Chapter 157 – The Subus Before Us
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko, are you absolutely sure about this?" Hatsumi asked over the phone, following such a long moment of silence that I thought the call had cut.
<span style="font-weight:400">"There was definitely something up with our grandparents. It''s a magical block in their memories. Mom and dad, too. Someone or something like a subus tweaked their memories, and they started acting cold, I just know it. When Selene tried to charm them to be obedient, they shrugged it off like nothing. Maybe our parents got the same treatment. Mio seems to think so, too. I can''t think of any other reason," I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">There was another pause. I didn''t me her. This was too much to take in and changed everything we thought we knew about our parents. Whether for better or worse, I wanted to find out.
<span style="font-weight:400">"But… assuming a subus did do something to them. Why our family?" Hatsumi pressed me for answers I wished I had.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''d like to know, too. If it''s not too much to ask, maybe you can dig around their room? Too bad we didn''t notice sooner before they came home. Could have scoured the ce myself." I sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Leave it to your big sister! I want to find out just as much as you. Our parents are out right now, so I''ll check their room and hopefully turn something up," she assured me.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Thanks. Love you, sis."
<span style="font-weight:400">Hatsumi giggled on the other end.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Love you, too!" she eximed.
<span style="font-weight:400">I leaned back on the park bench, letting my head roll back to gaze up at the clouds passing over me. Mio appeared a secondter with two cans of coldttes from the vending machine.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Aren''t we trying to save money?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"That''s just a boring way of saying ''I''m a little bitch''. Charmed some chump to buy these for us. How''d it go with Hatsumi?" Mio asked in return as she bnced the cool can on my forehead.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Going to snoop around the house, but who knows if she actually finds anything." I picked up the can as it began to slip off my head, then held it with both hands in front of me. "Feels like the more I dig into my past, the more I find that subi are intertwined with my life. I''m starting to wonder if I even <i><span style="font-weight:400">want</i><span style="font-weight:400"> to know…"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Course you do. Wouldn''t be digging if you didn''t, right? I get if it''s shaping up to be a little too overwhelming. Hell, my first monster dick knocked me out for two whole days. Er… That didn''te out right. I''m trying to say that you''ll for sure be d to know when it''s all over," she said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I sure hope so…"
<span style="font-weight:400">We sat together, watching children y in the park to kill time. I had a hard time sitting still. My fingernail scraped the side of my arm to the point it became pink and sensitive. I wished it didn''t bother me. I really did.
<span style="font-weight:400">My phone started ringing again. I nearly dropped it, pulling it out of my pocket. It was Hatsumi.
<span style="font-weight:400">With my chest racing like crazy, I answered it immediately.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hatsumi? Did you find something?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"It''s more like what I didn''t find. I checked the briefcase underneath their bed where all their important legal documents are. Your birth certificate is missing. Not only that, so is mom''s. The thing is, mine and dad''s are there," Hatsumi said in a shaky voice.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Mom''s, too? Anything else? Something rted to around the time I was born?"
<span style="font-weight:400">Without seeing Hatsumi, I sensed her head shaking.
<span style="font-weight:400">"No, I''m sorry. I did find old photos of them with parents of someone you''re familiar with. Your former coworker at Isekai Gohan— Taira Arasaki. They apparently attended Tsukiji together and were really good friends," she said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Taira? That''s good enough for me! Thanks, Hatsumi!"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko, before you hang up, let me just say something. If a subus really was involved, please be careful," she pleaded in the most sisterly tone possible.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Don''t worry, sis. I''m the queen of subi, remember?" I assured her and hung up.
<span style="font-weight:400">A lead was better than nothing.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sexy college babe time?" Mio asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Perfect timing. Taira recently promised to take me on a dormitory tour after I told her about my admittance to Tsukiji." I punched in her number and held my breath.
<span style="font-weight:400">"The next dormitory on the list is more like a housingmunity. Started as an experiment a few years back and really took off. Seriously popr with freshmen students," Taira said as though speaking from fond memories.
