Echo glanced at Jasmine, who tilted her head to the side as she put her arm around Jane's shoulder.
"I can help with that," Echo replied.
Jane looked at Echo, and glared at her, "Don't hurt him!"
Echo sighed, "Do you want him to come to you or not?"
"There's so many other ways you could get his attention," Jasmine turned to Jane.
Jane sighed, "Enough about how I'm going to get Sebastian's attention. How are you going to get that demon's attention?"
Echo slumped back on her chair, grabbing the book with her. She liked Damon, but she knew it wasn't mutual.
Jasmine stretched her hand towards Echo, touching hers, "We'll figure something out. You don't have to look so upset."
Echo glared at Jasmine, and leaned forward, "Who said I was upset? I'm just thinking… you know just drop the whole thing with Damon. It's useless, he said it himself, he'll kill me if he sees me again. Why even bother? He doesn't like me."
"What makes you think that? Did he say he didn't like you?" Jane asked.
"No!"
"So you just assumed he didn't like you?" Jasmine asked.
Echo frowned, as she turned away, and looked back at the two sisters, "It's pretty obvious he doesn't like me. He was my bro…" she sighed, and looked around, keeping her hands on the table. "He doesn't like me, so just forget it."
"How could you give up without even knowing if he likes you? You need to fight for your love," Jane stared at Echo, with so much enthusiasm.
Echo contemplated for a few seconds before asking, "What's the use of fighting for someone who doesn't like you back? That's like trying to open a door without a key."
"So make a key," Jasmine blurted.
Echo facepalmed, "Easy for you to say… and even if I made a key, what if when I came back, someone else already unlocked the door?"
"Then break the door down?" came Jane's answer.
Echo sighed, her voice got a few octaves higher, "Then you'd have to replace the lock."
—
Sebastian looked at the commander in confusion, "Are they still talking about guys or doors?"
The commander glared at Sebastian, "How are you the captain of the elites and still so stupid?"
Sebastian glared at the commander. The commander ignored Sebastian before walking past the shelf to where the girls were.
"Echo!" the commander called out, as he walked towards the table. Echo whipped her head around, turning to the commander, instantly standing up.
Echo lowered her head, "Commander!"
"Briefing room, now," the commander ordered. Echo lowered her head more, before walking off. The commander turned to his wife and Jane, and in a much more warm and soft voice he continued, "You guys too."
Jasmine smiled as she stood up, and walked to her husband, who put his hand around his wife's waist. Jane followed the two.
Echo casually walked into the empty briefing room. She stood aside, waiting for the commander, but Sebastian entered the room instead. He gave Echo a slight head nod, as he walked past her, taking a seat.
A few minutes passed, and the commander came in with his wife, followed by Jane. After the doors were closed shut, the commander ordered everyone to take a seat.
The commander walked to his seat, "We found a demon lair in the ice. I need a team to infiltrate the lair. I'll be going too." The commander eyed everyone at the table, until his gaze stopped on Echo.
Echo glanced around the table, when she realised the commander was waiting for her to answer the question he didn't voice. "I'll come."
"I'm coming too," Jasmine replied, without hesitating.
Everyone's gaze fell on Jane. "I'll come along."
Finally everyone looked at Sebastian. "Is that even something to ask?"
The commander looked around the table pleased. "We'll leave in five minutes."
"What? Don't you have any intel on this lair?" Jane asked, looking at the commander.
"No."
The room grew quiet after the commander's reply. He himself broke the silence when he stated, "You can leave if you don't want to come."
Jasmine looked at the commander in worry, "You're going out there without any intel? This might be a deathtrap."
"It's my job, Jas," the commander replied in a much softer tone.
Jane looked at Sebastian and Echo, "Aren't you guys worried one bit? You guys would have just stayed quiet if I didn't ask anything?"
Sebastian turned to Echo expecting her to reply.
Echo felt everyone's gaze on her once again, "No questions asked." She shrugged.
The room grew quiet once again, but this time Echo felt a small gasp. Even the commander looked a little shocked by her answer.
Echo felt a little uneasy with everyone's gaze on her. She was glad when Jasmine spoke up.
"We'll come."
The commander nodded, standing up, "Okay. Then let's meet at the gates in five minutes. Dismissed."
Without a single word Echo stood up and walked out. She was deep in thought, and did not notice that Jane and Jasmine were looking at her.
'Another demon lair? Why do they keep attacking demon lairs? What about the demon that escaped? How am I supposed to find him? Maybe I'll ask the commander after we come back from the mission.'
Echo walked out of the main doors, and found her way to the gates. She looked around, but none of the others had still arrived, so she stared at the vast fields that lay outside the gates.
There were few magical creatures walking along the fields, and a small pond in the distance where several butterflies were. Staring at the fields, and animals made her forget all her worries.
"Hey!" Jane smiled as Echo turned around to face her.
Echo returned the smile, "Hey!"
After waiting for a few more seconds, everyone finally arrived.
Echo chanted her spell, as her clothes transformed. Gripping her sword, she followed the commander out of the gates.