Consequence

The Minister sits behind his desk a glowing box before him. Tatsuya rushes in covered in scars and drying blood. It seems my Shadows went easy on him.

"Father we have to go," Tatsuya's eyes scan the room not once looking up.

"He's missing an eye," Night sends.

"I see that," I send back, "what's in the box?"

The Minister doesn't bother to look up at his son instead whatever's in the box has him transfixed.

"A jade sculpture," Night sends, "to be precise a cursed one."

"Cursed?" I send back, catching a glimpse of a pale hand, "fuck, is that what I think it is?"

"So, it would seem."

Tatsuya moves towards his father, hand outstretched when the Minister looks up causing him to halt his steps. The Minister has a manic look to him, the corners of his mouth have been cut making it seem like his lips have been stretched on either end. His eyes look through his son when he opens his mouth a black tongue slips out.

"Father," Tatsuya's hand goes to his sword, "what's happened to you?"

Nigh and I jump from our hiding spots gaining the creature's attention. It smiles at us eyes glowing, "such lovely creature I will add you to my collection," it hisses running its tongue over its stretched lips.

"Your father was a greedy man," Night says, "his only salvation is death."

"I won't let you hurt him," Tatsuya takes a defensive position.

I snort and lift my bow, "you can either help us or die with him," the first arrow zooms out hitting the wooden box. The creature screams as the box turns to cinders the jade sculpture of a male and female in a passionate embrace clatters from the creature's hand.

It launches at us giving Nigh the chance to sink his blades into its back. Tatsuya moves to stop him when the feature lets out an ear-piercing screech. This time my arrow pierces the creature straight through the throat. I send two more out trapping him in an ice prison.

"What have you done?" Tatsuya moves towards me sword clattering to the ground as Night cuts of his head.

"How do we get rid of it?" I walk over to the jade statue, "its two of them."

"What?" Night comes to stand by my side.

"It's two demons," I say, "before he looked up a hand was stretching out, I think his lover was trapped in the box."

"No," Night summons and obsidian box with ancient text carved on the sides, "she's trapped in the statue."

"You sure?"

"Yeah," he points the box towards the statue just as the ice starts to crack. Bright light fills the room as the state gets suck in. The ice cracks and the Minister's body collapses shattering the moment it hits the floor.

"And this is why we should care for worldly possessions," I say earning a laugh from Night.

"So, you'll let the doll break?" he asks as we winnow away.

"Not a chance," I say stepping into a hidden passage within the palace.

"But it's a worldly possession," he teases going quite at the sound of footsteps.

When no one comes we slip into the passage leading to the Empress's chamber. Night cloaks us in darkness as my Shadows get to work. The sooner we get the sacred Koi the better.

"You haven't answered me," Night sends.

"About?" I send back.

"The doll."

"When we die, we let go of all worldly possessions," I send, "besides I intend on passing the doll down to our son or daughter."

Night spins me around so my back's pressed against the passage wall. His eyes glow with such intensity it's hard to look away, "so you admit we're stuck with each other?" he presses his forehead against my own.

"Do you mean," I whisper, "that accept we are mates, that I want you as much as you do me," his lips crush against my own making my knees go weak. Every time he kisses me, I feel like drowning, his kisses are as sweet as honey and as fierce as any flame. Leaving a trail of fire wherever they graze. How easy, would it be to lose myself in him, to forget the world, and let him pull me under.

"When we get the damned fish, I'm fucking you, I don't care where we are," he's breathing's surprisingly steady, "I don't care if the world is ending."

"I'm fine with that," I take several breaths to steady my raising heart. Kissing that man was never this thrilling, it never stirred anything within me. The moment I met Night, I wanted nothing more than to lay in his embrace.

"Mistress," one of the Shadow Wolves calls to me, "we found it."

"They found it," I tell Night leading him towards the Sacred Koi.

"That's not the way to the Empress's chamber," Night sends as we make our way through the barracks.

"I know," I send him, "are you certain you found it?" I send Nadia the Shadow Wolf.

"Yes Mistress," Nadia sends, "but it doesn't look like a fish."

"Then how do you know it's the Koi?" I send her.

"It's not mortal," she sends.

"What is it?" Night sends.

"Nadia says the Koi doesn't look like a fish," I send him as we slip out of the barracks and end up before a massive red oak.

"Dryad," Night sends.

"Uncle, use to say they're hostile folk," I send him, calling all my Shadows back to me, "I think the Sacred Koi being guarded by the Dryad."

"Perhaps we can ask her nicely," Night sends pulling me into an alley at the sound of footsteps. Once the guards are gone, we step out of our hiding spot. The clouds part and the moon shines down on the red oak. A beautiful female emerges from the oak eyes and hair the same red as the oak's leaves skin like bark with tinges of red. The Dryad's eyes settle on us as if knowing why where here she smiles and extends her hands.

Within a blink, the Moonstone Koi rest in her hands, "free me and you may have it," her voice is billowy.

"Free you?" I ask.

"Yes, my Queen free me," the wind sweeps her hair up making her seem ethereal.

"I'm only an Assassin," I say earning a smile from the Dryad.

"You are more than that," she says her eyes sweeping over Night and me, "yes, you are both more than that," the Dryad inclines her head and steps back into the oak.