Corsiva watched the souling sitting just to the right of the bottom front step, content with digging in the dirt.
At least, one of the souling's forms seemed content digging in the dirt. The other was staring off, hands draped between their legs but not actually resting against anything. Not for the first time, the elder wondered at what was going through the souling's mind. They were still too young to articulate anything, let alone understand the concepts being asked of them. Answers would have to wait until the souling was speaking of their own volition before any sort of questions could be asked.
"Una."
The title of sorts drew the elder's attention from the souling to the souling's sire, a young, worn skeleton Corsiva knew would not get to see the souling grow into adulthood. The elder knew it wouldn't be by choice but it didn't make the fact any less sad. "I see you still parrot my souling's name for me." The other skeleton flinched, sorrow draping over that worn soul far heavier than the impending war. Corsiva was quick to rectify that. "I am not reprimanding you, Garamond, and you know as well as I do that Montserrat would have been very happy and relieved to hear you have remained family even after her Dusting."
The sorrow the elder had seen did not ease but the other did smile weakly in return. "I know. I just..." The skeleton's gaze drifted to the souling in the dirt. "After everything we've been through, I never thought...it all just..."
Corsiva patted Garamond's arm. "You don't have to explain. Calibri would be in a tizzy if I let you kill yourself over our daughter's choice." The elder sent Garamond a shrewd look. "We all know the risk of carrying. Even when it is more likely for the new soul to fade than the carrier, it is still very possible. Do not diminish her choice with sorrow and regret." Corsiva gestured to the souling in the dirt. "Cherish what remains of her instead."
Silence settled over them. Corsiva studied Garamond's face as the other watched the souling. The sorrow faded from view but that did not mean it had left. Corsiva was about to have at him over it when that expression turned to something the elder did not care for. Words stalled out in a nonexistent throat.
Garamond's voice was harder, emotionless even, when it cut through the silence that had thickened between them. "They're getting serious about this whole war nonsense. I've received orders to head East for training before hopping the ocean."
Dread filled Corsiva's soul. "What of the souling?"
"Can they stay with you?" Garamond met the elder's gaze. "With your family? I'll make sure they're not a burden on you but it would be best if they didn't come with me."
Corsiva knew that but the others probably didn't. "Don't you worry too much about that. Just come home alive and in one piece for them and we'll call it good."
Garamond chuckled, gaze drifting back to the souling. "I'll try." The smile that had been there fell. "Things are getting really bad, Corsiva. Do what you can to keep them out of it for me, will you?"
"I'll try, but if they gained anything from Montserrat like I'm sure they have, they'll find a way to make their own trouble."
To the elder's relief, that pulled a fond smile to the other's face. "Yeah, that sounds about right." Garamond placed a heavy hand on Corsiva's shoulder. "Thank you, Una."
Garamond trotted down the steps at a quick pace, hands quickly finding the top of both heads. He knelt in the dirt beside them and Corsiva caught a muttered "Dings" to the one playing in the dirt and a muttered "Decos" to the one staring off in among the words he shared with the pair. If they understood his words, they showed no sign of it though little hands did hold onto his arms as he spoke.
It was when he started back into the house Corsiva inquired, "Will you be telling the others?"
He paused in the doorway, hands on the doorframe and handle. He looked back, brow furrowed slightly in thought. "I'll try but orders are to ship out as soon as I'm packed."
Corsiva gave him a very flat look. "Waiting till the last minute, were we?"
Garamond shrugged. "I only got the notice ten minutes ago."
The screen door snapped shut behind him.
Corsiva looked back at the souling, finding the one not digging in the dirt staring at the elder. Barely half a year existing, a souling for another nine years still, the one not digging was watching the elder as if they understood what had gone on, what had just transpired despite the lack of reaction before. Deep in the elder's soul, Corsiva hoped not. The blessing of the skeleton race was longevity and that meant that the souling had time. There was no rush to understand, to age, and as of yet, the souling had made no show of exceptional mental growth outside the norm for their kind.
Still, the pinpricks of eyelights stared at the elder, watching even when Corsiva looked back.
Not for the first time and certainly not for the last, the elder wondered at what was going through the souling's mind.
Gravel shifted under his feet as he ran, an urgency shoving him forward that he only recognized but didn't feel. He was going to be late, later than he should be and far later than he had planned to be. Already he could feel his brother's awareness shifting away from the other's surroundings and that would do no good.
