Greyson drank greedily from the water canteen he had been given. Each gulp a miracle in and of itself. He finished half of its contents, then held it out to Genmei who was behind him. She had not so much as spoken a word to him on their way back to town, after multiple attempts to bring up a conversation, she and Sazumi both had poignantly ignored him. Now though, at the gate of Par’vakka, it was absolutely necessary to communicate, to get their story straight. She eyed the extended canteen, but walked past him, lifting her nose at him as she did. Several of the gate guards rushed to her and the survivors of the expedition, offering aid and water.

  “Lady Genmei.” An officer called, reaching out to her. “What happened to you all out there?”

  She turned her pink eyes to Greyson, meeting his. And for a moment, he thought she might turn them in. She held his gaze for several tense seconds, then responded. “We were set upon by our quarry. We lost many brave Dae… but we were victorious. Thanks to the help of our elite warriors, and Lord Rictus.”

  Greyson let out a tense breath, nodding as multiple guards clapped him on the shoulders.

  “Well done, my lord!”

  Before long they were within the walls of the city, then before the governor of the city. Greyson’s mind swirled with anxiety and uncertainty about their situation. No amount of celebration or congratulations would ease him. He did his duty however, bowing and smiling when needed, but in the end, he, Dorian, and Ashley sat secluded from the rest. All sense of time had been muddied since he left. The days and nights had all melded into one. And though he wished to speak to Genmei, every attempt had been ignored. It was a five day trip back to Ne’arath, where he and the rest of them would no doubt be celebrated again. He knew at this point that any confusing feelings he had for the Dae girl were meaningless. And any that she might have shared with him, were now gone.

  After two days of rest in Par’vakka, they set out. Greyson didn’t attempt to converse with Genmei anymore, choosing to instead ride ahead, scouting the route. It was better this way, considering everything that happened. What made things even more tense for him was Sazumi. The girl who once constantly sought his approval and attention, was now a shell of her former self. The battle had changed her, in ways that most could not understand. War is a horrible thing, but to fight against demons, face to face and live? Her mind would surely need time to heal. Couple that with the betrayal of one she looked up to.

  Greyson was no stranger to guilt, having harbored it for the many months since his untimely arrival. This was no different, albeit still painful to endure, he had to compartmentalize. Ashley and Dorian had also kept their distance from him, for completely different reasons. That is until the sprawling city of Ne’arath appeared over the horizon.

  Greyson stared on in silence at the city, his mind and body numb from so many days of quiet self-reflection. He heard the distinct sound of taloned feet on sand, thudding up behind him. His Cro’kan swished its tail, irritated, as the intrusive presence closed in. Greyson heard Ashley sigh heavily as she came to a stop beside him, seeming to enjoy the view as well.

  “So… here we are again.” She said, her voice tired and worn.

  “Yeah.” Greyson replied, his own voice cracked from underuse, and he cleared his throat before continuing. “We know what we have to do now.”

  “Are you sure?” She asked, lacking the fire she usually had. “You think we should just go along with… the Dae? After everything? How the hell are we going to get home, Grey?”

  “I… I don’t think there is any going back, Ash.” Greyson shook his head, the painful memories of his life back on earth rising to the surface of his consciousness. “The demons lied to us. I want to blame them for everything.” He shrugged, a knot forming in his chest. “But, deep down you know as well as I do, that we’re the ones responsible for all this.”

  “For trying to stay alive?” She looked defeated, her expression quivering with the last vestiges of her defiance.

  “Staying alive…” Greyson chuckled, but there was no humor in his tone. “What a sick joke. Please tell me you’re still not telling yourself that, to justify everything. We murdered people, Ash. Helped unleash the end times here. And you’re gonna’ sit there and tell me that our need to go home was more important?”

  She glared at him, emotion starting to build up behind her eyes. “You found me, Grey! You told me we could get back home. You fuckin’ convinced me that it was worth fighting for. Now you’re backing out all of a sudden. Because of what? Some Dae bitch?”

  “Ash.” Greyson’s tone was sharp as he returned her glare. “Those things that told me that, abandoned us the second we weren’t useful anymore. They filled our heads with lies.”

  “They saved you from a fate worse than death.”

