“She’s tired,” Neptis finally said. “I don’t want to leave her and lose this connection, but she needs to sleep.”
Leodos finally walked over and put his arm around Lisana. Neptis didn’t look like he wanted to let her go, but left to go back to his chambers. Lisana must have been feeling something from him because she watched him leave sadly. He meant to just take her back to her chambers so she could sleep because it was late. He thought Esylle would calm, but she scratched her nose and looked confused while they walked.
“Why would the chair tell you to connect yourself to these boys, but not tell you if it would last or not?”
“The chair didn’t tell me. I wanted to see if I could do it. I didn’t do anything I was supposed to do today, but things happened today that were supposed to. I’m not going to talk about today with you. I don’t know if the dreams will come again because I didn’t do what I was told and tried something with the light just because I wanted to. When I lost control when I was with Sono, nothing happened with it and I’m less afraid of it now.”
Leodos spoke before Esylle could because the girl was calm again and telling them what she needed. He kissed the top of her head. “I’m glad you’re less afraid now and learning what you can do with your new gifts,” he said as they entered the bedroom. He didn’t want to ask her, and hoped Esylle wouldn’t yet, if she intended on gifting them the way she had gifted those three boys.
He was relieved when she didn’t ask and pulled Lisana into an embrace. “I’ll try not to react the way I do if you will just give me some sort of warning if you have to be in the sea this late again. All I knew was how upset you were and I couldn’t find you.”
“Sono made it better and Oris wouldn’t let me go out without Neptis. None of them would let me be hurt. I’ll try to tell you what I can so that you get upset less.”
Leodos winced and hoped Lisana wouldn’t leave again when Esylle tentatively asked her if she was going to let her be able to feel her like the princes could. He hoped whatever came out of Lisana’s mouth didn’t crush Esylle. He had been around Esylle enough to see her hide the hurt lately when Lisana did or said something that pushed her away again.
Lisana looked at her a little sadly and the unsure girl he met at the mainland came back. “I don’t know how long it lasts. I just wanted Sono to feel what I was feeling and when it worked, I gave it to the other two. If I connect the two of you now, you may only feel me right before we sleep. It may be gone when you wake up.”
“Even if it’s gone in the morning, can you just let me feel what you said you felt when we hold you when you sleep? I want you to feel what I feel too.”
He watched as Lisana walked over and placed her hand on Esylle’s chest. He couldn’t see what was being done because her back was to him, but he heard Esylle gasp and then leap to her feet to embrace the girl. When she finally let go, he wasn’t expecting her to turn to him and ask him if he wanted it too. He knew she was more comfortable around him than she was Esylle because he could get her to tell him things she wouldn’t normally tell her mother, but he wasn’t sure she had accepted him yet to gift him something like that.
When he asked her if she was sure, she shyly told him he was one of the only ones here who noticed when they were going too fast and tried to make it better. He was about to say something to her when she opened his shirt laces and placed her hand over his heart. It seemed like they had been running after her since she had gifted him and no one had taught him how to make the heart flower since he now had fire. He felt himself warm and all the memories flooded into him when he realized he loved Esylle for the first time. The memory of the day in the woods when she told him she loved him back flowed through him. Every good moment he had with Esylle came back to him and he realized he had never felt this good before. Was this what they felt when they made the heart flower?
When she took her hand away, he could feel her now. He could feel that she loved both him and Esylle, but there was also confusion coming from her, like she was trying to get used to that feeling. He couldn’t help but embrace her and tell both of them he needed to be taught the heart flower. Esylle offered to teach him, but also said it was late and they needed to sleep.
Lisana crawled under the covers and Esylle took her place next to her and pulled Lisana to her. He knew she was too old for him to be sleeping in bed with her, but considering how she had been raised and everything that was expected of her, he didn’t find anything odd about it anymore. When he got into bed and held her, he could feel how much she needed it. He felt worry race through her mind that the dreams would come, then everything slipped away as she felt safe and loved. He could feel love coming from her as well, towards both of them. He was glad Esylle could feel this. He stayed up, well after she had fallen asleep to see if he could feel if her dreams came. When he was content that they had not, he was finally able to sleep.
Fluvis
Fluvis was surprised at the change in his son the next morning over breakfast. He was more animated and kept touching his father’s arm. He didn’t know what brought this change, but didn’t want to ask him in front of everyone. Neptis warned everyone that the girl told him to be careful in the water because a boat was coming and everyone was confused that she didn’t want them to bring it down.
It had almost become standard to go to the corridor where the throne was after breakfast to watch her sit, even though she didn’t say much and had to be carried out the room afterward. Volaris had told them she marked herself so that she didn’t need to sleep afterward anymore. He questioned Neptis when they were alone, walking towards the throne. He was surprised when Neptis told him about the connection she gifted him and that he hoped to feel it again when he got close to her. Fluvis suspected something else had gone on between the two of them, but Neptis would tell him when he was ready.
The girl looked tired when she walked out towards the chair. Neptis had also been out late. He hoped he didn’t do anything he wasn’t supposed to. Neptis buzzed in his ear that he could feel her again now that she was in the room and was excited that the connection hadn’t left yet. He had to ask him if she looked as tired as she felt.