The brick wall that ran the length of the trail he was pounding down was easily three times his height. It was a calculated risk, one where the consequences nearly outweighed the benefit.
Nearly.
With a well placed construct against the ground, he vaulted over the brick wall into the air over the rushing traffic on the other side. He crafted two constructs barely big enough for him to hold onto and yanked himself through the air, trusting his dark clothing to keep the drivers below unaware long enough for him to get back out of sight.
A bone construct protruded from the building wall as the ones in his hands disintegrated. He grabbed onto the horizontal bone and redirected his downward momentum horizontally. The bone disintegrated leaving no trace of its existence behind as he tucked and rolled on the pavement back up into a run.
Something they had both decided was curiosity flittered through their soul and he sent back what they had decided was patience.
His brother only reminded him of the encroaching deadline in turn.
The streets he dashed through were strikingly quiet compared to the traffic he had vaulted over until he came out onto another major thoroughfare. This one was mostly foot traffic and many of the bodies in the crowd were a good sign he had not gone horribly awry. Again, his brother's awareness was on him but he ignored it for the sake of following the tether of their soul.
The pull on their soul eased abruptly. He reached out and grabbed at his brother's hand without having to look, said brother already falling into step just behind his right shoulder. Their soul was humming now that its two forms were close together again, making it nigh impossible for him to not know where his brother was, how he was standing, and where his attention was.
"I made it on time," he spoke, though there wasn't much inflection to his voice. There never was. Neither of them really understood how to change that quite yet.
"Verdana is looking for us," his brother informed him, just as inflectionless as he was.
"And Arial?"
"We will have his attention if we do not find Verdana soon."
His brother's hand slipped from his as the other moved away, disappearing into the crowd off to his right. United, they sent a pulse of magic through the crowd too faint for most to notice. The pulse pinged every soul within a diameter the width of the street itself giving them a good magical view of who was where and which had magic at what levels. He noted the three adults that perked up at their Check. The younger children in the area - those younger than them - giggled at the sensation. Very few of the guardians noticed the odd giggling and even then only one seemed concerned.
His brother tugged at his awareness. He cut through the crowd following the tether of their soul. He found his brother just as they came to a small collection of familiar souls.
"Wing Dings, Wing Decos," one of the older spoke, sounding happy. "There you two are. Getting into much trouble?"
"No Corsiva," they answered together.
The elder laughed. "Oh, come now, you two. You are children. Children are meant to be getting into trouble."
"Do not encourage them, Una," their uncle spoke. The tone affirmed their uncle's cross look. "They are already enough to deal with without them behaving like other spawn."
"Come now, Arial," Corsiva countered, expression still happy. "They are only children."
"They are more mouths to feed," Arial spat back. "Montserrat and Garamond should have never-"
A hand latched onto their uncle's shoulder, yanking him off balance to force him to take a step back and turn. "Arial," the assailant warned, "enough. Montserrat would have-"
"Would have what, huh!?" Arial grabbed at the front of the assailant's jacket, yanking at them as if he could draw them closer. The assailant simply bent closer. "Montserrat is Dust. She can't do shit to me now, and neither can that deadbeat partner of hers." Arial shoved at the assailant but the force didn't seem enough to get the assailant to move. Instead, the other simply took a large step back as if to humor the gesture. "If Garamond ever shows his fucking face, I'll make sure he's Dust just like she is. Dumping his fucking brats onto us like we're some charity."
"They are our family, Arial," the elder spoke out, voice steady. They watched the signs of recognition flicker across Arial's face; there was a threat in the elder's words, one that even they knew better than to cross. "Unlike you, they cannot support themselves."
Arial scoffed but said nothing more. The assailant crossed to them and he felt his brother shift a foot closer to him. They knew they were not wanted - Arial was not the only one to make that clear - but the only one they knew that actually cherished their existence was Corsiva. The one now before them seemed to care about all little things but that did not mean they were anything significant in the other's gaze. "We are moving to the main event. Do either of you need food?"
Dutifully, they shook their heads no. Asking for food outside of meals was not allowed even if his use of magic earlier had brought a mild hunger to their awareness. They could ignore it. It wasn't like it was a gnawing hunger, anyways.
The one before them didn't stand immediately. This close he was able to pick up on the minute tightening of the other's brow that was their only hint they had not been believed. "If you are sure." The other stood. "Let us get moving before the crowd gets too thick."
