With a gasp, Vadeen's eyes snapped open. Still operating on lingering adrenaline, he panicked upon seeing the glowing eyes looking down at him.

But only for a second.

As quickly as he had reacted, he went limp with a relieved exhale. "Mokā..."

She reached to run her fingers through his hair. He took in a deep breath, letting his eyes close. The resting presence within her, so similar to his, briefly stirred against the one inside of him. Its calmer temperament put him at ease, slowly bringing him down from an obscene high.

Only then, once his body had truly relaxed, did he take in the peaceful smell of nearby water and realize he rested supine on the ground. The wind of the season further fluttered his hair about.

His mother removed her hand after some seconds, and he blinked his eyes open while gingerly moving into a sitting position. She sat cross-legged beside him and slightly hunched as she leaned forward. Somewhat hidden on the opposite side of her large form, Abramu rested against her with his head down.

Vadeen took in the solemn scene, then lowered his gaze to stare at the grass as realization dawned on him.

"Come, sit."

He wanted to say something to address what had happened. She always worked so hard to help him control his ira, but he had no idea what overcame him so suddenly.

She didn't wait for an answer, pulling him over and practically positioning him to sit at her side. The action brought the slightest of smiles to his face but it didn't last long.

Resigned, he mirrored his brother's pose, resting against her shoulder, and hugged her tightly.

For several minutes, the three of them were silent. His body then slightly rose and fell as she sighed. "I don't believe it," she whispered.

He opened his eyes but didn't move.

"How can I?" she continued. "When would he have had the chance to become indoctrinated?"

He clenched his teeth but let her finish.

She seemed to share his sentiment as she harshly scoffed, "Indoctrinated. It is fucking laughable. If I hadn't heard him freely admit it, I wouldn't even..."

When she didn't finish, he had to ask, "Then why do you? You know him, we all do. He was...forced. He had to be. Threatened. Something; especially if the Sn....the...if Dōl-Rangī is involved."

She nodded as he spoke. "I'm not supposed to tell you this, but the Isrid discovered indraht blood in Zafahr-sebuan's office that wasn't of their ordinary DNA."

His brows slightly furrowed, and he moved back to look at her face. While her expression had only changed in the slightest of ways, it gave him enough of an impression that she was, in fact, livid. Once more, she stared at nothing. She didn't even glance at him when she had spoken, and her sharp teeth peeked from the inside her mouth.

"Wait...what?" Abramu moved back as well. "You mean...the Obarari[1] themselves are involved in this?" he said in a horrified, half-choked whisper.

She nodded. "The three Mahilasi were afflicted through their ïor[2].

The scenario played out in Vadeen's mind. Supposedly, no one knew how to do that, use ïor against its creators...

He and Abramu simultaneously gasped. "There's no way Lanad knows how to do that! He's not a born-Mahilasi!" Abramu said.

Hope began to ping within Vadeen, and he cracked a small smile. "Mokā..."

Her brows furrowed as she nodded but her expression worsened to a deep scowl. "He's fucking protecting someone," she growled out between her teeth. "Is it that damned Snake?" she murmured as if to herself.

"Mokā, does he have anything to do with the 21st Bracket's destruction?"

She shook her head. "That's a separate incident. Planned in tandem, perhaps, but he professedly has nothing to do with that."

"So, he's innocent."

In response to her words, her steadily glowing emerald gaze deepened until they were like embers on her face. "As far as as I'm concerned, he damn well is," she scoffed darkly. Her expression waned. "However..." she muttered, trailing off.

Slowly, Vadeen's slight smile died as he also realized the problem.

"No..."

He lowered his head as his brother's voice quivered,

"Why did he damn himself if he's innocent?" Abramu demanded. "If he professed to the poisoning, they'll—!"

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The sound heard next, one akin to a stifled whimper, jarred Vadeen. Both he and his brother stared hard at their mother as she covered her face with her hands.

An angry snarl ripped from her throat before she whispered, "God-fucking-dammit."

The words made Vadeen's heart drop.

His brother had condemned himself by admitting he worked with the plot to poison the Mahilasi and worked with the indrahti.

No matter what they did in an attempt to prove Lanad's innocence, justice would be absolute on account of his own words.

Vadeen sat back, unable to move his eyes from his mother's pained form.

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They did not return to their bracket after speaking in the garden. Instead, they took the long, quiet walk to the Wasihl Siarahil[3], arriving just before midnight. They had remained silent and composed during their time on the bracket ground, but once they left, Abramu broke into soft, intermittent cries. He leaned against their mother, and Vadeen hadn't been able to walk straight since they left the garden, staying close to her side with her arm around his shoulder.

Head held low, he sensed members of his family when they arrived at the Sūn Palace's entrance. He raised his head to see two of the Khalilf, the most skilled warriors of their family, at the massive, imposing black, green, and gold-embellished entrance. They appeared to be waiting for them, making him frown.

