“Well, at least Isabel fell asleep first.” Mila tried to look at the bright side. She turned towards the barely visible outline next to her. The endless expanse behind Aaers had long lost its impact on her. “Anything you want to add?”

Of course, there was no answer. At least not a verbal one. Aaers ‘looked’ at Mila and sent a mix of emotions, letting her decipher them. There wasn’t much. Mostly simple boredom and an urge for her to seek out ‘something’.

Which wasn’t in the cards for the time being. Mila warmed up her limbs. At least she didn’t have to do stretches and running. With Aaers having a proximation of a shape, he could help her train her combat moves.

It also meant Mila was constantly humiliated by a much more skilled opponent. Without any way to physically interact, their exchanges were akin to a dance.

Mila thought herself to be skilled at dodging. But when Aaers deliberately moved in a way she could see, it still sent her stumbling when she avoided the strike. “Really?” Her reactions were still slow.

Just a few moments ago, Mila had enjoyed the blissful sensation of her sleeping girlfriend's embrace, and now she had to forcefully bend herself away from a jab aimed at her head.

It was a learning experience, to be sure. These small lessons accumulated and improved Mila’s skill set. “Didn’t you want me to rest?” She chopped at the apparition's arm. Instead of hitting, the hand curved around hers and ‘slapped’ her cheek.

A wave of emotions expressed amusement.

“No, this is not resting.” Mila wanted to sigh. “I had this beautiful girl in my hands. My mind felt at peace, and I could relax.” She ducked under a hook and received another delivery of emotions. This time, apologetic and understanding ones. “Oh, so you do understand. Yet there is no mercy in your teaching.”

It was becoming hard for Mila to talk. There wasn’t any need to either. It wasn’t like Aaers could answer her. Not really. She liked to think she could interpret everything well enough, but it was hard to say either way.

Mila moved away from the attacking ghost. A little space to reassess her options would do good. Of course, Aaers didn’t let her think. His movements flowed together, pressuring her endlessly.

There was no mercy. There was no rest. Mila settled her mind on another night of endless pursuit of martial prowess. At least it would do her actual body some good.

Ever since Aaers had regained a semblance of a form, he had begun treating Mila as a punching bag. Well, it was for her own gain, but after lording over her peers in the skill for so long, she had forgotten how it felt to be defeated purely in expertise.

Mila clumsily rolled away from a sweeping kick. The worst part of it was she knew Aaers was taking her lightly. The ancient thing was keeping himself just barely above her level. If Mila managed an inspired move, he simply did better. She wasn’t foolish enough to write it off as a dream thing. Mila knew Aaers was just that good. There had been no equal to his skill when he had still lived.

Or was Aaers still alive?

The stray thought was a mistake. Aaers felt Mila’s attention wander and upped the pace. It was too much for her.

Mila tried to salvage her posture. She tried to jump back, only to find a ghostly fist in her face. There was no impact, only an unnerving closeness to something unnatural.

In the end, it was more of a play. Mila and Aaers both pretended to attack and defend. They danced around each other, unable to make an actual strike.

And Mila lost. She lost, lost and lost again.

—

“You okay?” Isabel asked. She was already up and had just returned from escorting Kanna to the toilet. The younger girl was slowly and carefully making the bed, doing her best not to make sudden movements to avoid MIila’s attention.

“How could I not be after sleeping next to you?” Mila avoided giving a direct answer and tried to flirt instead. She smiled, but the expression quickly turned sour when Isabel looked away. She doubted her girl believed her, so when Isabel turned back, she didn’t try to hide her frustrated look.

“Bad dream?” Isabel lifted her hands to pluck Mila off the top bunk. She grabbed Mila’s waist and gently lifted the smaller girl out of the bed.

Mila put her hands on Isabel’s shoulders and sunk into her girl’s embrace. She nuzzled against Isabel’s nape before letting herself be put on the ground. “Just the usual.” She searched for her clothes and began dressing.

“So a bad dream,” Isabel concluded while helping Mila put on her shirt.

“Unfortunately.”

“Still no luck?”

“No,” Mila grumbled. “I really want to punch that guy.” She shook her fist against the evening sky, peeking through the window.

Mila’s actions did little to improve Kanna’s impression of her. She reminded Mila of how Tiff tiptoed around her, trying to not attract attention.

“I am not going to eat you,” Mila told the third wheel. “Hardly any meat on the bones. Not worth the effort.”

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Kanna trembled and began to look for an escape route.

“Mila was joking.” Isabel hurried to explain and pinched Mila’s back. “Right?”

“Obviously.” Mila nodded. “It might not have been my best.” She continued and bowed. “I apologise for my misstep.” There was no need to aggravate Kanna’s anxiety.

“See, she was joking.” Isabel hugged Mila from behind. “I told you Mila is a good girl.”

Kanna looked at them in disbelief but didn’t comment. Her movements did seem smoother now, and she didn’t look at the window as if it was a viable exit option. This was a third floor, after all.

While Mila was enjoying Isabel’s embrace, it was time for her to move. She slipped out of the comforting touch and finished preparing.

And a few minutes later, Cecilia entered the room. “Good, good, you are all up and ready. The boss wanted to see you, Mila.”

