I stood there next to Samil and kept glancing at the operating room's door. I started thinking if I should call myself a hypocrite because I still deeply cared about the lives of those that became precious to me, but at the same time, I didn't leave much thought about all those who had died in front of my eyes. I wondered if that was what those who experience war feel… becoming numb. Perhaps, it was the mind's rational solution. If one person was to care about everyone who died, the suffering heart would kill that person faster than the lost bullet. Still, this situation might have been “normal” for those people standing around me, but it shocked me how quickly I adapted to their cruel world. Was it because of my soul, and what Immara had experienced? After all, Immara's world was much more terrifying and dark than the one I was living in…
Finally, the bed with the unconscious Chairman went out of the operating room and was transported to the intensi
My mind went blank. I wasn't sure which part of Samil's sentence I should find more flustering, the part about me being a witch or me being his girlfriend. I wished he hadn't decided to expose my identity like that on his own, but it couldn't be helped. I wanted to help him find out who was the main culprit behind the Chairman's assassination and the entire attack, and to do that it was better if those who worked for Samil knew what I was capable of and understood how it all worked. As for now, none of those people who weren't there during the attack believed that something like magic could ever exist…Chris and Elijah burst out laughing, but quickly stopped when they met Samil's glare. A lot of people inside the room seemed confused. They were wondering whether Samil's words were a weird sounding figure speech, or perhaps they simply misheard what he truly said. Even Chris and Elijah seemed to be uncertain. They kept glimpsing at me like they were looking for some clu
I kept staring at Samil's hand, wondering what could cause the sudden change of the seal's power. Then I remembered what the message spinning inside the seal said. There was something about the seal accepting ones magic… Perhaps, I was using my magic around Samil often enough for the demonic power to acknowledge me as a witch somehow. I was so lost in thoughts that I didn't realize that Samil had already finished his conversation with Mr. Romero and walked my way.“Was my seal glowing just now?” Samil noticed me staring.“N-no… I was just thinking about something,” I smiled awkwardly.“I should go back to the clinic. We cannot delay notifying my family about the Old man's state any further, so it's going to be hectic quite soon,” he sighed and put his arms around me.I hugged him tight and stroked his back. He seemed to be exhausted. I wished that I could give him strength using my magic, but I didn't thin
I gulped and stepped away. Victor Artois was looking straight into my eyes. His sight was so terrifying that I imagined he could squeeze me in his fingers before I was able to cast a single spell. Standing in front of him made me realize that his overconfident look was the sign of the power he held. At that moment, it became obvious why Samil would do anything not to make him his direct enemy. As long as he could keep this fragile alliance between him and Victor Artois, he could have the strength to deal with everyone else, whereas without having Artois on his side we would have been attacked by everyone. I only wondered whether Victor Artois didn't switch sides long ago…“Hello, Mr. Artois. Yes, my name is Kassandra Eder,” I responded as composedly as possible.“Arlo seemed to be very fond of you… I long wondered what abilities that you possess made this old fox treasure you that much,” Victor Artois smiled viciously.&ldqu
“Honey? Are you here?” I suddenly heard Camilla's voice coming from behind the corner.Samil rolled his eyes, annoyed.“Yes. I'm here,” he replied reluctantly.She appeared, then walked over with a smile on her face. Certainly, the smile disappeared as soon as she noticed me standing near Samil.“Are you done powdering your nose?” Samil asked, painting a false smile on his face.“Yes, but… what is she doing here?” Camilla hissed.“She was also there when the Chairman was attacked,” Samil explained.“Oh dear…” she walked closer to me with a vicious smirk on her face, “You must have been very lucky. I heard there were many bullets around, yet none of them hit you,” she mocked.“Camilla, stop it!” Samil called, tired of her insolence.“Why should I stop?! She keeps appearing wherever you are, but you seem to b
The door of the Chairman's room was closed, and everyone was waiting impatiently staring at it. I glanced around cautiously as well. I already knew that Mr. Borda's condition was bad, but I still hoped for a miracle to happen. After all, if he had woken up, didn't it mean that he was getting better?“Doctor Shaw is in the room. He will allow us in as soon as he checks Master Borda's parameters,” Mr. Romero explained.“I see…” I muttered.I looked at Samil. He was sitting on a chair right by the Chairman's room door. Even though he seemed calm, I could also see his sorrow. Unlike me and Mr. Romero, he was well prepared for the worst, acknowledging that his grandfather's death was a matter of time.Cesar and his mother, Delia, looked bored and impatient. I knew that they would rather search throughout the mansion trying to find the will, or property deeds. They only came here not to raise any more suspicions about their behavi
Mr. Borda looked straight into my eyes and smiled. His face was getting more pale than before, as if his life forces were slowly leaving his body. He started coughing again. I grabbed his hand without knowing. “Heal,” I whispered, desperately trying to ease his suffering. “Don't!” he called angrily, tossing away my hand, “Don't waist… your energy!” “Why?!” I asked nervously, “I don't know if I'm able to… but maybe I could even save your life!” I couldn't understand why he rejected my help. “It's the way it is supposed to be… You shouldn't go against the natural order and interfere in life and death,” he scolded me. “Natural order… But you were shot!” I couldn't accept his way of thinking. “I would have died either way,” he slightly shrugged. “W-what…?” I muttered, startled. “When you broke the seal on me… I have already developed a brain tumor… a lethal kind,” he sighed. “So… I did something unnecessary?! The ri
I walked out of the room lowering my head, and desperately trying to hide the fact that I was crying. I passed Samil by and came straight to Asher without raising my head up. “Your grandfather is calling you in…” I muttered without looking him in the eyes. “All right,” he tossed and went into the room. I felt like I had to get away from there. I bet that none of those people would have understood my tears. For them I was a stranger, an opportunist clinging onto a dying man to get a profit that was supposed to be theirs, so why should I cry? Yet, I felt like someone had been tearing out a part of my heart. Was it because I had never met my real Grandfather, and I instantly felt attached to Arlo Borda? Was it because I broke his demon's seal? I couldn't tell. I only knew that my emotions were sincere, and I was grieving. I needed some time alone. Of course, I would share my pain with Samil, but he was still in the middle of the masquerade, hoping not to
I didn't remember much of what had happened later that day. I vaguely recall Mr. Romero driving me home. I remember calling my Grandma and telling her about Arlo Borda's death, and that, from now on, I decided to always refer to him as Grandfather Borda, just as he wanted to before he died. I wished I could contact Samil freely and bring him some comfort, but Mr. Romero warned me that I shouldn't, because there were too many eyes on Samil, and revealing anything about our true relationship could jeopardize all his efforts to gain support among the Sirio's board members. In the end, I didn't hear from Samil until the day of the funeral.I was anxious. I wished that I could tell that I found out that it was possible that Victor Artois joined forces with some other family, and that other family probably collaborated with the eldest. I knew that it was all based solely on my suspicions, and I needed solid proof. Nevertheless, my every instinct was telling me that Victor Artois wa