Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 148: Children of Mana, Part Thirty-One

The soft morning light streamed through the windows of the inn, casting a warm glow across the room where Lianna lay.

As she slowly blinked away the remnants of sleep, she reached for her phone on the bedside table, curious to see if there were any new messages.

To her delight, Lianna found several notifications waiting for her.

She had an idea who was responsible for them.

With growing excitement, she tapped open the messages to find that someone had arrived in the city overnight.

A surge of happiness mixed with the usual *something* bubbled up within her as she quickly scanned through the texts.

"Well, took her long enough," Lianna murmured to herself, a smile spreading across her face as she read the sender’s name.

With a sense of urgency and anticipation, Lianna quickly got out of bed, her heart racing with excitement.

She didn’t want to waste any time in welcoming the woman to the city. Without hesitation, she reached out to Enverna, Mel, and Zura, urging them to join her in greeting their new arrival.

Within minutes, the four of them were gathered outside the inn, their faces alight with anticipation.

"It... has been a while since I saw her," Mel remarked. "You really became close enough to where she would come here just to help us out?"

"It’s... a bit of a long story," Lianna replied, that smile still on her face. "I’ll tell you all about it later."

At last, their patience was rewarded as they spotted a familiar figure approaching in the distance.

Miss Taylor, clad in her customary attire of practical yet sturdy garments, walked out of one of the nearby buildings. A house she (apparently) owned.

"Miss Taylor!" Lianna called out, waving enthusiastically as they approached.

The woman turned towards them, her face breaking into a warm smile at the sight of her friends.

"Hello, ladies," she greeted each of them in turn, her voice quite soft, like she’d just woken up from a nap. "How are we?"

"Great, ma’am," Enverna bowed before the guild’s administrator. "It is very good to see you."

Mel had a complicated look on her face. Lianna understood why, of course. The last time they saw each other was right after Mel had nearly fallen to the Tyrant’s influence. But, if that was on Miss Taylor’s mind at all, she wasn’t showing it.

Miss Taylor nodded, her gaze sweeping over the group.

"I’m glad to be here. Now, tell me, what have I missed?"

With that, they fell into step beside Miss Taylor, heading back towards Mel’s inn.

Lianna eagerly began recounting the events of the past few days, detailing their encounters with Jack’s followers, the revelations about the church’s allegiance, and their plans to thwart Jack’s nefarious schemes.

Miss Taylor listened intently, her expression grave as she absorbed the gravity of their situation.

But, honestly, despite the challenges ahead, her presence filled the group with a renewed sense of determination and purpose.

There was always something about her, even now as she clearly was at least a bit tired. A certain aura of power she carried, and that she *knew* she carried.

[... What a legend,] Lianna couldn’t help but think as they settled into the common area, gathering around a table as she continued to fill Miss Taylor in on the details.

The seasoned warrior listened attentively, occasionally nodding in understanding or asking insightful questions to clarify certain points.

As Lianna finished her recounting, Miss Taylor leaned back in her chair, her expression thoughtful.

"Well, it seems we have our work cut out for us. Let’s think of a solution, shall we?"

---

{Enverna}

Enverna sat quietly at the table in the inn’s common area, her mind drifting as she absently traced patterns on the wooden surface with her finger.

Lianna was having a rather animated conversation with Miss Taylor upstairs. Caroline was having a drink at the bar, Zura was out with Vayn, as per usual.

The only one with her right now was Mel.

The child of mana wasn’t saying anything, though. Although Enverna had long since put what happened between them to rest, it seemed like Mel hadn’t, judging by how uncomfortable she looked.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the shrill ringing of her phone.

Startled, Enverna fumbled for the device in her pocket.

The caller ID displayed her mother’s name, Verana, but there was an underlying sense of urgency in the ringing that sent a shiver down Enverna’s spine.

She hesitated for a moment, a knot of unease forming in the pit of her stomach.

[... I have not really gotten a chance to speak with her properly, huh?]

"Mother?" Enverna asked.

"Enverna, darling, I’m so glad you picked up," her mother’s voice came through the line, sounding rather polite. "One of your friends stopped by for a visit, and I thought you might want to say hello."

Enverna’s brow furrowed in confusion.

"A friend? Who is it?"

"It’s Mr. Jack Caldwell," Verana replied casually.

Enverna’s heart skipped a beat, her blood turning to ice in her veins.

