CHAPTER 152: RISING MISUNDERSTANDINGS (2)

Inez wondered if Selene would be alright if she didn’t attend the party. Though Nyx’s actions seemed perfectly friendly, Inez couldn’t help but dig a bit too deep within them. Maybe it was because she was used to being stabbed in the back that she was thinking too much. Most probably, Nyx didn’t even mean any harm to Selene.

When she didn’t say anything, Ajax didn’t force her. Instead, he changed the topic, but the topic only made Inez even more stifled and worried.

"Did you hear about a siren being captured?" Ajax inquired in an off-hand voice.

On hearing his words, Inez frowned and asked, "Where did you hear this from?"

"I heard it from Finn, who heard it from Laxus, who in turn heard it from Matt, who received the news from the many sources that he has stretched out there," replied Ajax. "According to Matt, this had something to do with the witches and the N.H.M. There had been quite a lot of kidnapping in the past few months, especially of sirens. I believe that it’s because their blood is useful for the potion or witchcraft that the witches do."

"I know," Inez spoke in a soft voice.

Over the years, when she was growing up with her grandmother, she had often heard about sirens being kidnapped by either the shifters or the witches. If they escaped their deadly fate, they would be caught by the council, who would later use their blood and flesh as if they were livestock raised in stables.

Sirens and unique shifters like hers had it really tough. Even though they were skilled and powerful, they always had to live while hiding because if they were caught, it would be the end for them.

Ajax misunderstood her expression and thought that she was feeling sorry for the siren who was caught by the witches. He said to her, "I know that you feel sorry for them, but what can be done? This is how the world works."

"I just think it’s wrong," since the man had misunderstood her, Inez didn’t bother to correct him. She said to him, "Everyone has the right to live their lives without fearing for their lives."

"One can always hope that life will get better for everyone."

**

That was what Inez had hoped as well, but as she stood in Selene’s room and helped her tug down the dress that was small for her well-endowed figure, she started to question her life and decisions. Where exactly did she go wrong for her to end up in this situation?

"I am telling you that this is not going to fit," said Inez as she looked at Selene, who was still trying to wriggle her body left and right while trying to slither inside the yellow dress that Nyx had handed to her.

"Why is this happening?" Selene questioned with a frown on her face. "In the past, I could always wear the dresses that Nyx had given to me. Did she get thinner?"

"No. You have just gotten healthier," Inez stated. Her skills were not good enough to eliminate the poison from Selene’s body completely, but they were enough to heal Selene enough for her to live a normal life or as close to one.

When Selene heard Inez’s response, she felt a bit happy. However, as she looked down at the dress that was stuck around her bosom, she felt a bit troubled.

"Help me one more time."

"Or you can just buy the one that fits you?" suggested Inez; nonetheless, she still lowered her body and started pulling the dress as hard as she could.

Finally, after much pushing and pulling, Selene somehow managed to wriggle inside the dress, which fit her a bit too well.

"Push me to the mirror, I will take a look at the dress," said Selene, and Inez helped her into the wheelchair before moving her to the mirror.

"Well, it does look good?" Selene took a look at the dress and nodded in appreciation. She turned to look at Inez and questioned, "What do you think? Is it good?"

However, before Inez could respond, there was a loud tearing sound and a second later, the beads and pearls that were attached to the fabric were sent flying all over the room. Inez ducked but couldn’t protect herself from getting stabbed in the eye with a few beads that headed her way.

"NOOO!"

Selene looked at the dress that had been torn and ripped in places, and looked down at the delicate fabric that had subtle sheerness to it. "What happened?"

"It got torn." Inez took out the pearl that was stuck in her hair and threw it to one side. Her eyes flickered as she looked at the delicate stitches of the dress and wondered if this dress was truly sewn in this manner.

She lowered her head and said to Selene, "How about we change into something else? You can leave this dress to me."

As she spoke, she helped Selene to the bed, where she picked up the other dresses and then placed them in one corner.

"It’s such a shame," remarked Selene while looking at the dress that was torn into bits. "It was such a beautiful dress."

"It was," Inez agreed while studying the little stitches on the side of the other dresses. Every single one had the same single stitch and looked perfectly new. Was she thinking too much? Inez wondered.

She turned to look at Selene and said to her, "It seems like we have to do some shopping just as I suggested."

In response, Selene only sighed heavily.

A week went by peacefully, where Inez spent her time healing Selene and listening to the investigation reports collected by Levi and Matt. The rest of the time, she did try to convince Selene to go to a mall and find a dress that would fit her, but the woman was dragging her feet. For what reason, Inez had no idea.

However, even then her life was as peaceful as it could have been, until it wasn’t.