She walked slowly over to the throne and sat. Fluvis didn’t like watching her in that chair and only came out because it was expected. He still thought it hurt her. He winced as he watched her flung back against the chair as the light flowed through her again. He noticed light glowing next to him and saw Neptis’ eyes were glowing white, as hers had done the first time she sat.
The room erupted as Sono, Oris, Leodos, and Esylle all stood stiffly with their eyes glowing white. Everyone stepped away from them talking out loud asking why this was happening. Fluvis stayed near his son and didn’t know if he should try to shake him out of this or if he would be blown back as Esylle had when she approached the girl in the chair. He couldn’t help it and the girl said she wasn’t going to faint anymore. She brought Esylle back when the light harmed her. Knowing this may harm him, he touched his son’s arm. He didn’t know if the girl had done this on purpose or she didn’t know it would happen.
Neptis didn’t move and stayed rigid, staring forward, as Fluvis shook him. Fluvis watched in horror as Neptis began to shake. Whatever this connection was, she should not have given it out so freely. He took a moment to look away from his son and Volaris had just let go of Sono as he was also shaking. Joron had to move away from Esylle and Leodos to pull Terros away from Oris because the skin on Oris’ arm was starting to blister from his heat. The girl could heal him now, but the less he was hurt, the better. Joron pulled Terros out the room as he screamed, ranting about the girl again.
It seemed like this had been going on for hours when it had only been minutes. Nothing happened when they touched any of those whose eyes were glowing, so he changed his gaze to the chair, where the girl sat. He couldn’t even see her now because the light flowing from the ceiling encapsulated the entire chair and was too intense to make her out. The light normally didn’t f
low this long and he didn’t know who to pray to for it to go out. The Spirus was already here and she told them Essos didn’t teach them correctly. Who were they supposed to pray to now? As much as they had prayed for her to return, she had changed so much since she came back.
He pulled Neptis into an embrace and tried to steady him as he stood stiffly, convulsing. He looked over to the chair and the light had never flowed through her this long. If she knew she would have to sit longer this time, why did she have to connect so many people to her? He didn’t want to let Neptis go because he was afraid she had done something that he would lose him. He tried to calm himself by thinking she wouldn’t have also connected her mother and Leodos if this would harm them.
Oria had gone to Oris and was trying to soothe his blistered arm while holding him. Another one of the Theran women were holding Esylle and one of the taller Farkhi men was trying to keep Leodos stable. Everyone was still whispering and trying to figure out why she had done this and if they were being harmed. No one was looking at the girl and did not see the light grow stronger. Neptis only felt himself being blown onto this back.
When he was able to sit up, he knew he should check on Neptis, but he looked towards the chair. The girl was standing with a wind that only surrounded her and blew her hair back. The cold girl they didn’t like had not come back and the confused girl that made Terros so angry was not there either. She looked fierce and ready to fight. She looked fully formed now. He saw her look out at everyone on their backs and she looked like she was scanning everyone for someone.
He looked away from her when Neptis gasped and sat up. Fluvis was on him in minutes asking if he was hurt. As Neptis was assuring him that he was in no way hurt, he heard Oria yelling at the girl. She had been walking to go to Esylle and Leodos and stopped when Oria approached her. She did not lose control, nor she did react when Oria drew back and slapped her. Fluvis expected her to lose control and run again, as she had done yesterday, but she only looked at Oria calmly and asked her why she was upset.
“Why am I upset?” Oria shrieked. “You promised his father he would not be more than Theran. He’s to be a king. You change him and I have to watch my son shake with white eyes like yours. He was burned before Joron pulled Terros away because he couldn’t control himself after what you did to Oris. Terros never asked you to change him and he didn’t want you to change Oris. I just watched him heal like you. What else did you do to him?”
The girl didn’t speak and Fluvis watched her get upset and then quickly hide it. She called out that she needed her mother, Leodos, Neptis, Oris, and Sono alone and then she needed all four kings afterward. He saw her pull Oria to her. He did not hear what she said to her, but Oria calmed as she left with the rest of them.
Esylle
Lisana had asked to see all of them she had connected to her. Esylle nearly went and fought with Oria after she slapped her, but Lisana said something that seemed to calm her. When everyone had left, she turned to face them and not only could Esylle see she was upset, she was pushing her fire down because she could feel it too. Even though she didn’t know what was happening this morning, she was glad she still had the connection.
Lisana was wringing her hands as she asked if everyone was okay. She admitted to them she didn’t know this would happen when she connected them and didn’t want any of them hurt. Oris upset everyone as he leapt to his feet and pulled her into a kiss that made everyone in the room uncomfortable. Leodos got up to pull him away, but he had already set her down. Esylle was close enough to hear her whisper not to kiss her in front of the others and got angry again about their night together and other kisses he may have stolen from her.
“If I can heal like you, then you don’t have to worry about protecting me. I can go with you and my father to end this!” he said, excited.
