The morning began at midnight. And, as befits such an untimely dawn, it started with a mishap. First, Zorya crashed into a crate of fertilizers, only then did she wake up. A surge of adrenaline shot from her stubbed pinky toe up through her body, finding release in a sharp verbal critique of the situation—and her own mental faculties.
Still groggy, the young woman shook her tousled head and hobbled over to the window that overlooked the terrace and the inner courtyard. The incessant yapping that had jolted her awake—and sent her tumbling from the second floor before her eyes even opened—showed no signs of stopping.
Lips pursed in irritation, Zorya cautiously pulled the curtain aside to peek through the dense tangle of hoya vines. A lush cluster of blooms immediately brushed against her face, tickling her nose with an annoyingly pleasant honey-vanilla scent.
Suppressing a sneeze, Zorya gently pushed the flowers aside as well.
“Better not break it…” she thought absently, casting her gaze over the courtyard, bathed in the bright glow of a full moon.
That last detail unsettled her. After what had happened over a decade ago, she had grown to despise that mottled, shining orb in the sky.
“Damn full moon…”
Her voice came out hoarse, still thick with sleep. The source of the yapping—a small, scruffy ginger mutt that wouldn’t stop barking at the gate—was easy to spot. And that was it. There was no one else out there.
“What a little pest!” she muttered irritably, though a small wave of relief washed over her.
Getting used to safety and peaceful nights had proven harder than Zorya had expected. But things were fine now; it was time to stop freezing at every unexpected sound. And this particular nuisance would be dealt with quickly. It wasn’t the first time the furry troublemaker had thrown a fit over the neighbor’s cat trespassing on his rightful territory.
Letting out a sigh, she turned back. This would be a short conversation—a well-aimed toss of a broom would be enough to restore peace to this little patch of yard.
But she relaxed too soon.
Zorya hadn’t fully disentangled herself from the hoya vines and the clingy embrace of the curtain when the ginger noisemaker suddenly fell silent, letting out a particularly frightened yelp. Startled, she froze. The next moment, she held her breath in stunned silence.
The gate, which she had locked herself, creaked open. And she wouldn’t have been so stunned if it had been a solid metal barrier, one that could easily hide a gang of thieves fiddling with lockpicks. But there was a catch: the intricate lattice of metal couldn’t conceal even the skinniest of burglars.
There was no one outside. The gate had simply… opened.
Her heart stopped, then thudded heavily with a searing pain. A wave of cold swept through her body, chased by a rush of heat.
“Damn it, I knew I should’ve grabbed the shotgun sooner…” The thought cut off abruptly.
In the bright light of the full moon, the air in the middle of the courtyard shimmered. It rippled like a heat haze on a scorching day, then rose like a crumpled sheet. Out of nowhere, a short figure appeared, draped in a long robe with a deep hood.
Zorya forgot all about the hoya. She lurched forward, crushing the stems, and fixed her gaze on the eerily familiar silhouette. In the same strange manner, three more figures appeared behind the first—maybe three and a half—but she didn’t see them.
Her mind went blank, a ringing silence taking over as her hands trembled.
“It can’t be…”
Her throat tightened, as if the past and present had collided. That cursed night had also been under a full moon. Back then, she had bid farewell to a future. She had buried it, erased it. She never expected to face it again. Especially not now.
A branch of the flowering vine snapped pitifully, finally snapping Zorya back to reality. Stepping away from the window, she took a slow, deep breath of the intoxicating scent of the blooming creeper. It took a few seconds to smother the initial surge of panic.
Past, future—what was she getting so worked up about? After everything she’d been through, this was just a minor hiccup. She had nothing left to give or pay to this little adventure, so there was no point in worrying. Just a meeting with a future that never came to pass and an old acquaintance.
Repeating this to herself, Zorya almost managed to calm down. Almost convinced herself to believe it.
Almost.
After all, every problem in life makes for a great plot in a new book.
“I still can’t believe you talked us into this madness!”
