An hour later, when she could not take it anymore, she walked right down to the foyer to ask about Ileus. 

“Anastasia!” 

She turned her head sharply. Shawn, who was sitting within the salon, strode in her route. He was holding one other letter. “This got here for you.” 

The colour from her face drained. Staring on the white envelope, she requested in a shaky voice, “Wh— who gave it to you?” 

“Liltte was sitting right here for the night time. She stated that simply earlier than daybreak a toddler got here right here to ship it and stated that it was for you,” Shawn replied. “However why have you ever grow to be so fearful? Is one thing fallacious?” 

“It is nothing,” she stated. “A baby delivered this?” her eyebrows raised. 

“Sure.” He nodded. “Are you okay?” he requested. “You look so pale.” 

Anastasia swallowed saliva down her dry throat and weakly stated, “I’m. Th— thanks.” 

“You’re welcome,” he replied with a frown after which went again to the salon. 

Confounded as hell, she climbed the steps to return to her room when rapidly her eyes caught motion. Darla had come to face on the touchdown of the steps. She hid the letter behind her again instantly. 

“So that you got here again,” Darla stated acerbically. 

“I did,” Anastasia replied in a low, cautious, strained voice. Just one thought troubled her—if Darla was not behind the letters, then who was it? Since she did not know the change of Ileus’s plan, she was thrilled to see the letter and should have been pondering that issues have been falling in place. 

“Aren’t you shameless?” she snapped. 

Anastasia took a step up. She narrowed her eyes and replied, “I’m not however I feel that you’re making an attempt your greatest to come back between us, and that it is best to cease this.”

Darla laughed with out humor. “It’s you who has come between us and destroying our world. We have been doing so good… collectively!” 

A frown appeared on her face. “Actually? Darla, I need to ask you one factor, and it’s important to reply to me very actually.” Anastasia’s eyes flickered silver behind her irises. It was as if she was making an attempt to carry her consideration, making an attempt to not let her converse a lie. 

The sparkle in her eyes bothered her, however she leaned in opposition to the rails of the staircase and crossed her arms throughout her chest. “If you wish to ask how a lot I like Ileus—” 

“Did he ever kiss you?” Anastasia minimize her. 

“Of—” 

“In your lips?”

Darla stared at her as her mouth snapped shut. She licked her dry lips pondering of 1 occasion. “No! Why would he kiss me on the lips? I by no means initiated that. How would he do it?” 

“However he kissed me… on the lips… and we’ve achieved rather more…”

Darla blinked her eyes quickly as she brushed her neck along with her fingers nervously. “You are not the primary one to be kissed by him on his lips.” 

Despite the fact that a pang of jealousy stabbed at her coronary heart, she knew that that was Darla’s exact objective—to make her really feel depressing. It was as if she was feeding on her distress as a result of she herself was sad. Darla needed to derail her line of ideas however no less than she was answering actually. “I’m speaking about you,” she steered the dialog again. 

A shaky breath left her lips and he or she turned her head away preventing the sting of tears in her eyes. 

“When will you perceive Darla? He’s not meant for you,” Anastasia stated in a low voice. 

“Shut up!” she snapped. “Shut the fuck up!” 

However Anastasia continued, “From what I can see—and belief me if I say that then any individual on this earth can say, as a result of I’ve zero expertise in these sorts of issues… From what I can see, it is best to contemplate Aidan. That man loves you, in any other case he would not have gone this far to save lots of you from the disaster that came about at Virgine Falls. He not solely tried to save lots of you, however he tried to save lots of you from shaming your self in entrance of your previous good friend Ileus. Nevertheless it all got here at a heavy price—we misplaced Zlu and Carrick.” Anastasia stopped talking and an ungainly silence hung between them. “And it’s excessive time that you simply understand it. Nobody within the group has informed you something, and I significantly surprise why?” 

Darla shook her head. In a hoarse voice she stated, “I will not… allow you to take Ileus from me.” 

“Ileus was by no means yours to start with. And now that I’m right here, I will not allow you to come between us, and that’s not a menace Darla. For those who like, you’ll be able to take a look at me!” Anastasia’s voice was like metal. “That is my solely and ultimate warning to you. After this I will not hearken to a phrase from you about Ileus.” The silver in her eyes swirled like a storm. “For my part, go searching. Take a look at Aidan. Why do I really feel that that man got here on this mission due to you?” Saying that Anastasia climbed to the touchdown. She needed to pat her shoulders out of pity, however curled her palms into fists. She hesitated to say extra, however seeing Darla’s hunched shoulders and face that was crimson with fury blended with realization, she walked away to her room. 

As quickly as she reached her room, she tore open the letter. It learn:

‘I’m ready on your reply. Will come to satisfy you tomorrow night, in case you do not reply.

–Aed Ruad’ 

Anastasia’s physique shook as tremors handed by means of her. She bit her backside lip as her mouth turned dry. With shaky knees she staggered to the mattress and sat down on it with a thud. She pinched the center of her brow and closed her eyes. 

The door opened and he or she regarded up sharply. “Ileus!” she gasped. With trembling palms she gave the letter to him.

He learn the letter after which crushed it. He tossed it within the hearth, as anger gripped his face and a muscle in his jaw ticked.

“The place have been you? she requested.