Uttering the words, Alicia moved forward, thereby closing the distance with Kael.

Slowly but surely she wrapped her arms around Kael’s waist, giving him a soft hug.

Her body trembled at first, as her heart began to beat faster than anytime before.

Alicia could feel the warmth of her brother’s body as well as his scent that she had missed for a long time.

It had been eight years since she had been this close to her brother.

The time might have seemed petty to many, but for Alicia, those were the worst years of her life... years that made her realize what true hell was and had always been.

Every day felt like something that she had to survive through, something that was like another shackle placed on her happiness.

"Thank you for helping her."

The words left Alicia’s mouth even before her mind could process any of it.

After all, Alicia was truly grateful to Kael.

She knew that Diana would have never agreed so easily if it had been her and Kevin visiting the palace. It was only because Kael was the one that Diana had returned so easily and that too with a smiling face.

Alicia hadn’t been able to see even the slightest hints of depression on Diana’s face, as if her cousin had never died.

As if everything was still normal.

At least that was how it felt to Alicia, and maybe that might have been the truth, as after hugging Kael... Alicia too felt all her worries vanishing into the air, with no remnants whatsoever.

Subconsciously Alicia had tightened her hug, as she didn’t want to let go of her brother again.

She wanted him to stay with her... with Kevin and also with Victoria as well as the rest of their family.

Thinking about it, it might have been Victoria’s words that had given Alicia the courage to do what she was doing at the moment.

If Victoria had been opposed to supporting Kael, Alicia would have never been able to hug her brother like this, or even talk with him, like they had the previous day.

After Kael’s fight with her sister, Alicia had felt like another hell was awaiting her, as both of her elder siblings were out for each other’s blood.

No matter how much she pleaded, their blades didn’t stop.

The most brutal thing for Alicia had been when Kael had cut off Victoria’s arm without the slightest hint of emotion in his eyes.

And to Alicia it felt like Kael was even willing to kill her sister.

That thought was more painful than anything Alicia had suffered in her life.

Victoria and Kael had been so close when everything was going right in their family. To see a day where her brother would have such indifference towards the life of her sister made Alicia’s heart burn with pain.

She just hoped that her mother would never learn about it, but the wish was something that was hard to achieve, as all the news in the academy had already reached their house.

Though her father hadn’t contacted her yet, Alicia knew that it was his way of not letting the situation press on them.

Still, after returning home, Alicia knew that many questions would be awaiting her.

She just didn’t want to see the expression on the face of her mother, knowing that Kael had been so brutal with Victoria.

When Alicia had seen Kael for the first time in the academy, she had been happy knowing how delighted her mother would be, but now... Kael’s presence had become a dagger for Alicia.

Something that would hurt her mother when she would see her son for the first time in three years.

Alicia just hoped that their reunion would be on a positive note, and she would make sure of it.

"Thank y-you for everything."

Alicia’s voice had begun to break down, though she somehow managed to say the words without any interruptions in between.

Still, there was a limit to the control that Alicia was trying to maintain over her emotions.

Slowly but surely the first tear streamed down her face, which was then soon followed by both her eyes watering, as the tears escaped their vicinity before drenching Kael’s uniform.

"T-Thank you... for coming back."

At last Alicia said the words that she had wanted to say for a long time.

She was really grateful to Kael for coming into her life again.

Kael on his part didn’t return the hug, though Alicia knew it from the start.

Even if she had missed Kael, it wasn’t like Kael would have missed them.

After all, it was them who had not supported him when he needed their warmth the most.

It was her mistake for not standing with him till the end.

Though she supported him from the inside... before her family, Alicia had later grown to take a cold stance towards Kael, hoping that such behaviour would make him realize his mistakes, but that might have been the biggest blunder on her part.

A mistake that was repeated by the entirety of her family.

It was due to their sins that they had lost Kael, so... why would he miss them?

Why would Kael—

Alicia paused as she felt a warm touch on her head.

Her body stiffened the moment she knew it was Kael’s hand that was... patting her head.

More tears streamed through her eyes, as the last bits of resistance in Alicia’s mind faded away.

"Waaahhhh!"

Alicia finally broke down, her crying shifting from mere sobs to a loud proclamation of the emotions that were currently raging through her heart, waiting for the right moment to burst open.

And the moment... it was already here.

"I... sniff... s-sob.... I m-missed you brother."

"Sniff... sorry for everything. I—"

"It’s alright."

Kael’s words silenced Alicia within a moment, as she felt a flood of warmth spreading through her heart and her soul.

Soon after, Alicia felt Kael’s arm enveloping her small back, as he returned the hug.