The Rainlands: Grand Delusion

Chapter 52: Outburst

"Hyeorang? As in Hyeorang Jie? I told you earlier. She's dead. Was Jasmine asking? That must be why you want to know. Well, tell her I'm sorry." Eleana's voice was even but something about it didn't seem right. She had changed a lot, but Levi still felt like he could read her, just a little. "It's a terrible shame, but royals don't last very long after an Emperor dies."

"How can you be so sure?" Levi pressed her. She didn't expect that.

"Well, she's dead. The reports are very clear about that. Do you doubt the ability of my network?" Eleana pretended to be angry, pressing a hand to her heart. "Oh dear, my lil brother doesn't respect his big sister anymore. They grow up so fast!"

"No...you just seem a bit too sure that she's dead. You asked me how much I trust Jasmine, how much do you trust these men of yours." Levi's eyes narrowed as Eleana's face remained blank. She took another sip from her glass.

"Trust me, Levi. When I say someone is dead, they're dead. Now I'm sorry, it's a terrible shame, but royals don't tend to last very long after an Emperor dies." She said quietly. "Now are you done? Want another glass?"

"No...you've apologized twice now. But I'm not Jasmine, so why would you feel the need to apologize. You're not offering condolences." A terrible suspicion arose in Levi's heart. But if I'm right, then who sent the note? "You're feeling guilty! What did you do!" Eleana was more silent than the stones. The moonlight reflected off her hair and Levi remembered what Jasmine had called her. The Temptress of the North. Eventually, she reached for the bottle, and very slowly began to pour herself another glass. Then she reached for Levi's.

"Finish it." She commanded. Looking at her face, he didn't dare disobey this time. Grabbing it, he quickly downed it all in one. "Good." She growled, then took the cup from him. Slowly, she began to pour...

"Damnit Levi! Why do you have to go poking your nose in things you don't understand?" Her hand shook while she poured, some drops of the liquid falling dangerously close to the edge of the glass. "I'm trying to protect you and your friend, even if she's not family!"

"Oh yea? Is that what you were trying to do? And what were you going to do once this is over, huh? Once you controlled the Rainlands and Jasmine is just a loose end? Be honest with me, sister. Where does she fit in your grand scheme? Silenced? Dead?" Levi practically yelled in her face and for the first time she seemed genuinely uncomfortable.

"Well I never...I mean I admit I had the thought." Upon seeing Levi's glare, she frantically backtracked, "But that was before I realized you two could get married! Then everything would be fine, right?" Eleana said hurriedly. Levi just stared at her.

"So, it's true. You really would have thrown her away once her usefulness to you was done. How do I know you wouldn't do the same to me?" His voice was soft, a hidden steel behind it. Eleana looked away.

"You...Levi, I'm glad you're here. I was so happy to hear you came. And not because you brought me a bargaining chip. Because you're family. My one and only. I'm sorry if what I say comes out wrong, I'm not good at talking about these things, but you have to believe that at least. I'm amazed you even got up here. How DID you even pull that off anyways? My men say it's hell down there, Shatterstorms, vicious monsters, Jie siblings fighting it out." She looked him dead in the eyes, and for a second Levi wasn't sure whether or not to trust her. His glass began to overfill and spilled over onto the desk and Eleana stopped pouring. "Oh darn it. Now I've gone and done it."

Levi was still, watching her trying to blot out the spill with a napkin. She glanced at him. He took the glass, and downed it in front of her. Then he turned around.

"I got lucky, sis. You weren't there. I had to get very good at sneaking around. Your man thought I had a Reincarnation or something, but I just got lucky. What, you seriously think I fought my way all the way from Eastrain to here? I'm going to bed." Walking to the door, he opened it. She started to stand but he called back.

"I know where my room is, Sis." When he looked over his shoulder for a second, he thought he saw a tear on her face. Oh...did I overdo it?

"Okay..." She didn't try to follow him after that and he walked out. Levi walked back to his room, feeling the alcohol burn in his stomach. He wasn't entirely sure what to do so he did nothing. When he laid down to sleep, he stared out the window. The guard outside had moved much closer to his room, preventing him from sneaking away, though he kept his back turned to give Levi some privacy. Levi snorted. That was fast, Sis. Show's how much you trust me. Although...

He drifted off to sleep, wondering what he should tell Jasmine the next day, or indeed if he would even be allowed to speak with her. I thought everything would be over once we got here, but it turned into a bigger problem. So what, I've dealt with bigger problems in the empire before. Wait...what? Ugh, it's getting harder to tell whose memories are mine and whose are his. Whoever he is. Whoever I am.