Falcon was reading the story about the slaves in the newspaper, when Cael and Lotus finally joined them in the living room. Julia was sitting beside him, her head resting against his shoulder, and Amiya was still praying. Falcon was impressed that she hadn’t moved the entire time He knew he wouldn’t be able to stay still like that for more then five minutes, if that.

“We should leave in the morning,” Cael said as soon as he was settled on the sofa across from them.

Falcon set the paper down and looked at Lotus, who was snuggled into Cael’s side, looking completely blissful. He smiled at Cael then, for his ability to shift immediately into business mode.

“We need to start planning. Getting into Malluk’s temple will not be easy,” Cael told them. “The guards that were posted at the Shia’Lan ruins, and the wanted posters for you two lead me to believe that she knows we were after the orb. When she receives no report from the guards, she will most likely assume that we have it, and therefore that we have her sister. I am actually surprised, now that we know about Amiya, that Kieran did not have more protection around the orb pieces. She knows how much of a threat Amiya is to her.”

“Maybe she thought they were already well-protected. It wasn’t like getting them was easy,” Julia said.

He nodded. “Possible.”

“What about her?” Falcon asked, nodding to Amiya. “Do you know of a safe place she can be hidden until this is over?”

“Maybe the nymphs would hide her for a bit,” Lotus suggested.

Amiya stood and faced them. “I will be coming with you.”

“Do you know how to fight?” Julia asked.

“No,” she answered. “But you have shown me what I must do, and I have prayed on it. Daegon desires that I assist you.”

“But you might get hurt,” Julia argued.

“It is Daegon’s will,” Amiya said simply, “and so it must be done.”

“How can you help?” Cael asked.

“I have Daegon’s power to heal.”

He nodded. “Good. That is useful.”

She smiled, pleased that her offering of services was accepted and bowed her head. “Thank you.”

“Wait,” Julia said. “Daegon is just the God of Light, right? She’s with him, not Aryst, so how is she a healer?”

“All of Daegon’s clergy have healing power,” Lotus answered. “But it’s just basic stuff, like your healing spell. The clerics of Aryst can cure disease, poison, extremely serious injuries and, well, a lot of things… I think the only reason Daegon’s people have the ability at all is because Aryst is Daegon’s wife.” She shrugged.

When Julia nodded her understanding, Cael returned to questioning Amiya. “What do you have to protect yourself?”

“Daegon will keep me safe,” she answered.

“Sure he will,” Cael said.

His sarcasm didn’t register with her, and she smiled at him, agreeing.

“Will you wear anything else?” he asked.

“I will not remove the robe of my god.”

He nodded again. “I figured as much.”

“Then how do you take a bath?” Julia asked.

Cael and Falcon both laughed.

“You don’t have to answer that,” Lotus told Amiya, though she was holding back laughter herself. She turned to Cael, remembering something. “Oh, we might not be able to leave in the morning. I don’t know when the others will get here.”

“Others?” Falcon asked.

“Tikki and Badger,” she said, as if it were common knowledge.

“How?” Julia asked.

“Oh, sorry,” she said sheepishly. “I thought I already told you. Before I came to find Ikoris, I went to the jungle and found your friends. I didn’t think you’d mind―after all, we can use all the help we can get. I remembered you telling me how good they were when they helped you get the first part of the orb, so I figured they would be very useful to have with us now.”

“Yes,” Julia agreed happily. “That’s wonderful.”

Falcon nodded. “Thanks for thinking of it.”

Lotus grinned. “They should be here soon―one, maybe two days. I sent a bird to deliver the message after you arrived last night. I’m not sure how fast they are, though.”

“But messengers don’t always work,” Julia said, repeating what Cael had told them.

“Hers do,” Cael replied. “A nymph’s ability to talk to animals is innate, not learned like mine. They are much more capable than a ranger in that.”

“Well, it looks like you’ll have more troops to command,” Falcon told him.

“Good,” he said seriously. “The more we have to work with, the better. We will make good use of our time until then.”

“You think we need training,” Falcon guessed with a chuckle.

Cael nodded.

