6

Blood and Water

Hair bouncing about, Temperance pranced down the stairs to the main floor of the tavern. She wanted to know how the crashing sound was related to art as Aviana claimed.

Something crashed again, this time a man cried out. Temperance ducked her head under the railing and peered down. Krax stood on the far side by a wall with an unusual shaped dent. Two men lay in a heap against the wall in question. Temperance turned her head. What’s going on?

Aviana slipped past her and called out to her half-orc friend. “Not bad, Krax, but that last one could have been angled a little more.”

The half-orc turned and grunted. “Always the critic.”

Aviana placed her hand on her chest. “I’ve always been a supporter of your ability, Krax. Ever since you were a little boy.”

Little boy? How long had she known this odd half-orc? The barkeep said he’d known her for a long time too. Since he was twenty… or something like that. How long did half-orcs live?

From the looks of it, Krax had more human than orc, but even still, according to the books she read, orcs lived about as long as humans, though due to their aggressive lifestyles usually didn’t make it that long. So he wasn’t as old as the barkeep. Actually, he doesn’t look all that older than me or Avi. Well, Aviana didn’t count. She was fifty years Temperance’s senior, even though she didn’t look much older than mid-to-late twenties. Maybe he’s ten or fifteen years older than me then?

Krax’s face scrunched. “Must you bring that up?”

Aviana smiled. “You’d worry if I didn’t.”

The half-orc looked to Temperance. “Well, little one, what do you think of my unique artistic talent?”

Temperance’s nose scrunched. “I’m not little!”

She then slipped under the railing and jumped off the stairs, sticking her landing, and skipped over to the burly man as if she hadn’t jumped from such a height. Krax looked at her as if he was impressed, but she didn’t understand why. It wasn’t that difficult of a jump.

“How did you make this art?” Temperance asked.

Krax pointed at the two moaning men on the floor. They smelled funny and made funny faces. They must be drunk. Temperance gazed at his wall art, cocking her head to the side. Aviana taught her not all art was the same, some was… subjective, or whatever. This art had to fall under that unusual kind. She’d never heard of someone making art by throwing people.

“How did the wall not break?” she asked.

“We learned to reinforce it when Lydia worked here,” the barkeep said.

Temperance’s brow twisted. “Who is that?”

Krax held his head high. “My mother.”

Oh, that explained a lot. Krax said his warhammer he got from his mom was named paintbrush. He must have got his unique art preference from her.

Temperance moved closer, stepping on the two drunks. This allowed her to see the specs of red smattered into the dented wall. It added something to the piece that she liked. She held Kyanite up so he could look at it too and then pulled him back to talk to him. “What do you think, Kyanite?”

The little blue dragon stared at her, but a warm tingling sensation hit her fingers. This made her smile. Temperance stepped back and gazed up at the half-orc. “Kyanite and I like it!”

Krax grinned and Temperance looked over to her sister who was accepting money from Xalanath. “Avi, what’s that?”

Aviana smiled at her. “Sparky here thought you wouldn’t like it. So I bet he was wrong.”

“Can you not call me that around people, Shark Bait?” Xalanath muttered.

A wide grin spread across Temperance’s face. “That’s cause you know me well, Avi.”

She looked back at Krax’s art and a light went off in her mind. She grabbed one of the drunks to drag him into a better position. Unfortunately, he was a lot heavier than he looked. Try as she might, with whatever strained sounds she could muster to “help” her, she couldn’t get either of them to budge.

Temperance looked up at Krax with big eyes. “Help? I want to pull them on their backs.”

Krax gave a curious look but helped regardless. When the two drunks lay on their backs, one held down by Krax when he didn’t want to play along, Temperance looked to Aviana. “Avi, I need paint.”

Aviana reached into a pouch attached to her side and pulled out three small bottles with thick colored liquid. Knew it! “I thought his art might inspire you. Kept these three new paints on me just in case. They’ll be perfect for this situation.”

New paint? Aviana got her new paint? Excitement burst through her. This was bound to be fun.

Her sister tossed the three bottles to her in quick succession. Temperance moved quickly, jumping off a stool and catching all three, one of them with her mouth. She held up her hands and muffled out a “Tah-dah!”

She received a few claps. Though disappointed she didn’t get a better response, she didn’t dwell on it. There was painting to be done. Temperance looked at the bottles and swirled the blue, red, and green liquid. It didn’t move like water, more like molasses. This is Avi’s special paint.

She didn’t get to make it often, because it needed walnut or linseed oil, and that wasn’t easy to come by back home. Her sister would obtain it somehow every now and then—Temperance now realizing her sister was probably getting them when she left town without her knowing—and then make her these special paints so she didn’t have to only use her pigment blocks and water. Of course, Temperance liked painting with the pigment and water the most.

