For over a minute, the two sisters stood facing each other in charged silence, their gazes locked in an unspoken duel. The room, heavy with anticipation, was eerily quiet. Kai shifted from foot to foot, discomfort evident in his posture as he leaned closer to Ikzar.
"How long is this going to take?" Kai whispered, his voice laced with impatience.
Ikzar shrugged, folding his hands and adopting a thoughtful expression. "It varies. Some think they’re mentally catching up on their missions, trying not to appear too sisterly. Others believe they're locked in a silent battle to avoid destroying our stone houses."
"And you?" Kai asked, his curiosity piqued.
Ikzar raised a hand and stroked an imaginary beard with a contemplative air. "Considering Elmz, I'd say they're having a mental showdown."
"What do you—"
"Shhh." Tolma's whisper cut Kai off abruptly, her eyes darting toward the sisters.
"Psst, hey, wanna make a bet?" Venna asked, her voice a playful whisper as she tapped Kai on the shoulder.
"Sure," Kai replied, intrigued.
"I bet Elmz's sister breaks the silence first," Venna said, her grin widening.
"Nah, Elmz is more of a talker. I'd bet on—"
Before Kai could finish, Elmz's sister clapped her hands decisively, shattering the silence. "Alright, sis, I know you’re enjoying staring into my beautiful eyes, but time is not on our side."
"Pay up," Venna said, stretching out her palm toward Kai.
"I didn’t get to place my bet—she interrupted me!" Kai protested in a whisper, but Venna’s sneer told him she wasn’t buying it.
"Hey everyone, did you miss me?" Elmz’s sister called out cheerfully, moving through the room to embrace each person in turn.
The room buzzed with warmth as everyone rose to greet her. When she reached Venna and Kai, she paused, scrutinizing them. "And who are these two? Newcomers, perhaps?" she inquired, glancing back at the others for confirmation.
"Yeah," Ikzar said casually. "Meet Venna and Kai, the twins of Tierlin."
Kai watched as surprise and delight flickered across Elmz's sister’s face. "Are you serious?" she asked, her voice tinged with awe.
Without hesitation, she swept the twins into a tight embrace. "I never thought I’d see you two!" she exclaimed before setting them down gently. "Welcome to Eldorem. I’m Telezia, the leader of this humble group you see here."
A muffled cough came from somewhere in the room, drawing a laugh from Kai, who caught Elmz's eye.
Telezia leaned closer to Kai, covering her mouth with her hand in a conspiratorial gesture. "I’m sure you can understand why she’s so envious of me."
"Right," Kai replied, struggling to suppress his laughter.
With a playful punch to his arm, Telezia grinned. "I knew I liked you for a reason."
Kai winced slightly but managed to return her smile. As Telezia turned away, he silently mouthed the word "ow," earning a chuckle from Venna.
"Now, down to business. Everyone, take a seat and give me a report on your missions," Telezia commanded, standing at the center of the hall. She set her weapon on a nearby bench and folded her hands, adopting a serious stance.
The girls who had flown in stood first to give their report.
"I was assigned a mission with Nina to search for any Eldorian presence in Utah. Unfortunately, our search was futile," Tolma said, bowing her head in shame. "We also encountered some members of the Paragon, but we handled them."
YOU ARE READING
THE MARK OF ELDOREM: Rise Of Eldorians(Book One)
FantasyVenna and Kai seem to be ordinary high school students at Emerald High, blissfully unaware of their true origins. However, an unexpected incident at school shatters their reality, revealing their sibling bond and hinting at a destiny far beyond thei...
