I sat in the garden, which had become my new favorite spot in the house. I was still studying Drityls, needing to examine every part to understand how useful it could be. Most research shows that using it could be dangerous, but I'm not bothered. I don't intend to make clumsy mistakes.
"Aunt," Lylah called, running towards me. "Mom said I should give this to you," she said, dropping a letter on the table.
"Thank you," I said, picking it up and watching her run off. I opened it and scanned through it.
'My dear student,
I owe you an apology for my actions. Attacking you like that was inexcusable, and I won't attempt to justify it. As Myra suggested, I've been taking time to reflect on my behavior. She told me about what you did, and I want to express my gratitude. I never expected you to stand up for me, yet you did, and for that, I am profoundly thankful. Your courage and loyalty mean more to me than words can express.
I am genuinely glad to hear that you are making progress with your research. Remember, it's essential to express yourself more; it will help you not only in your academic endeavors but also in personal growth. Don't hold back your thoughts and feelings, as they are valuable.
I understand you're currently in the North. I hope you find it a comfortable place to rest and recuperate. The life of a professor can be incredibly demanding, and you deserve this time to rejuvenate before diving back into the hectic routine. Take this opportunity to gather your strength and recharge.
Reggie will be heading your way soon as he has business with the duchess. It might be a good chance for you to catch up and perhaps even discuss your research. As for me, I will be in the East for the foreseeable future. Myra has insisted that I stay until we resolve the issue with the traitor. It turns out that your mother was using me to get to them. Your mother is quite the strategist; I never saw it coming.
Once again, I am deeply sorry for causing you pain. I promise to work on controlling my emotions better in the future. That incident was completely out of character for me, but it served as a crucial learning experience. It made me realize the importance of self-control and the impact of our actions on those we care about.
I wish you the best of luck with your research. I have no doubt that your findings will be groundbreaking. I look forward to the day we can meet again and discuss your progress in person. Until then, take care of yourself and continue to strive for excellence.
With sincere apologies and best wishes,
Elise.'
I dropped the letter on the table and looked up. How will everyone react when they find out? Should I just tell them to prepare them for the worst?
Elise seemed really sorry, but I don't blame her. I'm sure anyone would react the way she did. I would never blame her for acting that way. Besides, I wasn't hurt, and she wasn't trying to hurt me.
"Aunt," I heard and turned to see Dax and Lylah. I'm getting used to being called 'aunt' and acting like one. Do I want kids?
"Aunt, aren't you done? Let's play," Lylah said.
"What do you want to do?" I asked, and she smiled.
"You will? Really?" she asked, and I nodded. "Then, then, let's play hide and seek," she said, waving her hands in the air. Hide and seek? It's probably not the same. Don't overreact.
"H... How do you play that?" I asked, folding my hands tightly to stop the shaking.
"You don't know hide and seek?" Lylah asked. The hide and seek was really brutal. I'd hide, and Walsh would find me. If he did, I'd get beaten up, and if he didn't, I'd get beaten up either way. It was a tough game.
"Really? You don't?" Dax asked, and I nodded. "You just have to find a good place to hide, and the person that is 'it' will look for you. If you are caught, you are 'it' and will have to find someone else to become 'it'," he explained, and I nodded.
"It," I said, and he nodded. I was never 'it'. "I think I understand," I said. "How do we pick who'd be 'it'?" I asked.
"Rock, paper, scissors," Lylah said. Rock, paper, and scissors?
"What do we do with them?" I asked, and they started laughing.
"This is rock," he said, making a fist. "This is paper," he said, opening his hand. "This is scissors," he said, showing me two fingers. "Rock wins over scissors, scissors wins over paper, and paper wins over rock. You show a hand, and the one with the higher wins," he said, and I nodded. "If you lose, you're 'it'," he finished, and I nodded, barely understanding him.
"Okay, rock... paper... scissors," Lylah said, and they brought out their hands. "Aunt, you have to do it at the same time," she complained, and I nodded. "Okay, let's go again, rock... paper... scissors," she said, and we all brought out our hands. I brought a paper; the others brought out rock.
"Huh? Aunt, you won," Dax said. I did? This is an easy game that still confuses me.
"Okay, let's go, rock... paper... scissors," Lylah said, and they brought out the same, scissors. They went again, and apparently, Dax won.
"Let's go, aunt," Dax said as Lylah covered her face and counted.
"Three... four..." she counted. Where do I hide? Should I go see Sienna while I'm at it and ask her for a Drityl? I need to look at it to confirm something.
I walked inside and made my way to Sienna's office. I knocked and walked in when I heard a response.
"Faina? Weren't you playing with Lylah? She was bothering me all morning," Sienna said.
"I am. We are playing hide and seek," I said.
"I don't think this is a good place to hide," she replied.
"Don't worry about Faina. No one will be able to see her no matter where she hides," Keith said. You were here?
"I came to ask for a Drityl. I need to look at it to confirm something," I said, and she nodded.
"You'll have to wait till tomorrow," she said, and I nodded.
"We sent the Drityl to the academy. They'll be there when you go back. We didn't pluck them, so you won't have to worry," Keith said, and I nodded. I turned to leave but stopped when I heard a knock on the door. I turned and looked at Sienna. She pointed to the thick curtains behind her, and I nodded and walked there.
"Mom, did you see Aunt and Dax?" Lylah asked.
"No, why?" Sienna asked.
"Nothing. I have to go," she said.
"She's gone," Sienna said.
"I think I'll just stay here till they get tired," I said, walking out.
"That's the thing, they never get tired," Keith said, and we sighed in unison.