Ayden stood in his grandmother’s office at the Mages Guild, trying to stand tall and hold on to his courage, while she sat behind her desk, looking furious. She was intimidating enough when she wasn’t angry; now she was downright frightening.

“You’re going where?” Meredith demanded.

Ayden looked down at his fidgeting hands. “I’m going with Tess to—”

“I heard what you said,” she snapped. “The only thing you’re leaving Brunya City for is to go to Oraunt, to the Arcane University. You’re not going to throw your life away like your mother did.” She stood now and glared at him. “This childhood friendship has run its course, Ayden. It’s time to grow up and do your duty.”

“I’m going with Tess,” he repeated firmly.

“And just when are you planning on coming back?” she asked. “When are you planning to stop playing around and become a proper mage?”

“I’m not coming back. Well, not for good, anyway. We’re gonna stay on the road, fight whatever evil we can find—help the world be a safer place.”

“You have obligations.”

“I’m not going to the university,” he told her. “And I’m not marrying Elyandra either. I’m going with Tess and someday I’ll marry her.”

“She barely has a drop of magic in her blood!” Meredith thundered. “You have to think of your bloodline!”

He kept his face set in fierce determination even as his insides quivered. He hated this, hated that he was making her so angry, and especially that he was disappointing her. But he held firm. “I love her. That’s more important.”

“You sound just like your mother,” she snarled.

“I’m glad. She was a good person,” he said proudly.

“She was a weak person,” his grandmother told him. “And she regretted it in the end. She resented your father. Love isn’t enough; the greater good of magic is more important than anything. It’s in our blood, it’s who we are.” She struggled to keep her voice level. “Your father was the first non-mage to enter into this family. Luckily, you got a good deal of your mother’s magic. But do not dilute the Farlon bloodline further by having children with such a mild mage.”

He swallowed and looked away. “I’m not having children at all. Tess doesn’t want any.”

Meredith, her lips pressed together in a thin line, looked too angry to speak.

He took a deep breath and faced her again. “I’m leaving in the morning,” he told her firmly. “I’m going with Tess, and I will marry her. I’ll never be with anyone else. I’m sorry. I really do understand what you’re saying, but there’s nothing in this world that’s gonna change my mind.”

“Then don’t you dare come back,” she seethed. “You are a disgrace to this family and no grandson of mine. I want nothing more to do with you!” The contemptuous glare stayed on her face as he turned to leave the room, his eyes stinging with the threat of tears. “The ring,” she said, stopping him. “Give it back. You’re not worthy of wearing it.”

He looked down at his hand, at the gold band with the flat blue stone; it was engraved with the symbol of magic—an eye in a rectangle—and the word Farlon. His chest ached as he pulled the heirloom off his finger and returned it to her. She said nothing more as he left.

He walked slowly out of the Mages Guild. He was supposed to be heading to Tess' house for dinner, but he went to the cemetery instead. He touched his mother’s cold marble tombstone and sighed. “You understand, right?” he asked, and then the tears broke through. He sat, pulled his knees up to his chest, buried his face in his arms, and cried.

__________

When the sun had set and Ayden still didn’t show, Tess knew exactly where to find him. She walked to the goddess of death’s temple. Mortalia’s temple was made of gray stone and had a large stained-glass window in the front. The window was a deep blue, almost black; except for a ring that was clear so at night the lights inside made it glow softly, depicting an eclipse. The sun was the symbol of Aryst, the goddess of healing, who nurtured life, while Mortalia, the goddess of death, was the moon who took life away. And just as the moon reflected some of the sun’s light, so did Mortalia’s ghosts reflect life.

Tess entered the beautifully kept cemetery behind the temple. Everything was lush and green and the flowers were in full bloom. For a place of death, it was very full of life—at least plant life.

She found Ayden sitting against his mother’s tombstone with his face buried in his arms. Tess sat down beside him, leaned her head against his shoulder, and rubbed his arm comfortingly. It wasn’t the first time she had found him like this; he got this way once in a while after having to spend the day with his father.

