"Rin has entrusted the reward to me, I would like to trouble you with following me," Xen told Floner as soon as she exited the room.
"No worries. I'm grateful for your help," she responded with full greed and excitement plastered all over her tone and expression.
The boys just watched her shadow fade into the distance.
"Are you sure about this?" Rin asked when Xen and Floner were out of view.
"Lets see what she's up to," Ryu simply said. An ominous feeling starting to surround him. His dark personality was starting to kick in.
Stretching his neck muscles, "I've not been myself since last night. Once her purpose is served, I'll get rid of her myself."
"As you wish," Rin replied and took out a small transparent neon blue glass ball. Floating in mid air above his hands, Xen and Floner appeared. The two brothers began watching in anticipation of what Xenroth was to do next.
****************
"Do you perhaps have a family or siblings...or anyone who would miss you of you're gone?" Xenroth asked after masking their presence so that no one can detect them. She then teleported with Floren to a forest a long distance from NML. Where everyone seldom visited.
The sparkling green and orange made the forest appear peaceful. The morning sun created glittering stars amongst the branches while the variations of flowers and grass complimented each other in unison with the birds' songs of love and longing.
"Uhm... No one. I never knew my family. I was found lost in a desert quite a distance from here. I was but a child. I was then taken to NML and have lived there for all my life," Floren replied.
"How old are you," Xenroth asked after coming to a halt and slowly turned to face her. No one had ever step foot in that forest which made it the perfect place to execute her gruesome plan.
"I turned 20 a few moons ago. May I trouble your royal highness to answer why you are asking these questions out of the blue?"
"If you were to recieve a gift or reward don't you think your loved ones should also benefit. Your age can also determine what reward it would be," the corner of her lips twitched and formed into an evil smirk.
"That is very thoughtful of you, your highness."
Xenroth looked at Floren once more. Her chestnut brown hair stretched to her chest and the black and white maid outfit made her beauty shine. The light peach undertone suited her moon-white features while her field-green eyes blended with the environement. She dared to look Xenroth in the eyes but her fingers played with each other as if her human instinct sensed the inaspicious atmosmphere around them.
Like a predator staring directly at its prey, Xen stood unresponsive for a few seconds before Floner.
"One more question," Xenroth said with an emotionless tone.
"Do go ahead," Floner replied. She was getting anxious but then again, she thought that it was necessary for such precautions since this matter concerend the royal family.
"Are you really the one who spent the night with him?"
"Yes, your highness."
"I gave you a chance to redeem yourself. And you just blew it."
Floner's instinct to run kicked in. As soon as she tried to turn, a thick rope of ice bound her to her spot. Her head slowly rose only to find Xenroth's eyes glowing and patches of ice had formed all over her body. Her hair had grown longer and her canines, slightly sharper. The area around them began to freeze.
"P...pl...please your royal highness Xenroth...I...I'm," Floner tried to beg but to no avail. The air in her lungs was slowly turning to ice and her breath was getting smoky.
"I gave you a chance," Xen roared, "These are the hands you used to touch him with," she instantly blew Floner's hands turning them to dust. Xen felt a strong sense of accomplishement when she heard Floner's screams.
"Ahhh yes," she said with utter satisfaction.
Floner wanted to apologise. She wanted to beg. To plead. Anything that could turn back the time. But nothing worked. All she could do was scream and feel the piercing pain whenever her tears streamed down her cheeks, they would turn into ice that started reconstructing her face.
"He's mine! Only mine! No vermin is allowed to covet him. Just because you think you have the courage does not mean you should spit lies to my face!" Xenroth screamed with both agitation and pleasure in her voice. Her eyes beaming with the urge to torture her more, while her head fell backwards and her arms covered in wild snow.
"These are the eyes that saw him last night,"
Xenroth burst them instantly. "This is the tongue that lied to us," she burst it from inside. Every liquid turned to ice and instantly gained life. The ice would the crawl into her insides and start consuming her. Biting and nibbling on her flesh.
After a few minutes, Floner was nowhere to be found. When her body finally burst and her soul destroyed, Xen had used her ice shield to avoid getting any blood on herself. "Disgusting," she said, "She didn't even last long," dissapointment and disatisfaction written all over her face.
Everything returned back to normal as if nothing ever happend. "I hope you liked the reward."
Xenroth stood, pleased. She wiped her lips and the corner of her eyes turned towards the sky. Daring the presence she felt. All this time she knew they were watching.
The Night brothers.
"Damn she's really crazy," Rin said after watching the while scene, "I know we were going to take care of that maid as a scapegoat, but I didn't expect this in the slightest way possible," turning to Ryu.
He saw Ryu's cold gaze glued onto her with strong admiration. The way she remained unfazed supported her statement when she told him that if she was to ever kill him, he wouldn't be the first. Their eyes met and his lips curved into a cruel simper.
The description that could best potray Rin's expression at the sight before him was - ☠️.
Perhaps his brother had finally found a partner worthy to stand as his equal. Even though she was hundreds of years younger than him, and fate begot them as enemies.