I leaned against the tree of an ancient oak on the riverbed as Isdana continued to run her hands through her hair. It had been two weeks since the Witch had mended my arm and I finally felt confident using it for training. So we had been sparring and she may have taken a tumble into some mud. I had apologized profusely but she had simply laughed them off. I loved that laugh. The one she did when she was genuine, that beautiful smile she had and that bashful grin when she tucked her hair back behind her ear.

  Irand would call me a love drunk idiot and he would be right. I was currently being used as a holder for her clothes and I was fairly sure she was intentionally putting on a show in the river. Her skin was pale as moonlight and all of her was perfectly smooth. True she had a handful of scars but they were simply a darker white against her stark white skin. Her curves contrasted with the dark water and I was enjoying the view.

  She had changed more and more over the past few weeks, her skin growing paler and her other night kin features growing more prominent, namely her eyes taking on a faint glow and her fangs truly growing in. The recovery of her body’s muscle mass was coming along more quickly than I had expected as well, she wasn’t back to where she had been but she was noticeably sturdier than she had been after they had cured the poison. I hadn't asked her what the Witch had done but I had seen her smiling more and more since we had left that day and it was a welcome change. Her joy was contagious and I loved it.

  I had also observed that as the moon grew fuller at night she had become more and more… let's say Ravenous. I had yet to see her try and drink blood but she had been keeping me up and it was now my turn to be the one coming up short. And that complemented with the fact that the last two weeks had seen the two of us sparring daily meant that I was more than content to sit and watch as she bathed in the river, holding her garments for her.

  She emerged from the river water still dripping off her lithe frame and I waved a hand to dry her with my magic. She smiled as she retrieved her clothes and a small part of me was disappointed she hadn't tried to start something on the riverbank. But only a small part. She caught my gaze and leaned over me, still missing her top.

  “Now now, I can see how tired you've been. You do need some reprieve from me.” She said with a smile.

  “Doesn't mean I can't enjoy the view.” I replied.

  She smiled as a small blush formed on her face. Try as she might to be a temptress, she was still new at this. And it was cute.

  We walked through the woods back towards the Guardian’s cabin together with her practically skipping around me in circles. As we approached the cabin Mallak descended from the sky and landed next to the cabin and Izzy grabbed my arm immediatley. She had been avoiding him as much as possible since our last conversation and while I was polite enough he was keeping me at arm’s length, only speaking to me when he left to inform me of where he was going.

  Isker hopped off of his back and I watched him glance in our direction before he leapt into the sky once more and sailed off into the horizon. Isker limped inside and we approached cautiously. They had been gone for two days and they had expected to be gone for a week.

  As we reached the cottage and found Isker, he was lying down on the couch near the fire pit and resting with one arm covering his face. One leg was propped up on the armrest, heavily bandaged as the Forged Guardian took heavy slow breaths.

  I rushed to his side while Izzy ran to the kitchen. She returned a moment later with fresh cloth. We undid the bindings on his leg and I grimaced as I saw less of a leg and more shredded meat where his calf should be. It had been hastily mended with some magic but it was far from perfect and the injury looked much older than fresh.

  “What happened?” Izzy hissed at Isker as I began applying bandages to the wound.

  “We were attacked. Stone creatures, like cats. One got a nasty hit on me. Mallak fought most of them off and we spent a day picking off the human forces. They had a large group of soldiers but nothing a Dragon and a human with some arrows couldn’t handle.” Isker laughed.

  “You’ve been fighting with this injury for that long?! Are you insane!?” Izzy cried, looking as if she wanted to slap him.

  “It was that or they would have marched on the village. I could do more from Dragonback than laid up in bed.” He growled back.

  “And he just left you here?” Izzy asked, fury entering her voice.

  “He needed to warn the other forged. They weren’t the only group of soldiers. They need to be ready.” Isker replied, hissing in pain as I wrapped his injuries.

  “And what about you?” She asked.

  “I’ve had worse.”

  “You had another forged to back you up back then!” Izzy hissed.

