CHAPTER 380: UNITED IN CELEBRATION, PART EIGHT

The public square was packed with kitsune.

Melisa stood behind the Matriarch on a raised platform, trying not to fidget as hundreds of eyes stared at them. The morning sun beat down on her black hair, making her sweat under her formal robes. At least they’d given her something nice to wear instead of making her stand up here in her travel clothes.

[This is such a power move. Bringing me up here right after the assassination attempt.]

Silviana stepped forward, and the crowd went silent. She wore a flowing white dress that somehow made her look both regal and like she was about to orchestrate an orgy. Her nine tails swayed behind her as she raised her hands.

"My people," she began, her voice carrying across the square without magic. "By now you’ve all heard about last night’s incident."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Melisa caught snippets of conversation, people whispering and pointing at her.

"An attempt was made on my life," Silviana continued. "I stand before you today because Melisa Blackflame, heir to one of Syux’s noble houses and the first nim mage in centuries, threw herself between me and death."

She gestured to Melisa, who gave an awkward wave.

[Please don’t make me speak. Please don’t make me speak.]

"Matriarch!" A voice called from the crowd. A middle-aged kitsune with silver-streaked hair pushed forward. "Is it true what they’re saying? That the assassin was nim?"

The crowd went dead silent. Everyone leaned in, waiting for the answer.

Silviana’s expression didn’t change, but Melisa saw her tails twitch slightly.

"There are many rumors flying around right now," Silviana said calmly. "Some say it was nim. Some say it was a jealous lover. I even heard one that claimed it was a darian in disguise."

Nervous laughter from a few people.

"What I can tell you with certainty," Silviana continued, "is that someone tried to kill me, and Melisa Blackflame saved my life. Everything else? Baseless speculation designed to divide us."

"But was it or wasn’t it a nim?" someone else shouted.

"Does it matter?" Silviana shot back. "If it was a nim, does that mean all nim are assassins? Even given that it was a nim who saved me? If it was a kitsune, would you assume all kitsune want me dead?"

The crowd shifted uncomfortably.

"The Shadow Mages of Syux have turned their attention to Yalmir and this is exactly what they want. They want us afraid of each other. They want us pointing fingers and seeing enemies where there are none." Her voice rose slightly. "I refuse to play their game. And I hope you’re all smarter than to fall for such obvious manipulation."

"How do we know she’s not working with them?" Another voice called out.

"Because she saved my life," Silviana said simply. "Actions speak louder than rumors. And speaking of actions, the Lunar Festival is one week’s time. Come. Watch. See for yourselves what nim and kitsune can accomplish together."

She turned and walked off the platform. Melisa hurried after her, grateful to be away from all those staring eyes.

"That went well," Silviana said once they were inside.

"Really? Because it felt like half of them wanted to lynch me."

"Only about a third. Maybe forty percent." Silviana grinned. "Don’t worry. Rakia will fix everything."

[Why does everyone have so much faith in that chaotic little gremlin?]

---

Rakia’s workshop looked like a craft store had exploded.

Fabric hung from every surface in colors that probably didn’t exist in nature. Half-finished costumes littered the floor. Paint jars sat open on every available surface, their contents slowly congealing.

And in the middle of it all, Rakia stood on a ladder, trying to hang what looked like a chandelier.

"MELISA!" She let go of the chandelier and jumped down, backflipping and landing in a perfect superhero pose. "You’re just in time!"

"For what?"

"EVERYTHING!"

Rakia grabbed Melisa’s hand and dragged her to a table covered in sketches. They were all different costume designs, each one more revealing than the last.

"So I was thinking," Rakia said, talking at approximately three hundred words per minute, "we start with you in this," she held up a sketch of what was basically dental floss and hope, "and then halfway through you rip it off to reveal THIS!"

The second sketch was somehow even worse.

"What?"

"Okay okay okay, how about this one?"

This sketch at least covered the important bits, though it left her entire back exposed and had a skirt so short it would show everything if she so much as breathed wrong.

"Why do all of these look like stripper outfits?"

"Because sex sells! Also because I’m horny!" Rakia said cheerfully. "But mostly the first thing!"

[At least she’s honest.]

"Look, I’ll wear something revealing if I have to, but I draw the line at—"

A blade whistled through the air.

