Leonardo staggered to the mansion, his mind racing with fear and uncertainty. A calculation spun in his head. Even after he was done with this quest, how long would it be before Milah was done with whatever he said?
Already at the front door, he walked in and saw Richard sitting on the couch.
"Ah, Leonardo. I've called another Right Star," Richard said. He continued, "It should be here in three hours."
"Elara and Anna should be awake by then." Leonardo turned to look at them; their breathing was steady, showing they were getting better.
"Oh, okay," Leonardo replied, then sat on a couch opposite Richard. He stuttered for a moment. "Ahem, do you know anything about the 17 Wonders?" he asked.
"The 17 Wonders?" Richard repeated, his confusion evident. "You don't know of it?" He continued, surprised. "Almost everyone knows of the Wonders. It's even taught in schools."
The comment only raised more suspicion about Leonardo as a person.
"You're a supposed tour guide," Richard added, trying to shift the conversation and learn more about him. But Leonardo's gaze remained unwavering, signaling he still wanted an answer to his original question.
"Uh, um," Richard mumbled, feeling the weight of Leonardo's determination. This was the third time he had been threatened by a child not even old enough to be his son. "The 17 Wonders..." he began, searching for the right words.
"The Seventeen Wonders are—"
Suddenly, Elara and Anna began to stir, their movements slow but steady. Though they hadn't awakened as abruptly as Leonardo, their recovery was notably faster than average.
"My head," Anna groaned, cradling her forehead in her palm, clearly in pain. Leonardo knew it would subside before the requested train arrived.
He walked over to them, his steps deliberate.
"Hey, Elara," he said softly.
Elara's eyes widened with fear, her vulnerability starkly evident. She was a teenager thrust into a perilous quest, and her bravery was a fragile façade.
Elara turned towards him, her voice trembling. "Where's Marquis?"
_She must've glimpsed him before she collapsed,_ Leonardo thought.
"He left a while ago," he replied gently.
Elara looked down at the flame scars starting to heal on her arms, her expression distant.
"How'd they leave?" Anna asked, her voice weak but curious.
"A Right Star arrived, and Richard requested another one," Leonardo explained, trying to maintain a calm demeanor.
"Nice," Anna said flatly, her tone devoid of enthusiasm.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy with unspoken fears. Their physical wounds were healing, but the mental scars were fresh and raw. Leonardo stood up, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders.
"You guys should rest some more," he said, his voice firm but kind. "You need it."
As he turned and walked back to the couch, exhaustion finally overtook him. He collapsed onto the cushions, his eyes fluttering shut almost instantly.
Anna and Elara exchanged a glance, the tension easing slightly. They couldn't help but laugh a little at Leonardo's sudden nap—a brief moment of levity in an otherwise grim situation.
Then, they too succumbed to sleep, their bodies seeking the respite they so desperately needed.