Chapter Fifteen

CHARLIE

Ava-Marie had left me feeling delirious. It was torture waiting for her to arrive back in our room after the voice message I woke up to. I craved her all day, but truth be told, the wanting made her taste even sweeter. I allowed her to act like a brat sometimes because honestly, there were parts I liked about it, too.

I'd been dying to get her into the Sanctuary for a week, ever since she healed me from the poison, but neither of us had felt well enough to play until now. Hell, I'd gone so hard I nearly passed out myself. I'd wanted to show her just how much I appreciated everything she'd done for me— when she tracked me down at the manor in Celestial City, then brought me back from certain death. The thought of Danielle still churned my guts, and I wanted Ava to know there would never be anyone else in this world for me but her. Then she sent me that voice recording, and fuck… did it make my head spin. I'd certainly showed her my appreciation.

It was Sunday, so I was free to roam the palace as I pleased. There were no training sessions with my grandfather or meetings I had to be at today, and I'd given Eddie the day off so he could spend time with Alistair. When I wasn't with Ava, there was only one place I wanted to be.

I entered the music room, which was completely deserted on a Sunday afternoon. It was one of the grandest rooms in all the palace, with a high ceiling that each note resonated off of perfectly. Eddie had said the tall, arched windows were adorned with red drapes, and an ornate chandelier hung from the ceiling. A mahogany grand piano sat in the center, surrounded by other instruments and upholstered chairs. It was quiet here, a place all my own. That was perfect, because I liked having this time to myself. I didn't want people knowing what I was up to, or it might get back to Ava.

I took a seat at the grand piano and ran my fingers over several keys, enjoying the beautiful resonance the strings gave off. This instrument was nothing like what I'd played before. I'd learned to play on a second-hand piano that hadn't been tuned in years and had two broken keys in the upper register. Then there was the organ back at the Institute, and I was certain some of the pipes had been cracked or dented, because it just couldn't sing the way this grand piano could. Every note vibrated at the proper frequency, resounding in perfect harmony within the other notes in each chord.

I pressed the keys, and it was a bittersweet sound. It reminded me of the piano at the Institute that the guards had smashed. Back then, I wasn't sure I'd ever get a chance to play again. But here I was, in a palace all my own, with access to all the musical instruments I could ever desire.

I warmed up by playing a few chord progressions and parts of various songs I'd memorized over the years, then started playing the song I wrote for Ava. Pigeon's Croon, I called it. It was a slow, soft melody in a major key, with a progression of high notes that mimicked the race of my heart whenever Ava was around. I'd crafted the tune with care, knowing there were no words that could communicate the way I felt about her… but maybe this music could. It was a soft lullaby, mixed with the incredible high of the passion and desire we shared.

Most people wouldn't think of us as a lullaby kind of people. To the rest of the world we were angry, reactive, and harsh. But when I was with Ava, I felt calm, safe and loved, and that's exactly what this song portrayed. She hadn't heard it yet, because I was saving it for her wedding present. She was going to be so surprised.

The longer I played, the more I got lost in the music. When I was playing piano, it was like the music could carry me away to a different world. I hummed the tune lowly under my breath while my fingers moved over the keys. I pounded the notes harder as the music crescendoed, growing to its peak.

I fumbled on a few keys. Fuck, I thought I had it that time.

I practiced the melody slower, making sure I had it down, then started a few measures before the crescendo and built it up again?—

Hands wrapped tightly around my throat from behind, bringing the music to an abrupt halt. The piano keys clashed as I was yanked to the side. I was caught completely off guard as the assailant wrenched me off the piano bench and threw me to the ground. My head smashed against the floor, leaving me momentarily disoriented. My attacker jumped on top of me and curled his hands around my throat. I tried to suck a breath, but the air wouldn't come. He was strong, I'd give him that.

Who the fuck did this guy think he was, attacking the prince in his own palace? I was getting pretty sick and tired of this shit.

I quickly reached out with my magic to assess who it was. If it was another one of the Warden's vampire cronies, I'd make sure the execution was a grand celebration. I'd laugh all the way to the pyre, then set the damn thing aflame myself.

Except… it wasn't a vampire. Several types of magic hit me all at once, and I couldn't make sense of it. I didn't know what this guy was.

I blasted him back with my Air magic, and he went flying across the room. Music stands crashed to the ground, and chairs squeaked.

I got to my feet and stalked toward the intruder. "The Warden really thinks he can send in anyone to get the job done?" I growled. "It's going to take a lot more than that to kill me."

I grabbed him, and my hands met armor, similar to what the guards all around the palace wore. I yanked the man upward. He had already recovered, though, and was obviously well trained. He kicked off the ground and did a flip, until his legs were curled around my neck. He twisted his weight, dragging the both of us to the floor. I searched for super strength to siphon it from him, but it wasn't there. That ruled out shifters, vampires, and merfolk. He definitely wasn't an Elementai.

I landed a blow to the side of his head, but he only squeezed harder. I gathered all my strength and spun my body, forcing him into another cluster of chairs. We engaged in a scuffle on the ground, and I finally broke free of his hold. I smashed a fist into his face, and he let out a pained groan.

I searched his magic again, looking for something that I could use. I noticed something that didn't seem quite right. It was reminiscent of Kallie's magic, but deep at this man's core, I could tell he wasn't fae. There was some sort of illusion on him— an enchantment he couldn't get away from.

I tangled my magic in his and siphoned it for my own. The fae magic was easy to manipulate because it was a lot like my Elf magic, only stronger. The illusion was more concrete than an Elf's, but I'd been growing my powers, and it was easy to break.

As the illusion fell away, the origin of his magic became clear. He was an Astromancer.

What the hell was an Astromancer doing in the palace? They didn't like to get involved in wars between the supernatural communities, and I certainly didn't expect one of them to be working with the Warden.

But what did I know? The only Astromancer I'd ever met had been my counselor back at the Institute, and he wasn't here now?—

"Don't try to stop me, Charlie," the assailant growled. "You won't get away from the Warden this time. We'll kill you and your wife if it's the last thing we do!"

My blood turned to ice. There were very few people I recognized just by the sound of their voice, but I knew the cadence of his speech far too well. I'd sat through endless weeks of therapy sessions with him.

I didn't get it. He was a Demigod Guardian… he wouldn't hurt me. There was no way.

But here Professor Takahashi was in the flesh, threatening to end my life. Takahashi had been missing, along with Hemlock, since we left the Institute. I didn't understand how he got here, or where he'd been all this time.

"What's going on?" I demanded.

Takahashi didn't bother offering an answer. He threw himself at me, but this time, I was prepared. I spun out of the way, then used a quick maneuver I'd learned in fight club to pin his arm behind his back. I heard the tear of tendons and the snap of the joint popping out of the socket. Takahashi let out a pained cry. He went fucking crazy, screaming curses and gnashing his teeth at me like he was a wild dog. I couldn't imagine what possessed him to do such a thing. He was always such a kind-hearted man.

Looked like his kindness had run out. I figured he must've been bewitched. I tried to break whatever hold the spell he was under had on him, but I couldn't do it, which shocked me. With my Elf magic, I should've been able to break anything.

Guess I was going to have to do this the old-fashioned way.

I grabbed Takahashi by the back of the head and slammed his temple downward onto the hard back of the nearest chair. I heard the crunch of bone as his nose connected with it, then the splatter of blood as it sprayed everywhere. His body went limp, and he slumped to the ground.

The heavy footsteps of guards flooded into the room. They'd obviously heard the commotion, and they quickly grabbed Takahashi and dragged him away from me.

