Periwinkle's office was dimly lit by the glow of a single enchanted candle, its flickering light casting eerie shadows on the walls. The room was thick with the scent of old parchment and ink, mingled with the faint, floral aroma of Periwinkle's perfume.
"Why are you not dressed in the uniform?" Periwinkle's voice cut through the silence, sharp and inquisitive.
"They are all too small for me," Bowen replied, his tone a mixture of frustration and resignation.
Periwinkle's lips pressed into a thin line. "We can't call call up the tailor at this time of the night, perhaps tomorrow.
Bowen muttered, "That is alright by me."
Periwinkle gestured to the sheet of paper in front of his desk and said, "Here is the paper for the agreement is here, I need your blood to sign in the other side of the agreement."
The paper of the agreement lay on Periwinkle's desk, the purple seal of the kingdom prominently displayed. Bowen's heart melted in his chest. His blood was red, unlike the fairies whose blood were purple. Whenever he shape-shifted, his entire body transformed to match the thing he was trying to copy, but his blood color remained the same. This was a significant problem, and he couldn't use his power of compulsion on two people at once without risking exposure. He hesitated.
Periwinkle leaned forward in his chair, his eyes piercing into Bowen's. "Why do you hesitate, lad?" he asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and impatience.
Periwinkle watched Bowen intently, his eyes narrowing. "What's the matter, Bowen? We don't have all night."
Bowen turned to Collias, who stood by the door, nervously fidgeting with his sword sheath. "You've shown me to the Captain's office," Bowen said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do you want to also sign for me?"
Collias flushed, his cheeks turning a deep shade of purple. "What are you talking about? I'm here to give you the moral support that I know you need."
Bowen snorted, a derisive sound that echoed in the small room. "Moral support, my foot! Unless you are waiting for the purpose of having something to gossip about, I don't think I need your presence, and I certainly do not need your moral support."
Collias bristled, his posture stiffening. "You are something, you know that? You just showed up and you're acting like you own the place. Remove that log of pride from your shoulders; it will not take you far."
Bowen's eyes narrowed, a smirk playing on his lips. "As you did, right?" he deadpanned.
Collias' hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white with suppressed anger. Without another word, he turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Collias smirked with glee, Bowen doesn't know what is coming at him, Periwinkle wasn't one to allow such blatant disrespect to a senior guard, Bowen was surely going to be dismissed even before he had even had the chance to work in the palace, 'That will teach the brat to respect his seniors,' Collias thought, anticipating the look of sorrow on Bowen's face when he is disgraced out of the palace. He strolled away from the door with a cheerful smile on his face.
Bowen watched him go, a sense of relief washing over him. Now it was time for plan B.
He rubbed his palms together in anticipation. Bowen, towering and imposing, stood his ground, a defiant glint in his eyes. Periwinkle, though stern and authoritative, couldn't help but feel a shiver of unease at Bowen's presence.
"You shouldn't be making enemies when you haven't even started working," Periwinkle said, his voice carrying a note of displeasure. "Especially a senior like Collias. Your attitude stinks of pride."
Bowen, uninvited, sank into a chair across from Periwinkle. "You don't want to see my prideful attitude, I assure you," he said, using finger quotes. "I am on my best behavior."
Periwinkle's eyes narrowed at the blatant insubordination. This boy was disrespectful, and while his physical stature was what made him desirable to the palace, his attitude was becoming a significant problem.
"I have changed my mind," Periwinkle said, his voice firm. "We don't need you anymore. Get out—"
Before Periwinkle could complete his order, Bowen moved with lightning speed. One moment he was seated, and the next, he was gripping Periwinkle's face. Periwinkle's heart raced as fear clawed at him; Bowen hadn't used his wings, so how had he moved so quickly?
"What are you?" Periwinkle muttered, his voice trembling. "You are not a fairy, are you?"
Bowen's grip tightened slightly, just enough to send a clear message. "No, I'm not," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "But that doesn't matter right now. What matters is that you understand I am here for a reason, and you can't simply discard me because you don't like my attitude."
Periwinkle's eyes darted around the room, searching for any means of escape or defense. But Bowen's presence was overwhelming, and he knew he was at a disadvantage. Swallowing hard, he forced himself to maintain eye contact with Bowen.
"You think you can intimidate me into keeping you here?" Periwinkle asked, trying to muster some semblance of authority. "You won't get far with threats and violence."
Bowen released Periwinkle, a cold smile playing on his lips. "I don't need to intimidate you. I just need you to understand that I am more valuable than you realize. And you need to do something for me."
Periwinkle swallow a lump that had formed in his throat and replied, "Never!"
Bowen's expression remained unreadable. "Don't be too confident of yourself, you don't know what might happen next!"