Adjusting the Miscalculation

Jan and Kairo entered a quieter side entrance to Lucky Dork. They made their way to the private courtyard where they had celebrated Kairo's mage qualification.

Kairo shivered when they stood before the lone green plant in the shady corner, which looked like a cactus up close. The branches even had the spiky prickles.

Jan said a spell that made the plant wiggle about in the pot and grow in size. Kairo squealed and hid behind Jan when the plant's prickles flew off to form a teleportation array midair. The plant swelled with spirit energy, which was transferred to the midair array pattern to fully activate a portal.

Kairo gingerly followed him through to find himself in a quaint and private garden courtyard. In his mind, he was seeing a picture similar to the Mad Hatter's tea party from Alice in Wonderland.

A long table was laden with all sorts of tasty looking foods, with stone stools arranged along the sides. Seated at one end of the table were two tabby cats with Lady Bluesteed, Lady Candice seated opposite. Jan's squad filled the other seats. Everyone was enjoying their food and hearty conversations amongst a backdrop of vibrant and colorful bushies, flowers and trees none showing a hint of green. Even the trunks looked mustard yellow and leaves auburn and blue.

"Kairo!" Lady Bluesteed rose and rushed to greet him and showed immense relief he was okay. She clasped her hands to her front to steady herself as her eyes welled with tears.

He felt touched by her concern for him. "It's great to see you."

She eagerly hooked her arm around his and led him to his spot at the table, next to her and Lady Candice.

"Hey, um, I heard about Genie being unwell." Lady Candice's ears went forward, reflecting her sadness toward the news of him.

"He's recovering." Kairo wasn't sure how much more he could say on the matter so left it at that. Fortunately, everyone was smart enough not to press for more details.

"Genie is the reason why we're all here today and why we're using the private space." Jan drew everyone's attention to him and the head of the table. "I've been told rumors that situations involving Kairo and Genie are going to escalate."

He gestured to the two tabby cats. Kairo noticed an adult orange calico cat almost identical to Eldor-sekkat: the difference was the brown mark on the nose.

"Kairo-wizard, greetings, I am Sinoir-sekkat, you would know my elder brother Eldor-sekkat. We both serve Our Lady Musrami proudly." The calico cat hopped up on the table near his seat to bow before Kairo.

The other cat did the same. They were a fluffy white type with brown ear tips. Their blue eyes seemed aged and full of wisdom.

"I am known as Zindor-sekkan, one of the senior priests for our benevolent Goddess Musrami." His tail drew a figure 8 symbol in the air as he cordially bowed before Kairo. A halo of golden light flashed briefly.

Kairo sensed great strength and wisdom from the malkin's aura. He rose to cordially return the malkin priest's greeting with a respectful bow.

Zindor-sekkan nodded.

"Why don't you tell them about Eldor-sekkat's condition?" Jan asked Kairo who had returned to his seat to sip tea.

Kairo nodded and explained the malkin's condition and that he was healing well in the prince's private infirmary.

"Oh, such a great honor, makes me proud to be his brother!" Sinoir-sekkat looked more than touched to hear his brother was recovering within the prince's care. "He's a good man, our esteem and mighty prince."

"Yes, Eldor-sekkat is a fine example of a malkin. If all my kind lived up to the honor of gratitude and loyalty, we wouldn't have problems brewing in the palace." Zindor-sekkan stroked his chin with a paw like he was brushing his long beard. He sighed and added. "Unfortunately, the more they resemble demons, the more devious and selfish malkins become."

Zindor-sekkon briefly explained that when a malkin became of age, they had the choice to continue their evolution into being a Nekamata, which was the humanoid/demon version of the race.

"But as nekamata, our souls are pledged to a bond with the God Kretos."

He further explained, for malkins, being locked to Kretos's will meant they continuously felt the urges for war and destruction. Those who forgo the evolution process, continued to devote their life to the Goddess Musrami and live by her teachings of peace, prosperity and order.

"The body evolution choice defines our state of being. Most malkins see it as great strength and honor to be nekamata. Indeed, a few nekamata families have honorable standings in the Demon King's military."

"But they can't be champions for peace." Kairo concluded.

Zindor-sekkon nodded. "I worry for Eldor-sekkat who has taken the brave role of trying to safeguard us from insurgency with his scouting. If a few of our kind are forgoing Musrami's teachings to evolve as nekemata, I fear a catastrophe will happen at the palace. One involving the gods."

"Your fears are justified." Jan sighed and navigated the subject to immediate concerns.

In short, Kairo was being targeted from all fronts and a few of his peers had maliciously hinted at Valerr making a swift move to retaliate against Leela's death. Already, nobles were stirring theories and using Leela's circumstance as opportunities for propaganda.

