The Last Dainv

Chapter 273

The door clicked shut behind William, and the reception room went quiet. Rachel let out an audible sigh that an Awakened could hear from behind the thick doors.

The only people that could call Gale a feral were the ones who survived the Tomb with her. Hearing it from someone else, even the ones in Sterling, almost made her give in to the temptation of pulverizing whoever said it.

"You thinking about the way he called Gale a feral?" Isla asked.

Rachel nodded, scooted over to her side, and leaned her head onto her shoulders. "That was something."

"Oh hoddily doodily do, my fair lady. Don't mind me with my accent that makes me sound polite, but your friends are a total failure," Isla said with a horrible British accent.

"Pfft," Rachel laughed. "Stop. I'm supposed to be moping."

"Well, that's not happening. He is worse than I remembered though. Like, what the hell was all that? Calling me a mundane like a racist!"

"Classicism."

"Close enough," Isla said. "What do you think though?"

"About?"

"What I need is what she needs," Isla said. "That hit close to home to you?"

Rachel didn't respond. What else was there to say? Isla already knew everything she was thinking anyways. The shopping for Gale next Friday was also her decision to buy him clothes for his own good; a decision made by her for him. It wasn't his choice.

"Hey, hey," Isla poked her thigh. "You there?"

Rachel nodded.

"You wanna tell me what you're thinking?"

"It's just the shopping next Friday. I just told Gale that we'd go there without asking him for a decision. The twins too... I wanna text them to see if they're eating properly. Lily can take care of herself, so I don't worry much about her. I'm also worried about Ollie."

"But hey, that's not a bad thing, right?" Isla moved away from her, and both of them looked eye to eye. "You feel happy when you provide for them, right? And did they ever reject you?"

Rachel shook her head.

"Then next time you want to do something for them, how about asking them first? Not just because you want to provide for them, but also because maybe it'd become a discussion with them to see whether they want a bit more or a bit less, and I'm sure you'd be happy to accept, right?"

"Maybe not if they ask for a bit less..." Rachel clenched her fist. "I just want to do more. I don't know what it is. Maybe I'm needy in wanting to give more?"

"Let's see, let's see. Anxious attachment style, stupid young lady Rachel," Isla said, chuckling. "You know you have everything here and you basically give me a lot of things too?"

Rachel slowly nodded.

"You really think I wouldn't care about you even if you didn't provide all of this?"

Rachel slowly shook her head. They've known each other since childhood. When mom and dad were still around, they told her to keep it a secret. But when they left, she had gotten closer and closer to Isla until the secret couldn't be kept. At first, they never hung out at her place, just at school and her home. Now, they were both welcome in each other's homes any time.

"Did the two idiots kick you out during the investigation even though you completely derailed it for the love triangle of the brooding protagonist Lucian and the femme fatale Ariana?!" Isla asked passionately.

"Ariana wasn't really a femme fatale though..." Rachel said.

"It doesn't matter! Just answer the question!"

"I guess they never did. They tolerated me and kept me in the investigation."

"And did Gale get annoyed at you when you scolded him about the awakened dog? What the hell was an awakened dog even doing in china town though..." Isla asked, muttering the last line.

"He didn't. He looked like he was actually having fun."

"Were you having fun even though the twins were being complete idiots and Gale was being Gale?"

"Yeah, I was. So what are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying they'll stick with you regardless if you had whatever backing you have. You being pushy is something they tolerate. Next time, try to not push your face onto them. How about it?"

"Makes sense. I'll try next Friday with Gale."

"Just remember, stop being an idiot and don't be sad if he says he wants less."

"Ok?" Rachel said, not entirely sure if she could handle being asked for less by any of her friends. She wanted to provide as much as possible. But it was true. She was being overbearing. Seeing William's arrogant pompous ass really slapped her in the face. Becoming like him was something she never wanted to be.

"What about the bubble tea?" Rachel asked suddenly.

"Does he like fruits more or sweet coffee?" Isla asked.

"Tea is in the name of bubble tea. I don't think any of the ones I know in downtown have bubble coffee."

"I swear there was one in North York that... I'll search it up before Friday."

"But Gale didn't like coffee until it was sweet. Why not just go for sweet?"

"Is he really that childish?"

"Childish taste. Weren't you the one that said his taste is all broken?"

"I was just saying that. Does that mean he can only taste salty or sweet?"

"Don't most people only taste salty or sweet?"

"Rachel, are you stupid? What about sour? Savoury? Bitter? UMAMI!?!?"

"Those are just different versions of tastes."

"How would you know?!"

"Um... no reason." Rachel looked away. Her outlook on taste had completely changed after the puzzle room at the Tomb.

"Rachel Ann." Isla held her by the shoulders and shook her. "YOU'RE HIDING SOMETHING FROM ME!"

"Ok! Ok! Relax," Rachel said, rubbing her shoulders. "There was a room in the last rift that forced me to only use my sense of taste."

"W.t.f?"

