Christian is back. I had hoped he would come back but now that he is here, I can’t stop thinking about what happens now. I was so busy thinking about the what-if’s, I didn’t stop to think about what the reality of that would be like.
Not only is Christian back, but hekissedme. He didn’t say a single word, but his lips met mine. My fingers go to my lips. I swear I can still feel it. Warm tingles run through my skin as I think about it.
Will he be happy? Will Maribel’s presence mean something to him? Or will he hate me for not sending someone to Earth to inform him?
The Ancestors are a mixed bag when it comes to Christian. Some of them favor him, others tell me to stay away. They’re all trying to protect me in their own way. One soft voice tells me they’re happy for me at getting this second chance. That’s the one I hold onto the tightest.
There’s a knock on the back door. Before I can get up and see who it is, the door cracks open and my dad’s voice calls out.
“I’m in here.”
There’s some shuffling before both of my parents walk into the living room. My father, Plun, comes in first, his dark green brows furrowed in worry. My dad, Scrintum, comes in second. His skin is a pretty light pink color, his cheeks brighter than the rest of him. Both of them look like they’re breathing heavily with sweat on their faces.
“Did you two run here?”
“Yes,” my father says, leaning against the back of the couch. “We saw what happened and we rushed to come check on you.”
“By the Ancestors, Ghenie! How the heck did you run so quickly while holding my grandbaby? You’ve had a child recently and you can still outrun us. It’s blasphemous!”
That makes me crack a smile. My dad is always a bit over dramatic in the best possible way.
“What’s blasphemous is you taking the Ancestors’ name in vain. Again.”
My dad waves a hand at me. “Like they care. They’re dead!”
I rub my temples. They actually have a lot to say about that but I can’t deny the comfort that comes from a familiar inside joke. My parents know about the hardship that’s been placed on my shoulders. They know the basics of what it means to lead our people and be the living vessel for our Ancestors to speak through.
My father sits beside me on the floor and I immediately lean my head against his shoulder. His tail wraps around my back, holding me tight.
“How are you feeling?” My father might not be the most outspoken person but he’s always so gentle with me. He’s always here when I need him.
I let his question settle for a moment before covering my face with my hands and letting out a long groan.
“That bad, huh? I still think you should drag his ass to thematurous trial. Prove that you two belong together in the eyes of the Ancestors. Even if he’s not willing to brave the pit, surely you are, Ghenie.”
“I would run through the gauntlet if I thought that would do anything to win his heart but I fear it would not. Christian has made his feelings about our trial very clear. He believes one cannot win another’s heart, it must be given freely.”
The voices in my head perk up at that. More than half of them agree with Christian’s sentiment. It’s why there hasn’t been another trial since Maribel was born. As I piece through the chorus of voices, I know that times are changing and a new way of doing things is about to rise up. I just have to find the right words in order to properly declare this new way of living.
But that will have to wait. I can only have one crisis at a time.
“Humans,” my dad says with a roll of his eyes. “They’re so strange and they’retailless! I just don’t see the appeal.”
I can’t help but smile at my dad’s teasing. “They have their perks,” I tell him with a shrug.
“If you say so.” He reaches down and picks up Maribel. “How is my favorite grandbaby doing? Huh? Are you so happy to see me?”
He takes her into the kitchen and I listen to the way he coos and sings for her. My chest feels like it could burst with affection. I don’t know what I would have done without my parents’ help the last few months. They’ve been my emotional rocks, keeping my head above water when everything threatened to drown me.
My father stays, holding me and running his hand up and down my spine. There’s a long moment where neither of us speaks a word, just content to stay like this.
“Everything will work out in the end,” my father finally says, his voice barely above a whisper. “I know you feel strongly for Christian. I won’t ask you to hold yourself back. Part of being a parent is allowing your child to make their own decision and helping them through whatever the fallout may be.” I look over at my father, seeing his eyes follow my dad, a small smile on his lips. I want the type of love that they have. “I know what it’s like to have your heart stolen by another. Fight for him and no matter what happens, you will know you did what you could. That can bring you peace.”
I nod my head slowly. I reach over and take my father’s hand, leaning my head on his shoulder once more.
“Things are changing,” I confide, letting my words solidify in my chest. “Thematurous trialwill be a thing of the past. The pit will no longer be used for that purpose but instead to demonstrate a person’s resilience before they become a warrior. Christian isn’t wrong about that trial. It was unfair in a lot of ways. What if two people love each other but neither can physically handle the trial. Are they doomed to not mate? That’s not right and the Ancestors agree.”
My father listens, humming at all the right times.