__________

Julia sat on the grass next to Lotus in the backyard, watching Cael and Falcon spar. Jade lay purring on Lotus’ lap, enjoying her gentle hand stroking his fur. “I’m glad you decided against their plan,” Lotus told her quietly.

“You, too,” Julia said. “If it had been just one of us, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t have saved her.”

“You’re probably right,” she agreed. “But I thought of something―another reason that it’s good one of us didn’t kill her, or even condone it.”

Julia looked over at her now. “Why?”

“Malluk only chooses children whose parents have committed some evil act. All gods preordain based on the parents.”

“Yeah, you said that before.”

“Well… what if the act of killing someone as innocent as Amiya had the same consequences for us? Remember, her mother thought that what she did was for a good cause as well.”

Julia gasped. “Our children,” she said softly. She looked back at Falcon and suddenly smiled.

“I don’t understand your emotions right now,” Lotus told her.

“I was just thinking how he’ll make a wonderful father,” Julia whispered.

“Oh,” Lotus whispered back. “Yes, he will.” She smiled, too. “As will Cael,” she added in a dreamy tone.

Catching the twitch of a grin and the quick look from Cael, Julia laughed. Falcon was right about the good hearing―Cael was twenty feet away, and there was the sound of metal clanging against metal as the swords clashed, but still he could hear Lotus.

A few minutes later, Julia watched as Cael kicked the weapon from Falcon’s hand. It flew and stuck into the ground several feet away. There was a hint of a smile on his lips as he touched the tip of his sword to Falcon’s chest. Falcon—breathing hard—nodded his defeat as he wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. Cael lowered his blade, and the two men stood talking for awhile before Falcon retrieved his sword, and came to sit beside her.

“Julia,” Cael called.

“Yeah?”

“Come practice with me.”

Her stomach instantly knotted. For some reason, the idea made her nervous, like he might laugh or something. She was horrible with weapons. “No, thanks.”

“You need practice,” he insisted.

“I suck with weapons. You’ll just kick my butt.”

She hated when he gave her that look, that I know what’s best look, and he gave it to her now.

“Then you might as well stay here,” he told her. “If you cannot stand against me, what chance do you have against Kieran and whatever things she has at her command?”

“I’m a mage, not a fighter,” she argued.

“You will be using magic as well.”

Her eyes widened in shock at what he was suggesting. “I’m not going to use magic on you!”

“One of your fireballs would not kill me,” he replied confidently. “And I can heal myself quickly. Now, come here. As soon as you can hit me, just once, I will leave you alone.”

She gaped at him for a long moment, then turned to Lotus. “You don’t want me hurting him, right?”

“Of course not,” Lotus answered lightly.

“See?” Julia told Cael. “Your girlfriend doesn’t want me to, either.”

“I did not ask what she wants, nor is her opinion relevant in this matter,” he retorted.

His calm, proud demeanor was really annoying sometimes. She folded her arms over her chest. “I’m not doing it.” She looked at Falcon. “Aren’t you going to help me out here?”

He shook his head. “No. He’s right.”

“Well… too bad,” she said, then stood and started walking toward the house.

She made it two steps before she suddenly fell forward and hit the ground. Confused, she turned to see what had tripped her. Cael had made two blades of grass grow in size, and wrap themselves around her ankles. She was really not liking him at the moment. She got up and glared at the ranger.

He looked back smugly and raised a single brow, as if to say: What are you going to do about it?

“That’s mean and unfair,” she told him heatedly.

He only stood there, waiting patiently, his arms at his sides with one of his swords ready in his right hand.

Lotus smiled up at her. “Don’t worry, Julia; if he hurts you, I’ll get him.”

Cael grinned. “You will be next.”

Lotus laughed. “Good.”

Julia looked down at her incredulously. Would she actually use magic on her own boyfriend? While Julia’s head was turned, she felt something slither around her waist, and a second later she was flat on her back.

She waited while the grass let go and shrunk back to its normal size. She took a deep breath and pushed herself back to her feet. Now she was starting to get angry. At that moment, she really did want to hurl a spell at him.

“You should not take your eyes off your opponent,” Cael advised.

“You shouldn’t attack when I’m not ready,” Julia shot back.

