10
"This is not my fault, Openheimer. I warned you to ask sooner!"
"You expect me to believe you didn't orchestrate this entire thing?" M snapped, glowering at Dani. The young woman's hair was pulled back, and she put her hands on her hips. He had pulled her out of her volleyball game during free period, and she wasn't happy about it. Not that M. cared—the piano had meddled in the wrong business.
"Only if you want to believe the truth, because I had nothing to do with this. I was actually shocked to hear that Patrick asked, and even more surprised that Amber said yes. But she is within her right to agree to whoever she pleases."
"She can't go to the dance with that hick!"
"My word, it's a dance, Openheimer. It's not the end of the world. If it helps, I don't think she's got any intentions of dating Patrick."
"Why would that help? Why'd she even say yes then, if not to get under my skin?"
"She said yes because he asked and he's her friend so she didn't really see a reason not to. You have to remember, Amber isn't from Ninjago. She's come a long way in her Ninjago City street smarts, but there are still some gaps. To her, this is just another dance—closer to a performance than it is a date."
"But it is a date...and she's going with him!"
"You're perfectly free to ask her out on other dates, M. Just because she's going to the dance with Patrick..."
"This ruins everything!" M. argued. "If she doesn't even want to go to a dance with me..."
"She probably would have, if you had manned up and asked sooner," Dani sniffed. "Now, do us both a favor and get a grip. You're wasting my free period."
M. scowled. "What am I supposed to do now?"
"Ask someone else? It's just a silly school date, M. It's not like they're getting married."
Joke or not, the thought sent ice down M's back, and he felt like punching a wall. "This is all so stupid. I should tell my Dad to cancel the whole thing."
"Yes, because that's the super mature, non-petty thing to do," Dani said flatly.
"Who else could I possibly go with?"
"You're a popular guy—use your imagination."
M. studied the girl carefully. "You aren't going, are you?"
"Wow, was that an attempt to ask me to be your date? I would be flattered, but I've got a boyfriend, Openheimer."
"You mean the pudgy kid with freckles? He doesn't even go here."
"He doesn't have to—the Marty Openheimer Activities Board decided that the dance should be open to dates who aren't necessarily going to the school."
"Marty Openheimer Activities Board?"
"Your Dad put it together, and I happen to be on it," Dani said, pushing her long brown hair off her shoulder. "I already asked Colby, and he already agreed to come."
M. snorted. "You asked him? Wow, sounds like he's quite the lady's man."
"No need to be catty; it's not my fault you waited too long."
"Are you sure you guys are really even dating?" M. challenged, remembering what Dani had said about him and Amber a week or so before. "Maybe you're just friends. I haven't ever heard him call you his girlfriend—not even at that dinner we all went to."
"First of all, Colby's an emotionally driven person and he doesn't throw around labels lightly—if he wants to wait a little longer before calling me his girlfriend, then I'm fine with that. Second of all, whether Colby will admit it or not, we are dating."
"How is that any different than me and Amber?"
"Because as far as I'm aware, you and Amber haven't ever kissed."
"And you and your 'boyfriend' have?"
Dani rolled her eyes. "You don't know everything about my life, Openheimer. Now, if you're done having a tantrum, I've got to go win a volleyball game before I give in to the urge to say I told you so."
"Stay in Ninjago? Why?" Julien asked, baffled. "We're supposed to start traveling back to the MIRI tomorrow."
"I just got off ze phone vis the director of MIRI und he vants us to work vith the Ninjago Robotics Federation. Zere's been some break throughs in neuro-science zat we have to learn about. Ze director is counting on it!"
"But my project is still in Metallonia," Julien tried.
"I vill help you finish your project on time, don't vorry," Agatha gushed. "Vat if ve use the information learned from ze NRF in your project? NCU vould have never seen anysing like zat in a graduate project!"
Julien felt stuck, watching Agatha become more and more animated as she discussed their plans. He was technically intrigued by this supposed break-through in neuro-science, but it had been hard enough keeping things together for the past week. Agatha had insisted on visiting his "roots" during their week off, but now she had finagled a way into having them stay.
"Don't look so glum," the tall blonde pleaded. "It vill all work out, I promise. Besides, now I have time to finally meet your parents, since they vere so busy this veek!"
"Oh…well…"
"Do you sink zey vould let us stay vith them? It vould save on hotel costs. I know zat zey were having zeir home fumigated this veek, but you vere able to get the blueprints yesterday, so ze fumigation must be over."
Julien adjusted the glasses on his nose, which he often did when he was trying to think. "I could ask them," he said at last with a sigh. Agatha wrapped him in an embrace.
"Zis is so exciting!" she exclaimed, and Julien tried to smile.
"Yes…exciting."
"Did we not have a conversation about taking guards with you wherever you went?" Myrah demanded as she came into the library. Hershel looked up from his scroll, but she didn't miss the guilty look on his face.
"I've been letting one come with me on my healing visits," he tried, but Myrah shook her head as she marched closer.
"You rode all the way to the hidden village by yourself, Hershel. What if you had been ambushed again? You promised you would take guards with you."
"I didn't have time to go back to the fortress and find someone," Hershel said. "Teag made the trip alone on foot. As someone who's far less capable of protecting themselves, I had to catch up with him as soon as possible."
"So that ambushing traders could kill you both? That's very comforting," Myrah said flatly as she sat down. "How did you even know that's where he went?"
"Raiyn told me," Hershel said, turning back to the scroll. "He said that Teag was with Iona…the rascal must have told Raiyn and Pippa where he was heading before storming off. I'm glad he did—otherwise I wouldn't have even known where to look. Or, regrettably, I might not have even noticed he was gone at all for a few days."
"I would have gone with you, if it really was so last minute," Myrah pressed. "The thought of you traveling through the desert alone on a hoofer completely vulnerable makes me sick."
"I'm not completely vulnerable, you know."
"You promised you would take guards," she responded, crossing her arms. Hershel's smile faded.
"I will from now on."
Myrah narrowed her eyes, but she finally sat in the seat across from him. "So, he came back?"
"Yes. He's back in the servant's quarters. I'll have to talk to Tolan about not taking out his anger on the poor kid. Teag can be hard to handle, but I think he's been trying harder with Tolan than anybody else. The last thing we need is Tolan scaring him off and putting him back at ground zero."
Myrah was quiet. "Is the servant's quarters really the best place for him?"
