After Satasha walked out of Hera's room she transmitted immediately to where Gaia was, she used the essence that she felt while ago to track her.
To her surprise Gaia had moved quickly to southwest to an inhabited place where large trees and plants filled the area. It was her domain, every inch of forests, plains, mountains, and river was under her control. The moment Satasha set foot in the plains she could feel Gaia's presence all over, it was rather confusing to locate her exact location, given her age and experience, Gaia had the best advantage in this hunt, it could take months to locate her exact location, but to Satasha that was just another light work.
Satasha knew that she was being watched so she acted as if it was hard to locate her, she wandered aimlessly for a while and the moment she sensed Gaia's concentration shifted, with blink of an eye Satasha stood behind Gaia, she asked curiously "What got your attention?"
Gaia was stunned for a bit then scoffed "It took you longer than I expected!"
Satasha bragged "Not really! I was taunting you"
Gaia sneered "Just like your father, always jesting! I thought you were the reasonable one"
Satasha confused "You knew my father?"
Gaia stood silently for a moment, she looked rather puzzled then said "They made you forget again!"
Satasha "Who are they?" feeling confused she stepped back to have a better look at Gaia then said "You are talking as if we knew each other"
Gaia saddened "We did! We were close"
Satasha reasoned "That's not possible! I clearly remember my past"
Gaia walked closer to her and patted her arm "You need to preserve memory or two, you cannot keep forgetting the important things"
Satasha was lost, she felt as if she's was being played with, she grabbed her arms desperately "Tell me! Tell me everything!"
Gaia smiled softly, she opened her mouth to speak but only a grunt came out, Satasha was distraught, she shook her hard "Say something!" but only stream of blood came out of her mouth.
Gaia looked down so did Satasha, they both saw the gap in her chest.
"No!" Satasha cried as she let her arms go, Gaia fell on the ground struggling to stay alive.
All she could do was watching her die, once her eyes dimmed she looked up to see who did that, and to her surprise Mark stood there holding Gaia's core.
"Why?" Satasha asked
Mark presented the core to her "I was instructed to take her life"
"Now?!" Satasha angrily interrupted "Couldn't you wait till she finished?"
Mark calmly explained "I did what's needed to be done! They told me to take her life before she say anything to you"
Satasha agitated "Damn it!" she rubbed her forehead trying to process what just happened "Clearly she knew some game changer informations and they didn't want me to know it" she paced angrily from left to right then stopped to ask "Does The Fallen know what she was about to tell me?"
"I don't think so" he answered "Here take her core, you'll need it"
Satasha took her core and stored it within her palm "They told you to hand this to me?"
Mark nodded.
Satasha let out single short laugh "How ludicrous! This can't go on like that! Giving me crumbs to gather and handing me missions!" she lifted her head to the sky and shouted "I fuckin quit! Find another one to carry on your fucked up mission" she moved her foot to take a step but with split of second she was transmitted to the garden where her foot landed on its grass.
Satasha didn't need to turn around to know who had summoned her, she demanded "I said I quit! Why am I here?"
"You don't have the luxury of choosing! Remember our deal?" the high ranking angel spoke.
Satasha reluctantly turned around "You're asking too much from me and I am at my limits!"
The angel "Do what you were told then you can rest as we agreed, and combine Gaia's core with yours, that should stabilize you for a while"
"Then after that?" she inquiried
The angel "You can fetch one yourself"
Satasha "Till when I continue with this charade?"
The angel "You'll know when, until then do as you're told" he summoned "Mark!"
Mark appeared next to her kneeling.
The angel "Make sure she does what she's told to"
Mark nodded.
Within a simple flick they were back to where Gaia's body laid.
Satasha felt oppressed, fuming she glared at Mark who stood in front of her expressionless and felt bitter.
"You made a deal with them?" he asked
Satasha sighed and pressed her temple.
"When was that?" he asked
Satasha looked away escaping his judgmental stare "The day you tried to off yourself"
Mark inquired "Why didn't you tell me?"