She skipped over to the two men on the floor and started applying the paint directly to them. She swirled some red and blues into one’s mustache, twirling it for a funny look, and made patterns on their clothes and skin. Krax watched her, intrigued.

As she bent over one of them, she leaned a little too far and her blue paint splashed out onto the man. She gasped. “Oh no!”

She’d been careless with the special paint and now wasted it. Or… did I? Temperance looked at the red bottle and down at the large glob of blue paint spreading out across the man. She smeared the blue more, making what looked to be a giant mess, but she had a plan.

Carefully dripped the red onto the blue paint and then used her finger to draw thin lines and swirls. There!

She stood up and looked around. She found the wall she wanted, and pointed. “Mister Krax, try that wall. Throw this guy first.”

Krax’s tusked face grew into a deep grin, now seeing what Temperance was up to.

“Hey, whoa, hold on,” the barkeep shouted out. “No one said anything about putting paint on the wall.”

“Oh, lighten up, Erik,” Aviana chastised. “Let them have their fun.”

Oh yeah, that’s his name. Erik sighed and let it be, Temperance grateful. This would be so much fun!

Krax lifted the first man and threw him into the wall with a thud and splat. The man groaned on impact, and again when he hit the ground. A most unusual highlighted human shape indented the wall. Temperance’s paint transferred quite well for the application style.

The half-orc picked up the less painted man and tossed him as well, at a different angle than the first. A larger dent was created and his less pigmented form added something unique to the overall composition by removing some of the excess paint the first man had. Temperance giggled when she noticed the second man’s altered mustache left a mark.

Krax gazed at their handiwork and then looked down at her, a smile on his face. “We made a nice piece.”

Temperance beamed. “I think so too!”

The half-orc held up a meaty hand and she smacked hers against it.

“Alright, alright,” Erik said. “It’s nice work. Now, Krax, would you get those two out of here like you were supposed to?”

Temperance frowned. Meanie. Krax grunted and grabbed the two men by the collars and dragged them out the door. Her fun now killed she looked to her sister and her weird friend. The two stood at the bar, Xalanath leaning against it telling Aviana something. She rolled her eyes in response so much Temperance thought they may fall right out of her head.

She didn’t understand her sister’s relationship with this man. Well, she didn’t understand Aviana’s relationship with many people, but this man was especially intriguing for Temperance. She’d have to keep a close eye on the two to figure it out.

Temperance skipped over to her sister who smiled at her approach. “All done painting?”

She nodded and her eyes cut to Erik, her nose scrunching. “Someone took away my fun.”

Erik cleaned a mug and went to say something when his pretty wife poked her head out of the kitchen area. “Erik, you’d better not be picking on little girls again.”

Erik scoffed. “No.”

Temperance pointed at him and shouted. “Yes he is! Yes he is!”

Lily’s eyes narrowed and Aviana and Xalanath laughed. Her sister then ushered Temperance to the door. “Okay, trouble maker, let’s get going.”

Oh yeah, the beach! Temperance scampered out of the building past Krax, but put on the brakes when she came to the dragon statues outside. She held Kyanite close and gazed up. She really wanted to take them home.

Aviana touched her shoulder, pulling her attention, and beckoned for her to follow. She did, and the three of them made their way through the harbor city.

People milled about, shopping or trying to get to their destination as quick as possible. Her sister at one point stopped and gazed down an alley, but soon caught back up, shaking her head.

Temperance looked up at her with curious eyes. “What’s up, Avi?”

“Nothing, Temperance. I thought I saw someone from the battle earlier. He’d helped me out but disappeared before I could thank him.”

“Did you see him just now?”

Aviana shook her head. “I thought I did, but no.”

Temperance frowned. That was disappointing. Hopefully her sister would find the man.

The ground shook underneath them suddenly. People shouted out warnings to get out of the way. Temperance looked forward in time to see an out of control wagon whip around a street corner and charge up the street at them. The wagon driver pulled on the reins of his horses, but the fearful beasts ignored the commands.

Temperance’s heart sped up. She wanted to move out of the way, but the speed of the incoming threat froze her in place. A strong hang grabbed her arm, and before she knew it, Xalanath pushed her and Aviana out of the way against a building. Temperance peered around him to spot three men and a dog running after the runaway wagon.

A wide grin spread across Xalanath’s face as he gazed at Aviana. “That was a close one, Shark Bait. Good thing I was here to save you.”

Aviana rolled her eyes. Temperance watched the street spectacle and looked at her older sister. The threat of being trampled now gone, she saw the situation in a different light. “That looks fun, can we do that?”

“Definitely not.”

Temperance pouted. It looked so fun.

