Tyra stared—moon above and massacre below—at the gruesome scene, unblinking. Etching each distraught face into memory.
General Byrun Haz Silva had not resisted arrest, disbanding his winged army in exchange for his family and servants descending into the Unholy Lands unharmed. Yet, before they’d disembarked Blessark, the floating island reaped their souls.
The King had spared them, but their enemies didn’t. But their deaths wouldn't be for naught. Tyra was going to find who’d wronged them.
And their deaths wouldn’t be pretty.
- Chapter Thirteen ‘Remnants’, The Tale of Arrogance
Red gathered at the hems of Selin’s attire, hanging off until the clothes could not hold onto the swell of the liquid, allowing it to drop onto discolored autumn leaves. Ell had been trying to avoid the sight of blood after activating Impersonator, but she found herself entranced by the color as it caught the sun’s hues.
Her throat burned with gurgling acid.
In three breaths, nausea overwhelmed her, forcing her onto her knees as she spat out the sourness.
Selin realized her unsightly state, putting distance between them before shooting off into the air. She came back a minute later, remnants of water dripping off her short hair.
Patting Ell’s back soothingly as she helped her up, Selin said, “I’ll take you home.” She looked over her shoulder at the assistant. "Deal with this as you wish.”
Spherical bronze vehicles emblemed with a winged crown approached from afar.
Selin scooped Ell into her arms. This time, the embrace was less menacing than the first time she lay in it, and Ell relaxed, nodding off from exhaustion. They left Varoth and the patrol guards behind, Selin maintaining a smooth flight as not to disturb the sleeping princess.
When Ell came to, she was lying on soft silk under warm sheets. The mattress held a comfortable stiffness, supporting Ell as she sat up. She stared in confusion at her surroundings, unsure where she was.
It took her a minute to remember she had become Ilai, and another to identify her current residence as Ilai's bedroom.
Ilai’s spacious quarters at the General’s mansion were not any less ornate or luxurious than those at Varoth’s. In fact, such a comparison was a disservice to the bejeweled furniture and gold accessories.
But what the room contained was less relevant than what it lacked: people. Discovering that she was finally alone, Ell broke into a victorious smile and fell back into the puffy pillows.
There was much to do, but Ell was not eager to face it so soon. All she desired was to confine herself to Ilai’s rooms for eternity.
Better yet, run away from the identity forced upon her.
Yesterday, she was caught up in her emotions and pity for Ilai. The transmigration hadn't quite sunk back then, giving Ell room to believe she could play hero and save the General's mansion. Now sober, she saw it clearly—she was weak.
Blessark was a land of monsters and schemes, and Ell was grossly underprepared.
Even a simple escape plan would require Ell to be able to mask her location at all times, have enough strength to fend for herself, and immense wealth—one a single misstep could take away.
Ell grabbed one of the pillows and smothered her face with it.
I'm going on vacation starting now.
Within the duration of one night, Ell had died, possessed a princess, earned a system, taken part in a murder, flown in the sky, vomited everywhere, stayed at a stranger’s house, been ambushed by magical beasts, used magical skills, witnessed a bloody battle, and discovered her host’s competent assistant might be of dubious loyalties.
She deserved a break.
The curtains were drawn, lamps unlit. It was the perfect atmosphere to sleep if she ignored the sun sneaking through the curtains’ seams.
Ell snuggled deeper into the bed. It was decided. She would sleep through today, at least.
A knock came at the door.
Son of a dingo, Ell cursed in her mind. She ignored the sound; she was not done sleeping.
“Ilai, are you awake? Tahu and I just want to check on you.” Versan, Ilai’s stepmother, said through the door.
Ell hesitated. Would Ilai ignore them or allow them in? If it was Versan alone, Ell would not have hesitated. But Ilai’s attitude towards her half-brother was not too clear.
With a heavy sigh, Ell activated Impersonator.
Luckily, Ell only felt a stronger urge to cover her ears and continue sleeping.
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“Mama, can I see Ili?” A childish voice stirred Ell from her rest. She clutched the bedsheets with longing but, in the end, rose up begrudgingly. After donning a thick robe and making herself more presentable, Ell opened the double leaf doors.
The smooth wood parted, sliding sideways into the walls once its gold plating recognized Ilai’s touch. Beyond it lay a long-winding open corridor that branched into narrower paths at the peripheries, supported by rows of towering columns and lined with solemn guards. A maid, dressed in simple black robes with golden tight cuffs, stood a few feet away.
At the bedroom’s doorstep, Versan was squatting down, a hand on her son’s head in a comforting gesture. They looked up at Ell in surprise.
Tahu’s pouty face brightened with a toothy grin. “Ili!” he exclaimed as he hugged her knees, a glowing '97' hovering above his head.
Ell ruffled his neatly combed hair as the doors closed shut behind her.
“Come here,” she said as she fitted Tahu's small fingers into her grasp and led the pair through a path to the left of her bedroom, heading towards the private garden. Her personal attendant followed behind at a distance.
Ell's sluggish thoughts eased into a jog.
Impersonator was dangerous. It didn't simply ensure she never went out of character; it stripped her of her agency. Besides, it required deviation points to be used, and there was no guarantee she would have a surplus of those always. Understanding the dynamics of those closest to Ilai was the key to a longer, peaceful life.
She snuck a glance at the well-maintained woman to her right. What lay beneath Versan’s lock was still unclear, but from what memories Impersonator allowed Ell to recall, Ilai and Versan’s relationship had always been tense.
