New chapter! WOO!

Oh, and random statement, I went to see the new movie Avatar today,which was really nice, and I realized how the blue natives, or Navi, looked and behaved so cat-like. So I guess I'll say when my Bastet people change from their human forms to werecat form, they kinda look like the Navi. Except not blue. Just saying XD

ENJOY!

Chapter 13: Happiness

The formal ball had been a singular night of splendor and extravagance, a typical setting for the Descendants of Bastet to share their power beyond their own kind. A beautiful event, marked with dancing, eating, and a whole lot of chitchat.

A social veillye-with extra room for deception.

That night especially, had been one of the most horrific experiences of Iselda's life. The fear she held of her mother, especially after what she had done to her sister-her only friend-had been penetrated to its heights. As her second born so many centuries ago, it was only she who understood this kind of distress. Even her husband, whom she adored beyond anything in the world, had failed to understand it.

And now while she stood by the kitchen sink at home, in the beginning cracks of dawn to do some early cleaning, she replayed the events of the previous night in her head. Thinking. Plotting. Choosing.

She had to make a choice, one way or another, she had to do something before things got out of hand. There was a time when she had promised to be strong, to do what was supposed to be right. The benefit of another before her own need. Even she knew, as a descendant of Bastet, that it had always been like that.

But this was different. This was not for the welfare of her family. The family, although cruel as it was, still was the reason for her existence. So how far could she go to destroy that unity? For her nephew, Caleb? For her lost niece?

Would Catherine really have wanted that? The downfall of her own race?

But that radical thought was still too soon, for she still needed to know the vampire's intention from the night before. This secret plot that he and Caleb shared, that she herself could not access. What were they hiding for themselves? Did Caleb even tell her the entire truth of what occurred two and a half years ago?

There was so much that needed to be explained. So much, that in the beginning, it did not occur to her that a crucial piece of their plan still carried a hole. And after what she witnessed last night, she had to make sense of the existing circumstances.

Her husband had stayed after the party to let Ichijo become further acquainted with the operations behind their powerful civilization. They both had much in common, even in their somewhat bright characteristics, and considering the important posts they shared in politics, it was easy for Ichijo to become rather fascinated. That took the entire night, and both him and Richard had not returned home ever since. She had expected this, and so Richard felt considerate enough to let her know, but not before reminding her what he knew was the most of his worries.

"If anything happens, I want you to think before you act." He had said. "And if you need me, for whatever reason, I will come straight for you."

Iselda smiled at the thought. Just like Richard to be her knight in shining armor. This time, however, he didn't have to worry. She did not need him. This time, she was sure she could handle it on her own.

Meow

Iselda broke from her thoughts as Iris trotted down the kitchen counter and nudged against her hand for affection.

"What woke you up so early?" Iselda smiled as she caressed behind its ears. The black cat placed its paws on her shoulder before giving a quick lick behind the ear.

"Oh…" she understood his gesture. "Why can't he just tell me that on his own?"

"Would you have listened if I did?"

Iselda did not have to look to notice the presence of her nephew in the room, his well-toned features reflecting in the clear steel texture of the faucet and sink.

"Perhaps not, but it saves the time of sending your little conduit here for forgiveness." And she let Iris off the counter to scurry back to its master's feet.

"Listen…you know my point being here-"

"Are the others still asleep?" Iselda quickly interrupted.

Caleb didn't answer. If it was like for his aunt to disrupt before he finished speaking, it clearly meant that she was upset with him. Just like he expected she would.

"Good," she concluded. "Then I suggest that you go back to bed also."

"Iselda," Caleb raised his voice at her intentional ignorance. "Don't do this with me."

"Alright then," she finally turned to face him with an unaffected expression. "Whatever you need to say, say it right here."

"I want you to stop," Caleb approached his aunt, letting his height overshadow her small form. "You have to stop having your doubts right now."

"You lied to me," Iselda let her frown empower his physical advantage. "You never told me about the necklace."

"I never told you because I didn't expect him to make her wear it last night," Caleb answered plainly. "You know I had nothing to do with it. It was his own motive that time."

"And yet, you never considered the risk he could have put us in after-"

"For Bast's sake, when will you ever understand?" he thrust his hands out in defeat, stopping Iselda immediately from carrying on. "Don't you see what convenience he placed us in from that? If Kaname Kuran had never brought that necklace out into the light, Katra would have never believed him. She would have continued to nag us for the truth, and what could have happened then?" he stated rhetorically. "One of us could have slipped, and we would have been exposed in front of our own clan. Is that what you have rather wanted?"

