The leaves blew in a gentle wind, one that danced across my skin to a beautiful symphony – the symphony of nature. I closed my eyes as the scents, tastes, and feelings of nature surrounded me. It felt… peaceful. And just like that I knew I was dreaming. A dream that felt so real that it couldn’t be just a dream.

My eyes flew open and they darted between the trees, up through the canopy, where they rested among the birds. I half-expected to find Kalen perched upon a branch, a smirk on his face, but I saw nothing but animals and plants.

Why had I expected Kalen in the first place? He typically took me to the ballroom when he entered my dreams. Either I was just having a regular dream in which I was hyperaware, or someone else had entered my dreamscape. I was inclined to side with the latter, which pegged the question, who could be visiting my dreams?

I moved through the woods, my hands trailing the barks of the trees as I passed them. My legs stopped moving when I took in the familiar sight of a clearing that held so many regrets to me now. Tiny droplets splashed into the air as the water from the waterfall beat down into the pool below. At first glance the pool seemed empty, but every muscle in my body locked into place when his bare back came into view.

His black hair was sticking up in odd angles, water dripping from the tips. His skin gleamed in the afternoon sunlight and my breath hitched. Andreas didn’t visit dreams. I must’ve just been hyperaware in this particular dream because of the potion Natalia had given me.

I watched him, realizing how not-over him I truly was, I’d been trying to convince myself that I no longer cared for him, because he didn’t care for me, but seeing him, even in a dream, did funny things to my stomach and it was difficult for me to breath normally.

Those stray muscles flexed as he raised his right arm, brushing more water into his hair. I was fixated on his form, and yet I still hadn’t seen his eyes. This was bad, very bad. I was supposed to hate him, not dream about him. Especially not like this.

And then he turned. I though my heart stopped.

His midnight eyes found mine instantly. “Lana,” he exhaled as if he had been holding a breath for ears and was finally able to let it out again. My dreams were strange- I blamed it one whatever it was Natalia had given me to drink. What else could it be?

I stayed rooted in my sot. I had a very bad feeling that if I didn’t, this dream could head into the same territory it had last time. It wasn’t healthy for me to keep thinking about him so much. I needed to move on. I needed to get over him, not continuously see him whenever I closed my eyes. I needed to be stronger.

Andreas lifted himself from the water. Totally naked. A deep blush high-lighted my cheeks and I quickly turned away. No, not healthy at all. I fought the onslaught of images and emotions the sight of him ensued.

“Suddenly you are very shy?” his voice came from right behind me, alluring in its low timber.

I willed myself not to turn to him, but I was too curious. The water dripped from him, a towel hanging on his hips one move from falling to the ground. “I’ve always been shy,” I said, my voice quiet.

He stepped forward, reaching out to touch my face, but thought better of it, leaving his hand suspended in the air. “That’s not how I remember it.”

“In all fairness, you never really knew me.”

Pain flickered across his features and his hand dropped back to his side. “I know. I was hoping to remedy that, but you were taken from me too soon. I should’ve known that time is a luxury I never have.”

My eyebrows furrowed. “You could’ve made time, if that was your intention.”

“I know I’ve made mistakes, Lana. You have no idea how much I regret the way I treated you. But now I can never make it up to you. You’re gone.” His words traveled off like he was in a daze, speaking to me, but not really speaking to me. It was like he wasn’t aware I was there which didn’t make sense if this was merely a dream.

“I’m only gone because you let me go,” I said in a small voice. I mentally cursed myself. I wanted to appear strong, not go back to the frail girl he had first met. So much for that idea. Thankfully even if it seemed like more, it was only a dream. And it didn’t matter how weak or strong I seemed in that moment, because I made a vow to myself that I would be a stronger person when I woke. Go ahead, Lana, get it all out of your system now.

Andreas closed his eyes. I could see him struggling, but with what, I didn’t know. “Well, fuck. Even my dreams have to haunt me now.”

My mouth fell open. How did he knew it was a dream when this was my dreams? Before I could further access the situation, Andreas pulled me toward him and kissed me. I melted, melted as I always did when he kissed me. All that existed was the two of us and his lips on mine. He moved closer, but now amount of space would ever be close enough.

He pulled away and I was gasping for breath. He gave me a sad smile. “I’m sorry,” he said.

I wanted to ask him what for when the space around me started to blur and fade away.

I sat up rigidly in my bed, slightly more disturbed by that dream than my nightmares.

There was a soft knock on my door and I reluctantly slid out of my bed. I pulled the robe on again and tentatively opened the door. To my surprise, it was James I found on the other side and not my demonic sister.

“Good, you’re awake. We need to talk,” he said, leaning against the doorframe.

I nodded. “Let me get dressed and I’ll meet you downstairs.”

James – I still refused to call him my father – grinned. “I’ll give you ten minutes?” Oh, didn’t that sound familiar.

“I’ll be there in thirty,” I replied with a sweet smile. I was so sick of people telling me what to do.

James laughed and walked down the hall. I groaned as I pushed my door closed again. I was left wondering if maybe I had been better off with Raphael and Eric. Better the devil you knew that the one you didn’t – right?

