Disclaimer: I don't own Owari no Seraph, its plot or characters, or any other mentioned books, songs, or series. They belong to their respective owners. I only own my OCs and the plot that deviates from canon or doesn't exist in canon. This is a non-profit fan fiction just for fun.
Beta reader: haelyeon
To AkazawaIzumi: There will be more Mika in this chapter (there can never be enough of him), so I hope you enjoy this one, too :D No problem, I love replying to reviews – I've discovered that it's one of the most fun things to do here, aside from reading fanfics of course xD – so I was really excited and happy to see that you left one again!
I'm glad that you like the idea with the wings; it really is convenient that they vanish. Imagine if you would have to shower or bath with them... and walking around with them all the time would give you the worst back pains ever. But I decided that they would work on a similiar basis as Mirai and Yū's that also conveniently disappear for some reason when they leave the "Seraph Mode". I'm blaming it on magic.
Vivian went accidentally into her "Seraph Mode" and kind of used all of it up (like a battery runs out of juice) during the test, which brought her body to its limits and let the wings disappear. Naturally, she won't be able to use those powers again so soon (they kind of need to recharge, plus her body is in a bad condition) or be able to control them right away. That would definitely be too convenient. More about Vivian's abilities will be cleared up in this chapter.
A/N: I also want to thank Charlotte M. Baldonado and eragon95159 for leaving a review, everyone who followed and/or favourited Between Two Worlds, and all the other readers!
There is a little fluff and bonding happening in this chapter to make up for all the angst in the previous ones. Enjoy!
Chapter 7 Matters Of Interest (Part 1)
Royal Audience Chamber, Sanguinem, January, 2017
"How does that human have these peculiar wings and powers, Elias? They are unlike anything I have ever witnessed before," Krul questioned the vampire physician of her faction that had conducted Vivian's examination.
"I shall be honest… I don't exactly know, your majesty. She doesn't possess the seraph gene, nor is she cursed by the Seraph of the End, that is for sure. However, the girl herself provided rather strange readings when we checked her with spells to confirm whether she carried a seraph or not. We weren't able to identify if it was just a reaction to the injected seraph cells from another host, an echo of sorts, or something entirely else."
The stoic vampire paused before he commenced his explanation, "The emergence of the wings and her ability to create some kind of pathway might have been triggered by the constant injection of the seraph cells, but it could also be connected to her uncommon magic readings.
"We're not sure what is responsible for what. The unusual readings might also be an explanation to how she survived the seraph cells for so long and to how her body accepted them up to a certain point before the rejection process started. She could be just a failed seraph, or perhaps the humans succeeded in creating an artificial angel that is similar to a seraph this time. But that is only speculation on my part."
Elias Feher was a devoted and loyal servant to the queen, even in matters concerning the Seraph of the End, that had been forbidden by the Progenitor Council. The vampire had been one of the servants who had collected the Hyakuya orphans from the orphanage and had given them a health check-up. He didn't want to cross the 3rd progenitor, one of the strongest vampires of the Progenitor Council and beyond, out of self-preservation.
Krul was deep in thoughts, contemplating her future course of action and weighing her options.
"Shall I issue some medicine for the human that slows down the rejection process?" Elias inquired, guessing that the queen might want to have the human alive for some time longer.
"No, that won't be necessary, but give the human some pain killers so she'll be clear of mind when I interrogate her."
"Yes, Queen Krul."
After being provided with more information on the girl, she left the room to welcome her new "guest".
For now, the 3rd progenitor would keep the failed seraph – at this point, it wouldn't matter anymore for Krul had already broken the rules of the Progenitor Council concerning the Seraph of the End before by keeping the Hyakuya orphans alive.
Even if she was in the process of dying, at the very least, the human girl could give Krul more insight on the JIDA's internal workings, and maybe she could learn more about what Hiiragi Mahiru was doing these days.
They had made a deal after all and Krul didn't like to be kept waiting more than she already had.
Again, Mikaela visited after I had eaten lunch and took me to the music room with two guards in dark grey cloaks monitoring us. I wondered why they were there. Krul knew that I wouldn't and couldn't escape. Were they here to protect me or Mika from other vampires?
Or were they here to supervise Mika? Had he tried to escape again after becoming a vampire and was now in need of supervision? If that was the case, I could understand him.
Yū was still out there and Mika was being forced to stay in Sanguinem, in this mansion. Of course, he'd much rather be with his last remaining family. But he would be at risk if he went outside without any fighting abilities to keep himself safe from the JIDA or other humans who could take vampires down. Above that, he didn't know where Yū was at them moment.