Iselda remained silent and waited for the right words to take form in her lips. Richard and Caleb were always good with making their point, but if she had to make her side of the conflict convincing, then she had to be patient. She had to calmly delve on the important matter at hand without digressing to other problematic affairs.

"Then Eden…" she continued. "knew nothing of the matter."

"Not in the least. I gave the necklace to Kuran few years ago, and he brought it back to give it to her." He continued. "Because you know fairly well that Almira deserves it through his own hands rather than mine."

"Oh, of course," Iselda smiled bitterly towards the ground. "Because that pureblood vampire is supposedly madly in love with her, and now he wants to have her back."

Caleb tried to follow her gaze, but he realized that she was not looking at anything specifically. In fact, she was in deep thought, like an intellectual mastermind who had just received some important information.

"Tell me about him…" Iselda finally whispered without leaving her eyes from the ground. "This Kaname Kuran. Why a pureblood like him, a powerful member of his kind, one of the few that dwells in his world, wants her more than anything?"

Caleb flinched at the thought. He had expected this topic to resurface, even if she did know the answer, or at least, tried to hide it. But knowing was not the same as understanding, and Iselda had to find the justice behind this unforgivable longing.

"Why does he want to rebel against a civilization, no, two civilizations, just for a girl he barely knew for more than a month?"

The obvious question that had no definite answer.

"I…" Caleb whispered. "don't know…"

"Doesn't it strike you as odd that he will go against nothing and everything to have her?"

"I don't know."

"Why is he not happy with only his own kind?"

"I said I don't know!"

"Did you ever ask him?"

"Even if I did, it wouldn't matter," he continued. "Love has no boundaries, and for us immortals, the thought of living without the one we most desire becomes a constant tantrum. It is enough to kill. Her eyes were only for Kaname that day when she died. I know it was only him she loved, and I would do anything to make her happy."

"I see…you would surrender your own happiness for someone else's," Iselda closed her eyes. "You would surrender the happiness of your own loved ones just to allow a forbidden relationship."

"Iselda, please," Caleb took her shoulders gently to make her face him. It was hard watching her reiterate the truth that he himself could not entirely accept. "Too much has happened already, and there are still so many problems that can occur in the future," he paused to think about the possibilities. "This is something I must do. I need you on my side…I need you to be the strong-willed woman that you are. Please, just please don't make it difficult for me than it already is."

Iselda shook her head before she broke off from his hold and walked back towards the slide door that opened to the patio. The cool colors of early twilight formed such a serene atmosphere outside, and the accumulating light breeze let the wind chimes clatter in a nostalgic tune.

"I want to know this, Caleb," she spoke softly "I want you to tell me if what I say is the truth."

"Iselda, I told you-"

"Don't address me by my first name!" she glared at him fiercely, with her golden eyes flashing the cat-like pupils that she had denied exposing for a long time. "I am much older than you and I demand respect, Cyrus McDellan!" her tone had silenced him for the first time. Authority was suddenly in her own hands.

"Yes, tantchen," he said rather submissively.

"Caleb...I want to know. Did she really access the second forbidden charter on her own? In hopes of avoiding eternal damnation and escaping her inner beast?"

"Yes, because she never wanted to hurt our civilization. It was too horrible for her to comprehend."

"And yet...she succeeded." Iselda thought for awhile. "A mere half-blood worthy of swaying the minds of the vampire council to read the ancient scriptures. Something that no half-blood has ever achieved in the past."

"She was different," Caleb looked at the ground. "There was always something strange and mysterious about her. That courage. That determination."

Iselda paused before changing course. "And of all the vessels that she could have been reborn in, it had to be that of my baby…my Eden."

Caleb moved forward from her last statement. "No, it's not like that. Almira could never have purposely chosen Eden. She never had the power to pick a body, it was all a mere coincidence."

"Was it? When the exact moment I became pregnant, Almira passed away from her previous life. For my daughter to be in such an unfortunate state even before she saw the world for the first time…that was no coincidence."

"Unfortunate?" Caleb searched her eyes. "You think it is unfortunate for you to get a second chance in repaying the death of your sister? This one opportunity to give your niece a normal life after suffering for years with a treacherous beast within her?" he continued with desperation. "I thought you could have been like a mother figure to her. I came to live with you and Richard because I respected you. I believed in you! I knew that this was the only place where she would be safe and happy! You promised me you would take care of her. And now you don't even care!"