The young man’s voice no longer carried even a hint of irritation. That had been spent in the previous ten repetitions of the same complaint. Now, his words held neither protest nor anger—just a profound, universal melancholy over the world’s unfairness, laced with judgment. And oh, there was plenty of judgment!
Judgment cloaked the tall figure like a second cape over the one already draped across his broad shoulders. It flared in the glint of his green eyes, in the displeased curl of his thin lips. It was evident in the haughty tilt of his hooked nose, in his sharp movements. Even his hair, tied into a short braid, seemed to scream judgment. At the very least, the messy tail of it looked as judgmental as possible.
The only one unaffected by his mood was the pale she-wolf, young and curious, who had to be restrained time and again to keep her from leaping out of the in-between realm too soon. And that was yet another thing that drove the man up the wall.
On another day, Simona might have felt a twinge of guilt toward her friend, but today she just wrinkled her nose and waved him off. Esshat had been sulking for ages over the fact that she and the twins had sided against him, and frankly, it was getting old.
Besides, she didn’t feel all that guilty. She’d come up with a good idea, and if that idea happened to be her secret dream… well, that was just a happy coincidence. It wasn’t just the powerful who got to manipulate simple wizards and shifters for their whims, right?
The world around them was dim and slightly blurred, as if they’d plunged into a bowl of jelly and were now peering through it at the scenery. At first, it threw Simona off. They couldn’t just step out of a portal onto the street—too many people might be awake on a summer night. They didn’t need extra trouble, so bringing the wonder of magic into this world had to wait until they reached their final destination. Unfortunately, figuring out where to go proved harder than expected.
The night, combined with the foggy indistinctness of the view and her frayed nerves, wasn’t exactly helpful. Maybe ten years ago she could’ve navigated this place blindfolded, but not now. Nervously licking her lips, Simona glanced around, feeling a bit lost and uneasy. A chill ran down her spine. If she admitted now that she had no idea where to go, Esshat would eat her alive. He wouldn’t even bother chewing—just swallow her whole, boots and all, without so much as a hiccup. She knew him too well.
Luckily, not all her friends were as grumpy as Esshat. Feeling a reassuring touch on her shoulder from one of the twins, Simona took a deep breath. Scents in the in-between realm were faint, as if carried from afar on a breeze, but this one she’d recognize anywhere. Some said ripe mulberries smelled like sweet honey; others picked up a fruity tartness. For Simona, the scent of crushed berries always carried a subtle, spicy bitterness. As a child, she’d imagined that darkness itself would taste like this if you could catch it in your hands and take a bite. The old memory and the familiar aroma from her childhood made her startle.
“Wow… I’m such an idiot. It’s so close! That’s the mulberry tree we used to climb as kids! So many great memories! I nearly got half my backside bitten off under it once, and oh, the way Zorya screamed when she fell off! And over there’s the little stream where we caught frogs. Well, we tried to catch fish, but it was mostly frogs… So many memories!”
Flashing a bright smile, she strode forward with determination. She didn’t notice the wary glances her friends exchanged, and no one bothered to ask for clarification. Only one of the ginger-haired twins widened his eyes dramatically. Clearly, they weren’t prepared for such childhood antics. Though, considering how unstoppable their friend was, they probably should’ve been.
Meanwhile, Simona quickened her pace. Under the blurred shadows of trees, past fences, and once through a thicket of wild cherry bushes that had brazenly taken over a patch of sidewalk, she nearly broke into a run before stopping abruptly at a set of gates. She paused, suddenly shy, as the distant echo of a dog’s yapping reached her ears.
“What’s wrong?” Esshat asked immediately, tensing up and scanning the area suspiciously.
Judging by the aristocratic sneer on his face, he already disliked this place. He glared at the fuzzy outline of a two-story white stone house beyond the gates as if it were something utterly repulsive.
“She’s nervous, ‘what’s wrong,’” one of the twins mocked, squinting his golden eyes slyly. “Not everyone’s as thick-headed as you.”
