Worlds Apart, Scene v1

“K-Kismet?!”

Kismet spun around to find Delphi cowering at the shallow end of the bath. The princess’ face lit up. Beaming with excitement, she ran toward her furry friend. “Kismet!”

Delphi ran faster than her feet could tread through deeper side of the bath. Before she knew it, she found herself falling forward into the milky water. Kismet laughed as Delphi popped back on her feet, spitting, with her face scrunched up.

Kismet waded up to Delphi and helped wipe her face. Delphi laughed awkwardly, her face as red as an apple. “You scared me, you know! You just…came out of no where! How…or when did you even get in here?” she asked, after calming down a bit.

“I…don’t know,” she answered, looking around Delphi’s bathing chambers, still in disbelief. She took off her plated chest piece and band of throwing knives, setting them to the side of the bath. “Last I knew I was at least a two-days-walk south of here.”

“Hah, very funny.” The princess hugged Kismet tightly, nuzzling her cheek against the Catheran’s chest. Kismet embraced her, stroking her hair. Delphi closed her eyes and rocked Kismet back and forth. “Whatever. You’re here now, and that’s all that matters.”

Kismet buried her nose into Delphi’s hair, breathing in the sweet scent of Jasmine. It had been too long since she had last seen the young princess. She felt her entire body relax as the fragrance filled her. Finally, she was home. “I missed you too.”

She gave Delphi a big lick on the cheek. They walked back over to the shallow end of the bath and sat down in the milky water. It was warm and soothing, rising up to their shoulders. Looking at the water, it was the first time Kismet noticed the blue shimmer of the milky water. But the water they drink, the water in the town ponds and pools, the water in troughs, even some of the streams and lakes she had seen, they didn’t shimmer in the same way.

The Catheran shook the thought out of her head. She held Delphi in her arms as the young princess leaned against her. “Sorry I was gone for so long. A lot of things have happened,” she said, her cheek against the top of Delphi’s head. “How are your studies coming along?”

Delphi sighed heavily, lightly whipping her arm with Kismet’s tail. “I don’t want to talk about it. It’s stupid. Why do I have to remember every single law, and the names and backgrounds of so many different people? It’s impossible!”

“You’ll remember it all eventually. It’s a lot of stuff to learn, you can’t expect to learn it all right away.”

“I know. I just wish Mother would stop yelling at me. It’s not my fault I can’t learn things as fast as Lydia...Anyway, I don’t want to talk about it. You went to Lokem didn’t you? What was it like? Did you get to see their mines and quarries?”

It never ceased to amaze Kismet how quickly Delphi would cheer up whenever she thought about the world outside of the castle. Fortunately, she knew little of the ugliness. “Nah. Those are more West. We only visited Koln for the delivery. After that we came back to the capital.”

“I read it was the fourth largest city in Lokem, and has Lokem’s largest inn.”

Kismet nodded. “Yep. And we got to stay in it too. It was pretty nice, but of course the owner didn’t like me very much.”

Delphi frowned, gently rubbing the soft arms that wrapped under her chest. “It’s like that over there too?”

“Yeah, but it wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. I guess it’s because they weren’t as affected by the invasion as Rokan was. But, guess what! I was in Kelta earlier today.”

“Kelta? Isn’t that a three-days walk from here?”

“It sure is. You’ll never guess what happened.” Kismet stood them up and led her to the stool that sat a few feet from the bath. “I saw an Undine.”

“An Undine?!” she shouted in disbelief.

“A real Undine. She was young, maybe only ten or twelve in human years, but she was pretty.” Kismet dipped a washcloth into the bucket of warm water that sat on a heating plate. She began washing off the milky water that left Delphi’s skin silky smooth.

Her skin was a light delicate peach. It was difficult to spot the subtle tan lines around her neck and arms that she gets from spending a lot of her free time in the gardens, or on the wall. The princess’ skin was soft and clean, from an entirely different world than Isella’s, who was tanned and calloused. Kismet told Delphi of her unbelievable encounter with Aria, and how she mysteriously appeared in the bath, as they finished bathing.

While the young princess went to her night lessons, Kismet decided to pay Isella a visit. Walking toward the dungeon, she passed by Nakita who paid no mind to her and whistled an upbeat tune with a look of content on her face. Kismet descended the stone steps. The warden sighed with irritation behind his book when the Catheran walked by. Kismet walked toward the rear to Isella’s cell, but she wasn’t there. The cell door was open, but where would they take her?

