In The Shadow of Asora

19. Intrigues

Yeosang wasn't too angry at Jongho for writing his name down in his book. In accordance to the information he had given Yeosang about Zey, he had a natural right success to that kind of data. After Yeosang had pretended not to blush at the thought of Jongho examining the drawings he did of him, he had complimented him on his handwriting instead.

The librarian had calmed considerably after the initial awkwardness of introducing Mingi to him, and then made sure they all sat in corners of the room where they couldn't be spotted from outside before he turned on the light again. Mingi's hair looked dark in the contrasting shine.

"I also don't have to stick to you guys all evening. If you tell me how I can sneak around those automatons outside, then I will leave you two to the talking."

Mingi's voice gave his discomfort at his intrusion right away. If Yeosang noticed it, he didn't comment on it. Instead, he gave a grave nod, understanding of the issue.

"There are two of them in this building. One patrols on the lower level and the other one the corridors. If you manage to slip around them, you can explore. But be careful, the door to the main palace is sealed shut, so don't stray too far."

Mingi rose and tapped his forehead like a salute in the same movement. He slipped out into the library on quiet soles. Worried, Jongho stared after him, but he decided that Mingi was trustworthy. Whenever they had run into troubles before, Mingi had been reliable and found his way out. Jongho didn't doubt his smartness over the automatons.

"They barricaded the door?" As he inclined his head in Yeosang's direction, the man had already huddled under his blanket anew. He held it over his lap and kneaded it as a cat would. Jongho detected dark circles underneath his eyes and stiffness to his lips, but his expression was gentle as always.

"Of course. Seonghwa was the only one who used it." He stared intently at his fingers that clutched the blanket as if it were his sole anchor in life. Jongho didn't know how to console him, he was bad at compassion. In the time it took him to come up with a mostly intelligent answer, Yeosang continued to talk.

"It's also where the Bishops came in. They patrol every centimetre of the grounds. They make me nervous. I don't like their eyes."

With visible concentration, Yeosang unclenched his fingers. Jongho exhaled when his whitened knuckles resumed their original colour. Compared to Yeosang, he dealt with the loss of a loved one very differently. Yeosang's pain was fresh and palpable in his actions. Jongho had pushed the grief off faster. Again, he found how different the two of them were.

"Bishops? Is that what they are called?"

Yeosang took the bait. He turned his attention to the talk about automatons gladly as long as he could keep quiet about Seonghwa.

"Yes. The ones guarding Zey are Spheres. I expected it to be them that would be stationed here, but then those things appeared... They seem to be a new project of the king. A stronger army, if you will. So that we won't have to lose the war again."

Jongho nearly laughed at the irony. Nothing could bring his brother back, but at least the government had the mind to use robots instead of humans for their killings. For Yeosang's sake, he swallowed his cynicism.

"They are extremely unsettling," he agreed instead, proud at how he had dodged the tight spot. The distance between him and Yeosang was the same as always, but it seemed too cold, too far. Yeosang didn't look at him. His focus seemed to shift right through Jongho as if something exciting was on the naked wall behind him.

Jongho cleared his throat.

"I came to check on you... And hopefully, find some peace. Zey is brimming with spitefulness right now, and the rumours about what could have happened are wild."