The pouting didn’t last long when wares for sale in the windows of the nearby shops caught her eye. All types of different products sat in small displays of a few of them, each looking more exotic than the last.

When they came to a window for the Windy Spell magic shop, she paused. An orb sat on display, but something wasn’t quite right about it. The intricate designs made of gem encrusted gold curling around the orb reminded her of a magical item she read about in a book. The item was said to change one’s fate but at great cost. The book also said the artifact was lost when its last user didn’t formulate their wish right. How could this shop have found it?

Temperance peered at the item closer. Something wasn’t right about the magical energy. As if it were weak. Or… is it an illusion? She cocked her head. “That’s fake!”

Aviana placed her hand over her mouth to help stifle a giggle while Xalanath stared at Temperance, jaw slack.

Another item caught Temperance’s eye and it too wasn’t right for a magic shop. A scroll case with red dragons painted on it, much like another artifact entry she read about. Any scroll stored in the case would obtain the proper spell for someone to breath fire, like a red dragon. But the book said an empress on Arul currently possessed it, and this case also didn’t have a magical feel to it. “And that’s fake.”

She pointed to more items further into the building, seeing through the façade thanks to her books or sensing something not quite right about the magical energy they possessed. “And that one. And that’s definitely fake!”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Xalanath hushed her, grabbing her arm. “Don’t be shouting that out so loud, little one.”

Temperance’s brow furrowed. “But it’s fake. A magic shop that sells fake magic items isn’t a magic shop at all.”

Aviana’s odd friend glanced around, as if he were worried someone might see them. “They do sell real magic items too, but some of these shops also sell fake items to make extra money. Those with arcane affinity would know they’re fake right away and not purchase them.”

Temperance gasped. “That’s so mean!”

Xalanath nodded. “Yes, but it’s legal so they’re allowed to do it.” He scrutinized her a moment. “How did you know they were fake though? Aviana told me you were studying natural magic like her.”

Before her sister could say something, Temperance grinned. “Momma uses arcane magic.”

His brow ticked up. “Fascinating.”

Temperance loved watching her mom use her magic. It was a fun spectacle most days, and crazy new creations that may or may not work on other ones. They even had a broom that swept the floor all on its own!

Xalanath snapped his fingers and the items inside the shop all turned a bright pink. Temperance’s eyes bugged out. He knows arcane too! Temperance sort of recognized the spell. She was fairly sure her mom used it for various things.

Temperance always wanted to learn arcane, but for some reason her mom wouldn’t let her. She once overheard Aviana and her mom arguing about it. Aviana knew Temperance had the affinity for it, but her mother refused to have it. It’s why she could tell some of these items were fake. Something about arcane magic hummed, alerting her to the presence of it.

“Can you do that again?” She asked Xalanath. She wanted to see how he did it. She wanted to learn this magic. What Momma doesn’t know, won’t hurt her.

Xalanath cast a glance to Aviana, who nodded. Temperance smiled. Her sister would know why she wanted him to do it, and still she approved. Temperance rarely had to study spells. She just had to see the spell in action a few times and then bam! she could use it. Temperance wasn’t sure how to explain it, except use a word Aviana called her every now and then—Protégé.

Xalanath extended his hand and snapped his fingers. Temperance made extra sure to watch the entire motion. Her actions rewarded her with a flicker of energy sparking off his fingertips. There! She then glanced at the items on display, and they’d gone from pink to a sickly green. The shop curator was also now starting to take notice.

Okay, I think I see how he did it. The spark of energy wasn’t much, so it had to be the lowest circle of spellcasting. This circle took so little energy, it could be used indefinitely for most people. That also meant the spell had more limitations. I think this is the same spell Momma uses to clean small areas, distract me with bright sparkles, warm up cooling food, and even snuff out some of our candles—the real, non-magical ones. Temperance didn’t know the name of the spell, but it was quite versatile, and common for arcane casters to know.

She took a deep breath. Here I go. She focused on a statue and then on finding the energy inside her. Aviana had taught her once how to find it, another reason Temperance knew she could touch the arcane. A chaotic sensation pricked inside her. There! She then imagined the color purple, her favorite color, figuring that’s how Xalanath had done the spell. Temperance snapped her fingers, and the energy she sensed earlier leaped from her fingertips. Before her eyes, the statue turned a rich shade of purple.

Temperance’s eyes sparkled. “I did it!” She jumped around, holding Kyanite up. “Kyanite, I did it! I did it!”

Xalanath stared at her, amazed, and Aviana smiled. When Temperance calmed down, she looked up at her older sister. She saw only pride beaming off her face. Rarely did Temperance ever disappoint her sister. But sometimes, when she learned things, Aviana acted odd. Right now didn’t seem to be one of those times.

