'Master, wait!'
Salem turned a bit, nodding his head at the others to go ahead without him.
Jinx planned to ask Salem about Seo and the other man living inside of him once they get back from Hiraeth; however, the itch of desperation and curiosity needed to be scratched as soon as possible.
'Remember to massage Primrose's feet,' Salem reminded him.
Jinx blushed but shook his head as he prioritized something more important than getting a girlfriend.
'Master, what am I?'
'Where did that question come from?'
Jinx felt like he was making a fool out of himself again. He wanted to back down and tell his master that he was merely bored and wanted to pester him before he left, but he knew that he was the only one who knew him best. He raised Jinx.
'You know what I'm talking about, master. I've died so many times but I'm still here. I want to know what I am, master! Tell me, please!"
Salem stared at his subordinate for what felt like an eternity as he grew uncomfortable in the older man's scrutinizing gaze.
'And if you knew, what would you do?'
Jinx stepped forward. 'I…I…'
The longer he kept his palms open as if showing to his master the issue at hand, the more he lost confidence about his concerns. Maybe he was merely showing an empty palm. Maybe there was really nothing to worry about. His master knew him best. He kept him alive for so long. He provided a roof over his head. There was always warm food on his plate. He had never experienced starving because his master always found a way to keep his heart alive. He looked up to him. He really did.
But he couldn't keep living this way. He wanted to know himself best. He wanted to keep himself alive without depending everything on everyone. He wanted to be someone. He wanted to become more.
Jinx's eyes welled up. He looked away, embarrassed that his master might see him crying, but he couldn't help it. He rubbed his eyes roughly, faking a laugh.
'Ah fuck, I got something in my eye. This is so uncool.'
He stepped back, hiding his eyes from his view. He shouldn't stress his master like this. He had more important things to do. He had more lives to save. He had to fulfill his name of being the infamous Salem while Jinx would have to settle with being the same old Jinx– the one who fucked everything up.
Jinx froze when he felt a huge hand bury his head against a hard chest.
'Ignorance is a bliss, Jinx, that's what I always say to hide the wrong things I've done to your humanity.'
The younger boy clung to Salem's sleeves, biting his lower lip to stop the trembling of his chin.
'What am I, master?'
'You saved my brother from himself and from harming more people. You're more than what you think you are, Jinx. I just don't tell you everyday how grateful I am to have you.'
Salem ruffled Jinx's hair, turning around with a hand raised.
'I will tell you everything as soon as we get back from Hiraeth. In the meantime, take care of Karma.'
"Ow!"
Jinx was snapped out from his thoughts when Primrose yelped from how hard he had pressed on her ankles. Her legs and feet were swollen; Jinx had left deep pits on her skin that went back to normal after a few seconds. There appeared to be a buildup of fluids underneath the skin. He had only seen this on pregnant women.
"Oh, I'm sorry!"
Primrose looked away. Jinx was in her room, sitting on her floor while she was on her bed. She offered him to sit with her on her bed but the boy refused, saying that it wasn't nice to invade her personal space.
"You seem to be thinking of something," Primrose commented.
"Really? That's my first time hearing that, I'm usually told I'm brainless because I don't think at all." Jinx meant it as a joke even though it was entirely true.
He glanced up at Primrose who appeared offended which made Jinx scratch his head sheepishly.
"Did I say something wrong? Sorry, I–"
"Those people who degraded you should look at themselves in the mirror. Don't let them affect you. Honestly, there are better things to do than making people feel bad about themselves."
Primrose really looked insulted in his stead. Jinx couldn't help but chuckle, which made her blush and hide her face behind her slim hands.
"Thank you, it's nice hearing people be nice to me for once."
Once Primrose calmed down, she lowered her hands. "I remembered myself in you, people from the city would goad us because we're poor and did not have much. Papa would tell us to ignore them but my brother couldn't take it anymore. He managed to beat them up with the help of another boy who he didn't get to know the name of at the time. Those kids who were bigger than him and those who were sons of talented tamers who have the title of bishops in their names ran home crying. Because they were sons of those who held power, my brother got in big trouble. They wanted to punish him for humiliating their sons, but Cardinal Rorik stepped in, saying that it was them who provoked him and that if they were going to punish my brother, they would need to punish Theo as well. Theo was the boy who helped my brother wet their pants. They became best friends ever since."
Leave it to Cardinal Rorik to teach those abusive bastards.
"Why did your brother leave the academy? He could have been a great tamer."
Primrose closed her eyes from the great sensation that Jinx provided as he massaged her feet.
"He said greatness won't make him feel great if he continued to neglect his family and lie to himself."
People who were born with gifts mostly waste the opportunities shoved to their faces. His master was a great example. They choose to sink to their lowest point rather than to climb the ladder that society gives to them.
"I can never understand special people. Why are geniuses so stupid?"
