"I see you've met our assistant," Erin smirked, leaning against the wall. "You've barely been around here a day and you're already trying to steal our assistant."

"Well, your assistant doesn't seem to like his title. If he only listened to me, he would have been immediately added to our troops. Not some servant."

She scoffed, "you barely even know his qualifications and you're already guaranteeing him a spot?"

"What made you guys want him to stay around then if he's as bad as you are implying? I bet there have been so many people who have tried out to be a Guardian which you never gave the chance to be your assistant. Why him?"

"First of all, I never implied he was bad. He's just... too innocent. He wants to help his hometown but he has too pure of a heart to do so. He's got the qualities, just not the heart. And I'm afraid that concerns me."

Minho scanned the gentle expression on her face before releasing an amused smile, "It's funny, a day ago when you tried to kill me, I saw nothing but utter hatred in your eyes. Never thought I'd live to see this side of you."

She rolled her eyes, "Don't flatter yourself. If it were up to me, you'd be dead by now."

"Then why aren't you trying to kill me now?" He perked up, smirking.

"You heard Jeongin: if I kill you, Chan will kill me. He's the only reason you are alive."

"Why should you care about Chan?"

"He's the Second Leader of the Guardians. He's in charge when Nathan's not around. Who am I to disobey his orders?"

"Nathaniel's younger sister. He wouldn't let anyone kill you... and certainly not another Guardian."

"There's a thick line between family and work. And we both understand that."

He chuckled lightly, eyes scanning her as she slowly inched closer until she found herself sitting in the chair beside his bed -- where Jeongin had previously been. She wore a red velvet medieval dress today paired with her ebony hair braided behind her but Minho still spotted the dagger semi-hidden in the fabric of her dress. When he finally glimpsed back at her face, he noticed a smirk tugging at her rosy lips.

"I never go anywhere without my dagger. Even if it is just around the building. You never know who is out to get you."

"Can't even trust your own people?" he raised an eyebrow. 

"You can't trust anyone in this world, my Lord. Tell me, do you believe everything your father tells you about the Guardians? Are we as bad as his myths portray us to be?"

"He doesn't hate you..."

"Funny, his actions say otherwise. Ever heard of the town of Masan? What happened in that town sparked the bloodiest war between Guardians and Royals in history so far. What did he say of it?"

"The people of the area were using the land to build an army to defeat the Royal Army so he sent his men to change their minds and talk to them but they refused and instead attacked them. So the war grew and they captured all the children to save their lives."

Erin paused, staring at him in shock, almost as if she was waiting for him to scream 'sike' or tell her it was all a joke, however, when it never came she derided. Minho searched her face quizzically, hoping he'd find an answer behind it but to no avail. Eventually, he asked, "what's so funny?"

"That's the worst excuse I've ever heard. Have you seen Masan? The town is already too small for all its civilians to live in, let alone build an army. The Masan people were getting acquainted with the Guardians, true, but that was a small percentage of them, not nearly as much as all the other towns and certainly not nearly enough to completely destroy a whole town! They kidnapped the children, stole them and they killed all the adults, not even sparing one. They searched the town looking for any hidden people and circled the town for anyone that escaped and killed them. And your father has the audacity to claim he was saving our lives?"

Minho scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest, "why should I believe you over him? His men reported everything that happened to him and he passed all the information to me. Meanwhile, all you have as evidence for the attack are people's imagination and the exaggerated stories of the children that escaped the Palace after the Guardians attacked."

"One look at the state of the town right now and there's no way you can tell me it was not a planned out attack by the Royal Army. They destroyed everything. Houses, farms, water supplies, food supplies, everything. That town will never be rebuilt, it is too far gone. And that was no mistake of the people of Masan."

The prince gazed at her, noticing the anger in her eyes as she glared back at him. He also noticed the glimpse of fear and pain but it was quickly hidden when she averted her gaze to the door.

"Your father isn't the hero every child wants their parents to be. He's just another power-hungry King who will do anything in his power to instil fear amongst his people." Gradually, she glared back at him and he immediately sat back in the bed, the overwhelming realisation that she truly does plan on killing him finally settling. "And when I look at you," she continued. "I see it too."