The crisp air hit my face, cooling my cheeks as I breathed it in.

I felt irrational irritation bubble up in me toward Lila. After everything she had done for me so far, and she was only trying to help me further, I didn't understand the unwanted feeling.

My heels clicked on the wooden porch as I made my way to a nearby seating area. I sat in an oversized dark wicker chair sinking into the brown and maroon cushion.

I took place in an unoccupied nook, sitting the bottle onto the stained glass topped wicker table.

A few people hurried about the grounds, continuing on their way to whatever they had been doing before I exited.

If truth be told, this place felt like home to me, as odd as that sounded, considering that I had seen only one room, and had only just arrived. It felt almost as if I was connected with this place, somehow, and I found that somewhat unsettling. I sunk into the cushion further my eyes closing as I sipped at the drink in my hand.

"May I join you?" A small voice rang out before me.

Opening my eyes I sat forward as a young girl with a sweet smile and long braid stood before me. The powder blue dress she wore dusted the top of her small bare feet. She looked to be all of nine or ten years old.

"of course," I replied smiling at her.

Her heart-shaped face lit up as she plopped down in the chair next to me making me laugh.

"What's your name?" I asked smiling at her still.

"I m Brenna, ma'am." She tucked her feet under her playing with the tail of her long braid.

"It is very nice to meet you Brenna" I replied.

"You came here with Miss Lila to speak with Miss. Draya," Brenna stated in her best grown-up voice.

I set my glass on the table between us, folding my hands in my lap, "Yes, we did. Although I did not know she was going to ask to meet with Miss Draya. Is she your leader here?"

The girl tilted her head, her big eyes staring up at me, "You really don't know anything about your people at all, miss Nova?"

My mouth fell open and I did not know how to respond. I hadn't told her my name. And why was she calling them 'my people'?

"Brenna!" a sharp voice called out, pulling my attention to a taller, adult version of the small girl, approaching the porch.

The woman smiled at me politely holding a hand out toward us.

"I told you not to bother Miss Nova! Now come and finish your chores."

Brenna slid from the chair, giving me a sheepish grin. "That's my mamma, Mirena, "the girl whispered.

"Brenna, now!"

The girl hopped off of the porch rushing to her mother's side.

"Willful girl," Mirena scolded, although her voice was tinged with warmth even as she did so.

The woman turned in my direction after Brenna disappeared around the side of the building, "I'm sorry if she was a bother, miss."

I stood from my seat moving to the edge f the porch. "She is such a sweet girl," I told her, "I am Nova, although it would seem you already knew that."

The woman laughed softly, "Yes, news has a tendency to travel rather swiftly through the village. I am Mirena. It was very nice meeting you Nova, but if you will excuse me, I must get back."

I nodded, "Of course. It was nice meeting you as well. Perhaps I will see you again, sometime."

Mirena began following the same path her daughter had run, "Yes. I am quite sure that we will."

I returned to my seat pondering the strange interaction between the girl and then her mother.

I finished the contents of my glass pouring another finger of the amber liquid. I was beginning to get restless. Wondering what could be taking them so bloody long. Just what all could Lila and Draya have to discuss concerning me?

What exactly were Lila's suspicions?

Something told me she was keeping details from me. Important things about myself.

My fingers moved back and forth against the glass.

Tap, Tap, Tap

I could walk back to the city, but then what? I swallowed the liquor and poured another.

I was being ridiculous.

I couldn't show up on Berith's doorstep; even though I knew he would not object. I decided then, at that moment, to never allow myself to feel stuck like this again. I appreciated everything that Lila was doing for me, but I really wanted to support myself, on my own. My inheritance would last awhile, but it wouldn't last forever. I needed to start booking appointments, and adding to it. I needed to learn more about what I was and what I could do.

There were so many things I needed to learn.

I took a steady breath closing my eyes. I could feel the link. It was like a dark shimmering thread, tethering Berith and me to one another.

"Nova, what is wrong? I can feel your distress," Berith's voice echoed in my mind.

A calming wave enveloped me, slowing my rapid heartbeat almost immediately. I quickly explained where I was and what was happening.

"Bloody hell," he growled at me.

"Please, Berith," I pushed at him with my mind, "that is not helping."

"You are right. I-"

"I don't know what is going on. Who is this woman Draya? These people, this community? Their power; My own power?"

"Nova, please be calm. Everything is going to be alright. I should have come to this realization earlier; voiced my suspicions."

"Suspicions?" My voice had an edge to it; one that I did not like.

"It had crossed my mind when I met you; that you could be born of this community. Have you told Lila anything about us? About our link, or anything about the binding and what I have revealed to you?'

"No, of course not, but your hold at the bar did not affect her, and she said that she was with a man that was like you," I told him, "But she told me that before our evening together; and I didn't go into details this morning about anything that happened last night."

There was a long pause and I thought that he had severed the conversation. I felt a lump form in my throat just as I felt his hand on my knee and heard his voice in front of me.

"Nova, my love."

My eyes flew open and I practically fell out of the seat. Berith was in front of me, a worried look plastered on his face. His large warm hand resting on my knee.

"Berith," I hissed, "how did you get here so quickly?" My voice was shaky and I didn't realize until then how frayed my nerves actually were.

His arrival was impossible. Impossible unless he used magic.

My brain fought to catch up.

"Im no stranger to this place; and I am incredibly fast as well as capable of bending planes between magical places."

I grabbed onto his hand, staring into his eyes, "Thank you; for coming to me."

"I wasn't going to leave you here alone; I will always come for you," He said, pulling me to him as he stood.

His warm arms surrounded me and I melted into his embrace.

"It's okay, Nova," he whispered and a strangled sound came out of my throat unexpectedly.

What the hell was wrong with me? I felt like an irrational child; my emotions all over the place.

I pulled away from him took my seat and grabbed my glass, swallowing the contents.

Berith raised his eyebrow at me, his eyes warm, the golden flecks sparkling.

"Stop doing that sexy eye thing," I said pouring a refill and handing it to him.

His laughter floated around me warm and rich. "So, how long has she been in with Draya?" He questioned downing his drink and setting the glass on the table before offering me his hand.

His eyes swept up and down my frame as I stood.

"I'm not really sure."

He led me across the porch and down the stairs away from the big building.

"Maybe thirty minutes?"

"Well, they should be done soon. Until then, come with me. There is someone that I would like for you to meet."

The look on my face must have been skeptical because he laughed, pulling me to his side, his arm circling around me as we walked down the cobblestone pathway.

"This is a different look for you," he smirked glancing down at me.

"Yes," I grinned, "Lila took me to get new clothes on our way over here."

"I like it," he whispered in a husky voice, stopping and leaning down to brush his lips against mine.