He looked up and wiped his tears on his shirtsleeve. “Hey... sorry, I know I’m late, I just...”

She sat up straight. “It’s okay. I kind of figured.”

“So, how was your day?” he asked, trying to be light, but it wasn’t very convincing with his red, puffy eyes.

“Great until now,” she complained.

He lowered his gaze. “Sorry.”

“Eh, it’s not your fault the grass is damp. I forgot it rained this morning.”

“Oh, right. Sorry, didn’t notice.”

She laughed. “Well, I guess I’ll forgive you,” she said dramatically, getting him to smile a little. She put her arms around him and pulled him close, holding him. After a while, she sighed. “I really hate him.”

“Who?”

“Your dad, of course. I hate how he hurts you.”

“It’s not him,” he told her. He always said that. He never said anything bad about his father. “It’s... I just miss my mom.” He took a deep breath. “But I’m okay now.”

“Where’s your ring?” she asked, frowning as she noticed his bare fingers.

“Oh... I lost it,” he mumbled.

Her frown deepened. “Wasn’t that your mom’s ring?”

He just nodded as he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying not to cry again.

“Where’d you lose it? I can help you look.”

He was silent for a long moment, then took a final deep breath and opened his eyes again, only to stare at the grass. “Fell in the river,” he told her. “It’s long gone now.”

She sighed. “I’m sorry. That really sucks.”

“Yeah,” he agreed quietly. “Well, we should go.” He gave her a smile, but she could tell it was forced. “Big night.”

She smiled back and stood up, pulling him with her. “Yeah, let’s go share the good news,” she said, sounding excited. He gave her a real smile now, an appreciative one. She understood that he just wanted to let it go. Suddenly, her smile turned into a grin, and she took off running, leaving him to follow.

“Tess!” he called after her. “I worked, you know. I’m tired.” He was serious, but he still laughed softly at her.

She jumped up onto the low stone wall that surrounded the cemetery and looked down at him as he approached. “Oh, boo hoo,” she said playfully. “Is that what you’re gonna tell the monsters?”

“There aren’t any monsters here, Tess,” he pointed out.

“It’s called practice, Ayd. Pretend there’s a monster.” She jumped down and snarled for effect, then took his hand and pulled him along as she jogged back to her house.

“Do you understand... the concept... of tired?” he huffed.

“Nope!”

They took shortcuts across the graveyard, down an alley, and through a few backyards. Several minutes later, they stood inside Tess' living room with Ayden bent over, panting and grabbing his side.

Cael, who had been standing by the window waiting for them, shook his head. “You are going to wear him out, and then what good will he be to you out there?” he said in a warm, very calm voice that always sounded a bit too formal. It was one of the ways you could tell he was part elf. He also had the slightest hint of the Woodlander accent, which her parents had once described as sounding like someone from Spain—not that Tess knew where Spain was.

“What do you mean?” she asked, eyeing her uncle. He was a tall man, with the long, redwood-colored hair, high cheekbones, and pointy ears of his elven mother, but with the blue eyes and strong jaw of his human father.

“I know what tonight is about,” he said conspiratorially.

“You don’t know anything.”

He just gave her that all-knowing smile of his.

“It’s supposed to be a surprise,” she grumbled. “You haven’t told anyone, have you?” By anyone, she meant her mother.

“Your plans are yours to tell, not mine.”

She smiled. “You’re happy, though, right?”

“Of course I am. I have been expecting this day since you were very little.”

Tess grinned and hugged him. “Thanks.”

“What are you thanking me for?”

“Because you’re the coolest.”

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head before pushing her along. “Go. Everyone is waiting for you.”

“Gulp.” She turned to Ayden, who was standing straight again, though not quite back to normal breathing yet. “Ready?”

He gave her a nervous smile. “Sure,” he answered, then followed her into the dining room.

