Five days. Five freaking days!
For five days — the entire school week — I've been waiting for Yuna or Sullyoon to contact me for the second part of the interview. Yet I never caught even a single speck of dust that could have been a sign that Yuna is making contact. Nor did I see any of them wandering the campus.
"I don't share any class with Sullyoon, neither does Yizhuo," Minjeong answered when I asked her before I went home. "But we'll ask other sophomores, maybe they know something."
"Thanks, Minjeong, but please do it discreetly."
The girl nodded with a determination that reminded me of her sister's fire.
Now, it's a Friday night, and for some reason, Bae Joohyun and Kang Seulgi were sitting in my couch. They're not staring daggers at each other, but the air felt like cold steel, like blades will be drawn at any time.
"Coffee?" I flatly offered the two of them as they sat on opposite sides of the couch.
"Do you have honey?" Seulgi asked tentatively but sharply.
I nodded and opened my fridge to look for a jar I know I have.
"Spoken like a true bear," Joohyun quipped.
"At least I don't drink blood," Seulgi retorted.
"We both have blood on our hands."
"You have it in your mouth."
"What the hell are your problems?!" I raised my voice. I was already in an irritated mood by not being able to set the second interview, and these two are not helping. They could probably kill me if they want, but at that point, I didn't seem to care.
Joohyun's voice got dangerously low and cold, "Do not cross me, Vale."
"I can and I will. Blood Oath remember, you can't hurt me," I said. "And Seulgi's duty bound not to lay a hand on me, so I'll be as impertinent as you two are right now under my roof. What the hell is the problem?!"
"Bae Joohyun wants to detail Death Dealers for your protection," Seulgi grumbled.
"Again, I don't see the harm—"
"It's like saying that my team isn't enough!"
"They are not enough," Joohyun replied casually. "They can accompany Seren during the day, but where are they now when it's the dead of night?"
"We have other teams —"
"Yeah. The little cats and birds that are part of your reconnaissance and intelligence corps? What can they do when there's immediate danger?"
"They're better fighters in human form!"
"Not as good as my Death Dealers."
"I don't want any more protection." I tried to intervene — emphasis on tried.
"You don't want it —" Seulgi started.
"But you need it," Joohyun finished.
"You're constricting me, invading my privacy!"
"Hah, say that when you're under attack," Joohyun scoffed. "Then you'll wish you had someone to protect you."
My rage bubbled as I held the jar of honey.
"And you're not even trained yet," Seulgi adds.
"So when am I training then? So I could be rid of your damn protection detail," I growled as I passed Seulgi the jar which she received with a menacing glint in her eyes, like she's about to devour it all.
"You sure you want the detail revoked?" Seulgi teased as she took a spoonful of honey in her mouth. "Heard you quite enjoyed your... personal times... with Yeji, Ryujin, and Chaeryoung," her tone was both teasing and mocking.
"Don't worry, Seren, I'll send my most beautiful Death Dealers for you," Joohyun retorted, more to mock Seulgi however, I felt indirectly mocked as well for my, shall we say "encounters", with all of the members of Yeji's team.
"Can we get back on track?" I closed my eyes in irritation and sat on the kitchen counter.
"My brother is still arguing that you shouldn't be trained inside coven grounds," Joohyun replied. "But it must still be close enough so that his Moon Guard can still monitor us. So we're still looking for a secure spot that is not too close but also not too far from our coven."
"Can't you just overrule him?" Seulgi asked, her frustration tempered only by the honey in her hands. "You're the heiress, surely you can."
"That would be easy if my father wasn't adjudicating between us. I may be heiress, but in my father's eyes, me and my brother are still equals until I inherit his seat," Joohyun grumbled. "And what about on your end, huntress?"
Seulgi sighed as she placed her honey-stained spoon down. "The Triarchy is still debating who gets to train Seren."
Joohyun and I raised our eyebrows as another sigh came out of Seulgi's mouth.
"Lord Leoric — the Lion Lord of us, the predators'," Seulgi placed her hand on her chest, "and Lady Choi — the Hawk Lady of the Avians — both want to train you exclusively. While Lord Nara — the Stag Lord of the herbivores, want no part in training you and refuses to involve himself in the matter. So... with no one to break the tie, the Lord Leoric and Lady Choi are at an impasse."
"Shit," I remarked.
"Shit, indeed," Seulgi affirmed before stuffing her mouth with another spoonful of honey.
"Which makes it more paramount that you be protected, Vale," Joohyun emphasized. "When you're properly trained and can hold your own against most Night Folk, then we can consider removing your protection detail, until then, the huntresses guard you in the morning, and my Death Dealers will guard you at night."
"Do I have any say on this matter?" Seulgi asked incredulously.
"You can still keep your little cats and birds watching him. But know that my Death Dealers are better in a straight up fight," Joohyun replied.
"And what about my say on the matter! I'm not some kind of prey, or, or, contested territory you can just claim," I objected.
"Do you want to live or not?" Joohyun asked flatly. I glanced at Seulgi who glances back with a sharp but expectant gaze.
"Fine," I resigned bitterly.
Joohyun sighed, "If it bothers you that much, there's a way where my ladies can still watch you but remain far from you."
"What is it? And what do you mean ladies?"
Joohyun rolled her eyes and Seulgi answered the question, "All Death Dealers are women, in the same way that all of her brother's Moon Guard are men."
Great, I thought sarcastically, more women.
"And as for the way," Joohyun said as if she's tired of this conversation. "I'll have my Death Dealers memorize the scent of your blood. They'll stay far away but close enough to still have your scent. When you're in danger, all you need to do is draw blood upon yourself and they'll come rushing."
"That won't be too hard," I commented. I can just bite my lip, or if it comes to a fight, blood may be drawn naturally. That does not mean I like it though, both the way and all this protection thing. But I know it's necessary if I want to survive — and I want to survive.
"So are we amenable to everything?" Joohyun asked.
"Fine, we're good." Seulgi answered while scooping the last remnants of honey from the jar with her spoon.
Joohyun looked at me and after a few moments, I nodded hesitantly.
"How goes your investigation on Allindra Vale?" Seulgi asked.
"Unfruitful," Joohyun sighed in frustration. "I asked my father, I'm pretty sure he knows something, but he refuses to tell me. I asked our Master Archivist, but he said all records of the sage were purged and every one who knew her was sworn to secrecy through a Blood Oath," she sighed again, but this time with a sprinkle of annoyance, "sworn by my father's orders."