"If enough rumors are gathered to form a truth, Kairo will be held to trial before Kretos."

At this point Kairo wasn't shocked to hear this, having experienced many ploys against him since he fell through the vortex. But he was concerned for Genie and his other friends.

"Fear not. It's why I gathered all of us here. We must be aware and ready to lend support to Kairo and our Demon Prince." Jan continued with his address.

"Ultimately, Kairo, the hard choice is yours. All the good work to make you favorable in the eyes of God and people are swiftly being overwritten."

Kairo frowned at Jan's possible outcomes for me, he chose the one that would buy them time to counter Valerr's threat.

Everyone ate their fill, but the mood was sober when Jan led them out of the portal to re-enter Lucky Dork.

"Cheer up, pretty boy. The worst that can happen is that you're dangling bait for shriekers." Lady Candice crudely joked and sighed when Lady Bluesteed reprimanded her.

But Kairo didn't mind. "True, or face a swarm of Frolite."

"Eew. Those zoids drip some yucky stuff. Although, they're good for lighting campfires," Lady Candice bluntly said that had Kairo laughing and feeling better.

Kairo parted ways with them. Jan gave him orders to visit the Administration Council within the Chamber of Petitions. He realized it was the first time he wasn't being escorted around the palace. Although, at one point he wished had one when he took a wrong turn and entered into a hall with many nobles glaring at him. Naturally, he did an about-face with intentions to retreat down the white stone corridor he had come from. Talk about him made him stop and discreetly enter the hall.

"That's him. The murderer."

This loud piece of noble gossip made him pause. Murderer? He had a bad feeling in his gut, as what Jan had told him was true, and so his choice would come into play soon. He glanced around and stood behind the cover of a statue, concealing himself from the nobles' and their conversations.

"I heard that he followed the countess into the archives and tricked her for treasures."

"Treasures?"

"To kill our prince of course!"

Wait. What? Kairo's body trembled and heart raced fiercely at the absurd accusations of him being in the archives. The nobles were fixated on the gossip that he was there to find an assassination weapon against Lyon. He slipped further into the shadows and remained still.

"Nothing normal can kill our prince, so of course he needs a magical treasure."

"But why seek the countess?"

"For her blood of course. Royal blood is needed to access the archive. He can't use the demon-specter's as he's too tainted to be a royal."

"Shows what they know," he muttered to himself as he continued to eavesdrop.

"That's why she died. She was protecting our prince!" A noble gasped with their realization of a false-truth that was spreading like wildfire around the hall.

The Kairo slander saw him as this evil alien after all, who used Leela to enter the archives and seek a weapon that would kill Lyon for reasons of claiming his power to return to his world. Of course, it was total crap, but to them, it was their plausible explanation for her death.

"Jan's right, the Valide Sultan wasted no time." Kairo decided it was time to leave. He carefully backtracked to find himself in a central courtyard.

"Kairo-wizard, come with us."

Kairo saw a unit of guards standing before him with weapons sparking with bluish lightning. They had their hoods and helmets on.

"Your reason?"

"Suspicions for Countess Leela's death and attempts of assassination toward our prince."

Nik-guard rushed up to a burly guard at the lead, carrying his helmet under one arm. "Captain. Look at the scrawny runt. He might be good for monsters, but he's no mage killer."

Kairo thought that she did die when he destroyed the Soul Bells. If they wanted him for attempted assassination, he could be facing his firing squad. But he trusted Lyon's guards and had made his choice.

"Cunning people don't blurt their plans in public, Nik-guard."

Nik-guard frowned, clearly refusing to believe Kairo was planning to assassinate the prince. "Captain. He's got a boner for Genie who's loyal to our divine prince! He's not gonna try to assassinate our ruler when he's rolling in the hay with his brother. Lovers got no time to kill."

"Boner. Hay rolling. LOVERS?!" Kairo thought with a groan, hoping Nik-guard would stop digging a hole for him.

Nik-guard opened his mouth to say more but Kairo held up his hand to stop him.

"Nik-guard. It's okay." Kairo stopped the guard from saying more embarrassing things about him, even if the man meant well.

Besides, he was thinking it would be safest in a stasis cell as Valerr was making her move. It was a twisted logic, as he told Jan, given the situation, it was his best option to live another day. Because who knows what else that woman had in store for him. This was all good and well if the guards weren't sent to kill him on the spot. But Jan assured him that they wouldn't.

"Are you here to imprison me or pass execution?" he frankly asked.

Nik-guard sighed as he reluctantly placed his helmet on. The captain gave Kairo an answer.