Satasha pissed "You made it clear on how much you don't trust me and thought ill of me! Even if I told you, you wouldn't believe me"
Mark yelled "You think it's easy dealing with the high order!" Satasha flinched, she had never seen him in much distress, he continued "And even worse you made a deal with them? Do you even know what you've just put yourself into?"
"I didn't" she explained "They summoned me that day! You think I can go in and out of Heaven as I please? I had no choice but to accept, it was either that or death!"
Mark cried "You should've chosen death!" his veins popped, he was fuming "What life you want to live for so badly? Your miserable life will get even worse! What more do you expect from it? A loving husband and cute children? Your sole purpose is to be Sameal's vessel and be discarded when you are no longer useful!" he walked to her and cradled her head asking "Do you know what they've told me to do?" he paused fighting tears from falling yet he failed, his voice cracked "They told me to kill you if you deviate from the way! They have no regard for you nor your deal" he caressed her hair "I don't want to lose the last thing Angrboda left in this world! If you die, then there's nothing left for me! No one to care about!"
Satasha was taken back by his sudden break down, she didn't know what to say or do, she only pushed his arms away and stepped back feeling overwhelmed.
"I am nothing but an extension of my mother in your eyes, am I?" she asked
Mark was perplexed, he closed his eyes trying to stay composed "Yes!" he admitted.
Satasha was surprised by this and scoffed, she shook her head disappointed "And here I am thinking that you finally think of me as a family, yet again I never had luck with those!" she glared at him coldly stating "Your feelings and words are misplaced, I am not my mother nor I would ever be, just because you missed the opportunity to making things right with her doesn't give you the right to lecture me about anything just so you can be free from your burden!"
"I never said that!" he objected
Satasha "You don't need to say it, it's written all over your face and actions! I am but a replacement to you" she turned to walk away "Do what you were told to and kill me when it must!" then she vanished.
Mark regretted lashing out on her, he stared at Gaia's body for a bit then turned it to ashes erasing her trace from existence before leaving.
Satasha on the other hand went back to Olympus where she left Apollo unconscious. She stared at him thinking about what happened and if she was doing the right thing.
She sat next to him glaring at the horizon, she felt stupid and flustered. The high order were playing with her, she wasn't even a valuable piece, only a pawn they can dispose at anytime, and that made her blood boil. She felt pathetic for thinking that she could have her ever after, Mark words resonated in her mind.
'Miserable life, miserable outcomes' she thought, cursed her luck then chuckled while placing her hand on her mouth, not knowing if it was cryable or laughable. She let out a deep breath trying to ease the storm inside of her but her anger kept piling up, she gritted her teath and muttered "Fuck it!"
Satasha got up and kicked Apollo's leg "Wake up!" she cried
Startled Apollo immediately sat down scanning his surroundings then looked up to see Satasha's cold expression "What did you do?"
Satasha truthfully "I knocked you out so I can investigate if Kronos had broken free or not" she offered her hand to help him get up.
Apollo dumbfounded "You could've said so before knocking me out! I would've helped you" he held her hand and got up.
Satasha "I find your presence irritating, you're too shiny and bubbly, and I hate that"
Apollo taken back "That's rude!"
She walked away for a bit then turned around and said "Tell Lucifer I had something urgent to do and left"
Apollo confused "I thought you were under his watch!"
Satasha "I lied!" then she vanished.
Apollo scoffed feeling as if he was taken advantage off like a fool, yet he didn't resent her but felt more intrigued.
When Apollo told Lucifer what Satasha said, Lucifer was worried, he tried to use Huggin and Muninn to locate her but she was no where to be found, so he went back to Mika to use his connection to find her, but for the next six months she remained off the radar.
No one could locate where she was not even The Fallen.
....
During the next six months, Mika made the preparations for the upcoming war. He ordered weapons to be forged, armies to be gathered and trained, grains and supplies to be stocked, and for the prices to be risen. With one sign from him everything would be sent to wherever the war will be.
