**Emily's POV**
I had not expected to see the lady clad in black the very next day at the bar. I had figured out that since she had confirmed what she had wanted from me that she would avoid me henceforth. So imagine my surprise to see her stroll into the bar. What more? While she was wearing a cloth that covered her entire body, I could see her lips this time. When she drew nearer, however, I could tell at once that she was not Irvette but the lady I had met the first time.
“Hello, you came,” I said, waving to her so she could see where I was seated.
“I did, you look in good spirits today,” she said as she took her seat on a bar stool beside me. I looked into her eyes trying to decipher why her tone was interrogative. It meant that something had happened. Why else did she ask me that?
“I am,” I returned with a smile, trying to lure her into telling me what was on her mind. I wanted to find out why she had come to see me today.
“Anything special happened?” she asked with a smile, watching my face closely as though the answer she sought was written on my face.
“I finally got some yesterday,” I said with a naughty smile as I winked at her. I saw disappointment crinkle on her lips. She did not say anything for a while but suddenly as though she had an idea, she asked, “Your boyfriend came to see you?”
I smiled widely. I knew what she was trying to imply. If my boyfriend had come to see me that would mean Captain Thoma was around or at least she would suspect that Captain Thoma was my boyfriend.
“Boyfriend? No, nothing like that,” came my response.
“Oh,” her tone bore disappointment.
“Actually, after you left, I met someone,” I said with a smile. She looked at me as though she couldn't believe me. I knew she did not because she had remained in the bar for a long time after Irvette had left my side.
“Really? Like immediately?” she inquired.
“No, no. It was a long time after you left but it was so worth it. He was so good, I think he used some potion to last that long,” I said in hushed tones.
“I see, I mean you look like you found something you've been looking for,” she returned with a laugh.
Something I've been looking for? If they had the twins that I had been looking for, had they lost them?
“Well, I think I did. Last night was so good. My maid had a tantrum when I returned home so late but I put her in her place at once,” I said.
“Your maid had a tantrum?” she quipped.
“Oh, yes. I mean, I was a little drunk and… you know how it is, don't you princess?” I said and was pleased to see the shock in her eyes.
“Uh…huh,”
“It's my nickname for you… you know? You're soft-spoken like a princess,” I said with a smile.
“Oh, okay. Uhm… let's drink, huh?” she quipped.
I had confused her and I was glad for it. Now I had to figure out how to tell Tyler that the twins may no longer be with Nydia and Irvette. I was not certain if that was a good or bad thing because they could be with some really dangerous persons or worse still if they had escaped, they could solicit help from very dangerous entities.
I entertained her with some drinks but she was in as much of a hurry as I was. I asked her one final thing before she left, “are you free tomorrow? We could go shopping or something.”
“That sounds nice but uhm… I'm busy tomorrow,” came her response before she left.
**Irvette's POV**
“So? Is she with the twins?” I asked Nydia upon her return.
“I don't know… I have a feeling that she's messing with us,” came Nydia's response.
“We can't sit here all day… We have to tell my Father…”
“He will kill us, you said so yourself yesterday,” returned Nydia.
“I know… I know… but if he finds out later he will kill us.”
“What are you suggesting we do then? Run away? Abandon the cause?”
“We can't run. He will definitely find us.”
We looked at each other in silence like we were waiting for our impending doom.
“Send the letter,” Nydia said, her voice bore resignation.
**Emily's POV**
“Are you sure?” Tyler asked me.
“Absolutely, I have never been wrong about any feeling. They've lost the twins and I am the only person they suspect would have stolen them,” came my response.
“We should look for them individually. I'll check the shrines of all the seers,” volunteered Tyler.
“I'll check the stores and trading centres,” I said. It was the least suspicious place for me to be. After all, I had mentioned to Nydia that I would be going shopping.
“I’ll check the ports then. It may be that someone might be trying to ship them somewhere,” said Captain Thoma.
“We'll begin searching tomorrow then. Best of luck to us,” I said with bated breath. I sincerely hoped that we find the twins before they did.
“Em, is it possible that they are messing with you too? Maybe they didn't lose the twins. Maybe they want you to believe that they did?” quipped Captain Thoma. He had a point of course, only that he had forgotten that I was born in royalty to the Dark Moon clan where I had been trained to read people's body language. Most times, people's body language was as good as their minds. It was all very simple really; the mind controlled the body. So when one thought of something even if they did not say it, their bodies betrayed what was on their minds.
“No Thoma. I am not wrong. I am certain of what I saw.”