I watched as my fist hit the training dummy in front of me, the indent, and the following swing satisfying. I glanced over at Gae Lia; her training dummy was on fire at the moment. She wore just a tank top and tight-fitting leggings, so I was doing my best to not look at her. Gods was that difficult. I sighed and walked over to the bench to grab a sip out my water bottle. We’d been here for a couple of hours already, and I expected we’d be here for another at least.

It had been a week since that meeting. Seven days of conversing magically with them in languages I couldn’t understand, or she was handing letters off to Zauvith to deliver as I was cracking open the bedroom door.  Of stopping by the library to return and check out even more books from her friend. Of seeing her smile, bright only for it to flicker when she looked away and I was forced to watch it unfold. She wanted to give me deniability, but really I think she thought I’d try and stop her, so she hid her contacts from me. She was sneaky, thank gods she didn’t try and prevent me from following her. She realized that I’d be forced to tell her father if that happened.

I had to admire her conviction; she was doing this to protect others at the expense of her father’s eventual wrath. I wouldn’t want to cross Mr. Shulaya, but she was so determined that it was like a shield from her fear.

I put the bottle down, the water had cooled the itch in my throat. I looked back over at my charge; she had extinguished the flames thankfully. Our eyes met as I glanced over, her cheeks flushed from the workout. I thanked the gods that I could use the same excuse. These damn feelings weren’t going away if anything they were growing. Repression was my best option, my only option. Nothing more than what we are is something we could ever be. She needed someone who would be of help leading a Mafia. I would just screw it up.

“You want to grab some lunch?” Gae Lia called across the room startling me from my brooding.

“Uh, sure? We should probably shower first though,” I said feeling the sweat cooling on my skin.

“Probably right, come on let’s head back to our wing,” she said as she made her way towards me and the door behind me.

I nodded and went to hold open the door for her.

“Why thank you Ms. Macabre,” she smiled, her eyes glittering like sapphires … maybe I was imagining that, stupid hormones.

“My pleasure Ms. Shulaya,” I said as she walked past me.

We made our way through the now more familiar halls of the Shulaya estate. With the clock approaching noon they were teeming with life, Goliaths and fellow Orcs were conversing, cleaning, or sharing meals in the rooms we passed. It was nice to be in a place that was filled with such life, easy to forget it was home to a Mafia sometimes. Eventually we reached the door into the wing, and made our way inside. I watched as she stretched out an arm above her head, before turning towards me again.

“Do you want to shower first or should I?” She asked.

“You can first if you’d like.”

“Alright, I should be quick,” she glanced at the clock.

I watched her turn and close the bathroom door behind her. I found myself making my way back to my room and sitting on the edge of the bed. I stripped off my tank top, having to peel it since it clung to me after the workout. I cracked my neck, and sighed as the tension released just a bit. I sat for a couple of minutes before pulling out a book and laying back on the bed. I got half way through the first chapter before I heard my bedroom door click open. I was instantly alert and ready to jump up when I saw Gae Lia enter, her eyes were squinting and she was rubbing them.
“Stupid soap,” I heard her mutter as she stumbled in.

Her hair was slicked down and as I looked further, and with the onslaught of heat on my face, I realized she was in just a very short towel.

“You’ve got the wrong room,” I didn’t even recognize my own voice with how high it suddenly was.

“What who-,” her eyes finally focused. “This isn’t my room.”

“No, it’s not.”

“This isn’t my room and I’m standing here in just a towel.”

“Yep.”

“Man, if this were a different situation I’d say that I wouldn’t even be wearing that.”

“Gae Lia please,” I said eyes wide and even my ears had to be blushing at this point.

“Right sorry, I make inappropriate jokes when I’m in situations like this.”

“How often do you walk into someone’s room half naked?”

“Hasn’t happened in a while,” she chuckled.

“I—”

“Sorry,” she said awkwardly. “I’m just going to go back to my room, the showers free.”

“Okay,” I said as she closed the door again. “Those tattoos are really everywhere, huh?”

---

Half an hour later we were both washed, dressed, and ready for lunch. Though we both seemed to still be sporting our respective blushes as we walked back down the hallway. Gae Lia coughed slightly before speaking.

“So, anything you want to try today?”

“Since I don’t know the options, why don’t you pick?”

“Well, we could always get the Genovese family specialty…”

“I thought they worked in banking and finance?” I asked confused, she smiled.

“They do, but their food is incredible.”

I nodded, and we continued on our way. The only sound in the halls were the echo of my armor and the clink of my shield on my back. As we approached the front door we were met with Mr. Shulaya entering, back from some sort of business.

“Rassvet, are you two heading out?” He asked, he had calmed considerably thinking that his daughter was actually listening to him.

“Da Otet, we’re grabbing some lunch before my afternoon research,” she smiled at him, the definition of calm.

“Good, be safe, I love you,” he said kissing her forehead before moving past and nodding at me, his eyes were serious out of his daughter’s sight. He and I both knew my job was suddenly a lost harder since the string of attacks started.

We made our way out the front door, Summer was slowly coming to a close and the air was steadily getting colder by the day. Gae Lia was unaffected, a genetic blessing from her ancestors. She cast a spell on herself, and the faintest shimmer flutter across her. A new requirement for leaving the house, Mage Armor. It wouldn’t do a lot, but it was give me time to get her behind me. We walked a couple of blocks, her leading the way to wherever she wanted to show me this time.

