[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/v73aK69.png[/img] Collab between [@The Muse] and [@SpicyMeatball] [sub]Location: Eye of the Beholder[/sub] [i][h1]Part II[/h1][/i] [hr][/center] A violent thought struck like lightning. Blood hitting the wall. Splattered across the table. Dripping warm between Kira’s fingers. Her old friend’s body crumpled in a pool of crimson, lifeless and still. Kat’s hands were soft in hers, fingers still loosely intertwined with one another. In one swift motion, she could drag her across the table. Slip a dagger free. Drive it into her throat. End it now. Flee Dawnhaven. Flee Lunaris. Disappear and hope they’d eventually stop looking. Maybe she’d even be doing Kat a favor. Severing blood magic wasn’t easily done. And if they were watching through Kat's eyes… then they’d already seen what Kira had become. Her appearance hadn’t changed much, but her eyes, her fangs—dead giveaways. [i]Blight-born[/i]. A brand she couldn’t hide. They wouldn’t just want to find her. They’d want to kill her. Or worse—return her to her place alongside the King and put her back to work. Jericho hated blight-born, but what about the ones he could control? Her fingers curled tighter into Kat’s—nails pressing into flesh. But… she hesitated. Dawnhaven was meant to be a refuge. Jericho had sworn not to touch the blight-born within its walls. Could the Sun Prince’s protection still extend to her? The King couldn’t just drag her out without challenging Flynn—and possibly all of Aurelia. Could he? Her grip softened. [color=DC561E]“Care to share a drink with me?”[/color] she asked, nodding to the small bottle of Sya’s alcohol. Within Kat’s palm, Kira tapped out her own message. [color=DC561E][i]Your thoughts. Safe?[/i][/color] There was no doubt in Katherine’s mind that her life was currently held in the balance of Kira’s thoughts. While it was the first time she’d felt it directed at herself, she’d seen the cold look of calculation in Kira’s eyes before. She knew Kira had the ability to end her life without so much as a whisper of sound, and she knew that it would be over before she could even think to react. And yet, a large part of her still believed there was a lingering trust between them. [color=19CACA]“I’m not sure the people of Dawnhaven would appreciate one of their priestesses drinking in plain sight, but the thought is appreciated,”[/color] Katherine let a warm smile sneak through, this time a bit more genuine. The faintest hint of a smile tugged at the edge of Kira’s lips in response—sincere, but guarded. As Katherine spoke, her fingers moved with a practiced rhythm as she quickly replied in secret. [color=19CACA][i]For now, yes.[/i][/color] She paused for a moment, glancing around the room. [color=19CACA][i]Blood magic is weak now. Inquisition still far away, in the capital.[/i][/color] While she could still feel the presence in her mind, it was oddly quiet. It was a relief for the moment, but silence was rarely a good thing when it came to her superiors. Kira let her gaze drop from Kat’s face, focusing once more on the coin sitting between them. It was a small relief, she supposed, that Kat’s thoughts were still her own. [i]For now[/i]. The Inquisition were experts in their craft. They both knew it wouldn’t last forever. Which meant Kat remained firmly on the wrong side of the fence. The feeling wasn’t exactly unfamiliar. Growing up, they’d had a tumultuous relationship. Often pitted against each other during training, they’d been forced into rivalry. Both of them desperate to prove their worth to masters who demanded nothing but excellence. Eventually, though, something shifted. Regardless of the competition for survival, they’d been able to find common ground. Kira still vividly remembered that summer night. Finding Kat stretched out on the palace rooftop, hands tucked casually behind her head, quietly watching the stars. The same spot Kira had snuck off to countless times before. It was the first time they’d spoken like humans. Not tools. Not spies. They’d forged something there. A strange form of friendship, built outside the cold stone walls of the palace, whispering to each other under the rare warmth of Seluna’s night sky. Kira’s eyes lifted. A thought sparked. She possessed blood “magic” now, too—technically. The very thing the blight had granted her that she now loathed… but could it be used to sever a blood tie? Replace it with another? Or would she only be forcing two unwelcome parasites into Kat’s mind? Her gaze flicked to Kat’s jugular, then back to her eyes. She shoved the thought down. [color=DC561E]“Right… I nearly forgot how boring you could be.”[/color] She teased, giving Kat’s hand a gentle, deliberate squeeze—lingering in the hold. Kat was likely the closest Kira had ever come to a best friend. But she couldn’t afford to treat her like one. Not now. Never again—not while she remained tied to the King. A dull ache coiled tight inside her chest. Then, slowly, she pulled her hand back—severing their connection, abruptly ending their coded exchange. For both of their sakes. The less Kat knew, the better. Immediately, she felt a familiar cold slide back into place. A piece of armor snapping into position. A shell of ice wrapped tight around her body, smothering that fragile ache—detaching her from the weak sentiment of friendship. Making distance where warmth had tried to live. [color=DC561E]“I didn’t realize it was you I saw with that body yesterday.”[/color] She mused, leaning back in her chair, recalling seeing a disheveled Priestess from afar. [color=DC561E]“Did you see the attack?”[/color] Kat felt the same shift in the air as Kira’s hand withdrew, warmth fading from her eyes. A hint of disappointment lingered in her gaze as she let a moment of silence blanket them. The only person who held any familiarity from her past, pushed away because of the passenger that tormented her mind. She felt the distrust as quickly as the lump in her throat grew, but quickly blinked away any indication of tears welling in her eyes before shaking her head. [color=19CACA]“No, I just heard a scream,[/color] she swallowed hard, looking down, [color=19CACA]“By the time I arrived, whatever had transpired was done and gone.”