The next morning...

There was a knock on Isabella’s door.

"Come in," she called.

The door opened, and both Rayla and Tristan stepped inside, with smiles already on their faces. Rayla’s was the brighter of the two, almost eager, like she’d been looking forward to this.

Isabella looked up from where she sat on comfy couch in her room, visibly caught off guard at the sight of them.

Rayla looked so much like her mother, Queen Fiona, the King’s third wife. She had long golden hair that fell in soft waves past her shoulders, light blue eyes, and a beautiful looking face.

She looked calm and was dressed simple.

Her brother, Tristan, had the same blonde hair and matching eyes. He was taller than Rayla and the older of the two.

"Hey," they both said.

"Hey..." Isabella replied, her gaze moving between them.

Rayla was already moving further into the room. "Where’s Rayleigh?"

"Border patrol," Isabella said. "He’s been stationed with Commander Luther."

Commander Luther was the fourth High ranking officer of the Imperial Guard.

Rayla nodded slowly. "Ever the hardworking one... probably the most hardworking of the boys."

Tristan scoffed. "That’s a stretch. You think he chose border patrol willingly?"

He shook his head. "Still. I’d give him that much. Without men like him out there, demons would’ve had an easy time pushing into the continent."

Isabella said nothing. She knew Rayleigh wasn’t there purely out of duty. He was there because of Ishtar.

Gritnia was at the far end of the western continent, with its borders facing the open ocean, and beyond that, the demon continent itself.

The most direct path between the two continents ran straight through it. Unless demons had already slipped in through other routes, or taken longer, more obscure passages, the border where Rayleigh was stationed remained the most critical point of entry on the entire continent.

It was the most heavily guarded place in the country.

And because of that, it was most likely the reason no further demons, especially those from House Krygon, had managed to push deeper inland in search of Ishtar.

Isabella dismissed the thoughts, then looked back at her siblings. "What are you both doing here?" She asked calmly.

Rayla smiled. "I came to check on you. It’s been a while."

"Oh... yeah it has," Isabella agreed.

Rayla crossed the room and sat beside her. Without much ceremony, she reached out and took Isabella’s hand in hers.

The contact felt strange as Isabella glanced down at their joined hands. They hadn’t been like this in a long time.

However, she said nothing.

Rayla’s voice softened. "Do you remember when we were younger? How close we all used to be. You, me, Tristan... Rayleigh."

Tristan, still standing near the door, seemed amused. "If I’m being honest, it was mostly because she liked how her name sounded next to Rayleigh’s." 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

Rayla turned to him sharply. "Oh Tristan shut uppp."

He smiled.

Isabella looked between them as she gave a slightly awkward laugh.

Rayla shook her head. "Good times," she murmured. "Good times."

Then her voice dipped. "Until Father decided every waking hour needed to be spent training."

Isabella’s expression dimmed visibly.

Those years had not been kind to her. If anything, she had endured the worst of it. She pushed harder and was acknowledged less.

Rayla leaned back slightly, though her hand stayed around Isabella’s.

"We were children," she said. "And it was hellish." She shook her head once. "Then it became a competition. All of us trying to outdo each other just for a scrap of his attention."

Her grip tightened a bit.

"He was cruel," she added. "That whole period... it forced all of us to grow apart."

She exhaled. "And it wasn’t just us. Even the mothers changed. The constant fighting between us children affected them too... and somehow they started turning on each other..

...Everything just... fell apart."

Isabella listened quietly. Her sister wasn’t far from right.

Rayla’s gaze drifted briefly before returning to her.

"And even now," she said, almost sounding bitter. "Father is still controlling us. As if everything and everyone exists solely to serve his purpose."

"Look at Evalyn. She married out of this family and he still reaches into her life whenever it suits him.m."

Isabella finally spoke again in calm voice. "Those were difficult years," she said. "But they were years ago." A brief pause. "And regardless of any of it... what choice did we ever have?"

Rayla tilted her head slightly. Her eyes held Isabella’s for just a second longer. "But what if we did?" she asked. "Bella... what if we did have a choice?"

Isabella frowned. "I don’t understand what you mean."

Rayla held her gaze for a moment. Then, almost too smoothly, her expression softened.

"It’s nothing," she said lightly. "Just thinking out loud."

She glanced briefly at Tristan, and even though he gave no reaction, but something had passed between them.

Then Rayla, who had already returned focus to Isabella continued with a smile. "We really did just come to check on you, It’s been too long."

She paused. "And... I’m sorry. For how things became between us."

Isabella looked at her for a moment. "...sure, we can talk again."

"I’d like that," Rayla replied, then rose to her feet. Tristan then pushed off the doorframe .

"Take care, Bella." She said, and just like that, they were gone.

The door closed behind them and the room went silent. Isabella stayed still for a moment, and in thoughts.

She had this concerned look on his face as she quickly reached for her phone and dialed.

It connected after two rings.

"Hey," she said. "...I think my siblings might be conspiring against my father."

——

Ethan lowered his hand slowly from his ear, as the call with Isabella just ended. He had this concerned look on his face, and seemed to have been turning a few things over in his thoughts.

But almost immediately, the door opened and Percival stepped in, holding a letter between.

"Hey man," he said casually. "This came from DSB."

Hayley, who had been sitting on Ethan’s desk with her legs swinging slightly, glanced up briefly from her phone, then return focus back to it. Her thumbs had been moving across the screen the entire time Ethan was on the call.

As Percival got closer, his gaze landed on her position and his expression flattened. "Young lady, get off the fucking table."

Hayley didn’t look up. Instead, she she raised one hand and gave him the middle finger.

Ethan took the letter from Percival without comment, his brows drawing slightly as he looked at the seal.

DSB.

That alone made it strange. He hadn’t made any requests recently, so there was no expecting correspondence from them in any form.

He broke the seal and opened it, moving his eyes through the contents.

It was an invitation.

The Dimensional Security Bureau was requesting his presence that evening at six o’clock for what was described as a crucial and urgent meeting.

And not just him.

His gaze dropped slightly before returning to the page.

Hayley Arcorys was listed alongside him.

At the bottom of the letter, beneath the DSB emblem:

President — Alva Costigan.

With her signature beneath the title.

Ethan exhaled. "...That’s weird."

Hayley finally looked up. "Man, what is that?"

"We’ve been invited," he said, lowering the letter slightly. "By the DSB."

Percival blinked. "We?"

"Me and her," Ethan said, nodding toward Hayley.

"Interesting" Hayley said, "what for?"b

Ethan gave a small shrug. "No idea... but we’ll find out soon enough"