CHAPTER EIGHT:
Marks of Many

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Yoongi was bestowed the obsidian armor and black warkin leather that marked the position of Gratori. Though he didn't wear it yet, my gut coiled at the growing intimidation of him. I prided myself on my skill with knives earned over years of exhausting practice. But facing the one who wielded that double-bladed polearm and would sport a nearly impenetrable outfit from now on... it left me even more fearful than the idea of deceiving the Silver King out of his power.

With not a second more to spare in thought, I raced down to the first story of the palace and out onto the courtyard. The crowd had dispersed a little, but I still had to weave my way through countless Alfir guests and the Trians who entertained their desperation. I knew well that I would appear eager too, but the ceremony was too impending for me to care.

With the nobles and the assassin finally in view, my mouth opened before I could think.

"Prince–"

Six heads turned to meet my face, causing my words to falter.

"Moon, good." the current masked King, Jungkook, spoke before I could finish. "My brothers were about to make their rounds with the rest of my guests tonight. It seems most of them have been distracted as of late." My cheeks burned as each of them looked at me knowingly. Every one of us knew that I was their distraction–something I still failed to understand. "I, however, will be going for a stroll and would like it if you accompanied me."

Framed as a request, but the firmness in his tone made it a command. The sole fact it left his lips made it a command.

I lowered my head, cheeks still heated. "I would be happy to, My King."

There went the final chance at securing one of them to choose me tomorrow. I could only hope their curiosity towards me was enough for at least one of them to invite me to stay.

The princes glanced at me one last time before they each filtered into different areas of the crowd, swiftly surrounded by the same guests who had been too timid to speak to them before. I supposed most had found at least one other high elf willing to pick them, so the princes were a luxury they could finally afford to spend some of their time on.

My chest filled with worry. Should I have lowered my sights to the Trians? Would I have secured my stay already if I had trained my focus on them instead of the nobles?

A cool hand brushed my shoulder, and I straightened as the King's fingers played with the fabric of Seokjin's robe covering my skin. Yoongi was at his side, glaring his striking eyes into mine.

"Come," the ruler ordered, dropping his hand away.

As the King began walking, Yoongi and I stepped to follow closely behind, and he pushed past me to come up to the King's right side. I bit my tongue before taking up the left. While we trailed the edge of the courtyard, stepping underneath the row of suspended flames, the ruler continued to walk and look ahead as he addressed his new protector.

"Yoongi, I do admire your willingness to begin your duties immediately, but I would prefer to have a few moments alone with Moon. Why don't you go try on the armor and see that it fits. I've survived a couple days with no Gratori, so what's another hour?"

A stretch of silence before Yoongi quietly responded, "Of course, Your Greatness. I'll return soon." After a lingering look at me, he broke off toward the Day Palace.

The King led me to a stone path some ways off from the palaces. We walked wordlessly for a while, the white moonlight, rustling trees, and low hum of insects our only company. When we came upon a large water fountain surrounded by benches and patches of flowers, he stopped.

"Are you prepared for tomorrow?"

I took a deep breath, stepping forward to meet his face. "Not at all."

His mouth ticked upward. "Your honesty is refreshing. Would you consider yourself an honest person, Moon?"

My hearts thudded, but I maintained stable breaths. Control your pulse, control your breathing and he won't know if you lie.

"I try to be."

He hummed, eyes drifting to the flowing water. "I assume when you're not, it's due to some sort of justifiable reason. Like protection of someone you care about, perhaps?"

My brows furrowed briefly. "I suppose so. I'm not sure what you're getting at, Your Greatness."

The breeze lifted strands of his raven-black hair, and the moonlight danced off the silver gems of his mask. Those shadowed irises found mine. "You've established quite the interest in me and my brothers. Surely by now you've noticed the reason for this mask."

My head rushed through different options, but instinct drove me to answer plainly. "One of the princes is always missing. Do you... You switch off disguising yourselves as the King."

He took his time before speaking. "We do take turns posing as the King, as most come to know once they've stayed at the palace. What they don't know is whether a true King even exists."

The question had crossed my mind, but I never imagined it could really be possible. That the princes, together, made up the King's persona when in fact all of them shared equal power.

"Why are you telling me this?" I couldn't help but ask. There was a shift of some kind—it was the first time I'd been completely alone with the impostor, and he was speaking to me more openly than I was ready for. Had he discovered my mission? Realized my intentions?

"Aren't you curious to know whether it's all of us or if there truly is a single King?" he asked simply, but the question was calculated.

I parted from his gaze, moving to sit on the ledge of the fountain. My fingers glided over the water as I replied, "I've been brimming with curiosity since I was young. It's a difficult trait for me to keep at bay, but I would never unleash it so much that I would ask to know your secrets. Especially if they exist for protection."