"That's a pretty extensive purge," Seulgi notes.
"For a normal sage, yes. Your grandmother must be someone significant, or has knowledge of something significant," Joohyun turns towards me.
The mystery deepens — and I hate it. Why is any record of my grandmother purged from the records of the Verrathi Coven? And at the order of its king no less.
"Wouldn't you know?" I asked Joohyun. "You've been alive for two thousand years."
"I actually just returned, Seren," Joohyun replied.
"Returned from where?" Seulgi asked as she set the now empty honey jar on the desk.
"The Japanese Coven. I stayed there for a century before returning three years ago."
"And your grandmother passed four years ago. Makes sense that the Pale Princess does not know her," Seulgi noted.
"How about your brother?" I asked.
"Also subjected to the Blood Oath," Joohyun replied flatly.
"So the siren cove is our only choice," I remarked.
"That, or if Joohyun's father decides to talk," Seulgi said.
Joohyun scoffed, "Good luck with that."
"Do you think he'll talk if we hold you hostage under threat of death?" Seulgi followed.
The vampire princess gave a short chuckle, "Good luck with that as well."
"With making him talk?" I asked.
"With taking me hostage," Joohyun replied coldly.
Seulgi and I laughed briefly making Joohyun grin wickedly.
"So, any progress on the college's choir?" Joohyun asked.
"Minjeong's still thinking about it," I replied then continued when Joohyun raised her eyebrows and tilted her head. "I'm not making her do this against her will."
"Alright, I was not about to say something," Joohyun responded, raising her arms in surrender.
"After all, Yuna is the more immediate threat right now," Seulgi interjected.
"Has she contacted you yet?" Joohyun asked.
"No. Not even a single faerie dust for the whole week," I replied.
"Strange. I'm pretty sure she would have made contact sometime within the week."
"Did something happen in the fae courts?" Seulgi inquired.
"That is assuming they're serving Oberon, not Orion. But so far, there is no movement from Oberon as far as our spies are concerned."
"You have spies in the fae court?" I asked in bewilderment.
"We have spies in every court. Although," she glances towards Seulgi, "I think I shouldn't have said that," she said with a conniving smirk.
"That's fine," Seulgi smirked back. "It's not like you're the only ones."
"You both have spies —"
"It's survival, Seren," Joohyun interrupted me. "We need to know what the other races are doing so we don't get caught by surprise if ever they do anything that would shake the delicate balance of power here in Verrath."
"You wouldn't want a war right in your doorstep if you can do anything about it, would you?" Seulgi followed.
"And the Verrathi Royal Court?" I asked cautiously.
"We do have agents amongst the Royal Family," Joohyun confirmed.
"So do the werebeasts," said Seulgi. I nodded. I understood the need for doing it, I even have suspicions borne from conspiracy theories openly discussed around campus for "academic purposes", but to have it confirmed, and at this scale, it was still almost unbelievable.
"Although I think we shouldn't have said that to you," Seulgi added.
"Is the glamour you took from Yuna activated?" Joohyun asked.
"I don't know. I don't even know how to control it," I looked at my palms, half expecting answers to come up, maybe a slight glitter, a little hint of faerie dust. None came — and I balled my hands into fists in irritation.
"You'll need a fae to teach you how to control that. If only there's a way to turn Yuna to your cause," Seulgi pondered.
"Yuna may not," I said as an idea formed in my head, "but Sullyoon might," I raised my head to find the vampire princess and the werebeast huntress looking at me with curious gazes.
"Seol YoonAh?" Seulgi asked curiously.
"Shin Yuna's partner?" Joohyun followed.
"Yeah," I replied. "There was a time during the interview where she might have —"
Then suddenly, three figures emerged from the shadows of my room and stood at my hallway, cloaked, hooded, and masked. They drew red crescent daggers, revealing the porcelain white skin of their hands — Joohyun's death dealers.
"Someone's outside," one of them spoke.
Joohyun and Seulgi immediately tensed in their seats while I stood from mine, growing stiff and rigid with anxiety. "It could just be a visitor, is there a need to react this way?"
"At this time of night?" Seulgi responded, finally rising from my couch.
"And picking the lock," another Death Dealer announces.
Curiosity got the better of me as I walked towards the hallway, Seulgi and Joohyun followed close behind while the three Death Dealers stood on guard in front of us. I heard the knob click and clack, someone is indeed picking the lock — but who? I have no idea who it could be. Yuna? But why would she need to? She could just knock.
Then the knob turned. The Death Dealers crouched low, ready to pounce at a moment's notice or at Joohyun's orders.
The door swung open — revealing a girl dressed in a simple white buttoned blouse, a black skirt, and doll shoes. Everything was normal, except her hands and her skin. Roots or vines grew from her fingers, that was probably how she picked the lock of my door. Then her face, was a face I recognized, yet the usual innocence or airheadedness was replaced with fear, confusion, and anxiety. The skin of her cheeks seemed to be dried tree bark, cracking and spreading on her face as she breathed heavily and sporadically.
"Seren," she gasped. "Help, Yuna..." and she collapsed at the threshold of my door.
I rushed past the Death Dealers before Joohyun and Seulgi can stop me.
"Seren, wait," I heard Seulgi's voice as they ran after me.
I took the girl in my arms and dragged her inside my apartment. Seulgi and Joohyun peeked outside to make sure no one else was around before going back in and closing the door.
"Hey," I said to the girl, lightly tapping her cheeks which did felt hard, coarse, but also brittle like dried bark.
"Is that...?" Seulgi asked.
"Sullyoon, hey. Wake up," I said panicking as I tapped her cheeks a little more rapidly.
"Shin Yuna's partner," Joohyun said, more curious than anything.
"But she's not fae, your highness," one of the Death Dealers observed as she knelt beside Sullyoon.
"What do you—?" I began to ask.
"This dried bark on her skin," the Death Dealer slowly, almost tenderly, carressed Sullyoon's cheeks before looking up at Joohyun.
"I know," Joohyun confirms. "She's a dryad, and right now, she needs help."
