I, Mandane Esfahani, sat with my sisters—Benesha Badila, Haniya Nadibun, and Minah Sawada—listening intently as Kayla recounted her harrowing encounter with Lilith... or Maria. All around us, students wheeled their suitcases past, heading toward the dormitories, their laughter and chatter a stark contrast to the weight of Kayla's words.
Eliza IJzerhart and Princess Maeve joined us just as Kayla reached the darkest part of her story.
Lilith, the embodiment of corruption and cruelty, had slaughtered countless people, including Kayla's friends, at an underground rave. She had exposed Kayla's polygamous relationships, igniting a chain reaction that led to one of her exes kidnapping her—likely with the intent to rape and kill her—while another ex had taken their own life right before her eyes.
I felt sick. I knew Lilith was dangerous, but this... this was beyond anything I could have imagined.
"Unbelievable..." Haniya's voice trembled.
"Lilith tormented me, too," Eliza added, her expression grim. "She faked the school fire, Maeve."
"So, only you and Kayla have been directly affected by her so far?" Maeve asked.
Kayla wiped her eyes. "We should stop fighting. We should apologize to Maria for ostracizing her. We were wrong. She was lonely because we ignored her, because our parents refused to acknowledge her."
"But we weren't allowed to visit her room!" Benesha protested. "And it's not our fault our parents rejected her."
"Exactly," Minah added. "Why should they have taken her in when they already had us?"
"That's beside the point!" Kayla shouted, falling to her knees. Tears streamed down her face as she covered it with her hands. "We were cold. We were cruel. And we should have been better. If we just apologize, maybe she'll forgive us..."
"You can apologize if you want," Maeve said coolly. "All of you can. But I will never bow my head to Lilith. I did nothing wrong that day."
"Same," Benesha agreed.
"I refuse to apologize to that witch," Minah added.
Eliza hesitated. "I... I need to think about it."
"I will apologize," Haniya said firmly. "Not because I fear her, but because I believe we treated her unfairly. We could have been kinder."
Everyone turned to me.
"Acedia, what do you say?" Maeve asked.
I shrugged. "I didn't say or do anything to her that day. Unlike the rest of you."
Haniya's face twisted in disappointment. "You were there. We all opened her door together."
"But I never wronged her personally," I countered. "This has nothing to do with me."
"It's better if Acedia stays out of it," Maeve said dismissively. "She's slothful anyway—completely useless."
Before anyone could respond, a voice cut through the air.
"I was wondering when we'd all see each other like this again, my dear sisters."
We turned as Maria stepped through the gates of Utrecht Metropolitan Self-Development School, a suitcase in hand and a knowing grin on her face.
"What are we talking about?" she asked lightly. "I'd love to join the conversation."
"We're talking about you," Maeve spat. "And how much of a devil you are, Lilith."
Kayla broke. She crawled toward Maria, clutching her legs, sobbing and begging for forgiveness. Maria stroked her hair, a cruel gentleness in her touch.
"I won't harm you anymore, Gula," she murmured. "I believe you've learned your lesson. But from now on, you'll do exactly as I say. If you fail me, the consequences will be severe."
Maeve's face twisted with disgust. "Gula! Get up this instant! Have some pride!"
But Kayla stayed on her knees.
"Don't you see, Maeve?" Maria smirked. "She's not yours anymore. She belongs to me now."
"You want all of us to crawl and beg, don't you?" Benesha's eyes burned with rage.
Maria laughed softly. "No. All I want is to be acknowledged—as your sister, as our parents' daughter. But I don't expect apologies. None of you have the integrity to reflect on your mistakes, let alone atone for them." She turned to Haniya. "Well, except Luxuria, of course. The so-called godly woman... Look at her, covered from head to toe."
Maria's smirk widened. "Tell me, dear sisters, what will you do now?"