Soon after Zara gave them the oracle, their mood swiftly changed. They gazed at each other with tension and curiosity before Nikolai closed his eyes with a muffled sigh.
"Haa..."
Selene's eyes narrowed, and a fierce heterochromatic light ca from them. Both sisters were seemingly angry at Mada Zara's words. However, because Nikolai didn't seem upset or against her words, they couldn't do anything but bite their lips and accept that fact.
"Nikolai, are you okay?" Selene approached the quiet Nikolai, who was sitting on a wooden bench and closing his eyes.
"Yeah... I just never expected things to co to this."
A slightly heavy aura wrapped around his body and words while the pink-skinned djinn finished mixing potions in the back room.
Selene and Nikolai sat alone in the room and felt a little awkward.
"Are you worried about being betrayed?" A more direct tone, the blue eye flickering with cold light, as it seed Lunaria also couldn't help but comfort him.
"It wouldn't be the first ti, but I wonder what level it could be... sothing simple, or will it be a betrayal that can never be forgiven?" His lips curled into a bitter grin as Nikolai peeked at Selene's profile from the corner of his eye.
"I am sure you can avoid such an untrustworthy prophecy... don't be upset, Kai." Selene gently touched his face while gazing at him with her mismatched eyes.
It was a very comforting gaze for him. Selene's hands gripped Nikolai's left hand, one for each sister.
Though he understood the two sisters had different personalities, there were so occasions when they worked together to comfort him, like now.
But this ti, even though one of them was giving him warm encouragent, he couldn't feel any warmth. He didn't believe her words completely because sothing kept bothering him, and it was about Ryan's father and eting his little sister.
'Ever since that mont, it felt like Ryan introduced to her for a reason, his voice and actions felt strange.'
Nikolai closed his eyes for a few monts before looking up at Selene with his lips curling into a bitter smile. "Though I understand there could be a reason for it, I don't think I would be able to forgive him. That's if the person is him, of course... soone else could betray , and the oracle might be wrong."
'Though since it tells to rely on Alexei, I shouldn't skip training and get closer to him.'
As soon as his mind flashed images of Alexei's skills in battle, Nikolai rembered sothing crucial.
'Well that seems like common sense...'
"Do you want help finding out if it's him?"
In the past, Nikolai might have refused. His eyes flicked towards Selene, watching her gazing at him with deeply focused eyes, showing she wanted to support him in whatever way possible. Her gaze wasn't scornful but warm, which he was so grateful for.
"I would really appreciate the help, both of you." In a softer voice than before, Nikolai realised that if he closed off here, his confession would be worthless, and he didn't want that.
However, just as he was about to ask them more, a slightly slow-paced noise ca from the inside of the shop; their ti was up. Nikolai imdiately rose from his chair and looked at Zara, standing by the table with a tray of drinks and tea snacks.
"Are you finished discussing things?" Beside her, his mother's illusory body hovered, waving. What seed a little strange to Nikolai was that he noticed her soul felt more powerful.
[Oh~ Nikolai is getting along with the girls well... was everything alright?]
'Mother you look different too, are you okay?'
[Mother feels better than ever. Zara helped to improve my ditation technique, which made able to store more soul force.]
'I'm glad... really, as for ? I just feel grateful to have you all to help . Alone, I might do sothing stupid.'
The pair gazed at each other for a few monts while Zara and Selene seed to notice and stood in silence. However, their gazes kept flicking between them both with curiosity.
Nikolai smiled awkwardly and noticed Selene's strange facial expression. Sotis, her lips pressed together, her brows furrowed, and she frowned. Then she smiled again, seemingly interested in his conversation with Elizabeth.
"Are you finished discussing things, though?" Zara asked, and Nikolai realised sothing instantly.
'Zara at least must know we can speak telepathically... Maybe Selene too.'
He shook his head once before answering Zara, "Yeah... We're finished with most of what we were discussing..."
"Hmmm... Well then," said Zara, nodding and smiling. About the future... can you help in return for helping your mother and the little goal you have?" A request of this level was normal, especially since Zara was aware of their plans.
"If it isn't too dangerous, I'd be happy to."
