Lira’s spine straightened instantly. Darius’s eyes darted between her and Elijah. Phantom and Shadow looked over sharply. Jessica’s hand stilled beside Elijah’s cheek.Lira suddenly pushed her chair back. The sound scraped loudly against the floor as she hurried forward, dropped to her knees before Elijah, and bowed her head deeply. Her voice trembled with urgency as she said, “Master… my sect and I are in grave trouble. We’re facing a disaster we can’t deal with. If you help us, we’ll be indebted to you for life.”Elijah straightened slightly, the fatigue in his body still there but his mind clear. He looked down at her calmly and asked, “What trouble?”Lira lifted her head slowly, fear plain in her eyes, and began to explain how one of her sect members had made a grave mistake and crossed paths with a terrifying force. She spoke of threats delivered without mercy, of warnings that carried the weight of death, and of a vow made to completely annihilate the Ghost Crows if they failed

Elijah leaned back on the bed and nodded lightly, his voice soft. “I missed you too. I’ll need a deep hug from you when I come back. “When are you coming back anyway? It’s just two more weeks to Christmas.”There was a brief pause, then he added with a small smile, “I know, right. I’ll be back tomorrow.”“Tomorrow?” Sierra’s tone brightened instantly. “Very good. I’ll be waiting. Morning?”“Yes,” Elijah replied.“Okay, okay. Love you, baby,” Sierra said, blowing a kiss through the phone.“Love you too,” Elijah answered, smiling as he placed the phone down.Unseen behind the door, Jessica stood still. She had come to check on him, but when she heard his voice on the call, she stopped and waited. Every word reached her clearly. The warmth in his tone, the way he spoke to the woman on the other end, made something twist quietly in her chest. She swallowed the feeling, pressed it down, and after a moment, knocked.“Come in,” Elijah said.Jessica opened the door and stepped inside with a

Jessica pulled neatly into an open space close to the line of palm trees and turned off the engine. For a moment, the music from outside filled the car completely, bass thudding through the doors like a second heartbeat.She stepped out first, stretching slightly, then Elijah followed, the sand crunching softly under his shoes as he closed the door behind him.The moment they moved away from the car, the **energy of the beach hit fully**.To their right, a group of young people had formed a loose circle around a portable speaker, laughing loudly as they danced barefoot in the sand, drinks lifted high, their shadows jumping with the rhythm. A few meters away, couples sat close to each other on spread-out towels, shoulders touching, fingers intertwined, murmuring things meant only for the two of them as the waves rolled in and out.Closer to the shoreline, children ran back and forth, shrieking whenever the water chased their feet, while a man knelt to help a little girl build a crooked

Shadow was about to answer when he said, “She was around just now. I guess she might be outside—”The door opened at that moment.Jessica walked in.She was dressed neatly, thoughtfully—nothing loud, but clearly chosen with care. Her hair was done, her posture composed. When her eyes landed on Elijah, dressed and ready with his bag by his side, she paused for half a second, then offered him a light, restrained smile.She didn’t go to him first.Instead, she walked straight to Phantom and wrapped her arms around him. “Uncle,” she said softly.Phantom chuckled under his breath and patted her back once, firm and protective. “You should take care of yourself,” he said. “If you need anything, give me a call.”She nodded. “I will.”Then she turned to Elijah. “By the way, I’ll go with you all to the airport.”Elijah let out a small chuckle. “You don’t have to stress yourself.”“No,” she said quickly, shaking her head. “My dad is driving, so there’s no problem joining.”Elijah looked at her f

Celestine’s eyes widened. For a moment, she looked genuinely stunned. Then she shook her head lightly, as if trying to clear the sudden rush of thoughts. Elijah watched her for a second longer, then released her without another word. He turned away, walked back to the chair, and sat down calmly. “So,” he said evenly, “what’s the problem?” Celestine cleared her throat, straightening herself as she returned to her seat as well. “I’ll need you to escort me,” she said. “I’ll be traveling.” “Traveling?” Elijah frowned slightly. “Escort you? Why?” “Nothing serious,” she replied. “I just want you to be there. I’m attending a conference meeting, and I want you with me.” Elijah shook his head slowly. “That’s not possible. I just returned from a trip. I can’t travel anymore.” “You can,” Celestine said coolly. “Have you forgotten I’ve employed you? Meaning you can’t disobey what I request.” Elijah’s gaze hardened just a little. He shook his head again. “For this one, I’ll have to.” Then h