Carl groaned, his long black lashes fluttered open to the white ceiling above him.
'How long was I out?'
He tightly shut his eyes as pain consumed his body. Damn, Bram had literally sucked him dry. He felt both weak and lost. However, he's lying on a warm, cozy bed, so he wasn't that mad.
"You're one tough guy, you know?' An unfamiliar soft voice came from the side.
Slowly, he moved his head to the side. He stared at Nuit, who sat in his wheelchair by the door. The young man looked sickly pale, and his bloated stomach looked like it was too heavy for him to carry. He wore a long light blue garment with a white tunic over his arm, and his hair was packed in a loose bun.
His frame looked small, with his innocent-looking face that looked so harmless and …. Cute?'
Anyway, Carl knew there was nothing innocent about this man. Even if they hadn't met before, Carl could feel the hostile energy he got from Bram.
"Bram almost drained you to death,' Nuit wheeled closer.
"What do I expect from the lunatic?' Carl scowled. This made Nuit burst out laughing.
"I like you, you're so funny,' Nuit flicked the tears from his eyes and smirked. "I wish Bram were here. He's always wearing that cold face of his. I wonder what he would have looked like if you had said that to his face.
"Furious, I guess,' Carl shrugged. "I mean, the guy expresses only angry emotions when offended. I wonder how he was able to mother a child and act like the child wasn't his.
Nuit stared at him for a moment. A calm feeling settled within him. He felt he could communicate with Carl, unlike Bram, who always dislikes complicated things that have to do with emotions. He couldn't discuss anything personal without Bram calling him a sentimental fool.
"In our family, being a morphrodite is seen as both a blessing and a curse,' Nuit stared at the headlights in nostalgia.
"Wait, you and Bram are both morphrodites?' Carl was shocked beyond words.
"Are you that dumb?' Nuit raised an eyebrow. "I'm literally carrying a child here.
"But I thought you all did something science stuff and had children coming all the way,' Carl swallowed.
Nuit slowly, unknowingly, gave out a faint smile. "Well, Bram and I were born as morphrodites. Morphrodites are very rare to find and very precious to the ones in their possessions. Morphrodites are coveted in all parts of the galaxy. Get yourself one, and you have made yourself filthy rich.
"Nobody knew,' Nuit smiled once more. "Except for our household, it was a secret never meant for anyone to know. Bram and I were … let's say we were unrestrained, doing whatever pleases us. Where was the Royal Academy too young? Bram was very smart, so I tagged along with him.
"How good was he?' Carl scoffed. "I almost made it to the Royal Academy if only I weren't a commoner.
"The royal academy was full of nonsense, it was better you didn't come,' Nuit sneered as if recalling what happened years ago. "I even fell in love with a boy from the dangerous clan in our empire at that time, while Bram was curious about how powerful and mysterious their clan was, so he went after his twin brother.
"Damn, you all are like Tatiana and Taris …... if they were bounty hunters for bad decisions,' Carl laughed loudly, the pain from his arms shot through his body, making him groan weakly.
"It is what it is, however, on the night after graduation, we were abducted. The next thing we know, we were married to the twins with black rings on our fingers and dressed in crimson wedding garments. We just turned sixteen then.
Carl frowned. "All this happened, and the emperor didn't intervene?'
Nuit chuckled. "The old thing was afraid of all seven clans. He would never win against the Bratva clan.
"Wait, did you just say the Bratva clan?' Carl jolted up in shock. Nuit raised a suspicious eyebrow.
"My mother was a maid in that forsaken clan,' Carl muttered, his expression was gloomy. "S- she …. Wanted the clan leader's favor.
"Don't tell me she climbed his bed and had you, cause the Bratva clan despises illegitimate children. They eliminate them from young, prodigy or not. They don't actually care how much potential an illegitimate child has. Death is the only way to avoid disgrace.
Nuit felt disgusted. He could clearly remember how his own children were taken away from him. His husband was trying to avoid having illegitimate children with his lover, and a sick plan was hatched for his lover to raise the legitimate children as his own.
Nuit felt drained as he thought of it. Was it really a crime to love that man? Or maybe he loved too much.
The lover had always been there. They both held hands, kissed, and made love. Yet Nuit wanted to break them up. He succeeded; however, his husband never acknowledged him as his wife.
'Maybe I do deserve what they did to me,' Nuit thought weakly.
"I wondered how you survived,' Nuit tilted his head. Unconsciously, his hands caressed his swollen stomach.
"My mother ran away before the pregnancy could show,' Carl smiled faintly. "What a typical love story, which wasn't particularly love. You see, she drugged the clan leader, slept with him, and suddenly she witnessed the execution of a noble young woman from an aristocratic family. She was beheaded with her unborn child. Her body was sent to her family as a warning.
"What a narrow escape,' Nuit smiled.
"What happened to Bram?' Carl asked curiously. "For you two to be abducted and forced into marriage, the Bratva clan had chosen the two of you to carry the future heirs.
Nuit scoffed. "Bram kept quiet, because he was curious about those bastards. And we rarely see each other, just once every two months or so.
"That's sick,' Carl frowned
"Tell me about,' Nuit sighed
They heard footsteps coming from outside. "Looks like boss grumpy had made progress with the cure. Normally, he won't leave the lab unless it's on fire.
"I noticed how sick he looks recently. Is he okay?' Carl whispered.
"I don't know, I'm not the doctor here, he is,' Nuit rowed his eyes at him as he turned away.
The bedroom door swings open. There stood a very skinny figure in a white lab coat. His former shoulder-length hair is waist-length. His original honey skin is now pale, whiteish pupils look drained. His cheeks are now sunken cheeks and a stern expression.
"We need to leave,' Bram stated. "The Crokuns was dictated in radar, heading this way. The base will be attacked in twenty minutes.
Panick filled Carl, Nuit stayed calm. "Any reinforcement from the empire.
Bram shook his head. "No feedback since last week. I don't care about the empire right now. They all can die for all I care. The cure is halfway done, and I don't have the last specimen for it.
Bram was frustrated by the sudden movement of the Crokun. He needed time to recollect his thoughts. A sudden pulsing pain in his head slammed into him. He staggered back.
Nuit gasped, trying to reach out from his wheelchair. However, Bram held the wall to prevent his fall.
"I'm alright, no need to worry,' Bram calmly assured. The pain was still there; however, he endured.
"The almighty Bram showing weakness, what a sight to see,' A man in military uniform stood in the hallway watching them.
Bram frowned, trying to recall who the man was. However, his memory was failing him.
White short hair sleek to the back, screaming elegance and power, vibrant silver eyes gleamed with an agenda.
"Who are you?'