As for Zeta he was busy gathering voices in the upcoming election, which ever he voted the others would follow, only the Olympians remained neutral.
Tina didn't like how her sons were moving and the idea of supporting Keno was ridiculous so she withdrew Goblin and Demon forces from their grasp.
Total forces that Zeta had now was fifteen thousand soldiers, hundreds of catapults, five thousand swords, five thousand spears, two thousand shields, two thousand bows, ten thousand arrows, and estimated amount of two thousand gold ingot. His forces were enough to conquer the world without needing Tina's troops.
In the other hand.
Keno had the central temple within his grasp, his troops and supplies equals Zeta, the minor tribes and humans pledged their unwavering loyalty to him, for them he was their savior, for his uncle and Tina he was a threat to be eliminated.
Keno only kept his uncle alive for the moment, once the war is over and he shows his worth, he'd overthrow his uncle and take what's rightfully his. When Keno heard about what happened in Tartarus he sent word to his spies to look for one specific being Typheous.
After five months of searching since Tartarus was breached, Keno had news about Typheous probable whereabouts. He guised himself as Bai xie and went to see for himself if it was truly him.
Typheous whereabouts was told to be in the south disguised as a scholar.
Keno walked through the central market of the southern state; the first ever place that had many humans stationed, it said to be the origin of knowledge, so many scholars went there to study.
Keno spent the next days wondering aimlessly searching for Typheous, but he felt it was rather fruitless search, so after ten days he decided to go back.
Then it caught his eyes...
A silhouette of familiar person walking away from him, he stopped gazing at where he thought he saw that silhouette, his feet moved on its own to catch it, while his hearts lingered. He thought he might have lost his mind since he was searching for many days with little to no rest but his feet stopped in front of an inn. He couldn't explain why his heart was racing nor why he felt strong attraction to go inside, like an invisible force was pulling him.
He stepped in searching through the gathering in the hall, the chatter and laughter filled the place along with busy waiters and many women that wore revealing clothes, he scanned the place and saw stairs, pushing his way through he nervously went to the second floor, and surely many closed doors were present. He let his hunch decide which door to knock, and it lead him to the far room to the east, its view was directed to the main street.
Keno stopped in front of the door hesitating, then he gathered his courage and knocked the door twice, shortly the door was half opened and behind it stood a woman.
Keno couldn't believe his eyes, he scoffed and leaned on the door frame feeling somewhat relieved. The one who stood in front of him was none other than Satasha.
Satasha walked away from the door and went to pour herself cup of ale leaving the door open so he could come in.
"So this is where you were hiding all this time?" he asked as he closed the door behind him, Satasha didn't answer, she chugged the ale in one go.
Keno scanned the room and saw many empty bottles scattered in the room, clothes and untouched food was also there. It was a complete mess.
"You reek from alcohol! Is that what you've been doing all this time" he was worried
Satasha poured another cup of ale and present it to him, he took it out of courtesy. He looked at her state worryingly, her hair was a mess, dark circles under her eyes suggesting her lack of sleep, her cheek bones were somewhat prominent.
"What had gotten into you?" he asked.
Satasha "I didn't know you could shape-shift"
Keno sensed that she was purposely changing the subject, he sighed and got back to his original form "There's a lot that you don't know about me"
Satasha nodded and took the bottle with her as she sat on the bed drinking it "So how did you find me?" she asked then drank from the bottle
Keno's heart ached from her sight, the mighty hero that can rival The Fallen is drowning herself in booze, he sighed and walked toward the bed snatching the bottle from her "I had a hunch" he answered
Satasha tried to take the bottle back but Keno drank it in one go, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve after he finished saying "This taste like shit! How do you consume it?"
Satasha threw her back on the bed and said "What do you want from me?" she covered her eyes with her forearm.
Keno sighed and sat at the bed's edge saying "You've disappeared completely for many months and no one knew your whereabouts, I thought that you were doing something fruitful but it ended up being like this!" he placed his hand on her arm after she didn't answer for a while, thinking that she might've fell asleep he gently shook her " Don't sleep, look at me as I am talking to you"
Satasha "Hmmm, just go away" she turned around giving him her back.
