Lucius stood frozen, the echoes of the gunshots still ringing faintly in his ears. His chest rose and fell in uneven breaths. Moments later, footsteps approached—swift, composed. Liam entered the room, gaze sweeping over the scene. Yet his expression betrayed no surprise, no shock. He merely assessed Lucius and Nai, his eyes cool and calculating.
Lucius continued to pant, the revolver trembling faintly in his hand. Nai opened her mouth to speak, but before a word escaped, Liam stepped forward and calmly took the revolver from Lucius's grasp. He examined it with a practised eye.
"…You ought to conserve your ammunition next time," he remarked dryly. "No need to waste it all on one target."
"What do you expect? I only had seven shots!" Lucius retorted, voice hoarse with lingering adrenaline.
Together, they turned toward the corpse lying motionless amid the shattered elegance of the boutique.
"…It bit you, Lucius," Liam said evenly.
Lucius pressed his fingers to his neck, feeling the raw sting of a bite mark. His eyes narrowed. "…I know."
Liam met his gaze. "You're one of the Seven Dead Corpses. I trust your body won't succumb to infection." With that, he moved briskly to fetch supplies to cleanse the bloodstained floor. "though, you already did."
"You've done what you needed. Leave the rest to me. Go—wait in the office."
Nai stood nearby, her face pale, her brows furrowed in confusion and alarm. "Lucius," she whispered, her voice taut, "what the hell just happened…?"
Lucius glanced at her, jaw tight. "I'll explain, Nai. But for now… let's do as Liam said."
Nai hesitated, then gave a small nod and fell in step beside him as they made their way toward the office, leaving the grim scene behind.
After a while, Lucius finished recounting everything to Nai. The room settled into a heavy silence.
"…So," Nai murmured at last, her voice barely above a whisper, "was that why… my sister attacked me back then?" Her gaze clouded with memory, her fingers tightening around the fabric of her sleeves.
Lucius looked up sharply. "Your sister?"
But Nai shook her head quickly, her expression shuttered. "No… it's nothing. Not important."
Lucius's gaze lingered on her, sharp with concern, but he chose not to press further. Instead, Nai spoke again, her voice growing steadier.
"If what you said is true, then this city isn't safe anymore," she reasoned, her brows furrowed. "You found one infected in the alley… and now another right here, in Margaret's shop. That means the infection is multiplying."
Lucius nodded grimly. "We can't stay still. If there's an outbreak, Yu Xuan and Harriet won't be safe beneath the engines. And we're still on the wanted list… while, Margaret expects us to attend this ball."
Nai rubbed her temples in frustration. "What should we do? If only Elias or Zara were here… we could've have done something."
Lucius sighed, weary. "For now, we're with Margaret. That's our best option. We don't have the strength to take on the city's guards alone. We'll listen—"
"I don't trust her, Lucius," Nai cut in, her gaze hard. "Yes, she helped me control my powers, but only because you asked. She still hasn't told us her true plans, especially regarding this ball."
Lucius's eyes narrowed. "Do you think I trust her?" he replied quietly. "We have no choice, Nai. Yu Xuan and Harriet aren't here to help us decide. We can't fight the city's forces alone. You don't have to trust anyone else… but I need you to trust me."
Nai looked away, her jaw set. After a long pause, she gave a small nod. "Fine."
At that moment, the door opened, and Margaret swept in with a warm smile. "Sorry for the wait," she said cheerfully. "I had a few matters to attend to." Her sharp gaze flicked between them, sensing the tension in the air. "Is something wrong?"
"Nothing," Lucius replied, steady. "We're just concerned about what's happening."
Margaret nodded solemnly. "I understand. Liam informed me of what occurred." Her expression brightened a touch. "Now then—did you like the shop? Has anything caught your eye for the party?" she asked with a playful grin.
Lucius noticed a flicker of guilt cross Nai's face—subtle, but unmistakable. Despite her fierce spirit, Nai's heart was softer than she let on. She glanced aside, voice low. "…I had one in mind."
Margaret beamed. "Wonderful. Why don't we go and take a proper look?"
Lucius watched as the two women rose and left the office together. He followed a moment later, mind restless. Something about Margaret's intentions remained veiled… and that troubled him more than he cared to admit.
To be continued -