The Unholy Trinity

9

Milan is on her morning run down a particularly frosty dew-dipped road when her the familiar buzz of her phone rings out of her vest pocket. She fishes it out and is shocked to see the royal district area code displayed. Without hesitation she answers and halts her run to say the customary 'hello'.

"Milan Reece Cordova of Witzen is called to present herself and nothing nor no one else to the palace under the orders of King Cornelius of Linq. Cordova is expected to arrive at the main palace doors approximately 1100 AM, 24th of November. Message will be deleted after ended."

When the recorded call comes to an end and the ring of the line starts beeping, Milan hangs up the phone and just stares longingly at the damp grass and gravel at her feet.

"What the fucking hell." She mutters, shoving her phone back into her vest and returning to her run.

The whole time wondering of the possibilities of her call to the palace. She did everything the king asked. Watch over the crown prince. Make sure the fool doesn't fall into the arms of supernatural beings. Kill supernaturals beings upon arrival of said beings. Hide any evidence of beings. Leave without sound. And she did all without a single question from any royalty.

—

"Did he say what for?" Neil asks.

After Milan finished her run, she fled back to Neil's house and found him perched in his computer chair as usual. She relayed the news to him straight away.

"No," She shakes her head. "And, again, it wasn't him on the phone, it—"

"Yeah, yeah. Recording. But the king had to have been the person who wrote the message up. Yeah? He must think your important."

"Or he decided I didn't do a good job at the ball and is going to execute me. I mean, it's a little weird how I don't have the option to bring a friend or something. I have to go alone."

Neil tenses at that. Worry settling in. "Yeah...just make sure you bring your gun. Okay?"

She nods. "I will. And I'll call you after I get out of the palace."

"Promise?"

She nods again. Then she slumps down into the sofa and lays down across it. Sighing haphazardly, her eyes closing. She hasn't slept for days. Well, to be more specific, she hasn't slept since she saw Harrison. Everything just got super confusing and harder after they let out their secrets. A part of her wants to forgive him but the other part remembers how hard it was to live and fend for herself by herself for so long until Neil found her.

Soon after, sleep succumbs her and nausea replaces worry. She dreams of a little girl running in miles and miles of flowers and grass. No sounds, no screams, no heartbreak. Just a little girl overwhelmed with innocence.

—

The palace looks the same tacky royal building as before. High ceilings and grand staircases crested in gold. Milan let's herself take in everything a little more than the night of the ball. She presses a palm to the wallpaper with intricate twirls and designs painted on. Everything looks so elegant and pristine. So expensive. Like the tall vase that sits in the middle of the foyer that Milan can't help but eyeing. She wonders how much money, how much food that could give.

Her thoughts are interrupted when another set of footsteps prance down the main staircase. She tilts her head up and is faced with a smiling King Cornelius. At least he's not angry.

"Miss Cordova! So lovely to see you." Once he gets down the last step, he takes her knuckles in his hand and presses a innocent kiss on her skin.

She can't help the slight wince at his touch. He's killed with those hands. So has hers.

"Excuse me if this comes across impolite, your highness..but what exactly am I here for?" She arches a brow in question. "I did everything you asked without drawling a single eye my way."

He smiles widely, showcasing his perfect straight pearly whites. Even his teeth are well kept. His body compares just as well. A tall muscular build with wide shoulders that scream frightening. The only imperfection would be the wrinkles on his face and neck that hint to onset double chin and aging. Milan silently wonders how it would feel to stuff her belly as full as Cornelius'.

"Please, Cordova. Call me Corny."

Only if the shoe fits, she wants to stay but thinks better.

"It's Milan, then."

He nods, then tilts his head in a gesture to follow her. She does without argument. They begin walking side by side. Shoulders grazing every few steps and each time it sends her bones into shakes. His touch, lethal, born to kill. Hands that store the blood of every lost man and women and child that was forced into the war to fight a fight that wasn't theirs.

"Milan, the reason you're here is not related to the ball. Although I do believe a thank you is indeed in order. So, with that, thank you." He side eyes her with a genuine grin.

She only nods, huffing out a breath of relief. Though she isn't completely out of the woods. Even if this...meeting, if you will, isn't about the ball, she still could be in trouble. Maybe he plans on killing her. He can't have anyone in his palace knowing he had a couple of Witzen trash enter the hall. Maybe, maybe, maybe.

She really just wants to know why she's here.

"Let's sit in here." Cornelius guides her to a carpeted room with no furniture except a long table surrounded around several metal chairs. A conference room.

Milan waits for Cornelius to pick a chair of the more than enough selection. When he does, she finds a seat across the table from him and folds her hands on her lap underneath. Poking and prodding at her fingernails in an attempt to calm her nerves.

"So..." She mumbles when he silently examines her.

It's intimidating, his stare. He looks at her as if she's this unknown creature that needs to be studied and watched very carefully. Her nerves stutter even more.

"So." He echos, then laughs. "Look, Milan. I'm not here to make you nervous or angry or any feeling really. I'm here to change your life."

"Change my life?" She asks, wondering what the hell that even means.

He nods. "Yes. I realize how hard you've struggled in Witzen. With your parents and all..." His voice trails off.

Guilt. She wants him to feel that emotion. That one emotion that should burden him for the rest of his life. If the king passed a law to keep Witzen protected from creatures like that witch who took her parents from her, then maybe she wouldn't be orphaned. And angry with the world.

Another maybe.

"I also believe you are great at what you do."

"As in hunting?"

"Correct. Now think of us teaming up."

She'd rather puke.

"I don't know..."

"Just, wait. I have a job for you."

"Which is?"

"My son, Prince Kaius. He's headed to an event tomorrow night and I need someone to go with him. Keep him protected. And I can not think of anyone better for the job than the woman in front of me."

She swallows, feeling pressure leak into her very being. "I still am unsure...I'd have to talk to my team."

"No. Don't do that. This is an offer only for you."

She scoffs. "Well, that only makes me more eerie." Her knuckles turn white from clenching so hard.

"I'll give you two thousand krona."

Whew. She's barely seen a thousand krona in her entire life. It's hard for her to agree to these types of jobs without Neil and Aurora.

But it's so easy to say yes to not have to wonder when she'll have her next meal.