Prince of Blood

8. The Murderous Witch

"Nothing to find? Where else could we search?"

Seonghwa stemmed his hands in his hips, looking around indecisively. The group had come together once more to discuss matters before making the next decision, and none had found any clues about where they could search next. There was no furniture to hide in, no doors to go through. They could try searching for hidden passageways, but if that would make sense, they had yet to find out.

"I be sure ye searched the tower very throughout from 'ow much time ye took, did nay ye?" San's voice was snide, giving half a cue of his disappointment in himself that he had not thought of that, too. Seonghwa rose his brow at him, waiting for another comment.

San merely snapped his head back around, not caring any more. He kept his remarks to himself now, leaving it to Hongjoong to direct the conversation back to the matter at hand.

"Where do ye mates reckon we should search next? Stay down in the crater an' the ruins to find 'er or rather go outside again? I don't 'ave any more dreams to go by. 'er directions to go 'ere was pretty clear the first time." Hongjoong helplessly scratched his nape. Seonghwa stared at the wall behind Wooyoung's head, not minding the grimaces the other man made at him.

"I don't think that will be necessary. Take a glance outside." Seungyoun's low voice was velvety soft like the skin of a snake. They all turned to look him up and down suspiciously before Hongjoong was the first to run outside. While walking, he already pulled his sword, having it at the ready as he strode down the stairs.

The rest scrambled to follow, copying him with less grace and haste.

Indeed, just outside of the castle ruins and standing on the black beach, they found the person whom they had searched for. A tall woman with long fiery red hair. She was wearing a white dress and some brown vest over it that had different herbs and feathers as well as bones dangling from it. For some, it was impossible to say if it was part of her hair that was partly knotted in braids and dreadlocks, or if it was something hanging from her belt.

She was standing with her back to them but turned slowly when the group of pirates swarmed her without Hongjoong even having to bark an order. They circled her; eight weapons pointed at her intending to kill. Seungyoun stayed back to sit down on the stairs of the castle amusedly.

Seonghwa briefly met Liv's eyes, those blue or greenish irises that Tikki had gotten from her. Their semblance was cunning, making Seonghwa question his goals for a mere second before he was back to scowling.

This was the woman that had caused all this. No matter how briefly he had known her, this was the final goal.

Her blood together with that potion would end it all: all the pain, and the lies, and the doubts. Seonghwa was ready to fight for it.

"Spy who finally showed 'er face. 'ow noble o' ye." Hongjoong's sneer was dark, his teeth on display as he looked down on her. He shared the anger of the crew that they had carried for years, probably taking the largest role in it even.

San spat at her feet.

"Dirty witch 'ag. Today ye dance the 'empen's jig."

Liv gave a long-suffering sigh. It was nearly comical how that was her first reaction to them, but it did not make Seonghwa relax in the least. If anything, he was even more ready to get attacked any second now.

"What makes ye think I been 'idin' from ye? Ah, I know why I liked ye most out o' this pack, Yunho. Always the politest one."

Her voice was just as husky and melodic as Seonghwa remembered. She spoke in a dialect, but pirate speech at the same time. He truly wondered about the time she and Hongjoong had spent together.