Returning from the Dead: His Secret Lover

“What is it? What are you looking at?” he queried.

Beatrice replied tearfully, “Do you remember how that young chap did his younger sister's hair?”

His wife's words threw him for a loop.

What hair?

Kristoff had been too busy hunting for a bandana for Kurt's hair to pay attention to his female companion.

“What hair? I wasn't paying attention.”

Beatrice gazed at the comb in her hands and sobbed, “She wore a Faire Coiffure. Our darling Pearl used to wear

her hair like that all the time.”

Pearl Calyette was none other than Kurt's mother.

Along with her sister, Ruby, the Calyette sisters were nicknamed the Jewels of Elysium thanks to their striking

beauty.

They were both strong-armed into the palace later on. Before becoming a member of Elysium royalty, Pearl's

favorite pastime was embroidery.

Faire Coiffure was an intricate updo that Pearl had invented using only a single embroidered ribbon.

Back then, all the women in the Elysium tribe had fallen over themselves trying to recreate the updo.

However, none had ever come close to imitating the intricacy of Pearl's art.

Beatrice was thus dumbfounded when Kurt successfully combed Vivian's hair into a proper Faire Coiffure.

Her eyes widened in realization as she continued staring at the comb, and her chest began to heave.

Meanwhile, Kurt was leading Vivian toward the core zone of the tribe.

His gaze ahead grew alert as he suddenly asked Vivian, “Have your brothers contacted you?”

Vivian jolted in realization before rummaging for the earring she had kept with her old clothes.

She wailed, “I didn't know you'd ask me to change. This earring will be too obvious with my outfit. What should we

do about the earpiece? How should I wear it?”

Vivian felt lost again.

Feeling resigned, Kurt took the earring from Vivian and removed the bead containing the earpiece. He then

attached the bead to the silver earring Vivian was now wearing, which used to belong to his mother.

“There,” he uttered.

Vivian praised his quick thinking, “You're a genius Kurt!”

She followed it up with a bright smile.

Kurt merely replied, “You should get in touch with your brothers.”

“Okay.”

Vivian focused her attention back on the task at hand and activated the earpiece.

She asked, “Matt, Ian, where are you? Kurt and I have arrived in Elysium and changed into their local costumes.”

“Oh, we didn't go in.” The earpiece crackled with Matteo's reply.

What? They didn't come in?

Vivian's eyes widened in shock as she yelped, “Matt, w-why didn't you come in? Are you not coming anymore?”

“No, that's not it. Ian and I had a discussion and agreed it would be unwise to infiltrate the tribe in the same manner

as you and Kurt. Once they see through one of our disguises, they'd sniff out the rest of us in no time. That's why

we thought of another plan,” Matteo explained.

“What plan?”

Matteo launched into a lengthy explanation. “We'll enter Elysium normally, like everyone else. We've called Mr.

Cooper about our plans, and he has arranged for us to meet with Mrs. Cooper. She'll bring us to Yorksland and have

one of the authorities escort us to Elysium.”

Vivian was so awestruck she almost fell to her knees in worship of their ingenuity.

“Kurt, my brothers are so smart!” she lamented. “Why didn't we think of a plan as good as theirs? Ugh, stupid

brain.”

Vivian smacked her head dejectedly as Kurt stared on, speechless.

Though he had the strongest urge to smack some sense into her brain, he controlled himself and led her deeper

toward the core zone.

Our brains have nothing to do with this. We came in with that mother-and-son pair. We couldn't possibly saunter up

to the Yorksland authorities and demand escorts for them as well.

Kurt grew distressed when he realized they had spent more time than anticipated. Quickening his pace, he dragged

Vivian along with him. He hoped they had not kept the mother and son waiting long at the mouth of the River of

Styx.

Suddenly, just as they were about to turn down the path leading to the River of Styx, a tribe member emerged

before them, halting their progress.

He interrogated, “Where are you two going? You can't enter this place.”

Vivian jumped in shock, while Kurt narrowed his eyes at the man.

“Why can't we go in?” Kurt countered. “Wasn't it allowed in the past?”

“The past?” The tribe member appraised Kurt thoughtfully before adding, “How long ago was that? How did you

know about this? Where are you from? What are your motives? To infiltrate our tribe?”

Kurt's simple question had ignited the man's suspicion and hostility toward them.

Even though Vivian did not understand the man, she could tell from his fierce expression and the crowding tribe

members that they were in trouble. Frightened, she gripped Kurt's hand tightly and hid behind him.

While Kurt struggled to think of a reply, a girl's voice rang out behind him, interrupting the tension of the situation.

“Uncle, you're here. Aunt says the food is ready.”

The voice sounded unusually familiar, causing Kurt and Vivian to turn around in unison.

They were surprised to see a familiar face in Elysium.

“Lucy?” they exclaimed.