The next few days slowly passed. Syllis needed Clyde to visit her again. She needed that adrenaline to flow once again. ‘Maybe I wasn’t enthusiastic enough…’

Syllis tried acting more open at dinner so that Clyde would invite her back again. Unfortunately, it seemed her efforts were in vain as there had been no sign of the young man for a few days.

‘Damn it Syllis!’ Syllis banged at the side of her head as she continued walking. She was on her way to her favorite swimming spot.

“Don’t hurt yourself.” A familiar figure called out. His golden eyes were full of worry and he brushed at his brown hair with his hand.

“I was starting to think you wouldn’t come back again.” Syllis spoke somewhat coldly. ‘He deserves it, making me fret like that. Wait, is it wrong for me to assume-

Clyde smiled and spoke again. “Well rejoice, here I am. I would have visited sooner but my parents weren’t especially keen on me heading to the outskirts…” He chuckled slightly.

“A nice solution would have been to lie.” Syllis rolled her eyes. The thought that this boy took multiple days of delay to avoid this slight lie to his parents was humorous.

“I’m not callous enough for that.” Clyde’s mouth opened agape. It seemed the thought never crossed his mind.

‘So I’m callous for thinking that? Not exactly how I’d put it. Maybe… Efficient?’ Syllis’ left eye twitched slightly before she spoke again. “So… Why are you here?”

‘Maybe to invite me over for food again… I mean it’s a long way to take by carriage, it can't be cheap. I should refuse, act guilty and then… This is pure lunacy.’ Syllis found herself carried away at the thought of tasting the divine food procured by Clyde’s chefs again. She even attributed some credit to Anne, despite her slight disdain towards the aggressive house maid.

Suddenly, the snapping of fingers in front of her face woke Syllis from her self induced daze.

“Distracted?” Clyde inquired, somewhat worried.

“Nothing important!” Syllis answered loudly, a departure from her usual demeanor. ‘Nice one me!’

“Anyways, like I said.-

‘And like I heard nothing about…’ Syllis smirked slightly as she scolded herself again inwardly.

“My parents would like to meet the outsider that managed to ‘draw the blood of a Boorne.’” Clyde scanned the slight confusion on the secare nymphs face. “Their words, not mine. My father has a tendency to speak dramatically. It’s almost a hobby of his.”

‘Huh… What do I do?’ Syllis was stumped, despite her wanting to be involved further in Clyde’s circle, she hadn’t anticipated having to meet his parents so soon. Would they be able to see past Syllis’ act? Would they see her for what she is? A lunatic, craving for combat, lusting for that same adrenaline Clyde had injected her with.

‘I guess it doesn’t really matter if they can or not. I just have to make sure Clyde remains attached.’ Syllis decided it would be best to ask the most important question. “Are they going to eat me, butcher me, stew me?”

“No. They don’t especially like seafood.” Clyde tilted his head and mocked Syllis’ question. It was absurd, who would eat another person. For what reason, just because they had gills?

On the ride back to Clyde’s estate, Syllis wondered what his parents would be like. Clyde himself was a unique character. He had an unusual trust in complete strangers. But the slightest pain from those he was close to hurt him deeply.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

At least this was Syllis’ interpretation of him. ‘Maybe they won’t ask me any especially odd questions. Wait… Is asking about my family even a weird question? I guess under normal circumstances it wouldn’t be…

‘It’s too much thinking! There’s no point in speculating beforehand. I’m just going to have to wait until I speak with them. Only then can I form an opi-

“Hey Clyde? What are your parents like?” Syllis questioned the man.

“They are very nice.” Clyde didn’t give Syllis an answer remotely close to what she had wanted.

‘Classic.’ Syllis rolled her eyes at the response. She wasn’t any less blind than before. And she would remain essentially blindfolded until they arrived, doomed to be blindsided by who his parents turned out to be.

Once they finally arrived, a few figures stood firmly outside the doors of the Boorne estate. One, a tall man who accurately resembled Clyde, at least in terms of build. He looked like Clyde if he had put on twenty or thirty pounds of muscle. His hair was mostly dark brown and his eyes a hazel color.

Beside him, a woman. She was shorter and curvaceous. Her eyes were a familiar blend of molten gold and her hair that same sandy blond color found on Clyde.

‘Well I wonder just who these two are…’ Syllis mused, unable to use her normal wry laugh that typically would have accompanied such a thought.

Syllis stuck her hand out once they’d reached the older couple.

After the father took her hand, the nymph spoke. “My name is Syllis.” She shook the man’s hand with fortitude which earned an earnest gaze from the man in front of her.

“My name is Clark Boorne.” The man spoke politely. “What is your family’s name?” He wondered, introducing oneself by a single name was an odd occurrence after all.

“No family name. I cast it away years ago.” Syllis didn’t speak with regret or longing. Instead, she was resolute. This was the right decision, and one she hadn’t made lightly all those years ago. ‘Lords, how long has it been now?’

“What an odd thing for a kid to do. But then again, an ordinary kid couldn’t pierce the flesh of my son. Tell me, how did you do it?” Clark watched the nymph’s face for her response.

‘This guy…’ Syllis smirked before even daring to open her mouth. “Which time?” She asked plainly, her snideness his in the very back of her throat. It was difficult to retain when speaking such confident words.

After letting out a hearty laugh, the bulky man looked towards his wife. “Ah, sorry for getting carried away.” he stepped back and turned, allowing his wife to step by.

She extended her hand to Syllis.

“It’s nice to meet you…” Her voice wafted away into the air. The words hung for a few moments before Clyde’s mother attempted to dispel the not particularly wonderful awkwardness.

She took a couple of steps back towards her husband before speaking. “Dalea, my name’s Dalea.” She seemed distracted by something. Her eyes kept wandering Syllis’ body.

This continued for long enough that Syllis even looked herself up and down. ‘What, is something wrong with me? Maybe my gills! Or perhaps this blue hair?’ Syllis found it difficult to maintain her composure.

Dalea pulled on her husband slightly and whispered into the slightly bent man’s ear. Her face was flush and grew a rosy color. Several moments passed before Clark scanned Syllis as well.

Clark laughed before addressing Syllis. “That’s a pretty neat outfit.” His gaze lingered on the disproportionate sleeves and warped collar which was being stretched and pulled.

‘What?’ Syllis was confused, she scanned herself again. This time she tried to note any stains or marks of the like on her clothes. Eventually, she realized what they were talking about. “Oh, I apologize. I didn’t have any clothes appropriate to spar in.”

Dalea turned away while Clark walked towards Syllis. “It’s quite alright. Now if you already have the right outfit… How about participating in a tournament?” He asked enthusiastically.

‘How would there be a tournament? There's a grand total of two kindred here, Me and Clyde.’ Syllis tilted her head slightly and furrowed her brow.

Just as she’d thought that, the sounds of galloping echoed in the distance. Syllis only felt a sense of impending doom as they approached. The sounds of hooves or something akin clacked against the paved sand.

As the carriage slowed, two ephemeral creatures, surrounded with green hues emanated otherworldly sounds. They were skeletal with skin that dripped from the bone like drool.

“Ah, they’ve arrived.” Clark spoke, his voice brimming with joy.

Suddenly, the ephemeral creatures dissolved into seemingly thin air. It was apparent they weren’t some exotic animals. No, these were the direct product of a horror inducing bond. Moreover, they weren’t illusions. They were truly pulling the steel carriage, which meant that they were true, unadulterated beings of fear.

The door of the carriage slammed open before two figures stepped out. A man and a woman. Both burning with the intensity of kindred with recently invoked bonds.