Lips tightening, Esshat pretended not to hear and turned away, as if he’d lost interest in the unfolding events. Not that the events were in any hurry to unfold. Simona, visibly uncertain, shifted awkwardly from foot to foot before glancing over her left shoulder at the twin who’d just put the grump in his place.
Her pleading look was noted, assessed, and met with an indulgent smirk.
“You’ve got me wrapped around your finger!”
Pushing her aside, the man leaned down to the iron handle, barely noticing the tiny keyhole, and touched it. A soft click of the mechanism sounded in the same instant.
“As if anyone’s ever had to twist your arm to get into mischief,” his brother remarked dryly.
“What? I’d never let a pretty girl talk me into anything!” he exclaimed, winking at Simona before pressing the handle and stepping into the courtyard first.
Sounds from beyond the thin veil of the in-between realm came through faintly, but the sharp yapping from the other side of the fence was loud enough to be impossible to ignore. When Esshat finally saw the source, he just snorted.
“Are you kidding me? What is that—a rolling pin with legs?”
The brave defender was indeed… tiny. In their home world, dogs were generally not just big but downright massive, used for guarding and hunting. Something this small simply didn’t exist in nature there. So it was no surprise that the men all smirked mockingly. At least they didn’t mistake it for a rat—some of the rodents in the slums of certain cities, even the capital, grew to the size of this little dog, if not bigger.
Simona, however, didn’t find the joke funny.
“You’re the rolling pin!”
Startled, she even leaned forward a bit to get a better look at the courageous little guardian.
A small dog with shiny ginger fur, grayed with age around its sharp snout. Yes, she could tell it was gray from age, not just white patches like the ones on its paws. The dog was clearly scared, tucking its fluffy tail under its belly, but it didn’t stop its loud yapping.
“Look at you, old boy, still as stubborn as ever!”
Unable to hold back, Simona flashed a bright smile, feeling the tension ease. Why had she been so afraid? This was her friend, her Zorya. She couldn’t have changed that much! Anyone but her—her quiet, shy friend whom she’d missed so dearly all these years. Her dreamy bashfulness, her soft voice, her gentle nature.
Shrugging, Simona tilted her head back and took a determined step toward the terrace. It was time to show themselves; there was surely no danger here.
Especially since Baraboshka had already given them away. Animals always saw and sensed a bit more than ordinary people. And right now, that was the brave little guard’s downfall. As soon as Simona stepped forward, the curious she-wolf darted after her. Everything here fascinated her, especially the tiny creature.
But the little dog didn’t share her curiosity. The brave ginger soul couldn’t handle it and let out a pitiful whimper before bolting. He was ready to valiantly defend his owner from a cheeky cat, from meter readers, from anyone. But this was too much for the old boy’s nerves.
“Why didn’t you hold her back?” Simona turned to Esshat, guilt pricking at her like a needle.
He just gave her a pointed look in response. If someone wanted to start trading accusations, now was the perfect time.
“Someone” quickly realized they didn’t want to play that game and hurried to drop the subject. Turning away, Simona flung the edges of her cloak aside to free her hands. Listening intently, she deftly ran her fingers through the air, catching an almost invisible thread and tugging it, unraveling the passage into the world.
“I’m going first!” Esshat started, perking up, but he didn’t manage to push past the twins.
Simona didn’t wait for him and stepped boldly into the world, nearly bumping her nose into a branch with velvety leaves. Truth be told, over the years, the poor hazel bush had grown to frankly intimidating proportions. A branch swayed slowly above her, brushing the tip of a broad leaf against her head.
The view of the courtyard, squeezed between the white stone house and a matching workshop, caught her off guard for a moment. It used to seem bigger… Though maybe that was because it had been covered in grass back then, not gray tiles. Or maybe because she herself had been smaller.
Behind her, Esshat was grumbling about something, and one of the twins replied with a mocking tone, but Simona paid them no mind. Her gaze slid over the two pillars of the terrace, to the window and door of the house. For a moment, she thought she saw a shadow flicker behind the window, but she wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination.
Nervously licking her lips, the enchantress glanced over her shoulder.