<span style="font-weight:400">The college student, Taira Arasaki, also a cosy worker at Isekai Gohan, was apparently a dorm mother of sorts and often offered tours to prospective studentsing to Tsukiji University. This was the third and final dorm she had to show us.
<span style="font-weight:400">We were led past a gate that required a keycard. The munity'' that Taira described was a series of houses that surrounded a grassy field, like someone had plucked a suburban blueprint straight from the municipal office. Each residence was norger than two stories, and even had amunal pool, parking lot currently packed with cars, and exercise park.
<span style="font-weight:400">A couple of students were lying on the field, soaking the sun and having a pic. Another group was just emerging from their dorm, likely heading to ss from the backpack slung over their shoulders.
<span style="font-weight:400">Taira produced a key to unlock the door into one of the apartments. Right through the door was a living room. It was empty inside, sparse of any furniture or personal affects, and the lights had to be flicked on as we came in. At the far side of the living room was a kitchen, with a rectangle-shaped hole cut into the wall that separated both rooms to serve as a counter.
<span style="font-weight:400">To the left led into a hallway with four doors. One at each end that gave way into arge bedroom with windows that provided a beautiful view, and the two along the wall that was a closet and bathroom.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Damn, this ce looks swank as hell if we fill it up with stuff. Let''s pick this ce!" Mio eximed, seemingly already made her choice.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I like it, too, but we can''t just half-heartedly choose this ce. How much is it anyway?" I asked Taira.
<span style="font-weight:400">"There are two types. The units are either four students, which are two to a room and is 40,000 yen a month. Or two students, one to each room and is 80,000 yen a month," Taira exined.
<span style="font-weight:400">I choked on my saliva.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Per group…?" I dared to ask.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Per student," Taira answered firmly and sympathetically. "It''s a five minute walk to campus, with a pool, free parking, and a nice view. So, yeah. ce is pretty damn costly, and these are subsidized costs!"
<span style="font-weight:400">Minimum wage in Japan was around 1,000 yen an hour. If we worked part time at Isekai Gohan again, we could easily make that money and then some, but it was going to be hell to keep up with school work and social life.
<span style="font-weight:400">Why did going to school have to be so difficult?
<span style="font-weight:400">Suddenly Mio''s career choice of bing a prostitute didn''t sound so bad. After all, who needed a university degree?
<span style="font-weight:400">"Well, you heard Taira. It''s going to be really expensive. We''re going to have to work our asses off to even afford this ce <i><span style="font-weight:400">and</i><span style="font-weight:400"> tuition. Are you sure?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"The other ces look so shit. How about the roommate thing to cut costs? We grab two randoms and bunk up ourselves," Mio offered.
<span style="font-weight:400">Gambling on roommates was a dangerous game. If we didn''t like them or they didn''t like us for whatever reason, it was going to be hell. There was also the issue of us being subi. Who knew if anyone was going to be okay living with us, then we would go back to the same situation.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Thanks for the tour, Taira. We''ll think about it," I said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"My pleasure! Subus or not, you two are my precious kouhai. If you two ever need anything, just ring me up." Taira shed a smile.
<span style="font-weight:400">As the three of us were leaving so Taira could lock up the apartment, I worked up the courage for the real reason Mio and I were here.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Actually, Taira… Before we leave, I have an unrted question. Hoping maybe you can shed some light onto this for us?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Yeah, anything. What''s up?" Taira turned to us, eager to help.
<span style="font-weight:400">"How do I even begin to bring this up… uhh—"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oh, for fuck''s sake. Taira, you and Saeko''s parents were buds back in college. They ever talked since then? Or maybe been a little weird sometimes?" Mio asked in my ce.
