As soon as Yuze saw Brendan in Kai Low's arms, he knew exactly what had happened.
The secret passageways that littered the castle weren't well mapped, only because there were so many, and no single complete record of the building process remained. Not even the previous First Eye, Lady Zhao, had managed to map them all.
But she had mapped very clearly the passageways linked to Lord Ye's apartments to the surrounding rooms on the floor. A major security concern, she'd called it.
A perfect opportunity for blackmail, Yuze had read between the lines. Thankfully, it had never happened. The previous Lord Ye hadn't lived long enough after his wife to take up with another woman, and Chenzhou had never strayed from Anna.
And wouldn't stray from Eirian or Mingzhe. He was a far cry from his ancestors at the start of his bloodline.
Brendan and the other two children were white with terror, eyes wide, gripping one another and Kai Low tightly.
Kai Low held all three of them easily. The oldest Lili was only six, but she kept a protective arm around Samuel and Brendan. Samuel was only four to Brendan's one and a half, but both boys were nearly the same size.
Min and Sam's children had benefited from their mother's work caring for Brendan, as they received the same tutors and training in an attempt to give Brendan friends his own age. Yuze had interacted with them a few times, and they'd been nothing but sweet and energetic. They seemed to like Brendan, and he knew Chenzhou and Eirian were pleased with the relationship between the three of them.
The horrible fact now was that their parents were most likely dead. Shouts were echoing down the halls now, the alarm bells still ringing.
"We need to get over there," Yuze said and kept Qiang Ye at the ready as he turned to the door. "Can you protect them if I protect you?"
Kai Low gave him a flat look. "I can protect all of us, including you." He nudged Lili around, and she climbed over him like a monkey until she was hanging on his back, arms around his neck. He shuffled Brendan and Samuel to one arm and drew his sword with the other. "Drop if someone attacks my back." He told Lili, who nodded seriously.
A fond feeling twisted in his chest, and Yuze viciously fought it down. "Worry about them first." And because he couldn't let anyone else have the last word, Kai Low rolled his eyes. "Of course."
Yuze did the responsible thing and ignored him, throwing open the door.
***
Everyone was becoming more frantic with every minute they didn't find the children, but there were so many people searching the apartments that Eirian could barely move without bumping into someone.
It was starting to put her on edge. Well, more on edge than she already was. Her magic was responding to her nerves, roaring louder and louder, but Ardain was suspiciously silent.
The blooding blade was no longer concerned about her safety, but it also didn't care about Brendan or the other children.
She pushed through the searching guards and stopped when she saw Marian clutching Finn's body.
The older woman had worn morning blacks for the last decade, and now she'd probably wear them for another. If not, the rest of her life.
And Finn.
Poor Finn…
Eirian fell to her knees next to them.
"My poor boy," Marian sobbed. It was the most emotion Eirian had ever seen from the normally proper and controlled woman, but that was understandable. Part of Eirian wanted to rail and wail at the unfairness of it. Finn had never even drawn his sword outside of training. That he'd been murdered in such a vicious way…He'd been protecting Brendan. Too noble and too brave to worry about his own safety.
Something hot ran down her face, and it took Eirian a second to realize she was crying. He was such a sweet, earnest boy, just on the cusp of really becoming a man, and his life was already over.
It hadn't even started.
A commotion in the hallway sent Chenzhou and Mingzhe running out.
A second later.
"Eirian!"
She hesitated, but Marian took a shaky breath. "Go." Her eyes turned hard at the obsidian stone the estate was made of. "Find who did this and kill them all."
Eirian's grip on Ardain tightened as she hurriedly followed Chenzhou's voice.
He and Mingzhe were in the hallway with several guards, but they didn't look scared or even angry.
They looked relieved.
She pushed by Chenzhou and Mingzhe and looked further down the hall.
Yuze and Kai Low were hurrying down towards them, escorted by several guards.
And they had all three children.
Brendan burst into tears at the sight of them and reached for Chenzhou as soon as the two groups collided in the hall. Eirian wasn't even upset that Brendan was clinging to Chenzhou, as long as he was safe.
"Where did you find them?" Mingzhe asked Yuze.
"They were in the passageways in the walls." Yuze explained. "There isn't one in Brendan's rooms, but there in an entrance in the apartment you gave Min's family."
At the mention of Min, Eirian, Chenzhou, and Mingzhe's faces fell. Yuze didn't look surprised, but none of them wanted to say anything in front of the children.
Marian stepped into the hallway, Li's arm around her, offering strength and comfort. She sniffed as they walked toward them and Eirian watched her physically pack away her tears and saddness, her eyes almost completely dry by the time they reached them.
Marian focused on the children and Eirian realized she was girding herself like she'd probably done after her husband died. Searching out any excuse to take her attention away from the loss. Li hovered at her shoulder, worried, but silent.
"I'll take the children." Marian's voice was rough, worn.
Chenzhou hesitated. "Are you sure? We can keep them with us."
Marian shook her head, firm. "No, they should not have to see what comes next. Especially if there are more of them."
~ tbc