Paladin

I Would Give Anything In The World...

Two months early. It was two months early and Illyria and Sofia sat in the hospital cafeteria. Sofia slowly ate her crisps while Illyria checked her phone every two minutes.

"Do you think the baby will be okay?" Sofia asked.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" Illyria got up to look at the vending machine before sitting back down.

Her mobile vibrated and she shot up in her seat, "Baba said to go to her room."

"Race you!" Sofia said from over her shoulder and Illyria jogged to keep up.

"You had a head start!" Illyria said as they both reached Room 18.

"Girls, do you want to meet Laith?" Their father opened the door and his two daughters unceremoniously shoved past him to see their mother asleep and their little brother in an incubator.

Illyria and Sofia peered into the chamber and squinted at the red baby. They looked at one another before looking back at their new brother.

"So how long does he have to be in there?" Illyria said finally.

"Two to three weeks, maybe," Christopher said, sitting down.

Sofia tilted her head, "And when is Umma coming home?"

"She's going to stay here with Laith." He scratched his head.

"So, are we going to stay in the house ourselves?" Sofia looked horrified.

Illyria said, clearly affronted and elbowed her sister, "I can look after you, you know."

"You can barely look after yourself, Ria," Sofia shot back at her.

"Actually, you'll be staying with the Duchess for a bit," Baba shushed them both as they started to complain. "I know, I know-"

"John or Amanah can look after us," Illyria tried to persuade her father. "Why do we have to go with the witch?"

Christopher reprimanded her with a look, "Neither of them can stay in the Human World without it looking suspicious and you know this. I know it'll be hard but its going to be harder for Laith and your mother, isn't it?"

His daughters mumbled and eventually agreed.

***

"Try not to cause too much trouble, okay?" Christopher tried to be stern, but a smile broke out when he looked at his two little girls.

"Just tell Umma and Laith to hurry up," Illyria said and closed the door in his face.

"I will?" Christopher said, shaking his head and walking away.

Inside the manor, Illyria and Sofia made their way to the drawing room and braced themselves. "I hope you're ready to live with the witch for nearly a month."

"The witch is here," Duchess Montrose glared at Illyria ominously and bustled them inside. "We'll have a talk about how you conduct yourself as a lady later. Apparently, I have an unannounced visitor which I have to see to."

"Suspicious," Illyria said, pacing until she was looking out of a window. "She never accepts unannounced visitors. How improper."

No reply.

"Nothing to say?" Illyria turned to her little sister. "That's not like you."

Sofia wore a neutral expression and Illyria sleuthed into her personal space until their faces were centimetres away from each other, "Ria, stay out of it."

"Now you know I can't," Illyria gave a wicked smile and ventured to the door, opening it a crack and saw a pale-faced stumbling wreck looking up at her Grandmere.

The door shut and Illyria sighed, annoyed. "You're so nosy. How would you like it if people eavesdropped on your private conversations?"

"You do," Illyria said. "All the time."

Sofia rolled her eyes, removing her hand and Illyria opened the door back up. "Thank you."

"Thomas I'm married," Illyria had never heard the Duchess sound stressed. "I haven't seen you in six years. What are you doing here?"

"Men are such idiots," Sofia muttered, and Illyria shushed her.

"That's because you refused to see me while your husband was here, but I've heard he's been away for some time now-"

"And what about it?"

"Oh sassy," Illyria whispered into Sofia's ear and they both giggled.

"So, I want the real story. The full story. Tell me why you turned up with a husband, decades older than you and a built-in family when you were engaged to me-"

Illyria heard footsteps and closed the door quickly, pressing her back against the wood. She had heard enough. She had forgotten that her Grandmere was only in her thirties.

"Who was that, Sofia?" Illyria said out loud and when she didn't hear a reply, she asked again, "Sofia?"

Her breath caught painfully in her throat as she moved near her sister laying on the floor. She was deathly pale, and Illyria fumbled for her mobile, reflexively calling for her father. He didn't pick up, so she tried again and again.

"Hello?"

"Baba, it's Sofia..."

***

Illyria turned the library lights off and swung her bag over her shoulder, pushing her hair out of her eyes as she made her way out of the school. She wondered if Sofia had woken up yet-

"Don't scream," The tip of laser gun pressed against the back of Illyria's head and she tried to remain calm. "Don't speak. Just listen. Nod if you understand."

Illyria gulped and gave a singular nod.

"I have a message from your brother," Sweat across Illyria's forehead broke out. "He said, Leave Paragon. You won't like the consequences if you don't."

***

"Baba?" Illyria saw the back of her father and tentatively stepped towards him. "Is Sofia okay now?"

"She's resting but sit down," He turned to face her, his face was withdrawn and grey. "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"Sofia is ill. She's really ill," They were both silent. "Her power is too much sometimes. It consumes her entirely."

"How long has this been going on now?" Illyria bit her trembling lip.

"Almost a year," He placed a hand on her shoulder and she immediately shrugged him off. "We didn't want you distracted from the Academy. And we don't know what to do yet."

"What do you mean what to do?" Illyria said, trying to get the lump out of her throat.

"She needs a cure and for her to get better, maybe it would be best for her to be with grandfather where he can administer different cure-Illyria-wait, come back!"

Illyria felt like the world was closing in on her; she needed air and for her brain to start working again.