Keshiema lay on her couch, staring at her ceiling, waiting for Dásos to arrive. The blackberry cobbler had helped, but she was still hungry. On top of that, she had not rested. ‘I should be exhausted. I haven’t slept in a real bed in a while.’

  Her stomach rumbled again. She had not felt this hungry since leaving the orphanage. A small knock on her door interrupted her thoughts.

  She found Dásos looking unsure of himself; The arrogant smile normally plastered on his face replaced with a solemn expression that made her slightly uneasy. “You ready?” he held out his hand. Expecting a dizzy spell after the teleport, she held on tightly to his arm.

  The world around her blurred and warped, the colors spiraling and mixing together to reform into new ones. The landing was gentle, and she gained her bearings instantly. Turning away from an unlit room in front of her, she confirmed her location. A starkly lit sign behind a large desk read "Saint Lucifer's Medical Center: Intensive Care."

  Unsure how to phrase the question, she looked to Dásos for an answer. “You’ll find almost everything is a little different now that your bloodline has awakened.”

  Only with a small amount of understanding, she nodded. “When I’m done here, is it okay if we talk?” She had so many questions.

  “Of course, I'm all yours." He brushed her hair back, lightly caressing the tip of her ear and chuckling when she turned pink. "You'd best get on with it." He nodded to the room behind her.

  Staring into the dark room from the brightly lit hallway felt like gazing into another world. Taking a deep breath, she entered the darkness, leaving Dásos to linger in the hallway.

  Her sight adjusted rapidly; two women sat on an unoccupied bed, staring out the window at the full moon. Their luscious, ebony gowns, raven hair, and deep black eyes clashed with their luminescent skin. The halos floating delicately behind their heads sent a wave of calm over her every time she looked directly at them. “Lily of the Snow?” The closer one asked abruptly.

  “No.” the other corrected. “Her daughter.”

  Keshiema faced the woman who answered for her. “You must be Lunara.”

  “I am, and this is Lumina.” Lunara gestured to the other woman. As hard as she tried, Keshiema could not see a difference between the two unearthly women.

  “I came to pay my respect to Ipos and Ayperos. And to see if there was perhaps anything I could do to help.”

  “I see your Friskalian Mark, but you are young. Too young to have the training necessary to help here.” Lumina’s words stung, but keshiema understood it as motherly protection.

  “Wait now," Lunara set her hand on Lumina's shoulder. "If I am not mistaken, this young woman has a very close tie to our sons.”

  Repulsed by the thought, Lumina narrowed her eyes at Keshiema. “I doubt that.” Lunara stared at her, shocked. Conceding, Lumina sighed heavily. “If you want to help my son, I will not stop you. But if his state worsens, I will see to your punishment myself.” Needing some semblance of fresh air, Lumina left the room.

  “Keshiema," Lunara spoke softly. "You look like your mother.”

  "I’ve gathered that much.” She could not see the resemblance herself, but everyone else seemed to.

  “However,” Keshiema looked up curiously, “you take after your father quote a bit too, his blue hair and eyes, you even carry the same aura.” Lunara had her full attention now. "He was trusting, and protective of everyone he loved."

  “Are we really so much alike?” her adoptive father crossed her mind, and in an instant, her happiness faded. She never really got to know him; he was always working long hours, leaving before dawn, coming home late into the night. She knew then that he was the village leader, and learned later on what that meant. It fell on his shoulders to keep the demons appeased. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she regained her calm.

  "You are, but it is your grandfather you truly take after; A fiery soul, brimming with a nearly uncontrollable desire to fight. A gentle and caring nature. A tempest of a personality begging to be let loose." Lunara beckoned her closer. “And to top it all off, you can hardly hide your emotions to save your own life.” She gestured to Keshiema's hair, which shone a brilliant gold.

  "Thank you.” No one had told her about her real family, knowing gave a small amount of peace. "I came here to see Ipos and Ayperos. I feel kind of selfish talking about myself.”

  “Of course my dear. The boys are just down the hall.” As they walked, with Dásos trailing a few feet behind, Lunara questioned how Keshiema thought she might help.

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  “Both of them have visited my dreams, and I feel I can use that link to possibly heal them from within Ethera.” She could feel Dásos's glare burning a hole in her back. She knew he would disapprove of the idea.

  Stooping in front of a corner room, Lunara waited with a thoughtful look in her eyes. After a moment, she finally spoke. “You could get hurt, we won't be able to bring you back if your mind is broken inside of the dream realm.”

  “I know. It’s almost happened once before.” Remembering Stolas's attack, she crossed her arms around herself. “But I have to try. I have too many reasons not to. Ipos has protected me, saved my life more than once. I feel like I owe him. And Ayperos has been nothing but kind to me. I can’t let them stay like this.”

  “You’re nothing if not determined.” Lunara stepped aside, letting Keshiema open the door. Again, Dásos waited outside.

