Karina didn't know what to say, "I'm so...sorry." Dario didn't show any obvious signs of discomfort.
His tone was low and grounded, "Yeah. No point in talking about it with you now." She struggled to make eye contact. After a pause, he continued.
"Listen. Just don't think your life is in any way important to us." He continued to maintain the cold gaze he always gave. "We have bigger things in hand, our own matters to deal with. And yours... is nowhere close to the list." She started to get irked.
"Do you think I expect you to-" Karina attempted to voice before he cut her off instantly.
"So..you should answer every question honestly. You aren't that impactful enough for us to tolerate any lies. About anything, or anyone." She could feel the sense of suspicion through his words, his voice low.
"First of all, You can't expect my obedience." To which he cockily chuckled at. "I don't know you guys well enough to play 21 questions." She sat up and started walking back and forth.
A subtle smirk raced across his face, his glinted golden eyes focused on her. He only looked down on her. Like a small helpless pest that he was pitying.
"No that's where you're wrong." He too got up taking a step closer. "You do need to answer us.
She waited for him to continue. His expression turned colder than before.
"Where did you find those flowers?"
What the hell. "What do you mean? What flowers?" How did he know? What more does he know?
"Don't be so childish with me mundane." She couldn't tolerate his entitlement any longer.
"I asked you a question about it, whatever your name is. Just answer that and then we'll fucking see if I know." His cocky smirk died down, as he turned around and started strolling.
"Those flowers.Light purple. Definitely not of this world; the ones Milo asked you about, those flowers. I answered your question now mundane. Care to answer?"
Karina just openly stared at him, her face tensed. But he still glowed, every part of him was still angelic. She tried to nullify them reminding herself how much of a cocky jerk he was.
"I...well." He raised an eyebrow to which she wanted to smack his face. "I didn't really find them." She awkwardly looked down. "I...create them. I'm able to create them here."
For once, he seemed to look shocked, his mouth widening by the smallest bit. "That makes no sense."
"Well believe it or not. You think I'd make this stuff up?" No response, he just stood with his own thoughts.
"You said you'd make them here right?" To which she nodded. "Show it to me." She was a bit hesitant, but she had to. There was no point in refusing. Karina gestured forward, heading towards the place.
She led him to the sea of Nova's laid out before them.
Dario looked enchanted, eyes gaze fragile towards them. She got whiplash with all these displays of expressions from Dario. The only thing she could see till now was the cold and aloof vibe he let out.
"You are very annoying, to be honest." He stepped in, breaking the silence.
"Excuse me?" Her tone was laced with resentment.
"You just had to pop in the wrong time. You not only see me when you shouldn't, you leave a damn trail of questions by doing just anything!"
"How the hell is it my fault? For doing what? For just existing? It's not my fault that you happened to come here that day! Not my fault that I create something that I was born with. All you people do is look at me like I murdered one of you! So don't you dare yell at me." Her words seething.
"Do you know how much of a mind fuck you gave me? Gave us? You were not supposed to watch my fall and get out alive." He raised his tone, a new face of his velvet-like voice.
"You weren't supposed to be able to-..to create flowers!" He came closer, his eyes on the Novas.
"That is because...these flowers Karina-..." He once again turned towards her, "are found in our realm."
******************
"No way is that possible." This was the last explanation Karina could think of.
"Novas." That caught her attention as she looked up to him, wide-eyed.
"How…?"
"I told you. They're found in Enkeli." She still couldn't my head wrapped around the idea of a totally different realm.
"But how can I...create them?"
"I don't know. That's why you're a pain in the ass." Dario started walking back.
"Shut up." She mumbled, flustered.
Karina caught up to his pace, and asked, "What do the Novas do? In your realm?"
"They are the life force of our realm. We are in some way or the other created from Novas, our realm revolves around the force of Novas."
"Wow...I-.." Flowers of such power and she could make them. Nothing made sense. It never did before and it sure as hell isn't making any more sense.
Dario halted in his tracks, his arm blocking her, his stance was observant. "Don't move until I tell you to."
Her senses stood on alert, knowing something wasn't right. Dario grabbed her wrist and held her close, catching her off guard. She could feel her heartbeat gradually increase, her breathing heavy.
What happened? Was someone here?
Before she could realize it, he advanced further in a swift, holding her. In a few seconds, we were far away from the woods.
Karina's hair was messy while she struggled to stand straight from the dizziness, everything hazy.
"You should go home. Milo and Jonah will talk to you soon. It's already dusk." He was still watchful as his eyes went here and there. This made her want to return home herself.
"Okay. Bye." She ran fast and got into her car.
***************
It was already dark. Karina was sitting in her room, going through her phone. Every part of her was unsettled. Too many things were free, without proper closure, like half-eaten apples.
A burning smell made its way to her nose. The ashy smell progressively increased as the thought dawned on her.
It was a fire.