Fol)

Kisee walked on the cracks between the tiles with his arms stretched out to the sides like he was walking on a tightrope. Anrhea followed along beside him with her head down, lost in thought. After a long silence Kisee suddenly stopped and turned to his twin with a pout, “why are you being so quiet?”

Anrhea jolted out of her thoughts, raising her head to look at her brother, “oh right, sorry you wanted to hear about the Xul Palace?”

Kisee’s pout broke into a smile and he grabbed Anrhea’s hand, intertwining their fingers. “I’d rather hear about the prince. Are you going to marry him?”

Anrhea swung their joined hands together, “I wouldn’t mind marrying him, he was very kind and gentle but...” Anrhea bit her bottom lip and tugged on her hair with her free hand, “I don’t think he liked me very much.”

Kisee watched her tug on her hair with a frown. “Your hair is getting way longer,” with his free hand, he reached out and brushed his fingers through her hair that was now just past shoulder-length.

Anrhea gave him a pressed smile, “the Xul people all had such beautiful long hair it made me want to grow it out.”

Kisee’s frown deepened and he squeezed Anrhea’s hand, leaning in a little closer, “did he think you weren’t pretty?”

“He didn’t say that.”

Kisee puffed his cheeks out, “if he thinks you aren’t pretty enough then he’s not good enough for you! He’s a big dumb asshole!” Kisee wasn’t sure what an asshole was but he had heard his father call someone that before and it didn’t seem good.

“Kisee!” As Kisee seemed about to work himself up to wanting to fight Prince Altyrion, even rolling up his sleeves, Anrhea scolded him in a harsh tone. “If you want to go with Father and I on our next trip to Xul you’ll need to stop getting so worked up all the time.”

***

Wefyu sat by Deo’s bedside watching over him until he finally fell back asleep. After a while Wefyu’s eyelids began to droop as well.

The door opened and Wefyu snapped back awake. Rakii stepped into the room and leaned against the wall next to the door, crossing his arms over his chest. He tilted his head back and squinted at Wefyu, “why are you still here?”

Wefyu stared at a spot in the air above his father’s right shoulder as he answered, “you told me to make sure he’s comfortable.”

Rakii scowled and threw a quick glance at the sleeping boy, “he looks comfortable to me.”

As if on cue, Deo’s brow furrowed and a soft whine escaped him. Wefyu stood up and immediately leaned over him, wiping away the new beads of sweat forming on his brow.

Rakii took the few long strides he needed to reach Wefyu just as Wefyu retracted his hand from Deo’s forehead. Rakii grabbed Wefyu’s wrist, harshly dragging it up to his mouth. Rakii bit down on Wefyu’s tender, currently unblemished wrist. Wefyu winced but didn’t make a sound, even when Rakii unlatched, licking the blood that leaked from the newly made puncture marks. “Did my long time away make you forget your place?”