"What are your orders, sire?" one of them asked.

"Prop him up on the chair," I spat. "We need to interrogate him. This was no ordinary attack."

As the guards hoisted him into a chair, I quickly dug in my pocket and grabbed my phone, then spoke a quick command. "Call Max."

Max picked up on the first ring. I didn't give her a chance to speak before I was already barking into the phone. "Get everyone you can to the music room now. We have shit to discuss."

"We're on our way, your highness," Max said, before hanging up.

Oberi, get here fast! I snapped through the bond.

I'm a little busy, Oberi insisted before slamming our bond shut. I didn't know what she was being snippy about, but I didn't have time to convince her to give up whatever she was doing.

I stepped forward to check Takahashi's pulse and found it still beating. I'd hit him with a hard blow, but only enough to knock him out. I quickly conjured handcuffs with my illusion magic and slapped them over his wrists.

A barrage of footsteps pounded into the room. Marcus let out a gasp. "Dear Goddess, what the hell is going on now?"

"What happened here?" Max demanded.

Several others were with them— four Elves and a vampire. The vampire's magic rolled off him in waves, an energy signature I'd become used to during our demigod training sessions.

I really wished Danny wouldn't have come. I didn't have the time or energy for his shit.

"Isn't it obvious?" Danny asked in that cocky tone he always used. "Charlie got his ass kicked by this old man."

I didn't know what gave him that impression, considering I wasn't the one tied up, until I touched my forehead and noticed I had a lump the size of a goose egg. I bet the bruise looked pretty damn nice, too.

Marcus pushed past Danny and hurried to kneel in front of Takahashi. "He's not an old man. He's our counselor, one of the Demigod Guardians. Charlie, he looks like he's been tortured."

I let out a gruff laugh, but it hurt to even talk. "Not exactly. He tried to kill me, and I fought back. He's stronger than he looks."

"I don't understand," Max said. "It goes against everything the Demigod Guardians stand for to hurt one of you. If he was any threat, he'd never make it past our borders. I don't know how he got in."

"There was some enchantment cast over him when he got here," I explained. "It was a fae illusion that must've concealed his features. I broke the spell that disguised him, but he's still bewitched. I can't seem to break whatever's got him brainwashed."

"He's wearing Elvish armor," Marcus noted. "Someone must've put an enchantment on him to make him look like a guard. That's how he slipped past security."

Danny paced around Takahashi's chair, boxing both Marcus and me in. He clicked his tongue. "Something else ain't right about this. The smell of his blood. It's…"

Danny paused to assess the blood splattered across the floor. He moved toward Takahashi, and I heard the old professor let out a groan.

"Ew!" Marcus cried. "You licked blood off his face?"

"I put it on my hand first," Danny said defensively. "How do you want me to figure out what's wrong with him?"

"This isn't time for a snack," I growled. Vampires were so gross.

"Relax," he said nonchalantly. "Fuck, I'm not drinking his blood. I'm searching for traces of magic, and I can tell it's vampiric. Your friend here is being compelled through blood magic. Strong stuff, that is. Judging by the power I'm feeling, he's being controlled by a demigod. That's why you couldn't break it."

"That's impossible," I stated. "The Warden gave up on creating more demigods, and the only one we knew who could do this kind of thing was Mad Dog. He perished in the fire at the Warden's manor in Celestial City."

"You sure about that?" Danny asked skeptically.

My stomach dropped. I thought I'd been sure, but now I was starting to question it.

Takahashi groaned. He was starting to wake.

"How do we break the spell?" I asked Danny.

Danny paced around to my other side— taking his sweet time answering the question, I might add. He clapped me on the shoulder. "Your guy Mad Dog might be a vampire demigod, but so am I. I've got you, boo."

"Don't ever call me that again," I warned, but Danny was already getting to work. I heard him kneel down next to Takahashi.

"What's he doing?" I whispered to Marcus.

"Danny's running his hands over Takahashi's arms. His eyes are glowing red— like, redder than usual," Marcus explained. "Strange red tendrils are filtering out of his body. Danny's dissolving them into the air."

Danny stood. "There. He should be back to normal."

Takahashi stirred.

"Did it work?" I demanded.

"Charlie?" Takahashi's tone was so weak. He sounded completely beaten down. "Where… where am I?"

He had no idea where he was. This was bad. "You're in the music room inside the palace in Ilamanthe," I told him gently. "You were compelled to come and kill me. Do you remember any of that?"

Takahashi gave a weak groan as he tried shifting in his seat. "I recall being captured at the Institute and held prisoner by The Mission. Professor Hemlock was with me. They… tortured us. For months on end."

A hollow pit opened in my stomach. Had I known what they'd endured, I'd have worked to get them out.

No, I would have got them out. I regretted not being there for them.

"We did our best to withstand the interrogation, and gave nothing of value to The Mission," Takahashi promised. "Everything the Demigod Guardians know, we kept safe."

"How did you get into Ilamanthe?" I asked. "My grandfather fortified the wards around the city days ago. You shouldn't have been able to get through."

"We've been here for a week posing as guards, so we must've slipped through before the wards were fortified," Takahashi said. "We were compelled to attack once we had ample opportunity, and today was our first chance. Believe me, Charlie, I didn't want to do this, but I could not fight the compulsion."

"Hemlock," Marcus said thoughtfully. "She must've been compelled to put the illusion on Takahashi. She's a powerful fae sorceress, and I wouldn't be surprised if her magic could make it past our wards undetected. That's how he got into the palace unnoticed."

I started barking orders. "I want the Elvish Associates to alert all guards. Get Ava somewhere safe, and find Hemlock. Danny, go with them. If Hemlock's being compelled, they'll need you to break the spell. Max, call the infirmary and tell them to bring a gurney. Takahashi needs medical attention."

"We're on it, your highness," Max obeyed.

The others filtered out of the room, while Marcus and I turned back to Takahashi.

"I'm sorry for what The Mission put you through, Professor," I said softly. "But we need to know more. Did you overhear anything while you were being held captive?"

"I know very little, I'm afraid." Takahashi swallowed audibly. "Professor Hemlock and I were both in a poor state when they came to compel us. Though I overheard the Warden speaking. There was a fire on one of his properties, and the demigods he controls were inside. They got hurt, but the Warden arrived in time to order his soldiers to pull them from the flames. Mad Dog, Deuce, and Naya all bore scars from the fire, but Esther was able to heal herself, and got out unharmed."

Fucking hell. Esther and the others were still out there. What was it going to take to kill these people?

"The Warden said he'd tried to kill you already, and since that hadn't worked, he would send me and Hemlock to perform the assassination," Takahashi continued weakly. "He thought since you trusted us, you'd let your guard down, and we'd get the job done. He ordered Mad Dog to compel us and send us in. The Warden's plan was to have us infiltrate the palace quietly, but Mad Dog had other plans. His magic was impatient."

I scoffed. "Mad Dog fucked that one up. He clearly doesn't know how to use trust against us, and he botched his spell."

"Yeah," Marcus agreed. "I bet he's never trusted anyone in his life. Doesn't know trust from his asshole. All he knows is violence."

I sighed. "Well, this time, violence didn't work."

"He's certainly being punished by the Warden now," Takahashi rasped. "Gods have mercy on him."

Hell. I couldn't imagine what kind of torture they'd put our teachers through to have Takahashi feel sorry for Mad Dog. He was a gentle guy, anyhow, but to show forgiveness to an enemy after what he'd been through meant the Warden was probably submitting Mad Dog to horrible pain right now.

I put a hand on his shoulder. "You're safe with us now, Professor. Let's get you all healed up."

