08 AM, the morning of Lorelei's episode
"Has anyone seen Lori this morning?"
Mrs. Kamali inquired, her voice laced with concern as she scanned the Queen daughters' faces. The pre-dawn light cast long shadows in the living room, and despite the familiar hum of the refrigerator, an unsettling silence hung heavy in the kitchen air.
"No, mama K," kayley, the elder sister, replied using the way they had decided to call Lorelei'smother."She has difficulties to sleep, We thought it was best to let her be."
"Hmm, I don't know," Mrs. Kamali muttered, a gnawing unease twisting her gut. "I just... have a feeling."
"We can go check on her if you're worried," Alicia, the younger sister, offered, sensing Lorelei mother's disquiet.
"Thank you, dear," Mrs. Kamali sighed, her gaze flitting back to the stairs, whirl they were talking, they had move to the living room where they each sat on comfortable sofas waiting for Martha the bring their coffees.
"I should have known better." Kayley muttered wondering why she had not thought to stop in Lorelei's room before coming downstairs, it would have been good to put mrs Kamali at ease.
Exchanging a worried glance, the sisters rose in unison and followed Mrs. Kamali towards the stairs. The old but radiant woman, a pillar of strength for all the time they have live together, seemed unusually frail, her hand lingering on the railing for support. They had lived with her for years now, yet her presence still held a weight of authority, a comfort they couldn't quite explain.
"It just feels wrong," Mrs. Kamali confessed as they ascended the stairs.
"Even this morning, I felt compelled to check on her, but I didn't want to intrude or make her feel like..." Her voice trailed off, a mix of worry and something more veiled in her eyes.
"Like a babysitter?" Kayley finished with a light laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
"We promised to tone it down after the last time, remember? That is why to be true, I hesitated myself"
Alicia shivered, a memory of last night flashing in her mind. The full moon had been a potent one, its radiant glow casting an unearthly light through her bedroom window. It felt almost intrusive, as if it were peering into her very soul.
"Wow, you know what's funny?" Alicia remarked, her voice hushed. "I felt the same way this morning. I mean, Did you see the full moon? It was incredible, almost as if it was trying to get my attention, I barely slept, I thought maybe that is why Lorelei was not the earlier birdie in this nest today. It was... like, impressive, it was almost like in plain day..."
Mrs. Kamali stopped abruptly, her grip tightening on the railing. She turned to Alicia, a deep crease forming between her brow.
"Full moon? You said 'full moon'?" Her voice was a mere whisper, laced with a sudden urgency. "And impressive? Kayley! Go find Lori father. Martha, tell your the guys to come up. Now!"
A sense of foreboding washed over both sisters. Lorelei mother's frantic tone sent shivers down their spines. Kayley hurried towards Lorelei parents' room, while Martha, the housekeeper
raced down the stairs to find her husband Norman and his brother Sloan.
Mrs. Kamali's heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drumbeat echoing in her ears, as she did her to run all the way to the bedroom of her only child. Despite downing a sleeping pill the previous night, the weight of dread sat heavy in her stomach. If what Alicia said was true, she knew it wouldn't bode well for Lorelei.
Bursting into the bedroom, Mrs. Kamali and Alicia froze. The bed was empty, its unmade sheets a stark contrast to the pristine order lorelei normally maintained, even when she was sleeping.
A chill hung in the air, prickling at Alicia's skin. Glancing towards the large sliding glass doors, she noticed a sliver of morning light peeking through a narrow gap. The curtains, usually drawn tight, were wide opened.
"She's outside," Alicia whispered, her voice trembling.
The two women rushed onto the terrace, a shared gasp escaping their lips. On the outdoor sofa, bathed in the cool morning light, sat Lorelei.
Her entire body trembled uncontrollably, her skin flushed with an unnatural heat. Mrs. Kamali reached out hesitantly, her fingers brushing against Lorelei's forehead. With a startled cry, she recoiled, her hand stinging from the unexpected burn.
Looking up at the vast expanse of the morning sky, Mrs. Kamali fought back a sob. Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw the men materialize on the terrace, it was visible they had run, their faces etched with concern.
Kayley, her best friend, stood beside them, her expression mirroring their shock.
"What happened? Why is she outside?"
Reagan , Lorelei's father, demanded, his voice tight with worry, frozen at the sight while Norman quickly knelt beside the shivering young woman, carefully scooping her up in his arms already in pilot mode.
Mrs. Kamali and Alicia exchanged a silent glance, their lips drawn into thin lines. They knew the answer, but the words wouldn't come. This was far more than just a late-night stroll under the full moon.
Clenching his fist, Mr. Kamali followed his Wife into the vast bedroom, both of them coming to a halt at the foot of the enormous four-poster bed. As Kayley reached for her phone, Morgan spoke, his voice hoarse with worry.
"I already called Dr. Killian. She's on her way."
Bertha, Lorelei's mother, cried out at the same time as her husband, but with a different motive.
"No! No doctor. She⦠she'll be fine." Her voice trembled, laced with a fear that resonated deeper than the situation warranted in the eyes of the others.
Norman, the head of security, approached Bertha with a calming hand on her shoulder.
"I understand, Mrs. Kamali," he said gently. "She is your daughter. But I can't take that chance. We need Dr. Killian to examine her." He gestured towards Lorelei's shivering form, his face etched with concern.
Mr. Kamali interjected, his voice low and gravelly. "My wife is right. No doctor can help her with this. It will be⦠useless."
His gaze locked with Betha's, a silent understanding passing between them.
"I understand, Mr. Kamali," Morgan replied. "But she's under our protection. And even you, at this point, know our lives depend on her well-being as much as yours. Please, let us call the doctor. If she says she can't help, then we'll respect your wishes. But at least give us the chance."
Mr. Kamali remained silent, his jaw clenched tight. His eyes, filled with a deep sorrow, never left his daughter's trembling form. He understood.
Over the past year, living with them under his wife's watchful eye, he'd seen it firsthand. Lorelei, despite her unassuming demeanor, was the true power behind the mansion and all that evolve around.
Everyone, even the princesses, seemed to follow her lead, albeit subtly. Yet, she remained humble, content to let her mother handle the day-to-day affairs. Perhaps that's why Bertha clung so tightly to the stay here.
A pang of sadness stabbed through Mr. Kamali. But a darker thought followed. Was this power a gift, as everyone else seemed to believe? Or was it a curse, a twisted reflection of his own lineage manifesting in their daughter's agonizing struggles?
He clenched his fists even tighter inside of his pants pockets, the fabric bunching under his knuckles. No one else witnessed these harrowing episodes of their life.
Each full moon, like a cruel cosmic clock, bathed the world in its silvery light, and with it, came Lorelei's descent into this excruciating state, maybe less hard, itbjad never had her unconscious .
They'd chased theories - a werewolf curse, some bizarre genetic anomaly - but none of it fit. They were left with nothing but fear and a gnawing sense of helplessness.
The scent of the garden hung heavy in the air, a stark contrast to the refined royal perfume that typically permeated the room. A clear fact that she had stayed out for many hours. The rhythmic tick of the grandfather clock hing on the wall only amplified the silence, each chime a hammer blow against Mr. Kamali's already frayed nerves.
They waited for the doctor, the only sense of hope in this sea of uncertainty. But would she be the answer they desperately craved, or would the truth remain shrouded in the mysteries of the moon and the hidden depths of Lorelei's extraordinary lineage?