“Guys… just, keep quiet, okay? I’ll handle this. She’s sensitive and delicate, so don’t… you know.”
Tripping over her words, Simona quickly shook her head. No, she wasn’t scared anymore, just a little on edge. Especially considering her friends’ personalities, which were neither simple nor pleasant. Truth be told, sometimes she wanted to smack them herself, and Zorya was far more sensitive. Yes. She’d reminded them of that plenty of times, but it didn’t hurt to say it again.
Esshat just rolled his eyes in response, while the ginger twins exchanged looks with blatantly mischievous grins. Well, one grin was outright roguish; the other was merely a touch ironic, but the fiery enthusiasm of the first was enough for the whole group.
“Don’t worry, we won’t ‘you know,’” the more roguish twin winked at her, standing just behind Esshat’s left shoulder.
Lips pressed tight, Simona started to step forward to say something—or maybe give that shameless ginger head a good whack—but she didn’t get the chance.
The light under the terrace ceiling flared to life, bathing the panels in a violet glow. Instantly forgetting about her sharp-tongued friend, Simona spun around, feeling her throat go dry. Any moment now, the blue door would open, and there she’d be.
In her mind’s eye, she pictured a short, slightly plump girl with long black hair. Sleepy and confused, with wide, innocent blue eyes.
The door creaked open, and Simona blinked in confusion, her mouth falling open in surprise. She’d only gotten one thing right: the eyes were indeed blue. Though in the darkness, they looked almost black, she knew that in the light, those eyes could be incredibly vivid. Even in a world of magic, she’d never seen eyes like that—deep and ever-changing, like the sea.
But right now, it wasn’t a sea—it was an ocean. A wary, storm-clouded ocean squinting at the visitors from beneath a mess of hair. Short hair, tied into a haphazard bun on top of her head, black with bold red streaks.
The image Simona had painted in her mind shattered, crumbling with a glassy rustle. Her mind, momentarily blank, slowly started to process, searching for familiar features… and finding them. Yes, this was Zorya. Still short, but the teenage awkwardness was gone. In its place was a vague tension, distrust, and something else—something Simona couldn’t quite place. The girl took a slow step forward toward the stairs, and Simona couldn’t hold back, blurting out the first thing that popped into her head.
“Auntie Love always screeched that you took after your dad, said you’d have to turn sideways to fit through doors…”
She said it and immediately cringed, hearing a stifled chuckle behind her. Great, just the thing to say at a first reunion. And it was their fault! She’d picked up all sorts of nonsense from her friends and now she’d offended her old pal!
But her friend only raised an eyebrow slowly and then smirked faintly.
“Auntie Love never said a smart thing in her life, and as a fortune-teller, she was pretty lousy. Besides, anyone could see from the start I took after the Manzheliy side—built like a brick wall, no matter how much you feed me.”
Her friend’s voice had changed slightly, grown a bit deeper, losing the high, uncertain notes, but it was still Zorya’s voice. Unmistakable, calm, and confident. A voice that didn’t stammer when classmates decided to poke fun at the quiet oddball, a voice that shut down jokes so effectively no one dared try again. And that alone was something Simona’s spinning head couldn’t quite grasp, but one thing was clear. No matter how staggering the changes, this was Zorya standing before her.
By now, the girl had descended two steps and stopped across from Simona. Her sharp gaze swept over her from head to toe and back up to her face. For a few moments, she studied her intently before taking a quiet breath and straightening up. The faintest hint of a smile touched her lips again. Not quite a normal one—almost formal, not at all flustered. As if she were greeting guests not at her own home but in some office where open joy or irritation wasn’t allowed, only polite acceptance within the bounds of etiquette.
“You haven’t changed a bit, except maybe grown a little taller.”
“Uh… um… yeah, I guess,” Simona stammered, nervously twitching as she pushed back her hood and ran a hand through her hair.
Hiding her confusion was proving difficult. Yes, she was thrilled to see her friend, but she hadn’t expected to meet this version of her friend.