The shop keeper, a portly gentleman, threw open his door, looming over Temperance. “What do you think you’re doing, young lady?”

She wouldn’t let this jerk intimidate her. She stuck her tongue out and spoke louder than she needed. “That’s for selling fake magic items!”

She then skipped away. Aviana laughed at this point. “Good luck fixing that fall out, Brett.”

Temperance glanced up at her sister, finding her still amused and not mad at the outburst. “Do you not like him, Avi?”

Aviana shook her head. “He tried to swindle me too many times. Even tried to pass off a half-enchanted item as a full.”

Temperance didn’t know a lot about enchantments, yet, but what she did know, they were used to add magical properties to an ordinary item. And a half-enchantment was a single use spell. Usually you saw them on scrolls. Aviana also told her more powerful half-enchantments could have up to five uses before running out.

“Well, had I not been there to tell you about them, he would have made out like a bandit,” Xalanath said.

Aviana scoffed. “Don’t you dare steal credit, Sparky. I saw right through his silver tongue, and after I saw through his fake items.”

Xalanath shook his head. “That’s not possible, Shark Bait. You’re a natural magic user. There’s no way you would see arcane.”

“I do have an affinity for arcane!” Aviana’s lip curled into a partial snarl. Temperance suspected this was a constant conversation between the two of them. But, then again, Aviana got a bit twitchy when someone told her she was incapable of doing something.

“I know natural magic and I learned that spell,” Temperance said, wanting to help her sister. If she could do it, then Aviana could too. She’d heard the argument someone couldn’t use both, but Aviana always argued that wasn’t true, and Temperance believed her. And for the same reason—the Whispering One.

“You’re not as far along in your studies,” Xalanath countered. “Aviana knows far more spells and has immersed herself in that way for far longer.”

Temperance’s face scrunched. “I know lots of spells, you big meanie!”

Xalanath’s eyes snapped to Aviana. “Let me teach her.”

Her sister’s head jerked back. “What?”

“She learned an arcane spell just by watching.”

“I do that with all the spells I know,” Temperance said.

His eyes sparkled… for some reason. “Even the more reason for me to teach you.”

Aviana crossed her arms. “You don’t take pupils.”

Temperance frowned. A subtle shift took place in her older sister. She’d come to see when this would happen, so she’d know not to push her sister too far, else the consequences be dire. This wasn’t a good subject for them to be on.

“Or at least, that’s what you told me when I asked you to teach me a few spells.”

Yep… Things weren’t going to go well from here.

“Well, that’s because you’re not a protégé student.”

Wow… That was far from kind.

Aviana’s eyes darkened. It upset Temperance. This is what she wanted to avoid. Aviana was amazing at so many things. But when her older sister taught her stuff, and she caught on like it was easy, her sister struggled to be supportive. Aviana tried so hard. Trial and error were how she had to learn. And Temperance admired her sister for that. All the determination she had, it encourage Temperance so much.

Temperance knew showing off in front of her sister hurt her, so sometimes she’d hide what she learned just so Aviana wouldn’t feel bad about herself. And this “Sparky” was making that impossible.

“I don’t want you to teach me,” Temperance announced.

Aviana’s brow spiked and Xalanath placed his hand on his chest, as if he were offended. Dramatic much? “Why not, Temperance? I’m a skilled sorcerer. If it’s because of your mother, I can promise what she doesn’t know, won’t hurt her.”

Hands on her hips, Temperance narrowed her eyes at him. “Because you insulted my big sister. She may not be a protégé, but she is amazing. She works hard to learn what she knows and she’s the best at it. And if you, stupid ink-for-brains, can’t understand that, then I don’t want you to teach me anything!”

Xalanath’s mouth fell open and Aviana gave him a smug smile. This pleased Temperance. She didn’t want her sister to be upset with her because of this stupid man.

“Aviana, talk some sense into her,” Xalanath begged.

Aviana’s foot stepped hard on his. Xalanath bit his tongue and muffled a painful howl with choppy humming.

Her sister placed her hand on her chest. “Oh, I’m sorry, Sparky, I didn’t mean to do that. Are you okay?”

“Oops.” Temperance giggled away, following her sister’s path down the road.

Xalanath sighed and rejoined them.

“Avi, how come you call him, Sparky?” Temperance asked.

Aviana smirked. “He’s all talk, no power.”

Xalanath held up his hands. “Whoa, I think you’ve confused me with another, less powerful and handsome sorcerer. Thunder would be far more accurate.”

Aviana snorted and Temperance giggled.

The three veered off onto a less traveled path that led them through a rocky landscape. The moment the vast expanse of the Stracex Sea came into full view and unhindered, Temperance gasped and bolted for the water’s edge.

