The Sinclaire estate was-- much to Saber’s surprise --a funeral home. 

After the world's tensest car ride Saber was gently led through the entry way to ‘Sinclaire Funeral Home and Cremation services.’ He only made it two steps before Despinia, the most sympathetic of the three sisters, noticed blood oozing from his cracked sneakers. 

“Oh goodness! Why didn’t you tell us you were injured?” Despinia scooped Saber into a princess carry. An act that would be emasculating if not for the shooting pain in Saber’s feet. 

He shrugged awkwardly and put an arm over Despinia’s shoulder to steady himself. She gently deposited him in a plush lounge chair outside a room labeled ‘office’. While she hurried into the office the other two sisters stood over Saber menacingly. 

All three women had strong, angular features. High cheekbones, defined jaws, hooked, romanesque noses. Their eyes all shared the same shape, downturned and deep set. Filla and Despinia’s eyes were both a dark olive while Xenia’s were a brighter, willow-leaf green. 

Filla and Despinia shared several features that were absent in Xenia, like freckles and fuller lips. It made Saber wonder if Xenia was their half sister. 

[We all share the same parents] 

Saber blushed and stared down at his lap. He’d forgotten that Echo was both privy to all his thoughts and a member of the family he’d been speculating about. 

[Xenia takes after our father] 

“Who do you take after?” 

“You’ve got to learn not to say these things out loud,” Xenia perched on the arm of Saber’s chair. She leaned towards him and stared into his eyes intently as if she’d be able to see Echo in them. 

“It’s a steep learning curve,” Saber chewed his lip while his ears burned crimson. 

[You’re doing amazing Saber] 

“You’re doing pretty good, all things considered.” The overlapping and similar tones of the two siblings was disorienting. Despinia smiled softly at Saber as she returned with a first aid kit. 

She knelt in front of Saber and began carefully removing Saber’s shoes. She tutted under her breath as she took in the mess within. 

“Now why were you walking on glass and salt?” 

“Echo told me to,” Saber responded instantly, more than happy to throw Echo under the bus. He secretly hoped to take the women’s intense focus off of himself even if only marginally. 

“Echo wouldn’t tell someone to walk on glass. You must’ve fucked something up,” Filla snapped at Saber. 

Echo said she was the oldest. Her age showed in subtle, dignified wrinkles on her brow and the intensity behind her gaze. She had faded burn scars spanning between her mid neck to her cheek. It added a battle hardened air to her that furthered Saber’s fear. 

He couldn’t stop his eyes from flicking to the scar rather obviously. The moment his focus was on it a ghost of a memory flashed through his mind. 

His tiny hand, grasped firmly by a larger, familiar hand. Flames licked at his feet and tears fell, sizzling in the blaze. 

It was all his fault. 

“...hey! Hey! Pretty boy!” 

Saber’s focus snapped back to Filla’s eyes. She was scowling at him. Saber felt like a child being reprimanded. The sixth-sense esque desire to cover his ears resurfaced. He quickly discovered why as Filla’s hand shot out to flick his ear. Hard. 

“Why!” Saber clamped a hand over his aching ear. A flick shouldn’t hurt that much. Who was this woman? 

“Pay attention and I won’t have to do that,” 

[Filla, he’s a guest. Be kind] 

Saber swallowed and relayed Echo’s statement, “Echo says you should be nicer to me.” 

God! What am I? A toddler? 

“Are you a goddamn toddler?” 

“I don’t like them,” Saber managed to convey this internally. 

Echo laughed. 

“I take it you can see through the veil?” Despinia spoke as she finished dressing Saber’s wounds. 

Saber swallowed dryly and nodded. 

Filla clicked her tongue disapprovingly and pinched the bridge of her nose. Echo made a dissatisfied humming sound that vibrated in Saber’s skull. 

“When did they notice you?” 

Saber had the distinct impression that Filla despised him, “What do you mean?” 

Filla made a disgusted noise and turned away from Saber. Saber could hear her mumbling something that sounded a lot like a curse on his family for the next four generations. 

Jokes on her, Saber’s family line would end with him. 

“If they’d seen you, you’d know. So we can assume this incident at your home was an anomaly.” 

[They’ve seen you Saber. It happened after the press conference] 

“Echo says they’ve seen me.”

“Stop stealing my brother’s voice,” Filla’s temper flared again. Saber couldn’t help recoiling in fear at the venom in her voice. 

Despinia put a hand on Saber’s shoulder comfortingly and shared a look with Filla, “Forgive her. Echo’s death has been hard on all of us.” 

Saber mumbled an apology and stared down at his hands. What was Saber meant to do in a situation like this? Condolences felt hollow with Echo’s presence constantly hovering over Saber’s shoulder. But it was different for the Sinclaire’s. To them Echo was gone.