He knew this all felt too normal. Becoming a "part of the family" was the least of Antinstine's worries.

But—now that he thought about it—

Mark put a hand over his mouth.

Oh god, what if that was his reason for being here... but it was something more twisted, more evil—god, why hadn't he—

"Viper," said Cibil, noting how Mark began to shake. "Viper."

Mark breathed hard, pupils dilated.

Cibil reached over and placed a hand on Mark's arm.

"Viper!" she shouted.

Mark flinched, looking down at her. Before he could say another word, Cibil spoke over him.

"Viper..." she said firmly, though her voice was low. "I want you to go to your rooms... alright? Get a hold of yourself."

Mark took a deep breath, brows furrowing. He blinked a few times, and now that he shook himself from his thoughts, he couldn't believe he'd let himself slip out of character. Despite the shock of the matter, when he was around Cibil, it didn't seem to matter as much. It was almost as if... he could really...

"Trust... in me," rang Cibil's words in his head from when they first met.

He swallowed, gazing down at her. She was snapping her fingers.

"I said, 'Do you understand?'"

Mark wearily acknowledged her. "Yes... Yes, I understand."

Cibil sighed and nodded, and she grabbed his hand and led them out of the conservatory. "Good," she said. "Let's go now."

They walked down the middle hallway, and Cibil made sure that Mark was in check. Before they reached the main entrance, she stopped and turned towards him. Mark followed.

"Get some rest tonight, Viper," she said, gazing at him through her blindfold. "Try not to think about... you know."

Mark swallowed at that, his insides twisting. How could he not think about what was to come?

"Go now," said Cibil, motioning towards the grand foyer. "I have things to take care of."

Mark's brows furrowed, but he obeyed, heading off to his rooms. When he glanced over his shoulder, Cibil was walking the other way.

He wondered where she was going.

———

Cibil lingered on the last few steps up to Antinstine's room.

Although her breath came out shorter, she wasn't nervous. She'd stood up to Antinstine before—let her visions speak volumes for themselves. If anything, Antinstine had a soft spot for her, but... today was different. Today was much more serious.

Antinstine was passionate about Viper—was passionate about the fact he was one of the Tear Stealer's Evolveds. He'd been boasting about it since the day he and Dark made that favor; planned everything down to the littlest detail with a sparkle of sadistic excitement in his eyes.

Cibil would be depending on a lie to get through this one.

She took a deep breath.

She walked up those last few steps, padded down the hall with her bare feet, allowing herself to feel the soft, velvet rug... then stopped before the door to Antinstine's bedroom. Carefully, she reached forward, and once the doorknob clicked beneath her grip, the scene spilled into view.

Antinstine's bedroom was always in the most pristine condition whenever they had visitors. It was a gold mine—the walls caked with gold, the drawers, the bedframe and its sheets... even down to the little designs in the carpet. He prided himself on the precious metal, letting the color boast of his wealth, his power, his status.

And besides the bedroom throne, Druid, the mind reader, stuck out like a void.

She stood with perfect posture, hands folded in front of her. Her skin was a lovely shade of lavender, but the pitch-black cloak she wore covered up most of her features.

Antinstine sat up straighter in his throne, eyeing Cibil. Before he could ask where Mark was, she spoke up.

"I had a vision," she lied, stepping forward and standing tall. She was the youngest, the shortest, the weakest in the room, but her power spoke for itself. It radiated off of her in dregs, vibrating through the silence of the room.

Druid stood motionless, her eyes hidden beneath the hood of her cloak. Cibil was confident that, despite the mind reader's abilities, she wouldn't be able to get into her head. It was a rule among psychics—to respect each other's space—but Cibil's mind was too nettled and compact to break into, either way.

Antinstine's eye twitched, and he pressed a finger to his temple, leaning into it. "Go on," he muttered.

Cibil gazed at the mind reader. "Druid will have no luck penetrating Viper's mind," she said, standing her ground. "No matter how hard she tries, all she will encounter is a cover-up. A veil to the truth."

Antinstine's brows furrowed, his lips twitching with irritation. "Is that it?" he spat, fingers twitching. "Druid is the best—"

"I'm already ten steps ahead of her," Cibil spat back. "I already know what she'll see."

The muscles in Antinstine's jaw twitched. "And... to think you could have told me this... before she came here?" He clicked his sharp nails together, breathing hard through his teeth. "Druid comes from the East Wing, Cibil. She's traveled thousands of miles, and what you're proposing here is wasting her time. Do you hear me? This is highly unprofessional."

"It just came to me today," said Cibil. "I apologize, Antinstine, but these visions simply come to me as they please—"

Antinstine waved a hand, sighing. "Forgive me, Druid. Cibil is being—"

"Let her speak," said Druid politely, gazing at Antinstine. He blinked at her calm nature, clearing his throat and leaning back in his seat.