--------
Sullyoon lay unconscious on my couch while Joohyun was gingerly dropping water from her hands towards her face, a bowl of water at her side. Most of the bark had faded, leaving only a few root like cracks. She sent her Death Dealers scouting, with orders to identify — and if necessary, eliminate — any threat that they may find. Seulgi on the other hand, stood vigilantly by my window, prying the curtains slightly with her fingers as she scanned the rooftops outside.
"What's a dryad?" I asked quietly, not wanting to wake Sullyoon prematurely.
"They're nature spirits," Joohyun replied with almost the same quietness. "They're tied heavily and deeply with the fae, both being the races most attuned to nature."
"What happened to Sullyoon?"
"She was... famished," Joohyun replied. "That's as close as I can get for you to understand." She glanced back at me and saw the question in my head. "Dryads are like... plants, you see. They can get their nourishment from the sun as well as with water. And since the sun is still unavailable at this time —" she added, dropping more water on Sullyoon's cheeks and making the girl wince gently.
I remembered the interview, she was always spacing out while gazing at the sun. Was she "feeding" during that time?"
"Who would do such a thing? And why?" I asked.
"I suspect whomever they serve. Orion, most likely, Oberon would never dare do something like this or risk the tree-kin's wrath," Joohyun replied with a hint of rage in her voice, making me feel smaller in my seat. "As to why, we can only know once she wakes up."
"So they do serve Orion," I said, dropping my head in dejection, or disappointment.
"Not anymore, by the look of things," Seulgi said, also in hush tones. "She mentioned Yuna needs help. The girl may have done something to anger Orion."
"Or she may 'not' have done something," Joohyun added.
"What do you mean?"
"You said they weren't able to finish the interview, right?"
I nodded.
"Orion may have wanted it to be finished, or he may have been unsatisfied with the information given. Whatever the case, he wasn't in a considering mood with Yuna," Joohyun replied. Sympathy welled in my chest. Yuna may have tried to seduce me, wring information out of me, but she does not deserve to be punished for a job not yet finished, and by the looks of it when we ended the interview, Yuna had all the intention of finishing it.
"You mentioned that Sullyoon might have said something during the interview?" Seulgi asked.
"Yeah. But we were cut off by Yuna before she can say it. It seemed important because I can't seem to shake the thought off of my head," I answered.
"Wild Instinct?" Seulgi followed, and I nodded.
"In any case," Joohyun rose and picked the empty bowl. "The girl needs to recover. When the sun has risen, open your curtains so she can get some sunlight," she instructed.
"You're making her stay here?" I asked in bewilderment.
Joohyun tilts her head and gives me a look like I did something shameful. "She won't survive the night outside, she's most likely being hunted by Orion's agents. She can't stay in the Verrathi coven yet. I still have to ask my father for permission to grant her asylum, and for that, we need to know what her circumstances are, which I assume, she'll divulge to you and only you, seeing as this was where she went at a time of great need."
I glanced back at Seulgi. "She's right, Seren. The Triarchy will also do the same if I would request a safe haven for her," she said gently.
Joohyun places the bowl on the desk before squeezing a hand on my shoulder. "Take care of her. Find out what happened. That way, we could find a way to help."
I gratefully took her hand and squeezed it gently. "Fine."
Joohyun let go of my shoulders, "I'll have my Death Dealers on guard. Rest easy, Seren."
She made eye contact with Seulgi, and with a subtle nod, they made their way towards the hallway of my apartment.
"We're going —"
"Why are you doing this?" I blurted out. "Helping me. I understand Seulgi's duty bound to. But you, Joohyun, you owe us nothing, you owe me nothing. I remember you saying that I am nothing more than a curiosity to you. So why help us? Why help me?"
Joohyun tilted her head and smiled like I just said something stupid. "Because we're friends, aren't we?" She said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Warmth filled my chest and tears threatened to fill my eyes. "Thank you, Joohyun."
Joohyun smiled and Seulgi chuckled. "For the record, Vale," the werebeast spoke, "we also consider you as friends. And by me I mean me, Yeji, and the rest of her team."
I gave a soft huff of acknowledgement before thanking the werebeast huntress. Together, they left my apartment. I sat down and looked at the girl lying on my couch. Sullyoon looked better, color was coming back to her cheeks. I considered telling Jimin about this, but opted not to — it's already late and she may already be deep asleep.
I relaxed on the couch as I watched Sullyoon. Her soft features were waking the butterflies in my stomach. I felt my eyes grow heavier and heavier as I watch the root like veins slowly fade in her cheeks — if not for it, her fawn like face looked peaceful as she slept. And that was the last thought in my mind before my eyes closed, my head dipped, and I fell asleep.
--------------
Sullyoon was still asleep when I woke up. I felt sore, having slept sitting on the couch. My back and legs protested as I stood up to stretch.
I reached for the curtains and slowly drew them open. The soft warmth of the early morning bathed my face and I smiled in spite of myself. I moved aside, allowing the sunlight to bathe Sullyoon.
I slowly made my way towards her and fell to one knee in front of her face. She shone in the sunlight, a slight gleam in her face where the rays hit her. There was no more cracks on her cheeks. It seemed like nothing happened. She looked so peaceful that I reached a hand to gently stroke her cheeks.
Then her eyes fluttered open in alarm. She shrieked, pulled back then thrust a hand out towards me. Vines grew from her fingers which shot out towards my eyes. I was then thankful for the speed I got from Chaeryoung, or else I would be blind or my head got skewered. Instead, I caught the vines in my hand and squeezed tightly.
Sullyoon yelped as if in pain, and I immediately let go of the vines, making them fall quietly on the carpeted floor.
"Hey, hey, Sullyoon. Calm down. It's me, Seren," I took her hands in mine as I tried to calm her down. Her erratic breathing slowly steadied and calmed as she took stock of her surroundings.
"I'm... in your apartment. How... did I?" She whispered hoarsely.
I let go of her hands and she slowly settled down on her seat. I took a glass of water that was left on the desk and handed it to her. She took it and emptied the glass in a single gulp.
"Are you okay?" I asked, and she nodded, quietly handing the glass back to me.
"What do you remember?" I asked, taking the glass and placing it back on the desk.
