CHAPTER 34: INTRODUCING ETHER TO ICE

Silas sat on the bench outsides, while he had Ether sit on the lawn in front of him. He sighed, leaning into the bench then letting out a tired groan, "Can we really let her stay?"

"You really adopted a girl overnight?" Ice asked, staring at the girl who sat obediently with worry in her eyes. Ice could feel the ominous aura from Ether, "and of all the girls?"

"Well, it’s not like it was on my bucket list." Silas turned defensive when he lifted his gaze to meet Ice’s condescending stare. He cleared his throat, "But, she needed the help."

"Where would we put her? We didn’t prepare for a freeloader." Ice raised a question, pointing to Ether, "Besides, that thing is dangerous. Are you sure we can live with that?"

"What’s there to worry about?" Silas said. He said that, but even now he couldn’t let Ether step an inch into the house. He cleared his throat, "I’d kill her if not for the profit."

Ice sighed, stepping forward and crouching to stare into Ether’s exposed eye, "Why’d you have her all covered up? Is she cold?" Ice said, staring at the jacket Silas wore Ether.

Silas had used that to cover up her tattered suit, since she had too much exposed skin for anyone’s comfort. He decided to tear everything off and change Ether into a new dress.

’There could be trackers installed in the suit.’ Silas thought, narrowing his eyes to hide the cold glow, ’They must have left so easily because they believed no one could remove it.’

"Oh, your clothes’ all torn up. This won’t do." Ice said out loud, clicking her tongue as she stared at Ether’s exposed body. Ice frowned after a while, "She’s burning with a fever."

"I don’t think it’s a fever." Silas broke from his thoughts, only to find his jacket lying on the ground with Ice staring at a half-naked Ether, "A fever is what you are worried about?"

Ice formed a layer of ice around her hand, then she touched Ether’s exposed neck, then her pupils narrowed to needlepoint— the ice did not melt, "Huh. The heat isn’t transferred."

"Don’t... worry..." Ether tried to assure Ice. Steam leaked out of her mouth as she spoke, her pupils gleaming in a soft light. She poked herself with her finger, "It... doesn’t... hurt..."

Ice lowered her gaze, staring at the point of contact between the finger and arm, seeing a thin line of steam rising. Ice lifted her gaze to Ether but the woman remained emotionless.

"You must have a deadly superpower for it to have such side effects." Ice explained then stood to her feet, turning to stare at Silas who’d been watching them calmly the whole time.

"Trust me, it’s deadly alright." Silas recalled the time Ether nearly cut off his head, then he heaved a sigh of relief. Silas stood to his feet, approaching her, "You don’t have to agree."

Silas dropped his hand on her shoulder, feeling it loosen after a while. Silas stared at his obedient Ether, stretching out his hand and activating disintegrate, "Just say the word, Ice."

"You can do whatever." Ice stepped closer, wrapping her arms around Silas’ waist then pulling him close, until their faces were inches apart, "Just be careful this doesn’t backfire."

"Are you trying to seduce me?" Silas smirked, wrapping his hands around Ice. His heart raced as she leaned forward, the gap shortening between them, until a small cough echoed.

Both Silas and Ice paused, then they turned to see Ether staring at them. Ice blinked in silence, trying to pull away from Silas but his arms remained wrapped around her, "Ahem."

"Oh right." Silas removed his hands, stepping away from Ice. He took a deep breath and folded his arms across his chest, then he snapped his fingers, "She could share with Selena."

"Hmm," Ice narrowed her eyes, stretching out her hand to Ether. She put on a big smile as Ether tilted her head to stare at her hand, "Well, you can come in. Let’s meet the others."

Ether remained rooted to the ground, staring silently at Ice’s hand. Silas shook his head, then he turned away, "You should know that she only listens to her owner. Get up, let’s go."

Ether did not waste any time in standing to her feet, leaping eagerly to Silas’ side while Ice stared with a frown. She withdrew her hand, then rolled her eyes, "She’s very obedient."

"Isn’t she?" Silas chuckled, then he turned to the door. He walked to the door, before he opened it. Just as the door flung open, Ether lunged inside, but Silas caught her by the neck.

"Huh? Is something the matter?" Ice asked, walking to stand by Silas’ side. She spared a glance at the side of Ether’s face, then her pupils shrunk. Ice observed the ripped false flesh.

Steam streamed out the edges of both sides of her cracked lips, but with Silas holding on to her, Ether couldn’t make any moves. He sighed, "You’d better control yourself, my Ether."

"Prey!" she shrieked, her fingers once again extending into claws. She prepared to tear herself away from his grasp, but after some time, Ether slowly relaxed in his powerful grip.

’I noticed it since the beginning.’ Silas sighed, watching as Ether slowly calmed her wild urges. After she relaxed, Silas threw his arm across her shoulder, "Let us get you changed."

"I could burrow her some clothes." Ice nodded her head, thinking of the few clothes she had in her wardrobe. Since Selena had a smaller build than her, the clothes would fit nicely.

"Wonderful. This is wonderful." Silas held Ether tight, not daring to release her so that she doesn’t run off and do something they’d both regret. He turned to stare at Luke’s door.

"I guess that idiot must have done something. Sigh." he walked Ether to the stairs, then took a deep breath to relax his tensed muscles. He turned to see Ice walking by his side with her arms folded then smiled.