Chapter 26

The very next day, Queen Feu immediately sent Blaze and a few guardias to come and fetch Ignis and me at Hailec's house.

"The Queen is worried about Princess Fhyra's safety, since your home is quite near in the Kabisera. I hope the punong baylan won't take it negatively if we ask the Princess and her muranda to come back to the palace?" Blaze respectfully told Hailec who was seated on the couch on the receiving area of his house.

It's a good thing that his house was huge. We were quite startled to see Blaze and the guardias early this morning.

Seeing Cool here would be a little understandable but seeing a mundane like Sassy here?

So we needed to mask her presence in case the others would notice and Hailec hid her somewhere inside the house.

Ignis, on the other hand finally gained consciousness this morning as well and Hailec assured me that she was fine.

So here we are, facing Blaze and the five guardias sent by Queen Feu.

"It's not that I held it against the Queen, since I do understand her worries. But it would still depend on the Princess' decision, whether she would go back or stay here for a little longer. I promise that I can guarantee her safety." Hailec said with a face devoid of any expression.

Blaze nodded and turned his head towards me, as if asking for my final decision.

"Please do tell the Queen that I'll be staying here for a few more days. I would be safe here around the punong baylan." I told him, sounding a little less hostile than I did before.

Cool said, Blaze is an ally. I better start treating him a little better. As long as he stops making his moves on me, we can be friends.

"Well then, I'll send your messages to the queen. We'll be taking our leave now. Thank you for giving us your grace, Punong Baylan, your Highness." Blaze said as he performed a curt bow among the guardias behind him.

The guardias were the first ones to turn around and left through the door while Blaze's stares lingered on me for a while.

"He's here?" he asked after all the guardias got out.

"He is," I answered, pertaining to Cool who was watching us in the conference-like room by the hologram-like device courtesy of Hailec's power.

"Great." He said and shifted his gaze on Hailec who was keenly observing him.

"Please, help the commandant in keeping the Princess safe."

"You don't need to ask. It's our duty as her guardians." Hailec answered confidently.

Blaze nodded on agreement.

"Have you found the last guardian? I've been looking everywhere but got no news about him." Hailec's eyes dilated upon hearing Blaze mention the last guardian.

"The guardian would appear at the right time. You don't need to search for him." Hailec played along.

Ignis and I exchanged meaningful looks as we silently watched the men staring at each other in front of us.

"Count, we have to go." Their stare-off was interrupted with one of the guardias.

"I shall take my leave, then." Blaze said without taking his eyes on Hailec who does the same.

When Blaze finally left his house, Hailec immediately locked down all the doors and other possible ways to come in and out.

Cool went down from upstairs and gave me a meaningful look.

"What's wrong?" he asked the baylan.

"Do you trust the count?" Hailec asked back instead.

I stared at them confused.

"Why?" Cool asked, confusion written all over his face.

"I repeat, do you trust the count?" Cool stared at him for a while before he shook his head.

His answer stunned me. I thought he trusted him?

'I thought you trust him?!'

'When did I told you that I trust him?' he answered calmly.

I looked at him incredulously.

'You're unbelievable!'

"Good, because he was effortlessly replicated," Hailec said and all of our eyes widened.

"What do you mean?" I asked, bothered by his words.

"That wasn't the Count. That was a darkess imitating him." I was so startled, I almost lost my balance. Good thing that Ignis was beside me, she helped me regain myself again.

"That's why I've been asking you if you trust the Count. Because if you do, it might cause trouble for us in the future. He was easily replicated. Even I almost missed it." Hailec said and started to walk upstairs.

We followed him inside his conference room.

"How did you know he was a darkess?" Ignis asked with curiosity.

"He made a mistake of saying he was looking for the last guardian."

"What's wrong with that?" I asked in confusion.

"Guardians were raised as an independent individual. We were taught not to depend on the other guardians in protecting you. Damn! I didn't notice that." Cool responded with an enlightened expression.

"That's right. If he was truly the count, he wouldn't search for the other guardians. He must only think of how he can protect you."

"Wow. You are really smart." I said, giving him a thumbs up in my mind.

"Where's Sassy anyway? Where did you hide her?" I asked when I realized that she's still not around.

Hailec evaded my eyes and told me she's asleep in her room. But I don't buy that. I checked her room earlier before I followed him and Ignis in facing Blaze and the guardias.

I didn't probe any longer since I knew he wouldn't do anything to harm my friend.

I can at least see that he cares about Sassy even though he keeps on saying otherwise. He just wouldn't accept it to himself that he cares about Sassy more than he does on everyone.

"Ignis, you rest a little more, so that you can fully recover and you," Hailec said and pointed at me with his last word.

"You start training with Cool. We need you to be able to control that energy-consuming ability of yours." He instructed and gave Cool a nod before he left the room.

Ignis bowed down a little and excused herself as well.

"Now what?" I asked Cool when we were left alone in the room.

"Let's head to the training room." He said and led the way out of the room.