“Give me the Stone.” I hold my hand out. “She's turning five in a week. It's about time she knows about Emerald.” Ira unwraps the chain off his wrist and hands me the Stone.

“As you wish.”

“Thank you.” I nod and go see Emerald in the Stables.

“To what do I owe the honor?” I hear her growl inside my mind.

“How did you know I have the Stone?”

“Assassin warned me.” Tch. Should have known.

“Is it a problem?”

“No.” I always felt cold around her... Now's not the time to lose it.

“I have a favor to ask.” Emerald lifts her up to me and my heart stops for a moment. Those eyes... I understand why Wykren fell for them... “Gazarria is turning five soon. I'd like to gift you to her. If you'll allow it.” She doesn't answer me. “However. When you'll talk to her about Wykren and I know she'll ask you about him, I need you to leave me out of it.”

“Why?”

“She doesn't need to know about me. Just him. I want her to know what an amazing person her father was. I'm begging you.” I bow down to the Saber.

“As you wish.” I straighten out. Emerald lowers her head again. “Anything else?”

“Yes. Protect her.” I see one eye aimed at me. “Do not fail her like you did him. Or I will be the one to put an end to you myself.”

“I don't need you to tell me that. I stayed alive this whole time only so I could repay my debt to Ren. I will not repeat the same mistake twice in the same lifetime.”

“Good. Then, if you'll excuse me.” I leave the Stables.

“Think it's a good idea to leave yourself out of Wykren's life?” Ira stands next to the entrance.

“It's my call to make.”

“As you wish, Priestess.” Ira disappears into the Shadows again. I have tried my best to be a mother for her these past five years, but I am nearing my limit. I feel it... I am not able to pretend to smile around her... I’m neither a mother, nor a ruler. I’m not even a woman anymore… No. I’m not even human… I feel cold and empty and dead… I tried my best to love her, but… My capacity to love is in shambles still… It was easy to pretend I was fine while she was an infant, but now… I don’t want to lie to her… Loving her is too painful… I need more time… I know I need to be happy because of her birthday, that the land celebrates so joyfully, but I cannot ignore the fact that my soul is hurting for my husband still... I stand in front of Zarri's bedroom door. Clenching the Stone... I knock once.

“Zarri?” The door opens and my little one stares at me for a quick second.

“Mommy!” She quickly wraps herself around my legs.

“Hello, Treasure.” I pick her up to me, go inside and set us down on her bed. “I have something for you.” She lets go. “It's a little early, but here.” I give her the Stone.

“Pretty!” She grabs it. “What is it?” She twirls the whole thing around, getting her tiny hands wrapped up in the chain. I take it from her and hang it around her neck. It's a bit big on her, but it looks relieving. Wykren made sure to make the chain adjustable. He had a knack for details... I secure the necklace and point to the Stone.

“This is a Lector Stone. You can use it to speak to another.”

“Who! How! Do you have one?” I smile. Her enthusiasm is just like his...

“I do have one, but mine is different. This one.” I point again. “Is special.”

“Special how?”

“It talks to one person only.”

“Who! Ira?” I laugh at her eagerness.

“Sorry, honey-baby, no.”

“Aw.” She pouts.

“Her name is Emerald.”

“Emerald! Pretty!”

“Yes she is. Very much so.” I stroke Zarri's head.

“How do I talk to her? Is she in there?” Zarri pokes the Stone a few times.

“Kind of. Listen. You need call for her inside your mind. Can you do that?”

“I...”

“Try. Call out to her.” Zarri shuts her eyes closed, clenching the Stone, hard. So cute.

“OH!” She lets go of the Stone and jumps up. “SOMETHING JUST SPOKE INSIDE MY HEAD! WHAT WAS THAT!” I can't tell if she's excited or afraid. I sit her back down.

“That, was Emerald. She is a dear friend of your dad's.”

“She knew dad?”

I nod. “Emerald is special. You can have her, if you promise to take good care of her. Can you do that?”

“YES! YES I CAN!” Zarri jumps up and down the bed again. She jumps my neck and hugs me. “Thank you!” She doesn't even know what Emerald is, yet.

“Good, good. Happy birthday, honey-baby.” I set her down again.

“Is it because of dad that you look so sad or me?” Huh? Zarri looks up at me. She saw right through me… I... My mask crumbles. I slide down the edge of the bed and cry in my daughter’s lap...