An hour later I was making my way down the stairs, my long sapphire dress sweeping against the floor. Much to my dismay, my only clothing option were long dresses. Most of them light pinks or white. Only one dress in the closet was me. I couldn’t really blame them as they knew about as much about me as I knew about them. Rounding the corner, I found father and daughter seated in the same room I had seen them in when they didn’t know I was looking.

“You’re late,” Natalia commented.

“I couldn’t find a dress I liked,” I stated blandly.

Natalia rolled her eyes. “As if we need another reminder that you have noble blood.”

I sat down, glaring at her. I guess she decided to drop the act after all. “It’s a question of taste, something you clearly lack.” Maybe I was dropping it as well. Her eyes widened as if she didn’t expect me to jab back. She settled back in her chair.

“Catty this morning, aren’t we, girls?” James remarked, his tone bored as he finally looked up from the book he had been reading.

Natalia crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, Lana seems well rested and rejuvenated, she is now strong enough to handle our true feelings.”

“Darling, you mean your true feelings, not mine.” She narrowed her gaze on her father. The blue in her eyes molten.

“What exactly are your true feelings then? Since my half-sister has made it apparent that I’m not welcome,” I said, my tone laced with venom at the girl who had been so kind to me before she found out I was her sister. Could it simply be jealousy that sparked this sudden animosity?

“I would like to know you. I know that yesterday I didn’t exactly display much interest, but after having some time to come to terms with finding out that one, you were still alive, and two, that you were at my house, I have changed my mind. I find you to be quite interesting, Lana.” His smile seemed genuine, but I had been second guessing my inductive reasoning skills recently.

“I am to believe that you suddenly have an interest in knowing me?”

“Since you are going to be here for a while, I figured it would be in both our best interests.” Natalia snorted and I made it a point to ignore her.

I narrowed my eyes as I regarded him. He did seem more relaxed now, his eyes glowing with – happiness I dared say?

“You have a brother, correct?” Natalia asked, making my resolve to ignore her much harder.

“Yes, I have a brother,” I answered through clenched teeth.

“Perhaps we can make arrangements to bring him here too,” James said as he took on an even more relaxed position.

“He thinks I’m dead. And for his own protection from the queen, it’s best if he keeps believing that for the time being,” I answered. There was no way I would put him in danger. He might not have been there when I was burned, but he had tried to elicit help. And he was still my brother,

“Of course we wouldn’t inform him of you until he has arrived safely. He’s the son of a noble family, they get called to neighboring kingdoms all the time as a means to form connections. We could simply stage an invite,” James said. Hope swelled in my chest. He was going to give me my brother back? Perhaps there was a way I could learn to like this man.

“If you could do so in a way that doesn’t threaten his safety, I would love to see my brother again,” I said softly. Understatement if the year. I would be thrilled to see him. It was one reunion I needed.

“It’s settled then, we’ll have –“ James paused.

“Zane,” I provided.

“Zane come over here then to complete the family reunion.”

I smiled, one of the few genuine smiles I did lately.

Natalia seemed bored, even thought she was the one who brought up the topic of Zane in the first place. The more attention I paid to her, the more I wondered why she could dislike me that much. What was there to be jealous of? She didn’t know what I could do. All she knew was that I was related to her. Perhaps being an only child for so long has taught her to be selfish.

I was about to ask her about it when James interrupted my line of thoughts. “How much training have you received for your magic?”

“I’m sorry, what?” I asked, not sure I heard him correctly, still distracted by my thoughts.

“I assume you must at least have had some training?”

I shook my head out of the daze. “Yes, very little. Andreas taught, or tried to teach me a couple of spells when I live with him, but he wasn’t the best teacher. And Kalen also taught me a couple of spells once he came to Eerea.”

James nodded, and I noticed Natalia’s attention growing sharper after the mention of Andreas. Curious.

“What spells do you know?”

I wondered at his sudden curiosity of my abilities.

“Force field, levitation, and healing, all at different levels,” I stated.

James’ eyes widened. “You can heal?”

Natalia’s eyes narrowed.

I bit my bottom lip, unsure how to explain that particular incident. “Uhm… not with the spell I had been taught.”

“How else could you be able to heal someone?” Natalia snapped, annoyed.

“I don’t know! Andreas had been injured and he was dying… I tried the spell Kalen had taught me and it didn’t work, and then somehow I knew another spell that did heal him. I can’t explain it, but I knew it happened.”

“That is very interesting, very interesting indeed,” James remarked, stroking his chin.

“No, it’s impossible. Do you have any means of proving this story to be true, sister?”

Again, I glared at her. “If you could get into contact with Andreas, he would tell you that I’m telling the truth.”

“Convenient,” Natalia muttered. I wanted to lean over the table and strangle her. I balled my hands into fists, unsettled by the level of dislike she ignited in me. Was it simply a sister thing?

James continued as if Natalia hadn’t spoken. “You display great potential. I’m going to train you. We start tomorrow at the crack of dawn.” He go out of his chair and left the room. Both Natalia and I were left gaping at him as he left the room.