𝐑𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐃'𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐄, childe

( QUINCE. )

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"T-TAKE IT easy or we'll fall to our death...!" The blonde exclaimed as she winced, the two of them steering dangerously close to the edge of the Jade Chamber, wobbling with every step.

"M-My bad, I really can't keep myself standing upright for more than two seconds..." (Y/N) whispered in embarrassment. The girl's eyes darted down to her calf, where she had wrapped around some torn cloth in an attempt to make it seem like she had treated it. The bullet was, infact, still inside. And it burned.

"Is that... wait, Traveller and (Y/N)."

As the three lifted their gazes, they were met with those of golden ones, his eyes were confused, yet soon widened in disbelief as he laid his eyes on the bleeding calf of the General.

"Xiao!" (Y/N) called out almost sounding relieved.

"Hand her over to me," Xiao commanded before the Traveller inched closer for the Yaksha to hold her. And as he did, he carried her close to the wall where he gently placed her body down before she laid her back against the wall.

"X-Xiao?! Huh... Hold on, it's the Adepti! What are you doing on the Jade Chamber? Paimon thought you were arguing with the Qixing... Is the fight finally over?" the silver headed girl tilted her head in confusion, her darting from the Qixing members to the Adepti.

Ningguang placed her palm on her chest, "Faced with such a calamity of such magnitude, we have agreed to put our differences aside for now and unite against this common enemy."

The sound of loud ringing in her ears somehow drowned the words of the respected people who spoke in front of her. Not many seemed to notice her presence, just as she hoped.

"Hold on, hold on... Don't press there, it stings."

"I smell the scent of that Harbinger lingering around you again." A frown tugged on his lips as (Y/N) sensed his anger gradually grow.

"About that..." She let out an awkward chuckle, "Our relationship is complicated. I wouldn't say we're friends but..."

"But? There's a but? He tried to kill you. Not once but twice."

"The... The bullet wasn't from him, it was from a Diplomat."

Xiao let out a scoff of irritation as he rolled his eyes, "You sound like you're defending him right now."

"I'm not. I was just saying!" She shot up, yet the Yaksha took it as rather defensive.

He stared at her girl suspiously as doubt clouded his mind, "Whatever you say. But what about the poison that's coursing through your body as we speak?"

"... You noticed that...?"

"Do not hide things from me. This type - I had foreseen it was poison, however, I am unable to recognize the ingredients used to concoct this. It contains foreign substances, does it not? The only foreigner who happens to be dangerous that I've seen you with is that Harbinger."

(Y/N) lowered her gaze in shame, finding it too embarrassing to look him in the eye and admit that she had been poisoned. "He... He has the antidote."

"I'm bringing you to safety, (Y/N)."

Safety. The word lingered in the air as the girl froze to her spot as soon as she processed what he had just said. (Y/N)'s eyes were stricken with such dread as her grip around his arm tightened.