Madam Kate turned to Lola. "Since Mia is now Lord Mars' mate, you will serve her in his quarters. You're relieved from your duties as ordinary castle maid."
Lola gasped. "Thank you, ma! Thank you!"
Beauty didn't react. She just gave Lola a blank look and returned to her work.
Later, Mia was alone in Lord Mars' chamber when Lola burst through the door without knocking.
"Lola? What are you doing here?" Mia said, startled.
"I'm your lady's maid now!" Lola grinned. "Officially. You're Lord Mars' mate, so you don't work as a maid anymore. That means I serve you now. Twenty-four seven, unless his Lordship is here."
"Me? But I'm just an ordinary human," Mia said. "I'm not even from this world."
"Not from this world?" Lola frowned. "Then your parents must be. Where are they?"
Mia's face fell. "They're gone."
Lola's smile faded. "Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know you were an orphan." She paused. "Maybe that's why the gods pitied you. To give you a powerful man like Lord Mars."
Mia frowned. "Mars is such a powerful man. I want to live a life of peace and not a life of attention."
"You can't go against it. And you should use this time you are here to discover about your family, about why you are connected to Mars."
"I don't want to — in fact, I don't want to spend my time with him. He has power, he has dragon. While I'm human..."
"Are you sure you are human?" Lola asked.
"What do you mean?" Mia said.
"Just asking. You are human. I have not heard about such creatures before," Lola said.
"Yes," Mia said.
"Ask your relatives."
"I told you I grew up alone."
"Hm. You have to find your background. Ask Mars for help," Lola said. "Maybe he knows. And do you remember why you were taken away?"
"No," Mia said.
"How will they take you, an ordinary maid?"
"I don't know what happened. I don't remember till I found myself in the castle."
Lola stared. "Well, everything is strange. But it shows you are not ordinary either."
_Leaving Mia in deep thoughts._
_In the meeting hall_
As always, Lord Cruns was the last among all the supernatural lords to arrive. He sat down without a word.
Lord Mars stood at the head of the table. "The reason I've gathered all of you here today is concerning what is happening now. We fought a battle not long ago, and now the East Village is attacked. What are your suggestions?"
The Deer Lord stood up. "My lord, I think the solution right now is for everyone to be alert. Let us gather together and protect each other, especially the weak clans."
"Yeah, yeah," most of them agreed.
"But in what way first, my lord?" the Deer Lord continued. "The lords of the clans should find out what caused the attack in the East Clan and trace their pattern. That way we'll know which clan will be next so we can prepare and ambush them."
"Hm." Others nodded. "Yes, my lord. I think that's what we should do."
Another one spoke up. "To the big clans, my lord — send some of your special forces to each of our clans so they will help us and also send messages quickly to the castle."
"Yes, my lord."
"Okay." Mars looked at Cruns. "Lord Cruns. Any suggestion?"
"I have no suggestion to make," Lord Cruns said. "All I can say is that you clans should protect your clan people. My clan is strong — second to none — but I will also help. And one of the reasons is because my mate is here."
Gasps filled the hall.
"That's the reason I'm joining hands. If not, I would only protect my clan."
Mars nodded. "Hm. Okay. Meeting dismissed. All solutions will be attended to and carried out. Thank you, Lords."
"Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you so much, Supreme Lord."
One by one they left, except Lord Cruns.
"Alright, Lord Cruns," Mars said. "Now, who is your mate?"
"I don't need to tell you who my mate is."
"Hm. Better not be Mia."
"It is not Mia."
Mars' eyes narrowed. "And you have been acting cold to me since the year we were thirteen."
"I don't want to talk about that."
"Tell me what's wrong."
"Tell you? You truly don't know what you did? You abandoned me."
"I ran to call for help."
"Help? You ran without looking back. How will I believe you now?"
Mars went still. "I—"
"Just know that I won't fight you for anything," Cruns said. "All I want is peace. And since my mate is under your wing, I will protect her till she comes to my clan."