Cem was the only Rutilus sent to man the war. It was a tragic setup that guaranteed one of the other Rutilus would need to step in. Cem was sent into fail so another could Rutilus shine.

Red noted how his brother looked like the broken version of himself. His face was long with stress, and his mouth had fresh crinkles that spoke of a perpetual frown. His red eyes were as broken as his hunched shoulders.

Red didn't particularly care for Cem. Cem was like all his brothers. They had a group mentality that liked to strike the downtrodden. Growing up, Red was the only one without a Russus mother for protection, and so he was the easiest to pick on.

Red should feel pleasure or even a touch of joy at the empty man, but instead, Red felt only pity. The shared blood between them was singing as it always did to connect. It was a shame he'd long kill that hope they could be brothers one day. Red did try once upon a time. Luckily, there was a stronger pull towards Merin that would stop him from making a lapse in judgment.

This was just the start of Cem's downfall. Red would be the one to push him over the cliff to ensure he couldn't get back up.

"You came," Cem said with an expression of bewilderment and disbelief. "We thought...What information do you have?"

"Since this began with the loss of their herds. They became sick and didn't want to pay taxes. We can fix the animals and create a concord." Merin said.

Cem raised his brows and looked at Red with an incredulous expression. It was well known that the sick animals were a mere formality for starting a war with Habrin. The Northern Provinces couldn't pay taxes because they were taking care of their sacred animals. The animals were holy to the Northern Provinces, which made it the perfect call to arms. No one knew if they were actually sick yet.

When Cem pointed this out, Merin said, "Considering how they feel about these animals, if they really are sick, they will let me in. If not, we can be crueler in this war by striking the sacred animals. We need to be able to talk to them and broker peace."

Cem made a face, but Merin wasn't done. She knew the lines Red wanted her to say. They planned this, and it was up to her to get Cem to listen. Cem took Red seriously, but there were other Habrin men nearby. Rutilus couldn't come together without the pretext of a Russus. Merin thought it was silly, but she could see Cem listening to her.

It was all that Habrin royal pride, she thought internally with a scoff. Outwardly, she said, "It won't be true peace. We'll kill them in their sleep. Or at a meal of some kind."

"That's admitting defeat," Cem said. "The Emperor will never go for that."

"He doesn't need to know," Red said. "We can end it easily by killing them."

"They won't accept any drinks or food. Not after the Hara Mead incident. No one trusts Habrin after that genocide."

"That's not even mentioning the countless other times similar moves have been pulled," Merin said with a snort. "I'll be the one to go in. I have a reputation as a healer."

Cem looked at her, but Red cut him off before he could argue some more.

"Do you have a better idea?" Red said. His patience with the song and dance was over, and Merin reached over to squeeze his hand. He held on for a decent amount of time. Cem was lucky Red didn't have his shovel on hand.

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Cem didn't, and after dubious talks and intermediates to start the peace talks, Merin alone was accepted into Ceylan.

Merin looked at the fields of animals who looked sickly and near death. She did her best work at night, waiting until the moonlight fell across the land to lift her hands and send healing strings in all directions.

Red caught her when she stumbled. He was quiet as a shadow, and it hadn't taken him long to sneak past the obstacles in his path. His ability to sense blood made the journey look flawless, no doubt, Merin thought as she looked up into his eyes.

His red eye glowed, and the shine made her look away on reflex. Her eyes fell on Acuzio, who seemed to glow blue around the cracks in his scales. The pair of them were different since they came back. Red was quieter when he moved and quicker to take blood. Aczuio glowed red during the day and blue at night. He'd also grown about five inches longer.

She'd been told what they endured during Mordecai's tampering, but she feared that something was done on the inside that she couldn't heal away.

"Is it done?" She said when the silence stretched for too long.

Red nodded and scooped her up into his arms. "Ceylan agreed to meet when they break their fast at noon tomorrow."

"The other provinces?" She said.

"They'll be there."

"Tomorrow is going to be rough." She said as she hesitated about how to broach the subject of what was to come.

"It will be easy," Red said with firm conviction.

Merin leaned into him as she searched for words. Despite knowing it was Red's end goal, she was still torn over the plan.

"Will you be okay?" She said finally. The only one she truly worried about was Red. What would the slaughter do to him? His glowing red eye became bright at the slightest sense of blood lust from others. It didn't take much for him to crave these days.

"Get some sleep, Merin," Red said.

Merin could feel her lips pucker as she wanted to say more, but when Red looked down at her, she obeyed. His eyes showed that this was more challenging than he made it sound. He'd crafted the plan meticulously after going over everything.

The upcoming massacre wasn't her choice to make. After everything she had learned about Habrin, this was just a pond in a much bigger ocean.

The months of struggle were nearly washed away from Cem's person the next day. There was hope and joy in the other man's face that hadn't been there for quite some time.

Merin munched on her banana butter cake with a snort as she looked away from the smug man. He already proclaimed this his victory. The only thing Cem pulled off was putting his pants on this morning. The odds were he didn't even do that, considering the man kept his entire wing of servants on the battlefield.

"Beyza."

A title she was becoming all too familiar with came towards Merin again. The people of Ceylan were a little too grateful for her help healing their sacred animals. They were dropping tribute after tribute at her feet. Some even tried to kiss it, and she had to sick Azucio, the face nibbler on them.

"Just accept the gifts. It will be over soon." Red said, using his cup to disguise the words.

Merin made a face even though she knew he was right. It was going to be over soon. Cem was passing out food and drink, and right now, everyone was indulging. The Ceylan were wary of eating anything that touched Habrin's hands, so they brought their own food.

That was why Red told Cem to posion the napkins, cutlery, plates and rims. Anything that the Ceylan were to touch was to be poisoned.

Again, Cem the fibber ran around telling the generals and other notable soldiers it was his idea.

Cem made a noise to call for a toast, and the rabble dimmed so the pompous man could talk. Merin watched him with annoyance as she used the divine taste of her banana butter to melt her sourness.

"I want to say thank you for agreeing to meet..." Cem said. He coughed nervously, and the supercilious man started to turn red. "We've long come together to...to...to..." Cem's words were cut off as his throat began to bulge. He rubbed at it, trying to soothe it, but the tanned skin began to turn red. A sliver started to form under his fingers, which he stroked until the flesh ruptured. Cem's blood sputtered out in a spray of goo, and Merin shielded her food.

As if a cue had been ushered, every man from Habrin started having their necks bursting in a similar fashion.

Some of the Ceylan people didn't wait and immediately began to strike.

Merin munched on her cake and looked at Red from under her lashes. Her worry over how he'd feel at the death of his brother grew when she saw his face.

Red was grinning as his red eye began to burn like the sun.