Byrun had married Versan only a few months after Ilai’s mother passed away, straining the relationship between the three. However, the hostility was rather one-sided. The couple did not treat Ilai poorly.
Versan treated Ilai with pampering and gentleness, but Ilai only ever saw Versan’s attempts at goodwill as performative hypocrisy. This led her to treat her stepmother coldly, maintaining a semblance of decorum only in consideration of her half-brother, Tahu.
The boy of five years gripped Ell’s fingers tightly, a light skip in his step as he rambled on. “Mama said your Blessing is nevinfor!”
Ell quirked an eyebrow at Versan, who in turn mouthed ‘never seen before’ with a helpless look.
Ell turned away, resisting a smile as Tahu continued, “What does your Blessing do? Does it make candy? Maybe it can make candy! Can you make candy?” His voice quieted as he put a hand to his mouth before whispering loudly, “Mama took all my candies. Can you give me candy? Just one. Please, please, please.”
Soft sunlight warmed their faces as they entered the garden. Ell chuckled while Versan asked in reprimand, “Tahu, why are you not allowed to eat candy?”
Tahu pressed his face against Ell’s knee, his free hand clumsily hugging her calf as she awkwardly halted in place. His voice was muffled as he said sulkily, “Because my tooth hurt.”
It was a complaint easily resolved; a drop of Healer blood was enough to heal any ailment. But Ilai’s disdain to consume anything human was echoed by those within the General’s mansion. Whether voluntarily or not.
Of course, Selin was an exception.
Ell turned Tahu’s hair into a bird’s nest and pulled him onto the garden swing before sitting next to him. Versan settled onto a marble bench sitting among golden roses.
Tahu had quieted since his mother’s subtle scolding, and now rested his head on Ell’s lap, playing with the strings of her attire. Comfortable silence swept through the garden, lulled by the gentle breeze.
“I heard about what happened at Varoth’s yesterday,” Versan said, disturbing the delicate peace. “We should have brought you home along with us. To think you had to have your Blessing ceremony ruined by the Earl and then-—” she paused, choosing her words carefully in front of the ignorant Tahu, “your sleep disturbed like so. Mother should have known better. I’m sorry you—”
“Tahu,” Ell interrupted as she carried the boy up by the waist and set him on his feet. “Are you studying well at the academy?”
Tahu nodded excitedly. “Ms. Elaine says I’m so so smart, I can become a Researcher!”
“Hmm, is that so?” Ell pretended to think for a while. She then pointed to a group of faraway winter flowers at the edges of the garden. “Then can you count for me how many Winters there are?”
Tahu nodded passionately. “I’m the best at counting!” he declared as he bolted towards the flowerbed.
Ell’s gentle smile evened out into a cold line.
“Versan,” she spat out the name. “If you’re bored of staying at the mansion, you can pack your bags and leave.” Ell leaned forward in her seat, a venemous smile matching her chilly glare. “Address yourself as my mother one more time, and I would gladly have you thrown back into the Unholy Lands.”
Versan stiffened at the mention of the lands beneath Blessark, her countenance contorting into a rarely seen grimace.
Versan Ry Tiraz had once been a renowned winged general. However, in the Battle of the Fallen where Blessark had been dealt a humiliating defeat, Versan along many of her soldiers were taken prisoner. Years passed with no traces of the general or her soldiers until Byrun found her in the Unholy Lands in the aftermath of a bloody battle—wings cut off, twin girls by her side.
It was an undeniable tragedy. Even nine year old Ilai understood as much.
So despite her initial resistance, when Versan assured Ilai that she would never take the place of Ilai’s mother in the mansion or Byrun’s heart, when she told Ilai that between her and Byrun was only sympathy and refuge, Ilai understood. Accepted.
Until Tahu.
Ell leaned back on the swing, swaying with her seat as she pushed a foot against the ground. “I’d hate for Tahu to grow up motherless, but he will do just fine without.” Ell pointed a delicate finger at her own face. “Look at me. I fared just fine.”
Versan gave Ell a long solemn stare before easing into a smile. “I misspoke,” she admitted lightheartedly. “Aunt should not have said that.”
Tahu hastened over as the tension fizzled into a bitter undercurrent. Ell shifted her haughty demeanor into a softer one as Tahu slammed into her open arms. “Forty-seven!” he declared proudly. “Is it right? It's definitely right!”
When Ell nodded in confirmation, he quickly asked, “Can I get candy please?” He stretched the last word, flashing Ell a toothy smile lacking quite some teeth.
Ell beckoned to Klarn, and the prepared maid came over with a handful of sweets. Ell picked Tahu’s favorite. When she handed it over to him, he beamed with satisfaction but did not forget to seek his mother’s approval before eating it.
Versan sighed at his desperate glances and finally gave in.
As Tahu stuffed the white sphere of sugar into his mouth, Versan rose from her seat. “We won’t impose any longer, you should have some rest.” She gave Klarn a meaningful look before continuing, “Ilai, it would be best if you could let Quinn know when you’ll be receiving visitors, he has been up all night waiting to check up on you.”
Ell froze.
Quinn. The Quinn. Quinn Kaleth Romar.
Someone impossible to forget. Impossible to ignore. Yet, somehow, Ell had forgotten him entirely.
How could she possibly forget him?
Deputy Minister of Works. The one who had fabricated evidence to accuse Byrun of treason. The one who had caused the fall of the General’s mansion. And most importantly—Ilai’s husband.