Chapter 39

Iwalked beside Oris so that he could introduce me to the Theran. I didn't know what to say to him and I felt this pull to him like I did to Sono and Neptis. I hoped he'd talk to me like a regular girl like Sono did.

"Why did you run from me that day in the forest when I smelled you for the first time?" he asked.

"I had never met a Theran before and I didn't know if you were like Sono and Volaris. He hadn't told me who I was yet, and I was trying to run because I wasn't sure if I wanted him to tell me who he thought I was. You did try to roll me."

"I was also running because I was angry. I didn't expect to find another Theran that far out. I don't know what it's like to do the other things you can do, but I find that running when I'm angry clears my mind."

"Leodos and Volaris don't understand and yell when I need to leave to run."

"The Tall Man will never understand. If you flew when you were angry, Volaris would understand. I know my father doesn't understand why either of us needs to leave and run and he is Theran."

"Why were you out there? I was told the way I was traveling wouldn't take me anywhere near the tribes. Volaris only found me because of his spies."

"My father was planning my wedding. I don't want to marry the girl he picked for me. She's nasty to my sister and the other Theran girls. I heard Volaris tell you maybe one of the changes you bring is that we will be able to choose our own mates. I hope you do. My sister is attracted to other women. Even if I have to marry Pulvi, I'd prefer if my sister got to be with who she loved."

"My mother thinks you want to marry me."

"When I smelled you in the woods and I saw you come out, I could see you were the most beautiful girl I had ever seen, and the Theran have beautiful women. This was before I smelled you and knew who you were. I feel this pull to you that I can't explain. That's all."

I didn't know what to say to him because I felt that pull to him, too…and Sono and Neptis. I might not have been around that many people, but I knew it was going to cause problems. A tall Theran woman appeared in front of me. She had long, blonde hair and green eyes like the rest of the Theran, but she looked similar to Oris. He introduced her as his mother, Oria. She kept touching my face and hair, which was weird.

"My son has told me about you, and we all want to meet you. We've only seen you from afar during your lessons. We've been teaching Gritt since you gifted him this morning."

"Can I see him?" I asked.

I still wasn't sure what I'd done to him could be considered a gift, no matter what Frog had told me. I needed to hear that from him.

"There's time for that. He's learning what it means to be Theran. Come," Oria said, taking my arm.

I liked Oris standing this close to me, but it was weird to have his mom do it. Oria led me to a group of Theran girls around my age who were sitting and talking. They looked up as we approached. Some of them were staring at me and some were staring at Oris. I didn't know why I hated them staring at him. They finally jumped to up crowd me.

"She's even prettier now that we can see her up close!" one of the Theran girls said, stroking my face.

"I'm so glad she has the hair!" another said with her hands in my hair. "We haven't seen red hair in so long!"

"We should make her even prettier!" one suggested, taking my hands and leading me away from Oris and Oria.

I was being kidnapped again, this time by a bunch of giggling Theran girls who really liked touching me. Oris couldn't even get close to rescue me and it looked like his mom was kidnapping him, too. Someone really needed to save me from the Theran girls.

I didn't even know their names as four Theran girls sat me on a rock and started fussing around me. One of them told the other they should play up my eyes because they were so pretty. One of them came at my eyes with something pointy. I drew back, but I didn't call my fire. I really didn't think Oris would bring me to a bunch of Theran girls who planned on gouging my eyes out.

That would suck. The only way I could test if I could regrow body parts was to cut one off and I really didn't want to do that and be wrong. Thankfully, Belisarus wasn't really interested in testing that like he was my other abilities.

"It's just kohl!" one of them said. "Look at my eyes. I have it on mine. It makes your eyes look prettier."

"Does it hurt?"

They started laughing again.

"It doesn't hurt at all. You will be our queen and we want to help you look the part. Your mother wears kohl, too," she said, coming at me with the stick again.

I didn't draw back this time. If Esylle wore it, maybe it wasn't that bad. I sat there stiffly while the girl drew on my eyelids. It didn't hurt at all, but I still didn't understand why I needed it.

They seemed so happy about how it made my eyes look when they were done. They also put something on my lips to make them darker and put flowers in my hair. A tall girl who looked a lot like Oris but was younger than me joined us and smiled at me.

"Are you girls torturing the Spirus? I'm Fara, Oris's sister," Fara said, winking.