  “And a Nightkin. And now I have them again.” He said with a sad smile.

  Izzy looked taken aback as he said it. He reached up and cradled her face with a gentle hand.

  “You… you look so much like her now. So beautiful and deadly. You can protect them. Together. The ones we couldn’t drive off, two nights from now they’ll be here. With more of their constructs. You need to protect the village, Zaeas… Noctira. Please. For Izzy.” He rambled and I could see his eyes were bloodshot.

  Izzy held his hand to her face before gently lowering it back to his side and rising to her feet. His eyes shut and he went quiet as she did so.

  “I’ll get some cold towels. He’s feverish. Could you get him into his bed? He’s going to need somewhere comfortable for the next few days.” Izzy asked, her voice hollow as she turned to the kitchen.

  I nodded and as I was carrying him, I could hear some muffled sobs from the kitchen. I got him into the bed and made sure his bandages were holding. He mumbled a bit in his sleep but it was mostly incomprehensible. I let out a sigh as I tucked the blankets in around him and watched him settle into a calmer state.

  When Izzy joined us she had tied her hair back into a bun and she had a bowl of some hearty smelling broth along with some dampened towels. She set the tray down next to him and began damping his forehead with great care. He made an appreciative sound and I took my chance to begin spooning the food into his mouth. He may have been barely awake but he still sipped on the spoon each time I brought it to his mouth. By the time the bowl was drained he looked content and Izzy was leaning against me in a chair.

  “He’s so reckless.” She said with a sadness in her voice.

  “But he cares, that much shouldn’t be discounted.” I said softly, wrapping an around over her shoulder.

  “Maybe but he never shows it. You’ve seen how he's like with Mallak. I’m always… I don’t know. He doesn’t want me to do the things I want to do. And he always tries to keep me out of harm's way at his own expense.” She said softly.

  “I can understand that. My Parents were much the same.” I said, casting my thoughts back to Calanai, wondering what my Father was doing now.

  “Oh? I thought your Father was a knight and he trained you? That doesn’t sound like keeping you out of trouble.” She said, trying to laugh but it rang hollow.

  “No… Sir Greyson is the man who made me who I am today but my Mother and Father, the ones who had me as a child. And the ones who eventually cast me out when I didn’t behave to their liking.” I growled, remembering that night.

  There were a few moments of silence before she spoke again.

  “Tell me about them?” She asked.

  I sighed and she picked her head up to meet my gaze.

  “If you don’t want to, I understand. Bad memories and all that.”

  “No, no… its fine. I probably should. It's been years since I did so maybe now I can handle it a bit better. So lets see, the earliest memory I have is…”

  I was seven, Nire and I were playing out in the fields near the city. In no danger that close to the walls but still when we returned home with grass stains on our dresses and a few cuts and scrapes on our arms and faces, Mother was furious. She sent Nire home and took me upstairs to wash up. We had run off from the maid who was supposed to be watching us and I was made to apologize to her. She was nice enough but she was a little overbearing.

  My Mother, Lady Isika Nalthair, had always been a woman who demanded respect be shown to her and others. She was kind in her own way to everyone but she kept everyone at arm’s length. Everyone except me. Even Father was distanced from her but she would dote upon me during my studies and she would bring me with her to meetings I was too young to understand. And I have no problem admitting I got many of my good looks from her, she always had a stony beauty to her. Like… Like a marble statue who could give you an Icy glare.

  After I had apologized to the Maid she took me into her study and sat me down.

  “Ivali, you can’t be running off like this anymore.” She said, exasperated.

  “But why?! I like Nire! And we can protect each other!” I cried.

  “Because what if someone stronger than Nire came upon you? How would you fight back? What would you do?” She asked.

  “Fight! Together we can beat up anyone!” I cried, feeling full of myself.

  “Child, you cannot. If one of the men decided to… If someone decided to hurt you, you are not strong enough to fight back. It is how things are. Women like us must rely on cunning and cleverness, not power and heroics.” She said, her gaze turning sad as she spoke the words.

