Kiyor finished up the stitches just as Scythe was rousing from his slumber. He was greeted by the sight of his smiling wife.
“How are you feeling?” asked Zareen brightly.
“Tired.” He felt along his side.
“They’re stitches,” Kiyor told him
sternly. “Leave them alone or they’ll itch.”
Scythe slowly sat up. “Any word from the others?”
“No,” answered Kiyor’s strong voice.
Lord Vilkon only then realised he had never been in this house before. “Where are we?”
“This house belongs to one of my
father’s partners,” explained Rowani from the room
entrance. Her bodyguard was with her. Someone knocked on the front door.
Manira opened it to find a young man wearing a
brightly glowing pendant. He handed her a note and went away. She
remained where she was, rather puzzled.
“Who is it Manar?” asked Zareen.
Manira closed the door slowly. “It must have
been a Sorcerer.” She went into the living room. “He gave
me this note.”
“Open it then,” ordered Scythe quietly.
The bodyguard broke the seal on the old-fashioned envelope, took out the letter inside and read it out aloud.
“Due to the accidental exposure of our
headquarters, please expect your memories of its whereabouts to be
erased.”
“One of them will be paying us a visit
tonight,” commented Kiyor. His mobile went off. He read the text,
with his mother peering over his shoulder. “They’re
wondering where we are.”
“31 Razillian Estate,” answered
Zareen. How she knew baffled her son. He wrote and sent the text anyway.
Rowani heard a bicycle behind her. She looked
through the window. Sure enough, there was a teenager delivering the
morning newspapers and a woman was walking her dog. Miss Kirilian
checked the Grandfather Clock. It told the time: 6:30.
Kiyor got another text. “A car’s coming our way.”
Next to the wrecked section of the Court building
was a journalist reporting the vandalism done by the
“reckless” Dark Citizens, describing them at the same time
as a disorderly rabble. Rowani watched Kiyor and Zareen help Scythe
into the blue car. Kiyor was about to join his father but his mother
gestured at Rowani, who stood at the bottom of the steps to
Takari’s house. Kiyor hesitated before looking at his lover, but
then walked over to her. He seemed rather uncertain.
They both hesitated before speaking. Rowani shrugged. “Should I call you? Send you an email?”
He shook his head, looking away. “Don’t think you should bother.” He was so melancholy.
… “I know we have things to sort out but-”
“Don’t!” he ordered.
“Don’t you see there’s no point? Us can’t work.
No one will allow us. Not the Sorcerers, not the Vampires, maybe not
even the Demons, not even your mother! She could kill
you for just being with me!” The few joggers, dog walkers and
people going to work avoided the pair with fear. Both Zareen and Manira
watched sadly from where they stood.
Rowani shook her head. “There’s always a way, never give up hope!”
Tears welled up in their eyes when Kiyor touched her
cheek. “I definitely want to be a part of you, but I
can’t.” He took a step back. “It’s over.”
“You don’t know how much you mean to
me.” She gritted her teeth. “And you sound like
you’re going back to the Dark Kingdom. Why? What is there for
you?”
“You saw it yourself!” he seemed
desperate. “My entire family has fallen apart! We have to
regroup!”
“So you’re choosing who’s more important?”
He stepped back again. “It’s not like I
want to! You should understand… Goodbye Rowan.”
“That’s not my name.”
“I know.” He quickly turned around and walked to his mother.
All she could do was stand there and watch him go
further and further away. She felt a tear slide down her cheek. She
suddenly remembered her nightmare, when Rowan pushed her off the
building. Someone grabbed her. It was Kiyor.