Chapter 17 - Getting Back Into The Groove 》

○○ Katriona’s Pov. ○○

BACK ON EARTH, I WAS ON THE SOFA WHILE WATCHING MY COMFORT SHOW, The Vampire Diaries played on the TV, but I was too tired to fully focus. It was one of those days, where even your favorite show couldn’t shake the heavy fog off.

 It was either this or Game of Thrones.

The lag was still lingering from the travel, leaving me drained and not feeling good and I couldn’t seem to fully get back into the groove. As much as I want to, my body tells me-not today!

My eyes were fixed on the part where Elena and Stefan were in a situation with one of the Original vampires, Niklaus. I had seen this episode multiple times, so the recap felt more like background noise than something I needed to pay attention to.

I sighed, leaning back into the cushions of the sofa and absentmindedly rubbed my splitting temples. My phone on the coffee table buzzed. I reached for it, half-expecting to see a message from Seth since I didn't hear much from him yesterday but it was just a text from mom, checking in to see how I am while she's out running errands with one of her friends.

I texted back a quick reply, telling her I was okay, but the words felt hollow, like I was trying to convince myself more than anyone else.

I set the phone back down on the table, staring at the screen for a moment before my gaze drifted back to the TV.

Out of boredom, I decided to get up from the couch and do something to shake off the lingering fatigue. I dragged myself off the sofa, pushing my feet against the floor as if the weight of exhaustion was making each step feel like a challenge.

Connecting my phone to the Bluetooth speaker, I played my music and busied myself by doing some house work. Unloading the dishwasher, switching out the washer and dryer, etc. 

I continued staying busy for the next hour. Mom returned home not long after, hearing her footsteps. 

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The same night, I had dinner with mom and made plans for this weekend and what to for girls day this weekend.

“So, what’s the plan for this weekend, Kat?” she asked, taking a bite of her salad.

I leaned back in my chair, smiling at the thought of spending some quality time with her. "Well..we could go shopping, maybe grab lunch somewhere nice."

"Sounds perfect, hon,” she replied, smiling warmly.

As we continued chatting over dinner, I found myself thinking about the time I’d spent away, and how much I’d missed simple moments like this with Mom. She had always been my rock, the one I could count on no matter what.

As we wrapped up dinner, I helped clear the table, and we spent the next hour talking about everything and nothing gossip, updates on friends, and a few random topics that didn’t matter much.

I called Sara to see what she's up to while in my room. The ringing tone echoed in the quiet room as I waited for the call to connect.

"Hey, Kara!" Sara answered, her voice cheerful, though I could hear a subtle undertone of concern.

"Hey, Sar, " I greeted back, sitting up a bit straighter on the sofa. "How’s everything on Evalon?”

"Things are fine," Sara said, her voice slightly lowering. 

“And Seth and everyone?”

My friend hesitated for a moment before responding. "Seth is... dealing with some things right now. But he's okay," There was another noticeable pause.

"Is everything okay?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady 

"Oh, uh yea," Sara replied flatly. 

“Sara.” I sayed her name in a sing song tone knowing she's hiding something.

"You know Seth." She added quickly, "But don't worry.”

I let out a small sigh, feeling a bit reassured. "I just feel like something’s off," I admitted. “Seth has been acting off-ish since we last talked the other day.”

Sara was quiet for a sec. "I get it. But my brother is not the kind of person to hide things from you for no reason. If he's being quiet, it’s probably because he’s trying to protect you from something he thinks might hurt you.”

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. "I know. But I’m his mate, Sara. I can handle whatever he’s dealing with. I just want to be there for him, especially when he's facing something tough." I paused, taking a breath. "Do you think it’s something to do about the Emperor or council? Is that why he’s acting so distant?”

Another silence stretched between us, and when Sara spoke again, her voice was quieter. "I can't say much about that. But affirmative, you’re right to be worried. There are... things happening within the council range that Seth doesn't want you to know about. And I promised him to not tell you anything for your sake.” She sighed deeply. "But trust me, Kara, Seth will handle it. He’s not the one to back down, even when things get tough."

I rubbed my temple, the weight of the conversation settling deeper. "I just wish I could help him somehow," I said quietly. "I feel so useless, being here and not knowing what's going on up there."

Sara’s tone softened, a comforting presence over the phone. "You’re not useless. You mean the world to him, your the center of his universe Just being there for him, even from far away, helps more than you know. And when he’s ready to talk about it, he will."

I swallowed hard, forcing back the sting of frustration and helplessness. "Thanks, Sara. I just wish things were..well more simpler and less drama.”

"Yeah," she agreed with a light laugh. "Don’t we all?"

We talked a little longer, but my mind kept drifting back to Seth, to the tension in his silence, and the feeling that something was slipping further out of reach. As I hung up the phone, I couldn’t shake the nagging thought that whatever was happening on Evalon, it was big—and it was going to change everything.

The unanswered questions lingered in my mind, and I couldn’t help but wonder how long I could hold on without knowing what Seth was facing. How long before everything came crashing down?

All I could do was wait.