  “No.” Greyson shook his head. “I see that now. They saved my mortal body from my suffering, while I gave them my soul in return. None of it was real. None of that shit they told us was true.”

  “So, we put our faith in Daniel fucking Pierce.” She huffed, lifting her hands in exasperation. “How do you know he or any of his Dae friends will be any different?”

  “Because when I called and he saved me… he didn’t ask me to sell my soul.” Greyson remembered the warmth of the light that blanketed him when Daniel entered his Dunum Dae Espea. How the weight of his woes were lifted in those few moments, and relief washed over him. “You’ll see it soon enough, Ash. Once we get out of here.”

  She was silent for a while after that. And the two just continued to stare at the horizon, until movement was spotted several miles out. Ashley squinted, leaning forward. “Looks like a welcoming party.” She said, “or they’re coming to kill us. You never know anymore.”

  Greyson chuckled, for real this time. “That’s an escort element. They’re coming to guide us into the city. I guess they heard about what we did.”

  “It’s not like they really know what happened.” She shrugged, then spurred her Cro’kan forward, toward the incoming group of Dae. “But, if they’re not coming to kill us, who the fuck cares?”

  The group of warriors met them shortly thereafter, and they made their way back to the main traveling element. Genmei was there, with the dozen or so survivors of the excursion. The Dae woman immediately perked up as the escort arrived, and acted as though nothing was different. Afterward, they were brought into the city itself. Thousands of Visoth citizens lined the streets, cheering and screaming in celebration of their triumphant return. Greyson kept his head down as best he could, waving his hand at the crowds with a plastic smile on his face. He was disgusted with himself, and had been for some time. They were ushered through the winding streets until the capitol building lay before them. They dismounted, and made their way up the massive staircase. The noise of the crowd had numbed Greyson’s senses at this point. He began to feel his face ache with the constant smile he held, only to fall away the instant the large doors slid closed.

  Within, there were dozens of noblemen and women. Each were clapping their hands and welcoming them. Among the assembled Dae, in the center of the group was Lord Yami, Genmei’s father. Who strode forward embracing his daughter in his arms. Genmei returned the embrace, but her eyes fell on a Dae woman. She had red skin and pearl white hair, and wore a luxurious blue gown embedded with jewels and golden thread.

  “Mother.” Genmei bowed her head, notably not showing nearly the same enthusiasm or affection she did to her father.

  “Welcome home, dear.” Genmei’s mother nodded at her. She was strikingly beautiful, no doubt responsible for Genmei’s own looks. But her demeanor was distinctly standoffish. She beheld them all with a clear level of indifference, bordering distain. “I’m glad that you made it home alive. Your siblings and I are all proud of you.” Her yellow eyes flicked to Sazumi, who was all but cowering behind Genmei. “And thank you for keeping your cousin alive as well. I hear it was… quite the battle.”

  “It was.” Genmei’s head remained bowed as she replied. Her voice was full of tension. “Your words of praise are far too kind. I appreciate them, mother, though I was not the only participant. If not for the skill and tutelage of Lord Lytro, I’m sure we all would have perished.”

  “I see.” Her mother’s answer was dry, but her eyes locked with Greyson’s and they narrowed. “So, this is the great warrior that our family has invested so much money into.”

  Greyson didn’t back down; holding her gaze as he answered. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Lady Kamakura.”

  “Hmm.” She lifted her chin slightly. “I am Chiyoko, the Rida of house Kamakura. I look forward to hearing all about your trials, Lord Lytro. And my daughter’s contributions as well.”

  “Yes,” Yami gestured for Genmei to lift her head again. “Thank you, Rida Chiyoko. I will debrief them and ensure they are prepped before the council meeting at the end of the week.”

  “Ensure that you do, Yami.” She said, without looking at the man. Her eyes were fixed on Greyson for several more seconds before she turned and left, followed by most of the nobles.

  Yami and Genmei seemed to both let out a held breath at the same time after she was far enough away. The whole interaction caused Greyson to raise an eyebrow in confusion. He was under the impression that Yami was the head… or Rida, of house Kamakura. He also was confused at how Yami himself interacted with her. More like a subordinate than a husband or partner.