  “But Nire-” I tried to protest before she held up a hand.

  “Nire is strong for a girl, but in time her strength will wane. She will be overtaken by the men around you. Those boys from the Greyson family already show promise as knights.” Mother said softly.

  “I want to be a knight, then I can protect everyone. Nire says I’m not strong enough but I can still beat up Irand when we fight.”

  “And how does that go? Are you overpowering him?”

  “I… I try to trip him.”

  “So already you see my point. You need to rely on tricks, and those tricks will not always work dear. It is far better to temper your mind to deal with threats. But I suppose if you are on good terms with him that will make things easier…” She mumbled.

  “What easier?” I asked, naive as ever.

  “Its a bit early for arranging such things but I have been talking with Lord and Lady Greyson about their oldest boy. He is kind and smart, and on his way to claiming knight hood. He would make a perfect candidate for your future husband.” Mother said softly.

  “Husband? Like Marriage?” I asked, disgusted.

  “Yes dear, you will need to marry a man and have a child in order to become Lady of the House.”

  “Ew. Irand is… he’s like my brother. And I already told Nire I love her.”

  A look of pity flashed across her face before anger overtook it.

  “Dear, Nire is a woman. She cannot marry another woman!”

  “Then I’ll just be a man then! I like pants and swords better than dresses and fans anyway!” I growled.

  Mother had been holding a wine glass and it shattered in her grip. Blood dripped down her fingers and onto her desk as she gripped the glass shards.

  “You are no man. The Leadership of House Nalthair has been succeeded by the woman of the House for six generations. I will not be passing the leadership of the house over to a girl who believes herself to be one of the pig-” Mother bit her tongue as her face screwed into fury.

  I shrunk into my chair, not used to hearing such anger from her.

  Eventually she spoke in an icy measured tone.

  “Off to bed. No dinner. I do not want to hear anymore talk of you being a man.”

  I scurried off to bed.

  Izzy looked at me with a sadness in her eyes.

  “Well clearly her words didn’t hold because here you are. A fine and capable man.” She said, huddling a bit closer.

  “She tried. I think… I think something happened to her. She always had a distaste for men. She was always cordial during her meetings but I don’t think I ever heard her say anything good about any man when we were alone. I never asked her about it because I never thought about it while I was there with them. And after, I just wanted to forget those years. I suppose she truly did just want a daughter she could be proud of. And part of me wishes I could have been that for her. Part of me, a small part admittedly, still does too.” I whispered.

  “Are you okay?” She asked.

  “No, but I think it's helping.” I replied.

  She rose to her feet and stood over me.

  “Well he’s stable and if we are going in depth with this, let's get some food going while you tell me more.” She said gently pulling me to my feet as well.

  I rose to my feet and followed her out into the kitchen. She began to work and had me lean against the counter as she did. She gestured for me to continue and I smiled.

  “Let’s see… I suppose the next big incident was when I turned ten…”

  I hated that name. I hated it so much. Ivali. Ivali. It sounded so… dainty. Fragile. I hadn’t found one I liked yet but I knew I didn’t like that one. But here I was at the Greyson Estate with Nire, Siran, Irand and Sophia. The boys were sparring and Nire was sitting at the edge of the pit with a dulled blade that Sir Greyson had given her to spar against them with.

  Sophia and I were sitting at a table having tea with Lady Geneva and I kept eyeing the pit, upset that I couldn’t join them today because Mother had specifically asked Lady Greyson to keep me away from it after I came home last time with a black eye.

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  “I know you want to join them Lady Nalthair but unfortunately your mother has plans for you this evening and she needs you unmarred by brutal combat.” Lady Geneva said very dramatically.

  Both Sophia and I groaned.

  The Ball was tonight, and it was supposedly a chance for us to impress Prince Ruhn. Nevermind that I was already friends with him from our previous encounters, now I had to try and woo him. Blegh. Sophia grimaced in the same way. She and Siran had been getting closer in the past few months and I had wondered if they actually liked each other but today had all but confirmed it. Siran had practically scooped her up in his arms when we had arrived earlier in the afternoon.