<span style="font-weight:400">Taira recoiled from the series of odd questions thrown at her. Rightfully so, given that Mio provided no context.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Uhmmm… I''m sorry?" Taira narrowed her eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sorry about Mio. I''m trying to find out about my parents'' past. Yours and mine were apparently friends in college. I was wondering if you ever heard them talk or know if they kept in contact? My dad''s name is Masato, and my mom''s is Chihiro," I exined.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oh!" Her eyes lit up with recognition. "My old man used to talk up a storm about a guy named Masato in college. Always brings up how they always went shot for shot. Your mom though, I don''t think I''ve heard the name Chihiroe up at all."
<span style="font-weight:400">"That''s weird… but they even had group photos together…"
<span style="font-weight:400">"It''s possible your dad was the only one who was friends with my folks. Friend couples take pictures all the time without being all too close. My mom''s off work now. Want me to call her up and bug ''em about it?" Taira asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">Suspecting that it wouldn''t lead anywhere, I declined the offer. We thanked Taira for the tour, and she gave us a couple of brochures of the dormitories before leaving.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Taira''s folks def would''ve known more than her. Why didn''t you take her up on the offer?" Mio asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"The way it sounds, her parents are a pretty talkative bunch. If my mom''s name didn''te up, then I believe it. But I think we''ve been following the wrong lead. What we really should be doing is finding out about this subus that came to Japan way before any of you. Follow what I''m getting at?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"We fuck them in the ass!" She mmed a fist into her palm.
<span style="font-weight:400">"No!" I groaned. "We question the greater subi. Come on. Let''s start with La. She should be at one of Hana''s love hotels downtown."
<span style="font-weight:400">Both of us flew towards downtown Tsukiji. From the university, it wasn''t very far.
<span style="font-weight:400">However, just as we were about to fly over an artificial riverbank in the middle of the city, Mio stopped cold in her flight.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hey! Is that Kana?" Mio asked, pointing to a canal bridge where he sat on the railing.
<span style="font-weight:400">"It is!" I gasped. "What the hell is he doing?"
<span style="font-weight:400">To our horror, Kana teetered forward and was on the verge of falling into the river. My body reacted first, flying straight down to catch him just as he slipped off the railing.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Holy shit, dude. What was that?" Mio cried,nding next to me.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Kana, what were you thinking?!" I yelled, but when I put him down, there was no response. His eyes were nk, almost lifeless. When I waved a hand in his face, he didn''t react.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Lemme try something." Mio took off his belt and pantsed him, underwear and all with the weiner out for the sun to see. "Yep. Something is definitely wrong."
<span style="font-weight:400">People passing by gasped and whispered derisively at us.
<span style="font-weight:400">"We could have figured that out with you doing that!" I pped a hand to my face.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko, Mio? What''s going on?" Kana swapped nces between us, then went red in the face looking down.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Kana, thank god!" I threw my arms around him and squeezed, maybe a little too hard because he popped an erection.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Someone mind exining to me why my pants are down, and what you two are doing here?" he asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You were about to jump off the bridge. None of that''s ringing a bell?" Mio answered with a question of her own.
<span style="font-weight:400">"What? I would never do something like that! Why would I when I''m living my best life dating two hot subus? But… ugh… I can''t remember the past ten minutes…"
<span style="font-weight:400">Mio and I had a bad feeling, but current events led to one hypothesis: the onryo.
<span style="font-weight:400">Without giving Kana a chance to protest, we ferried him back to our apartment with us against his will. Heined all the way there.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Seriously, guys. I''m fine, really! I probably just dozed off. All the stress from getting ready to head to Tokyo Uni''s likely getting to me," Kana argued as we shoved him through the door.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Until we exorcise you, it''s not a risk I''m willing to take. Just stay here. Mio will keep youpany for the time being. Anything you need from home, I''ll bring back," I offered.
<span style="font-weight:400">Kana threw Mio a look, who nodded fervently.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko, I really think you''re over—"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Please, just stay here!" I screamed.