"What about you, Caleb?" Iselda's voice echoed through the quiet room as tears began streaming down her face before she had time to stop them. "Do you even care about the sister you already have now? My little girl whom you cherished so much these last two years as she grew into a young woman?" she opened the slide door behind her. "Do you know you were the first person Eden saw when she was born? That little smile that warmed your heart right there and then? She loves you so much, trying so hard to please you! But you have given up on her, because now Almira is all you care about!"

"Iselda!" Caleb yelled as she dashed out the door towards the backyard. In a quick flash, he sped forward into the dazzling morning light, picking up speed, and catching her wrist before she reached the lake shore.

"Iselda, what's wrong with you?"

"Let go of me!" she fought against his grip as he held on with great force. "You are no nephew of mine! You were never the kind young boy I thought you once were!"

Caleb looked into her wide bloodshot eyes, tears already dry and sticky against her radiant skin. Her cerulean pupils moved widely across his face, bearing the same sense of abhorrence with that he was so familiar.

"You betrayed me! You took away everything that I had!"

Almira had never found him so revolting that day, when he had tried to save her from Robin's trap, to tell her the absolute truth against his assigned duty. And yet, here his aunt stood, accusing him again as the treacherous fiend that he once was. A nightmare that he only wanted to forget.

And so, without another word, he pulled Iselda to an embrace, holding her close to ensure her that she was wrong. That he was still the same considerate child that she once knew. That same child who used to play with her and Catherine in the royal house, back when there were no forbidden acts; no punishments; no nightmares, and he, as a little boy of five, made his vow of being the prince in their imaginary kingdom.

"Why, Caleb? Why don't you love her anymore?" Iselda cried against his chest, letting her voice crack through each word. "Why can't you see that my baby will die if Almira takes control of her? Why don't you feel at all sympathetic for my Eden? Your sister?"

He thought he was doing the right thing. An act of justice that was his only means of atoning for past sins; leaving his deceitful life as a hunter. A killer. He had shed so much blood, taken and eaten so many mortal lives to defeat any threat, and yet everything had been done against his own will. A choice that he could not deny as a son of McDellan. But, he had resisted in the end. Ultimately, he had abandoned that post to live here in Switzerland, away from the royal house. Away from the escalating madness. He was committing an act of vengeance, not just for himself, but for his loved ones. So why was he being blamed for it? Why was he still being compared to a heartless murderer?

Why…did his past still continue to haunt him?

"You don't have to do this…" Iselda whimpered softly now. "We can still return to the way it once was. You and all of us, living together here in Zurich peacefully…happily, just like before. There will be no one here to hurt you. I will take care of you, like a son…like what Catherine would have wanted. So please understand…" she tilted her head up to look at him. A woman's act of desperation. "Please don't do this to her. Please don't do this to yourself!

Caleb took her face in his palms and wiped the excess moisture from her cheeks. He couldn't bear to watch her pity him anymore, especially when he knew he did not deserve her kindness. This was his repentance, no matter how heartbreaking. He could hurt himself for eternity, hurt his loved ones even if it was not in his favor. But the happiness that Catherine would have wanted for him, it was meaningless against the happiness he would have wanted for her.

"I'm sorry…" he said after leaving a tender kiss on the top of her head. "But that is not something for me to decide."

And with that, he let her go, turning around to head back to the house. The minutes had passed in an extremely fast rate, for the sun was already less than halfway above the sky, and the usual breakfast time had passed an hour ago. Her morning routine was shattered entirely, and as a result, the occupants within the house still snoozed in deep slumber, unaware of the moments that just occurred.

Iselda watched him go, her arms wrapped around her body to prevent her dress from sweeping against her skin in the breeze. There was nothing more she could ask him, nothing more she could question. Caleb had stood resolute; he simply did not understand. But this time, she could not blame him, for even through her raving despair, she felt his breaking heart. He was desperately resisting her torture, feeling the pain that she felt herself. Inside, she knew he was fighting so many emotions, and only with a heart so pure did he find it difficult to adhere to her needs. This time, Caleb was fighting for her sister and no one else. Whatever promise they had made in his youth, she did not know. But it was more than his fight alone. There was still the vampire.

Kaname Kuran.

She needed to talk to him. Whatever intentions he had, whatever secrets he carried, she had to know them.