  “Welcome home, Genmei.” Yami smiled at her, then shifted his attention to Greyson. “And welcome home to you too, Lord Lytro. This expedition has proven to be one of the most beneficial to us in quite some time. Even your mother saw fit to welcome you upon your arrival.”

  Genmei nodded, the exhaustion of the trip now looking as though it were taking its toll. “A surprise, indeed. But it’s been a long trip, father. I will need some time to refresh myself before we continue.”

  “Of course, dear. We will continue this later this evening, once the two of you have had some time to rest.”

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  Greyson nodded in agreement, glancing at Genmei who turned from them and began walking toward the guest suites with Sazumi in tow. This isn’t getting any better any time soon, he thought.

  “Thank you, Lytro.” Yami said, interrupting his thoughts. “For bringing my daughter back to me; I am grateful.”

  “Of course.” Greyson shrugged, then pointed after Genmei. “The guest suites are in this direction, right?”

  “Yes. At the far East side of this building. You’ll find several guards there who can guide you the rest of the way. Please meet me in my quarters after you’ve had time to gather yourself.”

  ~

  Genmei ran her fingers through the tangles in Sazumi’s hair, who yelped in pain as her fingers tugged on a rather tough knot. “Hold still.” Genmei sighed, before rubbing some soap into it.

  “I’m trying…” Sazumi pouted, sinking into the bath and blowing bubbles.

  “It’s alright.” Genmei lifted a large bowl from the bath and poured the water over her cousin, rinsing the soap from her.

  “I can do this myself, you know…”

  “I don’t want you to be alone.”

  Sazumi was quiet for nearly a minute before she leaned back, resting her head against Genmei’s chest. “I haven’t been able to sleep…” She whispered, practically curling up into a ball. “I see their teeth… and their claws… and I hear the sounds of tearing flesh and screaming men.”

  Genmei wrapped her arms around her, doing her best to comfort the now shivering girl. “I know… but we survived.”

  “They said…” Sazumi sniffed. “They said there would be more of them… that they were hidden within our city. Living among us like… regular people.”

  “We won’t let them hurt you.”

  “Because of… Lord Lytro.”

  “Greyson.” Genmei spat, her voice taking on an edge.

  “I don’t care what his name is…” Sazumi began to calm a bit at the mention of the human’s name. “He saved us… he fought for us against those monsters, Genmei. I believe him too; all of them. They aren’t demons.”

  Genmei sighed, looking up at the ceiling of the baths. “I know, Sazu… me too.”

  After another half hour or so, Genmei helped her cousin dress, then brought her to their room. Again, she held her, this time until she fell asleep on the bed. She was far too innocent for all that she had witnessed. And Genmei swore to herself and to all the spirits, that she would restore her mind. Until then, she wanted to make sure she wasn’t alone as much as possible. With heaviness in her heart, she left the room and made her way to her father’s office.

  The situation was far more complicated than she could have imagined. First, with the fabric of everything she knew being torn down around her. And the unexpected reveal of Lord Lytro’s true identity. Humans, demons, and everything in between were complicated enough, but now her mother making an appearance? Things were always troublesome when she got involved. Genmei bolstered her resolve with each step toward the meeting. She needed to tell her father as much as she could. Maybe not who Lytro really was… for now; but everything else.

  Approaching her father’s office, she pressed her hand against it, and it slid open with a small burst of her power. Within, she saw Greyson already sitting opposite Yami.

  “There you are, Genmei.” Yami greeted her, gesturing with an open hand. “Lord Lytro arrived just before you did. Now we can get started.”

  Genmei bowed. “Father, it is good to see you.” She braved a glance at Greyson, who sat with a rather morose expression on his face. It’s not his real face… she thought, trying to remember his true human features. There was a pang of guilt that throbbed in her chest at the memory of his revelation. But then she remembered his valiant fight against the demon that assaulted them.

  “Dear?” Yami interrupted her thoughts, pulling her back to the present. “Are you ready for me to begin?”

  “Of course, father. Please.”

  Yami cleared his throat before starting. “As I’m sure you’re already aware, the news of your battle on the outskirts of Par’vakka has made its rounds through our highest courts. Even going as far as to cross the emperor’s desk I’m told. Your mother’s appearance today is proof enough of that.”