She felt uneasy, remembering the look on Nakita’s face. Kismet had never seen that look on her face before. All she ever heard was that the prodigy ice mage was never satisfied, always irritated, and a sadist. The Catheran looked at the reinforced door at the end of the cells. A wave of dread flowed throughout her body as she stepped up to it. She cracked open the door, peeking inside. Several knives, blades, needles, whips, and other weapons lined the walls. Sharp tools, as well as blunt, sat on shelves, along with prods and torches. Choked sobs escaped from the crack of the door. Kismet opened the door wider to a strained voice, pleading. “Please…no more…please…”




First: Kismet vs. Bandits, Scene v1
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Blood Sister, Scene v1

I decided to make this post a little longer, because it fit better that way!

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Aria eyed Kismet curiously, only just noticing her unusual attire. “Why are you wearing those clothes?”

Kismet looked at her, puzzled. “Aren’t those human clothes?” she asked.

The Catheran nodded. “I was raised in the capital a bit north of here. Why?”

A flash of disbelief crossed Aria’s face. Her voice grew coarser as she raised her voice. “What? But…how could you? They killed the Cathera and hunt them down like they’re animals, and capture my sisters! And they keep killing so many animals, and draining the water, and cutting down all the trees…”

“I don’t know. All I remember was waking up along the Rokan riverbed. The royal family found me there and took me in.”

Aria gave her a furrowed brow. The gloss of her scales was beginning to fade. “What about your blood sister? She lives with the humans too?”

“My…blood sister?” The only person who came to Kismet’s mind that can even relate was Delphi, but there was definitely no relation by blood.

The young Undine’s voice was strained and weakening. “Your blood sister. The one who received you from Terra’s embrace…and swore to raise you and watch over you.”

Kismet knew nothing of having a blood sister, much less even seen a Catheran in all her life. Sometimes she even wondered if any Cathera survived the genocide that resulted from the invasion eleven years ago. Even if she did have a blood sister who did survive, did she simply abandon Kismet? “I…don’t know. I’ve never seen or even heard of another Catheran. Do only Cathera have blood sisters, or do Undine—”

Aria cringed and gripped her chest, which heaved laboriously up and down. The coarse sound of her breaths clawed at Kismet’s ears. “Aria? Aria? We need to hurry and find you some water. Are you sure it’s this way?”

The young water spirit couldn’t reply between her agonizing wheezes for air. Kismet quickened her pace, running through the trees as quick as she could, frantically looking left and right for signs of water. The sky was painted orange by the setting sun. Aria’s arm dangled lifelessly at her side as her consciousness slipped away.

As the sky turned red, a shimmering blue pond peeked from between the trees. Aria’s had stopped breathing, but Kismet wasn’t about to give up. Waist deep in the pond, she lowered the Undine.

The water enveloped her scaled body, restoring its moisture, but she still did not breathe. The Catheran watched with hopeful eyes, taking the child’s hand in hers. The warmth was gone. “Aria…” she whispered into the cool autumn air.

Apart from the gentle ripples, the pond was dead silent. Aria’s still body floated in the pond, her youthful face peeking out the surface. Kismet took the Undine’s arms and crossed them over her body. She brushed the water spirit’s smooth black hair to the side and caressed her face softly. “I’m sorry, Aria…”

A shadow formed at the bottom of the pond in front of them. Kismet stepped back, warily watching it swim around her. The silhouette looped back under Aria, and emerged from the water. The Catheran watched, speechless, as an Undine who looked like a mature Aria took the young water spirit into her arms. “Aria…what happened to you?” she said in a sad voice, stroking Aria’s hair.

The Undine had the same jet-black hair and dark eyes as Aria, but her body appeared to be similar to that of a twenty-year-old human. She gazed at the young Undine with sad black eyes. She lifted a slender left arm to her mouth and bit deeply into her own flesh. She held Aria up with her right arm. Her dark blue blood trickled from her fingertips into Aria’s mouth. As the bleeding began slowing down, Aria choked violently. With a tender smile, the Undine embraced the young water spirit.

Aria regained herself, opening her eyes wearily. “Melody…?”

“I swear. You always make me worry.”

Aria embraced Melody, sobbing. “I’m sorry. I—I—.”