“Oris, you still have to stay. Just because you can heal like me doesn’t mean we both can’t die. You have to stay and pass these gifts on to your children. You’re too important for the peace that happens next. I didn’t know what I was giving you when I connected us and both of your parents are upset with me.”
“My children or our children?” he demanded. There were now flames dancing in his eyes like Lisana’s and Esylle’s and now everyone in the room could be around him. “This happened for a reason. I was raised to be a warrior, not sit here while a battle is going on.”
Esylle could not feel Oris, but she could feel Lisana and she was getting upset. Heat was rising in Esylle because it was in her daughter. She thought about taking her fire away, but she knew she hated that and now there was no one here she could hurt.
“This wasn’t supposed to happen yet!” Lisana yelled. “You were not supposed to have fire like me until after this was over. If I had known the light would also come to you and gift you things that made you think you were supposed to come with me, I wouldn’t have connected us until after today. Today is the last day I need to sit. You can’t come with me and if you try, I will find a way to keep you here. The light gave you these gifts and I have more of it than you do. If I have to take it away from you to keep you here, I will!”
Esylle watched the two of them argue while everyone else looked uncomfortable. She was confused about what she was feeling from Lisana. They were arguing hotly, but the louder they shouted, the less angry she got and almost seemed to enjoy it. Everyone jumped to their feet and Esylle didn’t like what she was feeling now when Oris grabbed her and the two were passionately kissing. Normally, fighting like this upset her and Esylle realized Oris and Lisana must have some sort of relationship she didn’t understand.
Leodos was on them in seconds, pulling Oris away and Sono and Neptis were upset with her. Esylle could feel her trying to make the heart flower as Esylle was trying to send the heat she was feeling from her into her own. She must have made it too fast and fell to the floor gasping. Esylle rushed to her and put her hand on her back. She tried to warn her that making it that fast was too intense and she should go slower next time.
“Oris heals like me. What else can the rest of you do now? This wasn’t supposed to happen,” she asked, still looking at the floor. She had already gifted Esylle to be like her and the scrape on her elbow from when she fell healed right away. She had no idea what else the light had done to the others.
Leodos had let Oris go now that he was away from her and the room erupted again when Sono turned into a large black cat like Lisana turned into and lunged towards Oris. Oris didn’t have time to change before he was on his back with Sono on his chest growling right in front of his face. Esylle knew what would happen if Sono killed him, but didn’t know how to stop it. Lisana had changed in seconds and tackled the large cat, knocking him off Oris. Esylle was worried Sono and Lisana may fight, but she didn’t think Sono would risk hurting her. She was even more frightened when Lisana changed back and stood as a small girl between Oris and the sleek black cat that wanted to kill him. She didn’t know if instinct would take over Sono and he would kill both of them. She knew she could be hurt, but she knew she could heal like Lisana now, she moved to change and Lisana called for her to stop.
“I told all of you why you can’t be angry about this!”
Neptis, who was normally very reserved aside from last night, finally spoke and he was also upset. “After last night, I’m not supposed to get upset to watch him kiss you like that and you kiss him back? I don’t want to share you if I have to watch this and you won’t explain anything.”
Esylle didn’t know what he meant about last night. She thought she knew and she didn’t like it. Sono changed and was angry with her now instead of Oris. He also said something about yesterday and not wanting to watch her kiss someone else. Oris was still on his back on the floor and Esylle thought he knew better than to speak and agitate anyone further, but he finally spoke from the floor that he didn’t want to share her either now that she had chosen him.
Lisana whirled around and glared at him. “I haven’t announced my choice and I didn�
�t intend to until this is over. Since the three of you cannot seem to control yourselves and can’t seem to understand anything I’ve said, I will tell you what must happen now because you obviously need longer than I thought to learn to get along with each other when you’re around me!”
Esylle leaned forward, as did everyone else in the room. She could feel reluctance coming from her, like announcing this was the last thing she wanted to do. She could tell everyone else in the room felt it because they all looked confused. Esylle thought everyone knew she didn’t want to choose, nor did she want to hurt anyone. She also knew no one knew what she meant by none of them liking her choice. She didn’t know if Lisana was about to announce that she wasn’t choosing any of them and if she was, why she had done what Esylle suspected she did with both Sono and Neptis yesterday. She had a feeling she knew what the musky vanilla smell was in Sono’s chambers that he refused to talk about and she didn’t like it. Lisana had been explained many times why she wasn’t supposed to.
Lisana looked uncomfortable again and wasn’t looking at any of them. She was staring at the floor and looked like the girl she had first met that argued with Frog because she wanted to sleep outside because the palace made her uncomfortable.
“The reason the three of you will have to learn to share me and not get angry about things like what Oris just did is not that I’m choosing one of you and you will have to watch me with someone else. I’m supposed to choose all three of you. This is what happens and you will have to learn to like it.”
Esylle could feel misery coming from her at announcing this and she knew Lisana was putting it off because of what she had just said. As much as she knew the chair had told her this was supposed to happen, she didn’t like it. She knew she would have to wed and she didn’t want to think about her alone at night with one of these boys, much less all three of them.
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