For a moment, a tense silence hung in the air, broken once more by Zorya. Snapping out of it, she glanced over Simona’s head at the companions behind her. In that instant, Simona felt her cheeks flush hot with embarrassment. Please, let them not pull anything stupid!
But the universe decided to be kind to her today. The men said nothing, and Zorya’s gaze returned to her friend’s face.
“Looks like we started off on the wrong foot,” Zorya said suddenly, smiling as she brushed her hair back from her face.
It didn’t help for long—the red and black strands fell forward again, covering a dark line of an old scar. A scar that hadn’t been there before, Simona noted instinctively before her friend continued.
“Are you… here for long? Or just passing through?”
The question Simona had initially dreaded now felt like a lifeline.
“Oh, about a week. We need a place to stay, and I was hoping you’d… you know.”
Flustered, she stumbled over her words and for some reason glanced to the left. Just in time to meet the openly mocking gaze of amber eyes.
“So we’re not ‘you know,’ but you’re ‘you know’-ing us?” the ginger twin teased, his expression clearly reveling in the awkwardness.
In contrast, the other twin looked somewhat detached and serious. Though maybe that was because he kept nudging Esshat to stop making such obvious faces. It didn’t help much, but for a moment, Simona felt a surge of gratitude toward him for at least trying. That gratitude burst like a bubble the next second, replaced by indignation—her other two friends weren’t just failing to help, they seemed eager to stir up more trouble!
Simona’s brows furrowed in frustration as she turned sharply back to her friend, only to freeze again. Zorya, her dear, gentle, shy Zorya, was smiling in a way that mirrored the cheeky ginger twin’s smirk.
“Can we stay with you for a week? We’ll pay for the stay. Triple rate!”
The words came out louder than necessary, but for some reason, Simona felt a sudden urgency. She wasn’t prepared for these changes. She’d braced herself to shield her friends from upsetting Zorya. But it seemed the real danger had come from a completely unexpected direction.
With a soft grunt, Zorya nodded.
“Of course. You’ve come at just the right time—I finished renovating the first floor recently. Though someone will have to settle either in the greenhouse or on the floor.”
Before Simona could get lost in the tense silence again, Zorya turned to head up the steps. And that threw the girl off even more. Her thoughts twisted into a tight knot. The old Zorya never acted like this, but for some reason, Simona couldn’t quite recall or imagine how she was supposed to behave. The image of the Zorya from the past, with red-rimmed eyes bravely trying to smile during their goodbye, was fading. Her dreamy gaze, tinged with a deep sadness in those blue eyes, was being overtaken by a dark abyss. Her quiet voice gained new tones, and the long strands of her thick black braid seemed to scatter, sprouting red streaks in a new portrait. It was all happening so fast that Simona couldn’t even process her impressions properly.
This was a very strange reunion, a whirlwind of new discoveries that stifled any real emotions. Back in their world, she had felt joy at the long-awaited meeting. But now, she couldn’t tell if she was happy, disappointed, or if this was all just a dream.
As soon as the hospitable hostess stepped onto the first stair under the glow of the electric lantern, Simona felt a sudden emptiness in her mind. The wild gallop of thoughts seemed to crash through the ice, which instantly covered the chaotic mess with a chilling silence. In her surprise, she slowly opened her mouth. Someone behind her to the left let out a low whistle, while to the right, a quiet chuckle sounded.
Zorya’s pajamas, with long pants and a tank top, revealed her shoulder blades. And on the pale skin of her right one, a stylized fox tattoo darkened, starting somewhere under the fabric and stretching almost to her shoulder, entwined with red poppies.
For a moment, Simona was simply thrown off by the unexpected sight. The image of this new Zorya drifted further and further from the girl she once knew. And now this tattoo. It took her a second to realize what it depicted, and when she did, she abruptly turned to her friends.
Just in time, too. Esshat’s face was contorted in a clear grimace. His green eyes flared with irritation and almost disgust. Meanwhile, the twins exchanged looks with peculiar smirks.
“Okay, stop thinking whatever you’re thinking!” Simona hissed indignantly.
