[Aljanah household]
"...."
Elijah stared quietly at Himl's back as he walked out with Nora.
His gaze slowly shifted toward those whom he once called a 'family.'
Despite the warmth he felt from Avril, he could still feel a slight change in her behaviour…
…like she was turning like the rest of them.
A sudden bump at his side made him glance to his right.
"…What's going on?" Kana asked with a curious look on her face.
'….What's with this girl?'
Elijah thought, taking a step away from her.
It wasn't that he didn't like her, he just wanted to keep a distance because of Heather.
Kana didn't seem to understand his intentions though, as she stuck to him once again.
"Tell ." She urged him.
"I don't know." Elijah replied grumpily. "I am as unaware of the situation as you are."
Kana opened her mouth to speak but shut it when Orelena stood up.
With a small smile she walked toward Kana, whom she found much more approachable than Kaelia.
"Lyssa's daughter, right?" Orelena asked. "You look like her."
"Ah, yes." Kana said, bowing just a little. "It's nice to et you."
Orelena smiled and nodded as she gently placed her hand on her head.
"Good girl." She replied. "I like you very much."
Kana, though confused, could only nod and let out an awkward laugh.
"I need to see my brother." Orelena said, walking away. "You guys should talk to each other."
"...."
No one spoke when Orelena left the place, leaving behind the rest of them.
Levia left with her mother and father the mont she got the chance.
Killian and Avril stood close to their mother, while Kaelia and Aimar stood on the side like re observers.
Tyshara looked quite troubled as she sat on the sofa.
Killian drew in a deep breath and walked toward Kana with a smile.
He stopped a asured distance away, posture straight, voice steady.
"…You are Kana, correct?" he said.
Kana blinked, glancing from him to Elijah and back. "…Yes. Why?"
Killian smiled gently.
"I wanted to greet you properly. I'm Killian Noah Aljanah. The first son. I apologize if things seed tense earlier."
Kana nodded, clearly not interested. "Uh, yeah, good for you."
Kaelia kept her gaze on them, ready to intervene if things turned ugly.
Killian only smiled, extending his hand. "Would you like to go for a walk with ?"
Kana blinked, looked up, and replied with a straight face. "No."
Killian's smile cracked just like that.
But his face turned resolute as he reached out to grab Kana's hand forcefully. "Co on, you don't have to—"
Elijah grabbed Killian's wrist before he could touch her.
He squeezed Killian's hand tightly.
"Touch her." He warned. "And I won't hesitate to break your arm."
Kana blinked slowly, staring between the two of them with mild confusion.
"Let go," Killian muttered, trying to pull back.
Elijah didn't.
Avril quickly intervened. "Let go of him, please."
Elijah looked at her and then back at Killian, whose jaw tightened.
He jerked his wrist back the second Elijah released it.
Elijah grabbed Kana's arm and began to take her away. "Let's go."
But when he was about to leave, Tyshara blocked his path.
He looked up at her without saying anything.
"Elijah." She said, mild fear in her eyes. "I think sothing is wrong in this place."
"...."
Elijah looked at her without any expression before he ignored her and walked past her.
Kana let herself be dragged for a long while…
…then suddenly planted her feet and didn't move.
Elijah imdiately ca back to his senses as he let go of her hand. "I am sorry, I didn't an to."
"It's fine." She replied, rubbing her sore hand. "I understand."
Elijah let out a sigh, rubbing back his red hair.
Despite him keeping his cool, the mories of that dream kept on haunting him.
He clearly rembered ripping the throat of Killian…
…and now when he saw him again, he had the urge to do it.
'Is Killian being controlled by Nora?'
Given his condition Elijah was more or less sure.
Killian, unlike him and Himl, was not blessed by gods or anything.
'…If he is being controlled then maybe I can kill him.'
Kana studied his face quietly. "…You're shaking," she said.
Elijah closed his hands into fists and shoved them into his pockets. "It's nothing."
"It is sothing," Kana replied simply. "But you don't have to explain."
Elijah sighed and leaned back on the wall, his gaze moving back to the girl.
Now that he saw her clearly, she was short.
Perhaps around five feet three or maybe less.
Even her body was on the small side of the spectrum.
She noticed his stare and tilted her head.
"…Why are you looking at like that?"
Elijah blinked once. "No reason."
She put her hands on her waist and posed. "Am I unrissitable to you?"
Elijah let out a sigh and began to move again.
"Hey! Wait!" Kana quickly followed him. "Where are you going!?"
"Nowhere."
"Where is that?"
"....."
Elijah felt like he had made the wrong move protecting her.
***
[Himl's POV]
I sat down as I looked at her. "…What is it?"
She smiled softly.
"You need the key, right?" she asked gently.
"I will give it to you."
Her smile grew bigger.
"If you make a deal with ."
My first instinct was to say no, as I was sure she would ask for so unreasonable things.
But I kept myself cool as I leaned back on the chair.
"Why the change of heart?" I asked, looking at her.
She smiled and replied. "I just felt pity for you."
"…Pity?" I repeated.
"Yes." Nora said it with no hesitation. "A pitiful person with a pitiful life."
"...."
I smiled slightly, keeping my boiling anger in check.
For a split second, I thought of killing her right there, but I controlled myself once again.
She crossed her legs and leaned closer, elbows resting on her knees, her smile never leaving.
"I truly pity you." She responded. "As you are the lover of a goddess worse than anyone."
"Say what you want," I replied dryly. "I still haven't agreed to anything."
"Oh, but you will." Nora tapped the table lightly. "Because if you don't… soone else will."
I narrowed my eyes. "Who?"
"Don't you wonder?" she asked, leaning even more as her cleavage beca obvious. "What Satan would do to get Azrael's strength?"
I let out a chuckle as I looked at her like I was seeing a fool.
"You think you can deal with Satan?" I asked. "Haven't you heard 'A deal with him is like selling your soul?'"
Nora leaned back as her eyes turned slit-like, like a snake.
"I would much rather sell my soul." She responded. "If it ans seeing desperation and defeat in Anastasia's eyes."
"..."
Her words had the conviction and hatred of countless years.
There was no doubt she would do it without a shard of regret.
And I hated those who were ready to give away everything.
"….What's the deal?" I asked, keeping my eyes on her.
"I will take you where the key is and you…." she said lightly, almost playful. "Will never co in my way."
"...."
I kept on looking at her as I listened to her words.
Nora, on the other hand, brought out a piece of paper and placed it in front of .
…It wasn't really a paper but dead flesh of a snake.
She pulled a knife and extended it towards . "Do we have terms?"
I looked at her while rubbing my chin.
"Yes, but…" I said. "I will not intervene unless my loved ones are affected—"
"Oh, no." She said, pulling the knife back. "Don't you see, Azariah? I'm the one who makes the rules here. All you can do is follow."
Her arrogance didn't surprise .
What surprised was how comfortable she was saying it.
I tapped my fingers once on the table, slowly.
"…Nora."
"Yes?"
"You do realise that I can kill you without much problem, right?"
Her smile only grew bigger.
"By all ans do it." She responded. "But then you will never find the key and die in the hands of soone more powerful."
"....."
I kept on staring at the contract as I ran all the possibilities in my mind.
[]
'…Inna?'
I blinked in surprise as I heard her voice out of nowhere.
'When did you co back?'
[]
'Where is Christina then?'
[]
'Who?'
[] She responded.
[
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