“Forgive me... My sweet child... I'm sooo sorry... Wykren... Forgive me...” I feel soft pats on the back of my head...

“There there... I will love mommy enough for daddy too! There there...” I take my time to sob some more, comforted by a five-year-old... Pathetic… I am beyond pathetic…

“Congratulations, Mistress, it seems your Magic has awakened.” The Cleanser announces after finishing the regular checkup. If Zarri turned six about 8months ago, she’s basically seven, what's a few more months. Depending on how strong her power is, it can take a bit longer for it to fully kick in… With her powers on the way, I doubt I'll call off the checkups any time soon. I'm not willing to take any chances with the rough beginning that she had. Zarri looks at me confused.

“It means you have Mana. With it you'll be able to use Magic.”

“What king of Magic?”

I shrug my shoulders. “We'll see. There are a few to choose from. We'll start at the basics and see how it goes, sound good?” The girl nods. “Alright. Is that all?” I ask the maiden.

“Yes, Master.”

“Then get lost.” The woman nods and leaves. I crouch down by Little Zarri.

“Close your eyes for me.” She does as told. “Tell me if you see anything. A light. A color. Anything at all?” Zarri furrows her brown. Adorable. I fight the laughter and wait. She snaps her blues open and stares at me disappointed.

“Nothing.” Guess Mage is off the list. Their class is the easiest to tell apart. Once the Mana awakens, the affinity shows itself too. Though it could be it's weak still... We'll see.

“No worries. We'll try something else later. Give me a moment.” Zarri nods.

“Blain? Got a minute?”

“What's up?”

“How do Druids test for affinities?”

“Oof. It's a process, why?”

“The Heir's Magic is here. Not a Mage though. As far as I can tell. Though anything can happen. It's too soon to tell for sure.”

“Oh. Well congrats! Give me a few hours, I'll get everything ready as soon as I finish up with today’s lectures.”

“Take your time. And thanks.”

“Don't mention it.”

“What?” Zarri points behind me. I glance over my shoulder. A Robe stands in the doorway of the infirmary.

“Need something?”

“We heard the good news! The Heir has Magic! We must confirm her affinity as soon as possible!” Is it just me or does it not matter if it's a new Geezer or an old one - they all share some sort of a lunatic gene...

“I'm taking care of that.”

“Ah. And?”

“Not a Mage. We'll test for Druid next.”

“Wonderful! May we join you?” Say what now?

“We'll see.” I take the little one by the hand and we take our leave. “Excuse us.” I make the Geezer move with my glare alone.

“Ah, a moment?”

“Make it quick.” I turn back.

“I don't believe it's fitting for Chief Secretary to be playing babysitter. I believe the Council would be better suited to oversee the Heir's development.”

“Your concern has been noted. One. And Two. As Chief of Security, it is my top priority to secure the safety of the Heir. You call it babysitting, I call it bodyguarding.”

“Ah, yes, well, what about the Priestess then? Does she not require protection?”

“The Priestess is under strict orders to remain bed written until she is fully recovered. There are guards stationed outside her door.”

“Yes, well–”

“If you think I'll allow the Heir to be left in the Geezer Council care even for a moment without me present, you ought to reconsider. I don't trust you people. Period.”

“Having been the one to test us before selecting, I thought...”

“What? You thought what?” I glare again. No answer. Wise choice. The main idea was to have Zarri paired up with a variety of teachers, but with Devona out of the picture again, I don't trust the Heir alone with the fools. That's why I had them set up camp with her lessons in the Throne Hall. All so I can keep an eye on them better. Of course, I can't do anything much about the times when I'm needed elsewhere, but still. I can afford to keep Zarri close by as much as I can. I wish Lyma hadn't quit though... His replacements are trying, but... I feel a tug. I look down. A pair of concerned eyes stare up at me. I crouch down.

“Yes?”

“Can I use my Magic to make Mom happy?” Such an innocent creature.

“Sure. Then, wanna be a Cleanser like her?”

“Will I have to learn a mountain of spells?”

I laugh a little. “Yes. Maybe two or three mountains even.” Zarri scowls.

“I hate studying! It's boring! Books are boring! I tried a few and fell asleep...” She persists with her pouting. I try my best to maintain a straight face.

“Then I guess being a Shaman is out of the question too, huh?”

“Those are the Overtake ones, right?”

“Yes.”

“That'd be cool! Can I do that! I wanna do that!”