Hershel sighed. "Normally, a master houses their apprentice, but this whole situation is fragile. I'm not going to ask Tolan to house him because Tolan doesn't even consider him an apprentice. I told Teag I could find a room for him in the fortress since he's working at the fortress forge, but he was adamant that I wasn't to give him special treatment. So, he's been staying in the servant's quarters since he started working with Tolan and seems content enough there."
"I suppose that makes sense," Myrah said, and then she sighed. "This is getting complicated, with all these powered kids you're taking in."
"More complicated than an institution full of children? Last I recall, you built that school with dorms so students wouldn't have to travel back and forth from the farther villages every day. You've got far more students living here than I do."
"But they know they're students," Myrah pointed out. "What is Teag to you?"
Hershel's smile faded. "Teag...is me. Or at least, who I was thirty years ago."
Myrah processed that and sighed. "I'm proud of you for helping them—all those kids that have been discovered with powers. Just don't stretch yourself too thin, all right?"
"I'm not," Hershel promised, reaching out to take her hand across the table. "These kids have really given me the purpose that I spent so long searching for."
Myrah squeezed his hand. "Just promise, you'll be more careful. No more solo trips...even to the Hidden Village."
"All right."
The weather was nice in the western province, but Theo hardly noticed. He slid off his hoofer, shoving Dragon's reins into a servant's hands without even looking at him. The guards at the door recognized him and opened the heavy doors to allow him entrance, and the Heir scanned the hallways as he traveled.
"Theodynn?" It was Hershel, rather than Myrah, and the Heir froze as he turned.
"Hello, Master Hershel," he offered, resisting the urge to glance down the hall. "I came to talk with Myrah...is she here today?"
Hershel looked surprised. "She generally spends her mornings over at the school. Why do you need her?"
"A province thing we've been trying to figure out," Theo said, forcing a chuckle. "I'll just go find her."
"Wait a second, Theo."
"I'm kind of in a rush..."
"You seem stressed," Hershel pointed out, getting in front of the heir. "Have you been drinking that tea I gave you?"
Theo thought about lying, but he knew Hershel probably already assumed the truth. "I haven't tried it yet," Theo said. "The nightmares haven't been too bad."
"You don't look like you've been sleeping any better."
Theo resisted the urge to snap, forcing himself to take a deep breath. "I'm staying up too late," he tried. "Once I can get myself to actually go to bed at a reasonable hour..."
"Theodynn?"
Hershel and Theo both turned to see that Myrah had come into the corridor. Theo felt a rush of relief. "Myrah! I'm just here to talk about the project." Myrah frowned, and Theo hurried to explain. "The project with the south."
"Ah, yes. I wasn't expecting you back so soon with results," Myrah offered smoothly, coming closer. Hershel smiled as she reached them.
"Here you are, getting mad at me for my projects. What are you up to now?"
"I'm never mad at you. I just want you to be safe," Myrah chided as she gave her husband a quick kiss. "I'll be meeting with Theodynn this morning, it seems. If you want to go out today..."
"Bring a guard," Hershel finished, and Myrah nodded.
"If I hear about you going off without one..."
"I'll take somebody with me," her husband assured, kissing her back. "Are you still all right to have Raiyn for the day, or do you want me to watch him?"
"I nearly forgot it was my day to have him," the Western Leader realized. "Where is he now?"
"Off galivanting somewhere with Pippa. I can go find him, if you want him to stay with me."
"That would be—"
"Thee-thee!" a shrill cry interrupted what Myrah was going to say, and Theo couldn't help but smile as he saw the young child come around the corner. Pippa's voice rang out down the hallway behind him.
"I already told you, Prince Theo isn't here!" the unseen babysitter snapped. "If he were, then..." Pippa rounded the corner after her cousin, and her words died in her throat. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of Theo, who was accepting an embrace from the affectionate Raiyn.
"Hello," Theo offered, feeling a bit of his stress melt away from the young child's embrace. Raiyn looked up and smiled.
"Hello Thee-thee."
"Come on, son. Theo and Mama have to talk," Hershel said as he scooped up his child. Raiyn turned and hugged his father.
"Okay Daddy."
Theo relaxed as he watched Hershel head off with his son, and when he turned around, he realized that Pippa had vanished. Myrah was watching Theo closely as she gestured for him to follow her to her office.
"You've figured something else out about the Traders?" she guessed, her voice low.
"It's Ottan."
Myrah looked surprised. "Really? You have proof?"
Theo felt a squirm of guilt, and he sighed as they rounded the corner. "Well...more like a gut instinct."
The Western leader's expression was hard to read. "I see."
"I know it sounds paranoid...but there's something going on, and Ottan at least knows about it, if he isn't heading the whole operation." Theo's fists clenched, the memory of his recurring nightmare pressing on his mind. "He's hiding something, and I can't let him get away with it anymore."
"I agree that he's tied into it in some way," Myrah mused, her voice just a murmur. "But accusations aren't going to be taken lightly, Theodynn. Whether or not your intuition is correct, it won't serve as the proof we need to actually take a stand against the traders. One wrong move could..."
"Can spell disaster. I know." Theo sighed. "We have to go to the Southern Fortress to gather evidence, but I don't know how. I can't exactly ask Ottan outright for the privilege of searching his home for clues that would incriminate him."
"Of course not," Myrah agreed, though her brow was furrowed in thought. "Perhaps I can go as well to distract him while you look for the clues you need."
"He's going to be suspicious if we show up out of the blue together."
"We won't show up together. As far as Ottan will know, we both showed up on the same day by coincidence. I've been trying to get the stubborn man to set up a school in the south for months—I could easily use that as a front for my visit. I'm just not sure how we can make your presence in the South seem innocent."
Theo frowned, trying to think. The solution actually came quickly, though it made him sick to his stomach. "I know what would work," he sighed, and Myrah looked over.
"You have a plan?"
"Yes," he grumbled. "It's just not going to be ideal."
"I knew you'd change your mind," Ottan preened as he led Theo down the hallway of the Southern Fortress. The Heir didn't answer, trying to figure out if this was the best plan after all.
