So You Might be Soulless (Season 2)

4|| Exploded

Sebastian would forever see the scene, time never tarnishing the image that had carved a place in his mind and soul.

Five-year-old Diya stood over the convulsing form of a young boy, blood smeared across her purple frock and splattered across her face which she wiped away with a frilled sleeve. Children were crying, adults were screaming, guards were being called with her in the centre of all the chaos.

And yet, her eyes were as lifeless as a doll's. She stood calm in the storm and said one thing only over and over again: "He deserved it. He deserved what he got."

Of course, he couldn't help but feel responsible- she'd done it for him, after all.

"–and where have you been?" The Second Prince's nagging tone dragged Sebastian out of that memory. "Where were you, Reject, when the Crown Prince was in peril?"

Diya straightened her shoulders. "I was showing some family- from the Elshers side- around and lost track–"

"Ha!" Caspian spat out, bringing his stick down on the ground with a sharp crack. "What falsehoods you speak! I know, on good authority, that the Countess Wingate and the other members of the house are confined to their mansion as they battle a sickness. How dare you attempt to deceive the Imperial Family?"

"I attempt to deceive no one, Your Highness." Diya let out a laboured sigh, her shoulders dropping as a morose expression crept over her countenance. "If you must know, I was... following up on some leads about my biological family."

For a brief second- the briefest of seconds- Caspian's face softened into pity. But the moment passed and cold callousness replaced it. "You are not obligated to take personal days during your shift. You must remember your responsibility as the Crown Prince's bodyguard, Lady Diya. If something had happened–" he broke himself off with a shake of his head, allowing the silence to fill the horror of what could have happened.

I could've died. The thought hit Sebastian like a carriage that had just lost its rider. He stepped back and gripped the edge of his desk, his left foot getting dangerously close to the puddle of acid. I could have died and there would have been no one to save me.

Of course, he had been on the battlefield before- it seemed to be an Imperial tradition to send their successors to near-death at least once in their teenage years- but this was different. In war, he knew the enemy. But just now? He would have died without ever knowing who the culprit was.

A shiver crept up his right arm and he forced himself upright, rubbing the spot while swallowing the knot of emotions bubbling up like an overheated cauldron. "What do we do now?"

"Has this ever happened before?" Diya inquired. Seeing Caspian's bewilderment, she cut in before he could make a scathing remark. "I mean, I know that people have made attempts on the Crown Prince's life, but has it ever happened in such a crude manner?"

"Crude manner," Sebastian echoed, a little peeved at how nonchalant she was at the thought of his death.

"What I meant was– well, just think about it, Your Highnesses." Diya took slow, careful steps and a shadow swooped down to form a barrier between her and the acid. She smiled and swiped it away with a casual flick of her hand. "Let us assume, for a mere moment, that the Crown Prince had accepted the drink. Natural tendency is to take a sip, correct? You would not have merely chugged it down after tasting the acid. This reeks of desperation- the assassin was not afraid of failing, but merely wanted a chance."

Caspian twitched. "You seem to have thought about murdering the Crown Prince quite a bit."

"Of course I have."