“Sorry, kiddo, if you don't have an affinity, you can't try out for the Overtake.”

“Aawww!” She pouts some more. “Then I wanna be a Shadow! Like you!” She throws her hands into the air.

“No.” I stand up again.

“Wha! Whyyyy!!”

“Cause. Leave the Shadows to me.” I take her hand again and we continue.

“Meanie.” She mumbles.

“Give it time. It may be a little while before an affinity awakens fully. You might just have your chance at Overtake still.”

“Can I be a Necromancer?”

“Nope. Only Primerians can be those.”

“... I forgot.”

“There's always a chance you're a Druid.”

“Oh! OH! That sounds cool!”

“Yes it is.” We get stopped by some reports. I sigh.

“Why don't you go and stay with Emerald for a little bit? Looks like I have some business to tend to.” Zarri's eyes dim a little.

“'kay…” She slips her hand out and walks away from me. Poor thing. Nobody ever lets her be a child... Too bad that Sharden and Ella moved out, they had a child about the same age as Zarri. The Palace people shy away from fraternizing with "the Heir", after that one incident especially... If only there was something I could do for her...

“So, where is the little one?” I look from the papers.

“Has it been a few hours already?”

“Yup.” Blain nods.

“Alright.” I set the feather down. “Walk me through it. You said it's a process.”

“Yeah, well.” Blain sets a pouch on one of the tables. “Druids don’t have an affinity like Mages. Druidic powers take the longest to awaken on their own. There is a way to test for it, but it might take a few tries too.”

“How so? Is it dangerous?”

Blain cracks a smile at me. “Anyone ever tell ya you’re a bit over-protective?”

“Bite me. Answer the question.” He laughs some more.

“There's this tea. It helps to induce a trance. It can take a few tries because each person is different, so the amount of tea used differs. Too much and they can get stuck in the Astral Plain, not enough and it won't have an effect, making it a false negative. Don't worry. We'll start with half the minimal amount for her. She's very young, after all.”

“And if we don't test her? How long will it take to know if she's a Druid?”

Blain shrugs his shoulders. “Days. Years. My druidic form didn't manifest till my late teens.”

“Late teens?”

“Oh yeah. Druids are cut from a different cloth than the rest of the magic users. Right before we shift, we begin having these dreams. Though in reality, it is our Spirit detaching itself from the physical body and connecting to the Spirit Realm. Or trying to. Beast types see everything from an animal's perspective. Like running through the forest, or swimming in the sea, even flying through the trees. Most cases the Beast simply merges with the Spirit in their sleep and wakes up already shifted.”

“You're kidding.”

“Not at all.” Blain smiles.

“What about Ravo's then?”

“They report having a strong feeling after their dreams, as if being drawn to plants and trees, when their powers awaken. They also share the same dream pattern - images of plants moving in slow motion.”

“You're making this up.”

“Not at all.” Blain smiles again.

“What about Celestians?”

“Well. Legend has it that since Celestians are connected to Cosmic powers they should have dreams like floating around between stars and such.”

“And such?” I stare at the man.

“There hasn't been a Celestian since the first Starfall. The possibility is there, but...”

“Gotchya. Is there any other way how a Druid can merge with a Spirit?”

“Sure. Some Spirits cross over, no, rather they don't cross over and wonder the realm of the living for no reason. A Beast druid will be able to sense it if close by and would be able to enter a trance by themselves to approach the Spirit. It takes some trial and error to get the detachment down. It's similar to how we learn to shift between forms. Some Druids say they get called out to by the Spirits to certain spots in the wild in their dreams. They get vivid images of the location and go out there to look for the Spirit.”

“A Spirit calling for help?”

Blain nods. “Something like it. Each beast has its own habitat. Some never leave them even in death. Other Spirits learn that through Druids then are able to live more, so they stick around.”

“I never knew that.” I admit. “Is there anything else to the test I should know about?”

“Not really. If you want to know how the tea works, or rather not, you can try it. Just to get a feel for it.”

“Sure.”

“Ok, so, for your weight, I'd say we'd need about this much. Blain takes out three heaping teaspoons of herbs.” I stare at him.

“Like I said - we'll start small with her. Half a teaspoon. Like so.” He dusts off the teaspoon.

“Ok... Get the tea ready then. I'll go get the Heir.”

“Do you ever call her by her name?”

