Mira exhaled sharply, her breath misting in the icy air as she eyed the two figures warily. Her green eyes flickered between Lucas's calm demeanor and Mina's menacing stance, her instincts screaming caution. Gripping her short dagger between her teeth, she began to climb through the window, her movements slow and deliberate, every muscle tensed for a potential fight.
As soon as her boots touched the floor, Mina's hand shot out, seizing Mira's collar and yanking her inside with startling force. The cat-beastman's knife flashed through the air, knocking the dagger from Mira's mouth with a metallic clink. Before Mira could react, the cold steel of Mina's blade pressed against her throat, the sharp edge biting into her skin.
"You'd better stay still," Mina said, her voice as cold as the snow outside. Her eyes blazed with barely restrained fury, the knife steady against Mira's neck. The audacity of this intruder—climbing to the master's study window—had ignited a fire in her. If Lucas hadn't noticed her, this bird-beastman could have slipped in and… Mina's grip tightened, her mind racing with the implications. An assassin? A spy? Either way, this was a breach she couldn't forgive. If Mira weren't a bird-beastman, like Amelia, Mina's blade would already be slick with blood.
Mira's face paled, her lips pressing into a thin line. She'd underestimated her opponent. This cat-beastman's speed and strength outmatched her own, and the realization stung. "You…" She started, but her voice faltered under Mina's piercing glare.
"You what? Speak again, and I'll end you," Mina growled, her knife inching closer, the blade grazing Mira's skin. Her cat tail bristled, the fur standing on end. Lucas was her charge, her responsibility—her reverse scale. The thought of someone getting this close to him made her blood boil.
"Mina, let's hear her out first," Lucas said calmly, settling back into his chair. He propped his chin on one hand, his dark eyes studying Mira with curiosity, lingering on her black wings. A bird-beastman, just like Amelia. The coincidence intrigued him, and he wanted answers before jumping to conclusions.
Mina's jaw clenched, but she didn't move the knife. "Speak," She ordered, her voice like ice. "Who are you? What are you doing here? Were you planning to harm the master?" Her hand trembled slightly, the veins on her pale skin bulging with restrained anger.
Mira straightened her neck defiantly, her green eyes flashing with contempt. "Go ahead and kill me," She said, her voice steady despite the blade at her throat. Being caught was a blow to her pride, but she'd never beg. She leaned forward slightly, the knife nicking her skin. A thin trickle of blood ran down her neck, warm against the chill of her skin.
Mina's eyes narrowed, her wrist twitching as if ready to strike, but a loud knock interrupted her.
Thud, thud, thud!
"Master, we've prepared the hot spring. Would you like to soak?" Annie's bright, cheerful voice called through the door.
The door creaked open, and Annie stepped inside, followed by a small entourage: Helen, Amelia, Ayesha, Freya, Elisa, and Hazel. The group froze, their eyes widening at the scene—Mina with her knife at the throat of a stranger dangling half-out the window.
"What… what's going on?" Annie stammered, her fox ears twitching as she took in the tense standoff. "Who's that under Mina's knife?"
"Princess, step back!" Freya reacted instantly, positioning herself in front of Annie and the others. Her eyes narrowed, locking onto Mira with a predator's intensity.
Mira's gaze darted toward the group, her green eyes scanning the newcomers. She barely registered the fox-eared girl or the wolf-eared one, but when her eyes landed on Amelia, her breath caught. "Amelia?" She blurted, shock rippling through her. She lurched forward instinctively, only to wince as Mina's blade bit deeper into her skin, forcing her to still.
"Mira!" Amelia gasped, her green eyes wide with disbelief. She stepped forward, her usually stoic expression cracking with emotion. How was Mira—her old companion—here, in Lord Lucas's study, of all places?
"Huh?" Annie, Helen, Freya, and the others exchanged stunned glances, looking from Mira to Amelia. The intruder knew Amelia?
Mina's eyes flickered, her suspicions confirmed. She eased her knife back slightly, but kept it poised, ready to strike if needed.
"Amelia, what's your relationship with this person?" Lucas asked, his voice calm but laced with curiosity. From the moment he'd seen Mira's wings, he'd suspected a connection to Amelia.
"She's… a companion," Amelia said, her voice trembling slightly. She stepped closer, her eyes locked on the blood trickling down Mira's neck. Turning to Lucas, her green eyes held a rare plea, a vulnerability he'd never seen from her before.
Lucas met her gaze, noting the intensity of her emotions. It was the first time he'd seen Amelia so shaken. "Mina, let her go," He said, his tone firm but gentle.
Mina hesitated, her arm stiff, but she obeyed, slowly lowering her knife and stepping back to Lucas's side, her posture still guarded.
"Thank you, Lord Lucas," Amelia said, her voice soft with gratitude. She knew why Mira was here—likely on a bounty to assassinate Lucas. Her companions, including her sister, were all assassins. The thought sent a chill through her, but she trusted Lucas's judgment.
Lucas gave a small smile, waving off her thanks. He'd sensed no true killing intent from Mira, only a cautious hostility. If she'd meant to harm him, he wouldn't have greeted her so casually at the window. His instincts—and the strange premonition that had alerted him to her presence—had kept him one step ahead.
The incident was a wake-up call, though. His castle had a vulnerability: the sky. If a single bird-beastman could reach his window undetected, what would happen if a hundred descended? It was a gap in his defenses he'd need to address.
"Amelia, how could you run away from home?" Mira demanded, her green eyes flashing as she glared at her friend, tears welling up. "Do you know how worried we were?"
"I… I was looking for Big Sis," Amelia said, lifting her chin. The feathers on her ears quivered, her voice trembling. "Is she back?"
"Of course she's back!" Mira snapped, her voice thick with frustration. "When she found out you were gone, she beat the crap out of all of us—three days straight! I got it worst, you know—pants down, whacked with a stick. I'll never forget that."
Amelia's lips twitched upward, her green eyes misting over. "That's good… she's back," She whispered, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
"Good? Are you kidding me?" Mira lunged forward, reaching for Amelia's arm. "Come on, you're coming back with me to see Big Sis!"
"No," Amelia said, stepping back quickly, positioning herself in front of Lucas. Her voice was low but resolute. "I'm not going back."
"What are you talking about?" Mira's eyes widened, her voice rising in disbelief. "Don't joke around, Amelia! Big Sis will be thrilled to know we found you. You're seriously saying you won't come back?"
"I'm not going," Amelia said, shaking her head stubbornly, her lips pressed into a thin line.
Mira's gaze snapped to Lucas, her green eyes blazing with suspicion. "Are you being threatened by this human?" She demanded, her voice sharp with accusation.
"No," Amelia said firmly, shaking her head again.
"Then why won't you come with me?" Mira shouted, her frustration boiling over. Her wings twitched, as if itching to take flight and drag Amelia away.
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