Nocte Yin: Anti-Villain, Anti-Hero and Anti-Everything Else

Chapter Eighteen

With her knuckles pressed against his larynx and her shrill cry fading fast into the streets below, Doctor Lucent, the seventh son of the seventh son, and the Lady Necromancer, the former third child of the late Head of the Yin Clan, were at a standstill. His eyes, green and cautious, moved across her face in quiet appraisal, calm and even. They had both changed, and in a span of a heartbeat they were able to fill in the blank months between their last meeting and now, here, on this foreign planet. The Lady Necromancer’s reputation had preceded her, and the standing of the Lucent Clan in the aftermath of the Xonese accession had been broadcasted worldwide on news programs.

The Lady Necromancer never had her exile status in the Yin Clan revoked, but it was clear within the month of Empress Měi Fèng’s accession that Nocte, with her “Yin” nixed, did not need the Yin Clan to be one of the leading influences in the Xonese Imperial Court. Although barely ever present within the emerald and ruby halls of the Xonese Palace or within the presence of Her Imperial Majesty the Empress, Great Mother of the Xonese Empire and the holder of Heaven’s Mandate, the Lady Necromancer’s ideals and beliefs were reflected within the empress’ decisions daily. The thought of Nocte was never far from the empress’ mind.

And as firmly as Nocte had rose in the eyes of the empress, the Lucent Clan had followed steadily. It had been no secret that the Lucents had supported Prince Zhé Lóng in his vie for the Xonese throne, but they had proved themselves outstanding when they loyally followed the former Crown Prince in his bid for his sister’s accession. The Lucent Clan had not only been accepting of the new Empress, but they had grown rather fond of her over the months. If anything, to the disappointment of many diehard Xonese patriots, the Lucent Clan had now taken over the seat of representing Xinque — the eastern and heroic half of the Xonese Empire — from the Yang Clan. The Lucent Clan’s prestige was something to be envied of.

But Doctor Lucent was different. He may be as accepting and adaptable as the rest of his clan, loyal to Prince Zhé Lóng and now loyal to Empress Měi Fèng, but-

Nocte lowered her gaze.

-but Doctor would never forget those months locked within the dark, slippery, icy caverns of the Lamisian dungeons, never forget what tortures the Lamisian soldiers had inflicted upon him and his friends, never forget the folly of both himself and those around him. If Doctor Lucent was anything, whether he be the sidekick of the sidekick or have his compassion misread as cowardly, he was fair. He was brave enough, intelligent enough, to acknowledge that it had been his mistakes, that it had been him, that had given one of his most hated enemies reason to imprison him, to punish him. Whether he had not been fast enough, or courageous enough, or strong enough — Doctor Lucent had failed to observe and act for himself and his clan within the tight and desperate situation over the Xonese throne. He had failed to understand. He had failed to be a hero.

Nocte let her hand fall to her side, unable to meet his eyes. She couldn’t say that he hadn’t deserved imprisonment; she couldn’t say that he hadn’t been obstructing the greater good. She couldn’t say that he hadn’t tried to kill her. But — but — she was not going to tell him so. She was not going to tell him that he had earned those long, cold hard days of darkness within enemy territory — in the heart of one of his most hated foes. She was not going to tell him that every day must have felt like agony for him, knowing that the girl, the innocent and good-hearted girl, sitting on his country’s throne was the same girl, the same innocent and good-hearted girl, he had unknowingly tried to kill.

She was not going to tell him that he had failed to think for himself.

But — but — Nocte was going to give him one thing — one thing — to his credit, and it was that he had been a hero, because he had thought everything he had been doing was for the greater good. He had believed he had been doing the right thing, and made his decisions based on what he had understood to be the best for his home, country and people. She, too, understood that their positions could have been different if Prince Zhé Lóng had been made emperor instead of the unsuspecting Princess Měi Fèng.