[/color] As she spoke, her tone quickly returned to one of rehearsed normalcy. Whatever emotion she’d felt was quickly shoved aside, replaced with the same fakeness that Kira had returned to. It was almost like looking in a mirror. While Katherine was no match for Kira in combat, the two were trained practically side-by-side in manipulating social interactions. Kat could see every bit of it on display before her, just as she had no doubt that Kira could see it from her side. Kira was treating her—perceiving her—as an enemy. And Katherine couldn’t blame her. But Goddess, did it hurt to see. [color=19CACA]“I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that I didn’t see you watching.[/color] She paused for a moment in slight realization, her eyes lowering a moment, [color=19CACA]“How much did you see?”[/color] Kira glanced at the bottle of alcohol on the table, her mind drifting back to the gruesome scene from the night before. The overwhelming scent of blood had drawn her from across town, relentlessly pulling at her senses. She hadn’t dared to get closer. [color=DC561E]“I s—”[/color] She stopped short, eyes lifting to meet Kat’s. Another flicker of hesitation. [i]They[/i] already knew she was blight-born. That didn’t mean she had to tell them ([i]Kat[/i]) what type. [color=DC561E]“I didn’t linger for long.”[/color] The response was safe. Vague. Not truly an answer. She shifted in her seat, then reached forward and slid the coin toward her side of the table, studying it curiously. [color=DC561E]“I hear they still haven’t caught the culprit.”[/color] A pause as she inspected the coin. [color=DC561E]“Shame.”[/color] The word came dry, devoid of empathy. Losing herself in thought, she turned the coin over in her fingers. Worn, you could just barely make out the face of young Auric Astaros on one side of it. Specks of dirt, or blood—or both—lingered in the crevices. After a few breaths, she flicked it into the air and caught it cleanly in one hand. For a moment, she didn’t move. Just stared blankly at her closed fist. [color=DC561E]“It’s nice to see you, Kat.”[/color] She turned her hand over and opened it. Heads. With a soft clink, she set the coin gently back on the table, then slid it across the surface toward Kat. [color=DC561E]“Keep it.”[/color] Her hand withdrew. Her gaze lifted, holding Kat’s in silence. She watched the way the candlelight danced shadows across her beautiful, deceivingly delicate face. Memorizing her friend [sub]([i]enemy[/i])[/sub] like it might be the last time she’d get the chance. She’d already decided that it would be. Pulling her gaze away, she reached for the bottle, tucked it into her coat pocket, and began to rise from her chair. [color=DC561E]“I’ll see you around, then.”[/color] She didn’t mean it. She had no intention of coming near [i]Katherine[/i] again. Katherine saw the signs, the movement that was too fluid, too intentional. It was a retreat, as much as it hurt to see it. Without hesitation, Katherine’s hand shot out, fingers curling around Kira’s wrist, gentle but firm. Kira froze solid under her touch. Eyes of fire snapped to hers—lethal, unblinking. A silent warning. A promise of violence. [color=19CACA]“I’m not your enemy, Kira.”[/color] Her voice was quiet, almost fragile beneath the surface. Kira’s heart pounded like thunder in her ears. Adrenaline surged. Her master’s voice whispered in the back of her mind. A scoff. A laugh. How silly it was, to [i]befriend[/i] someone. To [i]care[/i]. A familiar path presented itself to her. A fork in the road. She’d chosen friendship once. Like a fool. In the stillness, Katherine felt the weight of the crumbling connection between them on her chest, one that grew fainter and fainter like a candle burning the last measure of its wick. She hadn’t expected kindness or trust, but something about Kira’s demeanor, about the way she looked back at her, cut deeper than Katherine had prepared for. She knew why Kira no longer trusted her. The two were cut from the same cloth, both honed to be silent weapons to the King. The robe she wore and the amulet that adorned her neck did little to hide the shadow of the Inquisition that trailed behind her. A sign most wouldn’t even think to look for, but that Kira would know for certain. Trust faltered easily when both hearts were trained to listen for lies. [color=19CACA]“If nothing else, know [i]that.[/i]”[/color] Kira ripped her wrist free from Kat’s grasp. [color=DC561E]“No,”[/color] She hissed through her teeth, eyes narrowing. [color=DC561E]“You only brought the enemy straight to me.”[/color] Her voice was low, meant only for Katherine—seething with rage. And something she hadn’t fully felt in two years. Fear. [color=DC561E]“I was supposed to be dead.”[/color] [i]She was supposed to be free.[/i] [color=19CACA]“I know!”[/color] Katherine’s voice raised for a single instant before she caught herself, emotions flaring inside. A moment of silence passed, before she spoke again, her voice now soft and low once more, [color=19CACA]“I know.”[/color] Katherine raised her eyes back to Kira’s, looking past the ire that had risen within, [color=19CACA]“Whatever shadows come looking, they’ll find me first—not you. I will make sure of it.”[/color] The words left her mouth softer than she expected, yet beneath them she still felt the steel of her resolve. She wasn’t sure if Kira would hear the promise in her voice or only the echo of a veiled reassurance, but Katherine hoped that the sincerity of it reached Kira. Though there was no certainty that it was a promise she could keep, there were no lies in her words. Something twisted painfully inside Kira’s chest. She had never been inclined to protect Katherine, but this— She swallowed the feeling down, buried it deep. It wasn’t an [i]if[/i] they came—it was when. And they both knew it. She stared at Katherine, listening to the unsteady rhythm of her heartbeat. The shallow breaths. Watched the way the candlelight seemed to illuminate the desperation—the sincerity—in Katherine’s eyes. But they were nothing, if not fantastic liars. [color=DC561E]“Let them come.”[/color] She held Katherine’s gaze, a challenge burning in hers. [color=DC561E]“Don’t get in the way.”[/color] She turned, hesitating for a brief moment, then said coldly over her shoulder: [color=DC561E]“Don’t come near me again, Cricket.”[/color]