  “But I don’t want to try and be with Ruhn. He’s such a bore of a Prince.” I groaned.

  “He isn’t a boar but he isn’t as nice to look at as Siran.” Sophia said with a glance towards the pit.

  “Siran still has time to grow into his attitude dear. But I do believe he will be quite the gentleman when he is grown.” Lady Greyson snickered.

  “He already is.” Sophia said with a sigh.

  I laughed into my teacup and we passed the time just watching the three of them. Eventually Sophia’s Father came by to collect her and it was just Lady Greyson and I sitting at the table.

  “So dear, I’m guessing by the way you keep cringing anyone calls you by your name, you are having rebellious thoughts?” She asked, calmly and with no judgement in her voice.

  I practically jumped in my chair.

  “I… yes.” It was no use hiding my thoughts from her, she could see through me like I was glass.

  “Well then let's talk about it while we have a chance. What are the thoughts racing through your head?” She asked.

  “I… I don’t like my name, ma’am.”

  She blinked in surprise.

  “Well that wasn’t what I expected. What about it?” She asked.

  “I don’t like how fragile it sounds. I… don’t want to grow up to be a dainty woman who schemes in the shadows like Mother keeps telling me. I want to be a Knight, I want to be strong and kind and capable and… and… I don’t want to be a woman.” The tears welling up in my eyes made me stop my rambling as I choked back a sob.

  She waited patiently for me to stop before she smiled and held out a warm hand. I took it and she rose from the table and guided me towards the interior of the estate. We wandered through the halls and eventually we arrived at a large bedchamber and she pulled me into the room and sat me down in front of a vanity.

  She took out several items which I recognized as makeup and began working on my face without saying anything. I choked back another sob, knowing she was probably trying to pretty me up like Mother always did. Trying to make me embrace being a woman. I held in the sobs as I braced for what was coming. When she finally finished I kept my eyes closed.

  “Now, Sir Nalthair, open those wonderful eyes of yours.” She said softly.

  I peeked one eye open and I gasped. She managed to harden some of the lines on my face and pulled back my hair so it appeared shorter than Mother demanded I keep it. She had also darkened the area around my eyes slightly and it gave me a slight brooding look. My heart fluttered in my chest as I looked at my face for the first time in years and liked what I saw. I brought up a hand to touch it and she gently stopped me.

  “Easy now, it will smudge if you touch it. This is a quick job, but if you wanted, next time you are over I could show you how to do something a bit more permanent that might slip under your Mother’s notice.” She said with a warm smile.

  I glanced up at her and I felt tears well in my eyes but I held them back.

  “Thank you.” Was all I could get out without betraying myself.

  “Of course dear, and if you ever need a place to go, come to us. Artur and I would be honored to have a young knight like yourself under our roof.” She said, gently pulling me from the seat in front of the Vanity.

  We returned back to the courtyard where Irand was now sitting on the side while Nire and Siran battled it out. Nire gave me a glance and a wicked looking smile. She made my heart flutter too, but in a different way. I returned the smile as she took a blow to the side in her moment of distraction. She grimaced and swept her legs under Siran’s and pulled them back, knocking his legs out from under him before she straddled him and pinned his arms over his head.

  She smiled down at him and I’m fairly certain Siran and I were both blushing when she stood back up to her feet and wandered over to Lady Greyson and I. She didn’t stop to take a seat, instead she walked up to me and cupped my chin with her fingers and pressed her lips to mine. It caught me off guard but I didn’t try to pull away from her. When she broke the kiss Lady Greyson was watching us while Siran and Irand were already back in the pit again.

  “Sorry if I caught you off guard. You were just so… handsome.” She said with a smile.

  “I… um… I- You to… G-Good form beating Siran.” I stammered.

  She smiled and took a seat next to us as Lady Greyson poured her a cup of tea.

  “So Nire how are you feeling? I see you have embraced what Artur said to you.” Lady Greyson said softly.