“You’re safe now. That’s all that matters.” She looked up at Kismet. “Thank you, Sister, for saving Aria from those humans. I’m Melody, Aria’s blood sister.”

“Kismet,” the Catheran replied, still in disbelief at what had just happened.

Melody lowered Aria back into the water. Kismet still couldn’t help but notice how similar the two of them looked, as if they were twin sisters, but of different age. “Thank you, Sister Kismet. I was afraid I would never see her again. A group of humans captured one of our sisters only a few days ago, but we can no longer feel her essence. I thought there weren’t any more Cathera in this region, but luckily you came along and saved our precious Aria.”

Aria swam up to Kismet and gave her a warm hug. “Thank you for saving me from those humans. I wish I had something I could give you.” She hesitated for a moment, looking back at Melody. Melody nodded at her, waving her hand back and forth through the water in front of her. Aria turned back to Kismet. “You live with the Rokan Royal Family, right? Let me help you go back.”

“How?”

Aria extended a hand. “Take my hand and follow me. Walk, don’t swim.”

Curiously, Kismet held onto the Undine’s hand. Melody waved at her with a smile. “Let’s meet again, Sister.”

Aria slowly led her toward the center of the pond. Kismet hesitantly walked after her, the water raising above her waist, then above her chest. She took one last glimpse of the sky. The sun had set, and darkness was setting in. The pond seemed to glow a magnificent crystal blue in the night. Her vision became clouded as the water rose above her head. She followed Aria deeper into the water, until she felt the Undine’s hand let go. Kismet continued walking, her hand searching for Aria’s but she could not find it. As she kept walking, she felt the water’s surface lower beneath her ears, then beneath her eyes. She walked out until she stood waist-deep in water, staring out wide-eyed in confusion. The polished stone walls, the lamp-lit room, the smell of milk and flower extract mixed with the pure waters from Rokan's Holy Fountain…it all seemed so familiar.




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Aria, Scene v1

Kismet rushed down the hillside.

Dirt and loose brush clung to the Undine’s moist, scaly body. Her head darted back and forth in shock and confusion. Panic crept over her as the sun beat down on her drying body, and nothing but land was in sight. Her hastened breaths slowed as she caught sight of Kismet approaching her. “P-Please help me, Sister!”

Kismet knelt beside the water spirit, checking for any serious wounds. A long gash ran down the side of her tail, along with a few minor cuts and scrapes. Dark blue blood seeped from the open wound. Kismet unraveled the spare bandages from around her feet and began applying it to the young Undine. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine now. I won’t let them take you away.”

Kismet held the trembling child in her arms. She purred gently, trying to calm the sobbing young Undine. Despite living in the water, her body emitted a soothing warmth. Although she appeared no older than twelve, from head to tail, she was only two heads shorter than the Catheran.

Kismet eyed the fallen bandits warily. “My name’s Kismet, what’s yours?”

The young water spirit wiped her tears with the back of her webbed hand. Her soft voice was strained from all of the screaming. “Aria.”

One of the swordsmen groaned. Kismet looked out over the horizon, spotting a patch of trees to the east. She hoisted up Aria and carried her through the tall grass. “We need to get away from here before they come after you again.”

Aria clung tightly to her rescuer’s chest piece, as she jogged swiftly across the plains. With the sun beating down from overhead, the plains grew hot with all the grass trapping in the heat. Aria’s body began to dry when they neared the wooded area, her breaths becoming dry heaves. “It hurts…I need…water.”

Kismet set the young water spirit on the ground. With every breath, she could hear Aria’s throat and lungs scratch. Her skin was beginning to crack, and her scales grew rough. Her eyes stared helplessly at Kismet, full of fear. The Catheran unfastened the canteen from her waist and popped the lid open. She brushed the Undine’s hair aside before gently tipping the water into her mouth. “Sorry, I don’t have very much. We need to hurry and find a lake or river.”

After Aria drank half of the canteen, Kismet took off her cloak and folded it. She poured all but a gulp’s worth over the folded cloth, being careful not to lose a single drop. With it, she wrapped Aria before picking her up again. The Undine sighed in relief, pulling the wet cloak around her tightly. “Thank you, Sister.”

Kismet gave Aria the rest of the water before picking her up again. She quickened her pace toward the wooded area ahead. The Undine relaxed a bit once they left the baking plains, but the cloak that wrapped her body had already dried. She pointed between the trees. “Over there.”