“Shall I explain your rules of combat to the high priestess?” he mocked. He was enjoying this.

Her temper got the best of her. “Sometimes you can be such a… an arrogant ass!” she spat, then gasped in shock at herself as soon as it came out.

Much to her annoyance, he chuckled. “And you can act like such an infant,” he flung back.

His words stung. “Fine!” she muttered, pulling out her dagger as she went toward him.

She felt her nerve falter slightly at the way he watched her come. He stood perfectly still, waiting with that casual smile on his face that was, in itself, unnerving. When she got close enough, she took an angry swing at him. He blocked easily, barely changing his stance. She tried again. He sidestepped it. Then three more strikes, and three more misses.

“Stop being soft,” he instructed. “You will not hurt me. And I will not be gentle with you.”

She slashed at him again. His blade caught hers, and he shoved his foot into her stomach, kicking and sending her flying back. She landed hard on the ground. He didn’t wait for her to get up before swinging his sword at her. Barely quickly enough, she raised her dagger in time to block. His sword rose again as she scooted backwards. Again, she blocked. She couldn’t see how she was going to get up, but she couldn’t fight from the ground.

He raised his weapon yet again, but just as she put hers up to block, he kicked her hand, the dagger landing several feet away. She automatically looked the way it went, then saw the silver blade coming at her from the corner of her eye. She rolled out of the way, but he was right behind her and she was still trapped on the ground. He gave her no choice―she threw a fireball and scrambled to her feet as soon as it was released.

Cael waved a hand in front of himself and swept the fireball away; instead of hitting him, as it should have, it exploded in midair three feet to his left.

She barely had time to gape before he was swinging again. She backed up, going the same way her dagger had flown. She dodged four swings before she found her weapon, then shot another fireball and used the distraction to pick up her dagger. He swept her spell away again. She swung and missed.

She shot another fireball and then struck immediately after, but it was as if he knew exactly what she was going to do. He dropped into a crouch, avoiding both magic and blade, and then pulled her legs out from under her. She landed on her back, and the tip of his blade was to her throat a second later.

He sheathed his sword, then held out his hand. She sighed in defeat as she grudgingly took it, and let him help her up.

“That was good, Julia,” Lotus called encouragingly.

Cael gave her a look that said differently. “She would be dead right now.”

“It was a good try,” she retorted.

Taking advantage of his diverted attention, Julia took her dagger slowly into her left hand and struck out at him with her right fist. Punching him at that moment would feel really good―a hurt nose would serve him right, she thought moodily.

She wasn’t sure what exactly happened, but a second later, her fist was in his hand with her arm twisted behind her back, and she was turned around. Then, as if it were necessary, he had also took her dagger from her and pressed the blade to her throat.

I’m gonna die! she thought. She could barely handle a few minutes against Cael―how was she going to take on Kieran and whatever was with her?

The weapon was removed, and Cael turned her back around to face him. His features were softer now as he handed back her dagger and set a hand on her shoulder. “You will make it,” he told her confidently. “We will practice every day, and you will improve.”

She shook her head. “What’s a few days going to do?” she asked morosely.

“A lot,” he answered, taking his hand away. “Now, I will tell you what you did wrong.”

“Oh, goodie,” she grumbled.

“First, do not repeat yourself too much. After you used your fireball twice as a distraction, I knew that you would use it the third time in the same way―but since you were standing and had your weapon, I knew you would use it to attack. You were predictable.” He waited until she nodded her understanding. “Second, do not forget that you have many weapons―not just a blade and magic, but the rest of your body and whatever else is around you.” He pointed at the ground beside her. “A rock, for example.”

“You want me to knock you out now?”

“I want you to try,” he told her seriously. “Hold nothing back when you fight. Put your entire self into it. Give it all of your attention. Nothing else exists except for this fight. Stay present. And let go of your fear.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sure, simple.”

“Focus on the task. Focus on your opponent,” he said calmly. “Let go of everything else. Do not think of letting go, just do it.”

“Is that all?”

He ignored her huffy tone. “There is one more thing―practice using both hands for magic. You will be more efficient using your right hand for the weapon. Also, I might not be quick enough to block the second attack if you were to shoot two spells, one right after the other… but throw the second one lower or higher, so as not to hit where I am shielding from the first.”