Theo looked at the decorations on the wall as they traveled, trying to distract himself. It was strange how similar the five fortresses were, while also being vastly different. The stone walls of the Southern Fortress were from the Varghall peaks, making them the same color as the Western Fortress but different than the central and Northern fortresses. The East Fortress was the only one that was built of sandstone rather than mountain rock—making Tala's domain the most obviously different from the rest of the realm. Likewise, the decorations changed depending on the area. The walls of Ottan's residence were covered in tapestries and paintings depicting war, pit fights, and sniffer hunts.
"You'll really like this one," Ottan offered. "I predict you'll go together like fleas on a sniffer."
"Interesting metaphor," Theo sighed. "Remember what we agreed on, though...no one older than thirty."
"Yes, I made sure this one was closer to your age," the leader said, waving off Theo's concerns.
"And you aren't going to leave us alone? The second you left the room last time, the woman was all over me."
"Come now—you're the one who works so hard convincing people you can handle yourself. Women aren't too much harder to deal with than politics."
Theo went quiet, content to not say anything else as he followed Ottan down another winding corridor. He tried to keep track of their location in a mental map so he'd still be able to get to the servant quarters.
"Here we are...a nice private corner," Ottan said as they reached a room at last. The leader pushed the door open, giving Theo a wolfish grin. "Out of the way and dimly lit...just in case things go well."
This was a bad idea, Theo thought to himself, and it must have been written on his face because Ottan laughed outright.
"Come now, Theodynn...you can't back out now. Don't be shy—this one doesn't bite. At least, not often." He grabbed Theo's arm, pulling him into the room with him. The lighting was dim, annoyingly so, and Theo looked around. As far as he could see, there wasn't anyone else in here.
"Leader Ottan!" A call came from the hallway, and Ottan sighed as he turned.
"Kloh, I specifically told you I was not to be interrupted."
"It's just that Leader Myrah has arrived unexpectedly."
Theo turned, trying to seem surprised. Ottan scowled. "Myrah? What's that domineering female up to now?"
"She insists that she needs to meet with you—something about a southern schooling system?"
Ottan cursed. "If I haven't told that woman a million times. She's getting as bad as Tala these days." He turned to Theo. "If you'll excuse me, I have to go get rid of a pesky micro-manager."
"I should come too," Theo tried, moving back to the door.
"Now hold on...you should take this time to get to know Bomrylla. She's really quite the catch."
"But—"
"You'll be fine," Ottan scoffed. "But if you get the binding logistics worked out before I get back, come find me."
Theo sagged in defeat, and the southern leader chuckled to himself as he followed his majordomo back into the hall. The doors closed with an ominous click, causing the room to become even darker than before. The Heir couldn't help but smile a little, glad that Ottan didn't seem to catch on to the first phase of their plan. Now...to get out of here.
The heir turned, ready to apologize to whatever woman Ottan had convinced to come today. However, he still couldn't see anyone in the room. There was an unlit fireplace and a few seating cushions, but that was about it. Where...
The sound of a weapon leaving its sheath caused the hairs on Theo's neck to raise, and he barely managed to get his own sword from its sheath to block the sudden assault. The assassin let out an angry war cry, and Theo's heart galloped as he blocked blow after blow.
I WAS RIGHT. OTTAN WANTS ME DEAD. HE LED ME HERE TO ASSASSINATE ME.
Theo's mind screamed at him, but he managed to stay silent as he tried to get a good look at his attacker. It was a woman, and she was rather loud for an assassin. Every third or forth blow, she cursed or grunted, but he didn't have much time for analysis as he worked to protect himself. Despite the shock of the initial attack, it became clear that the attacker wasn't a well-trained assassin. Her blows were sloppy, and Theo was pretty sure if she had been fighting Tolan, she would have been dead by now.
Tol's not gonna be happy if he finds out I was murdered on what was supposed to be a blind date, he thought grimly. Feeling a rush of frustration at Ottan for planning such a sloppy attack in the middle of Theo's own plan to take down the Southern Leader, the Heir sent a blast of power. The woman yelped, and Theo tried not to feel bad as she slammed into the fireplace. Her sword clattered to the ground as she wheezed in pain, and Theo marched closer, the room lit with the purple light from his hands.
"Who are you?" he demanded. "Why did Ottan hire you to kill me?"
The woman didn't speak for a moment, but then she began to chuckle. The sound sent chills down Theo's back, and the assassin finally righted herself. She didn't reach for her sword, but her eyes danced with the reflection of Theo's aura as she met his gaze.
"I wasn't sure what to expect," she mused. "But you held yourself well, Oni Heir. You have proven yourself worthy."
"Worthy? Worthy of what?"
"To be my husband," the woman said confidently, pushing herself to her feet. Theo stared, and the woman smiled to expose several missing teeth. "I am Bomrylla, the Warrior of the South, and I accept your proposal."
"No." It was the only word Theo managed to say, his mind still reeling. "No...there's no proposal...there's no anything. You can't just ambush me and expect—"
"I had to ensure you were worthy!" Bomrylla argued. Though it was hard to tell in the dim lighting, Theo swore this woman was nowhere near his age. "I'm not getting bound to a weak sapling. My husband has to have the might and power to hold his own against me."
"Then you're going to have to fight a lot more people," Theo snapped, backing toward the door he had come in. "I only agreed to come here to meet someone. This was never a proposal."
"You can search the entire realm, but you'll never find someone as mighty as I," Bomrylla argued, coming closer with each step that Theo backed away. "I am strong enough to bear the burden of co-rulership. I am powerful enough to crush our enemies...and robust enough to bear you many heirs."
Theo physically gagged, his back hitting the door at last. "No chance of that," he managed, turning the knob. "I'm sorry this didn't work out...but I have to leave now."
Bomrylla's expression darkened with anger, and Theo's grip tightened on his sword again. However, her eyebrows rose as she suddenly looked gleeful. "So... you prefer me to prove my merit through the hunt. Very well...I shall give you a three-minute head start."
Theo opened his mouth to argue, but when he caught sight of the glint in the woman's gaze, he realized his time would be better spent in escape. He turned and slipped through the door, slamming it closed behind him as he took off toward the servant's quarters, praying that Myrah would be able to distract Ottan as they planned.
11
"There," Mia sighed, leaning back in her seat as she studied her three monitors. She checked the spelling one last time and then chewed her lip as she pushed post. She felt a thrill, and the page began to reload. Amber's picture on her profile popped up first, a flattering one that May had snapped during a past summer picnic. The Oni was laughing, the sunlight glinting off her horns. Mia scrolled down the profile, scanning the biography with a smile. The language was open and honest while being just distant enough to make it sound just like Amber.
