Postcoital Interrogation

The trip through the forest is a mostly quiet and uneventful one. After that pep talk she gave me, I guess she wanted to give me some time to digest and process what just happened. It doesn't really help me much, however, as my mind keeps thinking she must have made a mistake. Amelia would never do that to me, not after all we've been through. I'll have to confirm it for myself once I reach Riledo.

As we reach parts of the forest I'm more familiar with, Lilith finally breaks the silence. "Darx, I wanted to ask you about Noah."

That question knocks me out of my inner turmoil. "Noah? Why would you want to know... Ohh. Is this about your work for the queen?"

Lilith turns and flashes a brilliant grin at me. "That's right!" she chirps. "I want to know more about his ****, and why you think he attacked Mr. Enzo."

I don't see any real reason not to tell her everything. She works for the queen, after all. Plus, I don't exactly feel the need to keep Kase's family secrets. Especially since Lilith is supposedly his half-sister, too. So I tell her everything Noah told me. About how Mr. Enzo stole his wife. About Kase possibly being the son of his wife and Mr. Enzo. Everything.

Lilith gets an unpleasant scowl on her face, especially as she hears the details about Noah and his wife. "I see the rotten apple doesn't fall far from the tree." she says with obvious distaste. I decide to leave out that she's one to talk.

"So, does that help you with your mission?" I ask her, knowing she might not be able to inform me of the specifics.

"Yea, but it's not the outcome I'd hoped for. It looks like that slippery little dirt bag is going to walk away from this, just like he always does." Lilith growls, sounding displeased.

"Do you not like your father?" I ask her.

"Believe me, I would like nothing more than to finish what Noah started. However..." Before she can finish that thought, we emerge from the forest. "Ah. Seems like we're back."

"Yup. Home sweet home! Well, for another five months, at least." I reply as I stretch my arms, noting that there is still several hours of daylight left.

"You should head back to your mom, make sure she's not worried about you." Lilith suggests.

"Aren't you coming too?" I ask, surprised she doesn't want to join me seeing as how she's stuck to me like glue all day.

"Oh no. I have something important I need to take care of first. Then I'll probably head back to the inn." she insists.

I raise my eyebrow in surprise that she's staying at the inn and not Mr. Enzo's house. Then I remember her telling me how much she hates him. "Well, alright. See you tomorrow then!" I wave as I start heading back.

"Tomorrow!" she says, waving back to me with a grin on her face.

When I reach my mom, I explain to her what happened, and she gives me a whack on the back of the head and calls me reckless for not paying attention to where I was going. Then right afterwards she gets a smile on her face and congratulates me on holding my own against so many goblins, even with Lilith backing me up.

[Lilith's point-of-view]

As I wave the boy away, I can't help but smile somewhat mournfully. Much like myself and Noah, he's gotten swept up by the hurricane that is my father; or in this case his progeny. I'm not looking forward to reporting back, but I have little choice in the matter. My mission is over.

Turning back into the forest, I walk a bit further in, wanting to make sure I'm not overheard. Once I'm a bit further in, I use [Shape Shift] to sprout a drake tail, coil it around a bit to use as a seat. Then I reach into my mouth and pull out a blue gemstone I keep hidden in my right cheek.

Holding it between my thumb and index fingers, I start channeling magic into it. I don't understand how exactly it works, but this is apparently a relic left by a former king. It's called a Whisper Gem, and only agents of the royal family possess them.

Forming a mental image Zhoron's face, I whisper his name into the gem."Zhoron." The gem gives off a light blue glow, indicating it's working.

"Any progress on your mission, Lilith?" A very annoyed sounding Zhoron responds through the gem. Just what I needed. What's got his panties in a twist?

"I've completed my mission. Got all the information on Noah and Mr. Enzo from Ilene's son." I reply. "You were right. She was the best person to make contact for information."

"What did you find out?" He asks. Very brisk and no nonsense, as usual.

"Just that my father is a pig, not that you didn't already know that." I say, a bit angrier than I would have liked. I take a deep breath to calm myself before continuing my report.

"Noah was the husband of Kase's mother. She works for my father now, but it doesn't sound like it was what she wanted. Noah didn't either. He became the village drunk, and I guess seeing Kase made him snap after all these years." I explain the situation to him.

"So you don't see any reason to suspect Kase or Enzo of plotting against the throne?" he asks.

"Like hell I don't! He's just like his old man; an enemy to women. That Amelia chick he's hooked up with; she was apparently an item with Darx, Ilene's kid. If we're not careful, the queen and princess will be..." I try to explain a point I have made several times already.

"Enough!" Zhoron raises his voice in an angry manner, causing me to flinch even though it's just his voice. "I don't care about your woman's intuition. If the **** of Noah was truly the result of his own jealousy, then the case is closed. You have no concrete evidence that he is anything but a playboy. You can't go spouting off wild conspiracy theories about someone from such a powerful family, especially not one who is an S Rank!"

I grit my teeth, but hold back my temper. "Understood!" I respond as respectfully as possible. Frowning a little, I I risk one question of my superior. "How's my mom?"

"No change. She's stable, but still in a coma." He responds, obliging me with an update. "Is there anything else to report?"

I bite my lip. "Darx, Ilene's son. He has red eyes." I respond.

There is silence on the other end for a moment. "Do you think he's one of them?" Zhoron asks.

"Unlikely. His father was just a normal guy. Maybe if I stuck around and dug a little deeper..." I start to suggest, but Zhoron's angry voice quiets me again.

"Negative! Your mission is complete. I want you on your way back to Riledo as soon as possible. You are not to linger there any further. Do I make myself clear?" He asks, although there is only one answer he'd accept.

"Understood. Lilith out." I reply, and dispel my magic from the crystal.

Standing up, I shift the drake tail back into my body. Clenching my teeth, I clench my fists together. Sweat starts pouring down my body as I can scarcely control my answer. I feel the changes happening again as my body slowly starts to shape shift on its own accord. The whites of my eyes turn black. Bat wings erupt from my back. My arms start to turn thin and red as my fingers elongate into black claws. Ever since I first tried copying her features, this happens to me when I get too upset.

Grabbing the hilt of my sword at my hip, I close my eyes and breathe deeply, trying to calm myself and will the changes away. Ever so slowly, I feel my body revert back to normal. After a minute, I open my eyes, the whites having returned to them.

I smile, and give a brief chuckle. "Heh! There's still one other person in this town who hates my father as much as I do." I speak as I run a finger over my eyelids, casting Ghost Sight.

Floating before me is a spectre with long black hair, messy stands covering her face. A ghostly purple miasma exits her mouth as she gasps raggedly, like she has difficulty breathing. The reason for her troubled breathing is apparent, given the hole in her chest above her lungs; dried blood around the wound staining her white dress.

I pat my sword and give a toothy grin. "You wouldn't mind helping me in pushing her over the edge, would you? After all, who'd understand the rage pumping through the veins of a harlot better than you, Camille?"

The ghost gives off a raspy laugh, a garbled **** sound as she attempts to laugh with only one blood filled lung. The murderous look in her eyes enough to make even my cursed blood curdle.