Love is a difficult, eternally hopeful thing that is arduous to kill.

But Zane showed he killed the love for Milo to everyone.

The woman behind the counter asked him if he had anyone with him, and instead of saying he had his little sister, he said he had a maid with him.

He made Milo his maid.

Milo’s eyes had widened hearing her brother but she didn’t make a scene as Zane told her to be silent.

The woman asked how was Zane able to afford a maid being a gutterborn and with no care in his voice, he went on to say more and more things.

"She lives in Ashen. She wanted to leave the place so she came with me for free. I don’t really care about her anyway. But since I could bring one person with me, I thought why not. She could at least wash my clothes."

Zane spoke louder than usual and he received some glances which only made him relieved.

The people weren’t caring about Milo.

But Milo being five years old from both body and mind, the words of her brother cut deep. Deeper than any blade.

Her eyes welled up but she didn’t let go of Zane’s hand.

Zane glanced at her face and instantly averted his eyes. His heart winced at the sight and if he looked at her more, he might explain the truth to Milo right there and then.

"Alright then. Here’s the key to your room. Go to the third floor. Don’t lose it. You might not get it again."

Zane nodded and took the key.

He looked at Milo again and said:

"Let’s go. Walk fast. I don’t have all day."

His voice had no emotion and at a fast pace, he took the stairs.

The key had his room number written on it but not the floor.

He crossed the stairs and the number of the floor was written on the wall to his right.

First Floor. Mine is three.

Zane wasted no time looking around on the floor as many Halocrats were roaming in the corridor or in front of their allotted rooms.

He also hurried for one other reason as he could hear whimpers coming from beside.

Milo couldn’t hold back her tears as Zane’s harsh words hit her right where it hurts.

Each cry hurt Zane like the whips of Enforcers but he held on.

He would not show love to her as long people were around him.

He reached the second floor and it had more people than the first floor.

He couldn’t even enjoy the exotic view or the floors of the Citadel.

The ground was tiled, they were shining reflecting the faces of those who glanced at them.

But right now whichever tile Zane stepped on, drops of water followed as Milo’s tears didn’t stop.

As he reached the second floor, the whimpers of Milo were heard by the other students and all of them gawked at him.

Zane’s heart was tense and he had to do it again.

"Stop the crying, maid. You are good for nothing. I don’t care about your well being at all."

Zane shouted and Milo’s mouth went wide open.

Only Zane knew how he felt saying those words. Like he swallowed dying stars talking like that with Milo.

But those words made the students avert their eyes from Zane and he climbed to the stairs of the third floor.

Each floor had many rooms and long corridors and as soon as Zane reached his desired floor, he looked for his room.

The first room he encountered was numbered 700 so he and Milo walked faster.

Milo’s eyes had become empty of tears now.

The previous words of Zane trembled her entire soul as her grip on Zane’s finger became weaker and weaker.

Her breath turned haggard, her mind turned hazy, her vision blurred.

Hang on a little more, Milo. I will apologize to you with my life.

The third floor also had people and to show them, he dragged Milo forcefully on the corridor like a brute.

But he used no words. He didn’t have it in his heart anymore.

His eyes only searched for his room and eventually, he found it.

The Room number 786.

He inserted the key inside the knob and slammed open the door.

He pushed Milo inside with an irritated and angry face and then went inside, slamming the door shut.

But the moment he entered inside, her shoulders slumped.

A weight of a thousand lives lifted off his back as before looking at the room, he went to Milo.

She was on the floor and he lifted her up.

She had lost consciousness.

And this time, her illness wasn’t to be blamed.

It was Zane.

He watched her little face with red eyes due to excessive crying.

"I am sorry, Milo."

He could only say that as words failed him.

He wiped his tears and went to look for water.

He found a room inside the room that looked like a bathroom.

He cared not one ounce of the appearance of the huge bathroom and opened the first tap he saw to get water.

But instead of below, the water came from above him.

From a metallic thing with little holes on it.

"Is this faulty?"

Zane didn’t have time to fix that so he found a glass and filled it with water.

He closed the tap so as to not waste water and went to the big bed in the middle of the room again.

He splattered water on Milo’s face, constantly muttering sorry to the child and gradually, her pupils moved behind her eyelids. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

He heaved a sigh of relief.

He held her hand and kissed it.

He placed her hand on both his eyes and then on his forehead.

"I am sorry, Milo. I am sorry. I didn’t mean all that. I had to say that. I am sorry. Forgive me."

Zane erupted in apologies before Milo could even open her eyes but once she opened them, she was met with a crying Zane.

Zane looked at her with his blurred vision through his tears and Milo, she simply smiled.

"There you are. I thought I lost my brother in the slums."

Silence ensued in the room and the next moment...

Both siblings cried their hearts out in each others’ embrace.