All four girls blushed and giggled just as much as if it were Oris winking at them.

"We just made her prettier, Fara."

"Hmph. My brother likes to pretend he knows how to treat women, but I'm much better at it than he is. I wouldn't have left a pretty girl alone. Oris! Get your arse back here. You aren't being impressive at all for a lion who wants a different wife."

"Can I see Gritt now?" I asked impatiently.

"Gritt needs to learn how to be Theran and you need to learn to be the Spirus," Oria said as she and Oris finally joined us again.

"How does changing what I look like teach me anything? There are things I need to hear from him if you want me to continue to do any of this shit."

Fara just laughed.

"My dad will be less of a grumpy fuck with your face painted so you look older."

"Language," Oria warned.

"She's right," Oris said. "You look beautiful, but you don't have to do that for any of us, much less my father. I'll take you to see Gritt."

That was fucked up. I hadn't seen what I looked like to see if this was even something I liked and wanted to keep doing, but I shouldn't have to so the Theran king wasn't so pissed at me all the time. At least Oris also thought it was a stupid idea.

They took me further into the woods and I could finally pick out Gritt surrounded by several Theran men and women. The Theran seemed to be an affectionate bunch because they seemed to really like stroking his hair and face, too. He didn't seem unhappy at all. There was a huge smile across his face, and he was waving his arms wildly while talking to the other Theran. When he finally noticed me, he ran over, fell on his knees, and rubbed his face on my hands.

Yeah, still weird.

I pulled him to his feet.

"Can we be alone?" I asked, trying to bring him somewhere we could speak privately. The rest of the Theran let us leave. I sat next to him on the ground.

"I know this is new for you and you want this now, but are you going to want it when they expect you to fight? How will you fight as a mouse? You could die this way instead of living your life out as you were."

"But I'm not a mouse anymore! When they brought me back, they explained the ceremony they have when a form is chosen and tried to get me to see if I could choose another. I'm a beast with a horn that can fight now."

"This isn't your war. You didn't ask to be brought into it and you didn't ask me to change you."

"I didn't know anything except trying to hide and eat as a mouse. You only changed me this morning, my senses are so much different. They made food for me that I couldn't eat before and for once, I don't have to worry about getting eaten trying to find food. You seem to be trying to find out if you did something bad to me. This is the best thing you could have done and I would be honored to fight to protect you."

"Do you even understand why you want to protect me?" I asked with a sigh. He had the same answers Frog did, and I wasn't sure they understood.

"The other Therans explained to me who you were and why you were able to change me. I understand more than you seem to think. Some things are new to me, but when I ask questions and they explain, I know now. I just need a few things explained to me. I'm just like them and I'm a little like you."

"I still don't understand how I did this to you," I admitted. "I've only done it once before and he didn't change like you. He didn't think like you right away. I had to teach him."

"They told me about your friend, and we talked about it. Maybe you weren't strong enough yet because you were so young. Some of the Therans think he waited this long to send you because you weren't strong enough yet to do what you needed to do."

"He wouldn't have known that since he told me not to try to make anyone like Frog again and wouldn't tell me how I did it."

"They told me who he was and what he did. I think he knew what he was doing."

"It doesn't seem that way from my end. You seem to understand much for only being a Theran since this morning."

"Is that putting you more at ease about continuing to do what you are supposed to? The Therans have taken me in and done nothing since this morning but answer all of my questions and try to help me. Anyone else you change would have the support of their tribe, I'm sure."

"I still don't understand how I did it and I don't think everyone I change is going to have the reaction you and Frog do."

"I don't see why not. It's pretty amazing. And I can hear them about to come for you. Someone made you food, too. I'll be okay. There's not much that can hurt me now with my new hide and there's even a pretty girl who keeps smiling at me. This is a good thing. Go eat. You probably need to keep up your strength because you've been walking a lot."

"If you need anything or just want to talk, please come find me. If I'm supposed to be doing this, I'm not going to be a complete arsehole about it."

"Go. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but the Theran don't really like who their next queen is going to be. I met her briefly, and she's not nice. I think they are all hoping you and their prince hit it off. Personally, I've only just met you both, and you'd make a much better queen than her, even if you don't know the first thing about ruling."

Fuck. Oris's future wife must be terrible if they thought I was the better choice.