Amna’s song kept us company until the towering gates appeared a distance away. We had finally arrived.
I would have preferred to teleport, but I couldn’t trust this weird but bubbly girl who seed to be stalking and unceremoniously made her husband.
I had tried to argue with her but she seed to stick to her tradition saying that when a woman tells a man her real na it ans she’s interested.
In the barbarians’ customs. A woman is given two first nas. One is the normal na they’re called while the other is to be revealed only to her future spouse.
I had never read about that. It seems it had been kept out of the records.
We arrived at the town’s towering gates the lights shining down on us.
"Stop, state your nas."
The guards at the top shouted down at us the mont they noticed us. I was about to step forward from the shadows and identify myself but Amna held back.
She stepped forward as she made herself more visible to the guards. By now she had covered half of her face with a small black sheer handkerchief and had truly turned into a female barbarian.
They have a tendency to cover their faces. Barbarians were truly a patriarchy and n even decided the type of clothing they should wear.
"We are not enemies, please, open the gates?"
She shouted in her language. The guards went quiet as they studied her. Their gaze moved to my concealed self.
"What about that one behind you?"
They asked, their voice getting carried in the picking wind.
"He is my beloved we are set to be wed under the moon during the Sand shift."
She said like a love-struck girl. She had a small blush on her face and her voice had that wishfulness that Kianah always carried.
"Co in."
The doors were pulled open and we walked in. The guards looked at clearly while so carried the usual envy in their eyes.
I wouldn’t fault them. Amna was a very beautiful curvaceous woman and the dress she was wearing, though loose still stuck to her best features.
She was the walking definition of a temptress.
The gate was closed behind us and I turned my attention towards the small city in front of us.
From where I was standing, I could see the end of the city down the road.
"Welco to Ruin City, you were planning on coming here right?"
She turned to and pointed towards the city. Since it was dark with only a few lights distributed around, it didn’t really look that appealing.
"Thank you, it’s unique. "
I said while looking at the square-shaped brown two-story buildings scattered around the town. They were definitely unique since the roofs were flat and the top seed to be used as sitting areas.
"We’re here!"
She shouted and pointed at a small inn that seed to have sucked all the town’s light. It was much brighter than the day outside.
At that mont before I could react, the door was suddenly pushed open and a heavily breathing Luna appeared.
She bolted towards the mont she saw . Without missing a beat, I scooped her up and pulled her closer..
Her jasmine scent invaded my body causing to pause for a little while. I had really missed her.
"Master?"
"I’m here."
I comforted her until she detangled herself from and stepped back. Despite not crying, I could see the sadness and hidden panic drain out of her body.
’She must have been really scared, look how much weight she’s lost’
Luna stepped behind and Seraph who appeared right after jump into my arms.
"Lucian! You’re back, I was so scared for you."
She mumbled against my shoulders as her tears wetted my drenched my shirt. I patted her back softly and kissed her on the ear.
"It’s okay I’m here to see."
I whispered softly as I comforted her.
Seraph didn’t let go but my surprised gaze had gone to the woman standing a few steps from us.
Mother.
’How was she even here?"
Mother smiled at and I smiled back. I turned my attention to the sensitive Seraph. She had finished crying but was still lying on my chest.
"Let’s go inside okay?"
I whispered to her. She reluctantly let go and stepped back but still had a hold of my hand.
The other three girls were looking at and Jeneviv was crying.
I walked towards them and pulled the crying Jeneviv into my arms.
"I’m back okay."
She cried even louder at my voice. I patted her back softly. She stepped back and Kianah didn’t wait for my approach.
"Don’t scare us like that again. "
She said and wrapped her hands around my neck. She boldly took my lips and I reciprocated. A short comforting kiss then she stepped back.
Nixie didn’t step forward. She remained rooted where she was but she didn’t avoid my eyes.
I smiled at her.
"Miss ."
She nodded but still never stepped forward. I reached for her and pulled her into a small hug though she remained unresponsive.
I knew she was angry.
"I’m tired."
I said to no one. All of them ca to their senses and we all walked into the inn. The other girls each branched towards their own room and I was pulled with Seraph towards her room.
I turned to look at mother and she waved off. I hadn’t gotten a chance to even greet her and she was too prideful to show her emotions.
Her coming here was enough proof.
"I missed you so much.."
Seraph whined the mont we entered her room. She pulled to her bed and pushed onto it. I fell back willingly.
She ca and lay down beside . I pulled her closer to and slowly ran my hand through her hair.
We both fell into a comfortable silence as we enjoyed each other’s presence.
I don’t know how much ti had passed in this hypnotic embrace but by the ti I noticed it, Seraph was fully asleep beside .
She looked so small curled up beside .
I had expected questions or anything but it seems she was too exhausted.
Looking at her i felt this strange urge to taste her blood but I restrained myself. This hunger was getting weirder and weirder.
I arranged her on her bed and placed a calming spell on her before leaving her to rest. I didn’t want her to suddenly wake up and find that I was missing.
I planned to co back after talking to mother.
Mother’s room was next to Seraph’s. Before I could even knock on the door, it was pulled open.
I walked in to see her seated on her bed looking as beautiful and regal as always.
"How have you been mother?"
I asked her the mont I closed the door behind . Mother didn’t answer, she patted the place beside her on the bed.
"Where were you?"
She asked, tapping her finger on her bare thigh.
"I found myself in the ruin, inside a completely different world. The others must have already told you yes?"
"I want you to tell personally. "
I nodded and narrated what had happened to until the ti Seraph and the others left.
Mother nodded along as I spoke, she didn’t ask any questions throughout.
"What was inside the egg?"
She asked after a small pause. I looked at mothers face as I tried to study her expression.
From the looks of it, she didn’t look curious more like trying to confirm sothing.
"A phoenix. "
I said honestly. I saw no reason to lie when I would soday use her for battle.
Mother sat up straighter at my words. I could see the excitent in her face despite her trying to maintain a calm expression.
She knew the value of a phoenix.
"How old is she? I’ve heard the older the phoenix the more powerful and talented she is."
Mother asked curiously.
"I’m not really sure but she seems old. The ruins have been present for almost five hundred years. Athena won’t give a definite answer."
I had tried to ask her once when bored and all I had gotten was ’don’t ask a woman her age’ words.
"It’s fair enough, if she can operate her own world then you have found a gem lucian. I heard from your grandmother that the phoenix clan went extinct but it seems they were wrong."
Her last words got my intrigue.
"Why would they go extinct?"
Mother shrugged.
"No one really knows. They used to live in the demonic continent but they suddenly disappeared. That was what I had been told, it’s better if you learn it yourself. "
That got thinking. When I had found Athena there had been no sign of another person in the house, but it wouldn’t make sense for the egg to build a house.
She had ntioned her father and the only thing that ca to mind was that the phoenix race had hidden itself.
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