"Verdana," Corsiva spoke out and the one before them paused. "A moment." The elder smiled down at them. "Run along with the others."
His brother's hand was already in his as he turned away from the adults. His brother had no trouble keeping pace with him, staying close to his right shoulder as they followed the small group through the crowd. None of the group reached out to them or kept an eye on them. He would not be surprised if Arial was actively trying to lose them in the mass of people. Unfortunately for Arial, that was impossible.
"Come here, souling."
Verdana's voice was the only warning they had before the other was hefting them up onto either shoulder. They held onto each other's forearm behind Verdana's head for stability as they settled. Verdana kept a hand on their outside hip and leg while moving through the encroaching crowd towards the small group not far off. They were now a good head taller than the majority present which caused eyes to turn to them in surprise and amusement. Verdana was the tallest of the group but, then, compared to most, the only small ones of their group were them and Corsiva. Even Arial who was shorter than Verdana was still among the tallest of the crowd.
His brother squeezed his forearm, bringing both of their attentions to the stage. A hush settled over the crowd as three monsters stepped out onto the stage. The smallest of the trio - though it was only relative; all three were larger than all but a select few in the crowd - stayed back a few paces as the largest stepped up to the edge. The monster was adorned in regal attire, a crown nestled between curled horns marking this monster King Eragore.
"My people," King Eragore spoke, the deep words carrying through the crowd with ease. "Thank you for celebrating with us on this most wondrous day."
The crowd cheered. His gaze left the stage, taking in the audience now enraptured by the monsters on stage. 'My people'. Those two words held nothing to the scattering of humans in the crowd and yet they cheered all the same. Monster ranking had never included humans and not for the first time he wanted to know why.
"It is with great joy and pride in my soul that I am able to present to you now the Crowned Prince, Asg-"
Sound shot through the silence left behind by the crowd. It tore screams from unsuspecting bystanders. Verdana turned, giving them a clear view of the end of the street to their left. It wasn't till he saw the smoke billowing from a vehicle several blocks from the edge of the crowd that he realized it had been an explosion. There was an uneven line of humans approaching. He could make out objects held by the approaching group, watching as a few dashed forward.
"Guards!" King Eragore barked. "To the defense! Form a line! Do not let anyone pass!"
The Crowned Prince was at the front of the stage, yelling at the same time, "Civilians, start moving west, towards your right! We'll lead you to safety!" Already the Queen was on the ground, pulling one of the flags free of the stage. The pole wasn't much taller than she was but the flag on it snapped this way and that, making a very clear marker for the crowd to follow. "Do not shove! Aid those around you!"
The crowd around them surged towards the top of the street after the Queen's guiding flag. He wondered if it was only due to the Crowned Prince's words that prevented the crowd's fear from overruling their common sense.
"Verdana, put the souling down and go help."
Verdana looked down at Corsiva as Arial walked up, smashing his fist into his palm. "About time there was some action," Arial stated, looking eager. "Been itching for a fight."
"You are to follow the King's orders, Arial," Corsiva reminded him as they were placed on their feet. "Do not engage unless allowed to."
"Yeah, yeah," Arial drawled, rolling his eyelights. "Come on, Verdana."
He and Verdana were quickly swallowed by the crowd, the others of the small group already out of sight. Only Corsiva, his brother, and him were left behind. Corsiva placed a hand on their shoulder, pulling them with the flow of the anxious crowd. "This way, you two. Best we vacate the area with everyone else."
His brother's hand was in his without him knowing if he had reached out or if his brother had. They dutifully went where Corsiva directed even as a second explosion went off behind them. More screams echoed around them but they felt none of the panic the crowd did.
For a second time, the crowd surged around them. What hand Corsiva had on them was shoved away as a stumbling body cut between them. His brother lost his balance, crashing to the ground. He held tight to his brother's hand even as pain filled his palm where his brother had scrapped his own right hand against the rough pavement. A raw aching started in his right ankle. He tugged his brother up and quickly changed sides. There wasn't much he could do against the pain - his or his brother's - but at least he could help his brother walk should the pain get too much.
A glance back revealed they had been swallowed by the crowd. He shot off a check, keeping the range close, and found Corsiva had drifted to their right, towards the edge of the street and the crowd, aiding someone there. The elder's magic was stronger meaning that Corsiva was healing someone. He turned to follow to get his brother the same healing.