Primrose stared at Jinx's confused frown before breaking into a giggle. "I believe that real brilliant people are more aware of what they should give up for the sake of their objectives even if it means losing place in society."
When she put it that way, it only made his master cooler.
…
…
…
Lycus could barely keep his eyes open. His body felt heavy. There was something moving in his stomach as his chest burned with the pain of rejection.
He coughed, pulling himself away from his hateful thoughts. After Salem's stunt, he lost the trust of his people and Queen Briar gained the sympathy of the church and city. That little imp orphan of hers thought this thoroughly, but what made him more resentful with himself was the fact that he trusted Salem to get the job done of murdering that child. He should have done it himself. He would have perished satisfied. He didn't care whether he ended up in Sheol or if he was dethroned.
He lost consciousness for what felt like a second. The moment he forced his eyes open, there was a white bed tray placed over his legs that were under the duvet. There were slices of bread with butter smeared on the surface, two fried eggs, and sausages in one big plate. There was also a glass of milk at the near corner of the table.
"Eat, Your Majesty, you need to regain your strength."
There was a silhouette of a knight at the other side of the bed curtain.
Strange, he thought Briar sent all of the knights out of the city and ordered them to never come back?
Lycus stared at the newly prepared meal. He swallowed; the scent of the eggs and sausages made him nauseous.
"What for?" Lycus queried. "What do I need my strength for?"
"You are the king of this—"
Lycus snarled, flinging the table of food off of him before retching. Everything smelled nauseating. "It's meaningless, all of it is meaningless!"
Instead of the food splattering and the glassware shattering on the ground, the items that the king flipped stayed in midair as if time had stopped ticking.
"You give up on Asmodeus?" the knight queried.
Lycus grabbed his silk pajama shirt, twisting it in his grasp.
"He toyed with me. Shouldn't I give up on being his fool?"
"There's more to life than being fond of someone who played with you. It is time to get him back for fooling you. Hate him as much as you have loved him."
Two horns added to the silhouette of the knight. Lycus' interest was kindled.
"Who are you?"
The knight became silent before his shadow slowly diminished. "A person who ruled this country before you."
The door of his room opened just in time for the silhouette to vanish without a trace. The bed tray returned to his lap, not a single piece of his meal reached the floor.
"Your Majesty?" Briar called out. "Are you awake now?"
Lycus rubbed the flames in his chest that continued to burn endlessly like the fires of hell.
"I am awake."
The queen pulled a chair, sitting just at the other side of the curtain where the mysterious knight stood before.
"Are you hungry, my king? I will ask someone to bring you your breakfast."
Lycus took a piece of toast from his plate, swallowing his nausea down.
"Someone already did."
There was another wave of silence between them. Briar never stayed in his room this long before. He never allowed it. He'd dismiss her the moment she'd set foot in his office or room and before she could even start her sentence.
"Briar, why do you force yourself to me?"
He and the queen were of the same fools. She was a fool for him and he was a fool for Asmodeus. They were all simps for the people who wouldn't return what they have sacrificed.
"Because I am your wife, you married me, isn't that enough?"
"But I do not love you. I never did. I did many unspeakable things to you, yet you continue to claim a spot beside me that I have never given to you. You are just my wife but never the person I dreamed to be with."
Briar's slim shoulders scrunched up. Her head dropped in lament. A sob escaped her lips before she broke through the curtain that separated them. Briar pressed her lips to Lycus' unresponding ones. This was the first time they kissed but it did not give her the warmth she kept longing for.
"I will rule over this nation now and that includes you. You will love me, Lycus. You will love me!"
Lycus looked down at her kneeling form, smiling at her with pity. "We can be king and queen in any kingdom, yet you will never become my beloved."
Briar buried her face into her palms, weeping beside her husband. Lycus moved his eyes to the window that was slightly obscured by the curtains of his bed.
"I hope you hate me as much as you have loved me, Briar."
…
…
Kou stayed on top of one of the roofs. They decided to wait for tonight's event. If this was hosted by a devil, it could be a trap for them. The cold breeze disheveled his hair. He knew that he should focus on living his life as what his king had told him to do, but because Kairon was part of his life, Kou couldn't avoid thinking about him.
Fingers tapped his shoulder; Kou was expecting it to be Boota since the doctor didn't like using his voice too much, but there was no one there. There was, however, a small paper bag. There was something warm inside. He peeked, seeing a piece of steamed bun.
The first person who came to mind was his jail friend, Kasel. The corners of Kou's lips curled. There was no one other than him who would do this. Knowing that Kasel was safe eased Kou's worries for a little bit.
The viel took an excited bite, blowing the steam that burned his tongue out with a chuckle. He finished half of the bun, before hiding the rest in his pouch.
Whatever devil was out there, Kou was more than ready to take them on.
"Watch Kou, King Kairon!" he cheered.
Just at the alleyway where Kou's legs dangled above, an armored man smiled before vanishing into smoke.