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"Ah, I wouldn't count on running to your little friend," Soren snorted, watching her gaze. "It'd be rude of you to disrupt his nap, don't you think?"

​ The thumping in Kel's chest grew louder. She'd only just left his house, so how could something have happened to Dash already?

"What did you do to him?" she demanded, creeping toward Dash's front steps.

"I just had to make sure he wouldn't disturb us," Soren explained, purposely shifting his stance to block the way. "Since he has a nasty habit of being overprotective of you."

Being overprotective? Was there a time since she came to this place that Dash had even been in a position to protect her?

"What are you talking about?" Kel asked, continuing cautiously forward. If it really came down to it, she could probably knock Soren out, but only if she made the first move.

As if sensing her intentions, Soren pretended to smooth his hair, consequently putting his hands in the perfect position to defend his neck against sudden attacks.

"Don't you remember our first meeting, when he waited in the alley, about to break down the door?"

Kel thought back. She could definitely remember a masked figure ducking just out of sight after she left the building. The kid escorting her and Lucy had also used that same phrase, 'break down the door,' when describing it.

"He even followed you to that tawdry masquerade party!"

Come to think of it, Soren was right. She'd seen the same thing at the Pantheon Masquerade: a masked figure ducking out of view before she could get a good look at him. She remembered the mask being bright colors and covering his whole face. It was-

"He runs around in his garish fox mask like some kind of hero."

Right. That mask. The red and white fox character from lower class street shows.

She remembered him from her childhood on the impoverished streets. Together, she and Dash would watch the dazzlingly costumed and painted performers with awe. When it came time for the fox to reveal his true form, they always chirped in anticipation.

To orphaned children, that beautiful righteous fox, desperately longing for his parents, truly was a hero.

"The fox…" Kel murmured. "To think he still remembers"

"Ahem!" Soren cleared his throat. "I personally find it rather.. unsavory."

"Even though you're a street performer yourself?" Kel snorted, gathering her courage.

Soren looked genuinely caught off guard for the first time since she'd met him.

"What does that.. Oh, nevermind." He cleared his throat again. "Shall we get back to that secret you've tucked away so carefully in your waistband?"

"I don't wish to discuss it with you," Kel responded curtly, turning to leave.

"Do you think I'm the only one who knows what you're plotting against the emperor?" Soren's sharp voice stopped Kel in her tracks.

She spun around, baring her teeth. "I don't have any clue what you're spouting no-"

"Or that you want to blame the whole thing on Mevani?" Soren raised an eyebrow.

He had her cornered.

"Now, you see, that part really surprised me." He laughed for a moment before narrowing his eyes. "That's what I like about you. I can never accurately predict what you'll do next."

Kel's nerves began rising once again. Soren hadn't even fully unfolded the paper before she'd snatched it back from him. How did he find out?

"Aw, are you surprised?" he teased, striding toward her. "Would it be more believable to say I memorized the entire contents of that dangerous little page you have hidden away, or that I somehow eavesdropped on your entire conversation with fox boy in there?"

"You were listening?" Kel gulped. "How?"

"Ah, see now you just admitted that you were talking about all of this with him," Soren continued, his smile flattening into a threatening scowl. "And for some reason, that makes me even angrier."

"W-why would you be angry?" Kel stammered, sneaking glances at their surroundings as she backed away.

Why was such a large street so empty at this time of day?

"Do I scare you?" Soren tilted his head, coming to a halt just a few feet away.

"... A little," Kel admitted, grateful he finally stopped charging toward her.

"More than the Dragon Emperor?" Soren took another step. "Or more than your father?"

"My father?" Kel faltered.

"I always heard that the king of Mevani treasured his daughter," Soren continued, inching the tiniest bit closer. "But to think the poor princess has daddy issues. It must have been a well-kept secret."

Without warning, he pounced, trapping Kel in another hug. This time, instead of standing dumbly, she fought to break free.

"You want the empire? I'll give it to you," Soren whispered, his arms rigid. "Mevani, too? I can do that."

"Stop!" Kel shouted.

Nausea filled her stomach at even the thought of Soren's past actions. Intermingling in her nightmares of Barclay, she often saw Soren, standing on the pile of hundreds of bodies, claiming that he did it for her.

"Don't struggle, Princess," Soren soothed. "You want revenge, don't you?"

She did want revenge. That's why she was here in the first place.

But she'd rather lose her own head than watch Soren destroy innocent lives in her name.

"Just think about it," Soren sighed, finally letting Kel go.

He watched her working to regain control of her breath before bowing his head.

"I made a mistake before," he confessed. "I wanted to show you that I was on your side. I didn't realize you'd feel.. like this."

"Do you expect me to believe that," Kel panted. "Take your apology, and leave me alone."

"I want to help this time!" Soren exclaimed. "I won't do anything you don't ask, so please just think it over, ok?"

"Yeah, I'll think about it," Kel scoffed, wiping her mouth as if it were covered in dirt.

"I'll come for your answer in a few days," Soren bowed. "Oh, and I'll take this with me!"

He was already too far out of reach by the time Kel realized he'd stolen the page from her skirt once again.

"... What a creep," she whispered, placing her shaking hands firmly on her hips as she watched him disappear.

So far, she'd faced two of the three people she currently held the most emotion for. The only way things could get any worse..

"If he's such a creep, why is it that you always come to his house when you run away?" an angry voice behind her demanded.

..was if the emperor showed up.