She could feel the color drain from her face as a wave of terror washed over her. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

"Hm?" Mel blinked, noticing the sudden change immediately. Is... Is something wrong?"

Enverna’s response was to cry out:

"NO!" Enverna’s voice came out as a desperate plea, laced with fear and panic. "Mother, you need to get away from him. Now!"

Before Verana could respond, Enverna heard a blood-curdling scream emanate from the other end of the line.

Dread coiled in her stomach like a serpent.

"Mom!" Enverna’s cry didn’t reach her, however, as the call was dropped.

With trembling hands, Enverna ended the call, her mind racing with fear and uncertainty.

Without a second thought, she leaped to her feet, her heart pounding in her chest like a drumbeat of dread. She glanced around the room frantically, her eyes locking with Mel’s.

"Jack’s at my home," she managed to choke out, her voice barely above a whisper. "I have to go. Now."

Without waiting for a response, Enverna bolted out of the inn, her feet carrying her as fast as they could go.

[Please, please, please, please,] Enverna urged internally, fearing the worst.

Enverna’s pulse thundered in her ears, drowning out the chaotic sounds of the city as she raced through Garriden’s bustling streets.

Every step felt like an eternity, each heartbeat a painful reminder of the fear that gripped her heart.

Her mind raced with a thousand fears, each more terrifying than the last. The image of her mother’s terrified face haunted her thoughts, driving her forward with a desperate urgency.

Finally, she reached her family’s grand manor, its imposing facade marred by the flickering flames that consumed it.

Enverna’s breath caught in her throat at the sight, her heart clenching with a mixture of fear and despair.

A few individuals wearing white robes stood guard outside.

Without hesitation, she drew Storm, her trusted spear, from the depths of her Inventory, the weapon gleaming ominously in the firelight.

With swift and practiced movements, she cut down them down, sparing none as she made her way inside.

The air was thick with smoke, choking her lungs and stinging her eyes as she pushed forward through the burning wreckage.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she searched desperately for any sign of her family amidst the chaos.

And then, she saw her.

Verana lay crumpled on the ground, her body battered and bruised, but miraculously still alive.

[He left her alive on purpose,] Enverna quickly realized. [That’s the only explanation.]

Relief flooded through Enverna’s veins as she rushed to her mother’s side, gathering her into her arms with trembling hands.

"Mother," Enverna breathed, her voice thick with emotion as she held her mother close. "I’m here. I’ve got you."

Verana’s eyes fluttered open, her gaze filled with pain and exhaustion as she reached out to her daughter.

"Enverna," she murmured weakly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Prima..."

Enverna’s heart clenched at the mention of her younger sister’s name, fear and dread twisting like a knife in her chest.

Without a word, she nodded solemnly, her jaw set with determination.

"I will," she promised, her voice fierce with resolve. "I’ll save her. I promise."

With a heavy heart, Enverna rose to her feet, her muscles tense with anticipation as she prepared to face whatever else awaited her within the burning manor.

Her eyes burned with determination as she ascended the staircase at the back. Dead servants and guards her family had employed littered the floor.

As she reached the top, her heart sank at the sight that greeted her.

Prima lay motionless on the ground, her once vibrant eyes now dull and lifeless as she stared blankly up at the ceiling.

Enverna’s breath caught in her throat at the sight, grief and despair washing over her like a tidal wave.

With trembling hands, she reached out to her sister, her fingers brushing against her cold, pale skin.

And then, she saw it.

A piece of parchment, crumpled and stained with blood, lay atop Prima’s lifeless body.

Enverna’s heart skipped a beat as she reached out to take it, her hands shaking with trepidation as she unfolded the note.

Her eyes scanned the words, each one like a dagger to her heart as she read the chilling message that awaited her.

"Enverna," it read, the words written in a cruel and mocking hand. "If you want your revenge, come alone to the designated location on December 29th. I’ll be waiting."

Enverna’s blood ran cold as she read the words, her mind reeling with a mixture of fear and fury. With a trembling hand, she crumpled the note in her fist, her heart heavy with grief and rage.

"I’ll make him pay," she vowed, her voice a whispered promise in the darkness. "I’ll make him pay for what he’s done."

And with that solemn oath ringing in her ears, Enverna picked her sister’s body up and walked out.

With nothing but murder on her mind.