  “I had to think about it and he’s right. I could hide away or I could stand tall. I like the idea of standing tall. Mother wants me to cover it up. But I won’t. I’m the youngest of four, she doesn’t need me to be respectable. I’d rather be with Father out on the seas. And if I want to do that, I need to be strong enough to not let the sailors touch me again.” She replied, sipping the tea.

  I had heard from Mother that Nire had been hurt but she seemed fine as far as I had seen. Something about Sailors down at the Port. She’d been away for a few months so I hadn’t had a chance to talk to her about it.

  “Well you seem in fine form now. And a flirt besides.” Lady Greyson said with a smirk towards me.

  “Well…” She paused and looked at me. “... They seem to be working through something as well. Thought I might give their thoughts a good shake.”

  “Well you certainly seem to have done that. Will you be going to the ball tonight?” Lady Greyson asked.

  “No, too many men. The boys I can handle but that many men… No. Not after.” She stopped and I saw her hand shaking with the cup in her grasp, a dark look coming over her face.

  Lady Greyson placed a gentle hand on hers and squeezed which seemed to help. She looked much like Mother did when she spoke of men. It made me sad to think she would dislike them so. Given my own thoughts. I had always thought that maybe Nire and I could… I don’t know.

  Mother came by to collect me later and she said nothing about my makeup from Lady Greyson. The rest of the night went by in a blur, with Sophia and I sticking with the Greyson boys and avoiding Prince Ruhn.

  I sat down at the table as Izzy placed a bowl of stew in front of me. She took her seat next to me and placed a gentle hand on mine as I recalled.

  “It sounds like you liked Nire very much. And this Lady Greyson helped you.” She said quietly.

  “I do love Nire. But not in the same way she felt about me back then. Now… I would say we will be friends for all our lives but we can’t go back to being like lovers again. She has her own demons. I didn’t know what happened to her at that time. But I do now. She was sailing with her Father and while they were docked in a port she got grabbed by a few sailors from another ship. They took her back to their ship and… well you get the idea. She killed three of them to get away and when she returned to her Father’s ship with her clothes torn and covered in… anyway that ship no longer exists. I couldn’t have understood back then. I do now.” I said, my voice hollow as I remembered Argan.

  “Tiran, I’m here. You are safe from the memories.”

  “I know. I know.”

  “Let’s eat.” She whispered.

  We ate in silence and I washed the dishes. It helped, having a task. When I was done I joined her out near the fire and we leaned against each other while enjoying the warmth.

  “I have one more to share.” I said softly.

  She said nothing but squeezed my hand in hers.

  I stood before Mother and Father as they both glared at me. I had cut my hair and thrown the cut length into the fire. It was the middle of winter and the ice forming on the windows cracked with the burst of heat from the fireplace.

  “What have you done young lady?” Mother asked, her mouth curling into a sneer.

  “Finally making my point. I am not your Daughter. I am your Son. The one and only.” I growled, holding the knife I had cut my hair with defensively.

  “This drivel again, you are a woman Ivali! You cannot deny it, you are already growing into your womanhood!” She hissed.

  Father rose from his seat and approached me, his eyes haunted.

  “You do not want to do this girl. This goes against the church. They will not simply kill you.”

  “Better to die as myself than live as someone else.” I hissed.

  I never saw the punch coming. I fell to the floor with my face erupting in pain as I saw teeth bouncing on the stones. I tried to crawl back to leap to my feet but I felt a pressure on my leg and I looked to see Father pinning me down with his boot on my calf.

  “Give up on this girl.”

  “Never.” I said as I tasted the blood in my mouth.

  He only hesitated for a moment before he pushed all his weight down on my leg and I heard the crack before I felt it. I cried out in pain and was dragged to my feet before I could focus. Father was holding me by my throat as Mother approached.

  “I wanted to raise you to be the perfect successor. A daughter worthy of the Nalthair name. But you couldn’t do that could you. No. Lady Iva-” She stopped as I lashed out with my good leg, knocking her backwards.