  As she passed by the goddess, Keshiema realized she felt none of her aura. 'She’s not physically here.' Keshiema thought back to her lessons. "Although the gods may return to Celera from Vitera any time they wish, they cannot enter Vitera but on the Solstices." The summer solstice had passed weeks ago, so the goddesses were bound to Celera for another five months. 'No wonder Lumina is so frustrated. She probably has the power to help her son of she were actually here.'

  Keshiema's heart shattered as she entered the room. Floor-to-ceiling windows made up two of the walls, letting in light from the waning moon. Rough moonstone crystals hung above each bed, and their sigils were carved on the floor beneath them. Ayperos held her necklace in one hand, with the other resting over it protectively.

  Their auras had the same feel, and their tattered clothing had been replaced with hospital gowns. Their hair had been cut short to place sensors for the monitors, and their physical wounds had healed. With everything erasing their superficial differences, she found it odd that she had no trouble telling them apart.

  Placing her hand on Ayperos's forehead, she concentrated on finding his dream. What images she could see came through fuzzy and indistinct, with no sound to accompany them. Moving her hand to Ipos' forehead gave her similar results.

  “They’re too far gone. I can’t strengthen our connections. Hopefully I can still find them in the dream realm.” Returning to the hallway, she noted Dásos seemed frustrated. “Day?” When he looked at her, his frustration melted into defeat. “Is there anything you can tell me about the dream realm?”

  “Time has no meaning there. Years can pass in moments, and seconds may take eons.” His eyes stung in an unfamiliar way.

  “You’re worried I’ll forget you?” The short time they had together was something she did not want to forget.

  “To hell with me! I’m worried you’ll forget yourself.” He put his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. “You might wake up a completely different person. If you come back at all.”

  Her heart fluttered, and heat filled her cheeks. Her mind raced erratically through her memories. His cocky smile as he put his hands up at the tip of her blade. His vicious protectiveness when Stolas betrayed her. The scared look in his eyes when she raced into Sonneillon's mist. The determination when he returned to her after being shot. The power transfer. “Dásos.” She pushed away, wanting to see him as she spoke. “I’m coming back. I promise.” Doubt still filled his eyes.

  “Kesh, I’m sorry for the way I’ve acted. If you don’t return, I can’t show you I can be better.” As he leaned towards her, her heart froze. She didn’t breathe until he rested his forehead on hers. “so please don’t break that promise.”

  She wished she could be confused about what he meant. From his possessive attitude to the way he so easily talked around the truth, she knew he could be dangerous. “You don’t have to wait.” She locked eyes with him. “Can't you retrieve their souls? Like you did for me?"

  It was his turn to push away. Folding his arms around himself, he spoke through gritted teeth. “I can't interfere! Damnit Keshiema, I want to help you!”

  “So what’s stopping you?” she wanted to yell, to scream the question at the top of her lungs. Knowing that shouting would help nothing, she asked the question in an urgent whisper.

  “A curse. One created out of jealousy and fear. If I meddle too much in the things that don’t concern my kind, I run the risk of being banished.”

  "So the story the wisp gave me was true..."

  “I-.” A loud crash cut him off.

  “Invaders!” Keshiema and Dásos immediately turned to face the corridor. Lunara phased out of the room just in time to see Lumina floating down the hallway towards them. When she reached them, she quickly explained, “An army is invading the city. It appears to be the royal brigade.” We need to get the boys out of here.”

  Dásos wanted to take her away, to forget about the problems of the mortal realms and focus his energy on protecting Keshiema. But when he gazed upon her and saw the anxiety and stress gnawing away at her sanity, as she looked around, searching desperately for something to ground herself in reality, he knew he could not be so selfish. "Keshiema, I will do anything you ask of me, so long as I won't be banished."

  She stared into his eyes, finding the anchor she so desperately needed. "Are you able to get them out of here?"

  "I have about enough energy to teleport them, yes. But I wouldn't be able to come back for you right away." He prayed for her to refuse, to tell him to take her instead.

  “I’ll be fine." As much as he expected them, her words still crushed him. "I have my speed." She reminded him softly, though she had yet to test it since regaining her senses. “Where are we convening?” Keshiema’s heart raced. She could feel the combined aura of the army grow closer. 'How did I not sense this sooner?

  “Here.” Dásos placed his hand on her mark, almost knocking her back with the power of his thoughts. Images flooded her mind. A forest path, guarded by an enormous Griffin. A small cottage hidden deep within the woods. A passage through a secret cellar door. Seemingly endless, dark tunnels. An old, crumbling temple surrounded by sandy dunes. “Even with your speed, the journey will take at least a day. If anything happens and i can't return, I’ll have Merihim meet you at the cottage tomorrow morning.”

  An angry roar shook the building. "That’s definitely Adramelech. Go Keshiema, get out of here while you can.” He watched her run, wanting desperately to give her a more passionate farewell; to feel her lips on his. But now was not the time; Not with danger looming ever closer and everyone's lives on the line. And if he had given her that goodbye kiss, could he really trust himself to keep his word and take the demigods instead of her?

  “Please save my child.” Lumina whispered to Dásos as Keshiema ran towards the stairwell.