https://youtu.be/dQS0ixOCgbA

The next evening, I felt more relaxed and I took a walk with Zaphira along the hallway. I searched for Zephyr everywhere to have him explain the day's work but he wasn't anywhere to be seen. So I gave up and decided to go back to my room when I noticed a silhouette going into the forest. 

I stepped forward only to realize that the face belonged to none other than the man himself.  I was curious about his heading because there weren't supposed to be patrolling in the forest that day, so I decided to follow him and signalled Zaphira to come along.

I continued into the forest in silence, trusting Zaphira's instincts. After a while, I heard Zephyr's familiar voice, so I stopped under the shadow of a large tree and caught hold of Zaphira. 

Careful not to get noticed, I stole a glimpse of whom he was speaking with. My heart stopped and I was completely in disbelief when I figured that the man he was with was the same man who had attacked me.

I couldn't make out what they were speaking but from the tone of their voices, it didn't seem like they were arguing. I thought back and remembered that Zephyr didn't try to catch him when the man attacked me.

'Zephyr's talking with the enemy? Then why did he save me earlier?' The question repeated inside my head. 

My legs felt weak, but I somehow managed to make it back to the mansion. It must have been apparent that I was feeling a bit off because Lucas immediately walked up to me once I got inside.

"Irina, what's the matter?"

"Lucas, you know more about Zephyr than everybody, don't you?" I asked to which he nodded and furrowed his eyebrows, waiting for me to speak again.

"Then tell me if Zephyr is a person who can be trusted or not." I looked into his eyes as he raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders slightly before answering.

"If I do say you can trust him, will you trust him, Irina?" He asked slowly and the past times with Zephyr came back to my mind in a quick flash which made me flinch a little.

"You're hesitating, you see. A person's reliability lies in the eyes of the beholder. The Zephyr I know and the one you know, are different. Then again, the Zephyr Edgar sees and the Zephyr Zerav sees are also different. Don't accept everything that a person tells you because you have to check it with your own eyes and decide on your own." He said to which I nodded back slowly.

"Thank you, Lucas. I guess I know one thing now. That I know nothing about Zephyr yet. I'll decide if he's trustworthy after I understand him better."

"Good then. Just don't jump to conclusions without thinking." 

And with that, he left me alone at the entrance and I thought I saw him smiling as he did. I slowly nodded to myself again and turned to Zaphira who stood beside me, all the time during my conversation with Lucas.

"Let's go back to our room, Zaph." I stretched out my hand and started walking toward my room. 

At night, Lucas summoned all of us to the main entrance before our night patrol started. Since a meeting rarely happened, everyone looked at him with a serious expression.

"Our guest, Lord Luther who was supposed to come today, unfortunately, cancelled his visit. And also very recently, the number of demons has increased a lot. So I want you to tighten security and ensure the safety of our people so that they can come here without fear." He looked at me while he spoke.

"Got it, we'll work harder than usual", Dylan replied.

"So will I," I spoke firmly.

"You don't learn do you?" Zephyr asked me in an irritated tone.

'Ask yourself that.' I thought and smiled mentally as I leaned near him.

"Even if I get hurt now, I won't die so easily, right?" I smirked and whispered so that only Zephyr could hear, to which he frowned.

"If you put down your guard like that, you'll end up suffering." He exclaimed, giving me a cold glare to which I sighed back, nodding.

"I know, I'll be careful," I told him before the both of us turned to Lucas.

"That will be all for now. You all may return back to your works." He spoke and all of us bowed slightly before leaving the room slowly.

Zephyr, still glaring at me, gestured me to follow which I did and we set out together to the forest with him in front.

The moonlight lit the path towards the forest and I stayed close to Zephyr, cautious. I realized that it was the first time Zephyr let me patrol with him without any arguments and so, I smiled to myself.

"What's with the face?" Zephyr turned around and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I was thinking that this is the first time you've brought me here without arguing." I looked into his eyes thankfully, hoping to see him smile back, because all I'd seen till then was a huge rock with a fixed glare.

"That's only because I know now that if I don't keep my eyes on you, you'll go poking your nose around into unnecessary affairs. So I figured it'd be less of a hassle if I just watched what you were up to." He remarked with a slight frown and started walking again. I didn't know how to respond to that so I decided to ask something else.

"Zephyr, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"What?" He called back.

"How did you end up at the mansion?" I asked.

"That's what you wanted to know?"

"Yes well, I don't know anything about you," I told him with a small shrug.

