"Why are you following me?" I asked Adanna as I headed toward the dormitories, not even bothering to look at her.
"We haven't seen each other in years," she said. "Don't you want to catch up?"
"There's a reason for that."
"I know..."
"It's nothing personal, Adanna," Tshikuta interjected. "But as Badilites—noble ones, at that—it's inappropriate for us to associate with a disowned daughter of the family. It would imply we disagree with the Patriarch's decision."
Adanna's expression darkened. "So you both agree with my exile?"
Tshikuta sighed. "I pity you, I do. But there's nothing we can do. Only your father can reverse the decision."
"You do realize I'm still one of you, right?"
"So what?" I said coldly.
"What if I were to join the Nami Family?" Her words sent a jolt through me and Tshikuta.
I stopped abruptly and turned to face her. "That's not an option, Adanna."
"Why not?"
"Because, exile or not, you are still the second most noble Badilitess maiden after me. You are from the main family branch and a Dutch princess. Losing you to the Namites would be a devastating blow to the Badilites."
"But at least they would accept me," she shot back. "Unlike my so-called own people."
"If you're so desperate for validation that you'd defect to another family, then perhaps you were never truly one of us to begin with."
Her lips curled into a bitter smile. "You're wrong. I never left you. You abandoned me."
"We didn't leave you forever. One day, your exile will end."
Adanna scoffed. "And besides—second most noble?" she repeated, her voice laced with skepticism. "Aren't I superior to you? We are standing on Dutch soil, are we not? I am a princess here, while you are just a commoner. The Badila Kingdom is long gone, but the Dutch monarchy still thrives."
Rage ignited in my chest. Without thinking, I reached for her throat—but she caught my wrist before I could even touch her.
"Looks like hanging around that little Japanese girl has made you lose brain cells," I sneered. Ame has surely been filling her head with nonsense. "You half-breeds are insufferably arrogant. But you, Adanna, should know better. Lineage is paternal. You are Badilitess through and through. And my father is the Patriarch, while yours is merely his younger brother. That is why I am superior to you."
She smirked. "Van Bossen was right. You do have an anger issue," she said. "You need some serious fixing before you can even think about reaching Class A."
"Get out of my sight, you fatherless disgrace." I yanked my wrist free. "I need no fixing. I am perfect. And you know nothing about me."
"Come on, girls, stop fighting..." Tshikuta attempted to mediate.
"Stay out of this, Tshikuta," I snapped.
My phone buzzed. A message from Maeve—she was summoning me to Mandane's room. Why so suddenly? We had just reunited in front of the school gates a few hours ago.
Without another word, I turned and left.
"Where are you going?" Tshikuta called after me.
"To the girls' dormitory," I replied. "So get moving."
"You're not a perv, are you?" Adanna teased as she followed me.
"Heck no!" Tshikuta blushed and turned the other way, likely heading toward the shopping district.
I rolled my eyes. "Stop following me, Adanna."
"It's unlike you to walk away from a fight."
"I have somewhere to be. We can argue later if you want."
"Why does everything with you have to be a fight?" she muttered. Then, after a pause, "Can I come?"
"No. And stop acting like we're friends—we're not."
She grinned. "We're more than friends. We're nieces."
"Tsk. Ugh."
Adanna chuckled. "I get it. It's a private gathering. My presence would probably be inappropriate," she said, finally getting the hint. "I'll go find our classmates. I'll talk to you later."
She finally left me alone.
When I reached Mandane's room, I knocked. Maeve opened the door, her face unusually tense. Inside, Mandane and Minah sat stiffly, their expressions grim.
The atmosphere was suffocating.
"Who died?" I asked dryly.
Minah let out a shaky laugh. "More like... who came back to life."
I frowned. "What?"
Maeve sighed. "Big Sis Zipporah and her husband... they're alive."
I felt the blood drain from my face.
I couldn't believe what I had just heard.