<span style="font-weight:400">The outburst startled both of them and exerted a charm on Kana without me intending to. Heplied, entering the apartment obediently. I snapped the charm before he took another step.
<span style="font-weight:400">When Kana turned around to face me of his own volition, he showed a difficult to discern expression that was of reluctant understanding.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''m sorry…Not too long ago, I almost lost you to an evil demon. Now I almost lost you to a stupid suicidal ghost because I had you use a cursed weapon. A few days. That''s all I''m asking you," I begged him.
<span style="font-weight:400">Kana sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">With a hand outstretched, he came up and ced it on my head. It was embarrassing, but felt too good to want to stop him. Kana had always been taller by a few inches, and feeling that reassuring hand, which used to pull me along around school, to the parks, and whenever we hung out, took the stress right out of me.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You got so much on your shoulders that I should be thest thing on your mind. Except you''ve put me first. Make sure to look after yourself, too. I''ll stick around for your peace of mind. Until you get back, Mio and I will do some bonding time to make you jealous." Kana grinned.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Really?" Mio smiled widely.
<span style="font-weight:400">"We''re always having sex, so that''s out of the question! Let''s do something different. How about we pick up a movie and microwave some popcorn from the konbini for a change?" he asked, drawing aborious groan from Mio.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Fiiiiiiinnneee…"
<span style="font-weight:400">"In that case, buy some caramel popcorn for me when I get back!" I added as they headed towards the konbini behind our apartment.
<span style="font-weight:400">I made a silent apology as they left. If anything ever happened to either of them, this wouldn''t be a world worth living. Every problem I had somehow dragged them into my mess. Which was why I had to go the rest of the way on my own.
<span style="font-weight:400">After calling up Hana to ask about La''s location, she sent me the GPS location to a modest love hotel. The ce was tucked behind a shopping center, with all themotion but missing most of the foot traffic.
<span style="font-weight:400">As I entered past the automatic sliding doors, a young woman, maybe in her early 20s, gazed up from the fashion magazine in her hands to greet me.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Hello! We usually offer rooms to couples, but if you''re looking to book solo—"
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''m looking for La. Which room is she in?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">The woman blushed. "O-Oh! The S&M special? That will be 10,000 yen, please!"
<span style="font-weight:400">"The… what? No, I''m here to speak with— Oh, screw it." I charmed the woman to fork over the keys, then made my way to La''s room.
<span style="font-weight:400">When I threw open the door, La was tied up and hanging by a rope attached to the ceiling. Because a ball gag was in her mouth, she couldn''t speak. I ripped it off, snapping the bound subus awake.
<span style="font-weight:400">"M-My queen! What brings you here? Could it be… you paid for my services? I''m ready to be whipped and tormented at your leisure!" La eximed.
<span style="font-weight:400">"There''s time for thatter. I''m here for something else and maybe you might know. Who were Beatrice''s closest confidantes?" I asked, untying her rope bindings.
<span style="font-weight:400">As soon as the ropes went ck, La fell a few inches and levitated before hitting the ground.
<span style="font-weight:400">She thought long and hard. "That''s a tough question to just spring on me… Beatrice hardly trusted anyone towards the end of the war. I thought I was close to Beatrice, but she only saw me as a doormat. Mio hated Beatrice. There was Hana, but they had a falling out. Selene, then they had a falling out. The dark elven queen Elendir, but they also had a falling out."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Okay, stop. Was there anyone that Beatrice didn''t have a falling out with?"
<span style="font-weight:400">Apparently, this was a lot tougher of a question.
<span style="font-weight:400">"The demon lord… but he''s dead— oh!" La lit up like a bulb.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Think of someone?" I asked desperately.
<span style="font-weight:400">"There was a subus," she began, pressing a finger to her head. "I only remember because I sensed an aura apanying Beatrice''s one night, passing my room. I didn''t see her face because I was blindfolded and gagged. She was a greater subus just like us. Thing is, I never sensed her aura again after that night. It was like she vanished into thin air."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Or transported to Earth that night?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Oh, I even think that''s a stretch! Plenty of subi are sent out on missions across Elza and nevere back. Usually get caught and end up as sex ves."
