Timothy and I looked at each other while he handed me the stuff, keeping a calla lily for himself. "I didn't know your mom had a favorite flower," he said, and I held back an eye roll while I pressed my lips into a thin line and set my jaw. "Do you have one?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question while he studied me with an innocent smile on his face.

I didn't say a word and stuffed the other pedants into my pocket and kept the card and circular device out, inspecting the circular device closer. What is the card for, Your Highness? I asked, not answering my comrade. And the circular device? Why did you want me to have them?

Father, my father said, speaking for the first time about how I hadn't been calling him by his "title," even though he hadn't raised me that much after I had "escaped" from the confines of this place with his help. Please, I beg of you and insist on you calling me father, Joy. He paused and cleared his throat. I am still your father, even though I hadn't raised you as I should have.

I grabbed the circular device tighter in my hand but made no move to press the button that was on top of it. My heart stung and became filled with pain and sadness, for it had been something that I had wanted to call him for years but never had the chance to call him by that title.

Not even when I was stuck in a cell with my mother...

Joy... my father said, his voice cracking just a tad when he caught my thoughts. There was a small twinge of hope in his voice that I could pick up on, and I knew that it was because I had wanted to call him that for years. Please.

Let us have this conversation later, Your Highness, I said coldly and grabbed the circular device tighter in my hand, and my father seemed to wince and press his lips into a thin line. What are the card and circular device for?

"Joy?" Timothy asked and touched my arm, shifting his gun away from me. He frowned and furrowed his brows while he stared at me, and I glanced at him from the corner of my eye while I rubbed my thumb across the circular device. "Are you ok?" He cocked his head to the side while he studied me, silently praying that I would answer his question about me being ok or not.

I didn't say a word and pressed my lips into a thinner line. My whole body was tense, and I set my jaw while I waited for my father to tell me what these things were for, even though I had a feeling that I knew what the card was for because we used something similar to get around at the Committee.

My father bit back a tired sigh and mentally nodded as if he knew that I wouldn't change my mind. Of course, Joy, he said with a small hum in his voice. He cleared his throat and grew serious. Now, the card is to get into places that you wouldn't have access to otherwise, and the circular device is a bomb that I hope you use.

I raised an eyebrow in question and pressed my lips into a thin line, hesitating ever so slightly about putting it into my pocket.

My father chuckled amused. It will be fine if you put it in your pocket, Dear, he said before he cleared his throat to hide another chuckle. Go ahead and set it in there. You will know what to do with it in due time.

I held back an eye roll but did what I was told to do, stuffing the bomb into my pocket and praying that it wouldn't explode in my pocket and take me with it.

My father chuckled, amused. You won't explode, he promised while he mentally bowed his head and smiled. We made sure about that. He paused and sighed before he cleared his throat and grew serious. I do not want to lose my only child...

Again...

My hearts stung and became filled with pain and sadness, and I didn't know if it came from me or him. "Let's go, Copeland," I said to Timothy, not answering my father about what he told me. "We have to make sure everything is set and then start collecting the kids before it's too late."

Timothy slowly nodded and pressed his lips into a thin line. He glanced around before he looked at me, raising an eyebrow in question. "And he's helping?" he asked and pointed to his head while he studied me, trying to see if I was able to guess what he was asking without him having to spill the beans.

And unfortunately, I was able to understand his silent question and what he meant by touching his head.

Was my father going to help us..?

My father chuckled, amused, and he mentally nodded. Yes, he confirmed, and there was an amused chuckle in his voice. I will be doing what I can to help you both.

I bit back an annoyed sigh and slowly nodded in confirmation while I mentally nodded. "Yes," I said, vocalizing what my father had said to me. "He will be doing what he can to help us." I paused and licked my lips. "He also needs to make sure that he doesn't get caught himself." I gave him a mentally pointed look, and my father chuckled, amused while he nodded.

I won't, he promised and mentally bowed his head while a small smile appeared on his face. I won't get caught.

There was a small twinge of doubt in his voice that I picked up, and I couldn't help but press my lips into a thin line and grab my gun tighter in my hands. Just be careful, Your Highness, I said coldly, and my father chuckled.

I will, he promised.

Timothy slowly nodded and pressed his lips into a thin line. He silently gestured for me to start going the way that we needed to go, and I held back an eye roll but I didn't start to go, much to Timothy's annoyance.

I didn't say a word and opened the flap on my arm, telling the group about the symbol and trying to get an ETA as to how long they would be until they got here because I knew that we had to get going and get the kids out before it was too late.

We will help you, my father said with a small hum in his voice. You can go ahead and start collecting the children while you wait for your group's response. He paused and cleared his throat. Or do you want to collect them yourself?

I hesitated and looked at Timothy, keeping the flap open and slowly blinked, and Timothy raised an eyebrow in question while he cocked his head to the side.

"What is it?" he asked,s studying me with a small frown on his face, and worry flashed through his eyes. "What did he ask? Is it something dangerous?"

I held back an eye roll and set my jaw. "No," I said and shook my head, even though I had no idea if it was dangerous or not. "It's nothing dangerous, but he is wondering if we should go ahead and get started on collecting the kids, and he will make sure that the backup gets here safely."

"We'll get them," he said and shook his head. "We have to make sure that the way is clear anyway. Have they started collecting the kids because the "dangerous" people from the Committee are here, or are they still trying to see if they can eradicate us first before they do that?"

I didn't say a word and slowly blinked while I waited for my father to say something, silently praying that we weren't going to be too late to save the kids if we waited for the group to help.

I had a feeling we were running out of time...

My father seemed to have the same feeling as me because he sighed, biting back his frustration and his tiredness. You're safe for right now, but that could all change in an instant, he said. I do suggest that you get started collecting the children, but that is up to you both. He paused and cleared his throat. I also suggest you stop by the armory so that you can get something that I wasn't able to give to Freyin first as well.

Why? I asked, not answering Timothy's question just yet, much to the male's annoyance. What is in the armory that you want me to get?

A suit of armor, he replied. It'll protect you in both forms because I fear that you will have to fight as a true Addisan soon, and I do not want you to get hurt at all...

I can't lose you too...