Aten
Explaining to my best friend that his twin is dead must be one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.
His silence cuts me as if he were holding the Ciro knife himself. I can’t give it to him, as it’s still with her, a mark of the tradition, but I’m able to give him her Transference ring.
The knife had Fenix’s blood on it. It was what she killed him with, at least that is what we had first thought, until Kalan dropped his own twist on us. Crimson never trusted him, and despite everything he had done, it was hard to believe him, to build on that shred of trust when he kept half his views in the dark.
“What can I do?” I ask grimly. Calix is the joker, the gambler who never takes things too seriously, but that persona is gone. He’s the one who always knew how to help me, even when I didn’t know myself. And now it’s my time to pay him back, I’m lost.
“There’s nothing to do. I wouldn’t have been able to stop her. We both know that. She knew what she was doing.” His wordsare clipped and hard as stone as he bites them out. “She also did it for you. For us. She always believed that we would fulfil the promises we made as children. She wanted us to be a Triune, you know that.”
I did.
“Don’t hate Ever,” I start.
“I’d never hate her. I saw how devastated she looked, even though she wasn’t Crimson’s biggest fan. You went to get her back. I wanted to go with you, remember? I’d have been there for Ever, for all of you, but you all…” He shakes his head. “Ever isn’t who I’m mad at.”
“Cal—”
“Tell Kyra where I’ve gone. But I want to be alone, Ten. I need… to be alone.” He grips the ring in his hand, a match to his own, and stalks off into the woods. I let him go.
The horses are happily grazing in the clearing around the side of the cottage, tied to a branch. Kalan’s left the bags and supplies under the tree, but there’s no sign of him. Not the welcome he might have been expecting, but then again, maybe it was. Lyle was furious with him before we left. Her hurt was immense, and not the type of pain to easily forget. I grab the bags and head back towards the cottage.
They don’t have a stable, and I wonder if Nettle is still here. It would be nice to show Ever a friendly face.
I take stock of the little house with the flowers in the small planter outside the front window, and the strange assortment of goods and items laid out on the table as I peer inside.
Calix will be okay. He will.
As I enter the main room and look through to the sitting room, I see Kyra’s still with Ever. But Ever is standing by the fire looking startled, nervous maybe. The colour that was only just returning to her since her days of being unconscious has leached out of her skin once more.
“What is it?” I ask, my eyes locked on her.
She looks at me, meeting my stare. I’ve seen that look before. The fear engulfing her eyes until they are flat and void of light. It’s the same look she had in the training ring back in Nehandun.
I wait for an answer. But it doesn’t come.
“Ever wants a bath. Can you help with that, Aten?” Kyra chips in.
I don’t answer and wait for Ever, my gesture telling her I don’t need to talk into her mind or sense her emotions to know that there’s something wrong. But she just shrugs, brushing whatever has put that look on her face aside.
“A bath would be amazing, Ten. Not cold water, but warm. You should have one too. Your treatment back in Nehandun was far worse than mine.”
“If I draw you a bath, then will you tell me what’s put that look on your face?” My temper flares because she is hiding something. It clearly isn’t good, and she’s keeping it to herself to spare everyone.
Her eyes widen before she puts a shield over her expression, and she doesn’t tell me.
Fine.
“Fine. I’ll have one after you. And then we’ll talk.”
Despite the additional numbers in the house, it’s quiet. Kyra’s vanished. Calix hasn’t come back, and neither has Kalan. So, I go about the task of carrying the heated water to fill the small tub for Ever.
It’s a simple, albeit time-consuming task. I hadn’t considered what people do to accomplish basic things like bathing with hotwater outside of the magic of Kirrasia, and the Naturals and Elementals who see to the running of The Court, keeping fire’s burning, lamps lit, and water hot.
Ever didn’t know magic before arriving, so Lyle obviously didn’t use her magic here. Being outside of the towns or villages where there might have been support from the Kirrians sent to ensure peace and prosperity, they would have had to work at everything. They knew no difference.
“Is it ready?” Ever sneaks up from near the fire.
