Why did it feel as though so much time had slipped away? Maybe it was everything that had happened. The revelations, the new paths I’d glimpsed, and the new faces I’d met. Yet all of it faded into the background.
Holding Thea in my arms, burying my face against her shoulder, it felt as if the entire world had fallen silent and dissolved around us. For that brief heartbeat, nothing else existed. After one last squeeze, we pulled apart. I drank in the sight of her soft, acorn-colored hair framing almond-shaped eyes.
“Did you win?” she asked with a bright, radiant smile that nearly made me melt.
“Of course,” I said, flexing an arm in mock triumph.
Something nudged my leg, and when I glanced down, I caught sight of the slime. Scales rippled across its gelatinous surface, gleaming and shifting. To my left, the dragon’s vein pulsed faintly, coiled protectively around it lay the snake and Elric, both resting with their eyes closed.
“What about you guys? Have you made any progress?” I asked.
Her grin widened instantly, her eyes practically glowing with excitement. “I succeeded!” she cried, nearly bouncing as she seized both my hands. “Elric too!”
She froze mid-celebration, realizing for the first time that others stood nearby.
“Hi,” Synthia blurted, stepping forward with an awkward bow. Her cheeks were still flushed red from the alcohol, and her voice carried a chipper, slightly-too-loud enthusiasm.
“My name’s Synthia. Peter mentioned—um… I don’t know. Peter mentioned you,” she finished with a decisive nod, as if she’d just said something profound.
Rojin followed beside her, shooting her a sidelong look before turning his attention to Thea. “Your boyfriend is mean,” he declared flatly. “He ruined my clothes.”
I blinked, utterly thrown by their introductions, while Thea covered her giggle with one hand, releasing mine in the process.
“It’s nice to meet you both,” she said warmly. “I’m Thea.”
Then she cast me a questioning glance, expecting an explanation. I cleared my throat.
“Well, they’re here to learn,” I said. “And… as the Princess Grand Master, I figured you should probably be in charge of that.”
Her expression smoothed into polite composure, but I caught the spark of excitement flickering underneath. I pressed on. “And, of course, there’s plenty they can teach us too. More than you might imagine. It’s… connected to everything.”
Her eyes widened. “You mean more Force techniques?”
I shook my head. “No. Something completely different, but also…” I hesitated, searching for the word that fit. “Necessary isn’t right, but… it’s…” I said it again because it was the only one that truly fit. “Connected. Anyway, I’ll show you later. Or when the others come, they’ll show you.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Others?”
Before I could reply, Serith’s voice cut in with her usual dry impatience. “It’s touching, really, but wake up the boy and the beast. Once the rest arrive, we’ll be heading back home.”
I turned toward her, surprised. “You’ll take us back to the first island?”
She nodded. “Yes. We might as well make things as quick as possible.”
I knew she didn’t have to do this, and that it probably cost her some effort—so I met her gaze. “Thank you,” I said, letting the words carry.
She waved a dismissive hand. “It’s not a big deal. We’re already moving this way, so we might as well continue.”
Even so, gratitude swelled in my chest. And excitement too. It had been far too long since I’d seen the others. I found myself wondering how they were just as Thea hurried away from me, marching straight toward Elric and shaking him awake with merciless enthusiasm.
“How’d you get such a pretty girl to like you?” Rojin leaned in, whispering with intensity.
I leaned closer too, lowering my voice as if sharing sacred wisdom. “I’m a pretty boy.”
He blinked twice, expression blank, before shaking his head. “No, you aren’t.”
At that moment, I made a solemn vow to never help the man with anything.
A few seconds later, Elric jogged over, his usual effortless confidence intact. “So, how’d it go?” he asked, his tone almost disinterested, as if victory or defeat were trivial.
I gave a casual shrug. “Not too bad. I won, so that’s something.”
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His gaze drifted toward the newcomers, suspicion flickering in his eyes like a warning flame. “And what’s up with them?”
“I’m Synthia!” she announced again loud and proud, completely oblivious to tone.
Rojin stayed silent, narrowing his eyes at Elric with open hostility. I couldn’t blame him. Honestly, it was justified. Elric, of course, paid it no mind. He dipped his head in a graceful bow toward the girl, his charm switched on like a reflex. “Nice to meet you. I’m Elric.”
Synthia’s eyes widened, a spark of instinctive awareness lighting them. “You… are dangerous.”
I’m sure we thought of it in different ways, but in truth, she wasn’t wrong. Elric just smirked, keeping his bow shallow but elegant. “Why have you come here?”
Before anyone could answer, Serith’s voice cut through the air like a blade. “They’re here to learn.”
That stopped Elric mid-motion. His head tilted toward me. “You’re okay with that? You sure it’s a good idea?”
I shook my head. “No. I’m not sure it’s a good idea, but it’ll help us.”
He let out a long, resigned sigh. “All right. Well, have you heard the good news?”