"I, uh..." the girl placed her hands on her head, balling them into fists and crumpling her hair. She drew her knees closer to her chest as she stuttered to answer. "I remember darkness, like the inside of a hollow tree, or maybe it was light, like... too much light. I remember breaking out by opening a hole big enough for me to crawl out of. I remember running, and wrapping my pursuers in vines. I remember running again until I can't think any more... like my legs have a mind of their own... and then I wake up... here... on your couch... in your apartment..." she looks at me, her usual calm lost, replaced with almost hysteric fear.
"It's okay. You're safe now," I said calmly.
"Safe," she muttered, like she's trying to convince herself. "Safe..." then her eyes slowly widened, "Yuna," she gasped. "Yuna, Seren. She needs help, we need help... she, she..." she's falling into hysterics again as she shivered violently, so I threw myself around her, wrapping my arms around her petite but slender frame.
"Calm down, YoonAh, calm down." It seemed effective, I thought. Her shivering slowly stopped and her breathing evened out.
"Now, slowly," I pulled away gently and looked straight at her eyes which are now streaming with tears. "Slowly, YoonAh," I called her by her real name, "tell me everything that happened."
Sullyoon continued breathing heavily as she looked in my eyes. Then slowly, she spoke. "I take it you now know what we are?" She asked cautiously, and I nodded.
"And you're... not angry?"
"I was angry... I felt, betrayed... I hoped, that we could be friends. I hoped that you —"
"— weren't Night Folk," Sullyoon finished for me. "I know. Sometimes I even wish I wasn't."
"YoonAh —"
"Don't call me by that name, please. It makes me remember her, the pain she endured, for me, for both of us," Sullyoon said quietly, her voice low and regretful.
"Alright, Sullyoon. But don't deny what you are. At least you know what you are. I on the other hand —" I trailed off.
"Sorry. That was... insensitive of me," Sullyoon dipped her head.
"No, it's okay. I've learned to push it to the back of my head. Focus on things that matter for the now. And right now, I need you to tell me what happened so that I can help you — so that we can help you."
Sullyoon took another deep breath, "The night of our interview," she started, and my heart sank. Has she been enduring torment for almost a week? She and Yuna?
"We went back to our grove, to report..." she paused, like she didn't want to say what she's about to say next. "We were about to report... to... to..."
"Orion?" I asked.
Her head perked at the mention of his name, "How did you know?"
"Just a hypothesis," I replied.
"How did you figure out we were fae in the first—" then she paused, and I can see the puzzle pieces coming together in her head. "The Pale Princess," she whispered. "I now remember her being here last night, standing beside you."
I nodded in confirmation.
Sullyoon scoffed dryly, "Now that's a lapse in Orion's intelligence. He can be wrong after all."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"After the Attack on the Archives, Orion knew that the Pale Princess rescued you and Jimin, but because it was Jimin who blew the whistle to summon her and her Death Dealers, he must have assumed that Jimin was the one who is connected with the vampire princess."
"But Orion was after me?"
"Yes. He just ruled out Lady Bae's involvement. He thinks only the werebeasts are protecting you, a critical oversight you can use," her eyes were wandering, searching for possibilities.
"Before that, Sullyoon, let's get back to—"
"Can you ask for her help?" Sullyoon then lunged at me, her face so close to mine and full of pleading. "Can you ask the Pale Princess's help in rescuing Yuna? Orion will never see it coming. I know the consequences, I know it may trigger an all out war between the fae and the Verrathi Coven, but... but... Yuna..." Sullyoon's energy seemed to drain out of her as she slumped on the couch.
"We'll help you, Sullyoon. We'll do what we can, but we need to know everything that happened." I said, holding her hands to calm her down.
"Now let's get back on track, the night of the interview, right?"
"Yes," her eyes were unfocused as she tried to recall the events. "We waited for Orion's Riders at a grove outside the city. Yuna was hopeful. She knew she needed to get your trust so she was prepared to play the long game. Two Riders met us, and led us deeper inside. We didn't notice anything amiss, it's just a routine report, we thought. We were then surprised when we arrived at a clearing that Lord Orion was there flanked by two Glade Lords."
"Isn't he usually the one you report to?" I asked.
"Usually, no," Sullyoon replied, slowly releasing her knees from her chest. "Usually it's a captain of the Wild Hunt, or a fae lady in his employ, even seeing a Glade Lord is rare."
I nodded and motioned for her to continue.
"We reported everything that happened during the interview — minus the sex you had with Yuna, of course," Sullyoon chuckled awkwardly. Yep, no need for Orion to know that — I thought.
"When Yuna finished... I don't know... we weren't expecting praise... we certainly weren't expecting him to rage the way he did."
"He was angry? When you just did his bidding?"
"He... he said we should have done better. That Yuna should have 'drained you dry' like a succubus. Yuna explained that she intended to finish the mission, she just needs time for you to trust us but... Orion was in an unforgiving mood... something about the Lady of Spring infuriating him. So he took his rage out on us..."
"Who is this Lady of Spring and why was Orion infuriated with her?" I asked.
"The Lady of Spring is..." Sullyoon hesitated.
"Sullyoon, I know this is difficult but, I, no, we need to understand you," I said, hoping to console her.
Sullyoon took a deep breath before continuing, "The Lady of Spring, is a fae high enchantress who operates outside of the fae court, outside of King Oberon's authority much like Lord Orion himself. The difference is that the Lady of Spring moves against the Wild Hunt, thwarting and striking Riders whenever and wherever they have a chance. So I surmise that Lord Orion may have suffered an attack from the Lady and was taking out his anger and frustration on Yuna and me."
"That's unfair," I remarked. "It's not like you failed."
"In his eyes we did. What we gave was insufficient information, and we had him in a bad mood, so he... he... Lord Orion..." Sullyoon began sobbing and tears welled back in her eyes.
I moved beside her and wrapped an arm around her. "It's alright, take your time." I whispered.
Sullyoon leaned in to my arms as she sobbed. "Thank you, Seren. It's just... he, Lord Orion, he... he let his Riders..." Sullyoon choked as she tried to speak, and I felt my blood boil as Wild Instinct gave me a hunch of what happened. My hand slowly squeezed Sullyoon's shoulder tightly.
"He let his Riders ravage her," Sullyoon whispered like she's hoping what she said wasn't true. I pulled her tighter and closer, her presence the only thing preventing me from rushing towards this grove even if I don't know where it is.
