Now that everything was over and everyone was alright, Kamila lost herself in Lith’s warmth, venting her fear and pain before meeting her sister.
‘I can’t allow Zin to see me like this. She’s the one who went through a murder attempt. I need to be strong for her.’ She thought while Ilthin’s words about Lith still echoed inside her head.
Yet even though she found tenderness in their embrace, it only made him feel worse.
“It’s not me that you have to thank, but Professor Vastor.” Lith said, not finding the strength to push the still crying Kamila away while the sweet scent of her hair triggered countless memories and feelings.
“When I arrived, the copycat had already escaped. If not for the Professor and Tezka, there’s no telling what might have happened.”
“She knows about my Organization?” Vastor was flabbergasted.
“Of course she does.” Lith gently caressed her head. “I never lied to her about my dealings with anyone nor would I have kept her in the dark about who her sister is dating.”
Those words made Kamila doubt her decision of breaking up once more and made Vastor turn of a shade of purple.
“We are not dating. We are just friends.”
“That’s not how Zinya feels, Professor.” Kamila said.
“Not anymore, I’m afraid. Now, if you two are done, follow me.” Hearing those words and watching them holding each other was more than Vastor could take.
He walked briskly toward the guest room without even looking back.
It took Lith and Kamila a few whispers from the house staff to realize that they had been millimeters away from kissing for a while. They pushed each other away in embarrassment before chasing after the Professor.
Luckily for them, despite his short legs, Vastor had gained enough ground that they had to jog to catch up with him. It gave them the perfect excuse to avoid each other’s gaze and not talk about what had just happened.
Vastor gently knocked on the cherrywood double doors and waited for an answer.
“Welcome back, master.” A middle-aged maid with a round face and a gentle smile said after opening the door just enough to slip through it without making a noise.
“Lady Yehval has been waiting for you. She refused to sleep until she made sure of your well-being.”
“What? Zinya was still unconscious when I left her in your care, Nola. When did she wake up?” Vastor asked.
“The moment her children called her name.” Nola replied. “I did as you ordered and put them in her same bed after cleaning them and changing their clothes.”
Just like Zinya, the children had lost control of their bladder during the battle between the Professor and the mercenaries. Vastor had the house staff make sure that by the time they woke up, no trace of such events would remain.
The maid opened the door for her master while giving him and his guests a deep bow. Nola didn’t miss her master’s hesitation nor how badly his hands trembled, but she kept her eyes low and acted as if everything was fine.
“Is something the matter?” Kamila asked, wondering why both men seemed to have turned into stone.
“Kami?” A voice coming from inside said.
“Zin!” Kamila disregarded all of Jirni’s etiquette lessons and rushed inside, too worried about her family to wait for Vastor’s permission. “Thank the gods you are alright.”
Past the door, there was an ample living room with a tea table at its center, surrounded by several padded sofas and armchairs. The room was lit by porcelain chandeliers that used light magic instead of candles and covered the ceiling with an aurora borealis.
The west side had a reinforced glass wall that both provided plenty of sunlight and overlooked the mansion’s inner garden, filling the air with the smell of fresh flowers.
Kamila followed the voice, discovering that the living room had four doors, each leading to another room bigger than Kamila’s apartment in Belius. They led respectively to the bedroom, the bathroom, a library, and a dining room.
Zinya, Filia, and Frey had been accommodated in the bedroom. The place was decorated with soft silk carpets and enough closets to dress an army. The king size bed was so large that it accommodated all three of them with space to spare.
It was lined against the middle of the west wall so that by leaving the curtains open the guest would be gently woken up by the morning light. A white oak dressing table with a large mirror was placed along the east wall, beside a dresser filled with women’s clothes of all sizes.
“You have to thank Zogar and Lith’s friend, Tezka, for that. Without them, there’s no telling what that horrible man would have done to us.” Zinya hugged her sister and then let her free to check on the kids.
Frey and Filia had their eyes reddened from crying and filled with such a dread that they seemed to have lost their innocence.
“Are Volgun and Brionac dead?”
Frey said with a flat tone, making it sound more like a statement than a question.
“I’m sorry, I don’t know. I came here as fast as I could.” Kamila cupped their faces, feeling the coldness that still gripped their bodies despite the heavy blankets the kids had wrapped themselves with.
“Yes, they are.” Vastor said from outside the door, without daring to enter.
The children quivered in fear at his appearance and started to sob, hugging their mother with all of their strength.
“I’m so sorry.” Zinya caressed their heads while trying to hold back her own tears. She had known the magical beasts for over two years and considered them as a part of her family.
The Shyf and the Ry had been their playmates, their friends, and their bodyguards. The children loved them dearly and blamed themselves for the death of the magical beasts.
“It’s all our fault.” Filia sobbed. “They could have run away and gotten to safety but they chose to stay behind to protect us. Otherwise those men would have never caught someone as fast as Volgun.”
“It’s not your fault.” Zinya said. “They did it because they loved you so much that they feared losing you more than they feared death. Volgun and Brionac sacrificed their lives for your sake and would never blame you for what happened.”
Despite her attempts to console them, the children kept crying, reminding both Vastor and Lith of the weight of their own actions.
Nola entered the room, bringing two big glasses filled with warm milk and several drops of a sleeping potion. Between the shock from the loss of their best friends and the drug, the children soon dozed off again.
“Why are you keeping your distance, Zogar? This is your house.” Zinya asked.
“Because you are supposed to be wearing a nightgown and I don’t feel comfortable intruding while you are having a moment with the members of your family.” He replied, making her blush in embarrassment.
“Please, give us a minute.” Nola said with a smile before closing the door.
When she opened it again, Zinya was still under the bedsheets along with her children, but she was now wearing a day dress.