“We haven’t even started. How could you assume we know how to think at all?” the left twin whispered back with mock outrage, clapping his hands dramatically.
The rascal didn’t even try to sound convincing as he stepped forward to hook his arm through Simona’s.
“At least we’re not thinking about whatever you’re thinking,” the right twin added more sensibly, also stepping closer to take her other arm.
Suspiciously pursing her lips, Simona shot them a look. She didn’t quite trust these cheeky faces. The faces, in turn, only grinned more brazenly, instantly erasing any differences between them before simply lifting her by the arms. Ignoring her indignant protests, the gingers carried her toward the house entrance, dragging her in backward.
The house hadn’t changed. At least the walls hadn’t run off anywhere, and as Simona quieted down in the entryway, she noticed an endless array of shelves with plants at the far end of the room, opposite the slightly open kitchen door. She didn’t get a chance to study this little indoor garden corner more closely. The nimble twins tugged her onward, to the left through another connecting room that led to a third. There, the light was already on, and something was rustling, humming, and occasionally muttering curses.
Snapping to attention at the threshold, Simona irritably jerked in an attempt to free herself.
“Put me down already!” she snapped, trying to vengefully kick the left twin in the shin.
Unfortunately, he was too quick, spotting the danger and yanking her up sharply before setting her down on her feet.
“Absolute children…” Esshat sighed loudly, shaking his head in disapproval.
Then he sighed again, wrinkling his nose in mild displeasure. The house smelled as if someone had spilled sweet perfume somewhere. The scent wasn’t overpowering or irritating; within a few minutes, you could even get used to it. Most likely, Esshat’s annoyance stemmed from the worry that the sweet floral aroma might cling to his clothes. Amidst this chaos, Esshat looked like a monk who’d somehow been dragged into a den of iniquity. At least, his judgmental and haughty expression fit that scenario perfectly. His pursed lips and crossed arms only reinforced the impression.
Snorting at the unexpected thought, Simona turned to finally see what the twins were staring at with such curiosity. And immediately, she smacked the shameless pair on their backs in outrage. There was no need to ogle that part of her friend’s body, visible as she bent over a crate, rummaging for something.
“Need any help?” Simona asked, catching herself.
“Nah, I’ve got it.”
The visible half of her friend’s right leg swayed, losing a slipper as Zorya climbed out of the crate and turned around. A stack of bedding in her arms tilted dangerously, but she deftly steadied it.
“Gotta get the guests settled. Right now, I’ve got one free couch and two daybeds clear of clutter. One in the guest room and one in my… uh, greenhouse.”
Shrugging, she smiled at Simona.
“Oh… Well, our sleeping arrangements are easy to sort out. The twins can take the couch, and Esshat and I will each take a daybed. I’ll take the guest room as the beloved guest, and he can have the one under the cactus, since he’s such a rare prickly pear.”
Still feeling a bit awkward, Simona flashed a bright smile. There was something forced in that deliberately casual tone, which made her feel tense. This wasn’t how she’d imagined their reunion. Then again, it had been over ten years. Who said it would be easy?
And who said it would only be hard for her?
Thrown off by the sudden thought, Simona’s eyes widened as she mentally slapped herself. What a selfish idiot! Yes, her friend’s confident demeanor had caught her off guard, but she could at least consider that someone who was completely at ease wouldn’t be bustling around like this. Even if the disappearance was figurative. It’s not like there could be a portal to a parallel world hidden in that crate for Zorya to escape through.
How arrogant and self-centered it was to assume she was the only one feeling out of place! And it didn’t excuse her that this new side of her friend had learned to hide her thoughts and feelings so skillfully! Simona herself had never been good at hiding her thoughts—they scrolled across her face like subtitles. So it was no surprise that reading her was easy. Especially for her friend.
The corner of Zorya’s mouth twitched, and she took a deep breath, shaking her head.
“We’ll figure out the arrangements somehow… Sorry, I’m a bit thrown off, so don’t mind the fuss. Let’s get acquainted, you can tell me what you might need from me, and then we’ll settle in. I’m pretty tired and don’t think I can process any big information right now.”