Something out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He shifted his weight back, bringing his brother ahead of him. His brother looked up, looking towards what had caught his attention, and as one, they reacted without much thought.
Magic surged forward, slamming into the alleyway with enough substance that all three humans noticed it immediately. None of them bore magic which made the next part far easier. Bone constructs shot out of the ground and walls, fencing the three humans in. The most solid part of the makeshift hold was the wall separating the humans from the defensive line the forward most human had pointed a gun at.
"The line." He followed the gesture that accompanied his brother's words and took in what his brother was seeing. They were too far to see details but they could make out the defensive line buckling under the pressure from the antagonizers. Another good shove and they would breach the line.
He adjusted his hold on his brother's ribs as the other wrapped the injured leg around his left. With three solid feet on the ground, they launched themselves into the air, the massive bone construct disintegrating as soon as they were clear. He took control of their descent as his brother sent their magic down ahead of them. A fence of bones shoved its way out of the ground forcing the group of antagonizers back. It didn't stop the assault - weapons were still firing and magic was still being thrown around - but it gave the defensive line a chance to regain their footing. Two different lines of bones formed on the antagonizers side, wave shaped but well constructed, both gaining the defensive line a bit more space. A third was formed behind theirs, curving back to create a makeshift cover several were ushered under.
Several short bones appeared in mid air between them and the curved wall of bones like rungs of a floating ladder. He easily descended down them, slowing their movement enough that when they touched the top of the curved wall, they had come to a stop.
Something was shouted. He didn't understand what it had been but it was easy enough to guess when the majority of the weapons were turned on them.
They didn't care.
With a shift of weight from both of them, magic surged forward and skyward. Four massive skull constructs formed over the line of bone. The crowd before them shrank back but didn't retreat. The lower jaws split as they opened wide. An orb of brilliant magic formed at the back of each maw. It started small but grew rather rapidly in size giving off a noise between a hum and a whine that increased in pitch the larger the orbs got. That noise alone held a very real threat that they could not back.
The weapons pointed at them fired.
An array of bones solidified before them, their magic taking the barrage without shattering.
Beams of pure magic fired from the floating skulls into the crowd.
Odd how the screams from the antagonizers were nearly identical to what they had heard earlier from the crowd behind them.
The beams sputtered out. The skulls remained open wide as magic started to slowly gather again.
The crowd before them scattered.
Massive hands closed around the back of their necks and yanked them off the curved wall. All of their constructs shattered. The ground was unforgiving when they were thrown to it ripping a shared cry of pain from them.
"Ignorant soulings!" King Eragore barked, a hulking shadow over them. He met the King's gaze first, aware of the buzzing, shifting crowd around them. "Do you even know what you have done! They will use that against us seeking retaliation for the souls you took!"
"We did not take any souls." Silence settled heavily over them. He repeated, "We did not kill anyone." He pointed towards where their line of bones had been, suppressing the wince from his throbbing shoulder at the action. There was no distinction between his pain and his brothers. Everything just hurt. "They are still alive. We simply pinned them." Sure enough, the handful that had been caught in the beams of magic were getting to their feet. Some wavered but none looked severely injured. "All we did was increase the amount of gravity they were under until they could no longer stand."
It had been a gamble, a risk they had been willing to take if it meant the line wasn't broken. They weren't used to utilizing Blue Magic - Gravity Magic - in that fashion but the slow integration of Blue Magic into the beams of pure magic had done exactly what they had intended for it to do.
The fact that their skull constructs had never inflicted damage before went without saying.
For a moment the crowd around them watched the aggressors scurry off. He kept his gaze on King Eragore, waiting. The King glared at him. He merely looked back, unperturbed, waiting. They could hold their own against the boss monster long enough to put distance between them and vanish from sight, if not incapacitate him.
"You two will be reprimanded for your actions here today," King Eragore growled. A roll of voices started to surround them. "Especially if there is fallout from your choice of actions."
He realized it was outrage coming from the voices around them only when some of the forms surged forward. It was interesting to watch surprise fill the King's expression. Familiar hands wrapped around his ribs, lifting him up and away from the King. He managed to not cry out again as the pain gained an echo from his brother. Verdana tucked him into the crook of one arm before accepting his brother in the other from a stranger. The two that had thrown up the outer bone walls were between them and King Eragore, yelling at the larger monster, and they were not alone. Numerous others were placing themselves between King Eragore and him and his brother.