All the common areas of her house were decorated the same. All the walls were taupe and adorned with a few landscapes and floral paintings here and there, most of them painted by her Aunt Lotus. And all the furniture was made of pine, with fabrics that were colors like cinnamon, sage, and rust—what her mother called earth tones.

At the far end of the room, beside the long table, was a built-in buffet and hutch. It held dishes, napkins, silverware, and the like, all organized by size, color, and whatever else they could possibly be organized by. Her parents were big on everything being orderly—a trait Tess had definitely not inherited.

While she sat in her usual seat at the table, between her father and aunt, Ayden went around to the opposite side, where Sera was waiting with open arms. She glanced at his hand, noticing the missing ring and looking very sad. She hugged him for a moment, and then touched his tear-stained cheek. “Are you okay?”

Ayden tugged at the end of his long sleeve, hiding most of his hand so no one else would see. Cael had probably noticed though—rarely did anything escape his attention—but Cael never asked. It was his opinion that if a person wanted to talk about something, they would talk about it, prying was rude.

“Yeah. Fine,” Ayden mumbled.

Sera didn’t press the matter, instead she hugged him again and offered quietly, “I’m here if you need me.”

“Thanks,” he said. Julia gave him a worried look as well, but he shook his head slightly and she said nothing. Thankful that they were letting it go, he took his seat between Sera and Tess' seven-year-old brother, Gavin.

Gavin was a cute kid, with short, constantly messy brown hair, his mother’s blue eyes, and ears that he had yet to grow into. Except for his natural exuberance and love of attention, he was nothing like his sister. He was completely uninterested in fighting or any kind of adventuring, aside from bug hunting. And much to his mother’s dismay, he had a large collection of insects in is bedroom. They were all dead, though. If they hadn’t been, Ayden and Julia wouldn’t be in the house at all.

Gavin knew about Ayden’s fear, but still asked, “I caught a cool grasshopper today, wanna see?”

Ayden shuddered. “No, thanks.”

Tess chuckled at her friend’s reaction. Grasshoppers where the worst to Ayden because they could jump at him. She found it funny that he was more afraid of a harmless little insect than he would be of a nasty goblin.

Falcon set down a salad on the table beside Lotus and a plate of fried chicken near Tess, who immediately grabbed a piece. “So, you have something to tell us?” he prompted with a grin once everyone was settled.

She grinned back. “Yeah.” She dropped a drumstick onto her plate and cleared her throat. “Well... apparently this won’t come as a surprise to some people.” She shot a playful glare at her father and uncle. “I—well, me and Ayd—we’re gonna be leaving tomorrow.”

“Where to?” her mother asked.

Tess took a deep breath. “Well, I’m eighteen now, we both are.” She looked at Ayden, but he was no help, he just focused intently on dishing himself some mashed potatoes. “We wanna help the world, like you guys did. There’s always some evil to fight, monsters to kill and stuff. We’re gonna go traveling and, well... just help people, make the world a bit safer.”

Julia looked upset by the news, as Tess had known she would be. That was why she had waited until the last minute to announce their plans. This way her mother didn’t have too much time to make her feel bad. Julia would sigh continuously, look sad, and make little innocent-sounding, though meaningful, remarks. Then Tess would inevitably feel guilty.

Lotus, who sat next to Julia, took her hand and held it, offering moral support. Lotus was half-nymph and looked a lot like the nymphs—long silky copper hair, fair skin, and large, meadow-green eyes. She was stunningly beautiful, but being only half nymph, she didn’t blind people as a full-blooded one could.

When Julia said nothing, Falcon asked, “Do you know where you’re going first?”

“No,” Tess answered. “We figured we’d just wander till we hear of something.”

“Try Halimi,” Cael suggested. “There is always something brewing around there.”

“Okay, then. Halimi, here we come.”

“I’ve always wanted to go there,” Ayden said, joining in now that the hard part was over.

“Because of its party-town reputation, right?” Falcon asked.

