Gamma Belt
Mortal RealmSector ACR 4-A, Nuevo Filipina
Del Riano Residence
2022
Adri knew, of course.
His assignment wasn’t
stupid. She was anything but stupid. So seeing the look on the Astra’s face was
one thing he enjoyed from his visit. If Emmanuelle thought that she had the
upper hand, then…she hasn’t seen anything yet.
The only thing he
worried about was how she would handle it.
For many years, the del
Rianos made their lone daughter believe that she was a Snow Original. And she
only found out the truth, the extent of her abilities, only a few weeks to a
month ago. It was an accident, a mere accident that he was unable to control.
Sacha Adrienne del
Riano found out a bit of information about Operation Verdandi.
Someone had carelessly
left papers and such in the Main Library, where she liked to stay during days
where everyone seemed too much. Zachary only found out when the guards rushed
towards the area, hearing the words smoke
and flame thrown around.
That was when he rushed
as well, going from faux-Human to full-pledged Watcher. She was there, in the
middle of the room with the paper flaming in her fingers. Sun, he thought. An overly uncontrolled Sun. Outside the del Riano
residence, a storm was already going on, with rains and lightning all over.
“Adri,” he called. “Calm
down – just calm down, can you hear me?”
She didn’t reply, the
paper burning more and more until it crumbled to ashes. The woman stared at it
in horror, then looked at him, her eyes wide.
They were orange. A
burning orange.
After the event, they
finally had to tell her. After the fire was put out and she was checked all
over to make sure she was okay. And when they told her, she was stiff.
Undoubtedly stoic, he knew upon watching her face. She learned well.
Perhaps too well.
“What did she want from you?”
“She wanted to kill me
and use my guts as new laces for her dirt-ridden shoes.” Zachary deadpans. He
looks at the lady currently at her laptop, her eyes not even looking at him. “But
in all honesty? She just wanted to fuck with me.”
“I hope you didn’t kill
her.”
“I didn’t. I chose to
let the walls get to her.”
“You know Astra, Zach.”
Finally, Adri del Riano looked at her Watcher. “She’ll treat the place like
home. With open arms.”
Zachary sighed and
folded his arms over his chest, waiting for the girl to face him. Once she was
done, she closed the laptop and finally looked at him. “Tell me the truth. Why
the fuck do we have Astra in the prison block?” she asked softly.
“Interrogation. The del
Rianos – your parents,” he added, “Want to get the Astras to come here. Have
some information sent. And then,” he made a little movement along his neck, “To
wipe them off the face of the Earth.”
“It isn’t that easy.”
“Of course it isn’t.
Not with a half-blood waiting for us
to attack. Then again,” he added, rubbing his palms together, “I could use a
nice fight.” He waited for her to laugh at the joke, to snort or roll her eyes,
but the look in her eyes turned deadly. Lethal.
“I’m not letting you
get into the mess, Zachary.”
“Too late, Adri. I got
into the mess the first time I met you.” She frowned and shook her head, trying
to find ways to dissuade him, to persuade him to get out of the situation – but
knowing him, he wouldn’t. Zachary wouldn’t even think of it.
His duty as her sworn
Watcher was to protect her at all costs.
And this was one of
them.
“You do know why your
family wants them out, right?”
“Of course. I’m not an
idiot.” Her eyes fell to the necklace around her neck, and she held the pendant
in her fingers, rubbing it slowly. “I don’t think anyone nowadays likes special
people.”
“Because they’re
jealous.” Zachary walked forward, approaching Adri. His eyes fell on the same
pendant and his stomach gave a small lurch – all for reasons he didn’t know. “You’re
taking this better than I thought you would.”
“I don’t feel it, Zach.
I don’t feel it at all.” she let the pendant slip between her fingers and
looked up at him. He saw it – even her silver-gray eyes hinted at a bright
orange. “I don’t feel anything and it’s
frustrating me. Shouldn’t it be a surge of energy? Some kind of great heavy
responsibility?”
“It hasn’t come yet,
Adri.” He pulled her up and brushed the hair away from her eyes, looking at her
fully for the first time since he walked inside. “Relish the time wherein you’re
still wondering about your capabilities. Because once you let a single trickle
of your power out, they’ll be looking for you.”
She shivered. Zachary
noticed and touched her arm, his red eyes glowing slightly.
“I’m not going to let
anything happen to you. They’ll die before they can touch you.” He said lowly. Adri
smiled slightly.
“Are you saying that as
my Watcher or as someone who genuinely cares for me?”
“The latter.” There was
a small spark in her eyes – hope – but it was gone as soon as it came. Zachary
pulled his hand away, clearing his throat. “If you’re going out, then tell me.
I don’t trust any of those others to watch you in my place.”
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