"Over and over and over again," Sullyoon continued, her voice breaking while she sobbed. "He then had his enchantresses trap me in a hollow log and had holes drilled where my eyes would be to make me watch. She screamed as I screamed in our own prisons." And I wanted to scream while punching Orion's face in.
"Until I managed to bore a hole in the log with my power when the enchantresses were distracted with their 'revelry' of Yuna's body. That was probably also the reason why they weren't able to pursue me as much as they should have. That was three days—" she whispered. "Three days ago — and I don't know if they stopped what they're doing with Yuna."
Sullyoon then raised her head to look at my face. Her eyes were bloodshot with tears, cracks began to form again in her cheeks despite the sun shining down on her.
"You'll help her right, Seren?" Sullyoon pleaded. "I'll pledge my life, no, our life to you—"
"No need to go that far, Sullyoon," I growled with a rage I never knew I can muster. Yuna wasn't exactly a friend, she may have tried to seduce me, wring information out of me, maybe even kill me. But no one, no one should be made to suffer like that. Yuna and Sullyoon shouldn't suffer like that and for what it was for.
"We'll get her back, I promise that. And then one way or another, Orion will pay. Whatever it takes," I said as I reached for my phone to call Joohyun and Seulgi.
-------------
"No, you are not coming with us!" Joohyun raised her voice.
"Joohyun —"
"It's off the table, Vale," Seulgi interjected. "You'll be a liability out there. You may have 'some' abilities, but you're untrained, and against Riders of the Hunt, fae enchantresses, and possibly even Glade Lords, you don't stand a chance."
"But—"
"And Jimin will kill me if something happens to you," Joohyun said.
"Jimin will kill us all if you join this op," Seulgi added.
I never told Jimin. I don't want her to worry, given the danger and the urgency of what was happening. And it is early afternoon, and we are planning to strike at sundown — and most importantly, I don't want Jimin to talk me out of this because I know she can.
Three Death Dealers accompanied Joohyun. I didn't see them as they blended in the shadows, but I know they're somewhere in my apartment.
Seulgi was sitting on the couch with Yeji, Ryujin, and Chaeryoung while Sullyoon stayed in my bedroom while we plan the raid. Ryujin in particular, seemed especially giddy about the mission ahead.
"I need to see this done with my own eyes!" I bit back.
"Why?" Joohyun asked. "Who is Shin Yuna to you?"
"She —"
"To us, she's an asset. Not just in protecting you, but against Orion in general. That's why my father agreed to sanction this operation with my Death Dealers —"
"— and the Triarchy also gave their consent for our team to go in." Seulgi added.
"Bout time for some action," Ryujin exclaimed earning a slap on the thigh from Chaeryoung.
Joohyun sighed, "Point is, you can easily be considered as Yuna's 'victim', a target given to her by Orion. You don't need to feel responsible for her —"
"I don't feel that way," I interrupted in frustration. "I just —"
"Just what?"
"I don't want her to keep suffering!"
"Again, Seren, why?!"
"Because —"
"Stop kidding yourself, Seren," a calm voice stops me in my tracks — Yeji's. I turned towards her in bewilderment. "You feel guilty, and you know it. You feel responsible for her suffering."
"I don't —"
"And it's not your fault," a quieter, gentler voice adds — Chaeryoung's. "We all feel rage when Sullyoon recounted what happened, and we all agree she doesn't deserve it regardless of what she did. But you feel it more strongly because you think you gave Orion a reason to punish her — and that's where you're wrong."
"Are you saying it wasn't my fault?!"
"It wasn't your fault," a gentle voice creeps from behind us — Sullyoon. She had the door opened wide enough for her small face to peek through.
"Sullyoon —"
"And it wasn't our fault either," Sullyoon added.
"Nor is it the Lady of Spring's," Joohyun said gently.
"If you're looking for someone to blame, Seren," Ryujin said with surprising tenderness. "Blame Orion for being a sadistic bastard who punishes his servants for things they don't deserve to just because it was he himself who screwed up. Do not blame yourself, nor anyone else for something that was out of your control."
Hearing Ryujin speak calmly and talk about something not related to violence effectively shut me up and made me think. She was right, they were all right, I let my rage cloud my judgment.
"Do you understand now?" Seulgi's voice gently cut through my thoughts.
I nodded.
"No, he doesn't," Joohyun retorted. "He thinks he does, but unless he's ready to hear it, he won't accept it, not truly."
"Then say it," I said, looking grimly at Joohyun. "What didn't I understand?"
Joohyun sighed, "That if you joined us with that previous mindset of yours, you'll be prone to manipulation, provocation, something Orion excels at. And if you do — it not only compromises the mission, it compromises your comrades. One mistake out there, one emotional outburst, and it may cost us our lives. Do you understand?"
And now I felt more like a fool. The Night Folk think like they're in a constant state of war. This is probably why their mindset is so different from mine. Are we humans this sheltered? Or do they only live in conflict all the time?
"I understand, I think," I admitted.
"Admitting that is more than enough," Joohyun smiled gently.
"So am I in?" I asked.
"You're in probation," Seulgi declared with no objection from Joohyun. "If we can't see that your mindset has changed by the time we strike tonight, we won't let you come with us. Is that understood, Seren?"
Reluctantly, I nodded.
"Good," Seulgi declared. "Our Recon Corps will be scouting the area Sullyoon pointed. When we meet there tonight, we'll get more information. Then we'll either proceed with our plan or make some adjustments to it. Is everyone good with that?"
Yeji nodded, followed by her teammates. Seulgi looked at Joohyun who gave a subtle nod.
"Good, let us all prepare and see each other at the site by sundown," Seulgi said and she and Joohyun made their way out of my apartment.
Yeji and her team however, stayed seated.
"You're not ready for this, Seren," Yeji remarked.
"Not yet. But I will be," I replied defiantly.
Ryujin scoffed, "Good answer."
"Seren —" Chaeryoung started.
"Do not stop me, please," I pleaded.
"We're not," Yeji replied, making me freeze in confusion. "If you feel this strongly, we're not in any position to stop you, only to advise you of the risks you're involving yourself in."
"Aside from your emotional state, Seren," Chaeryoung butted in. "If you expose yourself now, you'll be exposed to the entirety of the Night Folk. Up until now it was just three races who have explicit knowledge about you. Us werebeasts, the vampires of the Verrathi Coven, and the fae of Orion's Wild Hunt."
