That night, Adam and I have trouble sleeping, on account of the whimpering and whispering going on in the next room, Ayla and Ciro’s room. The conversation, all puns set aside, is as clear as mud.

“She’s coming to get me, Ayla… I know she is.”

“Who is coming to get you, my love?”

“She is, Ayla. You know her.”

“I do? Who is it, Ciro?”

“I already told you, she is coming to get me. She wants my soul, Ayla…”

“Well, whoever she is, she cannot and will not have your soul; I will do as I always have done and protect you, my love.”

“Don’t waste your time in taking care of me, Ayla. I can-!” Ciro must have seen something, a hallucination, because he didn’t talk for quite some time. At this point Ayla seems worried. Adam and I decide to investigate this queer incidence

“Ciro; are you alright, my love? Can you hear me, Ciro? He’s not responding, Marie. What do I do?”

I bite my lower lip, trying to remember what Aunt Kellie told me to do if a person is not responding vocally. “Try testing for other senses. Pinch him; if he responds to that, we at least know he’s alive.”

Ayla pinches Ciro; he doesn’t move a muscle. “Why is he not responding; is he dead?”

“I’m not sure, Ayla. Check for a pulse.”

Ayla tests his heart rate; she can’t find a pulse anywhere. Now I’m in need of some serious help. “Adam, could you go get Aunt Kellie for me, please?”

“I will do anything for you, sweetheart.” Another dizzying kiss blows me away before he leaves the room. He comes back about ten minutes later, my aunt trailing behind him.

She speaks now. “Adam told me that Ciro is not responding to any treatments. Is that right?”

Ayla nods, her eyes brimming with tears as she speaks, her voice shattered by sobbing once more. “This illness is ruining him, Kellie. I want it gone, but I don’t want him to die… please, I’m begging you… please try to find another way to cure this awful disorder…”

“I will try my hardest, young one. I will ask the Royals what they think is the best solution. As Queen Amethyst also has the illness, both she and King Egan might be able to help you out.”

I feel bad for Ayla, more now than I ever did before. As the rest of us leave the house and head back toward the starting point, I hold my breath. Adam notices my worried expression and strokes my brown hair, now streaked with emerald, just like his own mane. I shift my position and lay my head on his chest. “I wonder what Ilmatar is like at midnight.”

He shrugs and continues to stroke my hair. “I guess we’ll find out.” Not too long after he stops speaking, the car ceases moving. Just like Aiden did when we first came here, Adam strides to the door and knocks. As can be expected of him, knowing his nature, our King’s booming voice echoes through the door. “Enter!”

We enter the magnanimous throne room, only to find Ayla’s grandmother, Violet’s uncle, Katie’s aunt and the Royals all situated around a large redwood table. Ayla’s grandmother is the first to speak.

 “Where is Ciro, Kellie? I thought he and my granddaughter were coming with you.”

“No; we decided that they were to stay home. Something has happened, and Ayla needs to stay there with him.”

King Ilmatar speaks now. “On to the matter of business, then; Kellie, it seems that one of the children has sent us a letter; more specifically the letter was for Egan, but it indirectly addresses the rest of us. Here it is.” My aunt takes the letter and reads it aloud. “Dear King Egan,

I am sending this letter out of fear and desperation. I fear that Ciro is not well, and for that reason I am desperate to find a way to cure him of this illness. Please help me, Father; I am desperate to find a way to keep a smile on Ayla’s face, and I need everyone’s help.” Who is this letter from, Your Highness?

King Egan waits for a moment before he smiles and looks at Katie. “It’s from my daughter; thank you for alerting me as soon as possible, Katie.”  Egan winks at Katie and continues to smile.

I can see Ilmatar and Brook’s jaws drop in surprise. Katie follows her father’s example and smiles proudly. She speaks now. “I just want my friend to stop crying. She deserves to be happy, not cheerless because her boyfriend is possibly dead.”

Now Brook speaks. “That is a very good point, Katie; Violet, what have you to say about this? Have you observed Ciro at all?”

"No, I haven’t. But I know for a fact that he blanked out at Marie’s house not too long ago.”

Brook turns to Violet’s uncle. “Is this true, Lazarus? Is what she says the truth?”

“I am not sure. I have not taken that route for quite some time.”

Aunt Kellie speaks. “You used to come over for every week for morning tea. What happened, Lazarus?”

“I got old, Kellie; I feel old, even.”