The Catheran followed the child’s finger, slightly puzzled. “What’s over there?”

“Water,” she replied with confidence.

“Are you sure?”

Aria nodded. The coarse sound in her voice was returning. “I can feel it, just like how Cathera can feel nature.”

Feel nature. Kismet had heard of feeling and appreciating nature from songs and literature, but she never understood what they meant. Could they feel nature? Being a Catheran, could she feel nature, as Aria had said? Indeed, she always did yearn to leave the city and wander around outdoors, but she always assumed it was due to her less-than-favorable relations with the residents in the castle and military. And was it not normal to love nature’s beauty?



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Rocky Plains, Scene v1

The room slowly emptied as everyone took their final look at the mysterious water spirit. Kismet quickly peered into the auction hall to get a glimpse of the auction’s highest bidder. His silks layered thickly over his round body. He put his hand on the tank as he laughed boisterously.

“I can’t believe it. The Magistrate always told me to buy him another Undine if I ever saw one. To think I would live to see two caught in such a short time!” He turned to the lucky fisherman, who was still jaw-droppingly speechless at how much the Undine had sold for. “Shall we head off?”

The fisherman looked back at him confused. “Head off?”

“Hah, please don’t tell me you thought I actually carried that much money on me. You’re going to have to come with me to Eliad,” explained the representative as he signaled his aides to bring the Undine with them.

Kismet watched them load the tank into the back of a large covered wagon with Eliad’s seal etched into the side. After the tank was securely placed into the wagon, the fisherman stepped onto the wagon along with the representative. Once his escort of twenty mounted up, they departed north at a slow trot.

Kismet kept out of sight and away from the road while she trailed behind them. The road continued atop a hill, which ran into a rocky plain filled with waist-high grass. Small patches of clouds dotted the high-noon sky, as the sun showered the land with warmth. She continued to follow the wagon and its escort through the plains, keeping low in the grass while she slipped from one rock to the next. She quickly stopped upon spotting someone crouched behind a rock just ahead.

A sharp whistle pierced the air. Half a dozen archers rose out of the grass and took quick aim. Four of the escorts fell to the ground with a cry of pain, while the rest struggled to control their horses in a panic. Two more fell to arrows, while the rest dismounted and rushed down the hill after the archers. Another half a dozen wielding swords flanked them from the side. The archers dropped their bows and drew their daggers. Four of them rushed for the wagon, while the other two joined in the melee.

Kismet sprinted after them, pouncing on one of the archers and knocking him unconscious. The other beside him stumbled in fear at the sight of her. She bared her fangs with a hiss, which sent him fleeing. Kismet climbed the hillside to find the fisherman and his buyer unconscious on the road. The four archers were carrying the tank down the hillside by the time she reached them. The bandit closest to her spotted her in the corner of his eye. He dropped the tank in a panic, as he staggered back. The Undine’s tank slipped from the rest of their hands and shattered onto the floor.

The young water spirit shrieked as she tumbled down to the base of the hill. She aimlessly tried to crawl away while two of the bandits chased after her. Kismet quickly rammed one of the archers with her shoulder and thrust her foot into the chest of another, cracking his ribs. The remaining two charged after her with daggers in hand, while the three remaining sword-wielding bandits rushed to their aide.

Kismet grabbed the archer’s outstretched arm and flipped him over her shoulder onto the flat of his back. She spun the last archer in the way of the one of the swordsman’s attacks. With a cry of pain, the sword cut deep into his back. The swordsman stared in shock at felling his own comrade, which was soon followed by a roundhouse to the side of his head. The last remaining bandit stared at her, frozen with fear. Kismet glared at him with her large feline eyes. He glanced at the bodies of his defeated comrades and ran away faster than his feet could carry him.



First: Kismet vs. Bandits, Scene v1
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The Biggest Catch, Scene v1

It wasn’t until early morning before she arrived. The town was already awake and lively. The port was littered with fishermen selling their morning catch to the townsfolk and businesses. Kismet walked to the inn near the entrance of town, taking extra care in keeping her features as hidden as possible. She spotted Lucas’ horse tied at the side of the building. Glancing through the front window, she didn’t see him in the main room. It must’ve been a long night, after all.

News quickly resonated through the city of a boat having caught an Undine. Kismet had only heard rumors of Undines, which were said to be tribes of water spirits who live under water. Undines were rarely ever seen since they rarely ever surfaced, and those who actually managed to catch them became rich by selling them to the wealthiest people in the Empire. Kismet curiously slipped between the alleyways toward the docks to see the Undine.