Unlawfully taken from NovelBin, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

"Complicated story."

"Tell me when we go to sleep."

"Fine."

"Do any of the twins have a girlfriend?"

"Why are you asking?"

"Asking for a friend."

"And WHO IS THAT?"

"I don't know! Can't they get me some connections to their division or something? As a mundane. You know if things don't work out with me and your grandma."

"Good point. But we'll get there when we get there. You have one more semester. I'll probably just drop out after."

"Hmmm..." Isla looked at her weirdly. "You only went to University because of me?"

"Yeah," Rachel said, flushing slightly.

"That's sooo sweet!" Isla laughed.

Rachel's face flushed even more.

This was one trait that was only mildly annoying. Isla constantly teased her. Probably the only person she knew that could do that to her. Right now, Isla was winning. She didn't have any dirt on her.

A soft knock on the door interrupted them, and Gerard stepped in without waiting for a response. Bowing to both of them, he said, "Young miss, Ms. Isla. I trust the meeting went... well?"

"It went," Rachel said.

"I see." Gerard moved to clear the tea service, gathering the cups and pots onto the cart quickly. "I do have to remind the young miss; the Elisworths have strengthened their connections with the Miller family."

Rachel grumbled. She did hear about that in the North Star. "What about it?"

"Nothing," Gerard smiled. "Lady Annett Miller sent her regards wishing for your safety and recovery, young miss."

"Oh shoot," Rachel muttered.

"What?" Isla asked.

"I forgot to send her a text when I got back," Rachel said, pulling out her phone. She quickly typed a message. She wouldn't get a response probably tonight, though.

[Rachel: Annett! I'm dutifully doing very well. I just had a tea party with a certain Elisworth idiot!]

"You sure it was ok to send that?" Isla asked, looking over her shoulder.

"It's fine," Rachel said. Annett's messages were even blunter and snarkier than hers most of the time.

Gerard smiled. "I've already sent Lady Annett a message."

"You should've told me that in the first place!"

"The young miss did not ask."

"Not you too!"

"I do wonder what you mean by that."

"The floating bluey is really infecting everyone..." Rachel said.

"I should seek her out whenever I come by," Isla said.

"No!" Rachel said, then turning back to Gerard. "How is Annett anyways?"

"She seemed well in her response. However, I should mention that Ms. Annett departed for a rift yesterday morning. A class 5 rift with the United Knights yesterday afternoon. A whole battalion was sent."

"Woah, really that many?" Isla asked.

"Of course," Gerard said with a smile. "And might I remind Ms. Isla, that doesn't count other personnel, such as logistics."

"Shhh!" Rachel said. "Don't give her any ideas."

"Why nooooot. Not like logistics is that dangerous to be in."

"You'd still have to enter a rift. And that poses a risk."

"And if I enter, I'd have a chance of awakening. I don't see what's wrong with that."

"Its-"

"Remember what we said about the 'it's for the best' talk we had earlier," Isla cut her off.

Right... Rachel just didn't want Isla entering those dangerous areas for her own good. But at the end of the day, it was her choice again to tell Isla to stop. As she sighed audibly, she felt defeated at the thought of having to let go some control. If that's what Isla wanted, then the best thing she could do was support her, even if it was dangerous.

"Fine, but if you really want to get into Aur business, we need to go to Aunt Leah's."

"Huh? Why?" Isla asked.

"Trust me. Let's go now!" Rachel pulled Isla up by the hand and then ran out the door, dragging her.

"Careful, young miss and Ms. Isla. Don't run in the hallways!" Gerard said as he continued to clean up the coffee table.

"Thanks Gerard!" Rachel shouted from the hall as they both ran to a sprint.

*

Level B45. Aunt Leah's workshop.

Rachel had been down here multiple times. Each one was an eventful time as it never got less strange. Sometimes, a temporal explosion that caused falling objects to fall at a slower rate. Other times, just an ordinary explosion that caused a slight bruise. And Isla being in the room was already dangerous.

Aunt Leah, for some reason, had a white lab coat over her usual grease covered jumpsuit. Surprisingly, it had no stains, whereas everything else in the shop was pretty much covered in grease and gem dust.

Currently, Isla sat in a chair at the centre of the room. Aunt Leah held up a magnifying glass directly at her forehead as if that was going to allow her to learn something about the specimen in front of her.

"Um." Isla sat very still in the examination chair, eyes darting to Rachel for help. "Why do you need a magnifying glass? Can't you just, I don't know, look at me normally?"

"Authenticity," Aunt Leah said, not moving the magnifying glass, smirking and chuckling.

"Authenticity?"

"The experience. The aesthetic. The vibes. Don't ask me." Aunt Leah lowered the glass and squinted at Isla with her naked eye instead. "You came here for the examination. How else would you examine a human?"

"By asking questions," Rachel said.

"Pfft, questions. Who needs questions..." Aunt Leah trailed off, then muttered, "machines don't need questions."

Isla and Rachel looked at each other. Both of them sighed at the same time.