The two individuals were likewise intimidating, their emerald green eyes glowing in the dark. The question which burned in his mind was why; that typically meant something was bothering them—or they were trying to intimidate someone. Both of the Khalilf were his cousins, Saengao and Hosei, tall and broad as most Wasihl were. Their eyes flickered over him and Abramu, lingering on him before focusing on his mother.

"Lanad's execution has been scheduled," Saengao announced, his voice hard and unsympathetic. "He'll be taken to the Avahiroi in an hour."

Abramu choked out another sob. Both the sound and the news made Vadeen's body shake as red nearly glazed over his eyes. But his mother's hand grasped his shoulder, and the presence within her stirred to keep him calm.

"Fuck you, Saengao," she spat as they walked closer.

His eyes narrowed. "He admitted it himself, Zhímei[4]. He's a seditionist."

The moment they were close enough, she grabbed his coat and looked him in the eye, snarling, "I don't give a fuck if he admitted to bowing before Khabé[5], Shūsuji[6]." Her words made his eyes widen, but she pulled him even closer. "He is my son. And you know damn well he's innocent."

Vadeen watched her shove his cousin away, noting Hosei staring at her in shock. His own disbelief began to show as he trembled again. Such words were blasphemous. He didn't want to lose her as well.

He stiffly came to Abramu's side, and his older brother held him close while continuing to sob.

Someone appeared at the palace entrance, catching their attention.

Glowing, deeply slanted green eyes fixed on his mother. "Careful, Yuayai," said the woman. "Don't so freely blaspheme around family."

Upon seeing her, Vadeen froze. She was Bibigula, the eldest daughter of his grandaunt, Linhoc, the Wasihl Queen. Bibigula, the Khalilf General.

He swallowed when her hard gaze skimmed over him and his brother. But only briefly.

"I'll do what I damn want." Brushing past her, his mother came to his side and put her arm back around his shoulder. "You all fucking know what you're doing and I'm not going to take it like an animal."

To worsen his fear, she spat at the younger woman's feet before continuing up the stairs with him and Abramu and into the palace's front court.

He heard a harsh yet somehow amused tut behind them."You sound like she did," Bibigula called. "Remember what happened to her?"

Vadeen heard the audible clack as his mother's teeth clenched. He didn't dare ask who this other person was.

They entered the long court where some members of royalty were walking to and fro despite the time of night. The lights in the area dimly lit the white, polished concrete beneath their feet from the lowest part of the court to where the many steps leading into both the Wasihl orbital and the Rākhirah palaces stood before them.

Though he sensed them, Vadeen once more kept his gaze low so he wouldn't have to see the faces of the others in the court. His eyes, hooded, yearned to spill tears but none would come. He felt numb and unusual. Internally, he desperately latched onto the presence of his mother, worried that if he didn't he would snap.

She must have noticed. "Vadeen? Do you need to go back to the slums?"

He wet his dry lips, letting his eyes close. "I...I'm okay," he lied, brushing his hand up and down Abramu's arm when his brother looked at him.

"Are you sure, Tō?" he asked softly.

"Yeah. Just...gotta rest, maybe."

Despite his words, he did find himself leaning against his mother, nearly putting all of his weight on her. Her arm held him up gently but firmly, and their paces quickened just a bit.

He didn't know what path they took to get to his mother's portion of their palace, but he sensed the lack of cool air on his face when they entered the structure.

"Mokā..."

"Hm?"

He stumbled, making her and Abramu pause. "I don't...feel right."

She immediately brought him into her arms, letting his head rest against her chest. Her heartbeat soothed him, and their closer proximity further calmed the rousing presence within him. Being closer to her made him notice his hard breathing, and he let himself doze for a moment.

Though his mind seemed empty, it was far from focused on anything, and he was unable to hear what his mother and brother were saying. Idly, he sensed other presences pass; family members, no doubt. They also spoke, but he couldn't understand them. So many were up so late at night.

Likely because—

His chest clenched, and he groaned from the wriggling within, moving his head into his mother's chest.

The voice was also quiet...

Sooner than expected, his mother moved him from her arms and down onto what felt like a bed—likely his. He immediately turned onto his side, but his mother's hands slightly raised him to help take off his armor, uniform coat, and top. After his boots were removed, he immediately curled onto his side, exhaling with relief.

"Vadeen?"

A large, warm hand placed itself on his forehead. He muttered incoherently, yet felt relief to have his hearing again. "What's...happening?"

She hummed and her hand moved away. "Those with our condition...We have unpredictable reactions triggered by stress, grief, heightened emotions..."

A sheet, thin but just what he needed, covered him. He sighed as he tried to make his body relax. "Lanad..."

"Yeah." Her voice broke for only a second.

Another body moved under the sheet with him. Abramu. His brother hugged him, and he finally let himself ease.

Abramu continued his soft crying. The tension surrounding him told Vadeen he wanted to speak but didn't know what to say. Saying anything felt pointless.

Lanad is going to die.

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[1] Descendants of the first indrahti.

[2] The name of the ichor of royal faifethi.

[3] Wasihl orbital palace. Exists within the Sūn Palace, which is akin to a city.

[4] Niece.

[5] The god of the indrahti.

[6] Uncle.