meeting the inlaws

Following the shepherd through door after hallway Cane kept a tight hold of Adina, ensuring she didn't wander off or fall behind, a gesture obviously noticed by the young girl as she continued to blush and looked towards the floor.

As they walked Cane could hear the voice of Able, echoing from behind them as he yelled muffled orders to unseen individuals, likely either the herd from which he was just separated or their shepherds

Following behind the armed guard, Cane took time to observe his surroundings, making a note of the sheer scale of the complex cathedral, every aspect, doors, hallways, and doors were well lit and gold-tinted. Each section and room he passed through screamed wealthy as if he were once more in the headquarters of the Barlow family, they passed through an underground aquarium sporting tropical fish, multiple glowing pools, and even glimpsed a training ground of sorts in which a dozen shepherds appeared to be running drills

However, as they reached the destination in which the shepherd led them all of this was forgotten as Cane found himself passing through two giant doors that seemed to be built for a giant and came face to face with a familiar old man

Lapis

Sitting at a luxury desk with a pair of elite seeming Shepards behind him Lapis looked entirely different from what he had during his speech yet also eerily similar. Gone was the giant gown, replaced with a simple black suit, gone was the glorious holy presence that he had excluded and yet… his eyes had not changed, still unblinkingly cold and fanatic. As if they saw through them and perceived their sins

Well if he did he surely wasn't going to like Cane

Moving forward as his previous escort roughly shoved him through the door, causing both him and Adina to send them a cold glare, although Adina's was far darker, and sitting both him and Adina at available seats he looked towards Lapis.

"Welcome to my humble abode" the old man began, gesturing around him to the highly lavish office in which they sat, sarcasm dripping from his tone

"Thank you for having us" Cane acknowledged, his training kicking in as he remembered the countless lessons on polite and proper conversation he had taken as a child, putting him on autopilot. After a few moments of silence, realizing Lapis was making no effort to speak he asked "may i enquire why you have brought us here?"

"Merely the need of a father wishing his child a happy marriage" Lapis responded, sounding almost theatrical as he slowly rose from his chair, fiddling with one of his many rings, this one gold and diamond speckled. His face was seemingly both cold and warm as he stared at Cane, no past Cane

Unsure of what to say, Cane tilted his head and blinked a few times lazily before questioning "surely a father (priest) such as yourself has many a child and lost lamb who would love to hear such a blessing? Why me specifically?" the same question Cane had been asking himself since his kidnapping

Why Him?

Walking past Cane and out of his view Lapis mumbled softly before clearing his throat with a ragged cough "well…"

Cane heard him stop and walk back towards him before Lapis soon placed his hand on the shoulder of his target

"Not all of these children are of my own flesh and blood" the man whispered, sounding almost regretful as he spoke

"Right my dear Adina?"

Turning sharply Cane looked at his "Wife" who was presently glaring darkly towards the man leering above her from behind. Her father. And as a recent expert on judging women on how they look at people (got to learn when the women around you can probably kill with a glance) Cane could see that she clearly wasn't happy that he was speaking to her

"Leave… me… alone" Adina growled, speaking with enough venom that cane swore he could see it spit from her mouth and melt her surroundings for a moment, but then he blinked and the image was gone "you are no father of mine"

"Are you still angry about the trials?" Lapis asked, looking down at her like she was being immature

"You tortured me for two weeks straight!" the little girl hissed "if it wasn't for Cane i would have-"

"And who brought him to you?" Lapis asked smugly staring at her hawkishly

Confusion, that was about all Cane felt as he looked at the pair, the father and daughter pair

So not only had he been married to a child on Lapis's orders but it had been Lapis's own child? Who he had placed in the room in which he had found her!?

"Wait" Cane spoke, raising a hand and catching the attention of both Adina and Lapis

Rubbing his temples and trying not to just start swinging Cane looked towards Lapis "so not only did you force me to marry your UNDERAGE daughter-"

"I'm 18!" Adina blurted out, blushing profusely

….

Trying not to bang his head against a wall Cane let out a sigh

That was both good and bad news

Good: he wasn't a sex offender

Bad: now nothing would stop the girls

God he wanted to leave this place, it was like standing in an explosion of shit and jewels

"Adina is of an adult age, it is time she began popping out children in the name of Emancia" Lapsi began, curling back to his desk and sitting down with a sigh "i chose you specifically, Cane Barlow because it would create a situation in which the ivory syndicate would be unable to attack us without endangering one of their own"

"You will be living among us from now on, you will soon find the light, and should you not…" the shepherds behind Lapis leveled their guns towards Cane's head, causing Adina to let out a low growl, her crucifixes tinkling

"You will die"

And that was when Cane heard the howl of a wolf