“Not with people around. I know my place.” I answer. I find Zarri curled up next to Emerald. I have to say. I miss talking to her. We manage with glances and nods, but still. The Cat notices me first and warns the little one.

“Ira!” Zarri runs over.

“Having fun?”

“A little. What's up?”

“Wanna see if you can be a Druid?”

“Sure! What do I have to do?”

“Come with me. We have everything ready.” I give her my hand. She runs back to Emerald, gives her a quick hug and runs back to my hand.

“Later!” She waves to the Saber. I nod too. We return to the Throne Hall. Damn it. The Geezers slithered in too. Whatever.

“What's going on?” I feel a little squeeze on my hand.

“Don't worry about it. You just do as Blain tells you, ok?”

“'kay...”

“Mistress, good to see you, again.” Blain smiles.

“Hello.”

“Have her sit down there. She needs to be comfortable.” Blain points to a chair. I nod to Zarri and she climbs on.

“This one's yours.” The Druid hands me a mug. What a... Some odor... “And this one is yours.” He hands another cup to Zarri. “Don't worry if it doesn't work on the first try. It happens.”

“Ok. Thank you.” Zarri takes the cup and stares at it intensely.

“Whenever you're ready.” Blain says.

“Don't worry, I'll be drinking the same. See.” I show her the mug.

“Are you a Druid too?” She looks at me.

“No. I'm just making sure everything is ok.” I smile briefly to her.

“Ok…” Zarri takes a quick breath and gulps the whole thing down. I follow her lead. Ew. “All gone, now what.” She hands the cup back to Blain. He flips an hour glass.

“Now we wait for about five minutes. If you're a Druid we'll know then. But like I said, it can take a few tries, so be patient, please.”

“Ok.” Zarri nods again. I can tell she's not feeling too comfortable with people staring at her, but she tries hard to hide it. The hour glass empties out.

“Well?” I look at Blain.

“Well. I can tell for sure that you're not a Druid.”

“Gee, ya don't say.” I roll my eyes at him. Zarri lets out a giggle.

“What about me?” The little one raises her hand.

“Sorry, Mistress, we'll need to try again tomorrow.”

“Oh. Ok then...”

“What is it?” I ask the girl. She squirms in her chair and gestures for me to lean in. I do as told.

“Will I have to bury myself in books like you do, and be all sad, if I can't be a Druid?” Oh you, sweet creature...

“We'll see.” I tell her standing up again. She does not seem happy about it... “Is that all then?” I ask Blain. He nods.

“Then, can I go play now?” Zarri raises a hand.

"Pardon me, Mistress, but it's time for your lesson." A Robe steps up. The spark fades completely from Zarri's eyes. She crawls down the chair.

“Sure. Thank you. Excuse me.” She curtsies for Blain and me and goes over to the Geezer.

This will be the seventh try. Blain hands the mug again to Zarri and me. I've been drinking the putrid stuff purely to keep Zarri company. Her enthusiasm faded after the 3rd attempt. To be honest I’m not even sure why we keep doing this. Then again, she's showing no signs for a Mage affinity either, what do we have to lose? We gulp the tea down and wait... Again... Strange. Zarri's head keeps nodding.

“Oh. Well now.” Blain steps in and catches Zarri. “Look at that. She's in.”

“Huh?” I come over too.

“She's a Druid after all.” Blain looks at me. “Time her.” I check my pocket watch.

“How long will she be out?”

“No clue. Not too long, I think. We increased the tea slowly, so she should be coming back any moment now. How long has it been?”

“3minutes. How do you know it's working?”

“Come here. Check her.” Blain points to her throat. I place my fingers on the pulse. “What the?”

“A trance is a state of death. Her Spirit is detached from the vessel, hence the lack of pulse. But her vessel is alive still. She needs a place to come back to, so the body continues to breathe.”

“You failed to mention this a week ago because?” I glare at the man.

“You never would have allowed it if I did. Why do you think I added two-three leaves at a time.” Blain whispers. “Time?”

“5minutes.”

“Huh? Did I fall asleep?” Zarri rubs her eyes. I finally exhale again.

“Yes you did. Congratulations, Mistress, you're a Druid!”

“Really! Which one!”

“Well, what did you see in your dream?” Blain asks.

“I... I don't know... I don't remember.” Zarri pouts.

“Guess she wasn’t under long enough to remember.” Blain tells me. “It's ok, Mistress, your powers will come to you on their own. Be patient, please.”