Hundreds of people lined the dock of a modest sized fishing boat. Citizens, travelers, and guards alike all peered over the heads of others, eagerly awaiting to see the captured Undine. Only four have ever been captured within the last one hundred years. Three of the Undines were traded to the Empire, which were then given as a gift of friendship to the Lokem Republic and Telan Empire, and the third placed in the aquarium in Rokan. The fourth was sold to the wealthiest merchant in the border city of Eliad, which borders the Rokan and Telan Empire. And now, a fifth had been captured.

Six fishermen hoisted up a large, glass tank. Inside was a young Undine, who appeared to be no older than twelve, pounding against the walls and crying out for help, but her voice was sealed in by the enclosed tank. From the waist down, her body was like the tail of a fish, covered in subtle shimmering blue scales, with a powerful fin at the end. Her head and torso, however, looked human. Her skin was a pale sky blue, and appeared smooth as silk. Her small hands were webbed, and a long, thin silky fin hung from both her arms, as if they were wings. Small scales covered most of her body in several different shades of blue, primarily on her backside. Her jet-black hair was long and wispy, reaching just beyond her waist. She gazed out desperately with her large black eyes, only to find curiously excited faces gazing back at her in fascination.

The crowd cooed and awed at the helpless Undine, voicing their envy and their admiration for its eerie beauty. Watching the helpless water spirit be carried away into the auction house broke Kismet’s heart. To be confined and traded away to serve as someone’s decoration would be a cruel fate. She slid from building to building and inched herself under the side window of the auction room. The voices of excited bidders and observers poured out of the open window, along with the helpless thumps of the Undine.

The gavel sounded, and the auction began. The bids rose rapidly by those throughout the room, dwindling down to three wealthy entrepreneurs, and a magistrate’s representative. Whispers and low mumbles filled the room with every new bid, as the offers rose to numbers people normally dream of. By the end, the representative bid the highest, winning the auction for two hundred thousand silver coins.



First: Kismet vs. Bandits, Scene v1
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Scars, Scene v1

Kismet let herself out of the store. She returned to the willow by the riverbed to check on Lucas, but he was no longer there. Although it didn’t surprise her, she let out a drawn out sigh. Turning away from his footsteps that led into the forest, she continued along the river. She came to a halt at the sound of stirring bushes. Further down the riverside she saw a man stumble toward the edge of the river, groaning and clenching his chest. He dropped to his knees before reaching the water and vomited. Breathing heavily, he crawled to the river and tried to drink some water, only to violently choke as if it were poison.

Kismet approached him cautiously. He was still coughing and breathing heavily. “Are you alright? We should get you to a doctor.”

The sickly man snapped his head at the sound of her voice. His features were distinctly of Kival descent. He looked to be in his thirties, but his hair appeared to be graying, and his wide eyes seemed cold and lacking in color. His skin was pale and his body trembled weakly when he scurried onto his feet. In a panic, he ran into the woods as quickly as his body could take him, stumbling over roots and small brush.

Something about his actions puzzled Kismet. She followed him discreetly, carefully keeping out of sight. After a few minutes, he slowed to a stop and collapsed onto the floor. His breathing became a series of harsh wheezes, as if his throat and mouth were completely parched. She crouched there, watching him closely. He didn’t move, he only gasped for air with a pained look on his face. A black leopard prowled around the Kival, eyeing him warily. It came to a stop at his head, and cautiously pawed his face. The leopard roared at him threateningly and retracted its hand to swipe at him. In the blink of an eye, the Kival gripped the leopard’s throat and ripped it from its body. A hideous gurgle followed the sound of tearing flesh, as the leopard dropped to the floor.

Kismet watched with wide eyes. Never had she seen a person capable of doing such a thing, much less a person who appeared to have been dying. Even she would have difficulty tearing apart the throat of a leopard in such a short amount of time. The Kival’s coarse breathing hastened as he stared at the blood oozing from the leopard’s carcass. He crawled onto his knees beside the body and lifted the open neck to his mouth. His teeth sunk into the open flesh as he slurped the blood. After he feasted on the leopard’s neck for what felt like minutes, he dropped the carcass and vomited a small pool of blood before collapsing on the floor.