And there was the issue with his new diet, too. So Krul kept him most likely confined for now for a reason. Perhaps he was not as compliant at this time yet – Mika couldn't have been a vampire for long. Even though he had talked to me as ordered by Krul, he might not always listen to her and thus was still monitored. I hadn't questioned her why she gave him that order because I didn't want Krul to revoke it.
The music room was as tasteful as the rest of the palace. When I saw the beautiful black grand piano standing in the middle of the room in the midst of other instruments, I almost broke out in tears.
I got really excited and bounced to the bench with a huge smile on my face. Mika sat down in a seat next to it as I opened the lid. My fingers stroked gently over the keys to test if it was still in tune. To my delight, it was.
I decided to warm up with some of my favourite classics – 'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy' by Tchaikovsky followed by 'In the hall of the mountain King' by Grieg. I let it merge with Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata', my best friend's favourite song. It was also a small pun between us as Shinya's name meant 'deep night' or 'midnight', and the moonlight only shone in the middle of the night.
I smiled at Mika while I played the nostalgic tunes without needing sheets to play them. I loved to play the piano just for myself, but I also liked to show off my skills from time to time and to share my music. I hardly would have wanted to become a pianist if I didn't, even if I also had some stage fright in front of a larger group of spectators.
"Do you like stories, Mikaela?" I asked him after I had played the last tune of Shinya's favourite song.
"Yes."
"Then I will tell you one about companionship and adventures. It's one of my favourites."
The door to the music room opened.
"I see you've already started," Krul observed while she sat down on another intricate chair next to Mika. I was happy that she had accepted my invitation yet also nervous to have her here. For some reason, I wasn't afraid in Mika's presence even though he was a vampire, too. Perhaps it was the eyes and the knowledge that he didn't drink human blood.
"Just with the warm up. I was about to start a story accompanied by the piano. I hope you like it. This story begins with a wizard that visits one of his old friends in a peaceful land called the Shire…"
I began to retell the story of 'the Hobbit' that didn't exist in this world while I played the themes. I had read the books and had watched the films often enough to remember almost every dialogue. It was a tragedy and mystery why Tolkien's books didn't exist in this world.
I watched the expressions of Mikaela and Krul as I told them the story of the first Hobbit film. Mikaela seemed to enjoy it to a degree, and Krul seemed to be at least not completely bored – all I could ask for.
Once I thought I had told enough for one day and my stomach started to growl from hunger I stopped.
"So, how did you like it, Mikaela?" I asked him as I closed the piano's lid.
"It was... nice. I haven't heard a story like this on piano before."
"I have to agree – it was entertaining at least. I have never heard these melodies before. I also didn't expect this kind of skill and proficiency from you, human." Did that mean that she liked it? Krul was hard to read and interpret. I had no idea what she was thinking.
"This was part one of six. If you want, I could play one part every few days for you from now on," I suggested.
"Do it. I don't get to enjoy unheard stories often." Krul stood up and left the room in silent strides. I guessed that was a valid problem if you lived forever.
My gaze fell back on Mikaela. "Did you perform this... story for your friends, too?" he asked me.
"Yeah. Especially for Mako-chan and Shū. They loved it and I had to play it for them every time they visited me after New Year." I smiled fondly at the memory. Then my expression grew sombre.
"To be honest, Mikaela, I came to Sanguinem first and foremost to search for my friends, and to make a deal with the vampire queen to ensure their safety. Everything else comes after that."
I paused and turned to look at the boy. "I didn't want to disclose this in the throne room in front of the others, but I know I can tell you this. There is a chance that two of my younger friends, Mako-chan and Shū I've told you about, were taken to Sanguinem because they lived in Nagoya," I confided in Mikaela.
His sky blue eyes widened a little in surprise. I just knew that I could trust him, not only because I vaguely knew him as character from the series.
It was a gut-feeling.
"You came here for your family?"
I nodded in response and smiled at him. "I hope I can find them and make sure that they are safe before I die."
Mika stared at me before the air around him became downcast again. "...I don't understand how you can tell me this. We barely know each other. How can you trust someone you just met not to endanger the family you're trying to protect?" Mikaela was suspicious of my motives. He had every right to. Not all of them were selfless... were there even some that were selfless?
"Hmm… I just know that I can trust you, Mikaela. It's a feeling I have – you could call it instinct!" I explained and grinned. It was the truth, and I had to give Mika my trust first if I wanted him to open up to me a little, too – I wanted to trust him. Trust wasn't a one-way street and needed to be earned.
