// Chapter 26 \\

If the mind reading didn't have my world spinning, this would have. Yunho was dead. He was dead. But his grave had been empty— but he was Taken right in front of me. But they'd taken his body— but blood had fallen like tears from his eyes and the silver of his pupils became a dull grey. He was dead. He was alive.

"That's not possible," Hongjoong murmured in complete disbelief, "H-He was reported dead— people saw him die—"

"We never recovered his body." Yeosang stated simply, as if he'd had a hunch about this, "The Takers had taken his powers, but they'd also taken him as they fled."

Hongjoong turned to Yeosang, "You're suggesting he survived the Taking."

"Yes," Yeosang turned to Hongjoong as well, "It's a low chance. But there is a chance."

Hongjoong clenched his jaw then, contemplation pronounced in his grey-blue eyes. He found it hard to believe.

I was finding it hard to believe. I sat frozen in my seat, although the chills had dissipated from me, as if what I just heard collapsed them into something too stilling to have chills to shake it. I was in disbelief— and I believed. Please, I wanted it to be true. The pool of sorrow I'd dragged myself into. The shower of guilt that forced me to drown in tearless mourning. Could it be too good to be true? It was too good and I was too sad. It couldn't be true. That wasn't how good worked.

"Talk." Leeyon directed this towards Como, turning away from Hongjoong and Yeosang's conversation with disinterest.

Como's glare wasn't as intense to his High Monarch as it was with me. He clenched his jaw tight for a moment before he relaxed once more, continuing his same, relaxed, story-tone, "We played in the swamps of Night Court a lot. Spent every part of every day together. We both dreamed of becoming guards."

"We don't need a story." Leeyon broke in.

Como drew his lips into a thin line as he glanced up to her, "Well, this is the only way you'll get what you want out of me."

Leeyon barked a laugh, "I doubt that."

"Let him talk," I surprisingly spoke, my voice level and unwavering, save for the small scratchiness from earlier.

No one moved to make an objection to what I said.

Como curled his nose and grunted a sound of discontentment at that before he continued, "We'd sword fight in the swamps, stone gardens, vines— anywhere. The townspeople knew us for running around with wooden swords in our hands. They thought that, one day, we would be guards. My mom didn't like that fact— or how we made the town our playground as much as the dangerous parts of the brush beyond it. She only voiced her objection though. We never listened." Como grimaced, "We got older. We both still found ourselves dueling. Court Selection happened and suddenly I grew a power to manipulate water and I went to Eastern Court. That's when we began to see each other less.

"I ended up joining the guard academy in Venelia. We both weren't the biggest of writers. So we didn't write much. But we wrote enough. It wasn't long that I figured out about him joining the guard academy of Night Court. I also heard of the new young High Monarch that rose to power: Star of Night Court. I didn't think anything of it. I was happy for Yunho, and the High Monarch wasn't mine to serve. And I didn't think anything of it for a couple years... a couple years until I visited Night Court.

"I came to see Yunho— to catch up and rekindle a close bond that had been severed by Courts. I was introduced to the guard academy, met some good people, and the people there talked. They talked a lot, and I was shocked at how poorly some spoke of their High Monarch. 'Star of Night Court' they'd say 'That cold lifeless child that took the throne.'"

"That," Yeosang practically spat, interrupting in a wary tone, "Is out of line."

Como narrowed his eyes, yet his gaze didn't leave mine, "But you know it to be true, don't you?"

Yeosang didn't reply and no other words were said— at least I didn't hear them. If any words were said, the numbing fuzz of my head was too loud to hear it. The only thing that sounded prominent through all the small rings, chimes, and voices, was the voice of the traitorous victim in front of me.

"They really did say those things," Como continued, "Cruel sneers fit for a cruel High Monarch. They said terrible things. And for a time while being there, I thought of them to be wrong. I thought there was no way my home Court could fall victim to a cruel High Monarch." Como paused for a long moment, swallowing, but his voice held strong, "And then I heard about the deaths. One after another— Captain of the Guard. Killed. Missing. The clear reason? None."

There was a slight shift in the room, but not by much. It was so hard to take my surroundings into account as my hands began to shake, the fuzz overrunning my hand. It was like a clouded, yet clear shield, keeping a realization from dawning over me. It made my head spin. It made me hate what Como was saying. It also made me scared of it.