Had to know…before Eden was gone for good.

"Oniisama, is something wrong?"

Yuki sat up in bed, watching her brother fiddle restlessly with the curtains of the window. He had receded to a chair near the wall, and in the darkness, the pale textures of his face were vaguely visible from the small light coming from outside.

"No, it's just so difficult sleeping," Kaname smiled as he went back to sit near the edge of the bed. His eyes just casually swept over the other side of the room, where the second bed lied untouched of an occupant. Naturally, Zero had receded to sleeping in Eden's bed while she used Ichijo's empty one in the guest room. Right now, as the clock struck ten in the morning, the entire house was still free of any stirring. In fact, it seemed too quiet. Too odd. And he had gotten up to investigate.

The door had been locked shut, muffled with some sort of spell to prevent any sound to seep in from the outside. Caleb's doing. So something had happened, and he didn't want the others to listen or find out. Kaname's option was to try the window, and sure enough, he saw Caleb and Iselda outside, less distinct under the glaring sun, yet clearly in a heated argument. He knew it had to do with the previous night; the social ball had marked the beginning of change. The beginning of a rebellion.

If anything, he would be held responsible for the uproar. But the aftermath would not be loud. Iselda could not expose him of his doing, neither to her family or Yuki. They were all set in a critical position like pieces on a chessboard, waiting to be claimed by the opposite force. Any risky moves would break their plan, and right now, no one would breathe a word against the other.

The news about Almira's awakening, especially, had not spread. He had told no one, and last night, when she had spoken to him for the first time, it had only been for a short moment. After that, she was gone, and Eden returned with no memory of the last few seconds. Just what he expected.

But Kaname knew that that had not been the end of it. He had the necklace returned to Katra, despite Eden's slight despair. And afterwards, on their return home, Iselda had avoided him at all cost. Yuki, of course, had to make sure he was never harmed, and Kaname, like the affectionate person he was, kept her worries at bay. The conversation ended as early as it came, and Iselda made sure they spoke nothing of the night while her daughter was there.

But sleep had been inevitable. Even though they had managed to return home just before sunrise, the hours had passed with no tranquility.

How long would these secrets continue? How far would he go for this one chance of reclamation? How long…before he had to tell Yuki the truth? Let her know, that he had a mistress, and that it was her choice whether she wanted to stay or search for her happiness elsewhere.

Share it with the one her heart still begged for.

"I'm sorry for letting you worry for me," Kaname stroked her small face, as smooth as porcelain. "You understand what I had to do."

"For Eden…for Almira," Yuki nodded slowly. "I just wished you would have told me."

"Telling you, or anyone, would have destroyed my purpose," he said. "But the time will come when you will understand on your own."

"I don't seem to know anything now, do I?" she chuckled meekly. "I know I'm not as smart or powerful as you…but if you need my help, I will gladly offer to do what I can."

"You are too adorable when you're determined, Yuki," Kaname breathed near her skin with a smile. "But this is not a place for you to intervene. I care too much for your safety, and without you knowing anything of his foreign world, you can easily get hurt."

"But Almira was my friend too," Yuki made him face her. "I was there for her in the past, and I can do it again."

"In the past, you were nearly killed," Kaname continued. "If it weren't for Kiryu, you would not be here with me." He leaned his forehead against hers. "If you died that day…before your memories were awakened, I could have never forgiven myself. Losing you…would mean the end of my existence. So please don't do anything rash."

Yuki searched his eyes, and like always, she saw the truth behind his words. But somehow, it was not enough to convince her from holding back. In fact, it only stirred a sense of discomfort that had lied dormant for quit some time. A small feeling of concern, if not emptiness.

"You are doing this alone…" she whispered. "But why?"

Kaname looked at her, a calm smile curved against his lips. "So the consequences will not fall on anyone's shoulders but my own."

"But Caleb…he wants us to help him. All of us. That's why we were invited," she prodded on. "And you…even as a pureblood vampire, you can't continue to deceive these powerful beings on your own lest they find out." She reached out and took his face. "Even if it's not me alone, you can't keep us all in the dark. I want to know that you are doing the right thing. That you don't end up caught in their trap."

"Yuki…" Kaname whispered her name, letting it trail smoothly in the back of his tongue. "Do you love me so much that you would go against my wishes?"

"No it's not that…" she looked down. "You are too precious to me…and I would never do anything to hurt you, oniisama…"

"Even if I hurt you?"