"Sue me if she doesn't have over a thousand followers by the end of the week," Mia said with a smirk. She was tempted to start with Amber's Picta account now that the Vistachat profile was completed, but she knew that she needed to let the Vista account gather followers that could then be directed to the other site. Besides, she had skipped lunch, and now she was starving.
Mia pushed her blue-tipped hair behind her ear as she swiveled her chair and headed for the door. The hallway was bright with sunlight coming from the large windows in the dining room, and Mia headed for the bowl of fruit on the table. Grabbing a banana to eat while she scoured the cupboards for further sustenance, Mia thought about the profile she had created. It was the perfect way for Amber to start creating an online presence for herself, but Mia knew that the Oni wasn't going to necessarily see the benefit of that presence at first.
"It's for her own good," she muttered to herself as she ripped the peel off the banana. "She's not going to make it far as a performer without making a name for herself."
"Who are you talking to?" Colby came into the room, frowning at his older sister. Mia rolled her eyes.
"Not you, obviously," she snapped, looking her brother up and down. "What's up with the fancy outfit? I thought your little high-school dance wasn't for another few weeks."
Colby shoved his hands into the pockets of the baby blue suit, scowling at her. "This isn't for the dance. I have a date with Dani tonight."
"What makes tonight different than every other date? You usually look like you just rolled out of bed when you go hang out with Dani."
"I do not!" Colby argued, heading to the fridge. He pulled it open angrily and reached in to grab a can of soda.
"You need to be laying off the calories," Mia pointed out, taking another bite of her banana before gesturing to the bowl of fruit on the table. "You're eighteen...it's time to hone that baby fat, don't you think?"
Colby reddened, and she watched in satisfaction as he shoved the soda can back into the fridge before turning to leave the room. He had nearly made it to the hallway when the realization hit Mia. She gasped, following her brother.
"You're planning on making things official tonight, aren't you? Having that long overdue DTR talk."
"It's none of your business!"
"Don't mess this up, all right? If you can seal the deal, I think Dani can really help your image. She's got that whole hot-mess-creative-mind thing going on. You could really buy into that."
Colby's only response was slamming the front door, and Mia rolled her eyes.
"He'll thank me later."
Myrah glanced over at Theo again. "Are you sure you're all right?"
The young man blinked, pulled out of whatever thoughts were making him look so haunted. His hair looked more frazzled than it had been when they had set off to the South that morning, and she didn't miss the fact that his tunic was sporting a new tear. "What?" the Heir asked distractedly.
"I was seeing if you were all right."
"Fine. At least, physically." Theo shuddered, and Myrah frowned.
"I thought Ottan was going to react far worse at finding you in the servant's quarters...I was shocked when he laughed it off. Whatever you told him, it seemed to work at throwing him off the scent."
"I told him the truth," Theo growled. "I was hiding from a madwoman intent on hunting me." Myrah stared, and Theo rubbed his face, seemingly exhausted. "Please tell me you found a lead."
"You were the one in the servant's quarters. What was it you were hoping to find there?"
"I was trying to talk with the servants, but they weren't very chatty. I tried to ask about who the newest servants were, and where they came from, asking them about their pasts and where they lived before coming to the fortress. They seemed scared when I asked them about their past before coming to the Southern Fortress."
"You think some of them are slaves," Myrah interpreted.
"Yeah. But the thing is, our patrol in the south has been monitoring Ottan's servant hiring closely."
"Traders could probably get a few slaves into the fortress through the cracks in that monitoring," Myrah mused. "But not nearly enough slaves for there to still be an entire market for them. Ottan can't be the only customer."
"Maybe he's just acting as the front for the trade?"
"He's too high profile—plus he would never put himself in that kind of risk. There's too much chance that he'd be caught."
"So we know nothing more than we did before," Theo sighed. "Good to know I'm going to have nightmares for the next week for nothing."
"Nightmares? Was the outing that bad?"
"I wasn't kidding about her hunting me," Theo said darkly. "When she started firing arrows down in the servant's quarters, I nearly lost it."
Myrah pulled her hoofer to a stop, forcing Theo to do the same. "Wait...she was attacking you?"
"There's no way Ottan could think that I would fall in love with any of these insane people. He's doing this on purpose—putting me with the most psychotic people as possible for fun..."
"Are you all right?" Myrah asked, taking the tear in the Heir's clothing more seriously.
"I knocked her out before she could get too arrow-crazy," Theo said grimly. "Then you and Ottan found us...and, well. You know the rest."
"We should have brought Tolan," Myrah realized. "He's going to be furious when he finds out you were attacked."
"He would be furious if he found out I went to the south without him at all," Theo corrected. "That's why we can't tell him."
"We should have brought further protection," Myrah countered, feeling guilty as they started their trek back to the west again. "I was foolish to think that there would be no danger going willingly into Ottan's domain."
"I'm fine. Bomrylla didn't hurt me...it's just going to take a little while to shake the feeling of violation." Theo shivered. "I wouldn't be that upset about the whole thing if we would had at least found some kind of clue to bring us closer to figuring out who's on top of this crime ring."
"Well, I did hear something unusual," Myrah offered. "It has nothing to do with slave trade...at least, not on the surface, but it did catch me by surprise."
"What?"
"At one point during our discussion, Ottan's assistant reminded him about a meeting he has with Tala in the next few days. I thought it odd, since the two of them hate each other and refuse to meet except when forced to attend the monthly Leader Meeting at the Central Fortress."
"Do you think it has anything to do with the slave trade?"
"I have no idea, but I haven't ever heard of them paying each other social visits. This has got to be some kind of business deal—it's the only thing that makes sense."
Theodynn was quiet, his brow furrowed as he seemed lost in thought. "So, we're going to have to visit Tala as well."
"I was thinking I could visit her," Myrah tried. "Perhaps it would be best if you laid low for a few days."
"What? Why?"
"I don't want Ottan to become suspicious. If he hears about how we both keep showing up at fortresses together..."
"But we have an in! The Eastern School is the perfect cover, and we both have ties to it."
"Ottan won't suspect much if I'm the one checking in on the schools, since that was my cover for today at his fortress," Myrah corrected. "But I think it's too risky for you to make yourself so high-profile."
Theodynn stiffened. "So...you don't think I can do this."