“How did you block like that, anyway?” she asked.

“By using the wind,” he replied simply.

She just nodded and walked over to sit with Falcon. “I’m still annoyed with you, by the way,” she told him halfheartedly.

“Cael’s right; you need to learn,” Falcon replied.

“Isn’t he always,” she mumbled sarcastically, then sighed. “Hold me already.”

He chuckled at her demand, but said nothing as he pulled her close.

They stayed like that as they watched Lotus and Cael spar. It was hard to watch at first, because they really didn’t hold back, but it was also amazing graceful and beautiful. Julia couldn’t understand how Cael could attack the woman he loved like that. And how could Lotus attack him? She would be devastated if she hurt him, so why did she go at him like that? They even used magic. Julia was scared for them both.

They eventually just called it a tie, then shared a look that made Julia blush. She wondered if they would just head straight for the nearest bedroom as their smoldering gazes met and held. Not that she could understand how fighting got them worked up in that way. She shook her head.

“What?” Falcon asked.

“There are just some things I don’t understand,” she said, watching the couple kissing a bit too passionately for public display, in her opinion. “But to each their own.”

Falcon glanced at them and understood. He smiled. “I’m glad we have them on our team.”

“Yeah, no doubt,” she agreed. “They’re incredible.”

Falcon laughed suddenly. “I want to see Cael take on Tikki when she gets here.”

Julia turned to frown at him. Her stomach knotted at the idea. She shook away the mental image―it was too disturbing, Tikki was so small, and if Cael could fight like that against his own girlfriend, he would definitely not hold back against a little gnome. “How about you don’t suggest it?”

He grinned. “Oh, I’m suggesting it. But you don’t have to watch.”

She sighed. “It’d be worse not to.”

__________

The study door opened, startling Julia and almost making her drop the book she was holding. She pulled her feet off of Ikoris’ walnut desk, and sat up straight in the burgundy armchair. “Oh, hi.”

Lotus walked over and sat on the edge of the desk. “What are you doing?”

Julia shrugged. “I wanted to ask Ikoris some questions about magic, but he left, so I figured I’d see what I could find out by myself.” She showed her the book called: The Art of Spell Casting by Carver Geofan.

“Where’d he go?”

“Rufus told Jade that he convinced Ikoris to go back to the cave. He’s too old and forgetful to be in the midst of such danger… but we can stay here as long as we like.”

“Good, I’m glad he’ll be safe,” Lotus said. She motioned to the book. “So, did you find anything useful?”

Julia gave her a sheepish smile. “I have no clue. I think I’ve read this page three times, and I still don’t know what it says.” She set the book down. “I can’t focus right now.”

“What’s wrong?” As if expecting a long conversation, Lotus pulled her legs up and sat cross-legged on top of the uncluttered desk.

“Do I even need to tell you?” Julia asked. “You already know what I'm feeling, right?”

“Yes, but one emotion can fit a lot of different things. Right now, I know that you are feeling dejected and scared, but I don’t know what thoughts are behind them.”

“I’m sure you could guess.”

“I’m a bard―understanding people is a specialty of mine,” Lotus told her. “But even if I could work it out for myself, I’d rather hear it from you. Besides, talking about it always helps.”

Julia let out a long, heavy sigh. “I just feel pathetic and useless.”

“Why?”

“Everyone else can fight. You and Cael are amazing. Falcon is great. So is Tikki, and she’s only fifteen. All I do is set off traps and act like a baby.”

“That’s not true.”

“Yeah, right,” Julia scoffed. “Just ask Cael.”

There was a strange look in Lotus’ eyes for a moment, and then it turned into understanding. “Tell me about your father.”

Julia chuckled dryly. “Isn’t it supposed to be my mother?”

“Hmm?”

“Freud… never mind.” She shook her head. “My dad was a drunk,” she said simply. “Unless he was going on one of his rants about how horrible my mom was, he pretty much ignored me. He left when I was eleven, and I never saw him again.” She shrugged.

Lotus smiled now like she knew everything. “You’re not used to people like Cael.”