Yuki's crimson eyes met his once again, two bright jewels visible in the dark. "Even still…I will never go against you. No matter what you do to me."

Kaname grabbed her head and pulled her to his chest, just how he had always done to show his affection. Such a naïve child she was; the little snowflake that he deeply adored even when he loved another. And knowing that she still had the will to support him after what he had done-after what he was going to do-it made him feel like a wretched villain. Like a shallow monster.

"Don't say things you don't mean…" Kaname said softly into her ear. "You should have learned to hate me years ago. And you should still hate me now."

"I don't hate you, Kaname-sama."

"You will…" he continued. "I trust that you will surely loathe me to your heart's content. And when you do, asking for your forgiveness will be completely meaningless."

"Kaname, don't-"

"If that were to happen…" he smiled at her. "I will let you go. You will be free to do anything you want. Leave me. Hurt me. Even…kill me."

"How can you say such things?" Yuki raised her voice in disbelief. "I told you once before that I will protect my oniisama for all eternity; that I will make sure that he is happy with what he has! And even if you gave Artemis for me to keep, I cannot, and will not, use it against you."

Kaname flinched inwardly. If only she knew the type of monster that he was. The ancestor of her kind and not her true brother. If she knew what had happened to her real brother in the past; if she knew about his own past during the origins of vampires, when Artemis and the Bloody Rose used to be his; if only she engulfed everything all at once, it would have certainly destroyed her. Kaname was not ready to do that to her just yet. At this moment, it was more important that she found out about Almira; more important for him to leave his past behind and seek her out, if anything, to offer some answers to an inner disturbance that had been torturing him ever since they had gone into hiding.

Something, he thought, was left forgotten. No, something was erased from his past that he realized he desperately needed to search for. The images that swarmed in his dreams; they told something about forgotten times. He knew it, because this sense of nostalgia had only begun when the werecats had infiltrated their school, when Almira had touched his soul for the first time. They were not premonitions, but something like dejavu. Caleb mentioned once that the Bastets had connected with vampires a long time back, leaving some of their forbidden laws in their care. Was it possible that as an ancestor, without any knowledge during the war, that something had happened to block his memories of their existence? Were they that skilled to evade the knowledge of other vampires that still existed? If so, why did he keep hearing Almira's voice in his subconscious? Speaking, discussing, talking about immortality, making him think and question? Making him desire her every day? There was more than love that he was fighting for; he wanted answers.

And if anything, he had to face the consequences to attain them. He was prepared for this moment, even though this was just the beginning. "Then tell me, Yuki," Kaname spoke as he put his chin on her head, making sure to avoid her eyes at all cost. "Since you know what it is like to be torn between two loved ones, would it not affect you at all if someone else you know suffers the same horrible fate? Someone you claim to love?"

"Yes, but…" Yuki stopped instantly. Something in her head suddenly grasped the meaning behind his message. It pricked her like a thorn. And as quickly as it came, she forced it away without a further thought. It was not something she could accept so boldly. It was too fast; too unexpected. Even if it were the truth.

"Oniisama, I-"

"You are right, Yuki…I am quite awful," Kaname said. "But you are the one being awful for not yelling at me like you should; cursing me for all that I've said. All that I've done…to extinguish your happiness."

Yuki found herself tearing up, even when she told herself she wouldn't. It was just not easy, even for a pureblood like her, to hear such things so suddenly at such a time. It was just not fair…not fair to have Kaname choose her emotions for her.

"It is your choice, Yuki. If you want to know my reasons, as sick as they are, I will gladly tell you. If you rather leave me now…and be with that Kiryu…" he hissed his name. "I will give you time to decide. But please…please don't say that you still love me."

Yuki slowly clasped her fingers around his arms, burying her head within the soft fabrics of his shirt before looking into his face. That beautiful face of a Kuran. Her brother. Her eternal captive. She found herself tearing up, and she couldn't stop them no matter how hard she tried.

"I…love you…" and with that, she reached forward and dug her fangs into his neck, making him fall back against the mattress as she took in the bountiful crimson wine.

"Thank you…" Kaname whispered as he held her close for probably the last time. "Yuki…"

"What are you saying?" Iselda said as she held the phone receiver close to her ear, listening intently from the second floor landing while watching her daughters and guests eat a late hour meal in the dining area below. "Richard…you can't be serious."