"Of course you can, but we have to tread carefully. If we go too strong too fast, we're going to make it impossible to find whoever is at the top of the slave trade. We don't want to scare them into further hiding."
"I've been hunting them for months. They're already in further hiding!"
"I will go visit Tala," Myrah said, her voice gaining an authoritative tone. "You need to spend time away from the hunt. For all we know, Ottan was planning an ambush instead of a romantic outing today to attack you while your guard was down. You need to be careful not to stir the water too much..."
"I can handle Ottan!"
"You've known him since you were young...but that doesn't mean you know him. Same with Tala, or even Ymil. Like all people in power, the other Leaders can be dangerous if riled."
Theo scoffed bitterly. "I know that...I've been dealing with the lot of them longer than you have."
"Theodynn..."
"Well, thanks for this," the Heir muttered sarcastically, cutting her off. "At least I got to carry out a plan with someone who I thought believed I could do this. It was nice while it lasted."
"It's not that I don't think—"
"If you think it's too suspicious for us both to go to the East together, then you should hold off going, because I'm not taking a back seat anymore." Theo's expression darkened again, and he gave his hoofer a firm kick. Myrah watched in shock as the Heir and his hoofer bolted off into the desert, veering off of the path to the West, no doubt headed to the Central Fortress instead. Myrah kicked her own mount, but hers was no match for Theo's. Eventually, the heir and his hoofer were lost on the horizon, and Myrah pulled hers to a stop.
"What happened to you, Theodynn?" she murmured to the wind, picturing the happy, trusting young man she had become acquainted with all those years ago.
Colby watched Dani flit from painting to painting like a butterfly, her neon orange jacket tied around her waist like folded monarch wings. He held back as she pointed out a canvas slathered in metallic colors.
"I love this one!" she said. "It looks like someone melted a tuba!"
Colby smiled, picking up his pace to come see. "It kinda does," he agreed.
"I love the movement...and it's got kinda that off-kilter balance that I like."
"You're the only one I know who looks at abstract paintings and still sees art," Colby pointed out. Dani rolled her eyes.
"As an abstract artist, I would have thought you'd come across more people who consider it art," she teased. "What do your art teachers say when you turn in your projects?"
"That I should try harder." Colby turned to look at the Tuba painting, which was called Transcendence. Personally, he thought Melting Tuba was a better name for the piece.
"It's about time the Ninjago City Art Museum had a wing for abstract pieces," Dani said. "Did you submit anything?"
"Nah."
"You should have," Dani said, turning to squint down the hall. "See that space right between the sculpture of the fancy cheese and that popsicle stick mobile? I think your Isolation piece would be perfect right there."
"My stuff isn't good enough to be in a museum."
"There's a wheel of cheese wearing a bow-tie!" Dani said. "Your stuff has way more emotional power than that!" She headed off down the hallway again, and Colby tugged at the collar of his shirt as he followed.
Eventually, the corridor of the museum led outside, where the largest pieces of art were kept in an abstract sculpture garden. At the center of the area there was a fountain in the shape of a silver tree, sunlight glinting in the arcs of water. Dani gasped and went straight for it, and Colby's mouth felt dry as he tried to keep up.
"This is beautiful!" Dani said, and Colby looked up at it.
"It is," he agreed.
"I'm glad you invited me to the opening of this exhibit—I wanted to come see it ever since they advertised about it last year."
"Yeah...I'm glad you could come," Colby said, wishing he didn't sound so lame. The conversation he had practiced so many times kept whirling around inside, and his hands were starting to shake. "Um...Dani? Can we talk?"
"I assume so, since we have been all afternoon."
Colby sighed. "You know what I mean."
Dani turned to give him a genuine smile, pushing her side-bangs behind one ear. "Of course we can talk, Walker. What do you want to talk about?" She took a seat on the fountain's edge, and Colby swallowed as he sat next to her.
"It's just something I've been wanting to say... ask...discuss. It's really more of a discussion, I guess..."
"Okay," Dani prompted with a smile. Colby tugged at his collar again, wishing he hadn't worn the suit after all. It was itchy.
"It's just we've been coming here a lot. Well, not here...other places. We've been going places a lot, together, and that one time you kissed me goodbye..."
"Yes," Dani agreed, laughing. Colby flushed, and Dani took his hand as she continued. "We've been going to lots of places. It's been fun."
"Yeah, it has. So I wondered if you wanted to keep doing it?"
"Keep going to places?"
"Um...yeah...but like, permanently?"
Dani's look became blank, and Colby kicked himself mentally.
"If you don't want to be a thing we don't have to but I was thinking we should just say it already but I know I'm just a four and you're a seven and there are other guys so I don't want you to think you have to..."
"Woah, slow down," Dani ordered, holding up a hand. Colby choked off, wishing he could sink into the fountain and out of sight, or run into his bedroom and slam the door. His heart was pounding as Dani studied him, and he had to look away. "In what world are you just a four, Colby? And what do those numbers even mean, anyway?"
Colby didn't answer. He was regrettably close to tears, which is why he never trusted himself to talk about his feelings. Better to throw paint at a canvas than blubber in front of someone.
"Your sisters have been filling your head with nonsense again, haven't they?" Dani accused. "All that stupid rank stuff isn't real, Colby. That's just what petty people do so they can convince themselves that they're at the top of some made-up hierarchy. Even if that pecking order was real, you wouldn't be a four. That's asinine. And secondly, if you're asking me to be your official girlfriend—because I think that's what you were asking—then the answer is duh."
Colby looked up, relief mingling with his humiliation. "Really?"
"Of course, Walker," Dani said, her nose wrinkling with her smile. "I mean, if I can be honest, I've already been telling people you're my boyfriend."
Colby's eyes widened. "You have?"
"I know I should have asked first," Dani apologized with a wince. "But as far as I was concerned, we've been dating for a while. I just didn't want to rush you..."
"I didn't want to scare you off!" Colby cut in, his insides feeling like they were full of butterflies. "Cuz like, actually being in a relationship feels kinda serious, right?"
"Not if it's with the right person," Dani countered, bumping his shoulder with hers. "School exams are 'serious'...and so are self-absorbed older sisters. Trust me, I know. But relationships like this feel more exciting than solemn, don't they?"
"I took you to an abstract museum exhibit," Colby pointed out as he leaned forward, though he was smiling. "That doesn't really make for the most exciting relationship in the world."
