Heraiah

CHAPTER 2

Miss Anne was on the entrance with a pissed face. Her arms over her chest and a raised eyebrow. “You are late-“

I scoffed and passed by her. “Save me the lesson, Miss A,” I went inside and closed my eyes.

I didn’t have the energy to argue with her after what I witness earlier. The faces and the form of the hostage Airens can’t get out of my mind. I wanted to cry every time I remembered their faces, the tears on their cheeks and the fear in their eyes, I wished to take it away from them.

Miss A was even more pissed off when I said that but Bliss saved my ass from her once again. “I’m sorry, Miss Anne, she’s just bothered.” Bliss sheepishly smiled at her. I gritted my teeth and walked even further inside.

Miss A furrowed her eyebrows. “What the in the world happened out there?” I heard her ask before their voices became whispers to me.

I continued walking to the wide kitchen. I took off my jacket and placed them on the counter. I grabbed a glass of water and swallowed all of it in one time. I felt water dripping on my neck but I still kept going. I placed the glass back on the counter and glanced on the clock, it was quarter to 7pm already. I sat on one of the seats and rubbed my temples slowly. I can only imagine what it would’ve been like if I was one of those Airens in hostage. I am glad I escaped before they knew about me but the others weren’t so lucky. I couldn’t help but be guilty I couldn’t do anything for them before.

But now, it’s different, I can do something for them.

“Woah, you okay?” Someone arrived in the kitchen.

I rolled my eyes and looked at the person. “Why are you asking?” I raised an eyebrow.

He shrugged and sat across me. “Well, Bliss told me you weren’t,” He gave me a smile.

I frowned. “Then why are you still asking me if she already told you?”

He couldn’t answer the question and just shrugged.

“You are really stupid, Kenji,” I laughed.

He pursed his lips and took an apple from the counter. “Yes I am,” He grinned.

I just laughed and brushed it off once he left. Kenji was that type of person who’d take an insult as a compliment, and I thank him for that kind of attitude he has. At first when I met him a few years ago, I thought he was this big bulky egoistic guy. But he wasn’t. I misunderstood him, he keeps me sane from everyone with his personality always shining in the room.

After having a mini breakdown in the kitchen, we went to the meeting room. In there, was an oval shaped table with one sit on the middle front. There were 4 seats on right and left side and as we entered I immediately recognize the people sitting there. On the far side from the middle seat were two seats empty which was for me and Bliss to report back what we saw.

Around the table were extra seats for the other Airens to listen to our conversation. I sat on the farthest side and Bliss beside me.

On the middle seat sat Leader Kino, he postured himself and relaxed his hands on the table. “What is this emergency meeting for, Hera and Bliss?” He asked while looking at us.

I let Bliss do the talking as she is always good at that, she cleared her throat. “We saw Airen hostages just outside Adreene. Scientists and royal guards everywhere making lab camps.”

“What are you trying to say, Bliss?” the woman beside Leader Kino asked. She is Arinica, she works alongside Leader Kino, as his secretary and second in command.

Bliss looked down and thought to herself as she couldn’t answered it herself, I did. “I think they’re experimenting with them.” I finally said.

The woman beside Bliss laughed, hysterically. I gritted my teeth and contained myself from lashing out at her. “What makes you think they would do that? We are nothing to them, why would they waste-“ Leader Kino raised his hands to silence Catrina, she of course immediately silenced herself and organized her outfit as if she wasn’t just embarrassed in front of everyone.

“She has a point,” Leader Kino’s raspy voice echoed in the room. He signaled his hand on one of the Airens sitting on the side of the room. Jesca came from the dark holding a folder in her hands and gave to the Leader, she went back to her seat and listened.

Leader Kino opened the folder and spread the photographs taken around the table for everyone to see. One came close to us, I quickly snatched it and saw it was pictures of royal guards in the lab camps. The same ones we saw earlier.