  She fell just outside the fireplace and I braced myself as she grabbed the fire stoker. She swung it and I felt my arm bend in a way it never was meant to. I let out a cry and tears were running down my face. I felt another two blows against my side and blood soaking my shirt before the pressure holding me released and I heard them saying something but my mind was in too much pain to make it out.

  Words from years before rang out in my head and I began desperately crawling towards the door. I made it only a few feet before I was grabbed by my neck and dragged through the house. The front door was opened and I was thrown out into the freezing wind, my shirt being ripped away as I was thrown.

  The shock of the cold brought clarity to my thoughts. I pushed myself to my feet and I began to limp my way down the street. I could hear someone speaking behind me.

  “May the God of Purity forgive us for such a failure.” Father’s voice rang in my ears.

  I dragged myself through the city, passing no one in the storm. Wind and ice stung my skin and I could only cover so much of my chest with my good arm. I was so cold. Everything was cold. By the time I reached the Greyson estate I only managed to push the door open with blackened fingers. My whole body was shaking. Everything burned like a cold fire. My tears were frozen in streaks on my face.

  I heard voices as I crawled inside and everything went black.

  I woke up somewhere warm and soft. Lady Geneva was hovering over me. And someone I didn’t recognize.

  The pain was gone and I blinked back tears as I remembered what had happened with my parents. I tried to speak but something was pushed into my mouth and I tasted water mixed with blood. I drank and the dryness in my throat I hadn’t yet felt vanished. When the water stopped flowing I sat up and felt my back pop in several spots.

  “So the young lad awakes and he's already right as rain. Good. We were approaching the limits of what I could with the Frostbite and all.” The mysterious person said.

  Lady Greyson smiled as she helped me to my feet. We were in a very large room with shelves upon shelves and the smell of burning incense filled my nose. I had been clothed and I felt lighter. I glanced down to see my chest, previously slightly noticeable, was now flat.

  “I… what?” I asked.

  “Yeah sorry kiddo, had to take those off. All loose skin and fat, the Frostbite made short work of em. I could get you a new set of tits if you wanted though.” The stranger said.

  “N-No thank you. Who are you?” I asked.

  “Gatrel the Witch! But you can call me Gaty. I prefer they or them if you must refer to me. Well Geneva I think he’s good to go home if his mind is solid enough to ask sensible questions. But if he wants to do what we talked about then you both will need to stay a bit longer.” The stranger said.

  “That is up to him Gaty. Dear, you stumbled into our home half dead and frozen. I assume I can guess who did that?” Lady Geneva asked.

  I nodded.

  “Then I also assume you don’t want to go back to them?” She asked.

  I nodded, more enthusiastically.

  “Then may I suggest you allow Gaty to sculpt your face enough that no one will think you are their daughter?” She asked.

  “Sculpt my… hmm?” I asked, confused.

  She gave a look to Gaty who turned and smiled.

  “Give you a bit more of a masculine look so you can blend in with the boys. Avoid any unpleasantness with you changing your family house. Lord Greyson.” The Witch said with a smile.

  “You can do that?” I asked.

  “I can do lots of things! More than those wackadoodles at the church can anyway. And if it means helping a young man find himself, even better.” They said with a smile.

  “Then I accept. Thank you….” I wasn’t sure how to address them formally.

  “If you are looking for a title, you can refer to me as ‘The Great and Powerful Gatrel’ or ‘Your Witchliness’.” They said with a smile that made me unsure if they were serious or not.

  “Thank you, your Witchliness.”

  They beamed with enthusiasm and scurried off to some obscure corner of the room mumbling about ‘Supplies’. I turned to Lady Greyson and she smiled at me.

  “They are… eccentric. But they are very helpful. So dear, you don’t need to go into the details of what happened, but how do you feel now? Everything in the right place?” She asked, placing a gentle hand on my shoulder.

  I moved every joint in my body experimentally and found everything in order. Better even now that there wasn’t any weight on my chest.

