Deception

.:Chapter 7:.

Vixen rushed to where Allistir has fallen. The blade she gave him clattered on the floor.

"Come on, you didn't die there, don't die now," she murmured to him, grabbing the blade. She turned to the gaping boys. "Get a healer. Now!"

The two rushed for the doors and left it open.

"Now, listen." She took off Allistir's cloak and put it away. She didn't find the source of the bleeding. It's as if he was just soaked in blood. "Do not call me by my name. These.... people refer to me as Vixen. I suggest you do the same."

He chuckled, blood spilling from his mouth. "Funny that you can act like that when one of the few people who are part of your court is dying in front of you."

"I do not have a court, Allistir." She had to shred his shirt to find the source of the bleeding. It was in the place near his heart. "Who did this?"

"Who do you think?" He was coughing blood and she didn't know what to do about it.

She cursed a bit. "Where the hell is the source?" She put her arms around his shirt and gave him a glance that asks if it's alright to rip the fine piece into pieces. He just closed his eyes, as if to tell her to get on with it. Ripping it apart was easy, granting that it was cloth and not skin. A blue spot was found near his heart. "How'd you find me so fast without dying?"

"Well," he started, gritting his teeth to somehow ease the pain. "Lust isn't one of the best blades for no reason." He was trying to grin at her, but his face showed anything but. "Ia— Vixen. I need to be alive."

It's as if she lost her breath. "You are going to be alive, what the hell are you saying? You think I'm going to let you die?" She put a hand on the blue spot, testing the very little healer affinity in her blood. It was enough to ease the pain and stop the bleeding. "Allistir. You're the only remnant of what was once mine, I'm not going to let anyone take you away from me. Because you're mine."

Two healers, led by Lucien and Roman, came in the room and took charge. It was hard for Vixen not look at Roman. Without seeing it, she knows that he's hurt. Allistir Stagrain and Roman Fermaw trained together. They knew each other and fought together until the Kingdom separated both of them.

"Who the hell is he?" Lucien asks, staring at the healing blue spot.

"He's Malikai Meliosa, pure-blooded guardian. A friend of mine," she explained, recalling what lie she has stored a long time ago. "We haven't seen each other in a long while. Funny that you show up like this."

"And that blue spot? What the hell is that?" He continued his interrogation. "I haven't seen that before."

Gallocs, creatures who hunt down those who were part of the Royal Court, she wanted to say but instead, "Dracaena. That's what those damned creatures can do. Once it connects to your blood, that is."

Allistir gave her a sharp look, as if to count how many lies she has done in one conversation.

"And what tribe is he in?"

"I do not belong to any tribe. I find that rather unnecessary for someone like me." Finally, the healers stood and helped Allistir up. The two just bowed and left without a single word. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience I gave you. But—" He takes one look at me and continued. "I have been assigned by the Head Guardian to help you."

"I thought you said that you're not in a tribe." Lucien now has a skeptical look on his face.

"No I'm not in a tribe. I'm in a guild." It was unbelievable how then lie just came in naturally. "And there's nothing we can do about it now."

"This means we'll have to leave one member of our entourage behind!" Roman exclaimed, grinning widely. "I have a suggestion who."

Vixen shot him a glare that could make anyone else shiver. "We're not leaving anyone behind. The more fight power we have, the better."

"But the more people we bring, the worse," he countered, his tone matter-of-factly. "Leave two of the horses. We can move on foot. Let's bring one of those healers too." His smirk grew bigger. "Well... just for healing purposes, of course."

"Holy Moons, now's not the time for that, idiot!" Vixen could see a questioning look on Allistir's face, probably wondering if these were what she considered friends. "Can you two... Leave us for a moment? I wish to speak with Malikai in private."

"What's so important that you can't share it with us?" Roman challenged, giving her a smirk, arching his brow and crossing his arms.

"She told us to leave, Roman," Lucien said, pulling Roman with him as he went for the door.

The two waited until they couldn't hear their footsteps.

"Well, it isn't surprising that you consider those kinds of people your allies," Allistir commented, his voice a teasing tone.

"Oh, shut up." Vixen sheathed Lust in it's usual place and she grabbed her cloak which was sprawled on the chair near the vanity. "What's your purpose here, Stagrain?"

"Your court has sent word," he said, leaning on the wall.

"How the hell can they send word when the information that they have is that Iana Covencloud is de—" She paused to take a breath. "They know I'm alive." She looked at him in horror, wanting to know if her assumption is true. It isn't false. "B–but— How?"

"They've always known," he stated matter-of-factly. As if she should know this already. "And the waves that you sent confirmed it." A serious expression dominated his face. "Do you know what this means, Vixen?" He spat the name like a curse. "All the people left in your court— all those people that are still hoping for an heir to lead them and to defeat the Phoenix— are looking forward for your return."

"Return?" She could almost laugh. "Don't be ridiculous! I have nowhere to return to!"

"There's something you should know. I should've had told you this years ago and not let you suffer under an Alpha's roof but," Allister started, his voice lowering as he turned more serious. "The Royal Guardians found a way to keep one of the territories of your parents hidden from the world. Remember when your father told us you had seven castles— and one is made just for you?" He looked at Vixen but he didn't wait for an answer. "They kept it hidden. You see, I'm not the only remnant of what was once yours. Iana, your kingdom is alive and it will be the strongest court ever."

"Don't be stupid." She had to clench her fist for it to stop shaking. "We won't start over from the ashes. Ashes stay ashes, Allistir."

"We won't start from the ashes." His voice was raising but not loud enough to escape the room. "We never burned. Refer to it as a revival. From silence."

She wasn't able to reply, too out of breath to say a word. Her castle, her people, her kingdom. All these years they were alive.

"And, swear to me," he added. "That after you finish whatever this mission is, you will leave your tribe and enter the gates of the place that was once yours—that is yours and forever will be."

"Allistir." Her voice was barely a whisper. "We're going after the Darkness Fragments. Before someone else gets a hold of it. I'm not even sure if I'll make it out alive."

"I doubt the gods would allow their only to die on something so... stupid."

"The gods turned their back on me the day the Phoenix burned down everything I had."

Allistir turned silent. Maybe he's tired of arguing with her. Maybe he didn't have something to retort.

"Just think about it," he finally said after a torturing silent moment. "Tell me if it changed anything."

She didn't want to think about it. Never.

Mainly because she already knows what's her choice.

I made my decision. I will fight. I will rule. And I will succeed.

But she didn't want to tell Allistir just yet. It's too soon. Everything's too soon.

But everything is also unfolding for her and she doesn't know if she's just going to let it pass.