A chill ran up Kismet’s spine. She couldn’t believe that a human could do such a thing. She approached him slowly, watching his chest rise and fall. His breathing no longer sounded coarse, and his hair and skin were regaining its color. His blood-soaked face looked relieved from the suffering he was going through when she first saw him. Looking over his body, she found his hands and arms rife with scars, which looked much like veins, creeping toward his chest. The scars seemed to pulse along with his heartbeat.

Kismet stared curiously at the scars, mesmerized by the rhythmic beat, until he groaned and began waking up. She quickly made some distance and slipped behind a tree. The Kival climbed to his feet and rubbed his face with a hand. He slowly looked at his blood-covered hand, in the spotted moonlight, with terrified eyes. Trembling in fear, he ran off in a panic. Kismet watched him wander off into the night before returning to Yuin to see if Lucas decided to go back home.

She jogged up to the store as soon as she saw his horse missing. Scanning the floor, she followed his trail to the road leading east, toward the fishing village of Kelta. Knowing that she would be away from Delphi for at least another day, Kismet sighed. She returned to her horse she tied toward the rear of the village near a trough of water. Its peaceful sleep brought a small smile to her face. She couldn’t bear to have it travel so late in the night, so she jogged down the road toward Kelta.



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A Gracious Hostess, Scene v1

Knock knock knock.

The curtains cracked open as Maria peeked out at the front door. Kismet played out the ever-so-familiar scene in her head as Lucas’ mother descended the stairs. Kismet took a small step back. The porch light grew to life, lighting her entire front side. The bolt was unlatched and the door crept open to the chain-lock’s limit. Maria’s eyes grew wide with fear when she found the Catheran’s face. She slammed the door shut with a small shriek.

Although she expected just as much, Kismet frowned and let out a small sigh. “Sorry to have startled you, Mrs. Damire. I don’t know if Lucas has told you who I am. I’m Kismet, one of General Devin’s squad members. If I may have a moment of your time…”

A long silence filled the air. Kismet could hear Maria trying to calm her heavy breathing on the other side of the door. The night air was becoming frigid as the days edged into the last month of autumn. The knob was turned. Maria peered out from between the crack of the door, eyeing the Catheran with uncertainty from head to toe. She unhinged the chain and stood to the side as she opened the door slowly. Kismet bowed her head respectfully before stepping into the store.

Maria closed the door behind her and led Kismet to the back room with a displeased look on her face. “I’m sorry. My son did tell me about you. I just haven’t seen a furlicker in over ten years, and didn’t expect to see one so suddenly in the middle of the night. After all they’ve done to us it’s hard not to be a bit jumpy.”

Kismet stood just inside the doorway, leaving a few feet between her and her reluctant hostess who attempted to make herself look busy by heating water in a teapot. Three chairs sat across from another at the table in the far end of the room. A tall standing mirror stood against the wall next to a shelf with several folded patterns of cloth and a measuring tape. “I’ve come to expect it.”

“So, what did you want?”

Kismet glanced over Maria. Her hair was damp and she wore a fashionably modest, pink and red, silk nightgown. The mixed look of irritation and worry on her face made clear her expectations of how Lucas was handling the situation. “As you know, he’s been having difficulty dealing with Isella’s involvement in the recent Kival activities. Because of that, he’s been removed from active duty until further notice.”

“Does Lucas know?” asked Maria.

“He was told just before coming here. Since he left in a bad mood, the General sent me to keep an eye on him to make sure he didn’t do anything reckless. Ever since we found Isella, he’s been struggling to keep his emotions in check.”

Maria contemplated the Catheran’s words. The teapot began to whistle softly, disrupting her thought. She opened the cupboard and grabbed a mug for herself, before reaching for the paper cups. “Tea? Hot Cocoa?”

Kismet shook her head and waved her words away. She could see the scorn in Maria’s eyes. Those eyes filled more with resentment than fear were the eyes of those who lost someone dear to them during the invasion eleven years ago. Despite Maria’s attempts at playing a gracious hostess, it couldn’t hide her ill-favor toward the Cathera. Kismet. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

Maria blew at the top of her hot tea impatiently. Kismet knew she overstayed her welcome from the very moment she stepped inside. “I won’t trouble you any further. I only came to tell you of Lucas’ situation. From when I spoke to him just before coming here, it seems he may not be returning for the night. Good night, Mrs. Damire.”



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