Tess snickered. “Yeah, Ayd’s a wild party animal.”

Ayden ignored their teasing. “There’s actually an interesting museum there full of dragon history.”

Falcon chuckled. “I figured it’d be something like that. You might have to threaten Tess with a fireball to get her to go with you, though.”

Ayden smiled. “Yeah, probably.”

“Oh, Dad,” Tess said, remembering. “There’s a favor I wanted to ask.”

“Anything,” Falcon said easily.

She glanced at Ayden and back. “Well, we’re not telling his dad before we go. Ayd wrote him a letter instead.”

“Sad you have to do that, but understandable.”

She sighed. “Yeah, he’s gonna freak and worse, he’d probably lock Ayd up to keep him from going. So we’re wondering if you could deliver the letter tomorrow. Sorry to ask, but we thought just in case…”

“Damage control,” he said with a nod. “No problem.” Being the captain of the guard, he was used to dealing with much worse than Jarden.

“Thanks.”

“Tess,” Gavin chimed in, “can you bring back cool insects if you find any?”

She smiled at her little brother. “Course I will, Creepy,” she said, using the nickname he had gotten because of his love of creepy-crawlies.

He grinned happily. “Awesome. Thanks!”

Ayden gave Tess a look that said, Let’s not, please.

She smiled back, silently telling him not to worry about it.

“I was surprised you even bothered with the jungle this year,” Cael commented. “I thought you would have left the second you turned eighteen.”

“You knew?” Julia asked.

“He’s known since she was little,” Lotus told her. Her voice was soft and melodic. Though she was Woodlander, like her husband, she grew up in human society and so had no trace of the accent. “She’s wanted this for years. Did you really think she wouldn’t go through with it?”

Julia just sighed.

Tess' excitement was dimmed by her mother’s sadness. Thankfully, Lotus changed the subject a moment later to Syria, a bard that was singing at the tavern this week. Tess focused on eating her fried chicken and avoided her mother’s gaze.

After dinner, Ayden helped Julia with the dishes while the others continued to talk around the table. When they were finished, Ayden walked into the living room with Gavin. “Hey, wanna see a new trick?”

“Yeah!” the boy said eagerly.

Ayden conjured a fiery orb that was a third the size of a normal fireball spell, which would have filled his hand. He tossed it to his left hand, then created two more and started tossing the orbs back and forth, juggling them.

Gavin bounced excitedly. “Awesome!”

Everyone was suddenly watching, entertained by the fiery show until Ayden tossed the fireballs into the fireplace one at a time, each making a small explosion on impact, then dying out since there was no wood in the grate.

“That’s wonderful,” Sera praised.

“Impressive,” Falcon commended. “But not in the house, please.”

Ayden gave him a sheepish smile. “Sorry.”

“How’d you do that?” Julia wanted to know. “How’d you split the spell?”

“It’s like blowing bubbles,” Ayden told her.

“Huh?”

“Imagine the spell is made from soapy water, you blow and a bunch of bubbles come out, these stick together and make like a fireball or whatever. It’s delicate, like bubbles. If you wanna split it, then you have to be slow and use the right pressure to blow just one bubble at a time. It takes a lot of focus at first, but it gets easier.”

Julia shook her head. “Do you know how many years I’ve been trying to do things like that?”

Cael put a hand on her shoulder. “He has a great advantage over you.”

She raised a questioning brow.

“It is called patience,” Cael said and smiled when she elbowed him.

“And he doesn’t use up all his energy working too much,” Falcon said pointedly.

“With as hard as Tess pushes him?” Sera teased.

“Yeah, but my job’s mostly magic,” Ayden said. “I spend hours every day practicing spells for adventuring.”

“Well, regardless,” Julia said, “I’m impressed.”

Ayden smiled. “Thanks.”

“Do it again!” Gavin said, still bouncing.

“Outside,” Falcon ordered, then smiled when Ayden looked sheepish again, letting him know it was okay.