"My King," cut through the noise like an explosion despite the voice's actual volume being softer than most of those yelling. Silence fell immediately as the crowd parted ahead of the Crowned Prince. "What is going on? Why did you pull the soulings from their perch?"
All but the two from their small group moved from before the King. The two from their group merely looked to the approaching Crowned Prince, holding their ground. The Crowned Prince came to a stop just ahead of Verdana at Verdana's side.
"Why are you not with your mother, Asgore," King Eragore challenged instead.
He caught his brother's gaze as they came to the same thought: there was no love lost between King and Crowned Prince despite the proclamation earlier.
"I had been bringing up the rear of the retreating civilians, making sure no one was left behind as our Queen led them to safety," the Crowned Prince spoke. The words were formal and well measured. "I had looked back to make sure the last of the citizens had made it past when I caught sight of the soulings looking in the direction of the defensive line. They not only successfully captured three assailants in a side alley that were aiming to disrupt the line from behind, they noticed our line buckling under the force of the assault. Had they not taken the focus off of our people, we would have Dust on our hands instead of the political media challenge that is potentially ahead of us now."
He knew immediately what the Crowned Prince had done as King Eragore bristled.
"And you think that will be better?" King Eragore growled, falling for it in the heat of his emotions.
"Is it not?" the Crowned Prince countered curiously.
King Eragore did not answer him. For a brief moment, the King glared at the Crowned Prince before turning that glare onto him and his brother before turning it on Verdana. "They will face the consequences of their actions. Expect to be contacted about it in the coming days."
The King turned sharply and cut through the surrounding crowd, storming his way towards the cluster of civilians on the other end of the road. The crowd swarmed them as soon as the King was clear. He wondered if the circle of space that had been made around Verdana and the Crowned Prince was intentional or not.
One of those from their small group hurried forward, hands going to his brother. "Let me see them, Verdana."
"Are they alright?" the Crowned Prince asked as Verdana lowered them back to their feet.
Verdana offered without looking up, "They will live, my Crowned Prince."
The Crowned Prince waved him off. "Just Asgore, please. Or at least Prince Asgore if you have to be so formal." The Crowned Prince looked to them. "And while I am glad they will live, that was not my question."
A shudder raced down his spine as he felt the pain from his brother's ankle fade and echoes of semi-familiar healing magic ghosted over his bones.
"They are fine, Prince Asgore," the one healing his brother assured. "A few scrapes but nothing serious and everything easily healed."
He watched his brother gently grab at the other's wrists as the green healing magic soaked hands moved to his brother's ribs. "No. That one is Decos's."
He shared in the other's confusion. There was so much echoing that he hadn't realized any of the injuries they had sustained had been solely his. Without thinking, he reached up and pressed at the point his brother had kept from being healed. Pain flared from the spot and he hissed from it. A different set of green healing magic soaked hands pressed into his chest and shoulder, blocking off the entrance and exit of a bullet wound.
"That is..." Prince Asgore started, sounding flabbergasted.
"They are a souling of two bodies, my Prince," Verdana offered in a low voice. The crowd had not encroached into the privacy bubble it had unintentionally created. "Their soul echoes injuries and sensations between the two forms."
He caught Prince Asgore looking at Verdana with something he interpreted as horror; which seemed odd so it was probably inaccurate. "For their entire existence?"
"It is dulling as they grow stronger. They are not as sensitive to each other's experiences as they had been newly formed."
The silence was not filled by another question like he had been expecting and stretched through the amount of time it took for his brother and him to be fully healed.
"Who are their parents?" Prince Asgore finally asked.
Verdana shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "Montserrat and Garamond, my Prince. Montserrat Dusted shortly after the souling was newly formed 43 years ago."
"Garamond Gaster is the other?" Verdana hummed an affirmation. "He left for overseas after his partner's passing, then."
"What do you mean "left for overseas"?" Arial barked. The crowd parted enough for Arial to walk into the circle assisted by some stranger. No one else batted an eye at the stranger so he assumed only he and his brother didn't know who this person was. Arial was clutching at the right side of his ribs. "What? Are you telling me that that good for nothing heap of bones is on the front lines of some war our country is supposedly staying out of."
"Arial," the one that had healed his brother bit out.
