The call

- Come on, Mom, I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm the same age as Kreiz!

- But for your mother, you are still her baby. Cleida's husband interjected, joking tenderly. They were laughing almost normally. The atmosphere had become almost as light again, much to everyone's relief, especially Ivy's.

- But the picture you paint is quite embarrassing, mama, and we have a guest!

- Don't worry about it. Ivy interjected with good humor. Your family is no worse than mine. Even now, my father would want me to sleep with them in the big bed.

- Really! So you're right, it's almost as bad as mine.

- Don't make fun of parents' affection for their children. It's indestructible and incurable!

- I see it every day," the two young women exclaimed at the same time.

They looked at each other for a second and then burst out laughing.

- Ah, the children, so independent and mocking! Be careful, because the day you have your own, you will immediately forget all the bad things you might have thought about us and our methods, because you will apply exactly the same, be sure, or even worse.

- So it's best to make the most of being single while we can still do it without feeling guilty!

Ivy looked carefully at Kreiz's parents.

- I've already started following that example myself.

- What do you mean? Kreiz asked, curious.

- I rarely liked to go out before. I focused entirely on my studies. I did my best to be the best and left nothing to chance or escape. The only things I did with my days were spend time in libraries doing research or in sheltered centers looking at and studying my beloved creatures. But now, while I still love my studies and my fabulous beasts, I prefer to get out more, be with my friends, and have fun.

As they spoke, Ivy and Kreiz looked at each other with a smile.

- It's amazing how a little adventure in this cursed kingdom can change a woman! Kreiz joked.

- To me, this place is not.

It was a short and simple answer, but one filled with a frightening conviction that immediately alerted Cleida's feminine instincts. So she guessed right, she thought, shocked. It was not her son who was the cause of this young girl's incredible glare, despite all the deep attachment they seemed to feel for each other. The cause was probably related to this person. For she knew exactly who ruled this infinite Empire.

She was there from her thoughts when her phone vibrated. She took it absent-mindedly from her bag, which must have been worth a year's salary of a simple civil servant, but when the young woman saw the number on the screen, an incoercible trembling took hold of her.

Unable to make a single move, the others were immediately alarmed by her sudden state, which had become cold and amorphous.

- Mommy? called her worried children.

But their mother could not make a single gesture or sound.

So her husband took the phone and recognized the Nation's code on the screen and guessed who was calling.

He handed the phone to his son, who also immediately guessed the number displayed, becoming pale with anger and another indefinable feeling. He looked carefully at his mother, then at his sister and finally decided to pick up the phone.

- Yes?

- Hello. Who is this, please?"

- Can't you guess?

"No, I'm sorry. I am Ogil, secretary general to His Majesty Emperor Zot. And I would like to address one of Vintry's family members, please."

- Oh, really? First of all, how did you know about this phone number? That's very personal!

"We always try to accommodate His Majesty sir."

- I have no doubt, Kreiz replied in a sharp voice.

"Now, would you please reveal your identity to us?"

- I am Dr. Kreiz Vintry."

"My apologies, Dr. Vintry, can you confirm the arrival of the blood bank at the hospital where your sister was admitted? Normally it would arrive this morning, but we would still like to make sure.

- Oh, really? I thought you were able to satisfy your sovereign's every whim. So you shouldn't need any confirmation from us as to whether the bank has arrived or not.

"His Majesty would also like to know," continued the imperturbable secretary as if Kreiz had said nothing, "how is your sister?

To this more than delicate question, Kreiz kept an icy and revealing silence for a moment before answering.

- Listen to me, you fool! I order you to tell your powerful, narcissistic and indifferent ruler that the next time he wants to know how one of his bastards is doing, he should take the trouble to ask himself instead of leaving the dirty work to one of his pitiful minions, or sending priceless gifts that clearly turn out not to be chosen by him. And one last point, let him expect no thanks from us, because if we had had another choice, we would never have turned to him to save my sister!

After this last virulent tirade, Kreiz hung up, damaging the expensive device, before throwing it in the nearest trash can.

After this disturbing phone exchange, no one knew what to say, nor how to feel happy and relaxed again. A call that should have enlightened the young Kaltan on many points, and made her fear the abominable rage of her friend, whom she had always known so calm and reassuring. But unfortunately, of all this, she heard absolutely nothing, because the only thing that concerned her was the deadly pallor of Cleida Vintry. A pallor that reminded her of another person, a being of mystery and unbearable arrogance, living in a kingdom deeply jealous of his territory. She had been home for six days and her habits had returned to normal, but with a new and wonderful passion for the simple pleasure of living. But while she finally had no clear memory of her adventure in this foreign land, and had convinced herself that everything she had seen and experienced there was ultimately just a blur of colorful images, she remembered vividly Zion's excruciating pallor when he was forced to be subjected to the sordid power of that giant monster, and the pain and weakness he had been unable to escape, and which, by living it as he did, had likewise ended up penetrating the young woman's body.