  “I feel great.” I said.

  “Wonderful. Now, on to the big questions. Do you have a name sweetheart?” She asked.

  I thought for a moment and my thoughts turned to everyone I liked and knew. My mind rambled out a whole list of names. I got overwhelmed and looked up at her.

  “Could you… could you pick one out for me?” I asked.

  She looked surprised but after a moment she nodded with a smile. She thought for a few moments and looked me up and down.

  “I’m afraid I’m rather poor at coming up with original names for my sons but… What do you think of Tiran?” She asked.

  “Tiran… Tiran…” I tested the name on my tongue before what she had said registered and I looked up at her.

  “Son?” I asked.

  “If you wish to be, Artur and I would be more than happy to take you in. And Siran and Irand would be overjoyed to have another brother I’m sure.” She said, placing her hands on my shoulders.

  “B-But what if they don’t accept me? What if they think I’m a freak like M-” She pulled me into a hug as I began to breathe quickly.

  “I know they would accept you dear, but if you do not wish to tell them who you were, we can tell them otherwise. You’ve been through much and I do not wish to put you through anymore today.” She said softly.

  I took a deep breath as she held me and returned the hug.

  “Then Tiran Greyson it is.” I said with a tearful smile.

  “Sir Tiran Greyson. Artur is so excited to be able to properly train you. Now then lets let Gaty do their work so we can get you home and fed.” She said with a smile.

  “Thank you… Mother.” I said, still a bit nervous about saying it.

  Any doubt I had was immediatley dispelled by the look of joy she gave me when I said it. We waited for Gaty to return and they spent a few hours tracing symbols on my skin and it was a very strange experience to have my bones and skin moving. But when it was done I looked different enough than I had at the Nalthair house that I was confident I could pass myself off as someone else.

  We thanked Gaty for the aid and returned home. My proper home.

  I stared at Tiran after he finished his tale. He was crying as he described Lady Greyson and I had to imagine something had happened to her. I pulled him close and he held onto me. He was clinging to me for some time as we sat in front of the fire and eventually he stopped shaking in my grip. I cradled his face as he pulled back and wiped his eyes.

  “Sorry. I’m usually more put together but Geneva… She treated me like I was her own and sickness claimed her a few years ago.” He said softly.

  “It's alright. Good to know you can let your feelings out when you need to. She sounds wonderful.” I said with a smile that showed my fangs.

  We sat together for a short while before I licked my lips. I’d been putting off the question but now that a threat was on the horizon I couldn’t wait. I needed my strength back for what was coming.

  “Tiran?”

  “Hmm?”

  “When I spoke to the Witch she told me of how I could awaken my Mother’s strength within me. I would need to drink blood. But it is more potent if the blood is offered than taken by force. And with this threat on the horizon I was wondering if I could…” I glanced towards him to find him looking confused.

  “You want to drink my blood?” He asked.

  I nodded.

  “Then yes. I would have thought in the past few weeks when we were together you would have…” He said softly, a stupid looking grin spreading across his face.

  I smiled at him and ran a pale finger along the caramel skin of his neck and he let out a shudder.

  “She taught me how to do it and not harm. Just hold still.” I said softly as I leaned in.

  I pressed a kiss to his neck before I bared my teeth and bit into the soft flesh. I heard him let out a breath as he held still for me. I pushed my teeth a bit deeper and found the taste of blood filling my mouth. The taste was delicious, like perfectly cooked meat on a cold day. I took what I needed and when I was done I licked the wounds from my fangs and they sealed up with just a slight trickle of blood. As I pulled back he blinked and smiled at me.

  “That felt… interesting.” He said, his smile still there.

  “It is supposedly meant to be an intimate act. Do you feel okay?” I asked.

  “A little woozy. But nothing some sleep can’t help. Come on love, off to bed. And then tomorrow we ready for the enemy.” He said softly as he shakily rose to his feet and pulled me towards our bedroom.

  I followed him happily, already feeling my strength growing as I took the steps after him.