Elijah and Maria

3

As Sierra disappears back into the house, Elijah turns to Maria with a determined look.

“We need to have a group meeting now,” he says firmly. “The Vianna Triple Siblings are coming to our house tomorrow, and we don’t know their true intentions. We can’t wait for them to show up without a plan. Everyone needs to weigh in.”

Maria nods in agreement, her mind still racing with all the pieces of information they’ve gathered. “You’re right. We need to get everyone on the same page before they arrive. If we’re going to handle this, we need to understand what they want.”

Together, they walk back into the house and gather the others—Koli, Sierra, and Pedro. Once everyone is seated around the table, Elijah stands at the head of the room, his gaze steady as he addresses the group.

“We need to talk about tomorrow,” Elijah begins, his voice calm but serious. “The Vianna Triple Siblings are coming here in the morning. We don’t know why, and we don’t know what their intentions are. We need to figure out what’s going on before they arrive.”

Koli leans back in his chair, his arms crossed. “Why would they come to our house? They’ve never paid attention to us before.”

Sierra, sitting next to him, chimes in, “Pedro and I think it has something to do with the situation in Xianlu City. The Vianna Siblings are connected to the richest families, and they’ve been involved in a lot of the recent events. They might be trying to bring us into whatever’s happening.”

Pedro, who has been quiet so far, shifts uneasily in his seat, glancing at Elijah. He knows more than he’s saying, but he’s still reluctant to reveal the map and his conversation with their mother.

Elijah notices Pedro’s discomfort and gives him a look that says, we’ll talk later. But for now, they needed input from everyone.

“They could be allies,” Maria suggests, her tone cautious. “But we need to consider the possibility that they have their own agenda. We can’t trust them without knowing what they’re after.”

Koli, ever the fighter, sits forward. “If they want something from us, we need to be prepared. I’m not letting anyone push us around—especially not the Vianna Siblings.”

Sierra, always the mediator, speaks up. “I agree with Koli, but we should also be open to hearing them out. They might have valuable information. If we don’t trust them, we can at least figure out what they’re after.”

Pedro finally speaks, his voice low. “We need to be careful. There’s something bigger going on here. Something we don’t fully understand yet.”

The room falls silent for a moment as everyone processes Pedro’s words. Elijah steps forward, his voice steady. “Tomorrow, when they arrive, we’ll be ready. But before we meet them, we’ll stick together. No one makes any decisions without discussing it as a group. We have to protect ourselves—and each other.”

The others nod in agreement, the tension in the room thick. With the Vianna Triple Siblings arriving in a matter of hours, the stakes were higher than ever. But with the group united, they would face whatever was coming—together.

As the discussion unfolds, Maria leans forward, an idea sparking in her eyes. “Wait a minute,” she says, her voice firm with conviction. “I have a book about Xianlu that includes details on the Vianna Triple Siblings. I’ve read about their strengths and their history. If we can understand them better, it might help us prepare for tomorrow.”

Koli looks intrigued. “What does the book say?”

Maria quickly summarizes the key points. “The Vianna siblings are not just powerful; they’re known for their strategic alliances. Their palace is incredibly secure, and they’ve built a reputation for defending their city. If they’re coming here, it’s possible they want us to join them. Master Rolan mentioned that we’re special, which might mean they see potential in us as allies.”