Chapter 217 - The Phantom Thief Returns

Morning came in Seraiya.

The rays of the sun shone brightly and generously illuminated the white marble walls and spires of the Royal Palace. Birds chirped joyfully in the gardens of the palace, and their pleasant songs penetrated through the open windows. The air smelled of freshly baked bread and blossoming flowers.

The nightmare was already behind.

The tears had dried out.

The fear and trembling had passed.

They had been put aside, buried under the routine of being royalty.

For most people it was the usual morning.

For Jennie…

No, it was not.

She sat at the breakfast table inside the royal palace looking at her cup of tea.

The table was huge and very elegant. Polished mahogany, fine china, and shiny silverware. Fruits and pastries were on the platters covered with doilies, and the air was filled with the smell of coffee and jasmine tea.

Jennie's tea was cold. She hadn't touched it yet.

Across from her was Roxy. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and her ears were moving every time she took a bite of something. She was eating the pastries with great enthusiasm, apparently without knowing about the existence of the concept of moderation.

Under the table was Snow. The huge white wolf had managed to fit his entire body under it, and his nine tails were tightly wrapped around him. From time to time, he stretched his paw out and grabbed a piece of bread from Roxy's plate.

Beside Jennie was sitting Lilia.

The Queen hadn't said a word from waking until now. The Queen had been looking somewhere far away, and the expression on her face was thoughtful. The movements of her graceful body reflected how she had been trained from birth to hide all her emotions.

But every few minutes… she was glancing at Aurelia.

The Blade of Light stood next to her chair, its golden surface glowing with the quiet light.

Then she was glancing at Jennie.

Then back at Aurelia.

Jennie saw this. And she did not say anything about it.

"You're staring again," said Roxy, biting a part of pastry with her mouth still half full.

Lilia blinked. "I wasn't."

"You were."

"I was thinking."

"About Jennie?"

Lilia's face turned slightly red. The flush was hardly visible.

Roxy smiled and whispered. "I knew it."

Jennie almost choked from her tea. She began choking and coughing, her eyes watered.

"Why I am always involved?"

Snow opened one of his eyes under the table. His voice was muffled because of the tablecloth. "Because you're surrounded by women."

Jennie looked at the tablecloth. "Snow."

"What?"

"Stop."

"I haven't said anything wrong."

Roxy glared at him. "You like to make things even more complicated."

Snow closed his eye again. "Yes."

Jennie sighed. It was her long-suffering sigh—the sigh of the person who has got used to the impossible things.

But then, unexpectedly, the doors of the palace were opened.

It sounded like a sword cutting the air in two pieces. A royal guard ran inside, his armor making loud noises because of every step.

"Your Majesty!"

Lilia looked up. The Queen immediately took her place.

"What happened?"

The guard was breathing heavily. His face was flushed, and his eyes were wide with panic.

"We have an intruder."

Jennie immediately stood up. Her chair made a scraping noise as it was moved.

"Where?"

The guard pointed to the door. "She is already inside."

A familiar voice sounded somewhere from the other side of the door. It sounded light and careless, and it was completely carefree with regard to the troubles it caused.

"Wow."

The footsteps approached. They were relaxed—the steps of the person who did not feel any fear, who had no respect for anything, and who did not have any intention to obey any kind of rules.

"Still the same palace."

Jennie froze.

Roxy looked towards the door.

Snow lifted his head.

And then, the girl came inside the room.

Her amethyst hair fell down her shoulders. Her golden eyes shone with mischief and intelligence. Her black cloak moved with her like shadows turned into fabric. Her smile promised some problems. And she was carrying a small bag on her shoulder—the bag was jingling with the sound of stolen things.

Rudy Kiss.

The Phantom Thief.

She was looking around the room. Her look moved from the table to the guards, to the Queen, and then her eyes stopped on Jennie.

Her smile widened even more.

"Well, well."

Jennie just stared at her. Her heart missed one beat—not because of fear, but of something else. Something warm.

"You."

Rudy came closer. The sound of her steps was hardly heard—the steps of the professional thief.

"It's been a while, My Sweet Heart."

