Suspicious

Upon seeing this, Beth and Julia, who were playing nearby, also came up to their mother. The four ladies sat together on the big bed, hugging each other.

Joseph saw this scene and prayed in his mind, "Please, don't let anything happen to my four treasures."

Then he also went and sat down. After spending some time like this, Natalia suddenly spoke up, "Oh my dear Aria, you're still wearing your academy clothes!!!"

Aria looked down, she had not noticed it herself. She got up and said, "I'll go and change right now, mom."

Natalia smiled and stroked her head, "And ask Penny to dress you up in something pretty. You should look like the angel you are."

In Aria's room. Aria had taken a bath and was standing in front of her open wardrobe with a towel around her. Penny came and instantly rushed towards Aria, "Miss, you shouldn't stand with dripping hair like that. You will catch a cold."

Aria looked at her and said, "Oh thank god Penny. I never seem to be able to decide what dress to wear."

Penny chose a dress and helped Aria wear it. After that, she began drying Aria's hair with a towel. Aria sneezed.

Penny: "See, I told you Miss Aria. You caught a cold."

Aria: "It's nothing much. Probably because I stayed in the water for too long." saying this she twirled her fingers and the fire in Aria's room circled around her and Penny to give them warmth.

Penny was scared and did not dare to move an inch. Though she was also a fire bender, she could not do it with such precision and never dared to get so close with fire.

Aria laughed and said, "You needn't be so afraid. The fire is not close enough to burn you." "Though you should probably take care of your hair." Aria added as an afterthought, to which Penny instantly pulled her braid over her shoulder.

Aria laughed as she enjoyed the warmth of the fire. After some time, she asked, "Penny, how have you been?"

Penny: "Why I've been perfectly fine Miss Aria."

Aria: "That's good to hear. Nobody is trying to threaten you, is there?"

Penny seemed visibly shaken at this question. And as if in an attempt to avoid it, she laughed a dry laugh, "What are you talking about Miss Aria.?"...."Here look, your hair are done. These really are too small, you should wear them a little longer..." Penny rambled on, as Aria sunk in silence.

By her response, Aria knew that Penny was hiding something. She had been with her enough years to know each and everything about Penny. But seeing as she did not want to reply, Aria did not press further as she twirled her fingers once again and the fire neatly went into the fireplace again.

Aria spent the rest of the day with her mother. She was really happy about getting a younger sibling and could not wait to meet him.

At night, as Aria lay in bed, she could not sleep. It was strange, as she never really had any problem sleeping. Aria tossed and turned for quite a while before she got out of bed, frustrated.