The mont Nikolai responded, Selene's teeth sank into her lower lip, showing disapproval, while Mada Zara's eyes narrowed into pleasant crescent-shaped slits. "Well then, here's how it is; recently, one of the leaders of a faction broke a taboo and caused the balance to shatter... now the imperialists are fighting hard against the seers who are dedicated to our deity."
Though Zara explained everything calmly, Selene began fidgeting and flinching wildly when hearing the word Imperialist.
After a glance over toward Zara, whose smile faded a little more with each word, she wanted Nikolai to collect so special herbs that the djinn saw as holy or sacred that grew in a dangerous forest in the distant east.
"Though it would be find for anyone of my n to gather these items, the reason I ask you is because the first and second princes who hate seers, are watching my actions and movents constantly."
Zara sighed heavily, giving him an apologetic look. But after a slight pause, she quickly added sothing important. "I am sure you know that the mission will be difficult... and if you are attacked by any of my race, feel free to protect yourself."
Nikolai could sense the helplessness in her voice and eyes. She seed unable to do anything but sigh softly before continuing, "It's been difficult for lately. Everyone seed to have changed overnight, and my siblings took the first move and clipped my wings. However, they have started to do sothing that can potentially cause war across the nation."
Nikolai's eyes widened, and his mouth opened. He was unable to hold back his curiosity. "What did they do...?"
The corner of Zara's mouth quirked a bit, and her lips ford a sneer. "They stole an artefact that we were supposed to present to the next saintess and future high priestess of the nation..."
Her voice paused for a mont, with her pink arms hitting the table. "...but not stopping there, those idiots frad the current high priestess and now she remains locked in the palace dungeons!"
Zara expressed an intense emotion, and Nikolai's eyes lit up with almost painful colours. He could feel her anger, despair, and helplessness. Because of the intense feelings, his chest felt tight, and Nikolai understood she wasn't lying to him.
'But why would they needlessly cause war, even going so far as to try and fra an innocent party...'
Nikolai closed his eyes, thinking silently—his emotions beca a ss.
He tried to bring the information together, including Mada Zara's words, her actions, and how she spoke of the royal family so casually. Then his eyes snapped open, and he gazed at Zara carefully, his black eyes narrowed to thin slits while using his abilities to the limit.
"I guess it's because you're the princess that the two princes beca so aggressive." His voice was soft, and he realised that if not for this, she wouldn't request such a request.
Although the high priestess was important, maybe what she needed him to collect was important for her as the future saintess, though this is just a guess in his mind right now.
Mada Zara smiled coldly but nodded gently without hesitation before answering, "That's right. They decided that if they get rid of and fra the high priestess who supported before I could move, they can force their ways and conquer the weaker nobles without care. Not to ntion, all the information I have on their misdeeds ans nothing if I am not a princess."
Until this mont, neither Nikolai nor Selene interrupted Mada Zara—it seed that their mutual respect had reached its limit when Selene's voice suddenly echoed.
"Don't you think you are asking too much of Nikolai?! Why must you use his mother as a crutch to send him on a dangerous mission?!" Her usually gentle voice was heavy, and both eyes had a brilliant glow, showing strong displeasure and disgust with Mada Zara.
"Selene..."
No, right now, he felt both sisters were in sync; their eyes, like before, shone with a powerful force, the colours radiating around her body no longer mixed and conflicted.
Nikolai's eyes watched her for several monts as the vampire princess pointed at Zara.
"You might be a princess in this small world, a place only for Djinn, but do you know the significance and importance of Nikolai!?"
As if unable to contain herself, she stood from the seat and stepped forward, her aura causing the walls to tremble and small cracks to form in the ground despite being solid rock.
The pressure she unleashed made Zara stiffen slightly and tighten her hands on the desk, where she clenched her fists. Suddenly, the calm expression on her face vanished entirely.
"I cannot allow you to use him as cannon fodder for a conflict that should belong only to you and your brothers."
"You!"
Selene's eyes narrowed, and she ignored Mada Zara's shout, her tongue full of venom: "You seek my husband's help yet dared use his mother as a threat, bringing up betrayal to disturb his mind! You are nothing but a snake, filled with deceit! How are you different from your brothers?!"
The room beca silent, and Mada Zara's eyes widened, her pink cheeks turning pale.
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