Dropping the bags at the foot of her bed, Eileen went to hang her space bag on the back of her desk chair. It had been a fucking exhausting day. She wasn’t normally one to swear but it had been a long day and she was most definitely her grandfather’s blood. He tended to become a lot more likely to swear when he was drunk or exhausted.

Sometimes she wondered what her mother would say if she knew this was the result of growing up around an army. Maybe she would be unhappy? Eileen didn’t really think she’d like the idea, but she had married her father, so it was really uncertain. From the stories she’d overheard as a child, it didn’t seem the Knightwoods were happy about the marriage.

She’d tried to ask grandpa about it once, but he wouldn’t give her a straight answer. Then Aren had blown up the water well and she was too busy helping him fix that mess to remember to press him for answers. A scowl came onto her face at the memory.

It had been such a pain to rebuild it and he’d dragged Damian and her into it as well. It had taken three days to fix and those boys still hadn’t learned their lesson. A smile replaced it at the memory of them pushing him into the lake as revenge. It had ended up with a water fight and a grounding, but had been worth it to them.

If there was one thing that could make dumb kids forgive and forget, it was an all out water fight where they almost drowned each other. Grandpa had laughed at them when Dane had dragged them into the house to clean up. She supposed the sight of three soaked kids who were still trying to punch each other would be funny.

He still teased them about it to this day. Fun times.

A yawn left her mouth as she plopped herself onto the armchair. She blindly moved her hand to the bottom of the wig to undo the bindings. It took a little bit of wiggling, but it eventually loosened enough for her to take it off. She immediately undid her hair and ran her hand through the curls.

Gods it was nice to run her hands through her hair after having it be trapped under a wig all day. It did a lot more to relieve the itching on her scalp than it would have through it. And it made her feel lighter. More like herself.

With the way the last few days had been, Eileen really needed the reminder. She didn’t want to become so lost in an act that she forgot who she was. A small snort left her as she was reminded there were now two different personas she needed to be, neither of which was Eileen Devencrux.

At least it had gotten her a little closer in her search. Although it wasn’t very far at all. She still hadn’t heard back from her grandpa and although the trip had distracted her, it was now all she could think about. How was she ever going to unravel the truth when she couldn’t even find the location of the first clue?

No. She shook herself. That kind of thinking wouldn’t get her anywhere. Don’t lose hope. She’d find the clue eventually. Whoever had been responsible for that fire would definitely not disappear so easily.

If they were brazen enough to threaten the great general’s family, then they were brazen enough to stick around after they’d killed them. The thought made her hands curl into fists. A spark of anger momentarily taking over the exhaustion.

She doubted she’d ever feel any less when it came to this topic. Not when the culprit had taken her family away from her. Her life may not have been completely ruined, but that was only because she had her grandfather with her. But even he couldn’t take away the hollow hole in her heart shaped by a loss so big.

Only channel that anger and hurt into something more productive. She didn’t mind that either. She was a lot like her grandpa in that way, they both needed to be doing something to grieve. So she would find the culprit behind this and bring her family justice. One they rightfully deserved.

Deciding that it might be best to write her grandpa a letter, she pulled out a piece of paper and placed it onto the desk. Feeling exhausted and lazy after such a long day, she sat cross-legged in her chair as she did so. Hmm. Where to start?

It took a few seconds of mindless tapping before her hand started to move.

To my annoying grandpa,

Have you found anything about that man yet? I know you said that you’d get all that you know back to me by the morning, but I can’t wait that long. You might call that impatience and whiny, but it doesn’t make it any less true.

Plus, must I remind you that if I am those things, it’s most definitely something I inherited from you. Don’t even try to deny it, we both know it’s true. As loathe as I am to admit it, Dane is right about that much.

I did a little more reading and research on that list you gave me while I was waiting for your reply. I have narrowed down a few people who I think might be able to tell me something, but I thought it would be good to go over it again. Which was a good idea because I found two people who’d fit the description of the man.

Joseph Ellis and Leonard Gray.

Both of them seem to have moved to remote villages after the fire and are noted to not be very social. I don’t know if either of them have been visited or have been attempted to be visited by a merchant, but my instincts tell me that it might be. You always tell me to trust my instincts, so I’ll be a filial granddaughter and do that for a change.

On to other but no less pressing matters, how is your injury? I know you said that you’ve started listening to Elle, but I know you too well to think you’d go without fighting for too long. DO NOT go and start training again or I WILL get Miles to send me all of your swords.

Don’t test me, I’ll do it.

Elle sent me a letter the other day and she said you still have another two weeks until you’re fully healed, so please don’t do anything to make it worse. You still have a lot more years of annoying me left and I will not have you be in pain for them. So please look after your health more. I’ll remind you as many times as it takes.

Also, how are the renovations going? I know you’re bored because you can’t do much to help, but directing it should be enough for now. Did they manage to demolish those barracks so they could build better ones?

Are you getting Damian and Aren to help with the renovations? I know they still have a few more weeks until they go toEmberly, so you better be getting them to do the work. And get Miles to send me the accounting for the house as well.

I went shopping today and I need to know how much of our money is left. I know you probably rolled your eyes at that, but I swear it’s important. You know Ayla. There’s a lot of things I need to change otherwise she might trip over the cracking wood and hurt herself.

