As Daria was finishing the final touches of the paperwork before she left for Vetus Orbis, a rumbling storm rolled in. Rain droplets began to loudly hit the window of her office and she was momentarily distracted. Then a thunder struck, startling her.
"It really is coming in," she commented absentmindedly, staring at the small window.
However, when she turned back, another thing suddenly startled her. With another flash of lightning cast both from her office window and the outside corridor, she noticed a figure standing in the doorframe of her office entrance she did not hear opening.
"Amanda! Lords, are you trying to give me a fright?"
Her old friend looked furious and dangerous. Something particularly unpleasant must've happened.
"I want you to burn all the spirit books," she demanded coldly.
Her sudden order puzzled Daria. "Why?"
"A precious thing was taken from me. Someone made their move and I don't want any unnecessary risk factors to sit around."
"Why spirit books specifically?"
Amanda only looked at her with the eyes suggesting her patience was wearing thin. "I want the entire restricted sector cleared out."
Daria knew Amanda had many silent enemies, and the appearance of a certain quadripartite student must've raised some hopes and prompted action.
"You think she might be a Prima? You know that's impossible, right?"
"Better to be prepared."
"Prepared for what, exactly? You know no one is getting to those books except a handful of people you hand-picked yourself. It would be a waste to burn all that knowledge because your status feels threatened."
"I do not feel threatened by a clueless child."
"But you still have the need to burn books? You do know what kind of people would order the burning of books throughout history, right Amanda?"
"Do as I told you, Daria. Do not test me."
"They are as good as burned already. If Maya turns out to really be a Prima, wouldn't you like to use her to your advantage? She would need to learn things that are written only in those books."
"No," Amanda growled, her eyes flashing with a dangerous intensity. "A Prima would be nothing but a liability. She'd bring chaos in her wake." Her fists clenched, knuckles whitening as she struggled to contain her fury. "We're well aware of her association with a certain someone who already has a record of breaking rules. I'm merely taking preventive measures against their potential schemes."
Amanda took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. Her voice lowered to a menacing whisper, "Since we lack legitimate grounds for separation, I must eliminate any resources at their disposal." She fixed Daria with a steely gaze. "Now go. Any further resistance, and I'll have no choice but to view it as an act of betrayal."
Daria's shoulders slumped as she realized she had no choice but to comply with Amanda's demands. A heavy sigh escaped her lips as she contemplated the gravity of the situation. Reluctantly, she decided it was wiser to appease Amanda's paranoia now, lest her friend's fears spiral into even more drastic actions beyond the destruction of mere tomes.
There were many books and scriptures in that dark and musty place and it took Daria many trips between the library and the incinerator. It was getting late and she was tired.
The restricted part of the library didn't only contain books about spirits. It was primarily unprocessed books and scrolls that could potentially contain harmful information or one differing from the world they wished to show students, but Amanda simply did not yet find a reliable translator to redact them and left them sitting there forgotten.
Some of the knowledge could very well be precious, but some could be complete trash. There was no way of knowing until it was thoroughly studied. It mattered not. They would decay here in bad condition anyway, so at least she can give the ancient paper some mercy.
Carelessly swiping rows of books off the shelves, letting them drop into a trolley, Daria regretted their sad fate. High on a ladder, she was clearing the last of the highest shelves. It was gruelling work but Amanda simply had no one she could trust to do it but Daria.
Thinking the work was finally done when there were no more books in this dark room, a flop of a book falling flat on its side resonated from the dark corner of the last shelf. She must've missed one. Daria was already ready to climb down and sighed. Her arms hurt and the book was out of reach from her spot.
She paused, squinting at the book mocking her from there. It was a thin and old book without a hard cover — more of a notebook — its pages were yellow from poor upkeep. Daria didn't remember seeing it in the collection before, but it was placed with particularly suspicious books so it was best to destroy it.
However, something inside her prevented her from doing it. Daria climbed down from the ladder and wheeled away the last batch of books, leaving that one where it stood.
No one could reach it without a ladder, let alone see it. Surely one forgotten book won't matter to anyone.
🜺🜺🜺🜺
Annaykke was incredibly busy lately—taking care of a teenager was no easy task.
Ensuring Maya's safety couldn't exclude her mental wellbeing, and Annaykke struggled particularly in that area.
After Maya lost her family, difficulties were expected. Yet every measure Annaykke tried based on professional advice either proved ineffective or backfired. For a while, it led her to believe that she was the weak link in Maya's recovery. However, following Maya's hospital release, Annaykke—as her guardian—attended extended sessions with the therapist before ultimately dismissing them.
Now fresh from another consultation, Annaykke pressed her fingers against her throbbing temples. She'd just arranged Maya's third therapist. Though she knew frequent changes could be harmful, her instincts told her it was necessary. Despite the previous therapist's confidence and promises about experimental medication suited for Maya's case, there were no signs of improvement.
Annaykke sighed.