"If you come with us —" Yeji began.
"— then Warlocks, lycans, demonspawn, tricksters, Oberon's fae court, maybe even those we consider as neutral or benevolent races like the sirens, dwarves, and elves may go for you," Ryujin interjected. "Not that I'd hate having to fight them but..."
"Point is..." Yeji began, "It's difficult enough protecting you with only Orion after you, if we add the races Ryujin just mentioned —"
"— and those I did not," Ryujin interrupted.
"Then I hope you see the point," Yeji finished.
"He doesn't," Ryujin commented, grinning, noting my blank expression.
"But he's trying to," Chaeryoung retorted.
"Then that's a start," Yeji said as she rose. She walked closer to me and said in hush tones, "Talk to Sullyoon, things might get clearer for you," she glances at my bedroom door, it was still slightly opened but Sullyoon was no longer peeking, "to both of you."
Yeji then faced me and leaned in to kiss my cheek — platonic, but not unwelcome.
"Thank you, Yeji," I whispered when she pulled away.
Yeji smiled before slowly walking away only to be replaced by Chaeryoung, "I trust you'll find your answer, Seren," she whispered. Then like Yeji, she leaned in and kissed my opposite cheek, her lips lingering a bit longer than Yeji. "We'll be waiting," and she smiled before following Yeji down the hallway.
All that's left is Ryujin, standing in front of my couch. "Don't expect me to kiss you too," she grinned.
"Oh we both know you want to," I teased.
Ryujin chuckled then turned to her waiting teammates, "Too many witnesses, I have an image to maintain."
All four of us then shared a moment of levity, which I was grateful for more than I realized.
"See you tonight, Vale," Ryujin smirked before joining her team and leaving my apartment.
Gratefulness was an understatement to explaim how I felt. I was glad to have friends like them at this point. If it was only me, because I won't have the heart to rope Jimin intentionally in this mess — I would've been dead since that first rogue vampire attack then the Wild Hunt's raid in the Archives.
My gaze turned from my apartment door to my bedroom door where Sullyoon was. I do hope Yeji was right, that talking to her would make things clearer — for both of us. I slowly made my way to the bedroom, I pushed the door to find Sullyoon sitting on the floor by my window. She was spaced out while looking at the afternoon sun — she's probably feeding, or recharging, or photosynthesizing? She looked so domestic, so soft wearing one of my shirts — oversized and reaching her thighs. I felt butterflies in my stomach as I slowly sat beside the dryad.
We were silent for quite a while. Sullyoon seemed to glow as the sun slowly sets. The wind was quiet, yet her fragrance, like freshly cut grass, permeated the room.
Slowly, her hand crept towards mine. She held it below hers and my thumb slowly stroked her fingers.
"Are you okay?" I asked softly.
"No," she replied without taking her eyes off the window.
"Do you remember when we were here?" She began.
"Hard to forget," I glanced at her, "both of you are."
Sullyoon's lips curved to a faint smile. "Yuna was... wilder, more engaged, that day."
"So were you, it seems," I said, "I remember how you touched yourself while Yuna and I were —"
"Okay, stop. Too much information," Sullyoon giggled cutely.
"You said Yuna does that most of the time," I murmured a little awkwardly, "having sex with the people you interview."
"Mhmm," Sullyoon hummed. "But only to those that she considers either attractive or difficult to break."
"Where do I categorize?" I smirked.
"By how Yuna was acting during and after the interview," Sullyoon paused as if pondering the question, "I'd say both."
"Guess I should be flattered," I grinned. "What are those interviews for anyway? The real reason, not the non answers you provide because you can't lie."
Sullyoon sighed. "They were for multiple reasons. Some were former fae abductees and we were making sure they don't remember a thing. Sometimes we're sent to scout potential people to abduct. Some were people Lord Orion believes have something he wants."
"Have any of you..." I hesitated, "killed someone?"
"No," came Sullyoon's direct and immediate reply making me smile in relief.
"Why are you under Orion's service anyway?" I asked.
Sullyoon's grip of my hand tightened, and I squeezed it back gently in return. Minutes passed and she didn't speak. I let her, I'm not going to force her to share anything, knowing what she has gone through.
Then her grip loosened, her posture relaxed, and she let out a soft sigh.
"Yuna's father was... a Rider of the Hunt," Sullyoon's voice was melancholy. "We never knew his intentions in joining Lord Orion, nor do we know the true reason why Lord Orion rebelled against his brother, King Oberon. Yuna was... born into the service of Lord Orion."
"And you?"
Sullyoon sighed, "I, on the other hand, was a young dryad in the fae woods with no allegiance but nature, just like all tree-kin are — just like all tree-kin should be," she swayed slowly in place, eyes closed like she was reminiscing.
"But sometimes, we dryads pledge ourselves to fae. It's not something we control — like the werebeasts' Wild Instinct. It's like fate binds us with one fae, to be with them for their whole life. To be anything and everything that they may need. The "Binding of Roots", we dryads call it, but the fae use a different name."
"So you were, "bound" to Yuna?" I asked.
Sullyoon nodded. "I saw her while she was training under one of Lord Orion's enchantresses. Then it just — clicked. And I followed her from that moment on," Sullyoon's faint smile widened. "She didn't like it at first, then I probably grew on her enough to tolerate me. Then I became a constant in her life. I slowly helped her out on her training and her "missions", she was particularly skilled with using faerie dust — which really surprised us when we saw it had little to no effect on you."
I remembered those two attempts Yuna did to put me under the spell of her faerie dust. The most I felt was a mild dizziness and a bit of ringing in my head. I wanted to ask her more about this but I thought what she's sharing now was more important — so I shut my mouth and let her keep going.
"All the while however, I was questioning whether what we were doing was right," Sullyoon dipped her head as roots slowly crept from her feet, clinging on my bedroom floor.
"Yuna dismissed me at first, she was bound to service, so she served, faithfully — perhaps blindly — until her father died in a battle against a group of Night Ladies. Yuna's household fell to disarray, functionally abandoned by Lord Orion. Yet over the years, Yuna served, both to maintain her family's honor, and preserve her father's legacy. But she slowly grew disenchanted. She began asking the same questions I asked her — that was also the time when she started sleeping with our," Sullyoon hesitantly paused. "With our 'interviewees'," she continued reluctantly.
