There was a long silence, which was broken by Rosaria.
"Wow. I can't blame you for leaving," said Rosaria.
Asha gave a slightly sad smile. "Unfortunately, I didn't exactly leave. Well, I guess I did, though you can't exactly say it was willingly."
"Speaking of, the servants looked at you like they were surprised to see you again. Why is that?" asked Blyke.
Asha sighed, sounding conflicted. "I'll tell you later, when the timing is a bit better and I don't have to rush this. Come on. Top floor." Asha began the ascent up the stairs, any servants who saw her giving the same reactions as Len and Lucy, shocked, and concerned.
Once they reached the top floor, the atmosphere changed from tense to relaxed and even joyful.
"Over here," said Asha, striding through the hall until she came to the last door on the left. She raised her hand, knocking lightly on the closed door.
"Come in," said a soft, female voice.
Asha opened the door, gesturing for Blyke and the others to walk in before her.
Blyke gave her a strange look before striding in.
"Who are you people? What do you want?!"
Asha's lips curled into a smile unconsciously. She felt the slightest bit of guilt at making the cadre go in first, to check. She was smiling broadly as she moved into the room, first seeing the raven black hair, then the beautiful dark blue eyes, more sapphire than Asha's.
The girl's eyes widened, her slender, pale fingers covering her mouth. "It can't be."
Asha's broad grin changed to a gentle smile. "It's been a long time, Isabella."
"Allu!"
Asha braced herself as Isabella threw herself at Asha in a hug that could crush ribs. Asha pet her head, feeling slightly awkward at the sudden hug, taking a step back to keep from falling over. "It's me, Isabella. Now, now. Don't cry. I'm back."
Asha glanced at the cadre staring at them. "I did tell you I haven't been home in awhile, didn't I?"
"Just how long were you gone?" asked Daniel.
Isabella released Asha, turning to face them before bowing. "Thank you so much for taking care of Allu. Thank you for keeping her safe."
"Oh, come on, Isabella. There's no need for that…" sighed Asha.
"You're wrong, there is," contradicted Isabella.
"Whoa! You've got it all wrong! We've only known Asha for nearly three years," hurried Amelia, frowning.
"Oh... well, thank you anyway. I'm happy she has a few people that can help her now." Isabella stood up straight, moving toward the couch she'd been sitting in before tacking Asha. "Sit, please. It's a pleasure for me to get to meet all of you."
"Likewise," agreed Rosaria, somewhat eager, for whatever reason.
"I have a question for you... Isabella, was it?" asked Amelia. "How long has Asha been gone from the house?"
"I think we should call for some tea--" blurted Asha, as if trying to change the subject, but Isabella glanced at her, ignoring her sister's indirect protests and attempts to change the subject, before saying, "She's sixteen now, right?"
"Almost sixteen," replied Asha. "And how about that tea? I'm parched." Asha went silent as she saw the look in Isabella's eyes.
"She's been gone since she was... five years old."
Asha glanced away from the cadre's faces as they swore.
"You've been on your own for ten years?" hissed Tim.
"Correction," said Asha. "I was alone for five, as I spent three of them in that damn Institution, and two of them at Luminine."
"My God. Why did you leave the house?" asked Rosaria.
Asha picked up a bell on the table, ringing it as she led Isabella to the couch, sitting next to her. "I didn't leave," said Asha. "I would have stayed here my whole life, despite everything, but I was sold off for a mere hundred gold coins to the Institution. However, I much preferred their treatments than the one I got here. At least it was their job."
"Asha, just what--"
Asha shot Daniel a glare. "I told you I'd tell you at a later date. Don't push it." Her voice was cold, forceful, and wrathful, the tone of her voice able to convey that if Daniel pushed it any further, she would make him regret it.
Isabella glanced at Asha, brows furrowed. "You really changed."
Asha sighed. "One has to change, or they'll be swallowed by the schemes of others. I learned that long before now."
Isabella just rested her head against Asha's shoulder.
"You sound so much more mature than your age," said Daniel.
Asha gave her usual cocky smile. "Well, just because you all act like children, doesn't mean I'm mature for my age. Besides, I've needed to mature quickly, or I would have died years ago, before I even went to that Institution."
