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Chapter 24: Okay? Okay.

Mia's POV

The skin prickling has grown and it's an uncomfortable feeling. I try to fight it off during court but it only makes me look like an antsy child. I close down early and walk to my room. From the window I look down and see Blair and Zaphrina running around in the garden. I smile and for a second the uncomfortable feeling demolishes.

"Miss Mia." I turn and Lily is standing at the door with a cup of tea.

"Thank you." I look through the next window and it's a view of the village. Something isn't right. "Have Noah come in here please."

"Yes ma'am," she leaves and just a second later a knock is on the door and Noah walks in.

"You needed me." I point to the village and he sees what I see.

"Why is it empty, no one is out or vending." He shrugs and looks closer.

"I don't know, has your father told you anything?"

I shake my head, "No he's been so closed off, anything but forthcoming. Would you mind going through there and seeing if you can see anything?" he nods and leaves before I say thank you.

I change out of the slim dress and back to the large black Cinderella dress. When Noah comes back he says nothing is going about down there and I head to the garden to take my mind off things.

Zaphrina run around my large dress, as I catch her in my arms she laughs and squeals. "For a two year old I have never seen such a talkative child." I sit down with her in my arms.

"She's been talking since she was one, stories and stories of her weird dreams. I just fear when she gets a hold of her powers." I laugh as Blair talks about when Zaphrina learned to walk and she never stopped after that.

I wish I had a mother like Blair, always there for her daughter and never felt ashamed of her. I was hidden from everything since I was three and people started to question my father. I became self reliable and did everything alone and on my own.

I had no friends because no one knew me because I was just put into school and before that everyone had met in preschool. Lydia never helped she just stood back and watched as they all pointed and laughed. Teachers too, questioning why I was the only girl or child for the matter with pitch black hair.

"Miss Mia why are you sad?" Zaphrina cups my cheek with her tiny hands and I sadly smile. "I didn't leave I'm right here okay?" I let out a tear and she kisses it away and I'm astonished by the level of comfort this child brings me.

"Okay." She hugs me and I look up and see that Blair feels it too. The uncomfortable feeling is screaming inside me and I hand Zaphrina to Blair. "Go inside and lock the doors." She nods and heads towards the guest house."

"Why don't you tell me!? I can feel it know you're not telling me something!" I shout at my father as I slam my fist against the dark wooden desk.

"It is nothing that concerns you! Shouldn't you be in the court room?" He turns away from me and continues to write on a script.

"I finished, it seems I've scared the shit out of everyone and no one wants to make a move." He rolls his eyes and I can feel the prickling of my skin and the stab to my chest twist like a knife.

I know he feels it too when he looks up and pulls the collar of his black dress shirt. I look out the great window and see red on the horizon, "Father!" I point out the window and he pulls the alarm.

Fire cast the vendor's stands and homes in smoke and all I can think is Zaphrina. I run out the office and people scramble about and I close my eyes and soon I'm running towards the guest house. The door is cracked open and as I get closer I can hear Zaphrina screaming getting louder.