Chapter 320: Who?

Her mother looked peaceful, although it was clear that she looked thinner and weaker than before.Aira’s eyes glanced at her as she sat down beside her, her mother asleep on the bed, the slow rise and fall of her chest barely noticeable. It was clear that she would still be asleep for a while longer, even as Aira simply stared at her mother, trying not to think of why her mother would escape with her sister and not the entire family.

Clearly she knew that the vampires were coming, she thought, unable to help the bit of resentment she felt at the idea that her mother had been willing to let her, her brother, and her father die.

Her stomach churned at the thought even as she wondered how long ago she had belonged to Lord Dangrey while still pretending to be with her father.

Aira couldn’t help but release a low sigh of frustration from her lips as she rubbed her forehead ever so slowly, trying to process the multiple thoughts running through her mind.

Desperately, she wanted her mother to recover and rest, but at the very same time, she wanted answers.

Stretching her hand forward and using her ability to heal whatever illness or injury she might have, she directed her ability mostly toward her head, her fingers trembling slightly. She hadn’t tried mentally healing someone before, and she wasn’t sure if she could, but the least she could do was try as she did it multiple times before finally withdrawing her hand.

Her gaze softened even as she continued waiting, eventually getting up from the bed and heading to the mirror, where she stared at her reflection.

Aware that Liora looked more like her mother than she did. But instead of thinking of her mother, her thoughts shifted to Zyren.

Her hands reached up to touch the side of her lips where he had kissed her, recalling that it felt nice—something that terrified her.

It would be a lie if she said she felt absolutely nothing for Zyren. That her heart didn’t thunder when he was close, even if she wasn’t sure whether it was her feelings or feelings given to her by the bond.

The fact still remained that it existed. If he kissed her, she desperately wanted to kiss him back. Frowning at the thought as she sat by the dressing mirror, aware that Liora would scream her head off if she ever voiced the thought.

He killed father and brother, she thought, but she herself could feel that the anger was gone from her tone. Yes, she was angry that they were dead and at Zyren for killing them—but she also wanted Zyren alive.

If what he said was even half true, then for some weird reason she couldn’t take note of, she wanted to figure out the possibilities between them.

Staring at her eyes in the mirror, even as she wondered if it was Zyren’s ploy to get her on his side—but she didn’t think so.

Her heart skipped a beat as she raised both hands to touch her chest, a small smile forming on her face as she recalled how he had looked at her.

Only to frown as she felt another wave of nausea run through her, which she quickly quashed with her powers, relieved—but annoyed.

The waves of nausea had started about two months ago, and they had only gotten worse. Knowing she would have been worried if not for her ability, which she could use to heal herself.

The problem was the fact that the waves kept coming back over and over again, even as she let out a long sigh.

Turning to glance at her mother, she was surprised to see her raise her body at that exact time, her eyes already wide open.

"You look like a woman in love!" her mother commented, a sad note in her voice as she fixed her brown eyes on Aira, who dashed off the stool she had been sitting on and ran straight to her side.

A wide smile of relief spread across her face as she spoke to Selira, her mother. "Mother!" she gasped with wide eyes.

"Are you okay? How do you feel? Do you feel fine?" Asking multiple questions without waiting for an answer as she grabbed her mother’s hands, her grip tight.

Relieved to see her mother look right at her, knowing she would see her and not just be ordered to.

But the words were barely out of Aira’s mouth when her mother spoke, saying words that might as well have been a blade straight through her heart.

"Lord Dangrey?" Her voice was hoarse as she spoke. "...is he...is he really dead?" she asked with a look of despair that worried Aira even as she furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Of course! He enslaved you! He deserves worse for what he—"

But Aira didn’t get to finish as Selira, her mother, let out a loud cry of anguish and pain.

Lowering her head even as she balled her fists, Aira was stunned to see tears slide down her face even as low sobs erupted from her mouth.

Aira froze for a bit, staring at her mother almost like she was possessed, even as her hands balled tight for a different reason. Anger leaked into her voice as she spoke.

"Mother! Why are you crying?" she asked, her voice soft—but also sharp—even as her mother continued to sob.

"He...he was my master! He took care of me! I...I loved him!" she cried, and it was all Aira could do not to slap her mother right in the face.

Her fingers dug into her palm as she mentally reminded herself that her mother had been under Lord Dangrey’s influence. It was not entirely her fault.

"Mother! Do you remember father? Eiran, your son?" she asked, urging her voice not to break as she spoke, even as she fixed her gaze on her mother, unmoving.

"Do you remember Liora? You ran with her? Do you know where they are?" she asked, hope infused into her voice, hoping that by remembering them and hearing about Eiran’s death, it would shake her out of whatever reality she was lost in.

Only to watch her mother furrow her brows in confusion and say words that might as well have been a blow.

"Who?" she gasped in annoyance as tears continued to fall from her eyes. "I don’t care about them! All I care about is Lord Dangrey!"