Lone blazer

‘Her toxin flows in my vein but do not worry, I will live—in you.’ Father’s words hit me harder than it did when I first heard it. As I read out the details of this fatal poison to my brothers, they could not still wrap their heads around the fact that our Father lived with such for years and never mentioned it to us.

Even when he revealed that he could not defend himself when the spying witch barged into his room out of nowhere last night, it still seems like he had a lot to tell but kept shut. He gave Lucerne his token, which the latter now sulks over while sitting at the extreme of his bed.

We needed answers to the confusion that evolved in our head, yet we knew that we would get no response when the Council of Chiefs ushered us out of Father’s chamber. It feels so odd to think that such a great ruler is gone, and as I think of it now, chills creep upon my skin.

“It seeps into the heart; fiery as fire and spiky as thorn,” I mutter the last part of a sentence as I look across at Damien who sits on the floor, his hands laying on his bent knees and his eyes settled on me.

The witches are supposed to be the originators of poison, but somehow, this woman has managed to lay her hands on one of the copious, lethal concoctions made by Firnes. Lone blazer is its name. I had come across it in so many books on several occasions, and I chose not to dive into it because I found it irrelevant. Yet, when Father mentioned it, I could not stop the clog that struck my head.

This herbal book describes it as a somewhat equivalent to wolf bane. A mixture that when applied once will seem like a voyaging tortoise but when used for the second time can kill like a thousand hurled daggers.

“My instinct tells me that there would be an attack soon,” Damien suddenly mumbles after a long while of silence, and I honestly wish that he did not. I had that thought before, but I decided to push it aside, knowing that it will only perturb Lucerne more.

As I watch the latter, he sighs and whimpers from time to time, his head either buried in the pillow between his bent legs or resting lazily against the wall. Father’s death has the biggest blow on him, seeing that he is the eldest and heir to the Lordship. Despite the fact that he often assisted Father in planning events and organizing schedules for the Shore, Lucerne never for once expected that he would become a Kip Lord so soon.

Someone else will think that he did not hear Damien’s comment, but he jolted at that time. I would say something to dispute the Vampire’s statement if it was not so true. After all, there were prominent facts around the corner, one being that the Shore has been a fortress for years, which proves the witch’s intrusion as a bad signal.

Moreover, as much as I want to assure myself that it is just the rival between the two kingdoms, my mind keeps stressing that the witches are no longer sovereign since the bloodthirsty werewolf Alpha dominated them even before we were born.

“I want to find my Vampire brothers.” Damien shuffles on his position. It does seem like I have heard this statement in my head before he said it, or it was just my thought.

“There are a few reasons to be careful and stay to protect the Shore from a worse attack,” I stress before Damien’s dark chuckle follows closely. His head drops down, unsettling me when a cold aura suddenly oozes into the room.

The Vampire looks up at me with spangled red eyes. “You are not in the position to lecture me, Wayne, and you know that,” he says in a collected manner, but it sounds so calm that I have to shift uncomfortably on the bed. “She has been coming to you for close to a fortnight. If you had taken action, maybe we would not be here.”

“What was I to do? She did not show up physically until today!” It has been a long time since I raised my voice, but sometimes Damien speaks irrationally. How was I supposed to fight back when all I could remember when awake was a piece of what occurred in the dream? Even if I felt that it was real, there was no guarantee until today that it truly is.

Damien goes to squat beside Lucerne's Bed and places his hands on the latter’s thigh, a move to buy his favor. “Brother, permit me to go, and I promise to avenge Father’s death.”

I turn to face them just to meet Lucerne’s broken expression. I wish I could combat Damien; I wish I fit him. Then I would drag him out of the room and lock him away outside. He does not seem to care about our elder brother’s situation. All he is concerned about is finding a group of Vampires who do not even exist.

“You cannot leave.” Lucerne’s voice is barely audible; it comes out throaty, much after gulp downs of nothing. “The Chiefs will declare me as Lord Kip soon, so I need you two to stay by my side—especially now.”

“Still, I need to find them, train more demon warriors, and protect the Shore together,” Damien persuades, impelling me to butt in.

“Vampires have all been wiped out by the Alpha! Even if you can find any, history will only repeat itself.”

Damien cranes his neck to spare me a glance, “They went into hiding, not wiped out. Stand aside, Wayne, I don’t need your idea.”

“Come on now, we should not contend with ourselves,” Lucerne speaks in a soothing manner. “We never know which of the stories are true but the only certain thing is that I need you two beside me. Let us fight this together.”

“No way!” Damien springs to his feet and throws his hands carelessly in the fits of anger. “If you would rather sit back and watch the bastards bring us to destruction then it’s up to you. Father never told us how mother died, or why he first got poisoned but I have an instinct that it is all connected to the Alpha!”

“Calm down, Damien.”

“Do not ever tell that to me, fellow!” As Damien barks at me, a rush of wind whizz passes my face, causing me to close my eyes shortly. I approach the Vampire and place my hands on his shoulders, which is the mistake I made because I catch a glimpse of his glowing golden eyes before his imprecisely moving hand jabs my nose.

My head sways back at once, my figure too. Yet, I would surely have plunged to the ground if Lucerne did not quickly spring from the bed to support me by the shoulders, keeping me from falling.

He glares at Damien even if he knows that it is an accident, but the Vampire does not bother to apologize as his eyes burn more than a flame when they look between Lucerne and I, shooting daggers. He thrusts his fingers into his pockets before he strides out, and I do not expect him to slam the door behind him.

“Are you okay?” Lucerne asks afterward. I nod, though it is too late because he already sees the streak of blood that trailed down my nostrils. He reaches to wipe the blood off with his index. “I hope you do not take Damien's actions to heart.”

I give a dishonest smile before I huff and mutter, “I am the last person to tell this because I’m more used to his attitude than anyone else. He has been like this after all.” I sigh at the last sentence. “I think I need something to eat, I will go get myself breakfast. Please rest.” I turn around to leave the room but not without sparing Lucerne a glance.

He stares back at me, probably hoping that my calmness does not relate to the fact that I deeply hurt within. Truly, I do, but it is not because of Damien’s action, it still settles on Father’s passing. I cannot seem to find a way to let out the shrouded emotions in me, which makes my heart heavy with a pain that lingers in it.