The door to Eirian's apartment flew open. She and Chenzhou flew out and nearly collided with Mingzhe.
There was no saving the maid; the sword had severed her spine, killing her before she even hit the ground.
A figure in a black mask darted back into Brendan's rooms, and all three of them sprinted after them.
"Guards! Sound the alarm!" Chenzhou yelled, and it echoed down the hallways, answered immediately by pounding footsteps and seconds later, a bell tolling loud enough to wake up the entire estate.
Eirian's magic sparked to life as all three of them drew their swords. Ardain was singing so loudly that Eirian thought everyone could probably hear her.
Bile rose in her mouth as she took in the scene in front of her, but she didn't have much time to think about it. Three figures in black robes and black masks attacked, the bodies littering the floor slowing them down.
But they also slowed Eirian, Chenzhou, and Mingzhe. Blood made the carpet slippery, and the room was already small and filled with furniture. It wasn't so much a fight as it was six people hoping around, swinging at one another, and accidentally hitting someone else.
Eirian's temper didn't last long, her magic boiling under her skin. "Get down!" She snapped and let it loose as Chenzhou and Mingzhe dove for the floor. Flames ripped out of her, spiralling outward in every direction. The air crackled and roared. The figures in black ran for the open window, but they weren't fast enough to escape the fire. It caught them a few steps from freedom, and Eirian had to concentrate to keep the fire from spreading to anything else.
By the time she could turn her attention to the assassins, only a few seconds later, the fire had already burned through their clothes, and their skin had started to melt. All three were beyond saving and died in a few breaths, curled up on the floor like fetal babies, the way bodies did when they died in a fire.
Chenzhou was curled over Min's body as Mingzhe crawled towards Finn, but Eirian only had to look at them to see they were both beyond saving. Min's throat had been crushed with such strength that the broken bones were visible under the purpling skin and Finn's…
Finn's throat had been slit so deeply that the viscus of his throat was visible.
A wounded sound left Eirian as Ardain fell silent, and she threw herself down at Finn's side. He looked so young, covered in his own blood. A child who had done nothing to deserve such a painful end. Finn was an innocent, more so than anyone else at the Camelia, probably, and Eirian felt the tears welling as she reached out and brushed a fleck of dried blood off his forehead. His eyes were wide open, dull and listless now, and she closed them with gentle fingers.
"She's gone," Chenzhou murmured, taking off his outer robe and covering Min's body. He crawled to check the two guards and shook his head over each of them. Eirian recognized them from the regular rotation outside Brendan's rooms. Friendly young men who'd only occasionally seemed bothered by being assigned to guard a child.
At least they looked like they'd died quickly, their swords still seethed at their hips.
Mingzhe went ot the last body, a sword impaled in his stomach. When he rolled him over, Eirian recognized Min's husband, Sam.
"He must have heard something and come running," Eirian realized. He was only half in his uniform and hadn't bothered getting re-dressed when he heard his wife cry out.
"This is…" Mingzhe trailed off, horrified. "Who would do this? None of them had anything-"
Eirian and Chenzhou leapt to their feet as Mingzhe's eyes widened in realization. Captain Li and several guards arrived at the door and took in the horrifying scene.
"By the rock," Captain Li breathed, sword in hand. "Who- Where is the child?"
Eirian and Chenzhou were already racing for the doorway to Brendan's room.
"Cover the bodies, send for healers. The child might be injured." Captain Li was a good man, offering hope when there was so little, as he hurried after them.
The door to Brendan's room was barely hanging on its hinges. It had been wrenched open with force, and the room inside was a mess. Furniture was overturned, and the drawers were emptied out onto the floor. Lamps and a vase were shattered, pieces of glass glittering in the weak morning light.
Li turned to two of his men, "Triple the guard on the castle, do not let anyone leave. Send messengers to the guard posts and the wall, make sure no one is allowed to enter or leave the estate. And alert Lord Colfax, Lady Yang, and Lord Yin, have them send their forces to support the guards."
