"So it was a trap?" Aria asks scared of how serial killers take killing seriously.
"Yes." I answer. I have just finished telling them what happened.
"How about we lock Ren into a room at the castle and let him out when Kiyoshi visits." Lance suggests which earns a thumbs up from Atasi.
"It saves her from jumping off a waterfall and into freezing water." Atasi adds.
"He would lose his innocence with the Woods Brothers and those Fox's." Aria comments.
"Yes even Ashley is getting a bit out of control." Atasi says.
"But then where did they all get their behaviour from?" Orion says hinting at us.
"That's true." We nod at his words.
"How about if we send him to Cora's?" Killian says all for locking Ren away.
"No you have Rowan, Skylar and Lane who don't forget are Woods." Orion shakes his head.
"Yeah if Aunt Cora wasn't so nice he'd be teaching the cousins p*rn like he did to my brothers." Lance laughs. We all burst out laughing.
"I still remember him trying to teach Lance about s*x when he was 10." Aria reminds us. "Walked in to find Lance asking what's a woman."
"Shouldn't you all be going back to where you came from?" Nicholas grumbles totally being forgotten. "I'm sure Edith would be any minute to bring Rio back."
"Yes. I don't want her here." I shake my head.
Orion frowns but then remembers all the harsh scoldings he has recieved during the last months and decides to leave. "Bye Deer. I'll call you when I'm not busy. Love you."
"Love you too." I say hugging him back.
"Bye little brother!" The other four say happily.
"Bye!" Orion walks out of the room.
"I have to go too. Mum would be angry if I don't make it back in time for afternoon training." Lance says checking Aria's rolex watch.
"I have to check onto Master Bai. He's been acting weirdly since you left, Adi." Atasi says.
"It's okay. I'm just lucky that you came to visit me today." I smile and hug each and every one of them goodbye. "Bye!" I say when they step into Aria's portal.
"Bye. Hope you get well and be good at school." They all say disappearing into the portal which vanishes.
Now there is only Nicholas and I in the room.
"Like old times." Nicholas comments going through my report personally.
"Like old times." I repeat.
. . . . .
11 years ago.
I wake up and see an empty room which I have been seeing everytime I've woken up for the last week.
'Astrid.' I say but I don't get any response. 'Dammit.'
I look down at my short and thin arm with bruises left behind by needles. Attached to one arm is a machine that feeds black blood into my veins and because of this the bruises stand out more.
The door opens and 5 year old Orion walks in with his long hair. He smiles when seeing that I'm awake. I smile back.
"I brought you breakfast." Orion says putting a container on the table next to my bed. "Everyone is worried about you and Aunt Imogen thinks that you'll be out in less than a week fully recovered."
I nod my head and look at him. I see that he has bags under his eyes and looks exhausted. "Is school going good?" I ask.
"Yes. Edith has given me a task and that is to try and shift into my dragon form but it's not going too well."
"Don't force yourself. Most people can't shift until they've reached there teens or 20s."
"How did you do it?" Orion asks timidly afraid that I'd react badly.
"I don't know. I just felt emotionally unstable and poof! I shifted." I laugh.
"Can you talk to Astrid yet?"
"No but give it some time and she'll be fully recovered."
Orion looks down at his watch which is beeping. "I'm sorry sis but I've got a lesson to go to."
"No worries. I'm glad that you came at all." I smile. Orion hugs me and hurries out of the room. I'm alone again. The smile disappears.
"Black blood!" Someone gasps from outside of my room.
"Shhh! They might hear you. But yes black blood."
"But that's not possible!"
"Well it's what was coming out when we extracted blood and what they are putting into her."
"Hasn't anyone told you not to gossip?" A voice asks.
"Sorry sir." The two people who were talking outside apologize and hurry away.
The door opens and a 7 year old boy with messy dark blond hair which has been atempted in a small braid.
"Don't worry about them sis. They don't know who you are so they can only gossip." Nicholas says to comfort me. "Now has Astrid came back yet?"
"No." I answer.
"Do you feel her presence?"
"A bit."
"So she is there but is too weak to show." Nicholas mutters and writes it down. "Do you feel any pain anywhere?"
"Only my arms but I know that it's only the royal blood."
"Has Orion seen you today? "
"Yes he came just before you did. Edith getting better?" I ask.
"Yes. She's already up and bossing people around especially Orion and Reiji." Nicholas answers.
"Okay." I nod.
Nicholas asks a few more questions before leaving.
I sit alone in the room looking at the white wall across from me but after two hours heavy footsteps come from behind my door. I turn to look just as the door is swung open. In walks Edith with thick folders in her hands. She's shocked when she sees me staring at her but she squares her shoulders and marches into the room.
"Don't think that just because you're in the hospital that you won't work. Get this done before tomorrow!" She orders and slams the folder onto the table which spills the half filled container which Orion left for me. It spills everywhere but Edith doesn't care. "Clean this mess up!"
Edith marches to the door but once she takes a step out of my room she's flung backwards. She smashes throw the glass sliding door which leads to a small balcony. She looks up and locks eyes with me and when I smile she looks like she's seen a ghost. Edith suddenly falls and soon a loud 'thud' is heard.
I slowly stand from my bed and pull out the tube attached to me. I lightly walk to the balcony which almost seems like I'm floating. I look down to see Edith has landed on an ambulance. I stare blankly at it before teleporting to Master Bai's since he's the only one that can help.
. . . . .
"Fun times." I laugh remembering what had happened.
Nicholas laughs too and chats for a while before leaving. I take this time to sneak away.