Melisa’s body reacted before her brain caught up. She grabbed Rakia around the waist and spun, pulling the kitsune behind her as she raised her other hand.

"Ignis, core, protev mein!"

The flame shield erupted just as three throwing knives slammed into it. They melted on contact, dripping molten metal onto the floor.

A figure in black dropped from the ceiling. Another kitsune, this one with murder in her eyes.

"For the true Yalmir!" she screamed, pulling out two more knives.

[Oh for fuck’s sake, not again.]

The assassin lunged.

Melisa moved Rakia behind her and met the charge head-on. The first knife came at her throat. She ducked under it and drove her knee into the assassin’s stomach. The woman doubled over but managed to slash with her other knife, catching Melisa’s sleeve.

"Illumi, nerca, var fal!"

The blue flame sphere formed in Melisa’s palm. She didn’t even need to throw it. She just grabbed the assassin’s face and discharged the spell point-blank.

The woman’s scream cut off as her head basically ceased to exist. The body crumpled to the floor, twitching once before going still.

[That’s... messier than usual.]

Melisa stood there for a moment, breathing hard, her hand still glowing with residual blue flames. She could feel Rakia pressed against her back, one arm still wrapped protectively around the kitsune’s waist.

"... You can let go now," Rakia said quietly.

"Right. Sorry."

Melisa released her and stepped back. When she turned around, Rakia’s face was bright red. The usually hyperactive kitsune was standing very still, her ears flat against her head and her tails tucked between her legs.

"You okay?"

"You just... you saved me."

"Well yeah, couldn’t let you die before the festival, right?" Melisa tried to give a smile that let Rakia know she was joking.

"No, I mean..." Rakia looked down, then back up at Melisa. "No one’s ever protected me like that before."

Suddenly, Melisa realized what just happened.

[Is she... embarrassed? Rakia? The girl who tongued-kissed me within five seconds of meeting me?]

"It’s not a big deal," Melisa said, suddenly feeling awkward herself. "Anyone would have done the same."

"No. They wouldn’t." Rakia’s voice was uncharacteristically serious. "Most people would have saved themselves first. But you... you put yourself between me and danger without even thinking about it."

The silence stretched between them. Melisa became very aware that they were standing very close together, that Rakia’s perfume smelled like cherry blossoms, and that the kitsune’s lips looked extremely kissable.

"We should probably call the guards," Melisa said, breaking the moment.

"Yeah. Yes. Guards. Good idea." Rakia shook her head, and just like that, the manic energy was back. "But first! We need to hide the body because if my workshop gets shut down as a crime scene we’ll never finish your costume!"

"That’s your priority right now?"

"The show must go on!" Rakia grabbed a paint-stained tarp. "Help me wrap her up. We’ll stuff her in the closet and I’ll burn her at night."

"That has to be illegal."

"Only if I get caught!"

[This girl is absolutely insane... and I think I might be into it. What is wrong with me?]

They wrapped up the body together, Rakia chattering about costume modifications the entire time like they weren’t handling a corpse. Once it was safely hidden in a closet full of what looked like rejected dildo designs, Rakia grabbed Melisa’s hands.

"Okay, so now that we’ve trauma-bonded through murder, you MUST wear the backless dress."

"How does that follow?"

"Because you looked really hot when you were protecting me and I want everyone to see how amazing your back muscles are when you move! Not to mention that it cuts so low everyone will get a tasteful peek at your incredible butt!"

Melisa felt her face go purple again.

"I... what?"

"Also we should probably add some protection enchantments to the costume. You know, just in case someone else tries to kill us during the performance."

"That’s actually not a bad idea."

"I have those occasionally!" Rakia pulled out the sketch of the backless outfit again. "So? Will you wear it? For me? Your savior-slash-saved-person?"

[Those puppy eyes should be illegal.]

"Fine. But if my tits fall out during the performance, you’re taking responsibility."

"Deal! I’ll catch them myself if I have to!"

Rakia immediately started pulling fabric from various piles, holding different colors up to Melisa’s skin. She was back to her usual chaotic self, but Melisa noticed she stayed closer than before, occasionally brushing against her arm or touching her hand.

That said, as Rakia started taking her measurements, chattering about dance moves and light effects, Melisa found herself not minding the closeness.

Even if there was a dead body in the closet.