Chapter 45

By the time they'd returned, his parents had already gone to bed. So he made sure Kisara retired safely to her own room, before heading next door into his. Lus had been right when he'd ordered her to get some rest, but that didn't mean Taylor didn't feel guilty about keeping her away from her friend. Still, if all went well then he'd have his cousins back by midnight the following day. And that would mean Kisara would finally be free to do what she wanted with her life. Taylor half hoped that she would choose to stick around with them for a little longer, if only because her presence seemed to be good for Lus.

Sighing deeply, Taylor crashed down on his bed and stared up at the ceiling. He wasn't ready to go to sleep just yet, he knew that. But he also didn't want to get left behind when they went to save his cousins. For a few moments he closed his eyes and willed sleep to come. It didn't. Instead he got the strong sense he was being watched.

Slowly he reopened his eyes and glanced nervously about the room.

'Hello little brother,' the sound of the voice caused his eyes to focus on a dark shadow in the corner of his room, 'I thought I'd check up on how you were doing.'

Unable to say a word, Taylor just stared at the shadow, knowing without a doubt exactly who it was.

'What? Still no hello,' the shadow laughed. 'Still no friendlily little greeting for your older brother? I am disappointed, I felt sure Fray the great and powerful would have done something about your lack of voice by now. There is very little that bastard seems unable to do.'

Taylor swallowed hard, desperately wishing he could call out for someone to help him.

'You know, I've often wondered what your moral compass is, oh Heir to Light. I mean, our older brother is morally good, even though he doesn't always do what's right. And of course we all know where my morals lie. So what about you?' The shadow moved closer to him, still not revealing any kind of features through the darkness. 'And don't give me a lecture on how you're an Heir to Light and therefore must be good, because I saw what you were like when you were younger and know full well that you're as morally ambiguous as our mother. Which means, dear little brother, we have a lot more in common than you and the all mighty Fray do.'

With little else he could do, Taylor sat himself up defensively and prepared himself for whatever Ni was about to throw at him.

'You don't like me, do you little brother? I suppose that's because you don't know anything about me. I blame our mother for that. For not having the decency to introduce her precious baby boy to his elder siblings. No, why would she, when she had so much more fun raising your cousins as her own. Still,' he chuckled in amusement, 'she's been more than punished for that, don't you think? I mean, technically she's gendered male now, so technically she isn't our mother anymore. Yet, she feels more like our mother or at least more like your mother than she ever did before.'

Gritting his teeth slightly, Taylor wished Ni would just hurry up and get to the point. It was starting to grate on him a little just how long this was taking. And if all his brother had done was come to gloat randomly, then he could have chosen a better time than this.

'You know your muteness is getting really rather boring little brother,' Ni's image finally snapped into crystal clarity as he perched himself down on the edge of Taylor's bed. 'I could fix that for you, you know. I could, at the click of my fingers, do the one thing Fray can't; I could give you your voice back. And all it would cost you is your moral compass. You would become an Heir to Darkness rather than an Heir to Light. And I wouldn't worry about your Ohpayo cousins, once you flipped sides they'd have no choice but to do the same.'

Glaring at him, Taylor shook his head and folded his arms stubbornly.

'What? You don't want your voice back?'

Taylor maintained his position, forcing his look to become as serious as possible.

'Not ever? Because that's what'll happen if you refuse my little offer. I'll make it so you can never get your voice back no matter what little plan Fray has in mind for you.'

For a moment Taylor found himself swallowing hard in hesitation. He didn't want to be a mute for the rest of his life, but there was just no way he could possibly accept Ni's little deal. Not after what he'd been through with Nayta and the horrible aftermath that had caused.

'I'll tell you what,' Ni's face filled with a dark grin, 'since you are my little brother, I'm going to give you a little time to think things over. See how you feel in a day or so. Maybe even a week or a month. Take all the time you need. And when you're ready, just write my name down on the walls of this room and I'll come right over to see you. Do you understand?'

Despite everything Taylor found himself nodding.

'Good, now I have other things to attend to, I'll see you soon little brother. Hopefully very soon.'

'I can't believe that… that… arrogant… urgh!' False grunted in frustration, before half pulling at his hair. 'Can you believe the nerve of him?'

'Not really,' Arados shook his head. 'I mean, how can he expect you to have any kind of respect for him after what he did? And he can't realistically get you to betray your friend, can he?'

'He thinks he can,' he gritted his teeth, 'and he'll find some way of doing it, I'm sure. That's why I need your help.'

'Right,' he nodded, 'you want me to make sure you don't do anything that'll hurt Kisara.'

'Exactly. I want you to be my… I don't know, conscience, in case I lose my own.'

'I don't think you're at any risk of that,' Arados shot him a small smile, 'I mean, the fact you're so worried about the safety of your friend like this proves you have a strong moral compass.'

'Right now I do.'

'You think Ni will be able to take that from you?'

'I don't know.'

'I don't think he can False,' going over to him, Arados reassuringly placed a hand on his shoulder. 'I mean, your morality is something you have to choose to give up. It can't just be taken from you.'

'Yes it can. I mean look at Jo and Crovell.'

'They haven't flipped morality.'

'Haven't they? Order has become Chaos and Chaos is now Order. Isn't that a moral flip of a kind? And neither one of them chose for that to happen,' False pulled away from him and tensely moved towards the window. 'And there's more to it than that, just think what would have happened if the Teen had succeeded with you.'

'My Light would have become Darkness,' he shifted his gaze away.

'And not just yours,' he sighed. 'You're connected to Lus and Taylor. Anything that affects your Light, would eventually affect theirs. And then where would we be?'

'You don't believe you're stronger than your father, do you?' Arados studied him.

'I don't know what I believe anymore.'

For a few moments they were both silent, then False turned back towards him and tilted his head strangely.

'You really ought to start wearing gloves you know.'

'I thought you said I wouldn't need them till the third day,' Arados frowned.

'It doesn't hurt to be prepared,' False sighed, 'and besides, take a look at your left arm.'

'Huh?' Arados stared down at his left arm. 'There's already a line of blue,' he blinked, 'is that supposed to happen so quickly?'

'I don't know,' he shrugged, 'I've never met anyone with active Blue Ice before.'

'Then I guess I need to get myself some gloves,' Arados gave a strange half smile. 'Know where I can get some?'