<span style="font-weight:400">"<i><span style="font-weight:400">Lesser</i><span style="font-weight:400"> subus, you mean. But are greater subus normally caught so easily?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">La raised a finger and opened her mouth to answer, thought a little longer, and realized the gravity of what I meant.
<span style="font-weight:400">Greater subi were <i><span style="font-weight:400">powerful</i><span style="font-weight:400"> in many regards. Too powerful to be captured. They were the ones doing the catching, and usually, like Selene or La, were sent to take care of specialized tasks. That subus who was with Beatrice the night that La sensed her must be the one that came to Earth.
<span style="font-weight:400">But where did she go?
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''m guessing it''s too hopeful that you have a name?" I sighed.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sorry, Queen Saeko… There''s a good chance that Sarena knows!" La eximed.
<span style="font-weight:400">I grabbed her by the horns.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You didn''t think to say that first?! Come on, La. We''re going to Elza."
<span style="font-weight:400">A quick phone call to Shayle and rendezvouster, we met up at Yumi''s renovated penthouse after it got trashed a while ago. The dark elf had been staying at her ce for the time being, enjoying her time on Earth like a vacation away from Elza.
<span style="font-weight:400">"What is it with people from Elzaing to my world? Aren''t there other worlds for you guys to visit instead?" I asked, entering the kitchen where Shayle and Yumi were drinking wine.
<span style="font-weight:400">Shayle shrugged. "There''s no other world that has a thousand different variations of something. Take this wine for example. In Elza, you have wine made from either subi, elves, or dwarves— and dwarves make their wine out of their own piss."
<span style="font-weight:400">La and Yumi nodded to confirm it.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I didn''t need to know that…"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Anyway, you came to travel back to Elza. Let''s get to it." Shayle downed the rest of her ss and stood up, producing the hand mirror from a satchel at the foot of the stool she sat on.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Give Sarena my regards." Yumi smiled.
<span style="font-weight:400">Shayle carved open a portal in the middle of the living room that began to vacuum air into it. She and La went right through as though crossing the door to another room. I hesitated in front of it. Thest time I saw Sarena was that big battle a while back, and at the time I had trouble epting my queen persona.
<span style="font-weight:400">Drawing in a deep breath, I stepped into the portal and came out the other end to a dungeon chamber.
<span style="font-weight:400">Evenly spaced out pirs with sconces on them lit up the otherwise pitch ck room with spots of light. Between them were thick metal bars that glowed with magic and runes etched into them. Distant cries echoed down the halls, but listening more closely…
<span style="font-weight:400">"Aahhh! No more— please, stop!"
<span style="font-weight:400">"I''m cumming…!"
<span style="font-weight:400">They were actually moans of pleasure. As my subus eyes adjusted to the dark, bare naked prisoners behind the metal bars were all in various states of being sexually tortured. Or maybe some even wanted to be in here.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Ahh… Everyone here is so lucky…" La breathed heavily.
<span style="font-weight:400">Hearing how frenzied they and La were got <i><span style="font-weight:400">me</i><span style="font-weight:400"> excited.
<span style="font-weight:400">"The one we''re looking for is here." Sha rapped her knuckles against one cell in particr.
<span style="font-weight:400">In the next moment, a disheveled subus was brought up to the metal bars. Her arms and legs were bound by slimy tentacles, with another tentacle slowly thrusting into her pussy. She twitched asionally, and the shuddering and gasping told me her climax was close.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Sarena. Being made into a sex toy is a good look for you." I folded my arms.
