It seemed her sisters had a mind to make the spare room much more of a place to congregate than to train whatever was on their mother’s mind.

There was nothing in the room yet, but she supposed it would be an alright fit once they got a table and some chairs in it.

By the time she and Manny arrived there though, only Samir resided. Her most peculiar sister fidgeted in the place they stood, shaking like a leaf, no doubt surrendered to their fate and fearfully waiting for her judgment. The sight calmed parts of her anger, but alas, Gabe was wise enough to not allow it to reach her face.

She eyed her for a long time, Alani’s unwelcoming words still fresh in her head. The eldest was right, she realized. Just a look at them like that revealed to Gabe that her sister would follow all requests she had, happy or not about them… And that would only serve to distance them.

What to do then? Many words flashed in the older sister’s mind and her tongue ached to say them all, but she would restrain herself. Only what was strictly necessary, she decided.

She took a small breath.

“Do you know what you did wrong?”

Samir jumped into a position that very much resembled a soldier answering to their commander.

“Yes! I sneaked out without permission and I took a deal without thinking things through. I put… I put us in danger.”

“Correct.” Samir finched, “But I supposed there’s more to it than that. Alani… Well, our sister believes it’s more efficient to take another approach to problems like these. Patience, she says.”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Samir did not say anything else, waiting for the rest.

“Still, I want you to fully understand what you did, Samir. You have to. If any of it has a backlash, I will not stand watching you be staked. Neither will Alani,” her sister seemed very confused at that, and Gabe could not hold back a bitter smile, “You cannot be foolish enough as to think we both would ever allow any of you young ones to fall before us. Me, or her, (who was faster I think) would take the blame. And they would kill us.”

Samir’s eyes went big at that.

“We would die. They wouldn’t allow a person so close to the Prince to entertain any ideas of harming him, and we are disposable since there are so many of us. I’m sure you are smart enough to know what this would do to the rest of us. The rest of you.”

The same brown eyes met hers, and she saw the fitting gravity hanging in there.

“You have to be better, sister. And for that, you will think carefully about what you did and what went wrong. I am no master of your craft, so I can’t be the one to tell the mistake in that deal of yours, but it’s you must find out what that was before you do anything else.”

Gabe sighed, only now realizing Manny had also left and they were alone now.

“I supposed that will go hand in hand in this… sabbatical period we all must go through. I can’t see Mother allowing you to leave this house at will,” she gave her a stern look when they looked surprised by the revelation, “And sneaking again would, inevitably, cause us more problems like the one you just did. Therefore… think well, sister.”

She dismissed her, and Samir took just a second before slipping away. Before leaving, though, she paused at the door:

“Gabe.” She answered, “I’m sorry.”

Gabe’s face finally relaxed at that.

“I know sister. You only tried your best for our sake. I know that.”

The older one pretended she didn’t see the younger’s glistering eyes when they nodded and went on their way.