CHAPTER TEN

To say that Marcus was startled by Elissa's appearance at his doorstep would have been the understatement of the year. He was borderline terrified. The only difference between his terror and the ones in horror movies was that his was genuine. Elissa wasn't the bravest warrior in the kingdom by luck; there was a reason why she was feared all through, even by the King himself. If she was here, that meant either of two things: Everything was good over at the kingdom that Operation Thunder was to be canceled effectively or that something had gone wrong in ways Marcus could not even fathom. The look on her face gave Marcus the lesser desirable answer of the two- it wasn't all rainbows and sunshine over at the kingdom. Things were bad. Years later, Marcus would swear that he felt his spine leaving him when Elissa set foot in his apartment.

"We need to talk." Elissa did not come to play or have meaningless chitchat in any way. They had been friends as long as Marcus could remember, and there were instances where they could have fun, but sadly for him, today was not one of those days. If it were on a different occasion, they would have played a game before going out to have bites, literally. The only game they would be playing today would be 'serious face,' and it seems like Elissa had already beaten him to that.

"Yes. I think we do." Marcus repeated what Elissa said since there was nothing more he could do, or say for that matter. He would rather not talk to her right now, but he was equally helpless. The least he could do was go with the flow.

"Not a lot of letters, huh?" Elissa noted the dust gathering on the letterbox. Elissa's observation skills had no match anywhere across the Kingdom. At least nowhere that Marcus had been. He continued watching her as her eyes darted across the room, taking everything in her sight repository. Marcus knew that she would remember everything she saw in this room forever. Her eidetic memory was one of the things that made her such a great Hand of the King. Nothing she saw ever passed her. In everyone's eyes, she was the perfect warrior, almost as if she was literally made for being a warrior. Still, in her eyes, she was doing her best and trying to live to the expectations she had set for herself and others. She also had flaws, but right now, they needed to talk about the spot currently plaguing the Kingdom. And it wasn't a tiny flaw. It was as if several years of mistakes and bad luck had a child, and that child was the flaw the Kingdom had right now.

"No. I haven't had communication from the Kingdom in over two months," Marcus winced when he heard the words come out of his mouth. 'Over. Two. Months.' That wasn't good, even by his standards. He saw Elissa's mouth twist a little to the left, and he knew that she had no idea about that. "I am figuring out that you were not anywhere near the communications department now, were you?"

"No, I was not. I had more pressing matters at hand. You know that." Elissa replied bluntly.

"Oh, it has just hit me. Kingdom's more pressing concerns. Yes. I am sorry. I should have known better." Marcus felt like he was on thin ice, and he had no desire to make it more delicate than it already was. All his attempts at humor would now have to be shoved off. Both of them liked joking, but now wasn't the appropriate time. The Kingdom's matters were not even close to issues that would be subject to smiles. They were that serious.

"Okay, you know why I am here?" Elissa asked.

"No, I was hoping you would kindly elaborate on the reason behind this unprecedented visit," Marcus said, setting up a chair opposite Elissa on the Kitchen counter and made way to his fridge. If they were to talk, they could as well have a drink. A proper drink for that matter; O positive was their preferred choice, and Marcus had already made arrangements with the local hospital to have some delivered weekly.

"I guess I should catch you up on what has been happening in the Kingdom." Kate began but stopped to catch a blood bank that Marcus had slid over to her. She took a sip, exhaled satisfactorily, and continued. "That was good. I'll need three more."

"Coming right up!" Marcus fished five more packets from his fridge, making a mental note to compel more bags from the nurse tomorrow. If Elissa were to stay longer, there might as well be fully stocked with enough 'food.'

"That is good!" Elissa savored the taste in her mouth, her eyes lighting up. "Just a minute."

"The way you like them? You can have them all." Marcus urged her on as she fed. They both knew that it was better off if they drank to their fill before fully immersing themselves in the talk they were to have rather than talking while drinking. It was simpler if they were through with one before commencing on the other. They both let out groans while they devoured the blood bags.

"We can now begin," Kate affirmed once they were done. She wiped some blood that had spilled on the counter with her finger and vamped her way to the couch. It was going to be a long story, and they had better be settled comfortably. Marcus joined her a few moments later, stopping to toss the empty bags on the trashcan.

"Yes, we can." Marcus' hair was still on edge, not at ninety degrees when he saw her on his doorstep, but rather at a close seventy now that they had shared a meal. That was Elissa's cue that they were on good terms. She never shared food with a person that she had a bone to pick with. Never. At least now Marcus knew that he was in the clear. Though he still did not understand why he was in the clear. He had several reasons for the contrary, but chose to go with the flow and wait for the news to arrive at its desired pace. He was all ears. Let what was, be.