“Settle in?” Esshat asked suspiciously, unexpectedly speaking up.
The twins had not only made their way into the room but had also deftly navigated the mosaic of packages, boxes, and stacks of books to claim the couch. One of them lounged back casually, crossing one leg over the other, while the other propped an elbow on the armrest with a dignified air, ready to listen.
Esshat, however, wasn’t in a hurry to join them. His imposing figure might have even caused some tension, as irritation and judgment lingered on his face… if it weren’t for Virna trying to push past him. The she-wolf clearly wasn’t bothered by her master’s mood. Everything intrigued her, and she kept trying to get closer to the hospitable hostess, but Esshat remained unyielding.
So when Zorya turned her attention to him, her eyebrows shot up in surprise. And no wonder—while the upper half of the man remained stoic, the lower half was desperately trying to fend off a curious furry snout. The snout didn’t take hints, poking between his legs, then closer to the doorframe, before finally scrunching up in offense and suddenly nipping at his pant leg.
“S-s-settle in,” Zorya agreed, stumbling slightly as she tried to suppress a smile. “I had a tough project I only finished an hour ago.”
Blinking, finally distracted from the battle between self-expression and tyrannical trousers, Simona nodded eagerly at her friend.
“Alright, let’s do that.”
If her friend needed a break from getting reacquainted, there was no point in pushing. Honestly, Simona herself wasn’t opposed to a pause—she needed to sort everything out in her head.
“That grump over there is Esshat. He’s a bit moody, irritable, never likes anything, but overall, he’s not a bad guy…”
Nodding slowly, Zorya handed the stack of bedding to Simona.
“Nice to meet you… If you need it, I’ve got some spare men’s clothes, though I’m not sure about the size.”
“I’ll manage,” Esshat replied curtly, not even trying to be less of a jerk than Simona had described.
“Really?” the ginger twin sprawled shamelessly on the left side of the couch suddenly chimed in with a mocking tone.
“Really,” Esshat shot back just as tersely.
In the brief silence that hung over the room, the distinct sound of ripping fabric rang out especially loud. Four pairs of eyes simultaneously dropped to the source of the noise. The culprit let out a low grumble and shook her head, continuing her mischievous work. The more polite right twin shook his head reproachfully.
“Wonderful. Now you’re proud and pantsless. Happy?” he asked his friend politely.
“Thrilled to death,” Esshat replied, cutting as sharply as a blade, before turning his head to glare at the she-wolf.
Virna, completely unfazed by the silence, thoughtfully chewed on the fabric before grumbling again and rubbing her head against the now-slobbered pant leg.
“I’ll still look for where I put those clothes,” Zorya said tactfully, turning her gaze to the twins.
To the left one, who didn’t seem to have a shred of tact, and to the right one, who offered a polite smile in response to her look.
“Oh, and these are…” Simona started, snapping out of her distraction with her friend and his companion.
“We’re Layar,” the left twin introduced himself with a slight tilt of his head and a grin.
“We?” Zorya asked, surprised, glancing at Simona.
Simona offered a somewhat strained smile in return. Yes, she should’ve been prepared for the brothers to avoid revealing too much here. They might look like a pair of goofy guys, but that didn’t mean they actually were.
“Though they could at least drop the act and play the part of regular guys without all this nonsense!” Simona thought irritably.
Her friend was an ordinary person, completely unconnected to their world, so they could leave their precautions aside for a while! Back home, they were big shots who had to avoid revealing their true names to just anyone, but here, no one knew them! And no one could use something as trivial as a name against them. Especially since she and Esshat knew not just their names but a whole lot more about them—Zorya wouldn’t even realize she’d learned something secret, and she certainly wouldn’t or couldn’t use it against them!
“It’s a family tradition for them. Twins share one name with outsiders,” Simona quickly interjected, then mentally scolded herself.
Why did she have to mention “outsiders”? As if her friend wasn’t really her friend at all!
