INFURIATED

Present Time,

Kamaz had sent a text to hasten the investigation process on the exact location of the men - Zeda’s life sponsors who were surprisingly evil and as stunning and impressive as it was, they were quite good at keeping themselves hidden - but not for long.

Zeda had promised the children that she would visit them often. She was sad that as little as they are, they had to be undergoing therapy because the scenes of their friends being tortured and being shot in the head were imprinted in their minds.

When it was time to depart, it had been with great reluctance, but regardless, she had.

A few minutes and more sobs after they continued their journey - to Kamaz's unattended businesses - Zeda was sleeping, with her head resting on the window.

They hit a bump on the road and her head hit the glass lightly. Kamaz growled from behind - a warning to Falkur - before he gradually led Zeda’s head to his thighs, where she lay peacefully.

“Pardon me, My Lord, but does anyone not think the lady sleeps too much?” Rena piqued in the quiet car.

Kamaz's eyes shot at her as their eyes met for a millisecond in the rearview mirror before she quickly lowered her eyes.

“I'm sorry, Lord Kamaz, but I'm only concerned about her," She continued.

“There is nothing to be concerned about. You have only been here for a few hours and yet you are making such ‘deep’ observations.

I think it's time for you to have returned to your duties, “ Falkur said to Rena, and she felt like bashing his head on the steering wheel.

“I'm surprised that even though you are his right hand man, you haven't taken note of something it took me a few hours to" Rena pressed and Falkur’s upper lips lifted in a sneer. He was about to respond with a fiery comeback when Kamaz suddenly spoke.

“Explain" He voiced, quieting Falkur.

Rena smiled for a second before she began to spill her words.

“Creatures lesser than us are not supposed to stay too long around us. When they do, their energy weakens and is absorbed by us.

And since she mostly stays close to Lord Kamaz, who champions the food chain, it is a surprise she hasn't passed out by now.”

Falkur's eyes widened in realization while Kamaz's jaw sharpened to edges as he gnashed his teeth at the truth.

Rena was right! Zeda was easily getting weak because she was by his side and his mind could not help but reel back…

****************

Centuries ago,

“There has to be a reason why she said that to Acheron. There just has to be.

Probably there is something she is gaining from this situation…something I don't know about yet.

I just have to find out what it is” Kamaz thought.

It was another morning and instead of the usual soft sound from her Pipa, the one that filled the air was a little ragged with unalarming whooshes from Zelda's two daggers.

She had woken up early to train rather than play.

She took her trained stance and was swooshing skillfully towards the east, but just as she turned west, one of Kamaz's hands suddenly stopped one of her daggers.

She was startled to find him directly behind her, and she jerked in shock, almost doubling on her heels.

Kamaz used his other hand to steady her from falling. Her lips were parted as she breathed heavily - partly from the exercise, partly from the shock of finding Kamaz behind her, and partly because of the look in his eyes.

His eyes were still their usual baby blue ones, which was a good sign, but there were embers of yellow around them.

It seemed he did not just suddenly show up behind her and had been watching her for a while.

‘For how long?’ Zelda thought as her eyes searched his. ‘I hadn't even heard him open his door’

“Morning maid!" Kamaz said after some seconds of a shared strained stare between the both of them.

“Morning, Lord Kamaz," She responded almost more breathlessly than when she had been training.

Usually, he regarded her by her name but now he was referring to her as…’maid!’. It made Zeda raise a mental brow but she still acted formal and normal.

Zelda looked down at where his hand was still holding her sharp dagger and she quickly dropped the other one.

“You’re bleeding," She said in a low voice, but he retracted his hand from it before she could touch him. He also released his hand that had steadied her from around her waist.

Ignoring her, he said, “You might only be able to defeat two minorly strong men with the way you fight. That won't take you anywhere especially when you stay in a place as dangerous as the Palace. Everyone and everything is capable of killing you” Kamaz said, majorly referring to himself.

He began to walk slowly around her.

“Fight me. You win if you can deliver one strike" He said.

"My dagger still has your blood on it Lord Kamaz. I will not cut you a second time.” Zelda replied.

Kamaz smiled, that dangerous lopsided smile devoid of the goodness a smile should possess.

He had picked up her dagger that was on the floor, and he wrapped an arm around her neck lightly, pressing the dagger close.

“Your cut won't have a meaning because I will heal immediately. You have seen it yourself. Now fight me, little bird,” He said.

He was about to unwrap his arm from her neck when Zelda held his arm with her free hand.

“Just because you heal doesn't mean you don't feel the pain" As she finished her words, she jabbed Kamaz on his side.

Her words were just taking root in his heart when she pulled the stunt.

She turned to him and pointed her single dagger at him.

He threw her other dagger and she caught it.

“Make sure you fight with all you have. Your opponent won't give you time to spew foolish words,” Kamaz admonished, even though he could not shake off the feeling that the words had worn over him. It only made him more infuriated.