"What does he want?" Caleb asked after she hung up with a look of slight disbelief.

The day had sped surprisingly fast, not because of their late start on the day's schedule, but because almost everyone in the house was caught up in his or her own problems; Constantly worrying about what was to come, and how, if possible, could be prevented or achieved without further obstacles. In fact, hardly a cheerful word was exchanged throughout the hours that passed. Pair of eyes continued to avoid the other. Even Eden, who had the ability to sweeten a dull atmosphere, did not flash a smile or exchange her cunning jokes. Although at times she felt the need to converse, she did not reflect her usual self at all. It felt different, almost cruel, watching her act normal, if not somewhat jaded.

"Richard...he…he thinks its time," Iselda continued. "He thinks it's a good time, now that Katra and those of the royal house have returned back to Germany, that we take her, I mean them…to that place." She closed her eyes. "To her old home." And almost instantly, she covered her face, preventing Caleb to see the new tears that slowly started rushing out.

"You have the right to cry," Caleb said as he wrapped his arms affectionately around her once again. "What I am doing is cruel to you…and cruel to your family. As McDellans, you know that we are used to this pain." He continued. "But you also know…that happiness cannot come to us willingly, no matter how much we wish to keep it for ourselves. It takes a great deal of sacrifice to let it go, and even greater sacrifice to take it away from someone we love."

"I understand…" Iselda breathed softly.

"I should also let you know one more thing," Caleb whispered into her ear. "You were right. I was not paying much attention to Eden, and I did it to not grow wholly attached to her. But I was wrong. Now I wish…I only wish when the time comes, I can be there by her side to say goodbye."

Iselda brought her hands around his back, holding him close so he, himself, would not disappear. Such a kind, sweet boy. So sweet, that it hurt to watch him be cruel and considerate at the same time.

"Why are we being so touchy feely?"

Eden's voice made them both jump, and just the sight of their surprised reactions made her chuckle softly. But only a little.

"Eden, dear," Iselda wiped her tears and walked towards her small form, noticing an array of differences that she had not noticed before. Eden looked surprisingly weak; her skin sunken to the bones while her limbs dangled on her sides like paper. Her eyes were almost bloodshot, and it gave her the impression of being a victim of a horrible sickness. But she referred it only to the effects of a lack of sleep, even when in truth, her body was slowly degenerating; a soul fighting another for conquest.

And it only meant one thing: Almira was close to an awakening.

"Eden, it's been so quiet around the house lately, and you have been looking so dreadful." Iselda continued with a pause. " I thought that we can all go on a little trip to the city village today. The one that I promised I would take you to one day, remember?"

Eden looked from one face to another, wondering if they were really content on taking her to the small town that was situated in the green-topped valleys of Zurich away from the city itself; the one place where she was not allowed to go according to Katra.

"Your father and Master Ichijo are already going to be there waiting for us. It's a bit late for an afternoon visit, but I think our guests would love to see an old-fashioned country town, don't you agree?"

Eden sighed as she took a glance at the others sitting around the dining table, quite oblivious to their conversation. How dull they looked, and she blamed it on her mother's lack of an adventurous spirit. But there was something that excited her about this visit, especially since she had not gone to the higher parts of Zurich; the valleys located near the base of the great Alps where the meadows extended for miles on end, and the local village reserved its centuries-old architecture and customs. The place, she had heard, was another good tourist site, especially for young couples that wanted to spend a romantic vacation in a peaceful land away from present modernization. She never knew such a quiet place existed without her knowing, or why her parents forbid her to walk down the seemingly empty streets. But just for once, it was worth going. She had been asking about its significance for years.

"Sounds fair. Alright. At least it will wake us all up." Eden hopped on the edge of the second floor railing to make her catlike landing below.

"That's not a good idea, Eden. Just use the stairs."

"I'm perfectly fine, mum. There's nothing wrong with-" But almost instantly, a sharp sting shot through her forehead, and she doubled over once again, this time, bearing her fangs to hiss at the pain. Even then, she didn't notice her balance become distorted, and she fell down.

It only took less than second before anyone could react. In midair, Eden pulled herself towards the chandelier, grabbing it and swinging forward to land safely on the wooden floor by the exit. The others found themselves rising up in surprise and relief, and even those who carried the quick reflexes to catch her did not see her end up somewhere completely different than where she should have landed.

"Like I said," Eden gave a weak smile as she stood up. "Fit as a fiddler's cat."

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