"But I love abstract art! We both do! So it's perfect!" Dani laughed outright. "Colby, you think too much...you get caught up in everything your sisters say is right and wrong. You've got to trust yourself and let yourself go with your own flow."
Colby shrugged, but the butterflies in his stomach continued to churn. "So...we're really boyfriend and girlfriend now? Like, officially?"
"Yes, Walker, we're boyfriend and girlfriend now," Dani said. She wrapped an arm around his waist, grinning at him.
"You're sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure. I wouldn't have said yes if I wasn't sure!" Dani laughed. Then she was leaning in, her smile becoming mischievous. "Here...I'll make it extra official." Colby squeezed his eyes closed, freezing as she kissed him. His girlfriend pulled away to laugh. "Relax, Colby," she urged. "You don't need to be so stressed and stiff. Let go and find your flow."
Colby's eyes were still closed, but he took a deep breath before Dani came in for the kiss again. His mind had been going nonstop for months, but as he realized that she was serious, he felt the anxiety and even dread that he had been carrying melt away. She did like him...enough that she wanted to be his girlfriend. She had been calling him her boyfriend! Maybe she was right...maybe he did think too much. Maybe he should just find his own flow...
Colby kissed her back, and everything was perfect for a few seconds until they were both blasted with freezing water. Colby spluttered, lurching back as Dani began gasp-laughing. They stumbled from the fountain, but the water followed them, hitting them from all sides.
"Is this part of the exhibit?" Colby spluttered, trying desperately to wipe the water from his face as his suit became saturated.
"I don't know!" Dani gasped. They tried to escape from the blasting water, but the ground had become slippery and soon they were both in a pile in the muddy grass. Dani was shaking with laughter, but Colby felt more annoyed than anything. Just his luck—things were finally going well and someone's stupid prank fountain had to go off.
"Enough!" he shouted at last, throwing up a hand to block the relentless stream that was shooting into his face. He hadn't expected his command to work, but suddenly, the water was gone. He wiped his face, and he heard Dani gasp next to him.
"Oh my GOSH."
"What?" he muttered, finally rubbing the water from his eyes so he could see. As his vision cleared, he realized that there was water hanging in bubbles all around him, Dani, and the fountain. His eyes widened as he stared at the miraculous floating water. "Wait...is this part of the exhibit?"
"I don't think this is part of the museum," Dani said, her eyes huge behind her glasses. "Walker...I think this is you."
"What?"
"This is magic, Colby! Better than magic...this has to be elemental powers!" She turned to grin at him, grabbing his arm and shaking him in excitement. "Do you know what this means?!"
"Uhh..." The words got stuck in Colby's throat as he glanced back at the orbs of water. Dani laughed in amazement, reaching up to touch one of the orbs. It exploded, and then all the rest of the bubbles did as well. The girl laughed as the water rained down on them.
"Colby, you're the new elemental master of water!"
12
Theo washed his face one last time, sighing heavily. The cold water did little to improve his mood, and he scowled as he reached for a towel.
"Theo."
The young man sighed as he heard his father's voice behind him, and he spent a few extra seconds drying his face. "Yeah, Dad?"
"Where have you been all day? I thought you were in the west, but Tolan came here looking for you. That means you didn't have a guard all day, and we had no idea where you were..."
"I had a date," Theo said flatly, finally pulling the towel away to hang it back up. He could see his father's shocked expression in the mirror. It seemed Cole hadn't expected that.
"With who?"
"Some woman Ottan insisted I meet. He brought it up again at the last meeting, so I figured I'd just get it over with."
Cole looked conflicted about how to answer. "How was it?" he finally tried carefully.
"Terrible." Theo turned and pushed past his father to exit the washroom.
"Theodynn..." Cole said again, grabbing his arm. Theo paused, prepping himself for the 'there's no excuse for not having a guard with you at all times' talk. However, his father surprised him as he continued. "I'm proud of you for trying."
Theo turned. "What?"
"For putting yourself out there," Cole explained. "I know your break up with Haiven was hard...but I think it's a good sign that you're trying to get back on the hoofer." The master of earth offered a little smile, and Theo pulled away.
"If today taught me anything, it's that I need to get used to being single."
Cole's smile faded, and he shook his head. "I know it can feel like that at times, but—"
"Look, Dad, the whole 'other-fish-in-the-sea' talk was great when Ashley didn't want me, but I'm not really feeling the pep-talk right now. Being told that I just have to patient and the right one will just come along is starting to feel really trite."
Cole was silent, seemingly unsure how to respond to his son's candid analysis. Theo sighed again, turning to head to his bedroom.
"I'm going to bed. Goodnight."
M sat morosely on his bed, watching Oni-snake travel from one edge of her vivarium to the other. "Why are you the only female I understand?" he demanded softly. The diamond-headed snake turned to flick her tongue at him before continuing on her graceful journey across the various logs and sticks he had put in her habitat.
There was a knock at his door, and M looked up in confusion. "Who is it?" he called. Rather than reply, the person knocking opened the door. M was surprised to see his father in the doorway, and he tried not to scowl as he sat up. "Something wrong?"
"No," Marty said, though he was frowning. "I just was wondering why you're moping."
"I'm not moping."
"You barely left your room today...and it's Saturday."
"Why do you care?" M. muttered. Marty gave him a withering look, and M glanced away. "I was keeping an eye on Oni-snake. She's about to shed her skin."
Marty came into the room, eyeing the snake. "She doesn't look like she's shedding."
"Are you suddenly a snake expert?" M. snapped. Marty IV raised an eyebrow, but M. refused to make eye contact as he stubbornly stared at his reptile. The headmaster closed the door before making his way over to the desk in the corner of M's dorm.
"Well...since you're so free, I was thinking we could have a chat."
M's stomach twisted. "A chat about what?"
"Graduation is coming up, M. What's your plan for afterward?"
"I dunno. Still figuring it out."
"It's going to be here before you know it..."
"I don't have to have my whole future planned out the second I graduate!" M. snapped, and his father was quiet for a minute.
"No...but you at least need to know your next step. Are you going to college? Getting a job?"
M. dry-washed his face. "I don't know. I'm not really in the mood to talk about it."
"What's happened now?"
