Ehren had been about to look into the liquid when the air began swirling around him. Then, as suddenly as it had come, it stopped with a tiny pop. The noise had caused him to jump, sloshing the liquid out of the center of the stone.

“That is rather unfortunate,” Frejya said, clearly enjoying his shock a little more than he was.

“My lady, please,” Akira rasped. “Make this pain go away.”

Frejya looked to her. Ehren could see how fond of Kira she was and how much it pained her to see her protected in such pain.

“Little Ylva, pain is but part of the process. In time, you will learn to live with the pain. One day, the wound on your heart will not be so raw and it will not hurt so much to think of him. Come now, my child, you ought to rest or you shan’t heal.”

She held a hand out to Akira and to Ehren’s amazement, Akira accepted it.

“I cannot take away the pain emotion brings, but I can soothe your physical pain. That is, if you so desire me to do so.”

Akira shook her head. Ehren supressed a groan. What was she trying to prove? Ehren moved to help her in any way he could, but the growls stopped him.

“Peace, my children,” Frejya told them. “His concern is for your mistress. Let him help her.”

The growling had stopped at her command but Levi still denied him entrance into the room. Ehren looked at Levi perplexed. He knelt in front of the large canine. But Levi didn’t seem to even be looking at him.

“I will take care of her,” he told Levi. “She is important to me. But I cannot take care of her with you standing between us.”

He held out his hand, as if to place it on his head, but stopped short. After a moment no shorter than a breath, Levi placed his head in Ehren’s hand.

“Huh, guess he likes you,” Akira said. “Only father and I have been able to touch him since you gifted him to us.”

Levi huffed in reply as Ehren stood to enter the room. Levi moved just enough to admit him but stayed resolutely in the doorway.