Branded the Villain

Trash and stones rained down on my sister as she cowered, trembling. She sobbed like a frightened rabbit, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry. I really am…"

Victor's eyes burned red with fury and anguish. He lunged forward, shielding her tightly in his arms, and roared at the crowd, "Shut the hell up!"

Then, he lifted his head, his ice-cold gaze stabbing into me like a blade. "Zoe Quinn! Didn't you say this has nothing to do with you? Prove it!"

A cruel smirk curved his lips as his voice rang across the square. "Do you know how this zombie tide came to be?"

Then, he shot his finger toward me. "Our very own Chief Quinn ignored all warnings and went alone to provoke the zombie king! She enraged it and brought this disaster down on us!"

Every pair of eyes turned on me, wide with disbelief.

"Zoe Quinn, we trusted you. That's why we made you our chief."

"You risked all our lives just to make yourself look good?!"

The flood of curses nearly swallowed me whole. I stood frozen, blood turning to ice in my veins.

Across the square, Victor gently wiped away Anya's tears and held her close, whispering comfort into her ears. The sight cut me deeper than any wound. He, more than anyone, knew why I had stormed into the zombie king's lair.

I had done it to save him.

He had thrown himself into the zombie tide for nothing more than a bag, just because Anya had once said she liked it. He had been captured by the zombie king. Everyone said he was as good as dead. But I—no matter what—needed to see him, even if all that was left was his corpse.

And now, to shield the woman he loved, he twisted the truth and pinned the crime on me.

Even knowing what it would cost, he would do anything for Anya.

Victor lifted her into his arms and carried her away. As he passed me, his eyes never strayed from her face. Not for a single moment did he spare me even a glance.

I watched his back as he left, every step sharp with resolve, without a shred of hesitation. My heart grew colder and colder. My fists clenched so tightly my nails bit deep into flesh—yet I felt no pain at all.

I straightened my back and stood still as the furious mob shoved and cursed, venting all their rage on me. I tried to calm them, tried to assure them I would take responsibility, but my words fell on deaf ears. The hatred engulfed me. They poured every ounce of resentment from this apocalypse onto my head.

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth, my voice hoarse but steady. "It was my fault. Don't worry, I'll do everything I can to make it right."

Just like that, years of hard-won respect crumbled in a single moment. The crowd finally dispersed, still heavy with anger.

…

When I returned to my cold quarters, I found a familiar charm lying at the door—a simple knot, crafted with Victor's own hands. No one else knew how to make it.

But was it a belated apology? Or just payment on Anya's behalf?

I picked up the delicate knot, its threads cool against my fingers, and let out a self-deprecating chuckle. "Foolish thing." Then, without hesitation, I tossed it into the trash.

…

The next morning, someone knocked at my door.

When I opened it, the last person I expected was standing there.

I looked at my sister, emotions tangled in my chest. I had no idea how I was supposed to face her.

She clasped my hand gently. "Zoe, you're still the same as when we were kids—stubborn in a way that makes people ache for you."

I pressed my lips together, saying nothing.

A Desperate Pact

Anya stayed for a while before turning to leave. At the doorway, she curved her lips in a faint smile. "I heard the zombie king sent you a proposal. Are you really planning to say yes?"

My heart skipped a beat. How did she know? I had never breathed a word of it.

…

Two hours later, the door burst open under a violent kick, and Victor charged in like a beast gone mad, slamming me to the ground. "Where's Anya?" His eyes blazed crimson as his hand locked around my throat.

"I don't live in her head. How would I know?" My voice rasped under the chokehold as the suffocating pressure built.

"Don't know?" His face twisted in fury. "She's kind and never makes enemies. The last person she saw was you. Who else but you would do something to her, you vile bitch?"

The next moment, his palm cracked across my face. A loud slap rang in my ears, leaving my cheek swollen and burning.

"Still want to talk tough?" Victor had lost all reason. He yanked my hair and smashed my forehead against the cold, hard floor. Pain exploded, and hot blood poured down into my eyes, dyeing the world in crimson blur.

"For the last time—where is Anya?" He hauled me up like a carcass, shaking with rage.

"I don't know…" My consciousness wavered on the edge of blackness.

"Stubborn to the end." He began dragging me out like dead weight.

"Victor…" A trembling voice called out nearby.

Anya rushed forward and clung to him, her words choked with sobs. "Victor, I'm so scared. Just now, some people were saying I should be married off to the zombie king. They even said it was Zoe's idea."

Time itself seemed to freeze.

Victor let out a chilling laugh, the sound scraping from his throat. Power erupted from him in a violent surge, slamming into my unguarded body with devastating force. Blood gushed from my mouth as pain ripped through my insides, as though every organ had been shattered.

He released me like trash and pulled Anya protectively behind him. "A fine match like marrying the zombie king should be yours personally." Without another glance, he left with her.

I collapsed on the ground, vision dimming, my eyelids too heavy to hold open. Just before darkness claimed me, a voice brushed against my ears.

"Who would've thought my fiancee could look so pitiful?"

My head jerked up. Standing not far away, arms crossed over his chest, was Magnus. My eyes widened in shock, baffled that no one had noticed he had gotten inside.

Magnus stepped forward, silent and imposing. His cold fingers gripped my chin, forcing my head up. Those abyssal eyes held no emotion, only the stillness of death. "Come with me." His voice was steady and low, flat as an undercurrent beneath ice.

My heart lurched in my throat. At my strongest, even with Victor at my side, I had barely managed to hold him off. And now, battered and broken, I was nothing but an ant before him.

The instinct to survive drowned everything else. My fists unclenched, and with trembling fingers, I grabbed the hem of his pants. My hoarse voice shook with desperation. "Alright. Take me away now."