50: Jenny
“That’s one way of looking at it,” Samuel said.
“Oh, come on! Why are you acting like that?” Ember asked, still all smiles. “Don’t pretend like you’re not much better off here! A lot of people would kill to be in your position, you know?”
“And how many died for me to end up here?”
Ember sighed and plumped down on the nearest wooden chair. She then looked up at Samuel and said, “Somebody was going to die that day. I have no doubt I’ve made the right call in helping you out. Need I remind you how you ended up in that particular predicament?”
Samuel once again did not answer. He walked across the room to one of the shelves and seemed to preoccupy himself with searching for something.
Tabitha sat down on another empty chair. Olivia leaned against the wall and seemed about as uneasy as Beatrice would be if not for the succubus’s hunger that led her to the table with the enchanting pile of fruits on it.
“And why do you always keep this place so dark?” Ember criticized Samuel and lit a flame at the tip of her finger.
“Stop that!” Samuel finally raised his voice. “Do you want to burn this whole place down too!?”
“That was an accident! And a long time ago. I’m much better at controlling my powers now! Ah! Speaking of which, where is the little ice princess?”
“… She’s busy.”
“You should bring Jenny here,” Ember said. “Even if you’re ungrateful, I need to show my friends that at least somebody is happy here, otherwise they might think—"
“Auntie Emma!” A short, waify girl in plain clothes appeared in the farthest doorway, opposite from the entrance. The girl was no more than twelve years old. Her fiery red hair was tied in a single, thick braid that reached nearly to her knees. Her clothes were covered in red stains—both dried and fresh. She had a similar apron to Samuel’s, clearly cut down from one meant for an adult and still seemed loose.
The girl stood there for a second with excited wide eyes before running with her arms spread straight to Ember. Beatrice’s bodyguard barely had the time to stand up before the girl wrapped her arms around Ember’s waist and hugged her lovingly. “It’s been so long! I’ve missed you, Aunie!”
Beatrice saw a vein pop on Ember’s temple.
“Pft!” Tabitha barely held in her laughter by putting a hand over her mouth and puffed cheeks.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me ‘Auntie’?” Ember lightly scolded the girl.
“But you are my aunt, aren’t you?”
“On a technicality,” Ember said while looking at Samuel.
“You’re daddy’s sister! That’s the definition of an aunt, not a technicality! So you’re my Auntie!”
“Wait, how old are you?” Olivia asked Ember.
Ember glared at the ninja girl. At that moment Beatrice knew that Ember could not set people on fire just by looking at them, otherwise, Olivia would be burned to a crisp.
“It’s not my fault our dear mother didn’t know when to stop when it came to pumping out offsprings!”
“Don’t talk about grandma like that!” The girl pouted and lightly hit Ember on the side of the hips.
“What? It’s the truth! Now, are we getting something to eat or not?”
Samuel breathed heavily and said, “I’ll get something ready.”
“Oh?” Jenny exclaimed in excitement and her eyes lit up. “I’ve just finished cutting some delicious calves and—"
“No meat!” Ember interrupted her.
“What? B-but those are the best—”
Ember put her hand over her niece’s mouth, leaned down, and whispered something in the girl’s ear.
“B-but,” Jenna stuttered, still trying to argue.
“No ‘buts’! I’m a vegetarian and I will not have any of you eat any meat in front of me!” Ember instructed everyone, then turned to Beatrice, put her hands together, and added, “Please?”
“Ah… Shure… I ghuess,” Beatrice said while stuffing her mouth with a giant apple. “I’m famished… So…”
Tabitha rushed to the table to join Beatrice. Oliva showed restraint though her hungry gaze betrayed her. The ninja girl finally pulled down her mask (rather anticlimactically as Beatrice had started to expect the ninja girl’s face reveal to be reserved for some dramatic moment) and said, “I’ve… The thing I’ve had to survive on some days… I couldn’t possibly complain.”
“Great! Thank you!” Ember said with seemingly genuine relief.
Meanwhile, Samuel lit a glass oil lamp and took it with him.
“Come, Jenny,” Samuel motioned his daughter to him. “We have some work to do to prepare everything for our… Unexpected guests.”
“Sure!” Jenny hurried to her father and waved to everyone. “See you soon!”
After the back of the girl disappeared into the shadows of the next room, Tabitha said, “I can’t remember the last time I saw a child that cheerful.” She then took another mouthful of the crunchy fruit.
“I can’t remember the last time I saw a child,” Oliva said and took her own bite.