A team of medical staff arrived then, and I undid Takahashi's handcuffs and helped him onto the gurney. Marcus and I followed the medics to the hospital wing.

On the way there, I overheard Takahashi literally weeping in what seemed like relief. Shit. I felt terrible for him. It was awful, listening to a poor old man cry.

"Takahashi looks bad, dude," Marcus murmured. "He's basically skin and bones. There's nothing left to him. What The Mission did to him was really fucked up."

"Did you read him?" I asked.

Marcus shuddered. "Yeah. I touched him when I helped lift him onto the gurney. He and Hemlock were held in an underground room for months, far below ground. There were no windows, or any light. No sun or stars. Everything was reinforced with noxite. They had no magic, and food was withheld for weeks. The Warden came down frequently to watch them be interrogated. They used everything— magic, torture devices. Blood was just… all over the place."

Marcus sounded sick as he added, "When he got angry they didn't comply, he gave them to his guards to torment."

A disgusting sickness welled inside my gut and paralyzed all my senses. The Warden had done the same to me in Cellblock 9; once he'd drained my power, he'd handed me off to his vampire guards to have fun with. They'd blood let me with every instrument they could get their hands on.

I hadn't even endured that for very long, and I couldn't think about it without wanting to scream. I'd blocked out that small part of my life since it'd happened, because I didn't think my sanity could take it if I faced what happened down in Cellblock 9 again.

Hemlock and Takahashi had gone through the same… for months.

"It won't go unpunished," I promised. "We're going to make The Mission suffer."

I felt Ava brushing up against our bond before we arrived at the hospital, and I realized I hadn't been paying attention to my bond since Oberi cut me off. We hurried through the doors to the medical wing, and I could hear Ava and Kallie speaking to one another nearby. The staff wheeled Takahashi away, while Marcus and I rushed over to the girls.

"Hemlock and Takahashi are in the palace," I blurted, before anyone else could get a word in.

We're well aware, Oberi replied, ruffling her feathers from the back of Ava's chair. Didn't I tell you we were busy?

Fucking hell. Hemlock had gotten to Ava first, and I'd been too preoccupied to notice. That scared me, because even though our bond was strong, things still went unnoticed even in the most trying of times.

I ran my hands over Ava's arms, searching for signs of injury, but I found none. "Are you safe?"

"Rattled, but I'm fine," she admitted. "Can't say the same for Hemlock."

"What happened to you?" I asked desperately. I hated that I hadn't been there for her.

"Hemlock was waiting for me in the halls. She sprung out at us, but Eldin stopped her, and held her off," Ava explained.

"It wasn't her," I insisted. "She and Takahashi were both compelled— by Mad Dog, no less."

"We figured that," Kallie said. "It was too good to be true that we got rid of those fuckheads forever."

"By the time Oberi pinned her, Danny showed up. He lifted the compulsion on her. She's recovering," Ava explained.

Kallie huffed. "Regardless, they're here now, and that's good news. If anything, the Warden did us a favor by sending them here. Now they're back with us, and safe, but the Warden's infiltrated the palace twice now. Who's to say he won't try?—"

"He won't get to you again," a booming voice came from behind us.

It was obvious who he was, because the atmosphere changed when he entered the hospital wing. Voices turned to whispers, and people scurried out of his way. The Emperor commanded respect so casually that I didn't even think he noticed. It was completely natural to him.

Ancestors, I wanted to be just like him one day.

My grandfather must've just received the news of the intruders, and he did not sound happy. "This is the second time Doctor Taurus' assassins have infiltrated the palace, and I daresay I don't trust my own security force. We diverted military forces from the palace to fight The Mission, and that was nearly a fatal mistake. I'm increasing our security force— again. No one will get in and out of the palace without me knowing about it. Our empire could have lost you both today, and it'd have devastated all of Ilamanthe."

"Believe me, seanari, it'll take a lot more than a compulsion spell to kill us," I told him.

"I don't care what Doctor Taurus tries next. He won't hurt either one of you," Cassiel insisted. "Neither one of you are free to roam the palace on your own. Your guards will follow you wherever you go. I don't care if they have to watch you piss; you will remain in their line of sight at all times. Do you understand?"

I wanted to protest, because it sounded a lot like being locked up all over again. I didn't make my guards follow me everywhere, and I gave Eddie days off, like today, because I enjoyed my freedom.

But I understood why my grandfather insisted we take these precautions. At first, I thought he was being overly cautious with his security detail following him everywhere. Now it made sense. I didn't like it, but it was a whole lot better than ending up dead— which had nearly happened twice in less than a few weeks now.

"I understand," I told him.

I don't like taking orders from your grandfather, even if he is the Emperor, Ava said through the bond. We're in charge here, too.

He's just trying to keep us safe, I replied. If you don't want to take orders from him, take them from me. You've got a curfew now and rules to follow, pidge. If you choose to act like a brat, I will punish you accordingly, and believe me, it won't be the fun kind.

I could feel Ava wavering, because she liked being a brat and having her way, but knew as well as I did how crucial this had become. Fine. I'll behave, she agreed.

I turned back to my grandfather. "When can we see Takahashi and Hemlock?"

"They're with the healers now," he said. "You'll be able to see them once they're stable."

We sat in the waiting room for over an hour, until a nurse came out to tell us Hemlock was awake. We decided Ava and I would go visit Hemlock first. Kallie and Marcus could visit Takahashi, because we didn't want to crowd either of them.

I wheeled Ava into the room. Oberi flew off the back of the chair and landed on the bed beside Hemlock. I could feel her working her healing magic through the bond.

The healers did well, Oberi noted. She's doing much better now.

"Ava, Charlie," Hemlock said, sounding relieved. "It's so good to see you."

The way her voice sounded shocked me. Hemlock was such a strong person— so strict, no nonsense. She was a fae in every sense of the word, because she was tough and endured no matter what came her way.

But now… she didn't sound that way anymore. She seemed fragile and weak. Her typically strong tone was so subdued.

I had the thought that even though Hemlock and Takahashi were here with us now, the Warden might've taken them from us anyway. They weren't the same people anymore as a result of his torture, and I hated him for it.

Ava kept on the facade of everything being normal even though it wasn't— because I couldn't, and she knew it. "It's good to see you, too, Professor." Ava wheeled herself forward and planted herself at Hemlock's bedside. "We had no idea where you'd gone all these months. We've been so worried."

Hemlock gave a gasping cough. "It doesn't matter what I've been through or where I've been. The important thing is that you're safe, which is what Hiroto and I did our best to maintain."

Ava and I shared unease across our bond. "You didn't have to do that. You could've given in and saved yourself."

Hemlock let out a harsh laugh. "There are far less important reasons for me to resist Doctor Taurus, the littlest of them being that I despise him. It was nothing to endure what he put us through in order to protect you all."

"What did they do to you?" Ava whispered, and I heard her voice quiver. Like Takahashi, Hemlock must've looked terrible. I was happy not to see it; I wanted to pretend like they were as they always had been, not tormented by the worst of the world.

"Nothing I didn't survive," Hemlock replied, and she didn't elaborate. I understood why— she didn't want to burden us with what she'd been through, though I knew most of it from what Marcus had told me, and she didn't want to relive it by recounting it now.

Hemlock shifted on the bed. "But you… Ava. A princess, and the Holy Mother to Elvish kind. I couldn't be more proud. I heard you two are getting married again."

"We are," Ava gushed. "I absolutely can't wait. We need you to be there— no, we need you to officiate the ceremony. You married us the first time, you should marry us again."