Mikaela looked slightly disbelieving. "Instinct…?" he repeated in a sceptic tone.
"Yep," I chirped. "Plus, you're adorable and have that sort of face that screams responsible and trustworthy~." I tried to keep down the swooning over him, because I knew it would be strange to express that towards an almost total stranger but... twelve-year-old Mika was just... Ugh. Too adorable. He could hold the candle to a younger Shinya, Mako-chan or Shū. I had the urge to hug him whenever I looked at him.
The boy blushed slightly over my compliments but seemed troubled by them at the same time. "That's…?" He was searching for the right word.
"It's okay if you think I'm weird. Believe me, you wouldn't be the first one," I responded happily.
"I was about to say... creepy." I laughed at his cheeky response. Ah, Mika was a little ruder than I thought he would be. Not that I minded. Any reaction from him was good and better than that empty expression with eyes full of pain.
"You wouldn't believe how often I've been called that, too." A child prodigy that tends to speak and act like an adult at times? Yeah, that was creepy. Some adults and older children had been quite put-off by my behaviour.
"No... actually, I think I do."
I clutched at my heart in mock hurt. So I was creepy in his eyes, huh? "Ouch. Right in the feels. Despite your angelic face you're quite the little devil, aren't you?"
"I don't know what you are talking about," Mika denied, the corners of his mouth twitching.
"Say, can you play an instrument, too, Mikaela? I've noticed you staring at the violin cases?" I asked him one day after our daily talking sessions.
He nodded. "I can play the violin a little. My mother made me attend lessons before... she died."
I was surprised to hear this. "Oh, I see... If you still want to play the violin, I could teach you a little. Apart from the piano, I also know how to play the violin."
The boy appeared contemplative. "It's been a while since I've played, and I wasn't more than a beginner back then..."
"That's fine. It's been a while for me, too," I reassured him.
"Then... maybe I'll take you up on that offer. It's not like I have anything better to do," he mumbled the last part.
I stood up from my place on the bench and retrieved one of the violins, testing the instrument out and checking if it was still in tune. Afterwards, I held the violin out to Mika, who appeared slightly reluctant to take it.
"Don't be scared of it. It's not going to bite you~," I joked, which earned me a slightly exasperated but also... desperate look.
"How can you even make a joke like that here in this place?"
"It's precisely because I'm in a place like this that I should make jokes like this. If I let myself fall into despair now, there would be no meaning to holding on for so long. The least I can do now is to enjoy the last days of my life – that is exactly what I would want my friends to do if they were in my position," I explained and held Mika's gaze for some time.
He seemed to be either mulling over my words, or he was stuck in his own thoughts. After a while, he tentatively took the offered instrument into his hands. I smiled as Mika began to play the first tune.
"We're going to have lots of fun together~!"
"If no one has any more questions, let's start with the test of courage! Shinya-senpai, Kido-san, you volunteered to be the first ones," Okumura-kun, one of my classmates, announced.
In my last year of middle school I had informed Shinya of the test of courage some of my classmates had wanted to do the in the middle of the summer vacation. My friend had promptly invited himself because it sounded like fun to him, somehow being able to make time for it. As usual, Shinya had introduced himself without a last name.
"Aww, I wanted to be the one to go with Shinya-senpai~!" Sakamoto Aina, also known as "boyfriend stealer" for she had managed to pinch two other classmates' boyfriends, complained. Not at the same time, but in the same month. The fourteen year-old girl was clutching Shinya's arm to her already voluptuous chest. She had jumped at my best friend like a wolf out for fresh meat the moment she had seen him.
My eyebrow twitched in displeasure. This had been going on for a few minutes now but Shinya hadn't told her off while listening to class rep Okumura's description of the way and an explanation of the test, which quite annoyed me for some reason. I bet he was enjoying this, the little pervert – judging from the entertained smile that Shinya threw me, that was the case.
"Can't I go with Kido-san?" Hasegawa Takuma inquired. He had invited himself, too, after hearing about it. His determination to woo me was beginning to give me some creepier vibes at times. Kaori rolled her eyes and whispered something to Akira. Despite her being initially all for it, she had come to develop a small aversion against Hasegawa-kun.
Maybe it was just our imagination, but somehow Hasegawa-kun's smile and attitude, even his interest in me, seemed forced at times. I wondered why he didn't just give up on me if he was tired of me.