“Wait, Temperance,” Aviana said.

She dug her heels into the sand and cocked her head. Her sister removed a bottle from a holster on her hip. “Don’t forget to take this.”

Oh yeah! The perk of having her older sister around. As an alchemist, she could make all kinds of potions. This one would allow her to breathe underwater for a whole hour! Specifically salt water based on the kelp in this bottle.

She didn’t quite understand why the potion was different than a spell she’d seen in Aviana’s spell book, which allowed you to breath in either kind of water, but Aviana insisted there was a reason. One day I’ll learn that spell and then I won’t need this potion!

Aviana uncorked the potion bottle and traded it for Kyanite, so he wouldn’t get wet. Temperance trusted her sister to take good care of him. She took a swig, consuming a third of it.

A tingling sensation fell over her and her neck started to itch. She scratched the skin, only for long openings in her neck to appear. She moved her head and felt air rush through her new gills. She squealed, and in her excitement almost forgot to give back the bottle before tearing down to the shore.

Temperance made it to the water’s edge, but before she splashed in, a crab skittering across the sand caught her attention. Temperance smiled wide and bent over it. “Hello, Mister Crab.”

The creature scuttled quicker to get away from her and she frowned. “No, Mister Crab, don’t go. I want to be your friend!”

♦ ♦ ♦

A quiet chuckle escaped Aviana’s throat as her sister chased after a poor crab before it scuttled into the salty water. Temperance pouted but when a sea shell washed in, she gasped and went about collecting it and more. No doubt she’d want Aviana to make more paints with them. Or just up and collect them. She was unpredictable like that.

Xalanath stood next to Aviana, chuckling. “She’s something else.”

“That’s the understatement of the era.”

He gestured to a small rocky outcrop shaded by some trees nearby. “We should go sit and chat.”

That’d be a perfect place for them to speak. Aviana could keep an eye on her sister when on the beach, and still keep them far enough away Temperance wouldn’t hear or see anything she didn’t need to.

The two found a spot to sit and Aviana looked around. The sandy beach spanned for miles and the Stracex Sea leagues more. In the distance the ominous Veiled Mist obscured the southern half of the continent and a section of the Hidden Mist Isles to the south.

“So, this talk you want with me,” Xalanath said. “I presume it explains why you brought your sister here with you.”

Aviana nodded and turned to face him. “Yes. But first, let’s take a look at that wound of yours.”

Xalanath scoffed. “I’m fine.”

“I can smell the fresh blood on you, Xalanath. Now take off your shirt.”

A sly grin spread across his stupidly handsome face, and he pulled open his shirt a bit at the collar. “Well, if you’re really that eager to get my clothes off.”

Her eyes narrowed, not in the mood for his games. “Would you rather I just dump a vitality potion on you? Because I’ll gladly do so.”

Xalanath sighed. “Fine, fine. Always ruining my fun.”

He undid the few clasped buttons of his shirt and slipped it off his shoulders. This left him in his chainmaille shirt, which proved more difficult for him to remove. Knew it. Aviana assisted him, Xalanath wincing any time he moved wrong.

He dropped the metal linked shirt on the stony ground, and leaned back to give Aviana unfettered access to the bloodied bandaged crudely wrapped around his waist. Gentle as she could be, Aviana removed the soaked cloths strip and did her best to not squirm at the sight of the ugly wound he sported.

“Yeah… you’re fine. Of course you are. You take a cannon ball and then a harpoon and come out just fine.” She shook her head and touched the bruising tender areas around the worst part of the wound. “Honestly, you’re lucky that harpoon didn’t tear your insides out, you reckless fool.”

“I know how to properly remove an arrow,” Xalanath said. “A harpoon isn’t much different. Especially in my real shape. Besides, I have you to heal me up.”

“Cocky bronze scale…” she muttered.

“I know mine’s rather impressive, but I wouldn’t say all of me is one.” Another grin spread across his face. “Unless you’d liked to assess that yourself.”

Aviana smacked him, aiming low enough to tap part of his bruising. Xalanath cringed. “Okay, okay. I’ll lay off the jokes.”

She grunted, not believing it for a second and took one final assessment of the wound. “I won’t be able to heal all of this in one go. That’s beyond my abilities. But I can get this in a better spot where this won’t be life threatening anymore.”

Xalanath became uncharacteristically serious. “How many healing sessions do you think this needs, Avi?”

The use of her nickname gave her pause. He rarely ever spoke to her that way, always calling her Shark Bait. Even her full name was rarely uttered off his lips. And if he did, no one else was ever around. “Three or four unless you find someone with more healing experience. I’d give you some vitality potions, if I had them on—”

He waved her off. “I know a master alchemist who could whip me up a few strong ones.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I can make you some when I get back to the inn.”

