In Her Waking [Formerly Breathe . . .]

Chapter 28

"I knew it." Karl concluded. "She flaked."

Quilpxe tapped his fingers lightly on the table. "Don't say that, something probably came up."

"Nah I'm pretty sure she flaked." Mhemrie added. "It's Paedemon we're talking about. She just prefers to act erroneously."

I stood by the wall. "You think maybe she'll come around?"
"Doubt it." Karl said putting his hands in the kangaroo pockets of his hood.

"Aye, that's how the minors are." Mhemrie sang.

Minors? I asked mentally.

"She's probably gone to do her own research-- dig deeper in a way that no one asked her to. The little busy body, putting her nose where it doesn't belong." Mhemrie added.

I rocked back and forth on my heels, lightly bumping the wall behind me at intervals. "None of you seem to like her. I admit I find her quite charming. She's a nice person."

Karl stared at me per se I had just coughed a snake.

"Why would you even say that?" He asked.
"Hanna I am disappointed in you!" Mhemrie gasped.

Quilpxe refrained from joining in.

"I mean, well she was pretty hospitable." I justified.

"No Hanna. She's a minor. You do not like minors or take them as nice. All you do is acknowledge their existence, nothing more." Mhemrie edified.

"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about." I admitted.

"She's a minor force." Karl clarified. "A despicable one at that. Should've gotten her powers stripped off but she had her ways."

"What force?" I asked.
"Luck." Mhemrie replied.

"So there are major and minor forces?" I furrowed.

"Apparently." Quilpxe chimed in.

Karl muttered. "Yes. The minors are meant to be helpers; but for Paedemon, she knew what she wanted from the start."

"She stole your powers?" I guessed.
"I wouldn't say steal exactly. She just has unauthorised yet undeniable access to them." Mhemrie said.

"Not just Karl and Mhemrie's. Every other force. Even other minors. Well all of that except mother Earth's." Quilpxe chipped in.

"So it's like some kind of racism between the majors and the minors." I said making my fingers into quotes. "What if she was trying to start a movement or something? Minor lives matter." I stated.

Quilpxe chuckled. "That would be a pretty lit name for a movement."

Karl certainly did not find that funny and not hesitate to voice that out.

"You think it's funny? No. It's not. What do you think life would be like if every force tapped into each others' powers. You think it could end well? Already we are currently struggling with managing the effects of Paedemon's constant abuse of karma and weather, time, death and not to talk about the rest. It's a struggle okay? It is a struggle. Don't you ever take it as a joke because it is not! We're only lucky the powers she lends to mortals are temporary. If they weren't we would have had a whole lot on our hands!"

Where on earth did our fun loving laid back Karl go?

Quilpxe put his head back a bit. "I'm..."

Karl shook his head. "Forget it."
A subtle noise of footsteps made heads turn.

"So glad I have your unsolicited attention."

Quilpxe scowled inwardly at the sight of Mañana.

She had her hair tucked in her crown in a very poise manner. Her dress shimmered and on her left hand she wore an unobtrusive ring.

"You came unannounced." Quilpxe cleared his throat.

"Because I very much intended to." Mañana replied.

"I'm surprised none of the guards alerted us." Mhemrie spoke quietly.

"I suppose they didn't want to make eye contact." Mañana almost grinned.

She definitely laughed inwardly at her own joke.

"Or maybe they assumed I was already aware." Quilpxe said.
"Maybe." Mañana muttered.

Karl switched into his usual jovial manner. "Well have a seat then fellow Mistopian lord."

"That's very nice but I'm not going to take long father time." Mañana said.

"What is the reason for your visit then?" Quilpxe did not attempt to hide the fact that he was clearly very annoyed.

"I've come for my daughter." Mañana announced.

"She's in safe hands." Mhemrie said.

"It's nothing but a mother's worry." Mañana smiled. "So give her back."

"Of course. Without further ado."

The smile on Quilpxe's face wiped Mañana's off.

"I hope she wasn't put in harm's way." Mañana asked.

"Why we did no such thing." Mhemrie said putting her hand on her chest. "Araya simply talked and remembered what she had to." She smirked.

Mañana looked like she had been caught off guard for a second but she quickly wiped that expression off her face and put on her winning smile, patted Mhemrie's shoulder and said.

"Well I am certainly glad she did."

With nothing available to do, I offered. "I'll go let Araya know."

"And you'll be coming too Hanna. There's a lot of work to be done back in the palace." She smirked.

Quilpxe didn't say anything. Rather, he just sat upright.

I bit my bottom lip and managed. "Oh."

Mañana left the patio, chin up. "I'll give you till tomorrow. The fact that I came here myself doesn't suggest I'm joking about it. Not like I ever do jokes any ways."

I'm pretty sure she does. Humorless ones at least.

I looked at Quilpxe. "I'll inform you. If I get any information. Or hear anything."

"Please do. For now we await Paedemon's word." Karl said.

I bit my lip and slowly walked out.
Karl put something in my hand.

"Incase you need to conjure me or Mhemrie." He said.

"Oh." I stated at the little smooth crystal in my hand. "I most definitely will."

And with that, I was back to the place where my troubles had first began.

El Amores.

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Author's note:
Hi guys!
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