He watched me intently, letting his eyes drift over my face then down to my hand in the water.

"I'm not offering to reveal all to you, but there are a couple of things I wish for you to know for reasons of my own. You will accept these truths as a gift that is not to be shared with anyone. Understand?"

My heartbeats accelerated, and I let them. "I understand."

The noble before me raised his chin, as if what he was preparing to say was something he took great pride in. "The Silver King is a very real person. He is a single Teseran—one among the five. His brothers aid him in hiding his identity for the protection of himself, themselves, and the kingdom. But it is not his brothers who speak and act for him, even as they wear his image."

I could hardly grasp what he was saying, too shocked that he was willingly telling me more than most would ever know.

"Who is speaking to you now, Moon?" he asked calmly.

"You're Jungkook." My words came out hoarse. Clearing my throat, I raised my voice. "Jungkook was the one missing tonight."

The noble chuckled, stepping closer to me. I held my breath when he leaned down, his face nearing mine. Jaw set, eyes still as death—nothing about him felt like Jungkook at all.

"You're right. Jungkook is the one posing as me right now, but I speak through him. You are talking to the true King of Idaea now, Moon, and you have been every time you've interacted with the King, impostor or not. Every word," his cool breath fanned my cheeks, "Every touch," his finger just barely traced the edge of my jaw, "has been from me. Physically, it may not always be my body. But when my brothers wear this mask, they are only a vessel for me to control." He paused, and a chill raked along my spine as his mouth brushed my ear. His voice dropped to a perilous whisper, "So bear in mind from now on that it is always me you're facing. It is always me I want you to see, no matter which brother is donning the mask. It is me your curiosity drowns in, and it is me your attention must remain on."

My exhale was ragged as he straightened back up. I couldn't tell if he was infatuated with me or suspicious of me, but assuming both was the safest bet.

This means I have in fact danced with the real King during the Sun and Moon Festival. Perhaps not his body, but it was he who was in control—it was he who invited me to the palace, who greeted me upon arrival, who ordered me to sit next to him out of jealousy during the tournament tonight.

"Why?" I breathed, getting to my feet and standing only a short reach away from him. "Why are you revealing this to me?"

His smile was nearly sinister. "If you manage to select my mark on your skin tomorrow, I'll grant you the answer."

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There was no banquet that night, allowing more time for the King's guests to scramble around and lock in their selectors for the ceremony. It was fortunate for me not because I planned on wooing more of the princes, and not even because I would avoid consuming vahna in front of everyone—no, avoiding the banquet was lucky for me because I was sick to my stomach.

As my feet tapped rapidly on the Day Palace's dark marble floor, I clutched a hand to my twisting gut. My eyes were plastered to the ground while I tried to keep my face impassive, but I couldn't stop the grimace that overcame my expression the moment his low voice called out.

"What's wrong with you?"

Peering ahead of me, Yoongi came into view and halted a few steps away. Briefly, I noted the obsidian armor that clung to his body perfectly and added to his menacing aura.

"Nothing, I'm fine."

His brow lifted. "Did your private time with the King not go so well?"

I offered a bitter smile. "I take pleasure in telling you that it went very well. He seems to already trust me, oddly enough."

"A cheater and a liar."

With an impatient sigh, I resumed the walk toward my room, speaking to him without looking back. "He's already promised to choose me tomorrow. But if you don't want to believe me, wait and see." The door shut behind me, and I was sure to barricade my mind to prevent the Gratori from gaining any additional information. Let him mull over the mystery of the King's intrigue for me.

The nausea only strengthened as I lied down on the far-too-large bed and shut my eyes, stewing over the same topic. The notorious Silver King—the same creature I'd attempted to slay not a week ago—had both threatened me and sworn his interest in me within a single breath. He demanded I know of his unwavering presence and power over me. He had always been the one who hand-selected me, who warned me of the importance of accepting an invitation through the Gleaning, who grew jealous–possessive, maybe–of his brothers swimming in a rock pool with me or offering their robe for warmth.

When he dared me to identify his mark at the upcoming Gleaning, he was promising that I would be chosen by him of all people.

It was the assurance that should've washed my stress away.

So why do I feel more afraid than ever?

━━━━━━ ◦ ♔ ◦ ━━━━━━

My hearts thrashed against my ribcage as all of the King's guests, including Sky and me, filed into the expansive throne room. A few servants helped position us, creating several rows where we were spaced out evenly in the center of the room. Lining the walls of the space were royal subjects, the Trians, who earned the right to live at the palace one way or another. I wondered how many of them might've been servants of some sort, or acted as guards, or were part of the Dethali. Perhaps some were of the elite families who were rumored to gain the King's ear from time to time.