“But you’re not a master alchemist.”

Irritation flared in her chest. “Your point? I can still make strong vitality potions.”

“I know, but you have your hands full with your sister. I don’t need to distract you from that.”

That response took her by surprise. Whenever he was nice to her it threw her for a loop. Of course, after the initial shock, she closed herself off from it. He’d proven in the past he couldn’t be trusted to be kind to her. “Let’s just get you through this healing session for now.”

Xalanath didn’t fuss while she hovered her hands over the wound. Aviana’s hands glowed in a green-blue light and then did his wound. Unlike her smaller wounds from the battle, this would take several minutes to improve before it ultimately drained her too much.

“Are you able to hold conversation while doing this?” he asked. “I know healing isn’t easy, even for the most dedicated of casters.”

“Depends on the topics. Though, I suspect I know the one you mean, and that should be fine to talk about.”

“Does your presence here today have anything to do with your sister?” he asked. “I’ll admit, I was surprised to see her. And the fact you’re both so open about the matter, it’s as if she wasn’t snuck out.”

“That’s because she wasn’t.” Aviana adjusted her positioning without losing concentration. “Temperance will be coming of age soon, but before she can be accepted as an adult she needs to go through her trials.” Her eyes briefly ticked up to him. “As you may have surmised, in her current state, there’s no way she could pass.”

“She does act rather young for her age. More than a decade too young.”

Aviana nodded. “Her mother has her on a tight leash. Tighter than it should be.”

Xalanath shifted. “She doesn’t know what she is, does she?”

“No.”

His face scrunched. “That explains why you didn’t tell her what I am.”

Aviana smiled. “Aw, someone’s upset. If it’s any consolation, she was delighted to see you fly over the beach and take on the pirate ship after I ran them off.”

Xalanath chuckled. “Of course she was. I am magnificent.”

“And so humble.” She let the sarcasm ooze from her. “And, before you ask, yes, she’s obsessed with dragons. But that’s part of our culture, we revere the dragons, you know this. Temperance just takes that reverence up to the next level into obsession. She’s read every book I could bring her and knows every written story about them. She can’t get enough of them.”

“And yet, she doesn’t know what she is? Why? It’s not like she won’t know eventually.”

Aviana nodded. “I know. So many of us have tried to explain this to Calypso.”

His brow ticked up. “Who?”

“Her mother.”

“Oh.” There was a strange glint in his eye, as if he were trying to piece something together. Aviana let it be. He was a strange one.

“As I was saying, Calypso for some reason believes she can keep Temperance from the truth. I’ve tried to reason with her, that my sister will experience the same change shortly after her twentieth birthday as all of us Dragkala do, but she won’t have it.” Aviana took a moment to breathe and concentrate on her healing. “Temperance doesn’t know who her father is, or how many siblings she actually has. The poor girl is basically cooped up in her own home unless I’ve been granted permission to bring her out and explore around Starglade.”

“Then how did you—whoa, what is she doing?”

Aviana’s healing ceased and her head snapped in the direction of the water, her nerves now on end. But what she saw was nothing more than Temperance removing her top. Aviana looked back at Xalanath. “Looks like she’s finally stopped harassing the beach crabs and going for a swim.”

He had already averted his gaze, a slight pink shade on his cheeks. “Why is she removing her clothes?”

“Uh, because you can’t swim with your clothes on?” Aviana couldn’t stop herself from grinning. She leaned her elbows on her legs and bent over enough to rest her breasts on them. “It’ll weigh you down, and you don’t want to be walking around in sopping wet clothes when you’re done. That’s uncomfortable. Especially with salt water.”

Xalanath looked at her to say something and then snapped his gaze away. “Really? Must you?”

Aviana’s golden hair dipped farther down over her shoulder as she tilted her head and rested her cheek on her partially curled hand. “Must I was, Xal?”

“Sit so indecently. Sit up.”

Her lips curled into a deeper grin. “I don’t know what you mean. I’m sitting just fine I think.”

Xalanath glanced at her, but for only a moment when she still hadn’t moved. “Please just go back to healing me.”

Aviana chuckled, pleased to have gotten a small rise out of him, and focused on healing him again. “You are too amusing, you know that?”

“Well I don’t think either of you are. You two need to learn some modesty.”

Aviana shrugged. “What you call modesty we call shame in Starglade. You know this.”

He grumbled but knew he couldn’t win this argument, not that it was much of one to Aviana. No matter how much time she spent outside the town, this was one topic she struggled to understand.

“Besides,” Aviana continued. “Temperance will still have some covering to her. She doesn’t lack total modesty according to your strange standards.”