“Kate still looks quite young, by some miracle. I seem to remember you telling me about something the last time you visited me, Lazarus.”

“That I knew you enjoyed the waves on the docks?”

“No, that you loved me, but we couldn’t be together.”

Lazarus blushes. “That was years ago, Kellie.” Then my aunt, my guardian, my replacement mother, did something that shocked us all. She leaned over and planted a kiss on Lazarus’s cheek (yes, a kiss; a smooch; a peck on the side of the face).

Lazarus responds to this action by backing away and going beet red, while simultaneously almost falling out of his chair. Even I can tell he’s ready to blow a fuse. “Stop, Kellie! Just stop it! I understand that you love me, but show it when we’re not in such a public place-! Kellie… Please, do not cry…”

“I’m so sorry, Lazarus… I never meant it. ”

“I know.” Then Lazarus kisses my aunt’s forehead. She rests her head on his chest in response. Their actions make me sick to my stomach. “I can’t deal with this! I’m leaving!” I can’t be around other people when I’m this angry.

Later, Lazarus and Kellie come back to the house and explain to me what happened.

“Marie” my aunt begins, “Lazarus and I have some explaining to do…”

“I’ll say” I snort. “Talk, but keep it short and sweet.”

Lazarus offers to explain. “Years ago, Denna and I were… dating. I asked her to be my bride, and do you know what she said?”

“Let me guess… she declined?”

“No; as a matter of fact, she accepted. A year later she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.”

“No; no, no, no! No way in Terrabyssia!” This man cannot be my father! Mom was married to Lazarus before she married my father and gave birth to me. I must ask Ilmatar if he can unlock the Maurasian Archives for me; only the Archives can prove if Lazarus is being completely truthful.

Adam walks into the room after my fit of rage and immediately wraps his arms around me lovingly. Violet follows him in and wraps her arms around me in the type of hug that only family can give.

“Yay!” she squeals. “We’re cousins, Marie!” I’m guessing they heard the conversation.

“Violet… Marie doesn’t want to talk about it right now; perhaps when she’s less angry?” Just as Katie had done at the Royals’ palace, I storm out of the house and run straight to the cliff where my mother’s life was taken. When I get there, I throw my head back and yell at the sky, trying very hard to aim my anger at my mother’s spirit, “You told me I was pure Earth Realm! You lied to me!” Suddenly without thinking, I back up about ten feet and take a running jump before realizing what I’m doing. By the time I can tell what is happening, my sneakers have already slid my shoes about eleven feet, which means…. Oh, no! I just went over the edge of the cliff! I hear feet shuffling and voices murmuring. “Marie! Marie!”

“Adam! Adam, help me!”

“Marie? Marie!”

“She’s down there, Adam; in the canyon!” I recognize the deep intonation as Lazarus’ voice.

Adam’s head peeks out over the edge of the cliff. “Marie; are you alright, sweetheart?”

I feel my feet slipping. I suddenly know the answer; I am not alright. “Adam” I squeak, unable to say more as tears well up in my eyes, “please help me, Adam...”

“Grab my hand, sweetheart.” At his request, I extend my arm as far as it will go; my feet give way, causing me to oblige.

“I can’t lift you, sweetheart! River; go with Kellie and find the Sprite Village. Don’t return until you have located a sprite named Deligo. Tell him that he will help me if he values both his and my girlfriend’s lives.”

About 20 or so minutes later, a small sprite flies down the side of the canyon and lifts me up over his head. When I’m on safe ground again, Adam sighs in relief. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“You can’t lose me that easily, Adam.” I wrap my arms around his neck and gently guide him into a French kiss; he makes no attempt to back away or break it. When Adam finally does back away, I can see River’s jaw hit the floor, though not in the literal sense. He proceeds to speak with a garble of words.

“But they... she... and he... how in Hell- Humph; screw this. I’m going back to Kellie’s house!”

“River, wait!” Violet rushes over to the place from which River is beginning to step away and caresses his face lovingly. “Please, River; don’t leave... I know it’s confusing, but sprites are very strong, especially in comparison to their faerie kin.”

“I feel so stupid, Violet... Why can’t I do one thing right?”

“Oh, River... don’t you worry... one day you and I will get married and have kids together; that will be your chance, baby.”

“I’m not so sure I’m ready, Violet... But if it makes you happy, my beloved, then I will attempt procreation...” He lays his right hand lightly on her stomach, as if in resignation; or maybe it was a sign of agreement. “You don’t want to make love? Am I not good enough for you anymore, River? Do I not appeal to your tastes at this point?”