Separated from the rest of the crowded room, a short set of stairs led to the raised floor which housed a glorious throne at least twice the size of the one that had been on the balcony the night before. I was too far to see the makings of it, other than the fact that it shined of metallic gold and seemed to have an array of colors bordering the top edges of it.

My breath hitched as my straying eyes locked with the King's, his gaze already devouring me. His crown of silver wove in beautiful twists over his forehead. Two long, thin braids framed either side of his face while the rest of his silken hair fell straight over his shoulders. Still, the beauty of his locks did not soften the piercing angles of his jaw, the masculine lines of his mouth. The mask covered his eyes as always, but the weight of his stare never lightened.

The Princes stood at both sides of the throne, hands behind their backs, donning fancy robes that each were embellished with a different color: maroon for Hoseok, cobalt for Seokjin, purple for Jungkook, and bronze for Taehyung. My eyes slipped back to the King, concluding that Jimin sat on the throne that evening. Not that it made much difference, now that I knew who was under the mask was essentially just a puppet for the True King.

As the ruler of Idaea rose and began to speak, explaining how the ceremony would proceed, my nerves drowned out his voice. A hand gently grasped mine, and my head snapped to the right where Sky continued facing forward. Regret tangled through my chest as I thought back to how snappy and secretive I'd been with her lately. It may all have been for her own good, but ultimately she still ended up here with me, and she was completely in the dark about my motives going forward. Was I really doing right by her?

What felt like a blink later, Alfir servants made their way down the rows of guests and tied blindfolds around our eyes. Sky's hand released mine when we lost our sight. I stilled and honed in on my hearing, listening as the King marked the commencement and dozens of footsteps began to move throughout the room.

My consciousness jumped from one head to another, and another, reading the wide range of emotion throughout the King's guests. While everyone shared some amount of fear, I heard several grow overwhelmingly relieved as they felt a high elf mark their skin, effectively ensuring their stay in Sellovir.

As the footsteps quieted and many high elves returned to their spots around the room, the minds I hopped between grew more and more anxious—ones who hadn't yet been chosen.

Though I could still hear several elves making their way through the rows of guests, my shoulders relaxed when I checked Sky's thoughts and confirmed she had not been marked. Only an instant after, my stomach knotted at the realization that nobody had marked me yet either.

Before I could panic over the idea that my mission would end in failure so soon, I felt a presence stop right in front of me. A warm hand gently encircled my own, guiding my arm out with the palm facing up so they could drag a brush of some kind over my right wrist. As it slid over my skin, I winced from the slight burn that followed.

Catching myself getting distracted, I tried reaching into the mind of the one marking me—but an infuriatingly familiar presence barged its way into my own head and yanked me back. Yoongi's consciousness tangled with mine, expanding and forming a shield to keep my power out of anyone else's mind. I pushed back angrily, but his cage didn't budge.

Surely this is harassment of some kind, I mentally grumbled.

The assassin snickered. After the lengths you went to in order to keep me from cheating, I'd say fair is fair. Can't have you so easily becoming the King's newest pet.

He's the only one who said he'd mark me. It shouldn't be hard to guess among one—

Are you that naive, little fox? You've caught the attention of a lot more than just the King.

But why would anyone else challenge him by choosing the same person?

The Princes may help veil his identity, but that doesn't mean they all get along. Their rivalries never pay mind to who is or isn't King.

Yoongi continued to trap me, so I could only focus physically on the next two elves who granted their mark. The first was firm and focused, holding my chin and angling my neck a bit to the side where he then placed his symbol along my left collarbone. The following mark was given swiftly, though the elf was careful in their brushstrokes on my left shoulder. No physical hint of nerves or hesitation.

My breath hitched in disbelief as the final elf's fingers brushed the fabric at the slit of my dress, feathering their touch over the exposed skin of my thigh. It was difficult not to leap to conclusions. Such a particular placement felt too presumptuous to be from anyone but the King. No one else would be so daring, as though claiming that I was already theirs.

Four marks total. All from the nobles, since no other soul would be willing to mark the same desired choice as the King. My aim was, of course, to select the King's piece, but failing to do so wouldn't be the end of my venture. Regardless of which noble I chose, I would gain an excuse to be closer to my target.

His promise to answer my question from last night made it feel like a dire choice, though. I would save myself a lot of time, too, if I was handed a solid reason to be near him. Less manipulating to be done on my part.

The ceremony continued on smoothly. Those left unmarked were escorted out of the room to be sent home later that evening, a few taking their muffled cries with them. The remaining guests were called to step forward one by one, either accepting the single mark they received or selecting one out of a couple. No one ever rejected a mark.