"Nope. I'm sorry but Vivi-chan is such a scaredy-cat that she might even pee in her pants during the test. And as it is, I'm carrying the bag with the spare panties," Shinya interjected, finally removing himself from the watermelon-alike breasts of the other teen, winking towards me as he did so.
What was that about?
Some of the guys from my class laughed, made some comments, or whistled at his words, and even some of the girls giggled. Great. This was going to be the hot topic of school gossip for the next months.
"Let's go Vivi-chan~," Shinya took me by the hand, towards the path into the woods, with a delighted smile. I fumed internally, equally angry and embarrassed about what he had just blurted out in front of my whole class plus Hasegawa-kun.
"Shinya-nii! What the hell was that about?! There are no spare panties in the bag, and I'm not going to piss myself either!" I growled when we were far enough away from the others. The sun was almost completely down now, so we had to use a flashlight – only one was allowed.
"Ahaha~," the idiot had the nerve to laugh. I was going to smack him where it hurt! Unfortunately, Shinya easily sidestepped me and caught my hands. "But the others would have questioned then why I'm carrying a bag around with me, Vivi-chan. That would have jeopardized our plan."
He wasn't wrong...
"Besides, you actually peed in your pants that one time when I showed you another one of my jumpscare videos," Shinya added smoothly in that sing-sang way of speaking that I had become used to... and despised at times like this.
"It was a drop, Shinya! One teeny-weeny drop!" I cried and stomped on his foot. So what if I was afraid of jumpscares, scary things, or horror films? I had no idea why the teen liked to scare me.
"Ouch!" my friend yelped and let got of my wrists.
"Hmph!" I turned away and crossed my arms. "I liked the younger Shinya better. He was a sweetie and never so mean to me like you are now," I pettily complained.
There was something like a sigh and mumbling from Shinya's direction but he replied in his usual airy tone. "Aww~ But aren't I such a nice friend? I dropped everything so I could help you to scare the living daylights out of your classmates on this test."
"Whether I'm going to forgive you for embarrassing me in front of my whole class will be determined by your performance tonight," I explained as I pulled a hideous oni mask and costume out of the bag, courtesy of my white-haired friend.
"Then I'll just have to do my best, don't I? I'll be sure to take looooots of pictures of your classmates. In incriminating positions, too~. That way you can blackmail them not to reveal what I said about you today and for whatever else you want," Shinya said and began to put on his own costume.
The idea of blackmail material pacified me, and I snickered. "We're so evil... Scaring a bunch of teenagers out of their guts just for fun and for bribery." I swear, Shinya was the one who was giving me these ideas! I was never such a prankster in my first life, but... I never had so much fun with anyone else for that matter either.
"Partners in crime~?" Shinya held out his hand to me with a smile, which I took.
"Always," I replied with a smirk before we got to work.
"... did you really pee into your pants, Vivian-san?" Mika inquired in a bemused tone after having listened to my successful prank story. The incriminating pictures of my classmates were still at my old home. Some had already been used to prevent the story about the panty-issue from spreading.
While Mika and I had continued our daily chats I had somehow I ended up recounting some interesting stories.
Was that the only thing Mika had heard?! "No, I didn't! Shinya lied."
The boy's expression said disbelief. "So, it sounds like you and this Shinya-san got along really well and were a good team, but you also got into a lot of fights..." This one hadn't been the first shenanigan with Shinya that I had recounted.
"Yeah, you could say that. I swear it was Shinya's fault most of the time because he teased me so much."
"...I'm not sure I can believe that."
At the thought of my friend, I was once more saddened as I came back to reality. "I wish that I could meet him again. I miss him," I whispered and brought my hand up to my locket, clutching the object like a lifeline.
Mika gave me an empathetic look. We both knew that my wish wouldn't be fulfilled.
"I... I have someone I want to see again, too. But I don't know if I should…" Mikaela told me with an expression I could identify as dejection. I was certain that he was talking about Yū; still, I was surprised and happy at the small leap of faith Mika finally gave me. Was he uncertain if he should meet Yū again because he had become a vampire who were despised by Yū with all his heart?
"If this person is important to you, then I'm sure it's the other way around, too. I'm sure this person wants to see you again as well," I told him with conviction, wishing I could help him with it. "And as long you are able to meet them again, you should take the opportunity. Not everyone gets one in this world."
Mika and Yū deserved a reunion without a sword through the chest. Unfortunately, it was improbable that I would survive for that long and would be able to change anything about it.
