Chapter 13

Celestia~

I excused myself from the living room, feeling the tiredness of the conversation pressing on me. “I’ll be back in a minute,” I said to Dmitri and Roxanne. They nodded, and I slipped into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me.

Once inside, I quickly pulled out my phone. My heart raced as I dialed Ilya’s number. He was my informant, and I needed to know what was happening. After a few rings, he answered. “Celestia ! Is everything okay?”

“Ilya, I need to know what’s going on. My father is still looking for me. He’s really determined,” I said, glancing at the door to make sure no one was coming. “What should I do?”

“You should lay low for a while,” Ilya replied, his voice serious. “There are some things happening in the grand mansion. Your father is upset and asking a lot of questions about you.”

“Great, just what I needed to hear,” I said, frustration creeping in. “What things? What is he planning?”

“I don’t have all the details yet, but it doesn’t sound good,” Ilya warned. “Just keep your head down, Celestia . It’s not safe for you to be around.”

I felt a chill run down my spine. “Okay, I’ll be careful. Just let me know if you hear anything else.”

“I will,” Ilya assured me. “Stay safe.”

Before I could ask anything else, I heard a noise outside. “Ilya, I have to go,” I said, quickly disconnecting the call. I took a deep breath and shoved my phone back into my pocket, feeling anxious.

I stepped back into the living room, where Dmitri and Roxanne were waiting. Their chatter faded as I entered. “Everything okay?” Dmitri asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, just needed a moment,” I replied, trying to put on a brave face. Roxanne looked excited, her energy bubbling over.

“I was thinking we could go shopping!” she exclaimed, her eyes shining. “You need some new clothes.”

“That sounds fun,” I said, feeling a flicker of excitement but didn't she ever get tired. “I could definitely use something new.”

But Dmitri shook his head. “Not today. Celestia needs to rest,” he said, his tone firm.

“I’m not that tired!” I protested, feeling a mix of disappointment and irritation. “I can go out for a bit. I want to celebrate with you, Roxanne!”

“Come on, Dmitri ! Let’s just take a quick trip. We won’t be long!” Roxanne added, clearly eager to spend time with me.

Dmitri crossed his arms. “It’s not happening. Celestia just got here. She needs to recuperate.”

“Recuperate? I’m fine!” I argued, feeling frustrated. “I just got off the phone. I’m not a child.”

“But you’ve had a stressful time,” Dmitri replied. “I think you should take it easy.”

Roxanne frowned, looking between us. “ We need to make it fun! You deserve to enjoy this, and it’ll be fun to shop together.”

“Maybe another time?” Dmitri suggested, trying to appease both of us.

“Fine,” I said, trying to hide my disappointment. “I guess I can go another time.”

“Don’t worry, Celestia ! We’ll make sure we go soon!” Roxanne promised, her eyes sparkling with hope despite the situation.

After a few more minutes of chit-chat, Dmitri walked us out. “Get some rest, Celestia . You need it,” he said softly.

“Okay, see you both later,” I called as I stepped outside into the fresh air. The chill brushed against my skin, waking me up a bit. I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the tension.

As I walked back to the house, my thoughts whirled. I couldn’t shake off what Ilya had told me. My father’s plans felt like dark clouds hovering overhead, and I felt anxious. I had to keep my head down, but it was hard to know what that meant for me. He couldn't find me yet.

When I reached home, I stepped through the door and closed it behind me. The silence of the house felt heavy, reminding me of mine.

I climbed the stairs to the room Roxanne had directed me to, feeling like I needed a break from everything. I flopped down on my bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to calm my racing thoughts. My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out again. It was a text from Roxanne: “We’ll go shopping soon, I promise! Don’t worry about Dmitri . Let’s have fun!”

Was fun the only words her head could formulate?

“Thanks, girl! You’re the best!” I replied.

After sending a few more messages and chatting about plans, I decided to relax. I turned off my phone and lay back down, letting sleep wash over me, but my mind still buzzed with worries.

The hours passed, and eventually, I drifted into sleep, but it was restless. Thoughts of my father’s intentions kept ringing in my head.

***

When I woke up, the daylight streamed into my room, and I realized I’d slept longer than planned. I rubbed my eyes and got up, feeling a tad groggy. Glancing at my phone, I saw several missed calls and texts from Ilya. My heart dropped as I read through them quickly.

“Celestia , you need to be cautious. I heard your father is making moves, and I’m worried.”

Great, I thought to myself. Just what I needed more stress. I took a deep breath and decided to call him back.

“Hey, Ilya, it’s me,” I said as soon as he answered.

“Celestia , I’m glad you called. I was worried about you,” he replied, concern evident in his voice.

“Yeah, I know. Father's planning something. I know but I can't rest because of it,” I said, my heart racing. “What should I do?”

“Just keep a low profile for now. Stay away from gatherings, especially if you think he will be there,” he advised. “And keep that phone handy.”

“Got it,” I said, feeling determined. “Thanks for looking out for me. I really appreciate it.”

“Anytime. Just be careful, alright?” he said before we hung up.

Why did I have to be subject to all this shit?