Suddenly, I remember something; something important. “Violet, come over here!”

“Yes, Marie? What is it?”

“I need to go to the... the library, and I want you to come with me.”

River budges into the conversation. “Whatever I’ve done wrong, Violet, I swear to you, I will fix it.” He then whispers something in her ear, to which she squeals and hugs him like a vice. Then she gets serious again.

“Well, a start would be apologizing to Aiden for dousing him.”

“When we get back to Kellie’s house I promise I will ask for his forgiveness.”

That night, Aunt Kellie has Lazarus over for dinner. She prepares a ‘special meal’ for us, but, judging by the recognizably elaborate sapphire-tinted plating, she was probably focused mainly on the three Water Realm inhabitants seated in a small cluster at the table. When she uncovers their dishes, it’s not very difficult to notice their pallid faces. I can tell that River is trying to say something by the way his Adam’s apple is oscillating, but all that comes out thereafter is a squeak. Lazarus (seated to River’s left) is equally as shocked, but also brave enough to comment.

“Kellie... what a... Ahem... what a wonderful meal you have prepared for us, darling.”

“Why, thank you, Lazarus. It was imported straight from Dyseria.”

River comments now, too, but with more sass than Lazarus. “Let me guess; Pier 19, where the dolphins come in every year?” He and Lazarus both seem to know what is on their plate, and exchange a weary glance. Violet pokes at the dish in front of her with the fork in her hand, but makes no attempt to dive in or consume any amount of it. River leans to his right, and whispers in Aiden’s ear. “Hey... Aiden...”

“Huh- oh, it’s you, River. What is it?”

“We’re cool, right; I mean, after I nearly killed you in the Water Realm?”

“It’s totally fine, River; no worries.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I can see that Adam has taken a big bite of whatever it is Kellie is feeding us. Once again, River aims his once-hidden anger at someone. “You sicken me, Adam; straight to my very core!”

“I’m just trying to be respectful to Kellie and not starve myself, unlike some people!”

“Well, maybe some people don’t like others eating their national animal!”

“Maybe some people need to learn to shut up and stop being such a damn weakling!” Without thinking, Adam grabs his knife, leans across the table just a little ways, and expertly hacks River across the face, leaving a shallow gash, but one deep enough to draw blood, extending from just under his right eye until the edge of his lip on the left side, just barely grazing his right nostril. I can see Violet’s eyes well up with tears as River’s body, still semi-conscious, hits the floor, just as Ciro’s did.  “How could you do this, Adam?” She then turns to my aunt for help. “Kellie...” As Ayla’s was nearly a full day ago, Violet’s voice is shaky and broken. “Please... please help him; please help my River.” Kellie rushes over to Violet and holds her head while Violet cries and vocalizes the ‘Song of the Dying’, normally sung at funerals. “Don’t worry, sweetie, I’ll fix him up.” She looks at Adam. “As for you, Adam... as a result of your unacceptable behaviour this evening, you will clear the table and do dishes tonight. Nobody is to help you. You should very well know that under my roof and my rules, we do not harm people because they anger us.” She nods at me for emphasis. Do I still have a reminder of Adam’s rage on my face?

Later that night, Adam has trouble sleeping, and asks me to sing to him. “I don’t know any songs, Adam.”

“I hear you sing in the shower every day, Marie.”

“A valid point, but I sing with my iPod on.”

“Well, I think your voice is beautiful. Do you still hate me? For what I did to you, I mean.”

“No, Adam, I don’t hate you one bit.”

He sighs. “Ugh... I hate not being able to sleep, or even close my eyelids knowing that life will go on because I finally made Kellie happy... I can never please that woman.”

“It’s alright, Adam; I’m still happy.”

“You are?”

“Yes.” In the other room, we hear a squeal of joy; Ciro must have woken up. Ayla speaks in a cheery tone.

“Ciro, my love, I missed you so!” Her voice is no longer occupied by a plaintive whimper. Ciro doesn't seem at all affected by the collapse. “Anybody lose their heads while I was out? I mean, besides Adam.”

“River did, apparently, but I think that’s it.”

“Did anything interesting happen? Besides Adam blowing a fuse?”

“I don’t know; I was crying for the past while. I didn’t eat... couldn’t sleep...”

“I can still see tears; you know I don’t like it when you cry, so please, Ayla, don’t leak from the face again.”

After that, I put my head on the pillow with satisfaction.