Ah, I would never witness one of my favourite ships even though I was here. How disappointing. And I would never see Shinya again, though there was still some hope in regard to Makoto and Shūsaku.
"...You seem like a surprisingly good person," Mika mumbled out of nowhere. How did he come up with this so sudden?
While I wanted to believe that I wasn't a bad person, I wouldn't really describe myself as a good person either. All the reasons for my journey to Sanguinem were born out of selfishness.
I wanted to see my friends again and made it my goal protect them in whatever way I could. I wanted to make the JIDA pay to satisfy my own need for revenge and to clear my conscience. In one sentence; I simply wanted to do what I thought was right.
Wanting to help Mika was due to my own complacency – I wanted to achieve something good with the time I had left, wanted another purpose for my remaining time... and I didn't want to be alone. The last years had been enough for me. I didn't want to die alone, not again.
Looking down at my hands that rested on my thighs, I commented, "Maybe I am, maybe I am not. I just... I didn't want to die a meaningless death." Not after holding on for so long.
"I heard your reasons in the Royal Audience Chamber. And you dared to come to Sanguinem for the sake of your family, too, so you can't be that bad... Even if you might be a little messed up in the head for that." I was seriously touched and equally amused by his words. But he didn't know what I had buried deep in my soul. What I had done, and he never would.
"Thank you, Mikaela."
The loud growling of my stomach destroyed the moment.
"That sounded like the mating call of a whale," Mika noted.
I snickered at his comment. "It did, didn't it?"
"It's about time for supper. We should probably feed the whale," Mika suggested.
"Did you just indirectly... call me a whale, Mika?" there was a slight edge to my tone.
I swear there was a small smile on the boy's face for a second. "I'll take you to your room, Vivian-san." Mikaela jumped down from his seat and opened the door for me like a gentleman. I followed the little devil in disguise with a content smile on my face.
"What are you doing here, sneaking around in the corridors of my mansion, Ferid Bathory?" Krul asked the vampire who had been standing just around the corner of the corridor that led to the music room. He held up his hands in defence at Krul's irritated tone.
"I heard music and merely wanted to listen to it, my dear Krul. That isn't a crime, is it? It can be so boring here in Sanguinem, so I was intrigued by these new melodies, and who was playing them. Is there a reason why you are hiding this new... pianist?" Ferid asked with a smirk.
"Keep your nose out of my business. I'm still angry at you for killing my seraphs and letting one escape. Another mistake like that could cost you your head – for final. Blackmail material or not," Krul threatened him.
"Aha, I see~. Then I will take my leave for now until you've cooled your head a bit, my lovely queen." Ferid left Krul standing in the corridor.
Krul's protectiveness of the human girl made him even more eager to see her with his own eyes. One of the children that regularly visited his mansion had told him of the girl with the wings that had been brought to Sanguinem.
It had piqued his interest immediately, even more so after he had sneaked into the laboratories and had seen records of her before they were erased. One thing Ferid appreciated in his eternal boredom were surprises that amused him.
And that human was definitely one.
The queen had most likely decided to keep the failed seraph for her own plans, or what she believed were her own plans. It wouldn't be difficult to keep tabs on Krul.
And one other thing bugged the 7th progenitor. How had the human come so close to Sanguinem all on her own? Or even escaped from where she was being held in the first place? That couldn't be a mere coincidence nor a stroke of luck.
Was his partner involved? Did she hold some significance to them? Was she released to come to Sanguinem for a reason, or, the less probable and more foolish option, did the girl come to Kyōto by herself all the way up from Shibuya to get her revenge like she proclaimed? In these times that was quite a perilous journey for a human, even one with some seraph abilities.
All in all, the situation with the human was intriguing and Ferid could use another distraction to pass the time. He also needed to make sure that she wouldn't interfere with his plans.
Ferid could doubtlessly incorporate her in them after finding out more about the girl and knew how to manipulate her, so first he had to gather information on her. Or he could simply wait for her to die, which wouldn't be long from now on. But that was too boring of an option.
The 7th progenitor wondered how much she was worth to Krul. How far the other progenitor would go to keep her.
'This shall be an enlightening discovery,' he thought to himself while he formed a new plan with the human in mind, a hollow smile on his lips.
The days went by in similar fashion – I would tell Krul some more things I knew, I'd play the piano for her and Mika as we would talk some more, and we'd practice the violin with him afterwards. One day however, I went to Krul's throne room as usual to answer some more of her questions. I greeted her and bowed.