"I love that idea, but we need an Elvish mystic to marry us, pidge," I reminded her. My grandfather had made that part very clear during our wedding planning that we had to get married in the temple.

"So? We'll make Hemlock a mystic, then," Ava demanded. "She's been studying the Elves for decades. She knows more about their religion, culture and lifestyle than anyone. She should be accepted by the Elves as one of their own and installed as a religious figure at the temple— that is, as long as she's open to it."

Hemlock gave a light laugh that seemed very pained. "A dream of mine, once considered foolish and out of reach. But an Elvish mystic… I never thought I'd get the chance. If it's possible, I absolutely will take the rites and join their ranks as a mystic."

"I'll talk to the temple," Ava said in excitement. "I'm sure they'll induct you as a mystic as soon as possible, if only to please me."

"It would be a great honor to be a part of the Elvish temple," Hemlock said. She gave a tired sigh. "I will be happy to marry you once again. Hopefully I will be strong enough to perform the ceremony."

"You will be," Ava promised. "I'll come in and heal you myself every day. We'll even put the wedding off, if we have to."

My grandfather was not going to be okay with that idea, but Hemlock wheezed again and said, "There will be no need. I will be strong enough to wed you when it is time. Go, now. I need rest, and neither of you should be worrying over a silly old woman like me."

"We will worry over you. Very much, every day until you're well again," Ava insisted.

"Then I'm sure I'll be well again very quickly, if only so you can be at peace," Hemlock said.

We had to leave, because Hemlock sounded too tired to talk anymore. We left the room. We barely had time to close the door behind us before we ran right into Eddie.

"I'm so very sorry, my prince," Eddie apologized profusely. "I heard what happened. I should've been there to protect you."

"I ordered you not to be, Eddie. It wasn't your fault," I stated.

Eddie gave a nervous laugh. "Well, I suppose you did. I am just glad that I am not being replaced, like the others on the palace's security council."

"Replaced? Like, fired?" Ava questioned.

"Oh no, princess," Eddie said, sounding very serious. "The Head of Security, General Ibrahim, as well as his second, Colonel Amilda, were both executed immediately after it was discovered the prince was attacked yet again within palace walls."

"What?" Ava screeched. "They're dead?"

"You must understand," Eddie replied, sounding confused. "They had their second chance after Danielle infiltrated, and they blew it. The Emperor was not going to allow them to fail a third time and put the prince at risk yet again. They were happy to kneel before the executioner, to atone for their humiliation at failing the royal family. Death was the only way to repay the crime they had committed, and they were glad to pay the price."

Eddie's voice fell in shame. "The Emperor knows you favor me, and that we are close. It is the only reason my head is currently still on my shoulders. Otherwise, he would've found Charlie a new guard."

"But that's absolutely ridiculous!" Ava yelled.

"Ava, quiet down," I ordered. We didn't need anyone overhearing us.

I have to agree, Oberi spoke up. That does seem barbaric.

"Your safety is paramount here within the palace," Eddie stated. "This time, not only Charlie was attacked, but you were also in danger. The Emperor nearly lost his mind when he was told the princess was nearly stabbed within his walls. It is a mistake that must be accounted for."

Eddie's tone grew cheery once again. "But regardless, we must press onward! I will not leave your side for anything, my prince! Not ever again!"

I nearly let out a groan. There went any private time I had to breathe without Eddie being there to ask if I needed him to do it for me.

We returned to our quarters. Eddie reassured us that we'd have privacy within our room, but anywhere else we went in the palace, we'd be thoroughly watched.

"Eddie's brainwashed," Ava hissed under her breath the minute we were away from him. "Can you imagine! Cassiel orders these people to die, and they just… do?"

"Look at the family we're in, pidge. This is how things run around here, how they've been run for thousands of years," I insisted.

"Charlie, it's fucked up your grandpa killed those guards," Ava said fiercely. "They might've made a mistake, but it didn't warrant them dying, let alone being happy about walking themselves to the execution block!"

"Maybe those guards didn't deserve death, but they definitely fucked up by letting Danielle into the palace, along with Takahashi and Hemlock," I pointed out. "Something could've happened to you— something did happen to me, and the only reason I'm still here to talk about it is because you're exceptional at pulling miracles out of your ass. I wouldn't be here if I didn't have you, and we're important to the Elvish people. We can't die; otherwise, the Warden wins. One mistake could cost us this whole war. If he has to send a message to prevent one of us from literally dying, then so be it."

Ava paused, thinking this over. "I still don't think it was right."

"You don't have to. When I'm Emperor, you can help me call the shots, but it's my grandfather's palace now. That means we have to play by his rules— which I'm more than willing to do, if it's going to keep you safe."

She huffed. "I just don't want to be locked in a cage."

"That'll never happen," I promised, and I leaned down to give her a kiss. "I'll make sure of it."

A week passed since Takahashi and Hemlock arrived in Ilamanthe, and they were doing much better now, though I couldn't say they were back to normal. They never would be. Normal was a long-lost concept now. The Mission had put them through heinous torture, and it wasn't the kind of thing they'd ever forget.

But Hemlock and Takahashi were strong. If anything, their experience had only made them more resolute. They were going to take down the Warden with us, and failure wasn't an option. The minute they were released from the hospital, they were already back to work with the Demigod Guardians, meeting frequently with Professors Amber and Wykoff, and helping the Elvish Associates fortify the city.

I was pissed about what happened and angry that the Warden had ever gotten his hands on my teachers. I needed to hit something, and my friends knew me well enough to know it, even though I hadn't admitted it out loud.

Marcus had planned a bachelor party at a boxing club in the city, but since the palace was on high alert and security followed me everywhere, he decided to bring the boxing club to me. They'd transformed one of the state rooms into a temporary boxing arena, complete with a professional boxing ring and a set of bleachers for the others to watch when they weren't in the ring. Alistair had set up a whole bar with a keg, and Eddie had ordered a bunch of junk food from the royal kitchens. We drank and laughed and beat the shit out of each other.

Alistair finally went into the ring like he'd wanted to all these years, and he had Marcus on the ground with his arm twisted behind his back in under a minute. Rishi yowled, and Pig tackled him, until the cats were engaged in a match of their own. Rishi won, so Marcus and Alistair agreed they were even.

Eddie was hesitant to fight, because it wasn't in him to hurt someone unless it was to protect me, but I convinced him it was good for practice. He was pretty bent out of shape that he hadn't been there with me when Takahashi attacked, and he was looking to make it up to me. Once he got in the ring with Ezekiel, Eddie was laughing maniacally. Eddie was a natural, and poor Ez was pretty beat up by the end of it.

Chancey and I went at it for what felt like hours. We'd always wanted to get in the ring and see who was better, but the last time we did it, Captain wanted us to fight to the death. This time, we got to go at it properly— no cheating, no using magic, and no kill shots.

It was fantastic. I'd had the time of my life whacking him around, and he felt the same.

Chancey ended up tapping out, and we both stumbled to the edge of the ring with massive black eyes and a couple of missing teeth. Nothing the healers couldn't fix up. I didn't think the royal cleaners would be pleased about all the blood sprayed across the tile, but it was whatever. I had the best time with my buddies that day, and I felt a hell of a lot better about all the shit that had happened recently.

The wedding was quickly approaching, and Ava had requested a meeting with her mother before we got too distracted with last-minute wedding preparations. We didn't like being apart from each other if we didn't have to, so I tagged along. Eddie accompanied us, along with Ava's guard Eldin.

Liam seemed surprised when we showed up at their quarters. "Peanut! What are you doing here?"

"We came to talk to Mama. Is she around?" Ava asked as I pushed her inside. Oberi ruffled her feathers from the back of Ava's chair.