I nodded. “You guys succeeded.”
“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Took another four or five tries of nearly burning my hair off, but we got there.”
For a fleeting moment, I regretted that the snake hadn’t succeeded in singeing away his perfect, raven-black hair. “So you were working on purification, then?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yeah. Have you found anything out about it?”
I waved the question away. “We’ll talk about it later, since we’re traveling again soon.”
Thea slipped back to my side, her fingers threading through mine with an easy familiarity. She tugged gently, her voice laced with teasing insistence. “Come ooon, just a little hint.”
“Bloodlines,” I answered. My mind was already drifting elsewhere due to her nearness, her voice, and the warmth of her hand. For a dangerous second, I considered sprinting across the island just to find some privacy.
“Peter?” Serith called coolly. “What do you—”
Her question was cut short by the sound of tearing air. Three figures stepped through a portal in the next moment. One adult woman looking exhausted, though unmistakably content, followed by the others.
Mei took a long breath. “I wasn’t done talking. You can’t just force us to move without warning. What made you like my dad? Are you guys getting together? Will you be moving in? Are you sure he’s okay? You’re so important—it’s okay if he’s not. He can be—”
“Mei,” her father mumbled, lazily pointing ahead. “Don’t be rude. Introduce yourself. You can talk to my honey soon.”
I physically shuddered at his words, the way honey rolled off his tongue...
But Mei only nodded obediently, turning to us with composed formality. She gave a polite smile, placed her hands neatly in front of her, and bowed deeply. “I’m Mei, daughter of the former Champion of the Engineers, and the current Champion. I’m honored to meet King Peter’s citizens.”
Silence descended.
“Peter…” Thea murmured softly, her tone half comfort, half disbelief. “You didn’t, did you?”
Elric coughed into his fist, trying and failing to suppress his laughter. “He did!” he wheezed, clutching his stomach as a few chuckles escaped before he managed to straighten up. Clearing his throat, he composed himself—barely. “It’s our pleasure to meet such a polite ambassador, Mei. I hope our king wasn’t too rude during his trip.”
Thea bowed deeply, mimicking Mei’s perfect form, her shoulders trembling with suppressed laughter. “If he’s the king, then I guess I’m the queen.”
Mei froze, her gaze snapping to me a moment later. “Really?” she gasped, sounding genuinely shocked.
I nodded with a grin, slipping an arm around Thea and pulling her close until we stood shoulder to shoulder. “Yep! This is my girlfriend… and the king thing was a joke. I thought that was obvious?”
She smiled a little brighter, eyes glinting with mischief. “I know.”
“Right,” Serith interjected dryly, slicing through the strange exchange before it could grow any more absurd. “We should—”
“Could we take a break, Serith?” Amei interrupted, stepping forward before we were inevitably whisked away. “Just need a breather.”
Serith’s eyes narrowed slightly as she scanned her former student. After a long breath, she nodded. “Alright, but don’t take too long. The more time we linger here, the worse it looks.”
Amei inclined her head, then hooked Sei’s arm and guided him toward a patch of grass where they both sat down heavily.
“So,” Thea asked, still clutching my hand, “what’s this about a bloodline? What is it?”
“Oh!” Mei exclaimed, her hand shooting up like an eager student. “You’re telling everyone—can I?!”
I blinked at her enthusiasm as every pair of eyes turned toward me, even the Guardians’ sharp gazes cutting into me like heat. “Uh… sure,” I said carefully.
Thea tugged me down beside her and gestured invitingly toward Mei. “Please, tell us, Mei.”
Without hesitation, the girl plopped down across from me, posture straight and tone brimming with pride. “So, since you don’t know what a bloodline is, I’ll start with that.”
She drew in a breath, ready to continue, but Serith’s voice interrupted, firm and resonant. “It’s your Blessings,” she clarified. “Now, Mei, please explain what you and Peter discovered.”
There was an edge to her tone I hadn’t heard before. Urgency laced with both excitement and unease. It wasn’t just curiosity. It was something deeper, almost fearful.
Unfazed, Mei continued, her words spilling out. “Peter found a way to awaken his bloodline. But we haven’t tested it yet, so take this as a temporary truth. There’s still too little information to be sure.”
“You…” Serith’s voice faltered as she looked down at me, expression unreadable. “Peter, how certain are you?”
“It came from my Purification,” I said slowly. “If the process is the same for others, then it’s certain.”
The words hung in the air, rippling outward.
Serith’s composure hardened. “Never speak of this beyond our territories,” she ordered. Her tone carried a weight that silenced even the wind. “I mean it, Peter. I understand your generosity, but this—this must never leave our borders.”
Then she turned sharply to Amei. “Seal off all outside connections in your territories. If there are any requests from the higher-ups, direct them to me.”
Amei nodded once, tension settling over the group like a drawn curtain. The revelation lingered unspoken between us.