Chapter 141: _Only Cold With Others Elian’s POV
By the time he and Kyren got to the latter’s palace, the pain from the tampering of the mate bond had reduced, almost non-existent. But Elian still got a weird feeling from it. When the Ascension platform in the palace stopped at the last floor, the black metal doors opened, revealing a hallway which he remembered led to Kyren’s throne room. As they walked out, their footsteps echoing on the marble floor, Elian couldn’t help but stare at Kyren’s back. His mind was still troubled by how he killed that city chief. Just like that. A man who probably had dreams and looked at ways to— "A simple rule to follow when with me, Elian." Kyren suddenly muttered, his voice echoing through the corridor. "When you’re with me and something is troubling your mind... Say it. Don’t let it fester like a bad wound." He didn’t glance back even once, the large throne room doors looming ominously ahead of them. [A man who knows what he wants... Hot, right?]
By the time he and Kyren got to the latter’s palace, the pain from the tampering of the mate bond had reduced, almost non-existent. But Elian still got a weird feeling from it. When the Ascension platform in the palace stopped at the last floor, the black metal doors opened, revealing a hallway which he remembered led to Kyren’s throne room. As they walked out, their footsteps echoing on the marble floor, Elian couldn’t help but stare at Kyren’s back. His mind was still troubled by how he killed that city chief. Just like that. A man who probably had dreams and looked at ways to— "A simple rule to follow when with me, Elian." Kyren suddenly muttered, his voice echoing through the corridor. "When you’re with me and something is troubling your mind... Say it. Don’t let it fester like a bad wound." He didn’t glance back even once, the large throne room doors looming ominously ahead of them. [A man who knows what he wants... Hot, right?]
’We’re past the realm of hot things by now.’ Elian blurted in his mental space before clearing his throat. "Why... Why do you think something is troubling me?"
A small chuckle left Kyren’s lips,
"Even that stutter in your voice tells me enough. Tampered mate bond or not, it doesn’t take much for me to read you, little flame." Kyren remarked casually as they finally got to the throne room doors.
The doors opened after a simple wiggle of his fingers, giving a view of a large room that easily rivalled the Lunarian throne room in size.
When Elian’s eyes trailed to a pillar several meters away, he remembered how this same throne room was the place where Kyren did some "naughty" things to him when he visited with his consciousness.
"Don’t keep me in suspense, Elian," Kyren spoke yet again, glancing back as he walked into the throne room. "Or, let me make a good guess. Does it have something to do with City chief Alan? The way I killed him?"
Elian followed him, the large black doors closing behind him with a soft bang. "And you don’t seem remorseful at all."
Kyren sniggered, suddenly disappearing into a cloud of red smoke. He appeared again, sitting on his elevated throne with one leg crossed over the other.
His crimson eyes locked on Elian before he responded. "I’m incapable of remorse. In the usual sense anyway. Every move I make, every word I say... They’re all calculated. Including Alan’s execution."
Elian pressed his lips into a thin line, taking slow steps toward the throne while letting his eyes enjoy the view of the throne room.
He tilted his head, staring at the large glass dome arched across the ceiling. The midday sun peeked through the red sky and ashen clouds, painting an almost golden colour onto the palace.
It was beautiful but equally eerie to look at.
"I honestly thought you would go for Duke Onika instead." Elian brought his eyes back to Kyren who had been watching calmly. "From what I understand, Gravethorn City is under her jurisdiction as well."
Kyren’s lips curled into a small smirk as he drummed his fingers on his lap. "You think my killing of Alan was unjust despite his incompetence?"
Elian nodded firmly, his jaw tightening. "It wasn’t just unjust. It was cruel. It wasn’t his fault Gravethorn city got attacked."
Kyren tilted his head ever so slightly, causing Elian to stiffen anxiously.
The mate bond distorted whatever feelings Kyren had, making what might be warmth into a raging hot flame that threatened to consume him.
The spell affected the bond Resonance as well, making it hard for Elian to keep himself from accidentally channelling Kyren’s feelings.
Or his abilities.
"It wasn’t his fault," Kyren repeated his words with a nod. "Except it was."
Elian frowned but before he could say anything else, a beep sound echoed from Kyren’s wrist.
A rune activated on the arm of his full body armour, forcing him to raise his hand.
"Ah. Perfect timing." He grinned as a red holographic screen projected from the rune.
Elian squinted, trying to read what was on it from this angle but it was nigh impossible.
Fortunately, Kyren didn’t leave him hanging for long.
"Farrell wasn’t at the residence of the city chief just for fun." Kyren began, the holographic screen disappearing with a flick of the wrist. "When he reported the attack on Gravethorn to me, I had suspicions immediately. First on why the timing was so perfect since I just arrived from Lunaria... And second, on why Gravethorn’s defences were so bad that the witches breached the wall."
Elian took steady breaths as his brows furrowed.
He already had a feeling where this was going.
"Turns out city chief Alan held back his soldiers before my arrival. Shifted their usual patrols around the walls away from weak points. Weak points which Arcadia utilised today."
Elian’s lips parted.
Kyren chuckled with an odd satisfaction. "I could smell something was wrong and slipped into the city chief’s mind when we arrived. His first mistake was betraying me and thinking I wouldn’t be suspicious enough to look through his mind. And now?"
He raised his right hand again, shaking his wrist in the air briefly. "Farrell just sent details of the communication lines Alan had with Arcadia. He was a traitor, Elian. His death was beyond deserved."
Elian sucked in a breath, speechless.
He felt an odd sense of relief knowing Kyren wasn’t just some insane killer.
But at the same time, he was still overwhelmed by the pressing fact that Kyren was so... Cold.
[Only with others, fruitcake. You know he’s been nothing but warm with you... Mostly.]
’Are you his wingman now?’ Elian gave the system a mental eye roll.
[Maybe...]
Before that argument could get anywhere, Kyren’s wrist beeped again.
The rogue king’s forehead creased as yet another holographic image shone off the rune flashing on his wrist.
This one showed a symbol that seemed familiar to Elian even from this angle.
"Hey, Kyren," Elian called out, walking closer until he was directly beneath the dais. "Is that another message from Farrell?"
Kyren brought his eyes to Elian. "Yes. He says this symbol was something he saw in one of the communication devices the city chief used."
Upon closer inspection, Elian made out what the symbol was.
A black claw with all five fingers gleaming like scythes of death.
Elian had seen that symbol once.
During the night he thought he wouldn’t survive. Last night, at the hotel back in Lunaria—It was a mark the umbra beast had left on his ankle.
Which means—
Oh, crap.
"Kyren." Elian’s chest tightened as he locked eyes with him. "The Dark Hand. That’s their symbol. Or, at least... I think it is."
Kyren’s expression darkened upon hearing that, the holographic projection disappearing. Silence stretched out like an omen as he slowly rose from his throne.
"Those parasites—are in my kingdom now?"
[Well, this just got interesting... Or troubling depending on what angle you look at it.]