Druid carefully turned her head towards Cibil, and although her eyes were hidden, her gaze still emanated a motherly warmth.

"Tell me what you saw, Cibil," she said.

Cibil could feel the mutual respect resonating between them—the recognition of their similar powers... and although she loathed lying, especially to someone like Druid, she had to do it for the greater good.

"In my vision," she said, coming up with the story as she spoke, "we are all in the same positions. Viper is the only new figure. He's beside me."

Druid nodded along, and Antinstine eyed her. If he were in her shoes, he'd be furious. Traveling all this way, just to be told your job had already been done?

He gazed at the both of them conversing, brows furrowing.

Then again... Cibil was legendary. She was known for being one of the youngest foreseers—for having control of her visions at such a young age. She was known for being the youngest to join Antinstine as one of his closest forces.

Of course Druid wasn't mad... she had the honor of standing before one of the most powerful foreseers in the nation.

"No matter how hard you dig," said Cibil, "this veil, this intricate life that his mind conjures up... it's almost... human."

Antinstine perked up at that, the word human bringing him back to attention.

"Human, you say?" breathed Antinstine, fingers twitching.

"It's one of his abilities," said Cibil, sending Antinstine a glance that only the two of them understood. "It takes him no effort. His mind simply has a natural resistance to psychic force."

"When you say he is the Celebrity Killer," said Druid, and Antinstine flinched back, surprised at what he was hearing. He really had spaced out on the entire story. "Wouldn't that mean that's a lie, too? If his ability is that intricate..."

Cibil shook her head. "That's how I found out," she said. "This morning, at breakfast. Viper admitted it aloud."

Her nerves were calming a bit, now that she'd finished her lie. It seemed to grab both Druid and Antinstine wonderfully—a success.

Antinstine's breath came out heavy, and he licked his lips. "The Celebrity Killer," he cackled under his breath, shaking his head. "Cibil, this... this changes things."

The words sent chills down her spine, but she swallowed the feeling down.

"How?" she said softly. Even Druid turned her head towards him.

Antinstine grinned, sharp teeth glinting.

"Well, I was rather enjoying the thought of keeping him purely for my entertainment," he said, voice amused. "After all, he belongs to Dark. Just imagine the look on his face if I show him what I've done to one of his precious little toys."

Talk of harming others—especially those from the other side—was normal. Druid was unfazed. In fact, she listened to Antinstine with what looked like a keen interest.

"But the Celebrity Killer... some would call him an inspiration. The paragon of a perfect criminal," said Antinstine. "That means he knows his way around human authority. Knows how to... hide his tracks... Keep the public on the edges of their seats."

He leaned forward in his seat, eyes glinting. "And... as someone of his caliber..." He licked his lips. "Why, I've already offered for him to join me, but... I think now, it'll be more of a demand."

The manic glint in his eye sent cold chills down Cibil's spine. In a reckless act of defense, she stepped forward, standing taller.

"Does this mean you won't do those tests on him, then?"

Antinstine froze, and even Druid stilled, too. Cibil was talking about the experiments that Syl and Ox would conduct. Outlandish, even for Evolveds. Illegal.

Druid's calm demeanour shifted into one that was more serious. She slowly turned towards Antinstine, shoulders rolling back.

"What is she suggesting, Antinstine?"

Antinstine's fingers twitched, and he clenched them into a fist. He suppressed the urge to jump out of his seat.

"She's suggesting nothing," he spat. He glared at Cibil, eyes glinting, then gazed over at the mind reader.

"Druid, it's been a pleasure, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. My men will escort you out."

Cibil spoke up, "I can—"

"Cibil, you are staying here with me."

"But—"

"Cibil will escort me," said Druid, and though her voice was soft, it was firm with authority. Her presence silenced the room as she walked forward and joined Cibil's side, staring at Antinstine.

"What we have discussed in this room," she said, "will stay in this room. You have my word that I will say nothing to my authorities. However..."

She tilted her chin up. "I'm trusting you that this talk of tests doesn't cross the boundaries of our laws. I advise you tread carefully, Antinstine."

She turned towards Cibil, motioning towards the door. "Shall we?"

Cibil eyed Antinstine through her blindfold, noting his furious gaze, but nodded. They turned around, and as Cibil opened the door, she glanced over her shoulder, swallowing as she met Antinstine's unchanging expression.

She was in trouble, now... But... at least Mark wouldn't have to go through the pain of having his mind violated... at least he was safe.

Or... was he?

What if she made things worse?

———

Once the door shut behind them, Druid's serious demeanour melted into her more-motherly one. They walked down the hall in silence for a while, and once they began treading down the stairway, Druid spoke up.