Sophia came out of the bathroom, and a small creature meeped from her arms. It shook its fur and sprayed water all over me.

"I just got done giving Buttercup a bath," Sophia said. "You must be here about your pictures. I've picked out a few highlights, but I'm not done going through them all."

Yesterday, Ava and I had spent most of the day in the gardens with her mother, taking engagement photos. Ava loved photoshoots, and I'd do anything to make her happy. The whole thing had taken hours, and Ava had at least six outfit changes.

"Come on, I'll show you." Sophia set Buttercup down, and the kurble immediately jumped down and raced to another room with aggravated chitters. Ava's mom led us to the bedroom, where her laptop was set up on a desk. I heard her let out a gasp as she said, "Oh, no! I didn't realize I'd left a cup of coffee?—"

Her words cut off, and I heard her move something aside as she hissed, "Ugh, Jonah!"

What happened? I asked Ava through our bond.

It looks like a coffee cup spilled all over her open laptop, but it's just a piece of plastic shaped and dyed to look like a coffee spill, and a styrofoam cup, Ava replied humorously. My uncle must've snuck in here and planted it as a joke. He and my mom have had a prank war going on for over twenty years.

"I'm going to get him back good next time," Sophia grumbled. She started clicking keys on the laptop.

"He clearly hasn't forgiven you for putting shaving cream inside his pillow," Ava said with a laugh.

"Laptops are off limits, he knows that. Rules of the game. I'm going to have to elevate my next prank," Sophia replied, sounding devious.

Ava laughed, and I smiled. I thought it was cute that Sophia and Jonah were still goofing around decades after they'd left college. I wanted my friends and me to stay that close, no matter how old we got.

There's almost nothing in their bedroom, Ava noted. They weren't given much time to evacuate Kinpago. Only their most treasured items from the house are here.

That's not fair, I replied telepathically. I'm sure there's a lot of history they miss.

I felt Ava's curiosity pique as she explained to me, There's a framed abstract painting above their bed. It's multi-colored, with a variety of splotches and splatters of color all across the canvas. There's no rhyme or reason to it.

I wondered what it could be. An abstract painting seemed to be a weird thing to save from their old home while fleeing for their lives.

"Hey, what's that?" Ava asked her mother.

Sophia paused. "Oh, that? Don't mind it. It's just a painting your father and I made… uh, together, to replace one we'd lost during the Hawkei Civil War."

I'm guessing they didn't use paint brushes, Oberi joked.

I wasn't going to go there, because I wasn't interested in knowing how Ava's parents got it on. Like, good for them; I hoped Ava and I were still banging hardcore after twenty years of marriage. But it's not like I wanted to picture my in-laws like that.

"Oh, I love it!" Ava squealed as Sophia clicked a button on her computer. "Charlie, in this one you're sitting on the edge of the fountain with me on your lap, dipping me into a kiss."

I smiled at the memory. I didn't really care for the photos themselves, but our time together in the gardens— hugging her close and goofing around— had been really fun.

"Oh my ancestors! This one is it!" Ava was so excited that she yanked on my sleeve. "It's the one where Oberi's in unicorn form, and we're both on her back. I'm sitting backwards on Oberi facing you, and I'm holding your face in my hands. Our foreheads are touching, and it's sooo cute. My pink silk dress is flowing in the wind. I want this framed in our quarters!"

I placed a hand on her back. "Anything you want, pidge."

Sophia clicked through a few more photos, and Ava raved about them all, but nothing could compare to the photo of us on Oberi's back. She talked about it all throughout the session.

"That's all I've gotten through so far," Sophia said. "I'll show you more later."

"I want a whole book of them!" Ava requested brightly.

"I'm sure we can get one printed," Sophia offered.

"Thank you so much, Mama. I really appreciate it, but we didn't come for the photos," Ava admitted.

Sophia sounded confused. "What can I help with?"

"I've been thinking a lot about what happened with Charlie in the hospital," Ava said. "I can't let Charlie— or anyone else— get into a situation like that again where he was poisoned and I couldn't help. I need to be able to heal people whenever I have to. My Anichi powers still aren't everything they could be. You're the most advanced Spirit caster I know, so I need you to teach me what to do."

I hated that this was weighing on her, because it wasn't her fault that she'd struggled to heal me. It was the fucking Warden's. He'd done everything he could to circumvent her powers, and she still saved my life. That alone showed how incredible she was.

Ava wasn't as helpless as she thought she was. I suspected she knew that and that's why she brought me along. She needed me to be a part of this lesson so that when she doubted herself, I could remind her how strong she was.

Sophia stood. "Of course I'll help, honey. Let's go outside. The terrace is lovely."

We stepped through a sliding glass door attached to the kitchen. My Air magic swirled around the area, and I could feel that we'd stepped onto a terrace that was large and square. It was large enough to house a dragon. As members of the royal family, her parents were given a large suite at the top of one of the tallest towers. We walked along a brick path, and a small fountain trickled at the center of the terrace. I inhaled the sweet scent of potted flowers, and I felt the sway of small palm trees.

Eddie and Eldin remained several paces behind us. They didn't want to crowd us, but they wanted to be close so they could react quickly to any threats. Oberi landed on top of a palm tree to watch over us. Sophia led us to a small table surrounded by chairs, and I took a seat.

"I want to know everything an Anichi like me can do," Ava said.

"You're most familiar with healing magic, but our capabilities go beyond healing," Sophia explained. "Anichi means spirit, so we have the ability to manipulate spirit energy. Spirit is an energy that is all around us— within our bodies, inside the Earth, and even in light particles. Everything has a spirit, and we as Anichi can harness that power. We can use it to heal, as well as influence light."

"How do you use that practically in times of war?" I wondered. Ava had heard a lot of this from her mother before, but I didn't know a lot about Anichi magic, and I wanted to know more.

"Anichi can emit light from their hands to guide a dark path ahead, and they can bend light waves around themselves to turn themselves invisible," Sophia said.

My eyebrows shot up. "Invisibility? That's incredible."

"It's a complicated technique only the most advanced Anichi can do," Sophia replied. "It requires a deep desire to disappear to master."

Ava snorted. "That's the exact opposite of me. I want everyone to notice me when I enter the room. What can I say? I was born to be a royal."

"I still think you could do it, with practice," Sophia said. "You may find it useful one day."

"I want to try," Ava requested. "If I'm invisible, the Warden won't know I'm coming."

"Okay. Let's give it a shot," Sophia replied. "Picture wrapping light around your body, forming the molecules to your form?—"

"Hey, I think I've got it!" Ava cried.

I obviously couldn't notice a difference, but Oberi said, Ava's completely disappeared. I can't see her anymore, and I can't see her chair, either. She wrapped her Spirit magic around herself and is completely unable to be seen by the naked eye.

Sophia sounded concerned. "Ava… that's incredible. It took me some time to learn invisibility magic properly."

"Well, I just accomplished it in seconds," Ava said proudly. I heard a whooshing noise beside me as she reappeared. "What else can I do?"

"You can use shields," Sophia listed off. "That's one of an Anichi's most important abilities."

"I've done that," Ava said. "I used a shield in the forest when the other demigods came for us, before Eddie portaled us to Ilamanthe. Now that I know how to do it, it's pretty easy, because I just want to protect my friends."

"You must realize that Anichi magic has duality, just like any magic," Sophia explained. "We can use it to protect and heal, but we can also use it to destroy and kill."

I felt a thrill go through Ava at the idea. She'd use any tools at her disposal to take down the Warden, and so would I. I couldn't be sure if Sophia noticed Ava's reaction, but she must've, because she was quick to add a warning.