Silence.

Roxy slowly turned her head towards Jennie. One of her eyes twitched.

"My…"

Another twitch.

"...Sweet Heart?"

Jennie immediately raised both of her hands. Her face flushed.

"Don't misunderstand me."

Rudy smiled. It was a dangerous smile—the smile of the person who enjoyed all this mess.

"Oh?"

She came even closer. Her golden eyes shone.

"You don't want them to misunderstand?"

Jennie moved backward. "Rudy."

"My Sweet Heart."

"Stop calling me that."

"Why?"

"Because it's embarrassing."

Rudy put one of her hands to her chest. Her expression became one of exaggerated pain.

"How cruel."

She wiped imaginary tear.

"After everything we've been through."

"We've never been like this."

Rudy grinned. "Yet."

Roxy put her palms on the table and the porcelain shook, and Snow yelled under it.

"Ok!"

Everybody looked at her.

Roxy pointed at Rudy. Her face turned red, but it was impossible to understand, whether because of her anger or because of embarrassment.

"You again, Rudy?"

Rudy looked at her. Her face was calm, even amused.

"Rudy Kiss."

"I know your name."

"Don't be jealous."

Roxy's face turned redder. "I'm not jealous. Understand?"

Jennie sighed. "This again."

Rudy looked at her from top to bottom. Her golden eyes, her hair, the twitching ears, the defensive position.

"The jealous mage?"

Roxy froze. Her ears flattened.

"Jealous?"

Rudy smiled. "Interesting."

"I'm not jealous! Understand me."

"You reacted pretty fast."

"Because you called Jennie your sweetheart!"

Rudy bent to Jennie. Her shoulder touched Jennie's shoulder, and her voice lowered.

"See?"

Jennie rubbed her forehead. "This will be a long morning."

Lilia looked at everything in confusion.

Her golden eyes watched Jennie, then Rudy and Roxy, then Rudy again, and her expression was confused and curious—the expression of someone who got into the conversation he couldn't understand.

She looked at Jennie. "What is your relationship?"

Jennie opened her mouth. But Rudy answered first.

"We are very close."

Jennie immediately said, "We are not."

Rudy smiled. "We are."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Maybe."

Jennie sighed.

Roxy pointed at Rudy. "Stop flattering her!"

Rudy laughed. It was light and warm, like the ringing of bells in summer.

"So protective."

Roxy crossed her arms. "I protect my friend."

Lilia tilted her head. "Your friend?"

Roxy nodded. "Yes."

Rudy smiled. "Interesting."

Lilia looked at Jennie again. "Why all people near you act weirdly?"

Jennie looked into her tea. "I'm asking myself every morning."

Snow at last crawled out from under the table. His white fur was covered with crumbs, and his nine tails waved behind him.

Rudy looked at him. "Oh."

Snow looked at her. "You."

Rudy smiled. "The giant wolf."

Snow narrowed his eyes. "The thief."

"Still grumpy?"

"Still stealing?"

"Always."

Snow sighed. "I don't like you."

Rudy smiled. "I missed you too."

The laughter lasted for several minutes more.

It was warm and sincere—the laughter of old friends, reunited, of friendships that were made in fire and darkness. And for a moment, the tension of the past days was gone. The fear of the nightmare, the burden of the Divine Marks, the threat of demons—all of it seemed far away.

But then the expression of Rudy changed.

She looked at the windows, and her smile disappeared, replaced by something sharper. Colder.

Jennie noticed it immediately. "What is it?"

Rudy didn't answer. She moved to the window, silent footsteps on marble floor.

She looked outside.

The royal city was bustling. People were moving across the streets—merchants and customers, knights and servants, children and elders. Markets were alive with noise and colors. Fountains glittered in the morning light.

Everything seemed normal. Too normal.

Rudy's fingers were slowly squeezing. Her knuckles went white.

Jennie followed her. "Rudy."

At last Rudy answered. Her voice was very low—almost in a whisper.

"They come."

Jennie's expression became serious. "Who?"

Rudy looked at her. Her golden eyes were hard.

