Ellia wept all-the-harder. Nikodemus continued holding her until, finally, she stopped sobbing and shuddering and had calmed down. “If you’re telling the truth… then why do you have these powers?”

Nikodemus shook his head. “I have no idea. It’s just a blessing.”

Ellia held him at arm’s length, wiping her eyes. She sniffled. “I suppose… it’s always good to be cautious… I’ll alert the tribe that the Lionesses could potentially attack sooner. And… I will consider your words. Anyway… for now… I need you to be with a different woman tonight.”

Nikodemus nodded reluctantly. “Of course.”

As Nikodemus headed to the door Ellia looked at her feet. She cleared her throat. “Nikodemus…”

He looked over his shoulder at her.

“Thank you… for comforting me.” Ellia said with a smile.

Nikodemus merely nodded, and then he went on his way after being told which woman he was supposed to sleep with that night.

***

Nikodemus fell asleep that night with his arms wrapped around one of the members Nymph’s waist. He didn’t like sleeping with strangers, but there was always something comforting about having a woman to wrap his arms around, even if the woman wasn’t particularly soft.

What is her name anyway? He thought to himself. The fact that he didn’t remember made him feel awful. He felt bad for himself, but even worse for the woman, who had probably never experienced the warmth of a real, romantic relationship.

It wasn’t just the nameless woman who weighed heavily on his mind. It was Ellia and the promise the Zironists had made to her. He had probed their minds with his powers, and he knew what they were up to. They planned to pit all the tribes against each other—to make them chase after Ellia and her tribe as they attempted to shepherd Nikodemus across the desert and into their stronghold at the center of it.

Nikodemus had read something else in the pit of the Zironists’ minds. He had read that they wanted to devour Nikodemus—but that they couldn’t touch him unless he was brought to them by human hands. Nikodemus needed to make Ellia understand that bringing him to the Zironists was utter folly, but he didn’t know what pattern of words would convince her.

It made the first hour of him trying to sleep utterly difficult and frustrating.

Especially because this whole situation… this sacrificing of his body… brought back such awful memories of his childhood.

***

“Nicky! Nicky! Wake up!” Nikodemus felt his brother shaking his shoulder rigorously, and his eyes fluttered open. Nikodemus stretched with a yawn. “I’m awake, I’m awake…”

“C’mon, Nicky! Mom wants to show us a new game.” Carl exclaimed.

Nikodemus threw his blankets aside with another big yawn. He dragged himself out of bed—still feeling out-of-sorts and unsteady on his feet ever since he had seen the sphere in their yard two weeks before.

Nikodemus nonetheless followed Carl downstairs where their mom was sitting in the kitchen. Nikodemus had been excited to see her at first, as his mother always came up with the most fun games, but when he saw her at the table, he halted, and he grabbed his brother by the shirt, making him halt, too.

Nikodemus knew his mother was in one of her moods. “Carl. Let’s go ask dad if he needs help with any of the ranch stuff.”

Carl snorted, yanking his arm away from his brother and simultaneously knocking him off balance since Carl was so much stronger than him. “No way! Playing Go Fish is way more fun—come on!”

Nikodemus held up a hand, saying sternly, “Carl. I don’t think—”

But he was already gone and already talking to their mother. Nikodemus swallowed. In the past, He had encountered their mom when she had been in bad moods. It was never pretty, and he didn’t want to leave his brother alone with her—even if they were surrounded by the ranch staff who were cleaning up.

Nikodemus entered the kitchen through the open archway, following his brother to the table where his mom—normally angelic and cheerful—was now clutching her head in her hands. Her eyes, normally bright and blue, were shadowed by lack of sleep. Her posture, normally open and relaxed, was slumped and closed off.

She opened up a little bit more when Carl sat next to her. “Hey mom, I brought Nicky like you wanted. Let’s play some Go Fish.”