"You must be certain with your intent before you cast a spell," Sophia pressed. "What we're able to do is not something to take lightly. People will die, and that's a decision we can never take back."

I didn't think Sophia regretted what she'd done during the Hawkei Civil War, but there was definitely a darkness to her warning that said she wasn't proud. She'd done what she had to in order to save her people, but she hadn't won the Hawkei Civil War unscathed. It'd left deep scars I wasn't sure I could comprehend.

"You can trust me, Mama. I know where to put my energy," Ava told her mother.

She was careful with her words, but I felt the meaning crystal clear. She'd already weighed who would die by her hand. She just had to decide the best way to take them out.

"Very well," Sophia said. "While your light can guide your way, it can also be used to blind your enemies. Your shields can be used to protect, but it can also crush those who get in your way. You can project a shield around them and squeeze, until their bones crush. Your healing magic can save your people on the battlefield, but you can also reverse it, to suck the life force from enemy forces. You can also concentrate your Spirit energy into orbs, to use as weapons."

"Great!" Ava said chipperly. "Let's try it."

Sophia drew a deep breath, as if demonstrating for Ava. "Spirit is a calm energy, and it takes careful discernment to feel into it and access?—"

"Well, would you look at that?" Ava interrupted. Her Spirit magic flowed through the bond, and warmth blossomed across my skin, but I didn't know what she'd done.

Would you stop shining that in my direction? Oberi snapped. You'll end up with two blind companions, and you'll have to be the eyes for all three of us.

"You're emitting light?" I wondered.

"Yeah," Ava said proudly. "I can make my hands glow bright— like, really bright. If it were nighttime, I bet I could light up the whole palace like it was daytime. I can keep going."

"Not if you want the rest of us to keep our vision by the end of it," Sophia insisted.

The warmth on my skin disappeared as Ava pulled her magic back.

"Are you sure Spirit is calm energy?" Ava asked skeptically. "Because I'm pure chaos, and that was easy. Give me a harder one."

"All right. Let's see what you can do with a shield, besides just conjuring it," Sophia said. "Project the shield outside of yourself, around that rose bush. Then slowly compress your shield until it crushes the bush."

Ava had already gotten to work. The sound of snapping twigs filled the courtyard. At the same time, my lungs became heavy, like something was squeezing them.

Then I realized it was my Earth magic responding to her attack. I could feel the rose bush being squashed. The smell of roses filled my nose, but it wasn't a pleasant floral scent. It was the smell of death as the petals were pulverized to nothing.

I held my breath, each passing moment more agonizing than the last. The bush continued to snap and groan as Ava reduced it to shreds. I winced, and I wasn't sure how much more I could handle. My magic ached, and all I wanted was to bring the rose bush back to life, but I didn't want to stop her, either. Ava had to master this. It could be a way to beat the Warden.

Finally, Ava let up, and I sucked in a deep breath of relief. A breeze swept through the courtyard, sending a whirlwind of dust particles over my arm. Ava had squeezed so hard that the rose bush was nothing more than a pile of dust now.

"Sorry, Charlie," Ava said sadly. She could obviously sense my unease.

I sat up straighter. "We have to do what needs to be done to grow your powers."

"I don't need much practice," Ava admitted. "That was easy. Let's try reversing life force energy. That seems more complicated."

"This technique requires accessing your healing magic," Sophia told her. "Notice how your healing magic comes from a place of love and care. It can also be the opposite— you can pull from hate and destruction. To do this, you must reverse your healing magic, and draw the life force out of a living being."

"How's she going to practice that?" I asked. "She can't try on just anyone. She'll kill them."

"Wait here." Sophia got up from the table, then came back a few minutes later. She laid something on the table in front of us. I heard labored panting and realized it was some kind of animal.

"This rabbit is a Familiar that was bonded to an Elementai who died months ago," Sophia explained.

"I thought Elementai and Familiars couldn't live without each other, so if you killed one, you killed both," I said.

"That's true, but if the Elementai and Familiar are older, or if the bond between them was strained, the dying process for the remaining partner can sometimes take weeks after the first one is gone," Sophia said. "The Anichi healers and I have tried everything we can to help this Familiar's soul pass on, but he seems stuck here. This is an opportunity to teach you how to use your powers, Ava. Help this poor creature die so he can rejoin his Elementai, even in the inbetween place."

The rabbit panted harder. Clearly, this Familiar was in pain, and helping him to live on wouldn't do any good. The merciful thing would be to end his life, even if he couldn't get into the Ancestral Lands right now.

"I'll try. What do I need to do?" Ava asked, and she shifted to hover her hand over the animal.

"Instead of asking your Spirit magic to heal the animal, do the opposite," Sophia instructed. "Have your powers indicate to the body that it needs to start shutting down."

Ava cast the spell, and I could feel tingles of her power spreading out throughout the space, even though I was sitting right next to her. The rabbit gave a shriek and shuddered, twitching on the table.

"It's working, but he's fighting me," Ava said. "What do I do?"

"Sometimes, death is frightening," Sophia said. "Let your magic tell his soul that there's nothing to worry about, and he can go on to a safe place while continuing to draw his remaining energy out."

Ava did so. The rabbit gave a last breath, and the noise fell silent.

After a few moments, Ava said, "It worked. His heart stopped. I felt the moment he rejoined his Elementai. They're together now, even if they can't get into the Ancestral Lands."

"Very good, Ava," Sophia stated. "Now you understand that healing magic isn't just restoring. It is also taking."

Fabric rustled as she wrapped the rabbit's body in a blanket and took him into the house. "I will bury him beside his Elementai after our lesson. It's only right that they be reunited. No Elementai should be separated from their Familiar for long."

There was an ache in her voice I couldn't place and didn't understand. Ava turned to Sophia. "Mama, if I can do all this so easily, maybe there's more I can do— like how I healed Charlie in the hospital."

"What were you thinking?" Sophia asked curiously.

"Can you go get Daddy?" Ava asked.

Sophia hesitated. "Ava, I know you don't want to see your father suffer, but this won't be the same. We've had the best Anichi healers working with him for decades?—"

"No, you haven't," Ava insisted. "I'm the best Anichi healer there is, and you didn't have me. Can't I at least talk to him about it and see what he thinks?"

Sophia sighed and stood from her chair. "You can talk to him, but ultimately, this decision is up to him."

Sophia left to go get Liam.

I turned to Ava. "You think you can heal your dad's illness the same way you healed me from the poison?"

"Why not?" Ava asked. "I regrew whole organs. Why can't I regrow my father's body?"

"Because his illness affects every organ and body system all at once," I said. "When you regrew my body, it was similar to transplanting one organ at a time. Your dad's condition would require you to destroy him altogether, and if you did that, there'd be nothing left to regrow."

"We don't know that," Ava argued. "At least let me talk to him."

"Even if you could heal him, you need to be prepared if he says no," I pressed.

"I know you wouldn't want to be cured of your blindness, but this is different," Ava insisted.

"Is it?" I shook my head. "I've lived most of my life as a blind person. I've learned how to navigate the world in my own way. If you were to regrow my eyes and give me my sight back, I wouldn't know what to do with it. I'd be too overstimulated, and I'd have to completely change the way I interact with life and learn a whole new way of being. My disability has never been the problem— the problem is the way people treat me. But here in Ilamanthe, where everything is accessible to people like us, I don't feel like my disability is a hindrance, because I'm given the tools I need to thrive. I like the way I experience the world, and I wouldn't want to have it any other way. I'm not saying all disabled people would feel the same, because we all experience life differently, but that's how it is for me. Maybe your dad likes the way he is, and doesn't want to change."