“These were taken from the other patrol on the left side of the forest,” I raised my head at Leader Kino who started speaking. “As far as I have heard, and I hear everything. They are experimenting on them, it is clearly seen on the photos.”

Hearing that made my hand clench and punch the table which made everyone jumped from their seats, “So they’re using them as lab rats?!” I spat.

“Relax, Hera,” Someone touched my hand, I glance at the person and it was Bliss. I sighed and relax the muscles of my body.

I slammed my back on the chair and sulked. I just made a scene and Catrina looked as if she was happy seeing me lashing out. I don’t really understand why she hates me so much, it’s like she sees me as a threat. She might as well think I’m some superspy sent from the kingdom to spy on them. She’s delusional.

“But why would they do that?” Fexia who is sitting beside Arinica. Her soft voice silenced the whole room. Everyone looking at each other thinking of a possible answer.

“We don’t have any information from that, maybe we should just leave that alone,” Catrina spoke in a polite voice and smiled.

I scoffed in disbelief of what she said, she even seemed proud of it. “Wow, Catrina. You really outdone yourself,” My claps filled the room and her fake smile dropped. Everyone was silent. Bliss tried to stop me but I ignored her. The other Airens stayed silent as they had no say to any of what we were discussing.

I stood up from my seat and leaned closer to her, “You are disgusting to even consider that,” I sneered. I heard soft gasps from the other Airens and Bliss’ hand on my arm begging me to stop but I didn’t care.

Her jaw dropped, “Excuse me!?” She spat and stood up from her seat. I leaned back to a straight posture.

“You heard what I said,” I said every word with serious tone.

She bit her lip in frustration and pointed her finger at me, “You disrespectful-“

“And you disgusting musty old woman! How could you say that knowing your own kind could be in danger, huh?”

She backed away at that and felt remorse. “Some things are should be left alone,” She concluded.

“But not this thing.”

“We could die if we go out there and investigate.” She shouted at me with her whole-body trembling.

“Then what is the point of all of this,” I looked around the room and gestured my hands, “If it’s not going to take risks for the people it’s standing for,” She was annoyed, she rolled her seat away and left the room with her clacking heels fading away.

I sighed and sat on the chair, I looked at the others who were just quiet and Bliss who seemed disappointed I lashed out like that in front of the whole council. I smiled awkwardly to them and breathed heavily in again.

They were again very silent until Arinica broke the silence. “I stand with Hera, she is right we should not let this slide,” Everyone nodded, agreeing with her.

Leader Kino nodded slowly, “Yes, yes, but Catrina is right as well, we can’t just go there and do impulsive moves, that will set us all in danger and we may never get to save them,"

Everyone nodded again, thinking to themselves. “So, what is your plan, Leader?” Fexia asked.

He leaned back to his seat and relaxed his shoulders, “We need spies to find out what they are up to, I will assign mission spies around the lab camps and in the palace,"

I coughed on air causing all of them to turn on me. I waved my hands to not mind my misbehaviors. On I contained that cough, I faced them. “That’s impossible. Guards are everywhere in the palace, every nook and crook. And who are you going to send there?” I asked eagerly looking at them. “Yelana and Creshi?” I glance at the two sitting on the side of the room still on their suits.

Yelana and Creshi are one of the top spies in the Legion but they could never pass by the precautions of the Palace. It is impossible. “No offense, though,” I smiled at them, they nodded and smiled back.

I laughed, “You’ll never even get to pass by the gate undetected, the minute you step foot there,” I leaned on the table. “You’re immediately sent to the police office for interrogation,” I pressed my finger on the table and aggressively pointed at it to prove that I am serious.

I leaned back to my chair and stared at them. Leader Kino raised up front. “You’re right, that kind of plan won’t work,” I laughed, cockily.

I sighed and waited for anyone else to say anything. No one did, as expected.

“But that’s why that’s not my plan,” Leader Kino exclaimed.

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. “What?”

“That’s why you’re my plan,"