"It might be her way of coping, a defense mechanism of sorts. And with a heavy heart I watched her downward spiral into what you might see as a seductress who's almost apathetic to anything and anyone that doesn't serve her needs, or give her pleasure."
"She did give off that vibe when we first met," I confirmed.
Sullyoon pursed her lips before continuing. "Then you came — a "special case", the enchantress who gave us the assignment said."
I tilted my head slightly towards her, "A "special case"? What does that mean?"
Sullyoon shrugged her shoulders, "We don't know exactly. We were just told to be careful because they know that the werebeasts have placed you under their protection — but I suspected something more."
"Which I guess was confirmed with the conversation I just had in the living room."
Sullyoon nodded, "I still don't know the details — but talks of you being trained by werebeast huntresses and the Death Dealers say there is something, if not special, then unique about you."
"When we survive this," I gently tightened my grip of her hand, "I'll tell you and Yuna the details."
"You don't have to," Sullyoon replied, "but we'll appreciate that show of trust, though we never earned it."
They haven't, but they suffered needlessly for it, and I feel like I owe them the truth. Even if they haven't earned my trust, it does not hurt for me to earn theirs.
"Your silence means you agree," Sullyoon chuckled lightly.
"Has anybody told you you're too observant, Seol YoonAh?" I chuckled back.
She turned her head at the same time I turned mine. Everything suddenly seemed to become clearer, I could see the sun's rays being absorbed by her skin as her eyes sparkled. "This may be the first and last time we could be alone like this," she said softly while smiling faintly.
I nodded, "Once is better than never."
Sullyoon's smile grew slightly wider. "I guess you're right," then she leaned close, not fast nor slow, just right, yet I remain rooted in place as our lips touched.
Her hand tightened above mine as she pushed deeper. She tasted of leaves, or the dew on grass in the early morning. Her free hand moves to touch my cheek tentatively. Her movement, her lips and her hand, grow more surer as the kiss deepened.
With a gasp, but without pulling away, Sullyoon gracefully slings a leg over my lap, effectively straddling me, pinning my things between hers.
"Sullyoon," I gasped as she pulled away to breathe.
She held my cheeks with both hands, my hands instinctively held her waist. "You know I want to, Seren. You saw what I did when you and Yuna did it in front of me," she whispered softly, her eyes searching mine for something only she knows.
"Why?" I asked, my eyes searching hers, and finding affection, desire — longing.
"You were different, Yuna saw it. We both felt it," she sighed, rolling her hips slowly, seemingly subconsciously. Her eyes fluttered closed when her crotch made contact with my hardening shaft beneath my shorts.
"Felt what?" I closed my eyes as Sullyoon leaned in. She did not kiss me, but her breath lingered on my lips — warm and inviting.
Sullyoon paused. She tilted her head, nose rubbing with mine as we stared deep in each other's eyes.
Then — "Restrain. Respect."
My eyes widened and Sullyoon smiled with a hint of pride and amusement in her eyes and lips.
"I can see you asking why." She whispered. Sullyoon leaned back, her hands on my shoulders while mine stayed on her waist.
"Not many can resist Yuna. Resistant or not to faerie dust," she ran a thumb across my cheek as the setting sun gave her silhouette a gentle glow. "Yet you did," there was awe in her voice, as well as pride.
"I was... wary... with both of you," I countered.
Sullyoon adjusted slightly in my lap, shirt riding higher upon her slim frame, exposing her sky blue underwear.
"True. But would that have stopped you from taking Yuna the moment we stepped inside your apartment? She was practically offering herself to you." Sullyoon stared at me, her eyes soft with delight. She knows the answer, but she wants to hear it anyway.
I remembered how Yuna look that afternoon — like lust and seduction personified. "No, not immediately." I confessed with slight embarrassment.
"Most of our interviews don't last that long," she rolled her eyes, "well the "formal interview" part at least. Most people talk while a part or parts of their body are inside Yuna."
"While you're on the sidelines," I said gently.
"Not that day, that day when you resisted Yuna's faerie dust twice, and her advances."
"I still fell for her... charms, though."
"That was... inevitable," Sullyoon moaned softly after shifting again on my lap. "But seeing you restrain yourself, because I was there. And seeing your respect to Yuna even if she's practically giving you the sex eyes. It makes you a lot... decent, than most," Sullyoon caught herself, then continued, "it makes you the only decent person we had. And it made all the difference to me, that's why I reacted the way I did."
"With your hands between your thighs and soiling my couch," I teased, squeezing her waist soflty.
Sullyoon gave a quick giggle, a soft sound that made the sun seem to shine a little bit brighter. "Again, too much information, Seren."
"You're cute when you're embarrassed," I doubled down with the teasing.
"Isn't everyone?"
"You especially."
Sullyoon pressed her forehead on mine, her hips started moving rhythmically. I can feel her heat on my clothed groin.
"Sullyoon —" I choked in my breath.
"Slow, Seren," Sullyoon leaned in and whispered in my ear. "Unlike how you and Yuna did it."
"Slow. Got it." I whispered back. And Sullyoon pressed her body tighter to mine as our lips crashed in a kiss that's a lot needy and passionate than the last one.
Another series of slow rolls from her hips causes me to break the kiss and groan.
"Good?" She breathes, eyes closed before brushing her lips on mine.
"Yes," I barely managed as I bucked my hips, longing for more friction.
I felt her smile faintly upon my lips. "Good," another whisper. Sullyoon pulls back and takes my hands. She pulls them down so they rest on her thighs. A soft squeeze from me makes her close her eyes followed by a strained exhale.
She opened her eyes, half lidded, not just with desire, but with honest and sincere trust.
I lifted a hand to cup her cheek. "You're beautiful, Seol YoonAh."
Sullyoon smiled with a sigh as she leans her face to my touch. Her cheeks, already flushed red, turned a few shades brighter.
She took my hand on her cheek and placed it back on her thigh. Then she reaches for the hem of my shirt that she wears — and pulled it off her body. Another smile crosses her lips as she heard me breathe heavily while I took in her naked torso. My hands travelled with my eyes, past the curve of her waist, her smooth stomach, until it reached her breasts. Small, enough for each to be covered by one of my palms, but her nipples were hard and erect, just like my twitching cock between us.
