozen.
’What is she even talking about?’
"Uhm, sure..."
A mont of silence stretched between them. Northern exhaled again—this ti differently. The air around him seed to shift sohow, growing heavier.
"Anike..."
She looked at him with a hint of worry.
"Yes, child?"
"Do you know who tried to kill at my birth? Was it my father? My stepmother, or maybe one of my siblings?"
Anike was silent, considering the question Northern had just asked. Then she sighed, looking genuinely sad.
"I’m sorry... I don’t know. But I can help you narrow the list by telling you who wouldn’t want you dead."
"That’ll be helpful, certainly."
Anike nodded and began.
"Your father, stepmother, and siblings could never want you dead. To wish it alone would be to wish death upon themselves. If they hated you that much, they’d simply weave you into politics and find a way to exile you to Luinngard, making sure you never ca back."
Northern nodded slowly.
’Makes sense... but—’
"Why are you so sure that they wouldn’t wish death upon ?"
Anike shrugged.
"Because you’re blood. The Imperial Family belongs to a race of humanity called Reikis. Their white hair and red eyes are very distinct features, as are their pale skin and unique blood. They’re the last of their kind and have been confined to exist only within the Imperial family bloodline. That’s why the Heir to the Empire must marry one of their strongest siblings—to continue strengthening the blood. Your grandfather was the first to attempt taking a second wife, trying to find a way to enhance the race further."
Anike looked directly at Northern.
"What I’m saying is... the sense of kinship is too strong for them to want to kill you. Especially your father and stepmother. Whoever tried to end your life wasn’t any of the people you ntioned."
Northern stared at Anike, thinking it through. Then he furrowed his brows lightly.
"I thought you said you were going to help narrow the list?"
She nodded earnestly.
"I didn’t?"
’Hell, you just made it even longer!’
Northern sighed.
"I’ll be fine."
He stood and walked to the edge of the floating oasis, looking down at the descent ahead.
"Perhaps we can head back now. I haven’t had a proper sleep in a very long ti." He paused. "I’d like to sleep."
’Just sleep. Actual sleep. That’s all I want right now.’
Anike looked at him, blinking.
Northern frowned.
"What? You don’t sleep?"
’Please don’t tell priestesses don’t need sleep either.’
Anike looked away.
"I do. Very much."
’...Right. That was awkward.’
Northern shook his head and dove down casually, dropping from the oasis like it was nothing more than a high dive.
The wings on Anike’s back peeled to life. She shook her head with a small smile and said as she descended after him, "You are human after all."
Reviews
All reviews (0)