An aborted scream made many of them jump as Marian, still in her sleeping robes, appeared in the doorway, summoned by the alarm. "Oh no," she flew to Finn's side, eyes wide with terror. "Finn!" She gathered his body in her arms, despite the guards trying to stop her. "My poor boy."
Li was torn; he wanted to go to her to offer what little comfort he could, but there was work to be done, and Marian of all people would not forgive him for faltering in his duty.
"Brendan?" Eirian called out, desperate. She couldn't see him in the mess.
Chenzhou, Mingzhe, and several guards made for the door to Min's family apartments on the other side. It was open but showed no signs of damage. "Min and her husband must have heard the commotion and come through here." Chenzhou realized as the guards and Mingzhe started searching.
"Where are the children?" Mingzhe and the guard practically tore the family's apartments apart in desperation.
Chenzhou returned to Brendan's room to help Eirian search, carefully shifting around the broken furniture, fearful of revealing a small body.
"Brendan!" Eirian called out. "The rooms aren't that big."
"He could have gotten out." Chenzhou reasoned, refusing to give up hope.
Mingzhe reappeared from the other apartment. "The children are missing."
"Both of them?" Eirian demanded, and he nodded.
"Brendan! Lili! Samuel! Where are you?" Eirian was going to lose her voice soon. Her little baby brother, innocent except for his value in games of power. Her charge. The one she was supposed to protect.
"Start searching the surrounding rooms!" Li ordered.
***
Yuze was still trying to catch his breath when he heard it. A scrap, almost a scratching nose, as he lay beside Kai Low, wondering how he'd ended up here again.
The Bandri stirred next to him, frowning. "What is that?"
Yuze glanced at him. "You hear it too?"
"I'm not deaf," the golden-eyed man glared at him.
They both sat up and looked around. Kai Low's rooms were simply furnished, and there was no one in the neighboring rooms.
The scratching continued, growing louder. Kai Low peered out into the hall only to find it empty.
Yuze pulled his robes back on, throwing Kai Low's at him, and picked up Qiang Ye. The blooding blade was silent, which was reassuring to a point.
And then the bells rang out, and Yuze's blood froze in his veins. Kai Low ignored them; he probably didn't realize their significance, Yuze realized. Kai Low was still trying to find the source of the scratching, crouching as he somehow managed to pull his clothes on while following the sound along the bottom of the wall.
"I have to go," Yuze said, desperate. "Those are alarm bells. Someone's attacking."
Footsteps grew from a distant whisper to a deafening roar as guards converged in the halls.
Yuze headed for the door, but Kai Low's voice stopped him. "Wait!"
He spun on him, suddenly infuriated. "No! Chenzhou is in danger!"
But Kai Low wasn't looking at him; he was trying to pry away part of the wooden decoration lining the wall of his room.
"What the hell are you doing?" Yuze demanded.
"The scratching, it's coming from behind here. Come help me." Kai Low demanded, straining.
It was on the tip of Yuze's tongue to argue when he realized that what could be behind the wall was the reason for the alarm. The ancient castle was full of secret passageways that an assassin could use to get in and out unseen.
Yuze drew his sword and joined Kai Low. "Be careful, it could be dangerous."
"No shit," Kai Low ground out, the muscles of his arms and chest straining as he finally managed to get his blade between the wood and stone and started to separate them.
Yuze reached down and took hold, helping him pry away the wood panelling. It was thicker than he'd always thought, and he realized why when it finally came loose and fell away, revealing the secret passage behind it.
Before Yuze could stop him, Kai Low leaned down and stuck his head inside. "Are you crazy? What are you doing, you stupid fool?" He looked around and spotted a torch on the wall. "That could be someone dangerous!" He grabbed the torch and crouched next to him as Kai Low wiggled further into the passageway. Kai Low said something in response, but it was too muffled by the stone to be understood.
Yuze hoovered uselessly, sword at the ready, as Kai Low finally started to wiggle his way back out. It was much slower than when he'd gone in, and Yuze braced himself for the worst.
It wasn't enough to prepare him for Kai Low to fully emerge with three small children in his arms.
One of whom had moonfire bright hair.
~ tbc