A Crest For The Fallen

(NINE) Royal Drama

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W A Y W A R D

ANAIS yawned deeply as she climbed off her bed, got her new slippers on and headed for the bathroom. She didn't have a good night's sleep in a while, mainly because she's hunting at night. And also because of the nightmares.

She looked over her shoulder for a fifth time as she was brushing her teeth, shaking her head when she found nothing there. Not that she would expect her father to put a knife through her exposed back at any given time. It was not a rational fear, but she still got her guard up since she met with Mae last week. If he is nearing the end of his grand plan, than it means that he should start cutting off loose ends sooner rather than later. And her brother and her are surely on his list.

She went back to her room and texted her boyfriend 'Good morning', before she headed downstairs. She's been living with in her childhood house for a few days only, but she was already missing him and Alexis deeply. Especially in the mornings when the only breakfast she could wish to find is last night's leftovers and some stale bread. No fancy meals from her chief-in-training boyfriend today. Or for the next couple of months.

Mason was given an enormous opportunity to work for his favourite chef during this season, at the famous Dimora d'Autunno. He should return in time for holidays, around the same date as Patrick, her step-father and best friend. And the sole person who can keep her crackhead of a mother floating on the sane side. For the time being, it is Anais dragging Safona above the waters each time the latter seems to struggle more than usual.

She started by tossing the empty bottles of beer, before she grabbed some eggs from the back of the fridge and managed to have some lame breakfast done by the time her baby sister arrived in the kitchen.

"Ready for school, princess?" Says Anais as she hands her sister a plate of scrambled eggs and half a tomato.

"Do you have any money for lunch?" Taylor asks shyly and Anais sighs. They haven't been completely cut off from the hunters' fund, but with a sole working hunter, the money isn't enough to support a house like theirs, or an addiction like her mother's. She's taken that part-time job as a barista to pay her part of the rent at the apartment she shares with Mason and Alexis, but she's barely managing it. Patrick's salary is heavily abused by Safona, but Anais always manages to pay the utilities and Taylor's school expenses before the money can be wasted by their mother.

"I'll check my bag, baby, but I'm sure I have some change left," Anais says with a smile on her face as she checks her wallet. She had to get some groceries today and stop by her apartment to pay Alexis back for the taxi she took home from the clinic a few nights ago after a rough hunt. Some rabid werewolf nearly mangled her left thigh, before her bitch of a partner deigned to give her a hand. The girl has been checking her Instagram all night, barely paying attention to their mission. Freshies are always the worst until they get their first serious trip to the emergency room, with their guts pouring in their hands. This girl at least had the brains to help her to the nearest healers centre, so Anais didn't have to take an Uber there too. I'd have been pretty weird to explain the driver that she doesn't need to go to a human hospital but to a private retirement home while she's bleeding out from her leg.

"It's okay, Ann. I'll ask Mae to borrow me some money." Taylor gets off her stool and heads for the entrance. Anais hears the door opening just as her sister reached it and there's a quick exchange of words, before the door is closed and her friend appears in the room.

"Well, I guess mom was right to send me with these," Mae says as she puts three bags full of groceries on the kitchen isle. "Is the Gorgon still asleep?"