“Yes, well you could benefit from learning a thing or two from her.” He sighed. “Anyway, if her mother is so protective, how in Akorith’s name did you get her all the way out here? I highly doubt the overgrown pond snake knows.”

Anger rose up deep from within Aviana in an instant. Her eyes snapped to him. “Don’t. Don’t you call him that.”

Xalanath gave her an amused smile, as if he enjoyed the reaction from her. “What’s wrong, blue scale, don’t like me talking about your father like that?”

Aviana ceased her healing again. “I will only warn you once, Xalanath. Do not speak of him that way. You don’t know him. He allowed us to leave. My goal is to get Temperance to grow, away from her mother’s controlling influence. I plan to tell her about what she is, and prepare her for that fact, because as it stands, she is not ready to accept that reality. She will not believe me if I told her.”

Her muscles twitched in her neck. “My father understands this, and allowed us to walk out of town without issue.”

Xalanath’s lip curled. “Like I’d believe he’d allow his latest tribute prize to just up and leave.”

Aviana’s eyes constricted. “Temperance is not a tribute prize. Calypso was not a tribute. He picked her. Just as he picked my mother.”

“Right, and that’s why he killed her, right, Aviana?”

“My father didn’t kill my mother!” Rage built up inside her. She always tried to keep her emotions in check. But there were just some situations she couldn’t control herself in. “I don’t care what anyone says. It’s a lie. She was his mate. He loved her. He’d never harm her!”

Xalanath bared his teeth. “Your father doesn’t care for anyone but himself.”

“No, that’s you.” Aviana rose to her feet, her eyes burning into him. “Unlike you, my father is capable of change. He’s not some heartless beast. He’s capable of compassion and love. He was there for me when I was born a whole moon cycle early. He was there for my mother as she lost sleep, fearful the moment she closed her eyes, I’d stop breathing. My father has been the only one there for me my entire life. No conditions. No expectations. But I wouldn’t expect an outsider like you to understand.”

Xalanath’s eyes flickered. “I wouldn’t be an outsider had your father not usurped mine!”

“My father challenged yours to an honorable combat. It’s not my fault your father lost.”

“So it’s mine?”

“Of course it’s not. But unlike you, I don’t treat you like it is!” Aviana sighed and turned away. “Forget it. I don’t even know why I bother anymore. You will always show prejudice toward those you believe have wronged you, even if we haven’t.”

Aviana headed down the beach a bit, but then stopped. She didn’t look at him. “Mother once told me, when I’d finally get to meet you and your father, you would be the easiest to show I meant no harm. That you’d be able to see I have no sins of the past to mar me as an enemy. She said Siverath would be too old, too jaded, too stuck in his ways to see beyond what half of me is.”

She let her eyes go back to Xalanath, where he sat, glowering at her. “But she was wrong. Your father accepted me so quick it was off-putting at first. I’d never had anyone outside of a few of my brothers, accept what I was instead of wanting to see my head on a spike for committing only the sin of existing. But you… born after the war like me, away from it all to have no memory of what happened beyond what you were told, and yet you only pretend niceties, even after knowing each other for half a century.”

Aviana turned away, heading down the beach once more. “I will be looking forward to seeing Siverath in my travels to show Temperance parts of Alaria before we have to return to Starglade for her trial. I think she’ll like Natamere. And I think they will like each other. He’ll accept her. It’s a shame I can’t say the same about you.”

Xalanath let out a contempt grunt but no other rebuttal. As Aviana headed for the shore, their argument swarmed her mind. Her mother’s face flashed through, piercing her heart with a pang of longing. How she missed her mother. How she wished she could get so many answers. What had happened to her? Why did she care for Xalanath and Siverath so much? Though, Aviana knew the answer to that last question.

Both were impressive dragons. Siverath strong and devoted and Xalanath charismatic and talented. All things Aviana wasn’t… She banished those negative thoughts. Her mother loved her. She did. All that time she spent away with these two without Aviana’s father knowing, she’d done it for a reason.

A reason that forced her here as well.

Mother, Akorith, I don’t know why either of you think I can fix things. So much time had passed since her clan had been whole. So much darkness had spread, splitting the people and the dragons into a senseless war that left the clan shattered and torn apart—left lasting scars and fueled hatreds and vendettas even to this day, even if many didn’t know the origins to this dark thinking anymore.

As much as Aviana would like to see the Shikala brought back to its former glory, where she would be accepted for what she was, that looked more and like some child’s dream than a reality as the days passed.

Crystal blue water lapped against the beach, cooling her toes as she stood by Temperance’s discarded clothes. The salty air tugged at her hair and sea birds called overhead. Aviana reached up and grazed the side of her face near her right eye with her finger, feeling the invisible rough texture behind a spell. Her chest squeezed on her.

