Sixty-eight

Eventually, after fervently bickering over the fact that the door won't open. I say fervently because there is a lot of gesticulating involved and a fair amount of glaring from all sides, Mason turns his attention back to me, looking rather sheepish. He is taking this failure quite personally, and I can't help but feel sorry for him.

For someone who has been dragged into this, he has taken everything in stride. Either that or he is keeping calm until this situation resolves.

I look at the man standing on the outer edge of the crowd and tilt my head in his direction. I might not know him but Mason might and I don't want to fight an innocent.

Mason tracks the motion with his eyes, curiously. He covertly steals a glance at the man and then looks at me, while our mystery man watches the people debate, and argue. What about, I have no idea. There is plenty to argue about when you stuff different people in a room with no way out. There are bound to be some growing pains until they learn to see eye to eye.

Just in case we are being watched I widen my eyes in question hoping that Mason will understand the meaning behind the gesture.

Thankfully, he does catch on to what I'm trying to say and shakes his head as a no.

I slide the blade to my side and grip it tightly in my hand. I might not be able to get in without getting trapped, but the blade won't have any trouble passing through the barrier. I hope.

Slowly, I slide sideways over the floor, hoping to be able to move unnoticed as long as I keep my movements small.

The first step indeed, doesn't alarm our intruder but the next one does. And for the first time since he has made an appearance his eyes rise to meet mine.

And then, I get a good look at what's been hiding beneath the brim of his fedora. Deep blue eyes are so much like mine in colour and shape that the similitude catches me by surprise. It is only for a fraction of a second.

I have considered the possibility but being face to face with the undeniable proof of it does surprise me.

He gives me a slanted smile and is almost as if I'm looking in the mirror. Similar facial features with an added hint of masculinity to it.

" What a touching reunion," He says and his voice travels past the barrier. The crowd becomes silent as if someone has flipped a switch.

" Lily," Mason is the first one to say my name but is more of a question than a statement.

" Ahh...finally we have a chance to meet face to face," The man says as he turns his attention and body towards Mason.

" Do we know each other?" Mason eyes him cautiously.

The man hums and shoves his hands in the pocket of his trousers looking far too relaxed for someone who is in a room with trained killers. Not all of them, but some.

" You'll have to forgive me," He says in mirth, far more charming than I'll ever be," I've been an absentee employer. You must be the famous Mason Kinnaird, " Mason doesn't say anything in return and asses him with cautious eyes. Physically speaking we are not that much different, same height, same bone structure but he is a bit more buffer than I am.

" A man of few words. I can appreciate that, " At this point, it is safe to assume that this is my brother. I guess family reunions and dinner parties are out of the question on my side as well.

Mason remains quiet while my brother continues, as he begins to walk towards Mason, the crowd parts and I'm thankful that Enid has chosen to be as far away as possible from them.

" You may want to know what is that I want?" He sighs dramatically," What is rightfully mine," I guess Gerald was right. Nothing is more addictive than power and by the looks of it, we are not the sharing kind. It is all or nothing. Control over the daiò population must mean a great deal to him if he has gone to such great lengths to obtain it.

" Not yours to claim," I interrupt him just as he opens his mouth to say something else.

" Says who? You?" He laughs at that, and it's so powerful and full of mockery that I want to carve a hole through the barrier and slit his throat, and watch as the life bleeds out of him, one drop at a time.

Once he calms down, he heaves yet another dramatic sigh and looks up," It is mine to take. You're nothing but a mongrel. A half-breed," He sneers at me, baring his teeth viciously, " You can barely control the power that was offered to you. You have no place in our world. Only pure blood is fit to lead the daiō, and you are nothing more than the scourge of a filthy man, and a cold-blooded queen. A former queen," He amends with a sinister smile. Firstly, it's a good thing we are not twins because I can't imagine having shared a womb with him. And secondly, I think it's wonderful that he is such a grade-A lunatic that I won't even feel guilty for having slit my brother's throat. Even if it's the last thing I do.

One thing doesn't make sense, though. If he is pure-blood daiō, why doesn't he just take control, clearly he has their unwavering obedience. So why go after me?

" If you want the power so badly have it," I taunt, hoping that in his fit of rage, he will offer me the answer I'm looking for.

" The seals, where are they?" So he didn't take them. Then who did? Who took the hilt if he doesn't have it?

I look around the crowd searching for those who I'd given that information. The pool is small and it's rather easy to narrow it down.

The only other person who knows how to work the metal that makes up the seals is Laira. So, I find her in the crowd, and she pretends that the panelling on the wall is extremely interesting to look at. It's not.

I know she has them, and possibly the decahedron I took, just in case things get...complicated.

" At the bottom of the sea," I say calmly," If you want them so badly you're more than welcome to go and retrieve them. Go fetch," I smirk at him and watch as his features contort in the most vicious scowl.

" Bitch," He sneers," You'll retrieve them for me or otherwise, one of these filthy things will die. One by one until there is none left. I'll kill him last," He points at Mason, and for the first time since this conversation started a smile blooms on Mason's lips. I don't know what he has in mind but it's going to be bloody.

With a mocking sigh, Mason turns to me, " If you move an inch to do his bidding, I'll put a blade through my heart, and spare you the trouble," He turns to my brother and tilts his head at him, watching as my brother widens his stance, and pull out a knife from his waistband.