// Chapter 17 \\

"Well, this is certainly interesting." Wooyoung's low murmur echoed as deadly as a knife across the room.

He was kneeled and chained to the wall, like last time. Eyes glimmered in a glare from beneath the lavender bangs. He was the one vulnerable, helpless, unarmed but I couldn't help but feel those things myself as I stared at him. I still feared the look in his eyes and, yet, my curiosity would not let me rip my eyes off of him. Perhaps that's why I took so long to take my first step into the cell.

I somehow stopped shaking before we even opened the door. My insides shivered and then became complacent to the unnatural aura of him. The cold chills of the Taker caressed my skin and I hated its familiarity and unease that it gave. I wondered how it made me so complacent though. Emotion was not on my face as I entered that cell, as I looked at Wooyoung.

To that, Wooyoung smiled.

I did not let this throw me off. I remembered what happened the last time I was in here.

Yeosang came in after me, masking his face with what I assumed was his cool and cunning expression he held the walk down into the cellars.

Wooyoung raised a brow as he walked in. He let out a breath of a laugh, "Ah, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Answers," Yeosang spoke simply as he positioned himself to my left.

"We're going to ask you some questions," I continued in a surprisingly cold and steady voice, "And you will answer them, unless you wish for this to be more difficult on your end."

To this, Wooyoung hummed, before he murmured, "The star has sparks."then he sighed boredly as he managed to try and readjust himself, shaking the chains as he sat up to face us, "I won't talk with him here," he turned his gaze to Yeosang, slightly annoyed.

To this, Yeosang folded his arms and didn't move another muscle, eyes trained to Wooyoung's, "You don't have a choice. I'm not going anywhere."

Wooyoung hummed once more, "Well, that'll be the end of this discussion. I won't be talking."

"He said you don't have a choice," I spoke as I took another step forward towards the Taker, "And he's right. It's either the easy way or the hard way."

"See," Wooyoung sighed as he turned to look my way. The look was knowing— like I was supposed to know, "That's where you're wrong. I have all the choices in this matter and you have none, Starlight."

You have none.

It was an effort to hide the discomfort and off-balance his words brought. I'd gone stiff and I knew I'd gone stiff by the satisfied look in his eyes.

"You know, I'll tell you one thing. That is, I'm surprised San still somehow grew close to you," Wooyoung smiled then, "Starlight," he tsked, "It was supposed to be us." His words ended in a snarl as the chains raddled behind him.

Yeosang stepped in front of me then, I could feel the tension radiating off of him, "You're sickening."

Wooyoung just kept smirking, "To you, maybe." Then his eyes lingered away from Yeosang's and went back to mine.

It didn't even take a moment after Wooyoung's words for a rose gold dagger to glimmer into Yeosang's hand and have it up against the throat of the Taker. Even so, Wooyoung somehow had time to react, to bring his head back with a slight hint of surprise as he looked up into Yeosang's cyan eyes.

"The Crescent," Yeosang said in a low snarl.

To this, Wooyoung's eyes practically illuminated. Not in a crazed manner, but somehow like they were more alive. He sighed as he gave a slightly dazed grin but his tone was rough, "What about it?"

Suddenly, the Taker who said he would speak no words at all to the High Monarch of Spring now conformed in what was almost glee to his questions.

It was off-putting. I knew Yeosang was the same as he slightly inched his head away from Wooyoung's before he continued, "I've researched that legend and it's true, and you know things— many things from what I've read.

Wooyoung laughed before it was cut off by the press of the blade at his throat. He merely swallowed before he spoke, "I only know so much and am willing to tell only that of which I believe you need. You can threaten me with your weapons or magic— any form of tortue you've ever thought of, but you won't kill me so long as you know I hold things you long and desire to know."

Yeosang stayed quiet for a moment before he asked, "Kill the Crescent. What does that mean?"

"Ah, a sacred saying," Wooyoung mused, "It means your downfall."

"How?" the dagger was pressed ever so further against Wooyoung's throat.

"By the Crescent of course," Wooyoung sighed, "It can be anyone's so long as you have the means of which to use it.

"The wielders," Yeosang confirmed.

Wooyoung's eyes rose in surprise, "Ah, so the stag truly knows much of what he researches. Impressive."

"I didn't ask for your comments."

"Well you got them, didn't you? Unlike the little knowledge you have of the wielders." There was a look in Wooyoung's eyes— a look so plain in sight that it was evident to see—

"You know who they are," Yeosang narrowed his eyes.

"I do," Wooyoung admitted with a smile.

The dagger pressed at his throat drew blood—

"Ah-ah- I wouldn't do that if I were you," Wooyoung spoke smoothly, without worry.

Yeosang was losing his edge— I could tell. He gazed down at the Taker with hatred that poured out bit by bit with every word that was spoken. The one friend I'd known to keep his composure so under-wraps was literally at the brink of his patience somehow. His nose curled as he glared at the Taker who was toying with him. Usually, Yeosang would never let things like this get to him.

So I stepped forward and asked, "Why?" I knew I'd let Yeosang do the talking from how I was internalizing my shaking and panic, but I couldn't let him bear my part of the task also.

But every part of me wished I stayed silent as Wooyoung's eyes made their way to me in a predatory manner, "Because I'm one of them. And if my information wasn't strong leverage for my life," Wooyoung looked back up to Yeosang, "I think that will be plenty of convincing."

"How?" Yeosang eyes were in shock and his lips slightly gaping to the Taker below him.

A Taker with powers.

The chills ran through me as I recalled them.

It was supposed to be impossible.

He smirked, "Try to strike me down with a single gust of magic, Stag." Wooyoung insulted, "Not an ounce of power will touch my skin."

It was minutes that the Two stared at one another— an eternity as I looked to the two of them. However, after those long moments, Yeosang removed the dagger from Wooyoung's throat and stepped away as he shook his head.

"You know more than what you're letting on," Yeosang stated.

And what he stated had to be true as the Taker hunched over once more and spoke, "Maybe. But there is someone else that could tell you more." Wooyoung then glanced my way and paused for a long moment before he spoke, "Eastern Court, your answers lie there in the palace in Venelia."

The discomfort in me had risen. I'd gone to Eastern Court all my life. I found wonder and comfort in its boundaries. I loved visiting the palace and what was offered there and I couldn't help but imagine that Court befalling the same fate as Dawn. If our answers lied there, there would be someone that had to know something. If the crescent was truly this hidden and this well known to Takers, it seemed impossible that the person would be on our side.

"Who?" Yeosang spoke as he approached Wooyoung once more.

Wooyoung tsked, annoyed at the questions Yeosang kept asking, "It's not a who and that is all I'm willing to say." he lowered his head, "You'll find your answers."

Yeosang stopped and looked to me then. I knew my friend long enough to know the silence gesture was if we should press for more answers. I slightly shook my head. I'd had enough of this place. It was becoming unbearable to hold my pain, my fear, the shivers as the chills finally became foreign to me.

Yeosang nodded in confirmation, looking back to Wooyoung once more to say, "So you planned all of this?"

"Not planned," Wooyoung's head lifted once more from where he kneeled. The glint of his eyes were looking at mine, "Destined."

REMEMBER:​​​​​​

1. Smack dat butiful star

2. Leave a comment talkin abt dis tea

3. Share dis tea induced book with yo fwends

WHY? Because I appreciate it 🥺

\\ See u in the next chapter! \\