Oh yes. There are cracks in the wood floor. Did I mention that? Tell Miles to send me the name of the person or people who oversaw the care of the house as well. And don’t think you’re off the hook. We might have been busy, but someone should have been sent to make sure it wasn’t falling into disrepair.

Luckily, there isn’t too much damage and it could be fixed. So I don’t need to come back to punch you both for the negligence quite yet. But then again, I could get Dane or John to do it for me. I don’t think they’d refuse.

I’m rambling I know. It’s been a very long day and I’m currently struggling to keep my eyes open. Yes. Yes. I’ll go to sleep soon. But I need to tell you something else before I forget. I found an account of the fire report and they said that it looks like there were scraps of titanium around the base of the house.

They assumed it was part of the infrastructure, but I don’t remember them being there. Do you? And if not, who would have had enough access to the house to put them there? I do remember that we had a lot of visitors, but I don’t remember who they were.

Now that that is over, I just have one last thing to tell you. Well ask, but you know what I mean. Could you tell Damian to send me a letter about what he’s found out about the Pangrelle infestations? I think they might have something to do with the fire as well.

Also tell him to not be an idiot and get some rest instead of worrying about the future. And to make sure Aren doesn’t overexert himself trying to research absolutely everything. I’m not there to do it, so I need him to.

Speaking of Aren, tell him he still owes me a cake. And to give me a call whenever they decide to go to Emberly. Tell them both not to blow anything up and to not do anything I wouldn’t do. Also tell those idiots that it would not kill them to write to me.

I realise I’m being hypocritical by writing to you and not them, but the point still stands. And I want them to do it first. You can’t call me petty when you hid all of John’s good shoes because he annoyed you.

Anyway this letter has gotten too long and I really do need to sleep. Bye grandpa, look after yourself and most importantly write back soon.

Missing you even though you’re annoying,

Your favourite granddaughter

Carefully placing the letter into the mailing orb, Eileen slipped underneath the covers with a yawn. It had helped to ease the thoughts that had been on her mind enough that she could rest. Placing those charms around the house had made it so she’d be alerted in anything happened anyway.

Even through the exhaustion, her mind still went back to Ayla and those girls. Something was going on there. Or maybe it already had. She didn’t know what had happened, but she’d find out. Whenever Ayla was ready.

It did however make it clear that Ayla needs more friends. Eileen was obviously not going anywhere, but it didn’t seem healthy to only really have one friend. And by the looks of it and things she’d heard over the years, she didn’t have quite enough of them for Eileen to be comfortable.

Her being so isolated did not sit well with her. Sure she had her family and Eileen but that didn’t seem enough. Having more acquaintances than friends may be normal, but now when the proportions were this skewed.

She’d fix that. Another yawn left her and Eileen had to readjust herself to get comfortable again. Maybe another day. Right now her brain was too fuzzy. But she promised herself that she’d get her friend more friends even if it was the last thing she did.

Which she hoped it wouldn’t be because surely it wouldn’t be too difficult? Eileen didn’t think so, but she’d learned never to underestimate these things. People relationships were a little more complicated than they seemed. A thought for another day. Another yawn interrupted her thoughts and Eileen decided it was probably enough thinking about that for now.

For whatever reason, her thoughts wandered to Raiden Redthorn next. She didn’t know why her mind had done that. He had friends. He had told her so himself and he obviously had enough for his club. So, why had her mind decided the most logical jump in thoughts was to him?

Eileen shook of those thoughts. Maybe it was because she’d see him again shortly. After all, she’d made him a promise whether he knew it or not. Eileen had not expected him to be so eager to talk to Kiran Knightwood, but evidently he was.

A part of her dreaded what he’d have to say, feeling like she might say yes just to get him to stop asking. But a bigger part knew that she was unlikely to do that for many reasons, least of which being that it felt like a lie. Her eyes felt heavier and she decided to leave the topic for another time as well.

Kiran Knightwood and Lenora Divine.

Eileen couldn’t stop the little laugh that escaped her at the reminder. Just when she had thought things couldn’t get any crazier. She had gotten another identity as well. Although at least this one she could blame on Ayla.

She supposed that she really should have considered it would be more chaotic. Her grandpa had told her many times that in their family, plans rarely ever went without a hitch. They were too impulsive for that. Granted he’d also told her the Knightwoods were very much not impulsive but, considering some of the stories she’s heard over the years, she somehow doubted that.

Still. She had managed to end up with two alter egos with vastly different personalities. And to top it all off, one of those alter egos was dating her best friend. Yep. She doubted even her grandpa could have gotten into such a situation. Even if only for the fact he’d met her grandmother while he was very young.

Eileen felt like she’d somewhat split herself in two with these personalities. It would be best not to act too much alike with them, otherwise people would start to suspect. She could hardly change her appearance that drastically, so polar personalities it was.

She just knew Damian would laugh at her if he found out about this. Aren might too. Which was why she was going to prolong them finding out for as long as she could. She knew she couldn’t hide it forever, but it wouldn’t be anytime soon. Ayla knowing was already enough of an annoyance, if they found out it would be three of her friends laughing instead of one.

The thought made her blink before she once again shut her eyes. Huh. She had a feeling they’d get along. They’d already been hearing about each other over the years. She’d have to introduce them someday.

If she could get them in the same place with such vastly different lives. Maybe operation get Ayla friends wouldn’t be too difficult. But then again. She needed to have friends that were solely her own without being tied to Eileen as well.

So she supposed it was still a work in progress.