Page 74

After an hour of swimming and doing nothing they walked back to her former home. The area around the house she used to live in was growing new grass and trees after being burnt.

The ruins of the house were still there though the damage of the fire had been great.

She scanned the area but the only sound she caught was that of that of a small yappy boy.

"What is he doing here?" Klaus asked irritated walking towards the direction of his sound.

"So the mouse told the cat they should trade-" Cass stopped talking immediately he saw them.

"What are you doing here boy?" Klaus asked dragging the boy away maybe for a chat. She didn't know.

She turned to look at Shira. She wasn't dressed too good and neither did she look too healthy. Despite the bubbling anger she carried inside her, Shira didn't look good.

She looked like she had been starved for days, her cheeks weren't as full as they used to be, lips dry and thin. Compared to how she looked before when they used to visit the palace every week. She was really thin but her beauty was still there.

"Hi" she whispered warily.

"Hi, Shira" Shira's eyes brimmed with tears as she walked closer to Aella and embraced her.

Her sobs were heavy as he chest hiccuped. Initially Aella wasn't really sure what to do, embrace her or ask if she was ok or let her anger control her.

"I'm sorry" Shira said shivering a little.

Aella wrapped her arms around her and pulled her in tight. She wasn't looking too good so she might as well be nice to her. She was still her sister.

"I found some wild fruits by the river" A voice said from in front of her and she looked up to see, her other step sister.

Shira froze and pulled away from Aella. Sharma's eyes were wide in alarm. Klaus and Cass weren't far off but she heard them much much more better.

Everything was more clear than it was before. Even her anger was more elevated than before. Sharma was still frozen but she slowly approached her sister, older than her with five minutes.

Aella didn't know what to feel. She disliked Sharma with her whole existence. Quiet fury and dark clouded her vision as she retreated away from them.

"Aella I'm sorry I didn't mention it in the letter but she needed help too and I knew if I mentioned her you wouldn't-"

"Don't you dare compare me to her or your mother" she whispered still retreating but Klaus wasn't too far now. Now she knew why Shira immediately apologized when she saw her.

"Ok I'm sorry Aella, but would you have helped us"

Would she? "Am not sure but I would help you not her"

"I know am really sorry"

"Stop apologizing and let her do it herself am pretty she still has a mouth" Klaus said from behind Aella.

"A-am sorry" Sharma said. But she wasn't sorry, her tone and the way while saying it could tell it all.

Aella's anger only flamed brighter as a ring of fire engulfed them both. Fear trickled in both Shira and Sharma's eyes.

"Aella please, just calm down" Shira begged.

"I will once she apologizes like she means it" she said. She had never been a vindictive person but so far she had to be. Sharma was still looking away but her sobs were silent.

She was sorry. She felt sorry and shame was eating her up.

Aella calmed down.

"The flames?" Cass asked looking at the flames edging closer to the sisters. They couldn't walk past it apparently.

Aella closed her eyes ready to stop her fire chaos but nothing happened. Usually she would just breath to slow her pulse rate but it only quickened.

"Klaus?" she turned quickly to look at Klaus panicked.

"Something wrong?"

"I can't stop it, I'll hurt them" fear crept up her spine with the thought of hurting anyone. She had been so confident while confronting Sharma but now all the confidence was burning in the fire she had started.

"No you won't, just think of-" he seemed to think, "a happy memory?"

"Tell me one"

"When you uh..." he seemed so unsure that she chuckled, amused by his confusion.

"When I did what?"

"You...I have no idea" he gave up.

"You don't know any of my happy memories?" she asked feigning hurt.

"I do I just don't remember" lies.

"Sure" she turned to see the fire out. She turned to Cassian "What were you doing here?"

"Apparently he knew you would come here" Klaus said with huff and while sitting on a

branch.

"How?" she stared hard at the boy.

"I just knew" his young voice answered.

"That's some reasonable answer" Shira said from behind her sister.

"Don't be too hard on the boy" Aella agreed with Sharma.

.

"Where are they going to stay?" Cassian asked. She turned to Klaus.

"You have any suggestions?" Klaus asked the boy who smiled. That was why he asked.

"Yes I do" he said proudly. The looks urged him to speak more, "I'll take them there"

"Ok, but they have to be safe"

"They will be" thunder clapped from a distance so they had to vacate the area.