“He’s pretending to be fine, but I know he hates when I leave the house now,” Gae Lia said suddenly breaking the silence. “I get it, he’s my dad. Of course he’s worried, it honestly scares me of the aftermath if my plan succeeds.”

“I honestly think you should be worried, your explicitly going against your fathers wishes. Your father who is the leader of a Mafia..”

“I know,” she actually pouted a bit. “But I have to—”

“Do your duty, I know,” I said softly, as we rounded another corner. I kept my eyes straight forward, taking momentary glances at her. I was actively on alert whenever we left the house now. “Your father and you apparently disagree on what your duty is.”

“No, I don’t think we do. I think he’s just scared of it happening again,” she said before catching herself. She looked at me to see if I knew what she meant. I kept my face even, and I saw her trying to analyze what that could mean. “…Besides, what is the heir to a Mafia family if not a future guardian of it? I need to protect, so they know I will be strong when it becomes my turn.”

“You’re repeating yourself, is it for my benefit or yours?” I muttered the last bit.

“Listen you wouldn’t understand, I was raised for this,” she snapped, pausing where she stood.

“You shouldn’t be risking your life for this,” I countered. “Your friends lives…my life.”

She paused and looked at me for a moment, “nice to hear that you actually care if you die and aren’t just prepared to go out protecting me.”

“Oh I still am, I signed a contract after all,” I rolled my eyes. “But I don’t want it to happen obviously.”

A small smile formed on Gae Lia’s lips.

“Keep up the attitude Ms. Macabre, it suits you.”

“I prefer my stoniness thank you very much,” I said as she began moving forward again. “I like being aloof. It makes me more attractive to the ladies.”

“I knew you were gay,” Gae Lia grinned.

“I—” suddenly realizing I had outed myself. “I’m Pansexual actually.”

“I see, well if we’re sharing that sort of thing, I’m Bisexual.”

“Huh,” my brain was a little to happy with that information. “I’d have pegged you for a Lesbian actually.”

“No, you see, I do actually enjoy pegging,” she said casually as I suddenly choked on air somehow.

“Gae Lia please.”

“But I swing both ways,” she continued ignoring me. “Now come on, we’re almost there.”

---

The Genovese family had a finger in every pie apparently, and as the Linguine hit my palette, I was so grateful that they were adventurous.

“Gods this is incredible,” I groaned.

“Isn’t it?” Gae Lia had a hand propping up her chin.

“It’s so buttery, and it’s so, so..”

“Garlicy?”

“Yes!”

“Yeah garlic goes so well with their cuisine,” Gae Lia chuckled popping a piece of Gnocchi into her mouth.

We ate in silence for a few minutes, the afternoon air ruffling some of Gae Lia’s hair. It was peaceful, so nice from the tense air surrounding everything this last week. It was so nice, so that when Gae Lia’s eyes suddenly narrowed and widened, I couldn’t even be disappointed really.

“We need to go,” she said calmly, pulling out a small stack of Silver and leaving it on the table.

“What’s wrong?”

“Another attack, and it wasn’t even two blocks from here, Zauvith just messaged me.”

“Right, get in front of me and we’re going straight home,” she nodded, and for once I used some of my limited magic and made a shield appear in front of her. I held my shield behind so she was protected like a turtle in its shell.

We made our way quickly, and it seemed all was fine at first. Until I heard a wet schlick come from behind me. I spared a glance, and saw the creep of a black tentacle creep out of the nearby alley. One hand on my shield, I drew my sword. The tentacle creeped rapidly, once within reach I sliced it off, but more were coming.

“Run.”

I grabbed Gae Lia’s hand and bolted, thankful that she could keep up. The tentacle sounds were following, creeping wetly behind. We turned down a few streets, I was desperately trying to lose them. After a few sharp turns and dodges I thought we finally lost them.

Gae Lia doubled over panting, a hand on the wall nearby propping her up. I kept my eyes shifting around searching for signs of them. Nothing.

“Thank you,” she panted.

“For doing my job? It’s my duty,” I said sparing Gae Lia yet another glance.

“Yeah, but still,” she said pulling herself off. “Let’s get home before any more show up. Zauvith said father wanted to see me as soon as we got home.”

“Right, of course,” I said as we continued walking and I resumed the turtle shield.

I didn’t realize how tightly wound I was until we stepped over the threshold at the Shulaya estate and felt my shoulders relax. Mr. Shulaya was at the door waiting, and instantly wrapped Gae Lia in a hug, she returned the favor and gripped him tight.

“Rassvet, thank the gods your okay,” he said brushing a hand over her hair.

“Thank Ms. Macabre,” Gae Lia said turning her head on his chest.

“Right, thank you,” he said looking at me. “Now, Rassvet I need to speak to you. Alone. Ms. Macabre please feel free to head back to your wing. I’ll escort Gae Lia back myself when we’re done.”

“Right,” I said bowing slightly, before walking past. I took a moment to meet eyes with Gae Lia, she looked relieved in her father’s arms, but I saw her tense at his words. I continued past as they turned and disappeared out of sight.