Prince Asgore made some gesture as he stepped in, neutralizing the situation. "It's quite alright," the Crowned Prince assured the speaker before looking to Arial. "Garamond Gaster was enlisted to aid in negotiations. He has been working hard to keep us out of the brewing war overseas and has been a strong advocate for peaceful negotiations." The Crowned Prince frowned. "Has he not been in contact with his family since his deployment?"
"Garamond was family by marriage, my Prince," Verdana put in, cutting off Arial's words before they could form fully. "He was the last of his small family group."
Corsiva's voice joined in. "He has reached out a few times but the work has kept him very busy." The crowd barely moved yet Corsiva popped into the circle as if the crowd hadn't existed. "My son-in-law is easily swept up by his work, which only amplified the challenge he already had with object permanence, even with those he loved and adored. It is part of my son's strife with him, though Montserrat never seemed bothered by it."
Prince Asgore glanced at Arial but gained nothing beyond an annoyed stare. "I can look into why he hasn't taken time to visit home."
Corsiva brushed the offer aside. "Garamond has utilized his leave, my Prince, don't worry about that."
The elder was dismissing the Crowned Prince's worry and it confused him why those privy to the conversation held their breath. The Crowned Prince was very clearly not the King.
"If you are sure," Prince Asgore conceded. "May I speak with the soulings for a brief moment?"
"If that is what you desire, my Prince," Corsiva offered formally.
The frown on Prince Asgore's face deepened. The large monster stepped to him and his brother, kneeling to be at eye level with them. It was a rather impressive feat, seeing as the monster was easily three times taller than they were. The others backed up to give them some semblance of privacy. "Hello little ones," the Crowned Prince offered with a pleasant smile. "I am Asgore. What are your names?"
"Wing Dings," his brother offered.
He followed his brother's words with, "Wing Decos."
"Are you two all well and healed now? No more pain?"
They shook their head no. The gnawing hunger was not the pain the Crowned Prince was asking after.
"Good. I'm glad." To his surprise, the Crowned Prince sounded and looked genuinely relieved. "I wanted to offer you my thanks for your actions today, as well as an apology on my father's behalf. Despite his fears, I believe your choice of action was not a bad one, especially since it did not cost either side any life. Still, it should not have been left to soulings to end the confrontation and I apologize for that." There was a breath of silence, one where the Crowned Prince looked them both over. "I look forward to seeing what you two accomplish as you grow older."
Prince Asgore made his way back through the crowd slowly, conversing with many there as he went. The majority of the crowd followed his lead towards the clusters of civilians that were wandering back.
"Come along," Corsiva spoke to their small group. "Best we follow Prince Asgore's lead."
He took his brother's hand following after the group. Corsiva and Verdana fell into conversation leaving him and his brother to be ignored by the others.
A familiar hand closed around his neck from behind pulling him to a stop. A glance at his brother and the faintest of echoes were enough to see Arial had grabbed his brother in the same manner. "Don't expect any aid when King Eragore comes after you two," Arial threatened. He shoved them forward and they stumbled under the force of it. "You two should know better than to get messed up in adult business."
Arial stormed between them after the group.
His brother took his hand again. "Our actions saved lives and they are mad at us for it."
"We have seen this before. There is more to their thoughts than the obvious."
His brother turned a blank gaze to him but he kept watching Arial's retreating back. "That is not what I was getting at." He met his brother's gaze. "If we keep doing things outside their unspoken rules, they will limit our movement more."
"They would be welcome to try but you and I are aware of how lacking they are on that front."
A faint shout of their names drew their attention back to the small group. Corsiva had stopped and turned back as the rest continued on; Verdana was heading towards them.
"You were successful, then."
"Of course." The weight of the bag resting in the cavity between ribs and pelvis rubbed strangely against his bones but it meant that what he had procured was secure from scrutiny. Even without checking he knew the bullet had missed it completely. "Wryn sent well wishes for you and is looking forward to seeing you again."
His brother nodded. They watched Verdana approach in silence for a moment before his brother spoke, "How long do you think it will take them to figure it out?"
"I doubt the majority ever will with as unwanted as we are. Corsiva will soon enough if not already. Verdana may be the only other one."
Silence settled between them. Verdana closed the last stretch of distance in that slow pace. "Are you two ok?"
They nodded.
Verdana reached down and lifted them up onto either shoulder. "We best get you two food. You must be starving after such an impressive display of magic."
He glanced at his brother. That had been impressive? They had barely used a third of their magic, including what he had done to get back from his little outing.