“So ZenTar was right. You were probably born to some minor Clan. Only Clan houses are that big. And no Noble House would dare try and hide your existence.” Snow lowered his gaze. Had they tried to hide him? Why? Somehow it didn’t feel like that at all. Sand yes, Sand had tried to keep him safe, to protect him, even though she had been the one in needed of protection. “Well, no matter. We’ll get to the bottom of it sooner or later,” the monster declared with a deep breath. “Come on. Let’s go back. And try not to cut your feet!” he warned in what sounded more like a threat, and Snow quickly obeyed, still wiping his burning eyes. However, no matter how blurry his vision got, there was no way he could lose that dark monster from sight. “We’ll be leaving the Fortress in a few days. You’ll be coming with us,” the monster informed him without even turning back to make sure he kept following him. “Outside there are a few rules you mush follow no matter what. One. Erase those foolish ideas about running away from your head. You won’t be able to hide from me. No matter where you may think to run away to, I will still find you. Having to waste time looking for you will only piss me off. And you don’t want to pissed me off!”

Snow swallowed dry and, after what had just happened, couldn’t help agree.

“Two. If you don’t want what happen before to happen again, unless I say so, keep as far away from other people as possible. And that includes the other men in our group. If you need anything, if you see something, whatever it is, talk only to me or ZenTar. Hopefully I’ll be able to restrain myself and not kill him.”

Snow wiped some more tears. It wasn’t as if he wanted to get close to anyone anyway, he grumbled in his thoughts. In fact, all he wanted, was to get as far away as possible from all of them.

“Three. Never show your bare back to anyone unless I say so. So be sure to be careful when dressing and undressing yourself,” he went on, which made Snow frown in confusion.

Up till now he’d been naked in front of many people and nothing had ever happened. Sure, when he’d been tied to that bed, he had always laid on his back. But in that cell he’d been completely naked and he was sure the Lord and the other men that had cleaned him had seen his back. And what could be so special about it anyways?

“Four. Whatever happens, never, ever scream like that again!” he commanded, this time stopping to look back, his blue eyes hard and serious, and Snow couldn’t help frown, confused again. Hadn’t he just threatened to kill him if he didn’t scream? “You’re clearly unable to control it, right? That red array. That’s the only reason why I didn’t kill you where you stood, back then,” he added with obvious regret. “So you need to understand this. No matter who it is, women, children even, whoever is standing inside that red area will die. People that haven’t done anything to you, people that you don’t even know, everyone will die. And there’s nothing that anyone, not even me, can do about it. If you scream like that again, if you activate that red array again, I will kill you where you stand. Do you understand?” the monster asked, his voice as firm and cold as his eyes, and Snow nodded before quickly answering.

“I understand.”

Nox ZaiWin faced those pale, serious eyes for a moment, before turning around and resuming walking down the hill. If he didn’t know any better he’d actually believe all that crap about how Celestials abhorred death and killing. Looking into the kid’s tearful eyes he had almost felt as if what he had meant as a threat had actually been received as a good thing.

They were almost back to the Fortress’ gates when the soft sound of the footsteps following him suddenly ceased.

“What?” he asked, impatiently, turning back again to look at him. If the damn brat was about to throw a tantrum saying stupid things like he didn’t want to go back, he was going to spank him blind. As to be expected the stupid brat was just standing there, blinking under the sun, looking at the Fortress with a scared expression on his face. “Need me to drag you inside?”

Snow shook his head and took a trembling hand to his naked, reddened, neck.

“Collar …” he whispered and the blue eyes glaring angrily at him seemed kind of confused.

“You want me to put the qinrien back on you?” Snow quickly nodded with a hopeful expression on his face. “Sorry. Not going to happen. You won’t be able to walk around outside wearing it. It would attract too much attention. Only slaves and prisoners are bound by them. And since slavery is illegal I can’t be seen walking around with a brat like you wearing one. In the same way, since we’ll be traveling undercover, there’s no way that we could be dragging a prisoner around. Something like that would only attract unwanted attention.”

“But …” he urgently tried to argue, the words forming in his mind but unable to make their way to his mouth.

“But nothing! You’re not a child. They’re your markings! Learn to control them!”

Snow shut his mouth firmly and lowered his gaze, the frown marking his forehead deepening.

“Let’s go.”

Language:

Nox ZaiWin: Literally nox (night) and zai (blade) + win (chaos). Where Nox is the name of the Clan, also the name of a Province.

Daitai: Literally dai (light) + tai (mark), or Holly Markings, considered Heavenly Blessings. They’re the source of power.

ZenTar: Literally zen (silent) + tar (wind).

Weiin: Literally wei (crystal / precious stone) + suffix in (center), meaning the center of the Province of Wei, in other words, Wei’s Capital. All Capitals of all Provinces are named as such.