Sullyoon pressed her forehead on mine, her eyes fluttered as I knead her chest, fingers gently rolling and pinching her nipples. "Seren," a breathy moan escapes her lips.
"Good?" I asked back.
She nodded, "Make it better." And her head whipped and she gave a sharp gasp when I took one of her hardened nubs into my mouth.
"More," she hissed, wrapping an arm around my head, pulling me tighter and closer upon her breasts. Her other hand reaches down between us. She started stroking my shaft, barely restrained by my shorts as she grinds slowly on top of me.
I kissed higher, planting wet licks on her neck until I reached the back of her neck.
"I can't take it anymore," Sullyoon whimpered. She pulled away and stood, her fingers looped around her panties and unceremoniously pulled them off her body.
She was naked now, her mound swollen and dripping. Sullyoon knelt and took my shorts in her hands. "I need you inside me, Seren," she pants as she pulls my shorts off of me, revealing my now stiff hardness.
Sullyoon stares at it for a moment.
Her face was a mask of awe and lust as she reaches for it with her small hands. I hissed in pleasure as she stroked my cock tentatively. "It looks bigger this close, Seren," she exclaimed softly.
Sullyoon gave my cock a few more soft and tentative strokes, enough for me to feel pleasure but not to push me towards the edge. Suddenly, Sullyoon let my cock go and returned to her previous position in straddling me. I held her waist to steady her while she aligned her pussy to my cock, making us gasp as her entrance makes contact with my tip.
"I need it," she sinks slowly, putting only the tip in. "I need to feel you," and she shuddered as she finally sank fully on top of me.
"Sullyoon," I moaned. The girl was tight, tighter than everyone else I've been with. And she was wet, she hadn't cum yet but I can feel her juices drip down my thighs.
"Stay," she rasped. "Stay just like this."
Her walls suddenly moved, yet she didn't. Her pussy massaged my cock inside her, tightening, contracting, constricting, slowly applying pressure to every inch like it was massaging it — all without moving her hips.
"Fuck, Sullyoon," my voice was raspy and I resisted the urge to bite her shoulders just to alleviate some of the pleasure with the way she controls her pussy. I settled for squeezing her ass harder instead.
"Good?" She asked again, breathy and gasping.
"You have no idea how — shit, Seol YoonAh!" I exlcaimed because Sullyoon moved her hips, slow, torturously gentle — all while her already tight walls keep massaging my cock.
"So good," Sullyoon remarked, not a question.
Sullyoon whined and whimpered as she grind slowly, my shaft feeling every ridge of her pussy as her walls massaged every inch. I wrapped an arm around her waist while another wraps on her shoulder vertically. Slowly, I matched Sullyoon's rhythm, moving and thrusting my hips upwards with every slow grind.
The effect was instantaneous — Sullyoon's whimpers grew more desparate, her hands flew to my shoulders, balling the fabric of my shirt. "Just like that, Seren. I'm so close —" the girl whined.
I never thought her pussy could get any tighter — but boy I was so wrong. Her body suddenly became tense and rigid, a low and long moan slowly ripped off of her throat. Then her hips stiffened, her walls loosened a bit, alleviating most of the pressure. But as quickly as it came — Seol YoonAh orgasmed.
She leaned in and kissed my lips — no, she bit my lower lip. I hissed with both pain and pleasure as her hips quivered while her pussy squeezed so tight that I had to grip her waist and shoulders tighter in order to ground us and prevent us from unraveling uncontrollably. More of her juices spilled down my cock and into the floor below as her pussy tried to squeeze and milk it.
Slowly, excruciatingly, she relaxed, though it felt like forever.
"Good?" She asked, chasing her breath.
"Fucking good," I answered and I felt her smile again on my lips.
"You didn't finish yet," she said, not a question, her eyes remaining closed.
"I'm so close," I replied.
Sullyoon opened her eyes, still filled with trust, but now something else was in the mix, something I can't quite read, yet I know felt familiar. It pulled me in, I could get lost in her eyes for as long as she wants, I thought.
Sullyoon however, breaks the spell herself, "Do you want to finish on top of me?" She asked.
"Still slow?" I asked back.
"Yes, please. Still slow," she replied before kissing my lips gently.
Without moving my hands off her body and without breaking the kiss, I moved her, laid her down on the carpeted floor. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders, grabbing fistfuls of my shirt as I slowly thrust in and out of her pussy.
"That good?" I asked, doing slow but deep thrusts.
Sullyoon can only nod, her eyes closed as she felt every inch penetrate her. Her legs locked behind my back, urging me to keep going. Then — she controlled her pussy again, tightening and constricting in sync with my thrusts — and I felt the inevitable come a lot more closer.
"Fuck, YoonA. I'm cumming," I growled.
Sullyooon took a mouthful of my shirt in her mouth and she bit tightly. "Keep calling me by my name," she whimpered.
"YoonAh," I groaned in her ear. She bucked her hips up to meet mine.
"YoonAh..." another groan, this time louder. Her arms wrapped around me tighter, pulling our bodies closer together.
"YoonAh... Fuck!" And with one powerful thrust, the only hard thrust I gave her the whole time, I shot my load inside of her.
I saw white though my eyes were closed, but I felt Sullyoon whip her head back and resting it on my shoulder. I can hear her ragged breaths as her hips squirmed erratically as she came with me.
We stayed there, our hips moving with no rhythm as we rode our respective climaxes. After what seemed like an eternity, we relaxed. Slowly, I settled on top of her while her legs slowly unlocked behind me.
"That was..." Sullyoon panted by my ear.
I kept breathing heavily, my mind still unable to process how good Sullyoon felt.
"That was the best..." she finished, one hand moves to carress my scalp. "I can see why Yuna seemed so addicted after she had you," she added softly while her fingers stroked my hair.
"Yuna," I echoed.
I felt Sullyoon smile, then, after a few heartbeats, "We should probably get ready, it's nearly dark."
I nodded, "We should," then raised my head to look at her face. Her eyes searched mine, and for a moment I saw a tinge of sadness, of pain, of longing and desire — but not regret.
"Just..." Sullyoon said, quiet, low, hesitant. "Just hold me... for a little bit longer. I might not be able to have this moment with you again," she sounded hopeful, wistful even.
I didn't reassure her, because even I thought the same. Instead, I held her for a few more moments, long enough for the last light of the sun to filter out of my room.
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