"You're kind." The boy blurted out.

Lyne was a bit taken aback as she wasn't expecting that. All the same, she scoffed and mumbled a thank you. 

"So what is your name?"

"And you're beautiful too."

"What happened to your parents?" She knew he was trying to wave off the topic.

Lyne's hands were still wrapped around the boy's hand as she looked him in the eye. He had a mixed look of pain and loneliness. Since when did this happen? What was wrong? Much as this little boy wanted to say lots of things, he just kept mute. But she needed to know more. 

An idea popped up in her mind and she grabbed his face in her hands. 

"Hey. Look at me."

The spiky-haired boy stared into her eyes and she could see deep down within him. Everywhere became blurry and slowly sounds were turning muffled. She frowned. Her mind was numb and by the time she would close her eyes, she was right in the middle of the square that was as quiet as a graveyard. How she got there or where the whole gathering had gone, she couldn't tell. The sun was setting. 

Moving further outside the square, a field of tall grasses spread before her, leaving a tiny pathway where she passed. She could hear muffled grunts and struggling, causing the grasses to shake from afar. She walked clandestinely towards the place, her heart beating against her chest. What was she doing?

As she approached the grass, her head thumped painfully. Her body was heating and she felt like she would melt instantly. But why? Soon, a huge animal jumped from inside the bush and she was afraid it would attack her but instead, a chain whooshed out from nowhere, wrapped around its neck, and pulled it so that it was rolling on the floor. She just watched everything going on before her eyes. Slowly, the cat's eyes closed and she knew it had been knocked out. 

Two older people came out. They were slender and barely had flesh in their body. She couldn't see their faces but she guessed they must be the parents of the little boy. While they were binding the Werecat, another figure showed up with leather pants and a jacket. Her wavy-length hair dropped down her shoulders. She waltzed towards them. 

"I'm glad I have bold and courageous subjects who have made it their mission to wash the city off its enemies." She called out to them, a dangerous smile playing on her lips. 

"I'm impressed."

"This isn't to make anyone impressed." It was a male voice and she knew it must be the boy's father.

"It is to keep our properties safe and void of any impurities since you as the leaders have failed us."

"Jeez." Luana exhaled dramatically as if pained by his words. "I'm remorseful for how you feel towards the attack and the invasion. I'm deeply sorry."

"It's not all about being sorry. It is about knowing what to do. During Hail's reign, we never had to worry about getting attacked or worried about losing our lives." It was his mom this time.

"Wow. I'm speechless right now." Luana placed a hand on her chest, her face crumpled in pity. "We have failed. As leaders. But," she moved closer, hands reaching for some weapons behind her.

"I won't fail. Again." With that, she removed two knives and slit the throat of the two Vampires before they could defend themselves. 

They both fell with a thud. Her head boiled like someone was making a campfire inside. How could she? How?! She thought in her mind as she clenched her fists, claws sprouting and digging into her palms. 

"I wouldn't stain my hands and kill you with it. My knives haven't tasted blood for a long time."

Luana said as she crouched over their bodies, soaking her knives in their pool of blood. Soon, she drank from where they were bleeding and cleaned her blood-stained mouth with her sleeves before rising and turning to go. As she left, passing by Lyne, she stopped right beside her, facing one side while Lyne faced the other. She frowned as if she could feel the presence of something. 

Sighing casually, she moved on and it took all of Lyne's willpower not to run after her. Her eyes itched and her heart thumped synchronically with her head, causing a huge migraine. 

She placed a hand on her forehead.

"Oh." Closing her eyes, everything began to fade. The sky, the grass, the field, the houses, but before it all faded, she could see the small boy with spiked hair coming out from behind a wall, tears rolling down his face as he ran towards the bodies shouting.

"Mama! Papa!" 

Her heart squeezed at the sight before closing her eyes.

Lyne flung her eyes open, breathing raggedly as her eyes caught the boy's eyes in hers. Did she just see through his memory? She went through it and saw it. How was she able to do that? Werewolf-Vampire magic? Or was this a result of the pregnancy? However, something else bothered her. She still felt tipsy and weak just like in the vision. Her heart still beat irregularly and her head hammered against her skull.

Touching her forehead, she realized it was burning and she was finding it difficult to breathe. Releasing the boy's hand, she fell to the floor, one arm outstretched and the other hand clutching her throat. The boy ran off and for a split second, she thought he had run away. Except after a few seconds, he came back with a group of people.

She soon felt a strong arm carry her by the waist and place her against his chest. She leaned her head against his body. His familiar scent wafting through her nostrils. She could barely see but she pointed an index finger toward the small boy.

"Hey, little boy. You have a special invitation to the palace. Make sure you come when you're free. Is that understood?"

"Yes, your Highness."

"What's your name?" Zeidan asked, his deep voice booming in her ears.

"Brady." The boy answered and that was the last thing she heard before passing out.

★★★★★★★★★★

Lyne opened her eyes gently. The tiny stream of evening sunlight seeped in through the flower-printed light linen curtain by the long window. She sighed tiredly trying to remember what happened. 

Looking from across the bed, she could see Zeidan taking off his shirt and revealing a muscled chest and arms that contracted with every movement. She was lost in his appearance, she didn't know when he turned to her squarely.

"Getting back at me or what?" He snapped her from her thoughts and she looked up at him smiling.

"Whatever." 

She sat up on the bed, noticing the change of clothes into her nightwear.

"What did I miss?" Lyne asked.

"A lot, wifey," Zeidan replied, walking slowly towards where she sat on the bed, a smile plastered on his face. "Like carrying you back to the palace through another route where you can see the fields, stream, gardens, waterfalls and all from a mountain, me taking off your clothes and," color crept up her face with the way he eyed her body. "Running my hands on your body."

"Hey!" She cautioned. "You did all that without me?!"

"You were asleep?" Zeidan laughed.

"Why didn't you wake me? For how long have I been asleep?"

"Eight hours. At least, it's still a few minutes until dinner. You won't miss that I'm sure. Which is why you woke up immediately." He coughed the last words.

"Ehh! You can't blame a pregnant woman now, can you? I have two stomachs...two stomachs, Zeidan, to feed."

They both laughed while he sat down beside her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and kissing her forehead.

"What happened?" He asked, his voice low.

"Well," she inhaled, looking for ways to explain. "It's a lot."

"Then tell me the lot." 

Lyne looked up into his eyes. Could she trust him completely concerning this issue?

"Luana," she paused, finally mustering up the courage. "She killed Brady's parents."

Slowly, Zeidan's arm began to leave her shoulders.

"Look," she continued. "I know it's hard to believe and that you think she has no reason to kill them but she did it."

Zeidan sprang up, hands taking his hair.

"Lyne, I've always believed you in every matter concerning you or anything as long as it's coming from you. But this?" He shook his head. "I can't. Luana is a soldier for Vampire city. She doesn't have any reason to..."

"You forgot she's inhumane? She tried recruiting kids into the army, Zeidan. What can she not do? Who knows if she has started working with Shelbrooke and so pretended to arrest the Werecat so that you won't have any reason to suspect her when the Werecat escapes..."

"Stop it!" Zeidan snapped at her and she flinched.

"J...j...just stop. Please." By the time he would look at her, he was extremely angry. "Just forget about it. Okay?" 

"Okay." She replied, heart heavy.