But Zorya didn’t seem to notice and just nodded slowly with a soft hum.
“Interesting…”
“And convenient,” the “left” Layar added, not letting up as he flashed another bright smile, showing off not only a perfect set of teeth but also canines that were a bit too large for a human. “No need to clutter your head with extra words. We care about the mental health of our acquaintances and friends. Especially charming women who shouldn’t burden their pretty heads with such heavy nonsense.”
His voice dropped a few tones, taking on a rumbling quality. Eyes widening, Simona shot her friend an indignant look, realizing he was flirting with her friend!
In her irritation, she sharply turned her head to the right Layar. At least he should give the flirt a good kick! Unfortunately, the right twin just offered a polite smile and shrugged. His authority ended where his brother’s improvisation and latest incomprehensible game began.
And what was she supposed to do if her friend fell for the charming smile of this ginger rogue? Truth be told, she herself had nearly fallen into that trap once. With butterflies in her stomach and a shimmering teenage romance in her then-silly head. Luckily, the brothers had come to their senses first, and they’d managed to build a solid friendship…
Though when those rascals smiled like that, something still fluttered in her chest. Heck, they’d even charmed their elderly household magic instructor with those smiles, the shameless pair!
But this time, something went off-script. Simona realized it when the brazen left Layar suddenly raised his eyebrows in mild surprise.
Caught off guard and momentarily forgetting her anger, Simona glanced at her friend. She was a bit late, catching only a fleeting glimpse of pursed lips and a cold glint in her eyes. Even then, she wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it. A moment later, Zorya offered another polite smile and stepped toward Simona to take part of the bedding from her.
“I’ll tidy up the plants a bit while you all get settled. Be careful in the guest room—there are some boxes in the way that need to be moved.”
Nodding, she turned to walk past Esshat.
He grimaced in displeasure and quickly grabbed Virna, who was already sniffing toward the girl. Rudely stopped, the she-wolf let out an offended whimper, but her master remained stubbornly unmoved.
Only when Zorya stepped into the entryway did the left Layar scratch the tip of his nose.
“That was almost insulting. How did I earn such obvious displeasure, and not that sour face over there?” he said with mock offense, nodding toward Esshat.
The “sour face” momentarily looked less sour and even offered a condescending smirk.
“Bite me, clown.”
“Says the high-and-mighty bare-ass,” the ginger shot back vengefully, narrowing his golden eyes.
“Don’t be jealous.”
Pursing her lips, Simona nervously fidgeted with the bedding in her hands, barely restraining herself from whacking her friends with it. No, really, what had she done to deserve this punishment? She’d been a diligent student, a quiet girl. Well, mostly. At least before she met them! And now look at her!
Evidently, the expression on her face—or perhaps the bright flush of anger heating her cheeks—became particularly noticeable, because the “right” twin suddenly intervened.
“Let’s leave the kids to sort themselves out. Didn’t something need moving? I’ll help you.”
Letting out a quiet sigh, Simona nodded. Fine, she wouldn’t be able to beat them up anyway. She’d tried plenty of times before, and they always turned out to be frustratingly fast. And she wasn’t keen on ending up tied up by her hands and feet yet again. Especially since Zorya might misunderstand the situation.
Meanwhile, the spirited exchange of jabs didn’t let up. Soothingly stroking the fur of the upset she-wolf, Esshat let out a mocking snort.
“Me? Jealous? At least I’ve still got pants on. Half the city got a view of your backside when you were running from Lady Taressa. What a genius, seducing the daughter of a combat training instructor!”
“I’ll have you know, that wasn’t me!” the left twin retorted loudly and smugly.
“Then whose was it… Ayyar?”
The sudden realization made Esshat whip around, but the “right” ginger had already pulled Simona into the next room. And to her surprised, slightly curious look, he responded with the serene smile of a saint.
“Slander, Simona, pure and shameless slander.”
“Oh, really? Fine then.”
Neither of them bothered to sound convincing. Well, it seemed this mission with a special assignment from the crown was going to be interesting. At the very least, it had started with some intriguing details.