Keno gently nudging "What's wrong? Why are you in such state?" she didn't answer, he could see that her eyes were open but couldn't figure her expression out.
Satasha pushed his hand "Just leave!"
Keno used his power to see if she was fine and found disturbances in her core and her wellbeing wasn't good.
"You need nutrients and rest! You are deteriorating" he gently spoke "Tell me what's wrong! Who knows, I might have a way to help you!"
Satasha remained silent.
"You know that I'll stay here till you either speak to me or comeback with me to recover" he warned before laying down next to her.
Satasha sighed, she closed her eyes trying stay composed, she asked "What brought you here?"
"To this room?" he asked
"To this state" she answered
"I was looking for someone" he spoke "You might have heard about what happened to Tartarus"
Satasha "I was there"
Keno mocked "I figured it would be your doing"
"Not mine!"
He scoffed "Yeah right!"
Satasha rubbed her temple trying to not lash out on him "What does that have to do with your presence here?"
Keno "I told you just now! I am looking for someone"
"Who?" she asked
"Typheous" he answered
Satasha stopped rubbing her forehead and fell silent thinking.
Keno "Do you happen to know where he is?"
Satasha didn't answer.
He took her silence as a yes, so he asked "Can you please tell me where can I find him?"
Satasha sat up looking coldly at him for a minute then got out of bed, she fetched another bottle of ale and drank it saying "Do you have a death wish? He can easily kill you"
Keno got up and walked toward her, he snatched the bottle from her saying "I don't want to kill him! I figured that since we have the same enemy he might agree working with me"
Satasha grabbed the bottle back "You want to control him?"
Keno "Why does it matter to you?"
Satasha glanced at the balcony and saw that it was already night time "You should leave!" she urged him.
"No!"
Keno could sense her nervousness "Why are you anxious?"
Since Keno didn't budge, Satasha had no choice but to used her powers.
With a simple tap on his forehead she made him look like Bai xie again.
Keno confused "Why did you do that?"
Before she could answer the door suddenly opened, Keno turned to see who opened it but the next thing he knew was that he was pushed to the nearest wall by someone, the only thing he could get grasp on was Satasha's "Stop!"
It took Keno a minute for him to see who did that to him. A tall very well sculpted man was pinning him on the wall, his features were sharp and his eyes glowed blue.
His voice was caved as he spoke "Who is this mother?"
Satasha "A loyal servant of mine"
Keno was baffled, he didn't know which to be baffled about, the mother part or him being a servant.
"How come I have never seen him before?" the man asked as he released Keno.
Satasha answered "Well now you have! He was just telling me about something important!"
The man kept glaring suspiciously at Keno who was looking confused at Satasha.
Satasha continued "They have located you, we must leave at once"
Keno wanted to object but Satasha signaled him to stop by waving her index slightly, Keno stopped letting the situation unfold.
The man said "Where should we go?"
Satasha "This time we go on separate ways"
The man "But!"
Satasha interrupted "No buts! Do as I say"
The man reluctantly agreed, he bowed slightly "Take care mother! I'll wait for your orders" Satasha nodded, then the man left.
Keno waited till he couldn't sense his presence to ask "Mother? When did you give birth to that?" he pointed at the door.
Satasha sighed as she rubbed her temple "Long story"
Keno eager "I am all ears!"
Satasha glanced annoyed at him then placed her hand on his shoulder, using her ability she transmitted both of them to the northeast.
Keno shivered "Why are we here?"
Satasha explained "He hates the cold"
Keno grabbed her arm "Who the heck was that?"
Satasha "Typheous!"
Keno froze, he searched for anything suggesting that she was bluffing but her expression remained firm, he felt agitated "Why the hell you didn't let me have a word with him?" he paced around angrily "Heck why didn't you tell me who he was earlier?" he stopped trying to calm down but he was too agitated "And why is he calling you mother?"
