Keeper of the Lost Cities: Rebuild [COMPLETED]

Chapter Twelve - STINA

"Hm, I wonder," she replied sarcastically. "It's not like this place is called Sterling Gables or anything."

"Is that...?" Heliva asked, sounding out-of-breath.

"This is my company," said Stina. "Company, this is Lady Heliva Argyros."

Heliva paled even further. "Your company is a Councillor?"

"What, you underestimated my importance? Not that it matters. I mean, there is a foal being born."

Lyra screamed as if to remind them, then gave a final push. Stina cheered as she helped the newborn onto the soft blanket and started cleaning it off. All the while Heliva gasped and stuttered and gave Fitz shocked looks.

Stina graced him with her own glance. He didn't meet her eyes; instead he was looking at the foal. "It's... kind of amazing, to see new life," he said. "I mean, it's gross, too, but amazing."

She smiled. "Yep—that's why I still work here."

"Do you need help?"

"No," she said, helping Heliva place the baby in front of its mother. "We can leave now, let them bond."

"I'll watch them," Heliva said as Stina led Fitz outside to the water basin.

Stina started to wash her hands and arms. She couldn't help but look at Fitz again, and this time she caught his disheveled hair, rumpled human T-shirt, and saggy eyelids. "Uh... why do you look like you just gave birth to a baby unicorn of your own?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Fitz groaned and ran a hand through his I-just-electrocuted-myself hairstyle. "I was up all night in a meeting."

"Ah, yes, a counsel with the Council. Makes sense."

"Are you ever sufferable?"

"I'm not sure. The word 'sufferable' itself has the prefix 'suffer,' so I'd say no matter what, you're in for loooooong mission."

Fitz groaned again, but Stina ignored it as a tall, menacing figure leaped into the clearing.

"Well, if it isn't Councillor Fitzroy," Vika said, striding over.

Stina couldn't help but eye her mother's burgundy dress and dark cape. They made her light blue eyes "pop" (at least, she was pretty sure Biana had used that word before) in an intimidating way, and her dark hair fell down her shoulders, only adding to the effect.

At that moment, Stina simultaneously wished she was her mother and wished she was Biana Vacker. The former because Vika could make even the Ancients shake; the latter because maybe then Stina could put into words what her mother did that made her so sinister, and replicate that.

But the moment passed, and she straightened. She was not Vika Heks, nor Biana Vacker. She was Stina. And that was okay.

"Lady Vika," Fitz greeted. "I didn't know you were away."

"I had business to attend to," she said after she finished bowing. "And speaking of ignorance, I wasn't aware you were coming to Sterling Gables."

Fitz smiled, but Stina could sense his nervousness. It wasn't even because she was an Empath—she needed contact to read his emotions—he was just so obvious.

"Lady Stina, Lady Maruca, and I have been assigned a mission from the Council. It's... classified."

"Ah." Vika nodded approvingly, but her gaze was fixated on Fitz.

Not Stina.

Not that it mattered. Stina was used to her mom being hard on her; high expectations weren't bad, despite what Keefe Sencen might claim. High expectations had made Stina who she was, and she was grateful for that. She didn't want to be anyone other than herself. Not... usually.