“No,” Julia agreed. “He’s a bit strange. But what’s that have to do with my dad?”

“Let me tell you about my father,” Lotus said. “He adored me, and thought I could do anything. Because of his great love and faith in me, he was always pushing me. He wanted me to live up to my potential. By helping me do that, he was giving me his love. He only told me I was wrong so that I could learn from it and become better. He never said a word to me that was meant to injure. Everything he said and did was because he cared. Do you understand?”

“In theory.”

“Cael is very much like my father was,” Lotus told her. "Except with the ability to be more detached, but that comes from the elves.” She seemingly couldn’t help rolling her eyes―she was apparently not too fond of elves in general. “Cael genuinely cares about people. That’s who he is. He thinks of himself as a servant to the people; protecting them and helping them is his mission in life.”

“I know.”

“Good. Then understand that he only pushes you because he cares. He only points out your mistakes so that you can learn from them and become better. That’s how he gives his love, just as my father did.”

“I don’t need a father,” Julia muttered.

“That’s not what I meant. Julia, he loves you, just as I do. Woodlanders don’t just know their mates quickly, they know their friends, too―and we both feel very close to you. To us, you and Falcon have become family.”

Family. That one word did it. She didn’t know why, but it was the final straw. The floodgates opened. She put her head in her hands, feeling stupid for her sudden tears.

Julia hadn’t heard her move, but suddenly Lotus was pulling her hands away. She was kneeling on the floor and looking up at her. “It’s hard for you,” she murmured. “To be surrounded by people who love you. You’ve spent your whole life loving, but not feeling it in return. And now it aches… it’s unfamiliar, scary.”

Julia nodded.

“It’s something you’ve wanted so much, and now you’re scared of it, because it could go away and you'd go back to feeling alone. But it would be so much worse now, because now you know how it feels. You know how wonderful love really is.”

Again, Julia nodded.

“But you will never be alone again,” Lotus assured her. “We will always love you and will always be here―Falcon, Cael, and me. You didn’t have a real family before; let us be your family now.”

Julia cried harder. “But… I’m leaving,” she said. “I hate this world. I hate all the horrible things in it. I just want to go home. I don’t belong here.”

“There are horrible things in every world,” Lotus said. “Good and evil are always together, like two sides of the same coin, unable to be parted from each other. So there are always wonderful things, too,” she promised. “And why are you going to defeat Kieran, anyway? Is it really to go home?”

“Partly.”

“What is the main reason?”

Julia closed her eyes for a moment and saw the horrific image that was still so clear in her mind: the dead bodies of the children in Hilltop. And then she thought of Vivyka, that sweet little girl who was now all alone in the world, her parents torn from her forever. She looked back into Lotus’ tender green eyes. “The children,” she whispered.

“Exactly,” Lotus said. “You’ve already made your mark on this world. You’ve saved two children―Vivyka and Ohka―and who knows how many more by your actions. You’ve already made a place for yourself here.” She took Julia’s hand in hers and smiled lovingly. “But if you decide to go back to your Earth, I’ll understand, and so will Cael,” she said, speaking for him as if they had been together for years instead of just a day. “We’ll still love you from afar, always. And you’ll still have Falcon.”

“I’m scared he―”

Lotus laughed softly, cutting her off. “He will follow you anywhere. He loves nothing so much as you.” She stood and hugged her, then was quiet for several minutes, until Julia's tears stopped. “There’s something else I want to tell you,” Lotus said when she pulled back.

Julia looked up at her and dried her wet cheeks. “What?”

“Even if you’re not the best at fighting, it is you who has brought us this far.”

“Falcon’s done more.”

“And why is he here?” Lotus asked, then answered for her. “Because of you. Falcon gets his strength from you. You are his foundation―the thing that makes it possible for him to be as good as he is. You keep him going when he wants to give up. If nothing else, it’s your strength and determination that has led the way. You are the reason we’re all here.”

Julia just nodded. She felt too drained to say anything, to argue, or to even think anymore. She was just tired.

Lotus stroked her hair and smiled gently. “Should I send Falcon up?”

“No. Can you just let him know I went to bed?”

“Of course,” she said, and then kissed Julia’s forehead and left.