Zola frowned, watching him closely. "You spend a lot of time thinking about this?"

"Not really," Vas said, his expression neutral. "Maybe I'm just wired differently, but for me, this is a natural way of seeing things."

Zola couldn't help but feel a knot of unease tightening in her chest. Vas's casual paranoia—his ability to suspect even his own family—unnerved her. If he could believe that about them, how much trust could he ever truly place in her? She remained silent, her thoughts swirling.

Morrigan broke the tension. "Let's go. You really need to rest, Vas."

"Sure," Vas said, rising to his feet.

"I'm going to stay with Lily for a while," Zola said, her tone soft but distant.

"Okay," Vas replied, giving them both a brief nod. "Have a good time, you two." With that, he left, the quiet tap of his footsteps fading as he exited the room.

"Lily, do you think Vas trusts us?" Zola's voice was soft but tinged with uncertainty, her gaze lingering on the door Vas had just walked through.

Lily paused, considering the question. "He does," she answered, her tone steady. "Otherwise, he wouldn't be so open with us."

Zola frowned, her doubt clear. "What makes you so sure?"

"When I first met him, he was... different. A lot more closed off. It took time for him to let me, my mom, and my aunt in. He's not the kind of person who trusts easily." Lily's eyes softened with the memory. "Since then, he's relied on us for some pretty important things. And now, he's helping us get stronger, too."

"But isn't that just because Morrigan said he needed people to support him?" Zola asked, her chest tightening with doubt.

Lily shook her head. "No, it's more than that. You've seen him—he sees through his grandfather, and that's no small feat. I mean, even the government struggles to keep tabs on his family, but Vas? He managed to figure things out. If he really wanted, I think he could find a way to do all this alone." She met Zola's gaze, her voice gentler now. "But he's still making sure we're prepared—so that if we ever end up in danger like we did in those ruins, we won't be caught off guard. He cares, Zola. More than he lets on."

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"You sure?" Zola's voice wavered, a mix of hope and uncertainty weighing heavily on her heart.

Lily smiled knowingly. "I know you like him. And, honestly? I think he likes you back. But trust me on this—he's allowing you to see a side of him most people don't. Not Vastian Hek, the guy with all the secrets, but just... Vas. The more you look, the more you'll understand who he really is."

Zola let out a shaky breath, feeling her emotions stirring in ways she hadn't fully expected. Before she could respond, Lily nudged her playfully. "Oh, and for the record—I'm rooting for you. Don't mess it up."

A small laugh bubbled from Zola's chest, breaking the tension. "How did you two even meet?" she asked, curiosity taking over.

Lily chuckled, eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, you wouldn't believe it. He actually tried to strong-arm my mom."

Zola's eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, what? Vas did?"

"Yup," Lily said, grinning. "He almost pulled it off too. That's when my mom started to like him—said he had guts. Now she just keeps adding to his debt so he can't go anywhere."

Zola laughed, a real laugh this time, feeling some of the heaviness lift. "And he hasn't seen through that?"

"Oh, I'm sure he has," Lily replied with a smirk. "I just don't think he cares. We see him as family, and I think—deep down—he sees us as family too."

Zola's heart warmed at the thought. "Thanks, Lily," she said, feeling a bit lighter.

"Anytime," Lily said with a smile. Then, with a playful nudge, she added, "Now, let's go grab a bite. I'm starving."

Zola laughed again, and this time, the laughter felt easy.

The next day, Vas was reminded of something he'd been trying to push to the back of his mind: his upcoming social service assignment. He had only about a week left before he'd have to fulfill the requirement to finish school. The thought gnawed at him, adding pressure to an already overwhelming list of tasks. Between tracking down whoever was experimenting on people using the Forgotten and continuing his studies with Elliot, the weight of it all was starting to settle in.

Vas sighed, running a hand through his hair. I need more time, he thought. He had learned so much from Elliot—far more than from the texts and files his family had provided on Anima and Amrita—but he was starting to realize just how much he didn't know. There was so much missing from the family archives, especially regarding The Void. And that was a gap in his knowledge he couldn't afford to leave unchecked.

But today, his focus was drawn elsewhere. His social service assignment had finally come through, and he was expected to help at a low-security prison called Nu over the weekend. It was a popular choice because it was considered easy, with inmates deemed to be low-risk. At least it's not dangerous, he thought, though the distraction couldn't come at a worse time.

Still, for now, Vas had more pressing concerns. Top of his list: more classes with Elliot. He was still feeling the mental strain from meditating to sustain Morrigan while she trained Zola and Lily the day before, but the thirst for knowledge pushed him forward. When he reached out to Elliot, his mentor was more than happy to arrange another lesson.

"Good," Morrigan chimed in when he told her about it. "He's right to teach you more, but this time, I have something specific in mind for your lesson."

Vas raised an eyebrow, curious but trusting. Morrigan always seemed to have an agenda.