Bloodbath of the Fallen Crown

26

Nicolas took in a sharp breath. Sharp enough to poke me, making my senses alert. Unconsciously, it seemed, he took my hand and held it tight. He didn't seem to need me to hold it back, being that he grabbed onto my fingers without giving me space to hold his. Someone said something in Korean. I'd bet money that it meant come in, because, right after, the door opened.

It was a few strangers at first. Girls that looked scared out of their minds. Ye-jun told something to Myung and he got up and ordered a few of the port workers around. He led the girls to the couch, making Nicolas and I stand up. I kneeled down beside one of them. "Hey," I whispered. "You're safe now. We'll get you back to your family, I promise." She didn't say anything back, simply curled into herself and looked away from my face. 

"Nick?"

My head whipped at the sound of my best friend's voice. My entire heart caught in my throat at seeing her again. By the force of the god's was I able to keep myself in my place and let Nicolas approach his sister.

Veronica's eyes watered and she stopped for a single half-second before lunging herself into her brother's arms. She full on spider-monkeyed him. Nicolas laughed and cried at the same time, wrapping his arms around his sister with a force that made the veins in his arms stick out. I felt my own eyes water, but was quick to wipe the moisture away. 

Another girl ran in the room. I knew it was Aera without needing to see her face. She ran straight to Ye-jun and he picked her up in his arms, eyes shut and arms tight around her small frame. He spoke a string of words I didn't understand into her ear, running his fingers through her hair a bunch of times and kissing her cheeks, forehead and hair. In a weird, caught-off-guard moment, the scene made me miss my father. I looked away immediately.

Nicolas and Vee resorted to sitting on the floor. He was smiling so bright it made any worry of mine fade for that moment. He looked like the boyish version of himself, playing with her hair and pinching her cheeks. Like nothing had happened at all, the twins had gone back to teasing each other and making each other smile like no one else could make them smile. It could have been so easy to take this day as a victory, and a part of me did. Yet, another part of me felt the anger rising higher. Having a clear view of Veronica's face made it impossible for me to not notice the yellowish bruise on her top lip. I curled my hands into fists, looking away. Kiara Mussolini will pay with her blood.

The rest of the girls came in the room. By then, the men Myung ordered had already brought blankets, water and crackers. To busy myself, I helped hand them out, but stopped when I saw a man standing by the doorway. Definitely not Korean. I knew almost immediately that he was the one who brought the girls. I gave the blankets I was passing out to one of the men and walked toward the guy. He saw me as I made my way to him, his eyes widening and his body straightening, taking small steps back. He held his hands up, "hey, listen, it's not what you think."

I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, despite the man being about a foot taller than me. "Who the fuck are you?"

He swallowed hard, "I can't--"

"Rayaan?" The man's eyes went behind me, a grin growing on his face.

"Nicolas! I thought you wouldn't recognize me!"

What the fuck?

Nicolas stood next to me, placing a hand on my shoulder. His eyes didn't leave Rayaan, though. "He's a... friend. It's okay."

I looked back at the man and let go of him, not feeling convinced at all. "Friend? Since when?"

Both were giving each other googly eyes in a way you'd think they were long lost lovers. I felt like a third wheel between them. Who knows? Maybe I was.