The cadre exchanged glances. They didn't know what, but something was making them anxious. No, they knew what. Asha's sudden mood swings were what was making them nervous. One second, she'd be the same arrogant girl as she was at school, then she'd turn cold and icy, before snapping back red hot.
It was unnerving.
Asha glanced at the cadre, as if sensing their unease, before taking a deep breath. "We'll be residing in this top floor until we leave. This is the only floor safe enough for residents, anyway, unless you feel like being killed in your sleep."
"How long will it take for you to get what you came for?" asked Ethelyn.
Asha hesitated. "It'll take as long as it takes them to suck it up, surrender, and tell me where they hid it. That could be tonight, or a month. I'll try to make this as quick as possible, though, as we're in a bit of a hurry."
"Those are broad dates, but fine," said Amelia. "What are we going to do all day?"
Asha shrugged. "Do whatever you want as long as it's on the grounds. In the meantime, I have a few errands to run."
"I don't suppose you're going to tell us what those are, are you?" asked Daniel.
Asha just gave him a nasty smile before standing, petting Isabella's hair before striding out of the door. "See you guys for dinner."
~
"What is she hiding from us?" asked Tim.
"What makes you think she's hiding from you?" asked the girl who looked like Asha's younger twin.
"We do. Whenever she starts to get pissy or just ups and leaves, it's always because she's hiding something. Honestly, it's actually annoying being left in the dark," said Daniel.
"Are you two really sisters? You seem so much more... tame compared to Asha," remarked Rosaria.
Isabella just smiled slightly. "I hear that. I suppose we're a bit different in temperaments, I'll admit, but deep down, everyone's just an animal waiting to burst out of their human skin."
Everyone was quiet for a bit.
"I can't agree more," said Amelia.
Blyke turned to Isabella. "Can you explain some things for us?"
Isabella looked guarded. "Depends on what you want to know," she replied.
"Fine. Why does Asha have a different title than your parents?"
Isabella shrugged. "I actually don't know. I forget when she even received the title, but she was placed almost directly under the King, as something like an extra set of eyes, to keep watch over parts of the country he can't see."
"I have one. Why do your parents hate her?" asked Daniel.
"Well, that answer is a bit more complicated. You see, my parents don't quite like anyone, even each other and themselves. It's a little pathetic. But a bit ago, ten years ago, they were into gambling at a secret casino called Casinamora."
"Heard of it before," said Blyke.
"Well, at Casinamora, people gamble away Amora instead of money, like a typical casino. And... my parents liked going there. But once they ran out of their own sand, they turned to me. Once they did, Asha snapped. Nearly killed them. Spared their lives in exchange for them not touching my Amora. But soon after that, they sold her to the Institution."
"Where she was turned into E-1."
"Yes."
"Why do you care so much? You haven't seen her in ten years. Why?" asked Ethelyn.
Isabella looked at them all. "I don't really know." She took a breath before standing and bowing at ninety-degrees. "Please, keep her safe," she said. "Keep her safe, please! Promise me you'll do your best to protect her!"
Blyke's fist clenched. Every person in this house said the same thing. "Protect her, please." "Promise me you'll keep her safe." Why did they say that? Blyke sighed. "Raise your head," he said. Once she did, he dipped his head. "I swear it on my Amora that I will do the very best I can do to protect Asha."
Daniel sighed. "I'll do the same. Life'll become unbearably boring without her to spice things up."
"We may get along like a house on fire with people burning to death inside, but we are a cadre, and there's something honorable about having a group you can protect and who will protect you," agreed Amelia.
"I never really had a problem, so why not," said Tim.
Ethelyn just nodded. "I have no reason not to. Besides, if she finds out I refused a heartfelt request from her dear sister, I'd end up dead."
Rosaria hesitated. "I don't trust Asha, nor do I trust you, but I suppose I should at least try, right?"
Isabella smiled. "Thank you all so much."
Blyke nodded. He glanced through the window, toward the sun creeping to the apex of its arc. "What the hell are we going to do until she gets back?"