"I'm not sure I could regrow your eyes, even if I wanted to," Ava admitted. "You lost your sight due to a spell the gods created. I'm powerful, but I'm not more powerful than a god."

"Promise me you won't try," I pressed. "I gave up my sight to save your life, and if we were to reverse that, we could reverse the spell, and you might not survive that."

Ava scoffed, and I could tell she was rolling her eyes. "Fine. If you don't want me to try, then I won't."

I smiled. "That's my good girl."

Sophia and Liam returned to the terrace, and they both took a seat at the table.

"All right," Liam grumbled. "Let's move it along."

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" I asked cautiously.

Liam grunted. "My illness has been a pain in the ass since I was diagnosed. I don't really expect to be cured, but I guess I'll just have to live with the inconveniences of not feeling like shit everyday if this actually works. What a tragedy."

Ava's voice brightened. "Mama explained to you what I want to do?"

"You want to try and cure my illness, but it's not going to work, so we might as well get it over with," Liam said. "Let's give it a shot, so I can get back to what I was doing."

"Daddy, you're such a pessimist," Ava grumbled.

"Whoa, back up," I balked. "I don't think you clearly understand what Ava's suggesting. She wants to destroy your organs and regrow them, like she did to me in the hospital, in order to cure your condition. You guys can't seriously think this would work? She'd have to completely regrow your immune system, and that's not something even the best healers in the world can do. Even if it could work in theory, Ava could kill you in the process. This isn't worth risking."

"Eh, if I die, I'm ready to go," he replied.

"Liam," Sophia growled, and he gave a skeptical snort.

Liam seemed anything but bothered. I couldn't believe him. Did anything shake this guy?

"Death isn't something you want right now," I warned. "In case you forgot, nobody's making it to the Ancestral Lands these days."

"I've lived through everything that's tried to kill me over the years, Ava included. She's not gonna hurt me now, believe me," Liam grumped.

"I'm not going to kill you," Ava insisted. "Just let me try."

Ava was stubborn, so Liam begrudgingly held his arm out for her to take. The warmth of her healing magic radiated through the area once again, though Liam didn't respond.

"Do you feel any better?" Ava asked hopefully.

"Just as spectacular as always, which means no," Liam replied.

"I need to try harder! Ugh!" Ava made noises of frustration as she worked her healing magic, which clearly wasn't doing anything.

After a few minutes passed, Sophia drew her hands away. "You're exerting yourself for nothing, sweetheart. Your father's illness hasn't changed."

"Gee, what a shock," Liam huffed. "I really appreciate that you tried, peanut, but I'm used to it. Really, it doesn't bother me that much anymore."

"I don't get it!" Ava said angrily. "How can I do so much, but I can't cure this? I was able to heal Ez from sepsis, I could regrow your guys' organs…"

"Disabilities and chronic conditions are a little different," Sophia stated. "Many supernaturals think they're a result of life contracts we made before we were born, and your magic can't override that, not unless that person wishes to change the contract they already made. You always need a person's consent to heal them before you do so; otherwise, the magic doesn't work. Spirit magic will fail to heal a person who's lost the will to live, and I'm assuming it doesn't work to heal conditions that supernaturals have chosen to undergo in order to learn life lessons to carry into the spiritual realm after death."

"But why would Daddy choose to be sick? That's so offensive to say," Ava argued.

"Because I like to live life on extra-hard mode to impress everyone else," Liam said.

"Daddy, this isn't the time for jokes," Ava grumbled.

Liam gave a huff. "It's not really a joke."

"Disabilities don't have to always be hard. Sometimes, they're just different," I pointed out to Ava. "Remember what I talked about when we discussed my blindness? If everyone in this world was the same, it'd be void of variety and life. Some people want to be healed, and some don't, and that's just fine. You know as well as I do that people don't have to be able-bodied to be whole. That's just the expectation society puts on us."

"Yes. And Anichi magic knows that." Ava sighed. "We've found the one thing I can't do, which kinda sucks."

"You can do everything else, so don't be disappointed," Liam said. "It's probably good you have some limits."

I got the hidden message there. If Ava had no limits at all, that wasn't a good thing, because she barely controlled herself as it was, and that was with me guiding her most of the time. If she was limitless, there was no telling what she'd try.

"I have a theory, but no one's ever done it before," Sophia said. "But you aren't like other Anichi. I want to see if it works for you."

"Ooh. What is it?" Ava gushed.

"Traditionally, the Elementai draw their magic from their Familiars, but talented Elementai like your father and I are able to draw magic from other sources. We call it intrafusion," Sophia said. "We can draw power from magical creatures that share our element, or from other elemental sources. In my case, I'm able to draw Fire magic from the sun, and your father can draw Water energy from the moon. Nivita and Yapluma should be able to draw power from the earth and the atmosphere, as those powerful forces correlate with their elements."

"What about Spirit?" Ava asked. "Would I have to pull from people's souls?"

"No," Sophia answered. "As you know, within our culture, we believe that everything has a spirit, even the rocks, the rivers, and the mountains. There is a spirit within the planet itself. It's the planet's life essence, which gives plants and animals the power to grow and thrive here. It's different from Charlie's Earth magic, where his power is tied to dirt, rocks and plants. There is a spirit within the planet itself, as the planet is a living being with her own soul. I believe that if you are strong enough, you can tap into the soul of the Earth and use her power, the way your father and I use other planetary bodies to influence our magic."

"That sounds incredible!" Ava cried. "I want to try it right now!"

"I thought so." Sophia laughed. "But to do so, we'll have to relocate to the gardens."

"Let's do it, then," Ava proclaimed. "There's no time to lose!"

Around a half hour later we gathered around Ava in the palace gardens, waiting to see what would happen. Ava sat on the ground as Sophia instructed her to do, her palm spread over the earth. Oberi perched in a nearby tree to observe.

"See if you can feel the Earth's spirit," Sophia gently prodded. "It should be like feeling any other soul, in any other kind of entity. View our planet as a person, and deep within, there will be a guiding light?—"

Ava abruptly screamed, cutting her mother off. "I think I feel it!"

We held our breath in hesitation, and Ava started gushing. "Oh. She's beautiful. The Earth has a wonderful, divine feminine spirit. We're kind of alike in that way. She's nurturing and kind, and she reacts by instinct. She wants to feel joy and share that with others. She's extroverted and open, but vulnerable, too. She loves to just be, rather than do. She's creative and gentle and sensitive, but there's a side of her too that's emotional. Her tears fill our rivers, and her volcanic eruptions and earthquakes demand our attention. She doesn't want to be alone— she wants to co-create with us and collaborate."

Spirit magic swelled through the bond. I could feel Ava drawing the magic from the Earth, pulling it into herself.

"The Earth is connected to everyone and everything," Ava said quickly. "Her spirit is tied to the spirit of the ocean, and the soul of the mountains. Every rock, animal and plant resonates and responds to her energy. She's so powerful. Her soul seems to go on forever."

The ground shook a little, and I held my breath. Whatever was going on, this was powerful magic.

"Slow down, Ava," her mother pressed. "You don't want to overwhelm yourself."

Ava blew a breath. "I'm barely getting started."

She continued to pull magic from the Earth, and it seemed to surround us with warmth at all angles. It wasn't hot like her Fire, but more like a comforting blanket.

But even blankets could strangle you. I felt a shift the more Ava worked. Nutrients in the soil converted into Spirit energy at her command. The plants around us began to wilt, and the grass started to die. A bird squawked in a tree above us before falling from its branch and making a splatting noise on the brick path as it died. I felt the trees bend as they started to wither, and a few boulders in the rock garden split in two.

