- I won’t apologize. - His father’s frowning voice cut through the silence. – I’ve always considered you a responsible and serious young lady, but you turn out to be a flighty teenager who just jumps out of windows.

- Yeah, well, this is the first time. - She grinned and jumped down, straightening the folds of her dress.

Her scarlet eyes burned through Horel.

- Raphael told me that there was already a precedent. - His eyebrows arched questioningly and Thea had to purse her lips because she was caught in a little lie. – You don’t need to be ashamed, I still still love you.

- And even my look doesn’t scare you?- she asked cautiously.

- You have beautiful eyes. When I look into them, I can’t help but see your mother, you have her eye shape.

- Yes, you’ve said that before. And yet.

Horel approached slowly, so as to step back if he noticed any stiffness in Thea’s movements. But fortunately for him, she stood motionless, although his every step was under her close attention.

His heavy, slightly rough and callused, but so warm hands rested on her pale and soft ones.

- Does the color of his daughter’s eyes matter to a father if she is standing in front of him alive and well? - He smiled softly, but his eyes reflected a sadness deep and tart, sadness for past mistakes that he wanted to forget and erase.

- But it’s not just about the color of the eyes. - Her voice was a nervous whisper. - Now I’ve become the same monster that you always thought Raphael was.

- My dear... - he pulled her towards him, urging her to put her head on his shoulder with her hand. – I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. Perhaps, on my deathbed, I will be given a ticket to hell, but this will be my test, because I really chose the wrong path in life. I offended you too much, I was rude and unfair to Raphael, but don’t we live to improve? Otherwise, what is all this for?

She shrugged, as much as her father’s tight embrace would allow her to do.

- I admit, some of the thoughts that come to my head scare me, but I’m trying to find an explanation for everything.

- Does it scare you that I would kill someone to survive on my own?

- But you won’t, will you?

- I don’t know. In fact, it scares me too. Now Raphael is sharing his blood with me, but this thirst is too strong. He says it will get easier over time and I will learn self-control, but for now I can’t afford to leave the castle walls.

- Everything will be fine, dear. Your kind heart won’t let you turn into a cold-blooded killer. - He stroked her back gently, feeling her tremble. – You can always come to me and I will share my senile blood with you.

Horel laughed, and Thea grimaced.

- I’m sorry, but I’d rather starve to death. - She smiled kindly and pulled back a little, breaking out of the grip. – Thank you for everything and you know... I don’t hold a grudge against you, I want you to know that. Yes, I’ve already told you about this, but now that it’s over, let’s start with a clean slate. You, me and Terry. By the way, I think he will make a great king, although he doubts it.

- You’ll have to keep a close eye on this guy. He’s not himself right now.

- He needs time.

- Will you visit him?

Thea nodded.

- He’ll be glad. Well, now, if you don’t mind, it’s time for me to get back to Riliya. Everything is such a mess that I no longer have the opportunity to leave my people without proper supervision, otherwise they will take out Marro Castle brick by brick.

Her father’s pleasant, husky laugh made Thea smile.

***

Thea sniffed uncontrollably and did not have time to wipe the tears running down her cheeks while the priest read out his speech. Thea was the only invited guest at the event. That was her wish.

She was standing in front of Jenin’s still relatively fresh grave, holding a bouquet of snow-white roses in her hands. She was supposed to give these roses to her at the wedding, but she did not put them at the tombstone. Who would have known that fate would order this, taking away such a young girl so early.

The priest bowed decorously and quietly retreated, and Thea knelt down in front of her friend’s grave and sat there for several hours, tirelessly continuing to ask for forgiveness and remembering their joyful moments together.

She was able to come to her senses only when Skars swooped down on the fence of the metal fence.

Raphael was worried.

He wasn’t trying to distract Thea or get in her way, he just wanted to know that she was okay.

Finally, Thea stood up, completely oblivious to the dirt that clung to the hem of her skirt. She tilted her head slightly as she held out her hand and Skars moved towards her with an easy maneuverable movement.

- It seems to me that my heart is being torn into millions of pieces. It hurts so much. - She whispered faintly. – And although I knew about the prophecy, I did not even dare to think that I would lose so many people close to me in one moment.

The bird’s scarlet round eyes met hers, as if to make it clear that he also felt her pain and empathized with her.

- Yesterday, Hara and Rick took Eugene’s body, they decided to bury her in Lourdes. - She was suddenly lost in thought and grinned. – She promised to teach me new magic, she was still full of strength and energy then, and her face was motherly kind. I will never forget her warm gaze. And now... now she can’t teach me anything.

Her lips trembled again as she began to cry.

- I will miss them all so much.

The creak of the front door made her sniff and quickly wipe away her tears. Klaus was standing there. He looked very thoughtful, and Thea couldn’t help but notice that he was nervous, and his heart was beating too fast, literally deafening her.

- Am I interrupting too much?

Thea shook her head.

- I’m almost done, I just needed to talk to her. Now I can make room for you.

- Actually, I came here to see you.

- To me? Something happened? 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

- Yes and no. - he hesitated a little. – When Jenin helped us escape that ill-fated day... She gave you something.

- What is it exactly?

Klaus hesitated, as if he was still not sure that he had started this whole conversation for a reason.

- I just want to say that all this time... I just didn’t remember... But when I came across the letter again not so long ago, I realized that I should no longer keep it with me. And, I’m sorry, but... I read it.