Debt of Skin

Fourteen: Fresh Blood Heals Old Scars

There have been character sheets for Safiya, Adain, and Perice added to the Character Art chapter.

Also I'm once more stating the Trigger Warning for Self Harm. Please keep this in mind for the remainder of the book, because it is going to be a fairly common topic.

All three children were found. Two were dead.

Mahe couldn't seem to reply to the news. He simply stared at the messenger for an agonizingly long time before he finally nodded stiffly. One child was alive, he should be grateful to receive such news. However, this did not quell the overall emptiness growing in his chest. How many more children would be slaughtered before there was peace?

After regaining control of his emotions, Mahe learned that the captors yet again went free. And once more, he was faced with a stressful decision. In reviewing information about the affected family, Mahe was left with a complicated situation. The children were raised by ordinary folk, which meant that their blood-related parents either abandoned them or met their own cruel end. Mahe sent out a letter to the couple who was taking care of them at the time of the kidnapping, requesting more information about how they wished to proceed as well as providing funds for the funeral. The soldiers were to keep searching for the perpetrators as well.

The messenger took the letter and began to make the trip right away.

In the meantime, Mahe could only wait. He kept himself busy by heading towards the King's sitting room. It was a quiet evening, the hallways mostly empty outside of guards and the occasional servant. Normally Mahe found this to be peaceful, enjoying the quiet. Today it seemed more eerie.

Upon reaching the sitting room he knocked once on the decadent door. The guards did not even blink at the sight of him, nor did they tell him to leave. In only a moment, he heard King Xiane call for him to enter.

The monarch of this teetering kingdom looked over at Mahe with a relieved smile. Of course, he knew who it was before the door even opened. Mahe had a distinct lightness to his footsteps that was easy to notice, and he knocked softly. King Xiane was speaking with his adviser, Pallas, when Mahe came around.

Pallas was an old man, gray hair thinning and tied into a tight bun. A long beard hung from his chin, and he tended to stroke it when he was in deep thought. He had sunspots and wrinkles set deep within his skin. Mahe bowed only slightly at the sight of him.

"Your highness, please excuse me." Pallas finished whatever conversation they were having and began to leave.

"Of course, enjoy your night." King Xiane told him.

As Pallas left, he glanced only briefly at Mahe. They hardly ever spoke directly to each other. Not because they had no opportunity, but because Pallas was not fond of the young Blood Immortal who took up residence under the king. However, Mahe was certain that it went far beyond that. Pallas had been following King Xiane since he was young, so Mahe thoroughly believed that Pallas hated his mother for being the source of King Xiane's greatest misery. As most people did, he let these frustrations fall upon Mahe.

He was no stranger to the way Pallas felt about his presence. It had been the same the entire time he came to live in this place.

"How are you, Mahe?" King Xiane gestured to a seat.

Mahe made himself comfortable. "I'm fine. And you?"

King Xiane sighed, gazing up at the ceiling. Over the years he seemed to only become more weathered, exhaustion becoming one with him as if it was just a second skin. "Tired, as always. The bandits in the east are becoming out of control, and have caused more than a few people to find their way to the Imperial Capital and demand safety. They must have been traveling since before the first snowfall, and they all look like they're about to drop dead at any moment. It's not just impacting Blood Immortals anymore. Not to mention the division between Argons and Renoans in the west, which seems to only grow by the day. There was a riot only a few days ago."