The Razor's Edge [[Feitan x Reader]]

30: The Daring Rescue

*Feitan's POV*

It had been almost a month since y/n was taken from us. A month of travelling all across the continent, of following leads to dead-ends, of leaving each spot empty-handed and no closer to finding her.

I tried to extract information through my usual methods, but no matter how much I tortured anyone we came across during our search, they all gave the same answer before they died: none of them knew where Akira was.

Shal, on the other hand, hit the library again. He was sure he must have missed something. He was so hopeful—everyone was—but I couldn't help but feel that we'd never get y/n back.

Thankfully, Shalnark was right. He had missed one of Akira's properties. It was a manor tucked away in the Miera Mountains, far enough in the forest that no one would accidentally stumble upon it. It didn't have any official record of purchase, no proof of ownership. No wonder Shal had missed it before.

As we sat in the woods, watching the manor, I felt sure that this was where we'd finally find y/n.

We waited until nightfall to sneak across the grounds, finding an entrance at the back of the estate. We decided to split up to cover more ground. Machi and Nobunaga would hang back near where we came in, guaranteeing us a clean escape. Franklin and Bonolenov would cover the rest of this floor, Phinks and Shalnark would take the next one, and I would sweep the top floor by myself.

I knew that was where she'd be. I could feel myself being pulled up the stairs almost by some magnetic force, like some invisible string that existed between us. What was this feeling—this strangled desperation, like a deep ache in my chest? Why did I need this to be the right place? Why did I even care? Before y/n had been kidnapped, I'd still been on the edge of wanting to kill her myself.

On the edge. Something was holding me back. Not just the rules of the troupe.

I decided to use my en, praying to a god I didn't believe in that no one would be awake to notice it. I felt the presence of two people on this floor. The first was a dark aura in the second room on my right. I guessed immediately that this was Akira.

I'd deal with him later.

In the room at the end of the hall I felt a familiar, warm aura. It was y/n. This was it. We'd finally found her.

I couldn't control my feet as they rushed forward, sending me flying down the hallway until I was standing outside of her room.I picked the lock and pushed through the doors with a desperation I'd never felt before.

There she was, sitting on the bed, reading a book in the low light of the bedside lamp. Her head snapped in my direction as soon as the doors opened. She looked thin and tired, her eyes slightly sunken. Bruises covered her arms and neck. I felt a wild rage building inside of me at the sight of them, fighting with the excitement of finally being reunited with her. It was like taking a breath for the first time in weeks only to have my lungs collapse.

Her eyes widened when she saw me, almost in fear.

I didn't understand.

"Y/n," I whispered, stepping into the room.

She moved further away in response, throwing her book to the side and climbing to the other side of the bed. "Stop it," she begged. "You don't need to keep doing this."

"What?" The things she was saying didn't make any sense.

"I get it, okay? They're never coming for me. He's never coming for me. You don't need to put on the same act every time."