When Manar opened the front door of the Kirilian household, to answer
the loud knocking, she was garbed and made up in her typical Dark
Citizen fashion. The sun had set very low, leaving the sky in a myriad
mess of indigo and violet. She was surprised to find Scythe standing
directly in front of her. Behind him stood his anxious wife. Two Vilkon
bodyguards stood to attention at the Kirilian gate. Manar recognised
one of them as Scarab. The other guard seemed to be a similar age to
Scythe.
“You choose not to follow tradition Scythe,” asked Manar inquisitively.
He only answered with a raised eyebrow and a
slightly cocked head. She could not be certain, but he seemed amused.
“May I come in?”
The bodyguard addressed Zareen with a gentle smile.
“He’s just fine,” she whispered. Lady Vilkon smiled
widely in thanks and relief. The bodyguard opened the door completely
and turned around. “Lord Scythe and Lady Zareen Vilkon at the
door!” she shouted.
A door further down the hall was slammed open in
shock. Dorania stormed out, followed by Yenax. She was stunned to find
the front door open and Scythe and Zareen inside her house. She
approached them slowly.
“Lord Vilkon,” she greeted blandly. “What brings you here?”
“I’ve come to get my son.” He
spoke in his typically sharp voice, while his eyes bore holes into his
son’s kidnapper. “The Sorcerer’s Guild and the
Vampire Council have released the official reports on last
night’s events, so there is no longer any reason for you to hold
him.” They could hear people walking about upstairs. He smiled
pleasantly, unsettling most of the witnesses. “It’s so nice
of you to take care of him Doriani.”
Lady Kirilian stood as a statue. “I know no one of that name,” she said tightly.
Scythe now wore a sober look and cocked his head to
the side. He even spoke more softly. “One afternoon, many years
ago, I was woken up by the sound of my wife crying. She was reacting to
a news report. A woman had been found murdered and her sister and niece
had been raped, they were found to be very traumatised. Sound
familiar?” His eyes darted to the top of the stairs, where Rowan
was descending. She paused. She looked at Scythe with a mixture of
confusion and bewilderment. “Rowani. I hope you have recovered
well.”
She stared at him blankly. She took a shuddering
breath. “Yes. I’m much better.” She continued
descending, followed by Kiyor, followed by Midiro, who looked at Scythe
sheepishly.
“Uh Scythe…Zareen. In all the confusion, I had no chance to ap-”
“That’s quite alright Midiro, no
apologies or thanks are necessary,” chimed Zareen happily. Her
husband nodded in agreement. Ever since his revelation about
Dorania’s past, Yenax had been staring at her in open
bewilderment.
Kiyor looked healthy, yet vulnerable. However his
calculated gaze showed his Dark Citizen persona had taken over. He wore
skin-tight leather trousers, a translucent black T-shirt with laces on
the sides and gloves apparently formed of black leather straps. He also
wore a silver necklace that resembled a small skull hanging off a
necklace of bones. Thick black eyeliner surrounded his eyes and was
shaped to make him seem cat-like. This was not how he usually adorned
himself.
“Midiro!” snapped Dorania. “How
can you chat with…” she sneered. “I can understand
Zareen, but-”
Midiro leaned over the stair banister, interrupting
her calmly yet sternly. “I am showing common courtesy. Scythe and
his closest family helped me find our daughter.”
“And he showed a lot more bravery than
you!” snapped Zareen. Dorania went from looking up to looking to
her right. “He knew almost nothing about the Dark Kingdom, he
didn’t know what would happen but he wanted to save his daughter
and he was willing to go where he most feared. You used the entire scenario for your own gains! What kind of a mother are you?”
Rowan stepped down from the bottom of the stairs and
stared at her mother in shock. “That’s all you did? You
didn’t try to rescue me?” Her eyes were glassy with tears.
“She’s right. Some mother you are. It was so hard
after…I followed you here ‘cos I wanted you to take care
of me, I was only so little. But I only forgot…and forgetting
doesn’t help.”
…
Out of the silence, Zareen spoke first.
“Rowani. We have found out extra information. It seems there was
a man called Tanus who did the initial research for the Twilight Coven.
We’re about to go see him, would you like to come with us?”
“Yes, but call me Rowan. It’s night.”
“You are not going!” ordered Dorania.
Rowan backed away in anger. “You can’t stop me!”
“I can! I am your mother!”
“That’s what is expected in the Dark
Kingdom but how many families do you actually believe follow this
rule?” Scythe had his head cocked.
Lady Kirilian scoffed. “So what does your son get up to? Rape? Murder?”
Suddenly she was slammed against the wall and knew
fear for the first time in years as she felt Scythe’s strong
hands painfully grip her shoulders and she was forced to stare into his
menacing eyes. He bared his teeth.
“Don’t insult him,” he snarled.
“Scythe, calm down,” ordered Zareen in
an uncharacteristically cold voice. He continued to snarl and tighten
his grip. She pushed her husband’s right shoulder, he swung his
right arm back, into her waiting hands. Gripping his wrist tightly, she
pushed against his elbow. He grimaced in pain. “Calm down.”
A spell seemed to have broken, for he relaxed. Zareen released his arm, letting him pant.
Midiro was baffled by the display. “How…?”
“They used to be sparring partners, their skills are equal to each other,” told Kiyor quietly.
“Come along Kiyor and Rowan,” said Zareen gently. Kiyor quietly followed her out the door.
“Accompany her Manar,” ordered Dorania’s shaky voice.