"The demons."

Everything became quiet.

Roxy stood. Her staff was in her hand already.

Lilia's expression became serious. Her hand moved toward Aurelia.

Snow's tails were slowly spreading, and her divine aura was flickering.

Jennie asked, "How do you know?"

Rudy reached to her cloak and took a small black crystal.

It was broken. Inside it the pale purple light was moving like a heart beat.

"I found it three days ago."

Jennie looked at it. Her eyes narrowed.

"Demonic magic."

Rudy nodded. "I stole it from their spy."

Lilia stood. Her voice was sharp. "Spies?"

"They are already in Seraiya."

Roxy's eyes widened. "How many?"

"I don't know."

Rudy looked at the city. Her expression was grim.

"But enough."

Jennie's hand moved toward Excalibur. The sword was pulsing in her hand.

"Why are they here?"

Rudy looked at Lilia. And then at Jennie.

"Because they are looking for something."

Lilia's hand moved toward Aurelia. Her fingers surrounded the handle.

"What?"

Rudy's expression became serious. Her voice was heavy with implications.

"The Legendary Divine Marks."

Silence.

Then Rudy added, "And they don't only look for the Queen."

Jennie looked at her. Her heart began beating faster.

"They look for you too."

Rudy nodded. "Apparently I'm important."

Jennie frowned. "Why?"

Rudy smiled faintly. This was a sad smile—the smile of someone who was asking herself this question.

"That is what I can't understand yet."

She turned from the window. Her cloak was floating after her.

"But whatever they want..."

Her golden eyes were sharpening. The playful thief was gone, replaced by something hard. Dangerous.

"...they are ready to start the war to get it."

Lilia approached. Her voice was serious—the voice of a Queen.

"Then they won't take us."

Rudy smiled. "That is the Queen I remember."

Lilia froze. Her eyes widened.

"You remember me?"

Rudy's expression became soft. She touched her chest, over her heart.

"In the tournament I saw...

Her voice became quieter.

...I think you are a hot baddie. But we have some unknown guest here..."

Then Rudy suddenly stopped.

Her smile vanished. Her head turned to the window.

Jennie noticed it. "What?"

Rudy raised one finger. "Quiet."

Everybody stopped.

Snow's ears rose. His fur began to bristle.

Roxy slowly reached to her staff. The magical energy crackled on her fingers.

Lilia's hand tightly held Aurelia.

Rudy watched the rooftop of the building opposite to her.

There was nobody there. Only an empty building, a chimney, fluttering piece of cloth.

But Rudy watched it. Her eyes were narrowing.

Somebody was watching.

She whispered, "We are not alone."

Jennie looked at the rooftop. Her senses extended.

" Can you see them? "

Rudy's eyes narrowed. "No."

A smirk formed on her lips - not friendly, not playful. Dangerous.

"But..."

Rudy dug into her pocket and took a throwing knife. It shone with light under the morning sun.

"...they can see us."

The knife shot out from her hand and went across the courtyard, flashing across the air with incredible speed.

Right at the empty roof.

CLANG!

The knife hit an invisible obstacle. Sparks sprang to life. Metal against metal rang loudly in the courtyard.

In half a second... black figure flashed in front of them. Something that looked like a person was covered in darkness, and its violet eyes shone brightly. And disappeared.

Rudy's face turned into stone. Coldness of her voice froze.

"They found us."

Jennie unsheathed Excalibur, and the gold blade sang. It shone with light under the morning sun.

Five powers woke up next to her. Leviathan was glowing in the blue color. Tempest was glowing in the silver color. Eclipse was casting shadows everywhere. Gram was glowing in the crimson color.

Roxy waved her staff. Magics' circles appeared around her and slowly spun.

Snow unfurled his ice wings. Nine tails were fluttering behind him, his holy power glowing brightly.

Lilia called Aurelia. The Blade of Light flared in the golden light.

And Rudy grinned. It was the dangerous grin - the grin of a robber caught red-handed and intending to rob more.

"Looks like..."

She crouched in a fighting stance. Her golden eyes shone.

"...it's kick ass time."