The End of our Time: A Tale of Lie

"From now on, this is your home!" Alina chirped in a high, overly cheerful voice, swinging the bedroom door wide open.

The room was plain compared to the sprawling marble halls of the Talia estate, but it didn't have that freezing, suffocating air. A thick wool rug covered the floorboards, and the small fireplace in the corner was already crackling, throwing a warm orange glow across two simple wooden cots.

Turman stood in the doorway, staring at the bed sheets. "It's... it's really warm."

"You like it?" Nuri asked, leaning against the doorframe, watching them closely. He wanted them to feel comfortable, but he knew how weird this adjustment had to be.

"Yes," Turman smiled softly, walking in to set his small bundle of clothes on the wooden chest. "It's great. And getting to stay here with you guys... I couldn't ask for anything better."

Beside him, Wan gave a heavy, silent nod.

Nuri and Alina were still trying to get used to Wan standing upright.

They had no idea what kind of spell Caelan had cast back at the mansion, but it had straightened Wan's twisted spine, letting him walk upright like any normal guy. His gray, cracked skin and hollow jaw were still hard to look at, but standing tall... he really was Turman's mirror image. Same frame, same height.

"I know it's cozy, but we have to get to the captain's office," Alina said, glancing at the pendulum clock hanging in the hallway.

"What does he want with us now?" Turman asked, sliding his spare tunic into the wardrobe.

"Probably just wants a full report for the High Court," Alina sighed, kicking off her room slippers and tugging her leather boots back on. "Come on."

The moment they stepped out of the residential wing into the main courtyard, the atmosphere turned sour.

Wan stuck close to Turman, looking around at the stone barracks with wide eyes, but the knights passing by weren't as subtle as they thought.

Nobody shouted or pointed. Nobody said a word. But the silence was heavier.

Eyes followed Wan from every corner of the courtyard. A squad of recruits stopped their sword drills, staring openly. An officer paused on the balcony above, his brow pulled tight in disgusted confusion as he tracked the grey-skinned creature walking through their grounds.

Nuri's boots felt heavier with every step.

It's fine, he kept telling himself, his jaw tightening. He looks completely different. Anyone would stare.

It didn't help. It made his skin crawl.

Nuri shot a glance at Wan.

The twin was shuffling along right beside Turman, his head up, pointing out a stone archway to his brother with that same clueless, innocent curiosity he'd had back in the nursery.

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Did he notice?

Of course he noticed. You couldn't miss twenty men looking at you like you were a stray rat.

Yet Wan just kept walking. His shoulders stayed square. He didn't drop his chin or pull his hood up.

Nuri's throat tightened. Why isn't he hiding? Is he just pretending he doesn't see them?

The thought made Nuri feel sick.

He looked back at the staring knights. They weren't breaking any rules. They were just looking. So why did Nuri want to scream at them? Why did their eyes make his own heart race?

Nuri stared down at his own boots, a sudden wave of sharp, ugly shame hitting him in the gut.

Not shame because of Wan. Shame at himself.

He had spent so much time panicking about keeping his own head down that he'd never thought about what it was like for someone who couldn't hide no matter where he went.

His ears started ringing, the chatter of the courtyard fading into a muffled buzz. The edges of his vision blurred.

Am I the screwed-up one here? Am I missing something?

He balled his hands into tight fists inside his coat pockets, forcing his feet to move forward.

Stop it. Just walk.

Thankfully, they reached the central building fast, ducking through the heavy oak doors before Nuri's head could spin out completely.

"You're here," Caelan said, looking up from a stack of parchments behind his massive desk.

He set his quill down, his eyes softening as he looked at the twin brothers. "I hope the room is treating you two alright."

Turman and Wan just gave a quiet nod.

"I hate to bring this up right off the bat, but you deserve to hear it," Caelan said, leaning back in his chair and lacing his fingers together. His face turned grim.

"I met with the High Court an hour ago. Talia has been sentenced to death. The list of crimes and dark magic we uncovered in that mansion goes way beyond what any of us expected."

Turman and Wan exchanged a quick look.

Wan turned his head toward his brother, his mouth moving in silent, rapid twitches. None of the others could understand a single gesture, but Turman didn't miss a beat. He nodded back.

"Can we see her once before it happens?" Turman asked, looking directly at the captain. "If it's allowed."

Caelan closed his eyes, taking a long, deliberate breath.

When he opened them again, his pale purple eyes were calm. "Yes. I can arrange that. I'll let you know when the execution date is set."

Turman's shoulders dropped an inch, the tension draining out of him. Wan let out a soft huff of relief, taking a small step back and resting his shoulder against the bookshelf.

Caelan pulled out a drawer, pulled out two small brass entry passes, and slid them across the desk toward the twins. "Keep these on you. It'll keep the guards at the lower gates from harassing you."

Turman picked them up, holding the warm metal in his palm. For a second, the quiet room almost felt safe, a rare moment to breathe after days of running.

Then Caelan cleared his throat and leaned forward, resting his forearms flat on the wood. The shift in tone hit like a cold draft.

"Nuri, Alina... do you remember Rowen and Dally?"

Nuri's stomach dropped. Both he and Alina nodded.

"After the report you turned in, I ran an independent check through our intelligence network," Caelan said. "They're currently operating out of Adul. Calling themselves the Liberators."

His eyes shifted over to Turman and Wan. "And what Talia did to you two, the curse, the sacrifices, it's tied straight to this exact group."

Caelan stood up, placing his palms flat on the desk.

"I'm assigning a specialized unit to track them down and neutralize them," Caelan said, his voice hard as iron. "And I'm putting the four of you on it."

He looked at each of them, checking their eyes for panic.

"This isn't an investigation anymore. It's a high-risk combat deployment. If any of you want to pull out, say it right now."

Alina didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second. She took a step forward, slapping her hand against her spear shaft, her chin lifted high with absolute readiness.

Turman flinched. His fingers tightened hard around the brass passes in his hand, the metal biting into his palm. He had just escaped a cellar, just breathed fresh air for the first time in years, and his knees trembled under his coat. But he looked at Wan standing beside him, gritted his teeth, and nodded, his fear plain as day, but swallowed whole by pure determination.

Beside them, Nuri let out a low, shaky breath and stepped up, while Wan simply stood tall next to his brother, unblinking.

None of them turned back.