The Hanes Enigma

Chapter Eighteen - Kai Finton: Kalamani Council

Jung Hoseok

"Kai, just calm down." I try to rest my hands on my husband's shoulders, but yet again he slips out of my reach before I can touch him.

"I'm not calming down, Hoseok. They declared war! Do you realise that??" Kai glares at me.

"Yes, but getting angry about it isn't going to help anyone." I raise my eyebrows. He knows I'm right.

"I can't help it.." Kai grumbles, finally pulling me into him so I can gloss my hand over his silken, claret hair.

"That's why you have me, hmm?" I smile, kissing his temple.

"I won't when I go into Council, though..." Kai's face turns scarily serious and I hug him tighter.

"You'll be fine. You're good at this stuff." I reach up for his lips and they accept mine welcomingly, enticing me in further. As usual, he has me wrapped around his finger in a moment but we both know that now is not the time. The kiss breaks annoyingly quickly and he sighs, running a hand through his mass of hair the ends flicking with flame as he does.

"Why did this have to be the first thing I deal with after my brother..?" His lips tighten into a straight line and I cuddle him close again, wanting to squeeze the sorrow out of him but knowing it doesn't work like that.

"Then in his memory do as well as he knew you would. You know he wouldn't have named you as his successor if he didn't think you could handle it." I smile sympathetically.

"I don't think even he saw The Clanless coming, Hobi." Kai strokes my cheek delicately and kisses my forehead, sending a warm tingling throughout my body; he never fails to.

"Please trust yourself.. I believe in you. But also remember that no matter what the outcome is, I'll still love you just as much." I grin.

Kai smiles but it's too tense to be remotely genuine.

"Also remember you're not aiming to fix everything right now. You just want to get an official trial. We'll take this all one step at a time, okay?" My hands press comfortingly into his chest before sliding up and straightening his official robes that are required for such significant events.

"We?.." He raises his eyebrows. "Last time I checked, you weren't even a Kalama."

I immediately blush, stuttering on my words. "Well.. I-I just meant.. that.. you know.."

His lips press gently against mine and I happily melt into him, forgetting about however I was aiming to finish that sentence. Warmth seeps through my body and I hum softly, stepping a little closer to the source of heat.

"I know what you meant.. Thank you." He mumbles into the kiss, cupping my cheeks.

***

Kai Finton

"I can't believe you're actually defending them!" General Enlil Cadman glowers at me from over the table, mottled hands tightly clenched over its edge.

"I'm not. I don't remotely think what they did is okay and I want to see them punished as badly as you do. I just have a different opinion of who 'they' are." I attempt to reply calmly but I can feel my own DNA working against me as my blood literally boils underneath my sweltering skin.

"And yet you insist on letting them go free!" The general laughs dramatically.

"No, I just don't want to start a war over this! As a species, we are hot-tempered and therefore often make rash decisions without thinking them through. I'm just asking for a chance to think about it. Why would we need to make a decision right now?"

"Why would we need to think about it?" Cadman sneers.

"Because the Clanless don't speak for all demons. They are a rebel group and clearly do not represent the opinions and morals of the average demon." I gain back my repose, taking a breath in and letting it out quietly.

"How can we be sure? We can't truly know!" The general yells again, spitting warm saliva across the table and making me flinch back in disgust.

"Because a demon boy almost died to save the one potential victim of this terrorist attack. If that in itself isn't reason enough for a trial, then I don't know what is." I glare back, knowing I have him now. He is equally as aware as he turns to the senator like a toddler about to have a tantrum.

"Desist."

Immediately Cadman and I bow our heads, sinking back into our seats. The senator rises and clears his throat slowly. The crowd is hushed, hanging on every syllable.

"I hereby declare that Peacekeeper Kai Finton has 100 days from tomorrow to prepare his case. It will be mandatory for the two witnesses, the demon and the faerie, to give their statements of what happened on the night of the Kalamani Festival. Both parties will be allowed to question each witness and then I, and the rest of the Senate, will make a decision based on the outcome of the trial. Council dismissed."

The scraping of chairs echoes throughout the large hall. Various Kalamani pat my back and congratulate me; others send poisonous stares in my direction. I'm just trying to remember how to breathe. Did I really just do that? Did I just stop the second war?

I push myself to my feet, wooden chair painfully scraping the stone floor as I do. My head is spinning but I somehow meander to the door without falling over or being killed. As I open it I see an eagerly awaiting angel gazing excitedly up at me.

"100 days..." I breathe out.

"What?.." Hobi frowns, head cocking in the most adorable way.

"100 days to prepare our case for the trial.." I smile slightly, knowing his reaction before it happens.

"You got it?! Yes!!" He squeals, jumping into my arms an hugging me tightly. I grin back. Tomorrow will be hell. And the 99 days after it too. But today I can celebrate. Today I can rest. Today I can pretend tomorrow doesn't matter.