"Antinstine is a menacing leader," she said.

Cibil snapped out of her trance, pulling her hand away from the cold, golden railing. She merely hummed, and a silence fell between them again. When they went down a full flight of stairs, Druid stopped, and Cibil did, too.

Cibil turned to her, raising a brow, her breath catching when Druid pulled back her hood.

The darkness from her face lifted, and she gazed at Cibil with glowing, purple eyes. She was absolutely beautiful.

"I know you're sworn to Antinstine by oath, and—by all means—you don't have to respond to a word I say," said Druid softly. "But... when we were in that room... I could sense a resistance."

She tilted her head, and Cibil glanced away. She started walking down the steps again, and Druid followed close behind.

"You disagree with him... in all manners," said Druid. "Don't you?"

Cibil sighed, chest tightening, trying to focus on sliding her hand along the smooth railing.

"He raised me like a daughter," she said.

Druid huffed out of her nose. "From what I recall, I've been told that he tore you away from your own parents."

Cibil visibly flinched at that, and Druid put a hand to her mouth.

"I'm sorry," she apologized instantly. "I shouldn't have said that."

Cibil stopped on the stairway and turned around, gazing up at Druid, who stood a few steps back. Her hand curled around the railing, knuckles going white.

"Can I... trust you, Druid?"

Druid watched Cibil's expressions carefully, brows furrowed. "The North Wing and the East Wing are quite close—"

"Can I trust you," Cibil repeated. Druid blinked, and she stepped forward carefully, shortening the distance between them. A pause fell between them, the silence in the stairwell deafening.

"Yes," she said after a while, eyes searching. "You have my word."

Cibil gazed up and down the staircase, making sure it was clear. She stepped up and reached out, gently taking Druid's hands.

"The Tear Stealer has changed," she said in a near-whisper, choosing her words carefully. "For the better."

Druid gazed at Cibil intensely, and it was almost like she made eye contact with her despite the blindfold.

"There will be a battle. And the winner determines the future of our kind."

Cibil gently squeezed Druid's hands, leaning forward.

"No matter what happens," she said, "I need to know that both you and the people of the East Wing will fight for what is right."

Druid carefully nodded, eyes taking in every facet of Cibil's face. "We've had a blind eye on Antinstine for too long," she said. "I can tell that even his own people are growing weary of him."

Cibil breathed in relief, bowing her head.

"Change does not come overnight," said Druid, and Cibil glanced back up at her. "No matter who wins this battle you speak of... there will still be those who rebel."

Cibil's brows curled, and Druid squeezed her hands softly, smiling.

"That is why I promise you, Cibil. That I will stand by your side—not only as a fellow Evolved, but as a friend... and I will make sure my people see through the same perspective."

Cibil smiled at that, her heart warming. "Thank you," she breathed, and with one last squeeze of their hands, she pulled away.

They began to walk down the stairs again, side by side this time. The silence between them was pleasant.

"Once I leave," said Druid after a while, her voice bouncing off the walls ever so slightly, "what will happen to you?"

Cibil glanced over at Druid, who slipped her hood back on once they got closer to the main floor. She was talking about Antinstine.

"A good, fatherly scolding," Cibil laughed sarcastically, though her nerves said otherwise. No matter the punishment, though, Antinstine could never hurt Cibil—she was too valuable and much too young for such abuse.

"I pray for you and your prisoner," said Druid with a sad amusement. "I fully believe that, if you had the authority, you wouldn't allow those 'tests' you were speaking of."

"And you're absolutely right," said Cibil firmly. They reached the grand foyer, where other Evolveds walked to and fro. A few gazed at Druid but nothing more, her mere presence intimidating.

They walked through the commotion, and the guards opened the large, golden front doors for them. They creaked and groaned, rumbling with a force that merely shook the mansion. A cold, night breeze blew in, and the both of them stepped outside.

Cibil took a deep breath and sighed, cherishing the fresh air. She turned towards Druid, gazing at her through her blindfold.

"I'm sorry for what happened today," she said. "You came here for a job, and I barged in—"

Druid rose a hand to silence her.

"To be honest... I was looking forward to meeting you, Cibil... more than reading someone else's mind." She tipped back her hood in the slightest, revealing her gentle smile. "If anything, this visit has been an honor."

Cibil smiled at that, her chest warm. "What we spoke of... in the stairs..."

"My lips are sealed," said Druid. A carriage tottered up, clicking and clattering, and Druid bowed her head.

"Until we meet again, Cibil," she said, and she waved goodbye as she boarded the carriage and rode off into the city.

Thank you so much for reading, friend <3

Have a wonderful day, and stay safe out there :)

-Kass xoxo