<span style="font-weight:400">The short-lived usurping subus queen lifted her head and grinned.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Nice to see… a familiar face… Queen Saeko. Here to make a bargain?" Sarena asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Nothing you say or do is going to free you. But I do have a question, and maybe we can lighten your sentence. A subus came to Earth some 20 years ago. I want to know who it was," I demanded.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sarena''s brows knitted together for a moment, then ckened. Seemingly out of recognition.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You know, don''t you?" I asked, walking closer up to the metal bars. "Who was she? And what was she there for?"
<span style="font-weight:400">"Being fondled and teased like this… it''s hard to think straight. I can''t for the life of me remember!" Sarena taunted.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I always hated dealing with Sarena. Give me a minute to grab the master mages to put the creature to sleep," Shayle said.
<span style="font-weight:400">"No need." I waved her off, then pulsed my aura into the cell.
<span style="font-weight:400">Whatever the monster was let loose a harsh screech, released Sarena, and backed away into the unlit interior of its prison.
<span style="font-weight:400">Sarena got up and dusted herself off. But all the dry ejacte caked with dirt and grime on her body made it difficult to brush away. She took a step closer to me with the usual arrogant grin.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Now why would you go digging into the past for something like a bygone subus?" Sarena asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Because it has to do with my family. Do you know anything or not?" I growled.
<span style="font-weight:400">"It wasn''t 20 years ago, but 24 to be exact. Beatrice and your mysterious subus came to me for help. The only help they ever asked of me, and I couldn''t refuse because of what they gave me in return— oh, but that part isn''t important. What <i><span style="font-weight:400">is</i><span style="font-weight:400"> important is that they needed a way to get to Earth, and at the time I was the one in possession of that handy mirror. I sent them to Earth. As for why, I haven''t a clue." She smirked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You''re lying."
<span style="font-weight:400">I seized control of Sarena''s mind to give me the answer, but there was none to be found. She really had no idea.
<span style="font-weight:400">"They did not tell me why. Whatever it was they were nning appeared tight-lipped," Sarena said, breaking my charm.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Do you at least have a name?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Her name is Delh, and you, my dear queen… you have her eyes!" She cackled as the slimy tentacles returned to im the imprisoned subus.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Her eyes?" I clenched the bars so tight that they groaned in my grasp, and trying to put them under my charm to obey me again wasn''t working. "What is that supposed to mean? Answer me!"
<span style="font-weight:400">The monster carried Sarena away into the darkness until her echoingughter was silenced by the sounds of sex again.
<span style="font-weight:400">I returned to Yumi''s apartment not feeling all too confident about what I learned. A nagging feeling tugged at my chest as I reyed what Sarena told me. After thanking the three of them, I made my way home to join Kana and Mio in watching a movie, eat some popcorn, and have sex. It was all I ever really wanted anyway.
<span style="font-weight:400">But my mind was nk all the way back. Somehow, I was clear-headed and foggy at the same time.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko."
<span style="font-weight:400">I trembled, gazing up the stairs to my apartment.
<span style="font-weight:400">"M-Mom? What are you doing here?" I asked.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I found Hatsumi digging through my stuff at home. What are you two up to?" My mother raised a brow.
<span style="font-weight:400">"I-I don''t know what you''re talking about," I said, walking past her to get to my apartment. "I also don''t recall inviting you, so please leave."
<span style="font-weight:400">"Are you telling me you still haven''t figured it out?" she asked
<span style="font-weight:400">A chill raced up my spine.
<span style="font-weight:400">"Saeko, we had you raised better than that. You already know, don''t you? Look into yourself, and look at me. Who do you see?" my mother asked in what sounded like she was trying to have a heart to heart with me.
<span style="font-weight:400">I did as I was told and stared hard into her eyes. A dark brown like mine. After all, I was her child—
<span style="font-weight:400">My heart stopped beating. Everything went cold in my veins. The answer… was standing not a few feet away from me, and I didn''t want to believe it.
<span style="font-weight:400">"You''re… Delh?" I stammered.
<span style="font-weight:400">Mom smiled. It was perhaps the first genuine smile she ever gave me.