"Nothing's happened." M. growled. Oni-snake dipped down, abandoning her trek as she caught sight of her favorite hiding hole among a group of rocks. Dani had glued the stones together to make a miniature Stonehenge, and it irked M somewhat that Oni-snake loved the circle of balancing stones so much. "I wish you had never agreed to host that stupid Spring Formal," M muttered at last.
"Is that what this is about?"
"No! It's just such a childish, public-school tradition. I don't know why you caved and are actually hosting one this year."
"Your grandfather always wanted to host one. I figured he would have been pleased with it. That, and all the petitions that have been building up over the years."
"You sure do give in a lot more than you used to."
"I'm trying to embrace change. I would have thought you'd be all for that."
M. didn't answer as he watched Oni-snake expertly coil herself, though he could feel his father's eyes boring into the back of his head.
"Amber turned you down, didn't she?"
M. stiffened, whirling on his father. "What, you spy on me now?" he demanded. Marty looked unamused.
"Of course not...but it doesn't take a genius to put the pieces together, M."
"What pieces?"
"Sulking, getting after me about the dance. I figured you were going to ask the Oni, so if you're in such a foul mood, I can only assume..."
"Why would you think I was going to ask Amber? You don't even like Amber."
"I am impartial to her," his father corrected, shifting in his seat. "I don't not like her. As for knowing about your intentions, it's been clear for years how you feel about her."
M. reddened. "I don't know what you mean."
"Please. Whether it's something I approve of or not, your affection for the Oni was obvious the second you were begging me to let her back in the school for the second time. I've known that you'd be pursuing a relationship for years. So, what happened?" Marty IV leaned forward, his expression serious. "The Oni decided she's too good for an Openheimer?"
"She didn't decide anything," M. muttered. "She's just being difficult and decided to go to the dance with her hick partner."
Marty studied his son. "So you're just going to sit in here and brood for two weeks? Giving up the fight before it's begun?"
"Why do you care?" M asked, bristling. Marty IV leaned back in the chair.
"Your romantic pursuits affect your future, M."
"Here we go."
"Making a fool of yourself is certainly not helping."
"Oh, so one second you're saying you're impartial to Amber, and the next you're saying that dating her is making a fool of myself! This is exactly why I haven't—"
"I never said that dating the Oni was foolish. It's the childish whining and sulking in your room that's losing you points," his father interrupted coolly, pushing himself to his feet. M. flushed deeper red, and Marty continued. "Make a decision, and then fight for it, M. We Opeheimer's are men of action...not bystanders. If you want to be with Amber, then go prove that you're the better option."
M stared, not sure how to interpret this conversation. He would have never expected to be getting relationship advice from his father, and he found himself wondering if this was even happening. Marty met his gaze calmly.
"I can tell you right now, you aren't going to accomplish anything sitting here staring at a snake. Go yell and scream or sweep her off her feet...but for goodness sakes, son. Do something."
"How am I supposed to sweep her off her feet?" he muttered. "She can transport wherever she wants."
Marty IV made it to the door, pulling it back open. "You'll figure it out. Speaking of, I emailed you four different internships that begin post-graduation." He turned to meet his son's eye one last time. "You've made it clear you have no intention of taking over for me here at the school...but you need to decide on something. Give the email a look...I'll talk to you more about your options on Friday."
M. watched as the door closed, and after a few minutes he shook his head. "Did that conversation really just happen?"
Oni-snake didn't answer, as she had already fallen blissfully asleep.
"I think a visit to Ninjago could do you good, Tay. You've been working hard."
Theo sighed, writing up his latest reports with the inter-realm communicator sitting nearby. "Thanks for the invite, Ams...maybe some other time."
"Theo..."
"I know that Mom and Dad talked with you," Theo cut in flatly. "I'm fine, Amber, just busy."
"There's such thing as too busy, you know."
"I'm going to be the ruler at some point. No time like now to get used to being busy."
Amber was quiet, and Theo finished up his report. He scanned the limited findings he and Myrah had discovered in the south before pushing the paper away so the ink could dry.
"How have you been?" he asked tiredly.
"Fine, I guess. I have a performance next week, and then a dance with Patrick, and then M and I have a big performance at the City Hall."
"And I'm the busy one?"
"I still take time to hang out with friends and stuff. When's the last time you did something fun?"
Theo scowled. "I dunno."
"See? You need a break. Besides, Grandpa wants to see you."
Theo winced, glancing over at the communication device. "Yeah?"
"Yeah. He asks about you all the time."
"I'm still planning on coming to your performance at the City Hall," he reminded softly. "I'll talk to him then."
"You sure you're okay, Theo? You don't...sound the same."
"I don't feel the same." The confession slipped out before he could stop it, and he rushed to recover. "I'll be fine, just as soon as I get this project I'm working on figured out. I'm close—I know it."
"All right," Amber offered, though her tone was skeptical. "Don't forget to take time for yourself sometimes, Tay."
"I will," he promised distantly, pushing himself to his feet. "Hey, I have to head to the East today, all right? I'll talk to you later."
Amber stuffed her shoes into her bag as she came out of the practice room, scowling as she tried to make room for them. The bag was just a little too small for them to slide in easily. When she bought new ballroom heels, she'd have to look into getting a new bag.
"Hey, Oni-girl."
She glanced up to see M. leaning on a nearby wall. "Hey, M." she said carefully. She hadn't talked to him in several days, and hadn't even seen much of him since she left him behind at the restaurant. Amber wondered if he was here to complain more, but he seemed strangely at ease as he walked over.
"Haven't seen much of you," he pointed out, and Amber frowned as he reached out and grabbed her bag.
"What are you doing?"
"I've got it," he offered. "You're headed to your private ballroom lessons next, yeah? Second floor, east wing."
"Yeah," Amber said, studying her friend carefully. There was something off about him, though she couldn't but her finger on it. When M didn't release her shoe bag, she finally did, and the youngest Openheimer slung in over his shoulder before gesturing down the hall.
"After you."
"Are you feeling all right?"
"I was a little under the weather, which is why I've been kinda MIA lately," M. offered with a laugh. "I'm feeling better now."
His emotions were hard to read. Was he trying to block her? "Are you still mad?"
He tilted his head. "Mad? About what?"
"About me going to the dance with Patrick?"
M. laughed, shifting the dance bag to the other shoulder. "Why would I be mad?"
"Because you had a breakdown at the restaurant when we went a few days ago."