Sky was called before me, and it was like a strike to my gut when the King announced whose mark she'd chosen.

"You've chosen Prince Hoseok."

The noble who can shape metal into any lethal tool of choice. I recalled the cold, skillful precision Hoseok held as he wielded an ever-changing weapon on the courtyard. He might've been the most dangerous of them all. What the hell is he doing choosing Sky?

Don't worry, Yoongi said in a bored tone, still barring me out of anyone's mind. Hoseok may be the most righteous of any of them. He'll see to it that she's protected.

Protecting what he sees as his property, maybe, I hissed back at him. At least I could express my true disdain for nobles to someone without holding back. In the privacy of my own head, I could speak freely.

My hands clenched into fists when I could hear Sky walk forward, finding her place beside her new... master? Owner?

Bonded, the assassin gave me the answer without an invitation.

I scowled. Bonded? I thought the mark was just a claim–

The marks are etched with vahna-infused ink, and the power of the artist's gift seeps in enough to form a bond with their Chosen. If their gift is strong enough they can even–

His words cut short at the sudden mumbling that rolled through the crowd. Still blindfolded and mentally caged, I couldn't determine what caused the disruption until the King called out the next name to make their selection. I heard the rustling of clothes as the person beside me must've lifted their hand to point to the mark they picked.

The King had skipped me.

Panic set in. My hearts rattled. Breaths went shallow. But I clung to whatever ounce of control was still there, hoping that I was just... special. That the King had a plan for me that wasn't throwing me out of his palace because he'd discovered my vendetta.

Calm down, will you? Yoongi thought to me in annoyance, though I couldn't miss that hint of sympathy somewhere along his presence. When we shared a mental space like this, there was no hiding. Every ghost of a feeling could be sensed by the other.

Time dragged on while the remainder of guests selected and accepted their new Bonded, as Yoongi called it. After what felt like hours, the King finally called my name out into the dead silence. It seemed everyone else was holding their breath too.

"Moon, take your selection."

No tricks? Just the usual procedure?

Hesitantly, I lifted my hand toward the symbol on my thigh which grew warmer the closer I came to it. Then a burst of heat rushed out from the mark on my collarbone, causing me to halt. My hand trembled ever so slightly. Was the King somehow guiding me to his mark?

The ink on my thigh grew to a steady burn just as my collarbone did. Torn between the two, I did what I knew best and followed my instinct. My fingers found the mark on my thigh, and the burn cooled to a gentle and pleasant warmth.

The silence that followed was more unsettling than before. The massive room filled with a stifling heat as though the King's displeasure became tangible.

"Again." The ruler's voice was low, only a thread of control holding back his anger.

"What?" I breathed out, unsure if I understood him.

"You selected Yoongi of Rivadin. You will choose again."

The crowd erupted into hushed protests.

"Silence." The sheer authority in the King's demand snuffed out every sound instantaneously. His voice dipped into silk as he addressed me once more. "Moon. Pick again."

This is fucked, Yoongi growled in my mind. The tendrils of his power radiated with fury, almost bristling like a cat.

Shut up. My own frustration competed with his. He never should've marked me, but I would confront him about that later.

My hand met the ink etched into my collarbone, the marked skin tingling under my touch.

The heat in the room dissipated.

Rather than permit me to untie my own blindfold like the others, I listened to the sound of his steps as he descended the stairs and approached me. When he stopped in front of me, I felt the mark at my clavicle begin to pulse. Warm tingles spread over my body when the back of his fingers brushed over the symbol, causing me the shudder. In the same instant, Yoongi's shield crumbled and his presence disappeared from my head.

The King carefully untied my blindfold, letting it slip to the floor. Latching onto his eyes from behind the mask, I saw the color of liquid gold gleaming in them. The upward tilt on his lips told me what he was thinking before he even spoke it aloud.

He leaned down until his mouth was by my ear, running his thumb over his mark as he whispered what I already knew.

"You're all mine now."

• • •

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Welcome back to Hearts of Dusk! I don't know how many of you were invested in this story before, but for any of you who were, I apologize for the long period without an update. Lots of life changes made it difficult to find my way back to writing, let alone reconnecting with my plots and picking up where I had left off. I'm so happy to finally have made the time to get back into it and return, though! I've missed writing, I've missed furthering my stories, and I've missed you guys! I'll be doing my best going forward to continue updating, though I can't promise high frequency as I work ten hour shifts. I'll be doing my best to carve out writing time each week.

What did you all think of this chapter? We finally reached the ceremony! What do you think about the outcome?

I'm really looking forward to the new paths this chapter opened up for Moon.

See you all soon!

-Kat

February 18, 2024