"Human, there are some things about you that don't add up. Your method of escape was too convenient, and it should be impossible for you to know so many details when you were nothing but a simple test subject. You know too much about the Japanese Imperial Demon Army. Tell me, are you working for the Demon Army, or were you working for them?" Krul came straight to the point.
Shit! In the end, I must have told her too much, too eager for their downfall. I had included my knowledge from the series together with what I had been told by the doctors, as well as what I had figured out myself and what I had overheard from the staff. Seeing how that person, who was supposed to help me escape, was a bit too sketchy, I had kept silent about that mystery.
Would this be my downfall?
The vampire queen scrutinized me with her eyes. Krul didn't look very friendly, the hollowness in her eyes adding to my terror.
"No, I really don't! Please believe me, your majesty," I hurried to say as my heart jumped up my throat.
"Do you work for someone else who wants to undermine the power of the vampires or my rule?"
"No, I don't."
"Then is it your own goal to deceive me for some hidden motive?"
"No, my motives are as I have told you," I assured her, sweat droplets forming across my forehead at her intimidating aura.
"Still, that doesn't explain how you know such an amount of information… You are hiding something," Krul observed.
My traitorous heart made another jump – I was sure that she could hear it – for I hadn't expected to be found out this soon. I couldn't tell Krul that I knew most of these things from my past life in another dimension, where this all had been nothing more than a story. My mind raced to find a way to get out of this predicament.
Suddenly, Krul was right in front of me on the stairs and held my chin to lower my head to her eye level. My gaze met hers – it was as if she had hypnotised me with her crimson eyes, forced still out of fear.
"What are you hiding?" Her voice was soft yet demanding and left no room for excuses.
"I-I'm not really hiding anything… I-I've just listened to what the researchers said in my presence, overheard some more of the staff talking, and put two and two together," I fibbed, hoping she would believe me. I was a rather bad liar so I settled with half truths or omitting things to get over that discrepancy.
"That was only a half truth, I can tell when you lie, human. Don't lie again and spill your secret right now or I will have to resort to other measures to make you talk," she easily saw through me.
I was in some deep shit. Why did I think it was a good idea to come here, again? What should I do? Should I really tell her about my past life?
I could just remain silent, but would Krul torture me to get the information out of me? I had told her Mako-chan and Shūsaku's name and had given Krul their description a few days ago, so she could look in the cities' livestock register for them – she knew their names.
My heartbeat accelerated further in fear and apprehension at that thought. It seemed as if Krul had read my thoughts.
"There are many ways to make you talk, human. While you personally seem to be rather…steadfast and immune against threats to your life, it isn't the same when your friends' lives are threatened, is it? I could let Makoto and Shūsaku suffer in front of your eyes while you are unable to help them. Or, I could make Mikaela feed on your blood against his will – you seem to have come to like him, even though I'm sure you've noticed that he is a vampire. I would rather not resort to such vile methods, but I will if I must," Krul threatened me.
The blood drained from my face at her threat. Had she really found them?! Damn, this was why I had been so reluctant about telling her their names – what I was doing was more than risky.
Would I lose Makoto and Shū right away again? ...No, Krul could be lying about having found them, but there still was the issue with Mika. It would be more torture for him than me if he was forced to suck my blood.
I would just die sooner than expected, but Mika would live on and blame himself, possibly not even dare to seek out Yū so his friend would never see him as a monster. Had that been Krul's plan all along when she sent Mika to chat with me?
To make me become attached to Mika so she would have leverage against me, or him depending on if he cared about me at all? She must have figured out that my attachment to my friends was the only way to get to me.
Krul had seen right through me. She had the appearance of a child but was a more than thousand-year-old being – I thought myself to be safe with my knowledge about her but I wasn't. I should have never underestimated the 3rd progenitor and assumed that I could manipulate her to my advantage without getting analysed and figured out by her at the same time.
The one thing I would never do, was to play with the lives of my friends. For the safety of Mika and the others I would tell Krul my biggest secret. A secret I had told no one else before. My only consolation was that it was Krul who would come to know about it and not Ferid. That vampire was the least trustworthy out of all.
"No, please don't harm my friends or Mika! I will tell you how I gained my knowledge, but... it's a rather unbelievable story, even if it is the truth…" I began with a heavy heart. She finally let go of my chin – I was sure it would bruise from the force she had held it with.
"Tell me this unbelievable story then," Krul commanded.
Doomed, I was doomed.
A/N: I hope you liked the scenes with Mika and Ferid being sneaky! Please leave a review to tell me what you think :)