  Genmei stiffened. “Father…”

  “Further more.” He lifted his finger, silencing her. “You both have been nominated by our high council to receive accolades and titles, befitting your accomplishments! I couldn’t be more proud, of both of you. I’m told you slew nearly half a dozen demons!”

  “Father, please!” Genmei closed her eyes, feeling the weight of her next task crushing her. Her mouth suddenly felt dry, and she found that she couldn’t speak. Then, she felt a warmth engulf her hand. She opened her eyes to find Greyson standing beside her, his gaze intense and reassuring.

  “You’ve got this.” He whispered.

  “I…” Yami reeled, looking stunned. “I wasn’t aware that the two of you were…”

  “We didn’t kill humans in that battle, father…” Genmei interjected, before her father could elaborate further.

  His surprised look intensified, and shifted into absolute confusion. “I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “What are you talking about? There were reports of demons all over the city. A destroyed district. By the spirits, we even felt the Spiritual tremors from here.”

  “We didn’t fight humans… father. We fought demons.”

  “Aren’t they the same thing?” He asked, looking between her and Greyson.

  “They are not.” Genmei took a deep breath, and let it out slowly before explaining. “When we arrived in Par’vakka we indeed saw the evidence of a large-scale battle. As your reports surely indicate…. What those reports don’t go over, is the participants of that battle. It was between humans and demons…”

  Yami cocked his head to the side, but continued to listen.

  “We followed the human’s trail out of the city.” She continued, “until we were set upon… by demons. These creatures… father, are unlike anything you have ever seen. They are unimaginably powerful, and violent beyond our comprehension. The creature that attacked us was the size of one of the great spires of Ne’arath. It opened dozens of portals, and thousands of smaller monstrosities attacked us as well…” She looked at the floor, tears and sweat streaming down her cheeks as the vivid memories of demons and blood flashed in her mind. “We fought them as hard as we could, father… but they were too strong. We were nearly defeated… until…”

  “Until what?” He asked, his eyes wide and enthralled by her story.

  “Until the group of humans we had been hunting arrived.” She nearly broke down, but she inhaled deeply, regaining her composure. “The same creatures we had been hunting the entire time. The same creatures our emperor instructed us to eliminate, saved us from certain death. I couldn’t explain why, at first. But once they killed the demons, they even used their unnatural powers to heal our wounded. Myself and Lord Lytro included. They told us the truth… then allowed us to leave.”

  Yami steepled his fingers, huffing in frustration as he mulled over what she had just told him. It was a lot, she knew. But it was better to just get everything out as fast as possible, and sift through it all. “This is… very troubling, Genmei.” He grumbled, then looked at Greyson. “Is what she’s saying true?”

  “Every word of it.” Greyson declared. “Your daughter and I both would have been dead if they hadn’t arrived. You can verify this with every survivor; Lord Rictus included.”

  “The humans aren’t our enemies, father.” Genmei pressed. “In fact, our entire government has been infiltrated by these demons. Influencing them and even taking their forms. They are the true enemy, and are likely responsible for everything that has been happening with the emperor. The sudden aggression toward Eleutheros, and the unprovoked desire to kill as many humans as possible.”

  “Genmei.” Yami waved his hands, cutting her off. “What you’re telling me… is not just ludicrous, but blatant treason.”

  “But it’s true.” Greyson chimed in. “We are surrounded, Lord Yami. These things can disguise themselves as Dae and are essentially undetectable to us.”

  “I…” Yami placed his head in his hands. “I need some time to think about this. Please… don’t say anything to your mother, Genmei. She’s as likely to give you praise as she is to purge our entire branch of house Kamakura. Now that she has come from the Emperor’s palace, we must be very careful.”

  “Understood, father.” Genmei’s chest tightened at the thought of her mother. She was barely involved in her life at this point, and only really saw her once or twice a year now. She was far too occupied with the emperor’s politics and her brothers and sisters to bother with her. “I will let you contemplate what we’ve told you, father. Please, find me in the morning. In the meantime, please keep what we’ve told you to yourself. There is much more we must discuss… but… perhaps it’s better that we do it, little by little.”

