Emma wasn't sure whether Lucien was feeling guilty, angry, or simply too afraid to reply. But knowing him, if he had received her message, he would come back within five days at the latest. When he did, she'd make sure he regretted making her worry. As for Calum and Marcus—she hadn't messaged them at all. From what Silas had told her earlier, Calum had cut ties with his clan long ago after joining the military. He had most likely gone back to the army. Emma guessed he was probably checking in on Malrik and would return with him later. As for Marcus, he would almost certainly reach the manor before her, then find a place to hide and wait until she calmed down before showing himself. "Emma!" Edric pushed open the door to the lounge and stepped in. "Are we at the manor?" Emma looked up at him and asked softly. "Almost," he said with a nod. "We'll be home in five minutes."He leaned down, bracing his arms on either side of her chair, his gaze gentle as it met hers. "Still upset?" Emma shook her head and smiled. "Not anymore." Edric bent down and pressed a light kiss on her forehead. "Let's go back to the alliance after the Celestara Gala. You've always wanted to be a hunter, right? To travel and capture beasts? Once we return, I'll hand the alliance over to Silas; let him oversee the operations. I'll follow you. We'll take missions, hunt together—let you experience what it's like to live as a hunter." Emma knew he was just trying to cheer her up, but she smiled anyway and looped her arms around his neck. "Alright. When that time comes, we'll form our own little team—and bring Corvin and the others with us." Edric laughed and nodded. "Deal. You'll be the team captain." A few minutes later, their warship reached the manor and slowly descended. Hidden among the bushes in a far corner of the manor, a white wolf—barely the size of a kitten—was crouched low, peeking out nervously as the ship landed. When the warship settled, Emma walked down the ramp. Her face was calm and unreadable, revealing nothing of her mood. Marcus, concealed in the brush, didn't dare move. If he stepped out and she was still angry, she might tell him to leave—and he had no intention of leaving. Emma didn't head straight for the villa. She paused, scanning the grounds carefully. "What are you looking for, Emy?" Silas asked as he followed her down, his tone soft. "I'm guessing someone came back before us," she whispered, leaning in. "I just don't know where he's hiding." Silas tried not to laugh and murmured back, "He's hiding in the eastern flowerbeds. Probably too scared to come out. Do you want me to drag him out?" He had already gotten word from the manor's plants the moment they landed, alerting him to the intruder. "No," she said calmly. "Let him stay there." As long as she knew where he was, that was enough. If Marcus wanted to hide, she'd let him. Silas nodded. "Let's go inside then."It was already four p.m.—time to rest before dinner. Marcus crouched low among the flowers, holding his breath as he watched them disappear into the house. Only when Emma's figure vanished past the doorway did he finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. Good. Ms. Tibarn and Silas didn't notice me. I can just stay hidden here for a few days. No need to go back to Frostveil, and I still get to stay near her. Perfect. Upstairs, after returning to the villa, Emma took a long shower and changed into comfortable loungewear. Once her hair was dry, she picked up her lightcore and glanced at her message thread with Lucien. Still no reply. Did he not see it—or is he just too afraid to answer? With a sigh, she tossed the device aside, grabbed a few beast cores, and headed to the training room. Downstairs, Silas and Edric were busy preparing her dinner. Since she'd been in a bad mood, they had decided to make a feast to cheer her up—including dessert. As Edric set a tray of freshly made milk pudding on the counter, he asked, "Should we bring something out to the one hiding outside?" He meant Marcus. Everyone in the house knew he was hiding in the flowerbeds—everyone except Marcus himself. Silas chuckled. "We'll send him something tomorrow. One missed meal won't kill him." Marcus still had nutrient fluid stored in his storage band; he wouldn't starve. Besides, if they brought him food now, he'd probably be too scared to touch it. When dinner was finally ready, Silas went upstairs to call Emma down. He had just reached the door when Remy shifted suddenly on his shoulder. "Awwooo… Awwooo…" The soft howls were drowsy and confused, still carrying the haze of sleep. Silas froze mid-step, his hand on the doorknob, then quickly looked toward his shoulder. Remy's tiny body began to glow, wrapped in spiraling waves of deep blue energy that shimmered like liquid light—coiling around him, thickening, enclosing his small frame completely.