Satasha placed her palm in front of him and from it a brown bead appeared.
Keno "The fuck is that?"
Satasha explained "Gaia's core"
Keno froze for a minute trying to process "What?.... How?!... Why?"
Satasha clarified "He thinks that I am Gaia because of this and I went along with it"
Keno closed his eyes trying to restrain his anger, he asked calmly "You killed Gaia?"
Satasha "Will you believe me if I said no?"
Keno shook his head "Probably not" he took a deep breath "Let's trace back everything that happened to you in the last five months, tell me from start what happened"
"No!" she rejected then hid the bead back in her palm.
Keno was at his wit's end, he placed his hand on his eyes "How am I supposed to trust you if you keep doing these things?"
Satasha indifferent "Believe what you want, I don't care anymore"
Keno sighed "Hand over the core, I need it"
Satasha "Can't do that, I also need it"
Keno "I am not telling you, I am ordering you"
Satasha "And I said no! I don't take orders from you"
Keno finally lost it, he cried angrily "First you blew up my plan, then you took me to this cold terrain, and now you refuse? Don't you have you any shred of decency?"
Satasha shrugged, then walked away.
Keno grabbed her arm "You're not going anywhere till you give me the core!"
Satasha glanced at the hand that stopped her with disgust "Unhand me!"
Keno pulled her closer "Not a chance"
Satasha's cold expression shifted to her true feelings, she was fuming with anger and her pint up rage took the best of her.
Needless to say, she punched him hard in his face using a fragment of her power to amplify the weight of her punch, it succeeded in making him fall few feets away.
She snarled "Stay there"
Keno spat the blood and snapped "That's it!"
He rushed to catch her before she vanishes again and they sparred.
She was ready to land another punch as he was ready to block it, he kept grabbing her arm to force her powers off, little did he know she doesn't need powers to break free again. This time she kicked his groin as hard as she could making him fall on his knees, but he kept grabbing her arm.
"That's a dirty move!" he winced
Satasha irritated "I said let go"
Keno "The core"
Satasha pulled her arm away but his grip was tight, fuming she made a dagger from the snow and stabbed his hand.
Keno was baffled, he looked up to see her teeth were clenched and her eyes reddened from anger, he released her arm from shock that she could easily stab him over such minor issue and not showing any trace of guilt or hesitation.
Satasha warned "Touch me again and see what will happen!"
It didn't take her two steps before Keno grabbed her arm again pulling her closer, she was ready to stab his arm again but this time he swing her hard and stroke her abdomen hard enough for her to cough blood.
His injured arm held tightly on her that his blood streamed on her arm.
Satasha glanced and saw pure spite in his face as he glared at her while she crouched down on the snow.
"The core" he demanded
Satasha snorted and swung the dagger to cut off her arm, when he noticed what she was about to do he immediately grabbed her hand pinning her under him.
"Are you mental?" he scolded
Satasha laughed showing her blood covered teeth then choked on the blood as she glanced at her pinned arms.
Keno felt worried, her current state was unstable and her mentality was crushed by something, he gently asked "Can't you just give me the core and we'd be done?"
Satasha panting as she wrestled to break free from his grip, she didn't want to hurt him badly or kill him so by using her legs she topped him with her hands being held by him she shifted the blade aiming for his head.
He struggled to stop the edge from stabbing his eyes, the only thing that he could do now was to push her and so he did. He pushed her away sending her flying off him with his power, but he miscalculated the distance and she was sent off the cliff.
He rushed to catch her but the snow underneath him was unstable because of his blow and swept both of them off the cliff.
Once he grabbed her he immediately cradled her head protecting it from the fall.
Seeing how worried he was about her safety, Satasha's feeling was somewhat moved, before they reached the bottom and get choked by the avalanche she made a port gate transmitting them to his residence where he fell on the grass of his garden.
Only after he took the fall, he finally released her, he grunted from pain "Couldn't you made us fall on something softer?"