She longed for a day she didn’t have to hide. She longed for a time like the past where being Dragkala—blessed wing—half dragon—of her color wasn’t a life threatening existence.

The giggling of a woman caught her attention. Aviana’s gaze drifted, spotting a young man and woman walking the beach, holding hands—smiling and enjoying each other company. Wouldn’t it be nice to find someone who wouldn’t turn on me when they found out the truth?

Aviana shook herself. Love was not in her cards. She’d come to accept this reality. She needed to focus on important things. Temperance needed to grow, and while she was out here, Aviana needed to look for clues for Candara.

Today hadn’t gone to plan at all. Aviana never imagined her sister would face her first life or death choice so soon.

“Pirates and strange visions, it can’t be a coincidence,” she mumbled. Aviana held Kyanite up to her face. “I need you to keep protecting her, Kyanite, you hear? I don’t know what’s in store for us in these coming days, but today was just a warning. She needs you.”

Kyanite stared back at her, a lifeless toy.

Someone may think she was just as nutty as Temperance for talking to a toy, but deep down, Aviana knew Kyanite wasn’t just a toy—just as Firestone wasn’t. Aviana had found the notes on how her grandfather made Firestone and replicated his steps to make Kyanite. There was something about that process that made them different. She just… wasn’t sure how right now. One day she would, she was sure of it.

Water splashed and Aviana looked up in time to see a dolphin dive back into the water. Ah, the pod is here. In her time visiting Windshire, this pod of dolphins came to the reef just off shore every day. Though, because of the commotion on the docs, Aviana assumed they would stay away for a while. It seemed they were only deterred by a few hours.

I wonder if Temperance has spotted them yet. Aviana grunted the moment the thought made its way through her mind. Of course her sister had. She had a keen eye, even underwater. She couldn’t get enough of the wet substance, allowing her to train herself to see better than other non-aquatic individuals. Honestly, sometimes I think she’s merfolk or something.

And Aviana didn’t doubt her sister would try to communicate with the pod, even without the ability to cast the specific spell to do so. It was a major complaint Temperance had with the pacing of her spell studies. Aviana didn’t think she was quite ready for that spell yet. Though, she was closer than Temperance realized.

Aviana set Kyanite down on Temperance’s clothes and stripped down. She might as well join her sister instead of standing there doing nothing. A bit of fun wouldn’t hurt them on this journey.

Taking a swig of her water breathing potion, the slight uncomfortable sensation of growing gills fell over her neck. Aviana dove into the warm surf. Her pace was slow. If she could take the shape of a marine creature this would be easier, but she still needed more practice. Land creatures she had down. She just needed to spend time with a new one, an hour or two at most, and she could successfully take its shape from then on.

Creatures of water and sky were a much more complicated case for her. She was close to a breakthrough with the marine creatures, she knew it, but flying creatures, she wasn’t even close. It was amazing to how quickly fledglings learned compared to her.

A drop off several feet in front of her with brightly colored objects poking up over the ridge caught her attention. Using the pull of the current, Aviana pushed on, clearing the ridge and looking down. A webbing of shimmering sunlight glistened over a wide range of colorful coral and plants while all manner of reef fish swam about. A lone reef shark cruised the bottom of the floor, minding its own business as it usually did, and a pair of sea turtles flapped their way along the large coral outcropping. It was a spectacular sight to behold, even for Aviana who had seen it a number of times.

She dove deeper into the reef, careful not to touch the coral too much. Aviana didn’t want to risk damaging the sensitive structures. Her mother once explained to her, as much as they looked like plants, they were actually creatures of some sort, and a sensitive one to change. Aviana, as much as she understood of nature, struggled to understand how they could be an animal, but in the end it didn’t really matter. She’d seen the damage too much handling caused and didn’t want to be the source of that.

Fish darted around her and continued as if she were only a minor inconvenience. Watching them brought up a memory of Temperance begging to be taught how to speak to fish so she could make them her friend. Aviana did her best to explain fish didn’t make great conversationalist or friends because of their low intelligence, but her sister refused to believe that because they swam in schools, so of course they had to be smart.

The memory brought a smile to Aviana’s face. As much as she cursed Temperance’s child-like mind, her innocence brought out the fun in life. It reminded Aviana not to be too serious. She had a habit of doing that, as much of her own childhood had been stolen. Dark thoughts swam in her head. She couldn’t recall many moments of time where her life hadn’t been a struggle.

Aviana banished it all, not wanting to dwell in the past, and moved on, spotting her sister and the dolphin pod already interacting just as she assumed would happen. Now was the time to have some fun for once.