He stopped walking and turned around to face me before speaking, "What good will knowing me do? It has nothing to do with you." 

"Well, you are my partner in patrolling the forest. Isn't getting to know your partner part of the job?" I asked, firmly.

"No need. First of all, the word 'partner' infers that one's equal to the other. That doesn't apply to you. For me, you are just a reckless subordinate who likes to meddle around with unnecessary things. Nothing more, nothing less. If you get that into your head, we're going." He declared.

I secretly sighed at his unchanging cold attitude and raised my eyebrows a little as he looked at me before speaking again.

"You'll be going back to your village anyway. Even if I were to tell you, it'd be pointless."

"I'll be the one to decide if it's pointless or not," I replied firmly. 

"Sure." He told me with sarcasm before he looked blankly into the deep forest.

"What is it, Zephyr?" 

"Sh, quiet." He asked and gestured to me to crouch behind a nearby bush. I stared at him confused but did what he insisted, straining my ears as I heard footsteps walking on the forest floor.

Not too long after, a masked man stepped in front of us and Zephyr moved in front of me, narrowing his eyes at the man.

"Who are you?" Zephyr asked him.

"Oh, I'm Michallis. And I was called to the mansion by Lucas." The man replied with a bow and his gaze moved to me.

"You are a guard, too, miss?"

"Yes, I am," I said and zipped my mouth shut as Zephyr gave me a sharp glare which made me stop saying anything further.

 Michallis noticed us and his eyes roamed from Zephyr to me. He stepped closer to us and spoke in a light voice, "Well, It seems that you both will be walking an unfortunate fate."

"Huh, what?" I gave him a confused look.

"You'll get to know soon. I'll take my leave for now, farewell." He bowed again and started walking towards the mansion.

"That was strange," I mumbled as I stared after him.

"Don't think about it too much, let's go," Zephyr stated and started walking, making me follow after him. But after we took a few steps, Zephyr suddenly stopped, making me bump into him.

"What is it, now?" I asked and looked past Zephyr. 

There stood a man wearing a cloak so large that it covered his eyes. I stepped in front of Zephyr for a better look and smiled as I realized who the man was.

"You're the one who saved me, aren't you? Please do forgive me for not thanking you then." I bowed slightly as the man nodded slowly.

"It seems that you're fine, miss. I'm relieved to know."

"I'm glad you're okay too," I exclaimed and was about to shake hands with the man when Zephyr grabbed my wrist, retracting me from doing so.

"Let go of that hand!" He shouted at me.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" I asked back at him with a glare as he brushed away the man's hand and came in between us as if to protect me behind his back.

"I'm sorry for her attitude. She has yet to learn manners." He told the man with a frown.

"Well, I don't mind. I'm actually honoured to shake hands with such a lovely lady." The man exclaimed.

"I see, but my apologies to you. We'll be going now," Zephyr declared and without waiting for a response, he took my hand and started walking.

"Umm...I'm sorry. Please let me thank you another time." I said back to the man while being dragged away by Zephyr.

"Sure. Feel free to bring this man Zephyr, with you too. "The man said with a slight chuckle in his voice. 

That made me confused so I touched Zephyr's wrist to show that I won't let my guard down. He stopped walking and I turned toward the man.

"What do you mean?" I asked, raising my eyebrow slightly.

"It seems like Zephyr really cares about you. So I doubt he would allow you to be alone with me." The man told me and shook his head slowly before continuing," Ain't that a shame."

"What-" I started.

"We're leaving. Now." Zephyr tightened his grip on my hand and started walking, leaving the man behind. I glanced at the man once more before looking up at Zephyr who half-dragged me alongside him.

I was curious about Zephyr's actions and his expressions which made me think he was slightly panicking. He was all calm when we came there but then he was a whole other person. I wondered what past he had that made him have that two-sided personality. It almost felt like he was wearing some kind of a mask to hide his true side. 

'But then again, he's kind,' I thought.

"Zephyr, where are we going?" I asked slowly.

"Just keep quiet and follow me." He replied as he left my hand.

"Ugh, you're so pompous," I called out, irritated but he pretended to not notice that and kept walking with me following behind.

Soon, I saw us getting closer to the mansion so I sighed and followed him into the entrance while thinking about the earlier incident with the man.

'What is he hiding? Is there something more to what I already know?' I asked myself in my mind as we walked toward the others who were inside.

'I wanna know him more...And I can't help it somehow...'