Thank you all for reading, I never thought people would read this! The Original Percabeth Child, that was the fastest review ever, thanks so much! Aw, that's so sweet of you and you're welcome! Simi, ah thank you so much - caps lock is always a good sign! Sorry to overload you ;) hope you have a good day too! Emily, I've never considered the time difference... There probably would be? And, yeah, they're so loveable. I feel bad for putting them through my messed up storylines...

-TWENTY FOUR: PAINFUL CONFUSION-

Cinder freezes as she sees their apartment door open. She knows she'd locked it before leaving so someone else must have come in. But why didn't Kai text her?

"Oh stars," she breathes as she sees her Aunt's heels at the door.

How had she found them here?

"Cinder?" Kai calls, his tone unnervingly calm.

He's usually more bubbly when she enters, either wrapping her in his warm embrace or exchanging a kiss. She doesn't even care that the mundane ritual would be classed as a cliché, something that would have bothered her had it not been for Kai's enthusiasm.

"Kai?" she asks uncertainly, dropping her bag on the side.

"In the living room." Kai's voice is still too calm for comfort.

She cautiously steps forward, a small gasp escaping her as she takes in the sight.

"Selene, how nice it is to see you again." Levana's icy smirk makes her stop at the doorway.

Cinder flinches as she hears her birth name, having left that behind after her mother passed away.

Kai mouths an apology from behind Levana, his arms held back by two men, each of them taller than Wolf. She'd be surprised at their height but she knows what sort of companies Levana deals with.

"What are you doing here?" Cinder hisses.

"I'm just here to see if your new boyfriend," Levana stops as she runs a manicured nail along Kai's cheekbone, "is worth my blessing."

"Don't touch him," Cinder warns, her hands itching to slap Levana.

"Oh, why? I have permission from his father."

Kai flinches so hard that the men either side of him have to regain their footing. Levana immediately looks interested, smirking.

"What, you don't like Rikan?" she drawls.

Kai shakes his head. "He's not my father."

Cinder's eyes widen as the words leave Kai's mouth. He doesn't meet her eye, as if ashamed, but Cinder can't look away.

"Then what is he?" Levana asks, pushing Kai's chin up with her index finger.

Kai glares at her, "He's not called Rikan and he's not related to me."

Cinder frowns, unable to stop him and, worse, unable to wrap her arms around him as a source of comfort.

Levana's smile turns dark. "Why were you living with him?"

Cinder can't help but ask the same question in her head.

Kai swallows, pulling his head back and sighing, "I wasn't."

"He was living with Torin." Cinder hears herself saying.

Kai nods at her, still not meeting her gaze. "I only stayed at his house for appearance's sake."

Closing her eyes to process the information, she hears Kai make an odd sound. Her eyes fly open in time to see Levana grab Kai's chin and turn his head from side to side, as if looking for something.

"How did he give permission for your marriage?" Levana asks.

Kai shrugs. "I don't know, a legal loophole perhaps?"

Levana's smirk returns despite her obvious uncertainty. "As long as it can go ahead…"

"Why are you here?" Cinder hisses again, more aggressive now.

Levana takes her time in replying, not looking away from Kai. "I think I like this one."

"You can't have him. You know that." Cinder steps forward but the lackeys on either side of Kai twist his arms and he grimaces.

Levana sighs, finally letting go of Kai and turning around, "You can't stop me."

Cinder moves to step forward again but Kai's face morphs into an expression of pain and she forces herself to stop, scowling.

"He is going to be my son-in-law soon…"

Cinder's rage freezes inside of her, turning into confusion.

"You never did take the time to ask me anything," a smooth, smug voice says from behind Cinder.

She whirls round, gasping, "You?"

"Selene, meet my daughter: Simone."

Simone winks at Cinder before pushing past her, her silver dress shimmering as she stands next to Levana and Kai.

This time, Kai's wince isn't because of pain.

"You have a daughter?" Cinder asks incredulously.

"Well, I'm clearly not her son, am I?" Simone rolls her eyes.

Levana shakes her head. "This matter of Rikan has to be solved. Who is he, if not your father?" she asks Kai.

"You'll have to ask him," Kai replies tonelessly. "I only found out recently."

"And how did you find out anything? You were in the basement!" Simone sneers, then something dawns on her. "The droid. That stupid droid was with you!"

And the pieces click for Cinder.

The storage files inside Nainsi must have held all the information about Rikan, or whoever he is.

Cinder's gaze softens and she looks to Kai, who must have discovered that when he was by himself, with nobody to share his confusion with. But, if that man wasn't Kai's father, who was he and where was Kai's real family?

Simone suddenly lunges forwards and pins Cinder to the wall, glaring at her. "Did you know?"

Cinder shoves Simone off her. "No, I didn't." she replies, glaring back.

"Would you stop that?" Levana sounds bored. "Kai, do tell me, where is your real father?"

Kai opens his mouth to reply but shakes his head, his eyes watering. He blinks and swallows, taking a breath before whispering, "He's dead."

Cinder and Simone both gasp, staring at him in shock.

Cinder never thought she could feel so much pain on behalf of someone else. But there's something about loving someone. Their pain becomes yours and, no matter what you do, you can't run away from their pain. The longer you're stopped from taking their pain away, the more of it becomes yours and the worse you feel.

Levana sighs, "Well, that's a shame. I'll just pretend Rikan is your father then,"

"Stop calling him that, that's not his name!" Kai manages to sound angry even whilst whispering.

"He can't give Kai permission to marry then!" Cinder yells at Simone, "You can't marry him!"

"I can too!" Simone yells back indignantly.

There's a muted thud, followed by the sound of something toppling to the floor. It's not a loud sound but it's enough to make both Cinder and Simone turn back to Levana.

"What did you do?" Cinder whispers, seeing kai lying on the floor.

"Relax, he'll wake up in a minute," Levana waves a hand dismissively, before rolling Kai over with the tip of her heels.

Cinder feels the rage wash over her and she shakes her head, "That's enough. Leave him alone."

"Why? Are you attached?" Levana strides over to her and grabs her chin, forcing Cinder to meet her Aunt's eyes as she sighs, "Why don't you listen? Our family does not need blithering idiots like him."

"Family?" Cinder forces out a bitter laugh. "You're not family."

"Oh, and I suppose dear old Solstice is?" Levana raises an eyebrow.

Cinder's confusion only lasts a minute.

"That was you?!" she yells, going to punch Levana in rage. "How could you?!"

Simone pulls her back before she can do any damage, muttering about anger issues.

Cinder glances at Kai, who's slightly stirring; Apparently Levana was telling the truth.

"We're leaving. But we'll be back," Levana warns, clicking her fingers.

Simone winks at Cinder before following Levana, the two men having left first, like bodyguards.

"Kai!" Cinder gasps as she realises Simone had punched her hard enough to leave bruises, but she ignores it, hugging Kai instead. "Oh, Kai…"

"I was going to tell you…" Kai smiles. "I'm sorry."

"Kai… I'm so, so sorry, you shouldn't be!"

"You're hurt," Kai murmurs, rubbing her arms.

"So are you," Cinder retorts, blinking back tears.

"What's new?"

Cinder giggles.

"Don't cry, empress…" Kai gently wipes her eyes with the side of his thumb.

"I love you," Cinder whispers quietly.

"I love you too." Kai kisses her nose.

Cinder knows she's decided never to leave him behind, no matter how complicated things get.

-END OF CHAPTER-

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