Satasha scoffed and by using her powers she healed him "Better?" she asked
Keno nodded then slowly sat "I need time to adapt"
Satasha sighed and got up, he immediately grabbed her wrist "Where are you going?" she didn't answer and shook his hand off but it only made him held on tighter as he got up.
"You cannot leave!" he ordered.
Satasha didn't waste any breath on arguing and immediately stabbed him again, he didn't flinch.
The guards who were rushing to their lord's aide saw her stabbing him and immediately shoot arrows on her, one landed on her shoulder while the rest were stopped by Keno.
"Don't interfere!" he commanded
His guards were hesitant at first then did as instructed.
Satasha glanced indifferently at the arrow that pierced her shoulder and with quick pull it was off her.
"If you want the core so badly then you can take it from my dead body!" she spoke quietly
"Why are you doing this?" he asked as he gently checked on her wound.
"If you have it then you die!" she warned
"You would seriously kill me over this?" he wasn't convinced
Satasha "Not me but Typheous would! He'd never bend over and cooperate with anyone"
Keno "Is that why aren't you giving me the core?"
Satasha "No, I need it for my own personal reasons"
Keno softly "As do I!" he reached to shuffle her hair but she mistook it for an attack and immediately used her power to push him away, he broke the wall and fell on the kitchen floor, the servants fled terrified.
The guards who stood nearby attacked her at once yet none succeeded, they were falling left and right.
"Summon everyone!" one of them ordered the remaining one that hadn't attacked yet, and surely enough many guards appear in the garden.
Keno who was struggling to get up yelled "Stop!" on top of his lungs "Everyone leave. Now!"
"But my lord!" one of the guards objected
Keno threw piece of the wooden wall that he broken into at them snapping "I said NOW!"
The guards had no choice but to obey, they reluctantly left them but stood not far in case something happened.
Keno raised his arm calling for Satasha "Little help here!"
Satasha walked slowly toward him "I thought that you were about to attack!"
Keno mocked "I might be doing that if you don't heal me this instant!"
Satasha chuckled, she crouched next to him and healed him, once his healing was completed she helped him stand.
When he saw that his guards were on
standby he shooed them "Away, away!"
The guards cleared the garden reluctantly obliging to the orders.
Satasha searched the kitchen for alcohol and in the search she found some vegetables and meat so she picked them up to cook something as an apology for him. She handed the vegetables to Keno who was tailing her.
"What do I do with those?" he inquired
"Cut them into cubes" she answered
Keno took the vegetables to the counter and found a knife but when he tried to cut them he stopped asking "How do I cut them into cubes?"
Satasha brought spices and the meat to the counter and took the knife from him instructing "First you was the vegetables thoroughly with water and pint of salt, then you cut any vegetables into half" she washed the pepper to provide clarification for the instructions "For pepper you have to press it first, take the seeds off, then cut it into slices like this" she did as she said "Then you cut the said slices horizontally, and you now have cubes" she handed him the knife "Now do the rest"
Keno nodded and did as instructed, he washed the vegetables then cut them. Meanwhile, Satasha washed the meat with salt and vinegar few times before cutting it to thin slices. Keno peeped at her every now and then to see what she was doing, he was slower than her since it was the first time he ever cut vegetables, so when he finished Satasha was already boiling the meat. She took the freshly cut veggies and placed them in another pot to fry them first, added the spices, then poured the boiled meat to it and let them cook together.
"When did you learn how to cook?" he asked
Satasha "I worked at different restaurants before, so I caught few things here and there"
Keno nodded impressed by that, he never thought that she'd tolerate any labor with her temper, he stood beside her curiously looking at the stew that she was preparing and unconsciously placed his elbow on her shoulder leaning as he stood.
She glanced at his hand that dangled in front of her face "You seem comfortable"
Keno not taking the hint "Indeed! It smells amazing"
Satasha scoffed and gave him a spoonful of soup for him to taste "How is it?" she asked after he tasted it "Does it miss something?"
Keno was taken back by how good it tasted but he felt like he had something similar before "It tastes good!" she smiled softly then stirred the pot.