"What's she doing?" Liam panicked. "She shouldn't be able to draw this much power."

"I'm not sure," Sophia wavered. "Ava, hold off."

Ava kept pulling. Oberi leapt from her perch and began making circles overhead, flapping her wings frantically and screeching loudly. Ava, you're drawing too much!

She didn't hear our Familiar. Ava continued to draw from the Earth's soul, a sort of madness permeating our bond as she siphoned the spirit of the Earth's energy. Thunder began to crack overhead, and the area developed a coldness I couldn't shake as an incoming storm started to grow.

She was scaring the shit out of me. This had to end, before there were permanent consequences.

"Ava, stop!" I shouted.

Ava followed my command immediately. The magic subsided, and the warmth returned as the storm dissipated. Everything went back to normal, but the plants and animals she killed remained motionless, and the rocks lay shattered only a few feet away.

"I'm sorry. I— I didn't mean to," Ava stammered. "I didn't realize how much I was taking. It felt so easy."

"You're more powerful than I anticipated, which makes me think this isn't an Anichi power," Sophia mused. "I believe this is a demigod power connected to your abilities— something that only you can do."

"I don't understand," Ava said. "If you and Daddy can draw from the sun and the moon, why can't all Anichi do this?"

"They should be able to, but not to this extent," Sophia said. "Other Anichi can pull from Earth's spirit for energy, but it seems you have no limit. If that's the case… you could manipulate the Earth's soul beyond what any supernatural could ever dream of before."

"You could use the Earth's energy to heal itself," Liam said in wonder.

"What does that mean?" Ava asked. "This spirit energy is everywhere, so if what you're saying is true, I could use it to heal the entire planet— not just rocks and trees, but the souls of people at large, the collective energy of the universe… everything we are."

"It appears so," Sophia said.

"If I can do that, then I can heal the Warden's heart. I can heal the bastard, so he stops being a giant dickhead and starts striving for peace! Nobody else needs to die!" Ava insisted. "We could bring an end to this war! I need to at least try."

Ava didn't wait for permission. The magic around us grew in intensity again.

Nerves shuddered through my body, because I didn't think she understood just how powerful she was. It was dangerous to pursue a theory like this without properly testing it first. She could end up destroying everything, like she had my organs— only there wouldn't be anything left to put together again.

I felt myself pull back, resisting her magic. "Ava, you need to stop before someone gets hurt. We don't know what kind of consequences this could have."

"Either I heal the Warden, or he destroys us all," Ava insisted. "This has to work."

"Ava, don't—" Liam cried, but he didn't get the words out before a massive blast of energy blew us back. It was like a slap in the face, and knocked me off my feet. Liam and Sophia fell down too, and I struggled to get back up as the pulsing waves subsided.

I felt Ava's entire body slump as she said in defeat, "I can't get to him. It's like he's blocking me off."

"Because healing magic needs consent, Ava, like we talked about earlier," Sophia said sternly. "You can't heal the heart of everyone on this planet, especially not people who don't want to be healed."

I scoffed, because she was absolutely right. The Warden had no desire to stop killing people and become a good person. He didn't want to be healed. He was perfectly fine having a dark heart, going around committing evil deeds for as long as he could. Even if Ava could fix him, he wouldn't want her to.

"Let's try on a smaller scale," Liam suggested. "Try healing the plants you nearly killed."

"All right," Ava agreed. "At least it's something."

Ava tried again. Wilted plants sprang upright again, swaying in the breeze like she'd never stolen their power in the first place, and the bent trees righted themselves.

I felt her healing magic brush up against me, but a part of me was scared how easily she'd done all that. Ava didn't have Earth magic. She shouldn't be able to revive the plants— yet she'd tapped into their spirits and done something I'd never witnessed before. It wasn't just scary. It was unnatural beyond belief, and I was momentarily stunned at just how powerful my wife was.

I resisted her magic, and that proved to be a dark mistake. My skin began to sag on my cheeks. My limbs became heavy, and my joints ached.

Sophia gasped and rushed to me. "Charlie, what's happening?!"

The more I resisted Ava's magic, the more it felt like years were being shaved off my life. That only made me more terrified, and I pulled away more. I tried to tell Ava to stop, but I couldn't find the words.

Eddie rushed forward. "Princess! As the Guard to the Emperor's Heir, I demand you stop at once. You're hurting him!"

Ava shifted, and she gasped when she saw what she was doing to me. She pulled back instantly, and I sagged raggedly against the ground. The pain ebbed out of my joints, and my skin smoothed back into place. My whole body shook.

Ava's voice wavered. "I don't understand. I didn't draw enough magic to hurt anyone that time. That shouldn't have happened."

"I resisted you," I admitted, still trying to catch my breath. "It's not going to work— this healing thing. Like your mom said, you need consent. You could've kept going and destroyed me, but if you're going to heal, you need everyone on board. It's like you said; the spirit of the Earth wants to work in collaboration."

"But why do I need consent to heal, but not take?" she questioned. "That doesn't seem right. I don't need consent to pull from the Earth's soul and take her energy, but I need it to actually do any good."

"The Earth's soul is connected to everyone, including you," Sophia said. "You aren't just pulling from the Earth's spirit, you are the Earth, and so are all of us. You don't need consent to draw from yourself."

"But if everyone just got on board, and let me help them, we could stop all the bad stuff in the world!" Ava protested.

"That's not how it works, peanut," Liam said. "You need to work together with people, not force them to make the right choices."

"I understand that," Ava insisted, but I wasn't sure she did. Ava would continue to push the limits, and I feared what would happen if she went too far. She could kill herself if this spell got out of control.

"Perhaps that's enough practice for today," Sophia said hastily. "We should let Ava rest. She cast a lot of magic this afternoon."

"You've learned a lot in one session, peanut," Liam added. "You don't want to overextend yourself."

We all left the gardens. Sophia and Liam went on ahead, while Eddie and Eldin hung back a bit. I pushed Ava's chair forward, and Oberi landed on the back of it.

Ava huffed. "I don't know why we need to stop. I'm not tired at all. My parents don't think I can handle it."

I'm certain they're just trying to keep you safe, Oberi said. They don't understand how powerful you really are. Magic like that would've killed both of them, and they're talented supernaturals.

"We need to be careful," I added. "This kind of magic isn't something you can just play with."

"I know that," Ava snapped.

"No, Ava, I don't think you do," I pressed. I stopped her chair and rounded to the front of it to kneel beside her. I needed her to really listen to what I had to say, because she'd scared me today. "This power might feel like nothing to you because you can handle it, but it's important to recognize your own strength. This is an incredible ability you have, and you can't let it get out of control. You keep saying you understand, but you don't know how far you could take this. None of us do. We have to be careful, so you don't exceed your limits."

Ava rested her hand on mine. "I know you're scared, Charlie, but I'm not. I have this gift for a reason, and I will always use it to help people. If I'm meant to heal the Earth, then that's what I'm going to do. When the time is right and I'm strong enough to pull this spell off, I'm going to cast it, and heal everyone at once. We all have the option to choose bad decisions, but I'm not going to do that. I'll use this ability for good, and only good. I promise."

Ava was firm in her conviction, which told me she believed every word she said. She was certain she was going to use this power to help the world.

Though what I feared most was this ability getting out of hand, because if Ava lost control of this magic, she could destroy it. This kind of power had personal consequences for everybody.

So I had to do my best to keep her magic reigned in. At any cost.