<span style="font-style: italic">Liliane</span><br/><br/>The warning went in one ear and out the other, and Liliane was thankful when she said she could make her own decision.  â€œIâ€™m going to go,â€ she said, and glanced at Sophi when the other girl spoke.  She hadnâ€™t really understood everything she had said, but Liliane was only half paying attention.  â€œSheâ€™ll have time for me.  And I can just go with her.â€  And then she was running, sneakers hitting the floor as she hurried towards the doors, bursting outside.  There was someone lying on the ground between her mother and the woman she had been about to fight both kneeling next to him.  Liliane squinted at her mom- it was dark, and kind of hard to see, but recently her sight had been sharpening, adapting more quickly to different lighting levels, so she could clearly see the dark stains on her motherâ€™s robes and her arms.  It didnâ€™t take a genius to figure out what it was, and it made Lilianeâ€™s heart constrict painfully and her eyes widen with shock.  It wasnâ€™t the first time she had seen her mom bloody and bruised, but it had never been that bad.  â€œMom!â€ she said, voice squeaking with fear.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Alais</span><br/><br/>â€œAlright,â€ Alais said, her anger swiftly fading to worry and shock.  Her attention locked on Zane, she didnâ€™t notice the noise of people approaching, didnâ€™t even register their prescence until she heard, barely, someone say, â€œMom.â€  She thought she must be all but instinctively attuned to that word, to have heard it even when it was barely audible, but she turned without consciously deciding to.  â€œLiliane!â€  She stood, turning to face her daughter, face creased in worry, and Liliane ran to her, full on, causing Alais to take half a step back, arms wrapped around her.  â€œNo, sweetie, Iâ€™m covered in blood!â€ she protested, but she hugged her daughter back, relieved nonetheless.  Glancing over her shoulder at Stella, Alais whispered, â€œPlease donâ€™t tell her.  I will, later.â€  Her expression was pleading, and Liliane glanced up curiously, but her mom smiled down at her.  â€œDonâ€™t worry, sweetie, Iâ€™ll tell you soon.â€  The young girl nodded, trusting her, and peeked curiously around her mom at the person on the ground, only to be yanked back.  â€œDonâ€™t look, Liliane.â€  While Alais knew Zane would heal, her daughter did not, and she wasnâ€™t used to blood and death like Alais was.  As it was, Liliane saw enough blood to squeeze her eyes shut.<br/><br/>â€œIsâ€¦is he dead?â€  Lilianeâ€™s voice quavered on the words, feeling slightly nauseous.<br/><br/>â€œNo, heâ€™ll be fine, darling.  Justâ€¦wait for a minute, please.â€  Alais didnâ€™t let go of her daughterâ€™s shoulders, keeping her turned away from Zane, and turned back to Stella and Zane.  â€œZane?â€  Fear and worry colored her voice, and she then addressed Stella.  â€œHe will be okay, wonâ€™t he?â€  He had the sentrada, but still, that much bloodâ€¦it was enough to worry anyone.