Sara gasped. "What!?"
"Yes," Riya said in a worried tone. "He's crying because he remembered his dad during the meeting."
Sara leaped from the rooftop and landed lightly near the edge, shoving her phone into her pocket before sprinting toward the wall. A pair of wings—one black and one white—sprouted from her back. She took flight and reached the lower rooftop in seconds. As her feet touched the ground, her wings vanished.
She ran straight to the elevators and frantically tapped the call button, but the glowing arrow indicated the lift was still coming up from the first floor. Sara pivoted toward the staircase and bounded downward, reaching the 15th floor just as the elevator arrived.
Dressed in her casual clothes, she rushed down the hallway and pushed open the door to Kael's cabin. Inside, five souls were trying to calm him down.
Sighing in relief, Sara turned to Riya. "Don't let anyone in—not even if the Prime Minister shows up."
Riya understood the gravity of the situation, nodded, and stayed outside as Sara entered the room.
Drakes was gently patting Kael's back. "It's okay, Kael. Everything is fine."
Xiyan filled a glass with water while Nyxara and Azune watched from a distance. "Leave him alone," Nyxara advised. "Crowding him might just make him angry."
Vajr smirked. "You chose us, kid, so don't expect your life to be simple."
Immediately, four sets of glaring eyes turned toward Vajr. He gave an awkward smile and stepped back.
Sara approached Kael and gently patted his head. Kael lowered his face, keeping it pressed against the desk. She tried to lift his head, but he resisted, his neck stiff. Giving up for the moment, she sat beside Nyxara and Azune.
"What triggered it?" Sara asked softly. "How did he remember his parents?"
"I think it was when Mr. Vrenj asked him about his mask," Azune replied softly. Kael had kept his composure during the meeting, but he had lost control once they returned to the cabin.
Xiyan set the glass of water on the desk, and a complete silence fell over the room.
A few minutes later, a soft snoring sound echoed through the cabin. Assuming it was Vajr, Nyxara rolled her eyes, stood up, and marched behind the sofa where Vajr was sitting. She delivered a sharp punch to his arm.
Vajr tumbled off the sofa, clutching a book. "Hey! What was that for!?"
"If you don't want to study, then don't," Nyxara snapped. "But don't go falling asleep on us!"
"I was reading!" Vajr yelled in anger.
"Hold on," Drakes interrupted, motioning for quiet. "Listen. The snoring is still coming."
Everyone went quiet. The rhythmic snoring continued undisturbed.
Nyxara blinked. "Oh... my bad. I thought that was you."
"If it wasn't Vajr," Sara whispered, "then who is snoring?"
They exchanged confused looks before turning their gaze toward the desk. Sara crept closer and looked at Kael. He had cried himself to sleep right on top of his papers.
The souls smirked in unison. "Unbelievable..."
Sara pulled out her phone to call Renjiro to help pick Kael up. She briefly considered calling Rexon, but decided against it—Rexon looked too much like Kael, and bringing him here would draw unwanted attention.
A few minutes later, Renjiro walked into the cabin and glanced at Azune. "Did something happen?"
Azune nodded, pointing toward the desk.
Renjiro rubbed his chin, looking at Kael's slumped figure. "He's sleeping. So... what am I supposed to do?" Realization struck him, and his eyes widened. "Wait. Don't tell me you're all asking me to carry him?"
Everyone nodded.
Renjiro took a step back. "What about Vajr, Drakes, and Xiyan?"
"Because they're still manifest in spirit form," Sara explained. "If people see floating figures moving him, they'll think Kael is being kidnapped."
"Do people really think like that?" Renjiro grumbled, rolling his eyes. "Fine."
The souls vanished back into Kael's body. Renjiro picked up the mask, carefully placed it over Kael's face, and lifted one side of him while Sara supported the other.
As they hauled him out of the cabin, Renjiro grunted, "You could've asked someone from the office staff to help."
"You know Kael never lets anyone see his face without the mask," Sara reminded him.
Renjiro gasped lightly. "Right."
The two cosmic beings struggled to carry the sleeping young man down the hallway. Once they reached the elevator, Renjiro tapped the button, and the doors slid open.
"There really should be a wheelchair in this office," Renjiro muttered as they shuffled inside.
Sara glanced at him. "Sometimes you actually sound like a genius."
Renjiro smirked. "I'm always intelligent. I just hide it behind a cold exterior."
Sara gave a dry nod. "Hmm..."
When the elevator reached the underground parking level, the doors opened. Renjiro adjusted Kael's weight. "Where's his car?"
A look of guilt crossed Sara's face.
Renjiro caught it immediately. "Don't tell me you forgot the keys in the cabin."
Sara offered an awkward nod. "Yeah..."
Renjiro pulled out his own key fob. "Take my car and head straight to the bungalow. I'll leave the office now."
They loaded Kael into the passenger seat of Renjiro's car. Renjiro fastened his seatbelt and shut the door before Sara ran back toward the elevator to retrieve Kael's keys.
Renjiro sat in the driver's seat. With the windows rolled up and the air conditioning running, the interior was quiet—except for Kael's faint, broken murmurs.
"Don't leave me... Mom... Dad..."
Hearing those words, Renjiro felt his eyes grow wet. He let out a dry laugh to mask his emotion. "You brat... making me feel sad too."
He remembered the times he had cried alone in his own room when thinking about his parents. Wiping his tears, he shifted gears as the traffic light turned green and drove out toward the bungalow. Sunlight caught the surface of Kael's mask, making it shine in the passenger seat.
Meanwhile, Sara grabbed Kael's keys from the desk, ran back to the parking lot, and unlocked his luxury vehicle.
As she drove onto the main road, the dark-tinted windows gave the car an imposing presence. Drivers in neighboring lanes immediately recognized the emblem of the Redgrave Group and pulled aside to let her pass. She didn't even need to honk or flash her lights to clear the way.
Sara handled the steering wheel smoothly, a subtle grin forming on her lips.
Is this really the power of a Redgrave car? she murmured to herself.