“As we agreed.” Mila nodded and then looked at her girl. “Are you coming too?”

“I guess?” Isabel pondered. “Where is Vatim?” She asked in Kanna’s place, knowing the girl wanted to know.

“Below the streets,” Cecilia answered. “Mortimer wanted to speak with Boss as well. Since Kanna was sleeping, they left sooner. They were done when I left, eating. You are all probably hungry, too.”

Now that Cecilia reminded them, Mila did feel peckish. “It’s settled then. Lead us to your leader.” She cracked a joke to lighten the mood. Hers, as well as Kanna’s. Unfortunately, no one saw it as one.

Cecilia raised an eyebrow while Kanna straightened her loaned, brown tunic.

Isabel patted her shoulder. “I thought it was a nice try.”

Mila comforted herself. At least Isabel had noticed the wordplay. “It is really not my forte.” She lamented. “One of these days, people will laugh.”

“Wait!” Cecilia stopped her. “That was a joke? For real? Does that even qualify? Maybe I should teach you a thing or-”

“No need.” Mila pushed past Cecilia. “It’s time to go.” She exited the room and headed down the hall.

“Don’t mind her.” Isabel followed. “She isn’t mad.”

“Right. Well, maybe you want to hear a joke or two?” Cecilia offered. “No? And you?” She asked Kanna. “Man, you all should lighten up. Being serious all the time can’t be healthy.”

For the rest of the way, Mila had to suffer one bad joke after another. The only solace was the fact that Isabel was suffering together with her. While Mila didn’t think she had a good sense of humour, Cecilia was just as atrocious and much less aware of it.

As Cecilia led them into a canteen deep into the tunnels, Mila had to suffer one last joke from the redhead. One about how to tell the man’s penis size by the length of his nose. The girl found it not only hilarious but something the rest of the girls had to learn.

Cecilia didn’t even notice how unreceptive her audience was to such information. To Mila’s relief, they had arrived and wouldn’t have to bear the enthusiastic barrage of questionable jokes.

Mortimer was currently reading a book to Vatim. They sat a table away from other dinners. There was a constant flow of people in and out of the hall. Mila watched the chief in the corner stir a large pot above a fireplace, above which a large hole inhaled the rising, hot air and smoke. The pleasant smell of spices reminded Mila just how hungry she was.

The boy noticed them arrive a moment later and immediately ran towards Kanna with a happy smile on his face. She received him with a wobble as Vatim crashed against her too hard. The girl was nowhere near recovered after just one meal and sleep.

Mila followed Isabel, who wandered closer to the person handing out the food. It was soup again. She overheard someone complaining about it, too. Apparently, it was because of Boss’s orders. Soup took fewer ingredients to prepare. Their group was starting to save on food.

And to be fair, the complainer was quickly silenced. The food prices were very high, and Naran didn’t ask his subordinates to pay for a meal.

Something Mila was happy to exploit. After getting their portions, she and Isabel returned to a table where Mortimer was watching Kanna and Vatim speak in hushed tones. They both looked so happy. Soon, Vatim led his sister to get her something to eat as well.

Mila slowly ate. It wasn’t bad. A bit too spicy and lacked meat. At least there were some chunks. It was a luxury denied to the majority of people in the city. She chewed on the largest piece of meat she could find and spoke. “I’ll do it.” She decided.

“Do what?” Isabel absentmindedly watched the surroundings.

“See if anything can be done about those who enslaved Kanna.” Mila started to eat faster.

Isabel frowned. “Mila, you don’t have to. It’s too dangerous.”

“I am going to ask Naran about it. Take a look. Only after we get Andrew out. If time permits.”

“Mila, I… I want them to suffer, but-”

“Then it’s decided.” Mila finished her soup.

Only now, Kanna and Vatim come back with their portions. They sat as far from Mila as possible. She suspected that if Mortimer wasn’t at the table, the sibling pair would have gone to sit at another table. Well, maybe not. Kanna was attached to Isabel at this point.

Isabel stabbed her soup. “I don’t like it.”

“Mhm, but you won’t stop me.” Mila knew.

It took Isabel a good minute before she answered. She gritted her teeth. “They can’t continue doing that shit. But I don’t want you to…”

“It is not an issue.” Mila didn’t let Isabel to finish. She knew her girlfriend wasn’t entirely happy with Mila’s methods. “In fact, you suggested it, didn’t you?”

“Not what happened.” Isabel dourly spat back.

“Yet, here we are.” Mila shrugged. “I know it is weighing heavily on your heart, and…” She looked at Kanna. “It will help that girl to know those people can’t endanger her anymore.”

And that was enough for Isabel. She followed Mila’s gaze and gave up. “She suffered so much.”

“Did she tell you about it?”

“While we washed. Most of it, not all.” Isabel whispered.

“How bad was it?” Mila returned the whisper.

“At least she didn’t lose her… You know, but…”

“But?”

“There were scars on her back. At first, she had tried to fight back. It earned Kanna beatings. And there were other girls…”

Mila understood why Isabel had not fought harder against taking revenge. “They weren't as lucky, huh.”

“No…”

“They will pay. I’ll not make it quick.” Mila decided.