Como then began to lean forward in his seat, "Seven Captains in the span of two years, Star of Night Court." He smiled then, clearly meant as mockery as he added, "How are you going to explain that one?"

The pulse in my back splintered then and I let out a wince as I reached for it. Then there was a hand on mine

"Oh, so now you feel guilty?" Como yelled with the curl of his lip. The pure rage sparked in his bellow as he'd let a bit of himself snap, "You know I actually did see you in the palace gardens! You looked as cold as a Taker!"

"That tone is inexcusable." Leeyon was barreling forward once again.

Como ignored her and continued his yelling, chains shaking, "Do you know what happened to them? Do you even know their names? Aullgate, Samson, Leochin, Wellqrou, Pon, Hellacit, and Meyam."

I gritted my teeth, "Stop-"

"They're all dead BECAUSE OF YOU!" Como was screaming now.

STOP.

I clutched my head as pain seared through me from those words. I couldn't look away— I couldn't turn my head as much as I couldn't close my eyes.

Como was furious. That ocean blue was wild like it had been in that storm I found myself in. He was panting now as his High Monarch was fighting against him, forcing him to sit back in the chair. I didn't even hear Leeyon's words and his glare was still on me the entire time. It became one that threatened to obliterate the clear lenses of clarity in my eyes.

"Yunho told me that he had been assigned to replace the previous Captain of the Guard." Como shook his head, "I told him not to do it. Look at all the signs, don't do it. This High Monarch is a witch." he snarled with gritted teeth on the last word, "He scolded me— Seas, he was so prideful and he fought back at my words. He was going to do it anyway. He did." A single tear fell from Como's neutral face, "And then he was dead."

The room went silent then. Even Leeyon stopped fighting against Como, because he too stopped fighting against her. He let out a shaky breath then.

"I believed that for a while— that he was dead. I swore myself to hate you— always have and always will," Como shook his head as he gritted his teeth, "And that made it such a joy when you decided to return with that same cold look on your face, all the other High Monarchs saying you need a break from the trauma you went through."

That visit from many months ago. The same visit I sailed out into the ocean and almost drowned myself. Como had glared at me before we left— he'd been the one glaring at me.

Como actually laughed then, "Like you needed a break. I hated having to go through the entire ordeal, even sitting at that dinner table with you. But that servant called and I was whisked away. You know, that servant led me to a supposed trap. That Taker you call San. He struck a deal with me, saying Yunho was alive and well and if I wanted to keep him that way, I would be assisting him in his own mission." Como continued to look straight at me, "Which was to get straight to you."

"Why Star though?" Yeosang asked then, "And why would you trust a Taker's words."

"Taker never told me why he wanted Star," Como turned to Yeosang then, gaze finally leaving mine. His brows slightly rose, "And the evidence the Taker gave? He told me he left Yunho where he was kept after he had said the words 'I should've listened to Como.' No one would just know what those words mean." His glare returned to me now, eyes narrowing, "Which begs the question of you."

Como was thrusted back against his seat by Leeyon's hand. He let out a mixture of a snarl and a grunt.

"I think that's enough out of you." Leeyon's tone was low and threatening.

Como huffed a laugh, "Of course. That's because you've gotten what you wanted."

"Star," Yeosang tightened his hand from where it was on my shoulder, "We should leave."

We got the answers we needed. But I couldn't move. The fuzz had blocked my nerves and the images were playing right in front of my eyes and there was sound to those images now. I could see those and the reality of what was playing out in front of me. And my mind would react to none of it.

"I wonder what Yunho means by what he said because I can guarantee that was our biggest argument." Como's voice rose a bit once more, "What have you done, Star of Night Court, to make him say that? I saw the way you just walked towards that Taker without a care of what happened to the other High Monarchs when they tried to save you. I saw it with my own eyes."

There was finally an itch in my legs to move from his words. So I stood, clumsily yet light as a feather, turning and not even paying attention to anything except for the exit. I began walking that way.

I needed to get out of here.

"I bet you killed all of them!" Como yelled, "One by one with those same cold eyes you were staring at me with RIGHT NOW!"

The door slammed closed, leaving Como's voice to echo in the numbing fuzz.

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! \\