Her special forces training couldn't have prepared her for the duties of motherhood. For her, surviving a warzone seemed less challenging than finding the right therapist for a traumatized teenage girl.
Out of her depth, Annaykke tiptoed around Maya, mindful of her place and trying not to be overbearing.
I'll be home around 3 PM. If the electrician comes early, please let them in.
Not wanting to wake Maya early, Annaykke left a note, but Maya never saw it. Annaykke had to call the electrician again later.
When Annaykke reviewed the front entrance security footage from that day, she spotted an unfamiliar woman at their doorstep. Despite the advanced security system, the camera feed was riddled with static distortions, making the image unclear.
"What's wrong with this thing? It was so expensive!" Annaykke slapped the side of the screen, knowing it wouldn't help.
The woman departed quickly after being denied entry.
'Probably just a door-to-door saleswoman. I should report this to the neighbourhood watch…'
This afternoon, the memory of that strange woman nagged at the back of her mind as she made her way home. Perhaps she had been too anxious lately, making preparations for the future, fearing the day may soon come.
'Just a little over a year longer…' she told herself. Maya would reach adulthood and Annaykke could finally come clean about everything. It was her decision. Until then, she will fulfil her duty to keep Maya safe while keeping the façade—those were her employer's wishes.
Upon entering the house, Annaykke called out to announce her return. Maya's usual lack of reply didn't alarm her as she began searching the house. However there was no sign of Maya—the house was empty.
Then a note caught her eye and made her blood run cold.
Dear Anna, this is goodbye…
The paper was crushed in her hand as her trembling fist closed tightly.
"No!"
Annaykke ran. First, she ran to her home security setup and checked the outside camera. There, the unfamiliar woman from the other day—whom Annaykke had failed to identify through investigation—appeared again. This time Maya allowed her into the house. Not long after, they emerged together, with Maya dragging a suitcase.
Horror gripped Annaykke. She quickly captured a photo of the woman's blurry image on her phone and rushed outside, frantically beating down on neighbors' doors in desperate search for clues—had they seen which direction they went, did they recognize the woman, had they noticed anything at all?
Annaykke was on the verge of crying, the crushing feeling of hopelessness was sinking in. The house was safe, security systems were still functioning, and no one could break in. However, she didn't expect Maya to leave on her own.
She never truly believed what William—Maya's father and her employer—had told her. Even with vague and inexplicable occurrences, it was difficult for a rational mind to accept.
Annaykke was Maya's covert bodyguard, tasked with investigating the inexplicable threats to the Watergates. Her employer was a peculiar man with many secrets. Anyone would conclude him mad, yet he always spoke the truth.
"Someone is preying upon my family…"
Though he lacked concrete evidence, he was adamant about it.
"Rose said so…" The grief-stricken man would sometimes talk about his departed wife as if she were right beside him. "They want our daughter…"
"What for?"
"We don't know…"
William knew his time was running short. He didn't fear death or his festering wounds—it only meant joining his beloved soon. Yet his heart ached for Maya, his daughter who would be left alone. William loved Maya more than anything in the world, and since he couldn't escape his fate, he had to make certain she would be properly cared for.
So he entrusted Maya to Annaykke by marrying her on paper, giving her legal guardianship. The father still wanted to shield Maya from the truth, so Annaykke's background was hidden. The contract required her to act as Maya's stepmother until Maya came of age, at which point Maya would decide whether to renew the arrangement.
Despite Annaykke's lack of caregiving experience, Maya's father—an excellent judge of character—knew she was the right person for the job. Her mission was clear.
However, her investigation wasn't going well. It felt like she was uncovering new disturbing machinations each passing moment, yet still knew nothing about the ones targeting Maya. But there was an undeniable fact that things weren't normal around here. And not just in Maya's household, but possibly the entire world.
At first glance, Maya's life was tragic but unassuming. Yet Annaykke was anxious whenever she needed outsiders to help Maya's vulnerable state. She began suspecting planted agents everywhere. After all, Annaykke was one such herself.
"Anna, why are you still around?" Maya asked flatly, days after her father's funeral.
The girl didn't even register how cruel those words were to Annaykke, who was fighting with all her might to fulfil her duty to the Watergates. Annaykke had nothing outside of her job. Maya may have been her ward, the objective of her contract, but it was true that she developed affection for the young troubled girl too. She fostered feelings, perhaps not ones akin to a mother, but more to an aunt or an older sister towards Maya.
So Annaykke's every waking moment was spent on ensuring Maya's safety and investigating the threat that was looming in the shadows. The house was an impenetrable fortress. Inside she could stay assured no one could forcefully reach Maya. That fact was the only assurance Annaykke had when she had outside duties.
'Maya wouldn't venture outside…'
It was Annaykke's grave misjudgement. Lately, she was more concerned by ensuring Maya grew up well, wrapping up contingencies in case Maya throws her out after learning the truth.
Her eyes hopelessly swept through the empty street. The sun was casting long shadows that seemed to seep into her soul.
Maya was her responsibility… and she had lost her.
~
End of Volume 1