"So," Rachel said, leaning against one of the cluttered workbenches, "do you have anything that'll protect her inside a rift? She wants to get into logistics."

"Logistics?" Aunt Leah set down the magnifying glass and circled around Isla, rubbing her chin with a hand. "That depends. Girl, how long can you run?"

Isla perked up, sitting straight up confidently. "Oh, I run the Toronto Marathon every year! Been doing it since high school. Though someone refuses to join me...."

Aunt Leah turned to Rachel with the magnifying glass. "Why not, HUH RACHEL?"

"There's no reason to." Rachel crossed her arms. "I wouldn't even get tired. Besides, I don't want to wear those tight running clothes in a public place."

"That has nothing to do with the marathon!" Aunt Leah slapped her hand on the workbench, making several unidentified objects rattle. "It's about the fire of burning youth! Running to show your tenacity! The spirit of competition!"

"I thought it was to raise money for charity?" Isla said.

"Who cares about the money!" Aunt Leah waved her hand dismissively. "It's about youth mingling! Meeting people! Sweating together in solidarity!"

"That's... completely not what the marathon is about." Isla turned and stared at Rachel blankly. "But seriously, what's so bad about wearing running clothes?"

"It's just not for me." Rachel twirled her hair. "Everyone stares at my hair when I run. It's distracting."

Her hair was technically not the same as being a redhead. Redheads were more orange, while Rachel's was more like a dark red that lit up like a fire when cast by the sun.

"Oh, right. The red thing." Isla nodded slowly. "Why don't you just dye it then? Problem solved."

Rachel considered it, thinking about it more than once, actually. "I could. What about blonde?"

"No blonde." Aunt Leah snorted. "You're already dumb as you are. Blonde would make it worse."

"I'm not that dumb!" Rachel looked to Isla. "Am I?"

Isla smirked and chuckled. "Kind of?"

"Isla!"

"What? You asked! I'm being honest!" Isla laughed. "But I don't think it would work for you anyway. You're not giving blonde energy. What about blue?"

"NO." Rachel shouted. "NOT GODDAMN BLUE."

The door to Aunt Leah's inner workshop swung open.

Erin floated through, her feet doing that fake walking thing again, her blue hair trailing behind her. She stopped a few feet into the room and regarded Rachel with her usual blank expression.

"Blue will not fit the woman of fire," Erin said. "She will disgrace the colour."

Rachel groaned. "Why is the floating bluey here?"

"There are artifacts in this 'workshop' that possess a certain novelty." Erin drifted toward a crystalline device that was most certainly a grenade. "However, the methodology behind their creation is barbaric. A nonsensical reliance on coercion rather than true understanding. It is a philosophy reminiscent of another entity I have encountered... but that is an irrelevant observation."

Whatever that meant, Rachel had no idea. Instead, she turned back to Aunt Leah. Isla's protection was still of utmost priority.

"Speaking of trinkets. Is there a possibility for Isla to get some defensive artifacts? Something she could use if things ever got dangerous?"

Aunt Leah put her magnifying glass back on to examine Isla from afar. But at the distance she was now, the magnifying glass didn't show anything. It was all just for show.

Putting down the magnifying glass, she whispered to Rachel, but audible enough for Erin and Isla. "Possible. But keep this a secret secret from your grandmother. These things will cost me a month's paycheque."

Rachel nodded.

Aunt Leah walked to a cupboard in the corner and opened it, revealing rows of jewellery organized by type. She selected several pieces and brought them back to the examination chair where Isla sat.

Hexagonal earrings with small red gems set in dirty gold. A rhomboid necklace on a delicate chain, also in dirty gold. Silver bangles etched with rhomboid patterns. Platinum rings of varying sizes, all with the same red gems.

"These are new artifacts," Aunt Leah explained, laying them out on the tray beside Isla. "They can be recharged by the Ann Family fire. As long as Rachel tops them off regularly, they'll provide decent protection for at least 1.5 years. Long enough that if you two get lost in a leisure rift, you'd have plenty of time to find her before she starves to death." She paused and then pointed to Erin, who was still examining items by the shelf. "You should thank Erin. She helped with the design."

Rachel stared at the floating blue-haired woman. "Why should I thank floating bluey?"

"Your gratitude is irrelevant," Erin stated, not turning around. "The fabrication of these armaments was for science. However, your gratitude will not be rejected should you express it."

"Go on, Rachel. Thank her," Aunt Leah grinned, holding back a laugh.

But Isla beat her to it.

"Thank you, Auntie Erin!" Isla said brightly, holding up the hexagonal earrings to admire them. "These are really pretty!"

Erin finally turned around. Her expression remained the same: none. "My title is not 'aunt'. I am the Grand Researcher Grand General of Weber Conglomerate. You may thank me with the appropriate title."

Isla's sincere smile turned into an awkward one. "...Thank you, Grand Researcher Grand General..."

"Your gratitude is unnecessary, but it is noted." Erin nodded deadpanly.