  Her father nodded, then stood from his chair. He walked around his table and embraced her. She felt his arms tighten as he just held her. “Go back to the estate, I will see you both there in the morning. Be careful, and as you said, tell no one else about any of this.” He pulled away from her, gave her another loving look, then turned to Greyson. “Lytro, the same goes for you. Make your way to my estate in the morning, and speak to no one, understood?”

  “Yes, Lord Yami.”

  “Good, now both of you get out of here. I need time to think about all this.” With those final words, Yami made his way out of his office, and to his study that was in a separate room.

  Genmei looked at Greyson, who nodded toward the door, and they both moved to leave. They walked side by side down the near empty hall in silence for a time, before Greyson lifted his hand. A slight distortion of air shimmered around them, and he let out a sigh of relief. “Ahh, that’s better. We can talk without any eavesdroppers now.”

  Genmei knew she needed to speak with him; knew that there were so many things for the two of them to discuss and plan. But, for the life of her, she couldn’t think of what to say to him.”

  “Genmei.” His voice was softer than usual, almost coaxing. “I need to ask you some questions, if you don’t mind; personal ones.”

  “Alright…” Her reply was weak, and she cursed her feeble fortitude. “Go ahead.” She said with more confidence.

  “Your mother.” He started, and Genmei’s chest tightened again. The woman had such an annoying effect on her. “I didn’t know she was the leader of house Kamakura, or that you had any siblings at all. Can you explain that to me?”

  Genmei sighed, preparing herself mentally, to go over some very sensitive information. “My mother is the Rida of house Kamakura, the actual house. My father is merely a consort to her, and was adopted into the family. Now he manages our branch… but we don’t have the same influence or power. Often, we are left to our own devices… which is why this is so complicated that she has suddenly returned.”

  “Wait… so your mom and dad aren’t married?” Greyson sounded shocked, “he’s basically a concubine to her?”

  “It is the way of things in our family.” Genmei continued. “My mother is one of the five great houses of Visoth; Ancient and powerful. I don’t even know how old she really is. Only that she’s lived for centuries, and had many children over the course of them. The retainers of our house are almost entirely my siblings, many of them much older than I am. She took my father on after he led a great victory in the East against the fractured kingdoms. She was kind enough to welcome him into the house, elevating his station, and even giving him a branch to govern himself. But she is not a kind woman… she doesn’t see the world as we do.”

  “Wow.” Greyson rubbed his chin. “That’s actually pretty interesting. But we need to be careful. Is she close to the emperor?”

  “Yes, of course she is. She’s his great, great aunt or something. She, and the rest of the main house live in the palace… which is essentially a city in-and-of itself. Only the five great houses are permitted access there.”

  “Really?” Greyson asked. “I thought he was in Ne’arath with the rest of us… wait.” Greyson looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “So, you’re related to the emperor… right?”

  “Yes.”

  “And Kazama, your former fiancé is his nephew…” Greyson winced. “So…”

  “Yes, Kazama is also a cousin to me.” Genmei waved her hand in frustration. “We’re far away enough in blood for it to be appropriate, Greyson…”

  “Gotcha.” He chuckled, “forget I mentioned that. Anyway, back to what I was saying. I would have figured the emperor would live in the capitol city.”

  “No, he doesn’t concern himself with us.” She shook her head, “which means the palace is most likely where the largest accumulation of demons is, and mother might… be.”

  “She might be either one of them, or influenced by them.” Greyson finished for her. “We have to make sure.”

  “How though?” Genmei stopped walking and turned to face him. “Can you do something? I know my mother is… different, but I do still care for her.”

  “I need to get close to her.” Greyson placed a hand on her shoulder, and Genmei felt a jolt of electricity shoot up and down her spine. “I’ll know if she is or isn’t. The demons have a distinct… feeling about them. Humans can pick up on it pretty easily. And thanks to whatever Katrina did to us, I think they will have trouble detecting me.”

  She looked into his eyes, knowing they weren’t truly his, only a mask. But they still revealed his emotions in them. She saw his affection for her in them, or she hoped she did. As difficult as this last week had been, and as much as she hated being lied to. She couldn’t deny that she truly felt something for this man. Human or not, he had made a great impact on her. He must have noticed her own emotion in her eyes, because he wrapped his large arms around her and held her tightly.

  “We’ll figure this out, Genmei; I promise. We’ll save Visoth… and the rest of this world.”