His smile faded slightly, and he finally shrugged. "I'm not mad. I guess I was just surprised...but if you want to go to the dance with Patrick, then whatever. It's all good."
"It is?"
"Sure. He asked first. Makes sense why you thought you had to say yes."
They reached the stairs leading up to the second floor. "Okay," Amber said, though she still wasn't sure how to feel. It wasn't like M. had never walked her to class before, but this felt different, somehow. Weighted.
"Oops, look out," M. said, reaching over. He put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him so that a group of musicians could carry a marimba down the stairs. Amber and M waited as they passed, but even after the stairway was clear again, M kept his arm around her. The Oni frowned as they continued toward the small room where she would have her private lessons, her heart feeling jumpy. "So...um. How's your family?" M. asked. "Anything crazy happen in the Oni realm lately?"
"Theo's being weird still—Mom and Dad are really worried about him. They're pretending they aren't, but they keep calling and asking if he's talking to me, and that's not a good sign."
"He just broke up with someone, right?"
"Yeah...a few months back." Amber's eyes flashed, but she forced the anger aside. "I still don't know exactly what happened, but he really hasn't been the same since."
"I'm sure he'll bounce back," M. offered. He smiled at a few students passing, offering a little wave with one hand while his other arm continued to linger around Amber's shoulders. The Oni's frown deepened.
"I wish he'd come visit. There's only so much I can do calling from here." They had reached the classroom at last, and Amber shrugged out of M's hold, still not sure why he held on so long. "Well, I guess I'll see you later."
"Definitely," M. offered with a big smile, pulling her bag off his shoulder. He held it out, but before Amber could grab it, he pulled it back to study it. "This bag has seen better days...geez, and so have your dance shoes."
Amber flushed, grabbing the bag from him. "They still work," she snapped defensively. "Anyway...good luck at your next class. You have Fitness and Physique next, don't you?"
"Good memory," M. said. He stretched his arms strangely, looking at her out of the side of his eye. "I wasn't so sure about this class, but I think it's really doing wonders."
Amber stared blankly, not sure what he meant, and she finally turned to grab the door of the classroom. "Well, have fun," she offered, but then M's hand was under hers on the doorknob.
"Let me," he said, turning the knob.
"What is with you today?" she snapped. He smiled sheepishly, but she could make out a slight flush rising up his neck.
"Just trying to prove that chivalry is alive and kicking," he said, pulling the door open. Amber narrowed her eyes.
"Goodbye, M."
He smirked. "See you later."
Theo stared at the two leaders, his mind whirling. Tala stood with her arms folded, and Ottan was frowning from where he was standing nearby. The Heir cursed his luck—the southern leader wasn't supposed to be here the same day he came. He had hoped to time his visit after Ottan had visited, in an effort to innocently ask around the Eastern Fortress about the gruff Southern Leader.
"So...what is it that brought you to the East?" Tala asked.
Theo glanced away, putting a hand through his hair. He knew he had an easy way out of suspicion, but it was physically painful to use it. After another few seconds of silence, he sighed. Not like I have anything other excuses to fall back on, at this point. "You mentioned at the meeting there was someone you wanted me to meet?" he finally asked. The leaders both looked surprised, and Tala pushed her wiry grey hair from her face.
"You came seeking relationship help?" the Eastern Leader realized. "You can't just show up, Theodynn—I don't just have women on standby."
"I do!" Ottan cut in, stepping forward. "I can't believe you're coming to Tala for potential suitors when I have an entire list..."
"I tried your list, Ottan...and I have lost trust in your taste. So I figured I would take Tala up on her offer."
"I'm afraid I have nothing set up, and I cannot do so today, as I obviously have other things to attend to." She gestured to Ottan, who puffed out his chest.
"You see? You can't come to Tala for this sort of thing..."
"Come in a few days and I'll have something," the Eastern Leader cut in angrily, narrowing her eyes at Ottan.
"Or just come to the south tomorrow. I have just the girl."
Theo shuddered. "No, Ottan. I'm not going on another outing with anyone you suggest."
"I swear this one is your same age! It would be the perfect match."
"Like the last woman? Who tried to kill me?"
"Come now, Theodynn! You were never in danger!" Ottan laughed, coming over to slap him on the back. "We denizens of the south are warriors. Sparring is the way to earn respect! Besides, Bromylla wasn't even the best the south has to offer. I know girls who put up a much better fight. The one I have in mind would give you a run for your money..."
"So help me, Ottan—"
"You are going to get the Heir killed with your twisted take on sturdy relations," Tala cut in, glowering at the southern leader before turning to Theo. "I'll expect you back here in two days, and I'll have a much better option for you."
Theo felt his heart sink—he had really hoped to be able to meet with Tala today, or at least be free to do a bit of snooping around the Eastern Fortress. Myrah's argument came to mind, and he grudgingly had to admit that it would be suspicious if he tried to finagle his way into a longer stay, especially considering that Ottan was here as well.
Not only was this trip a waste of time...I'm going to have to endure another blind date because of it, he mused darkly. Outwardly, he merely sighed. "Sounds good. Sorry for the late notice...I had a free afternoon and just thought I'd stop by to see." He gave Ottan a pointed look. "I really didn't expect to see Ottan here in the East, honestly."
The two leaders gave each other a side glance. "He insisted on coming," Tala sniffed. "Heaven knows why—ever since he got here, he's been a pain in the rear."
"Last time I ever grace the East with my presence," Ottan huffed.
"Ancients, if only I could get that in writing."
"Theodynn, if you're so desperate for a good pairing, you really ought to come see what else the South has to offer," Ottan said, ignoring Tala as he turned his attention back to the Heir. "If your visit to the East today has taught you anything, it's that Tala doesn't have what you're looking for."
"I'm not coming to meet any more girls from the South," Theo reminded flatly. Ottan grinned wolfishly.
"Perhaps I'll just start sending them your way—you've learned already how tenacious southern women can be."
"You're going to get someone killed," Theo said seriously. Seeing that the conversation had once again circled back, he turned to Tala to cut his losses. "I'll be back in a few days, I guess. Just make sure they're my same age...and that I'm not going to get any scars from the experience." He said the last part with a glance at Ottan, who laughed out loud.
"If you don't get scars from a relationship conquest, then you're doing it wrong," the leader sneered. Theo rolled his eyes and finally turned to leave, frustrated that he was once again empty-handed.