"Say what restaurant did you work in?" he inquired
Satasha "I worked at the brazing sun inn for few months while back"
"The one at the east market?" he was confused "Was that before or after we met?"
Satasha regretted telling him that "After!" she mumbled.
Keno raised his brows surprised "When was that?"
Satasha muttered "Few months ago"
He scoffed "You really know how to hide yourself in plain sight!" she laughed nervously, he fell silent for a minute then remembered "But I don't eat from the brazing sun! How come your cooking tastes familiar"
Satasha didn't look at him, she hurried to prepare the table, she answered "Maybe you ate my cooking in different restaurant, it's not the first one I worked in"
Keno not convinced "Hmm, probably!" he took the bowls that she handed him to the table and sat down "Why did you cook this stew?" he suddenly realized that their spar turned to a cooking session.
Satasha "As an apology for destroying your house" she grabbed the wine bottle and drank some before sitting next to him "And I felt hungry"
Keno snatched the bottle from her and poured her few in glass "Stop drinking! Are you going to drink yourself to death?"
Satasha "That's the plan!"
Keno scolded "No more alcohol for you!"
Satasha chuckled "What? You plan to keep me on constant observation?"
Keno "If that is what it takes for you to stop, then yes!"
Satasha "Good luck with that! I am going to go off radar after this meal"
Keno irritated by her stubbornness, dragged her chair closer grabbing her arm "You aren't going anywhere till I get the core"
Satasha sighed "Here we go again! I can't give it to you"
Keno emptying his bowl "I know! You don't have to give it to me, you can stay here and help me find him"
Satasha poured him more stew "Not happening! I am done with everything, let whatever happens happen!"
Keno gently caressed her hand "I am not asking you to fight alongside me nor I am asking you to find Typheous. I am asking you to stay here to rest and let me take care of you"
Satasha not convinced "Oh really and what about the core?"
Keno sighed "If you don't want to give it to me then all I can do is have sense of familiarity to it so I can track him on my own"
Satasha pondered for a minute then said "I could use some rest for a while to recharge"
Keno smiled warmly.
"But you must know that I am on the run which mean that you have to ensure that no one knows my whereabouts!" she added
Keno smirked "Leave that to me and rest! I'll order them to prepare you a room and clothing"
Satasha nodded "Good! Can you Unhand me now?"
"No! I don't trust you" his grip tightened
Satasha scoffed shaking her head "You need to work on your trust issues buddy!"
Keno clarified "Don't get me wrong, I trust you with my life, I just don't trust you with yours"
Satasha was baffled by his statement and didn't know if he can see right through her or she was terrible at hiding her true intentions, she stirred the bowl without eating thinking about her deal with the high order.
Keno could sense her distress and patted on her shoulder gently "Everything else can wait! You can't solve anything in this state of yours. Rest then reset"
Satasha nodded agreeing on what he said, she planed to take on his advice and rest here for a while, it might be fruitful later.
Her presence in Keno's residence was kept hidden for a month before one of the guards that hated her let it slip out when he was ranting in an inn on how much he hates her while being drunk.
Keno was furious when he found out and punish him with thirty whip lashes.
Satasha on the other hand didn't care, she told him to not carry on with the punishment, she didn't want to change places again and said "I kind of like staying here, it's quieter but since my presence was revealed this peace would be short! Should I leave?"
Keno objected "You need to rest! Let me protect you and worry about everything else!"
Satasha "What about him?" she pointed at the guard that revealed her presence.
Keno "He needs to be punished"
Satasha glared at him coldly for a minute before saying "Let him be my guard, since he hates me that much this would be worse than the thirty lashes"
Keno objected "That's the lamest idea I have ever heard"
Satasha glanced at him annoyed.
"What?" he teased "Your solution is nothing but a slap on the wrist! He needs to know the consequences of his actions"
Satasha intervened "Let Haru decide what to do with him for now. Meanwhile, you and I need to have a little trip somewhere"
Keno suspicious "Where to?"
Satasha grinning "To find Typheous"