EGYPT

In Alexandria , Egypt, the plane landed. From the a wide view through the airport's large windows, Egypt shone brightly in colorful lights that touched the night sky. Outside, as my family and I reached the sidewalk, a magnificent black limousine crept along. The vehicle came to a full halt. Its driver came out, holding up a sign with our family's name on it. We crowded, joyfully, into the car. I've never been in a limo before! I was so excited, I jumped into my seat.

At first, our way to the brothel seemed scary, except for those who had already been there before. There was a lot of sand around us, so it seemed like we were being kidnapped until we approached another beautiful city nearby. I was watching the amazing sights pass by the windows while the Xaviero brothers were fussing about the lady we were going to see with Astrid. I smiled excitedly.

With an excessive amount of excitement growing within me, I gawked at a mini palace. The lights in front of the columns lit up the building, like the White House lights of America at night. From my angle, there were grand stairs that seemed really high and the place looked almost bronze and bright. My mouth plummeted. I started feeling nervous. About etiquette and manners... I did call Laura. Good thing I still had her contact. Ozario provided me with a few tips too, but not a lot so I assumed that all I had received would be enough for now. I had room for mistakes and could learn more while I was there. Still, I also couldn't speak the language. I had the feeling that I was going to screw things up with the CEO of a palace. How terrifying... I wasn't going for a job but this visit still felt like an interview. The car stopped, and the driver came out to open the doors for us. First, Oni slipped out of the vehicle and held out his hand to me. Afterwards, I took it, sliding out. At the center of the very broad staircase, the family met up.

"Welcome to… Hathor's Palace… Greeeaaat," Ozario announced, regretfully. He sluggishly walked forward.

Skuld jumped beside me, spreading her right arm out wide. "Goddess of Love! Oh! Cat, did you know that Atinmerit had been named after the goddess, Isis, of Egypt?"

| "You mean, Ambrosia? Her name is Atinmerit in Egypt? But they don-"

"Yes, I know." Skuld nodded. "Very different names. That's what Aro called her, mainly because she loved ambrosia salads. When people came to see her, many knew how to present ambrosia as a gift. But, you know, ambrosia was the nourishment of the Greek gods. It represented granting longevity or immortality to whom consumed it. Seems like she did the consuming to grant immortality, huh? Ironic. Aro is from Greece. So, it was originally a cute pet name. In the present, we tend to use it a lot more than in the past. It's easier for the Americans to say that versus her birth name."

I tried to say, "Oh... Well, I'm glad to learn this. That's amaz..." |

"Isn't it? Uh! I wish she was still alive. She was born here, ya know. Atinmerit could have taught you everything! She was as beautiful as a goddess, too. It's heartbreaking she was never recorded... as all vampires obviously but how enraging that is."

At the thought of my ancestor, Skuld slouched, melting. Her hands pressed together happily. Yea, I've seen her through the eyes of Aro. Isis, despite looking almost exactly like her, was about 20,000 times hotter as a human than I was. No acne scars, perfect glowing skin, elegance literally became her. Unfortunately, and somehow, from her genes, I still had no sexy points. As a vampire, Ambrosia was even lovelier than Rosalie. If she knew I thought that, Rose would be mad. I had handmade a small present in my hand for Meridia. I felt the nervousness to meet her again. What type of person was she? There was a gigantic door opening for us to enter. As quickly as light, a blur sprinted out and Ozario fell onto the floor, laughing. He pushed the person off. Henry laughed at them at the top of the stairs.

I ran upstairs to see who it was. Had the blur been that woman we came to see? For introductions, Oni guided the regal lady towards me with a wave of his hand. Whoa! Exquisitely flawless in all the most divine ways, in all aspects of her appearance, she existed, goddess-like and sexy. Just her smile would've made millions worth of a perfectly crafted pearl necklace. The color of her skin was staggeringly dark. No up-to-date flat screen fancy television could perfectly match her black hue. I noticed she had this reddish undertone glimmering through her shoulders. She was better than any model I had ever seen in magazine, mostly because I saw her in person. Her black hair was twinkling with luminescent gold, seductive ... Oh, and long! It could not be held above her thighs by any number of ribbons. I changed my mind. Rosalie, my ancestor, and this chick had been almost an equal match all the way through. I was related to one goddess and stood close to two other goddess. I stuck my hand out uncontrollably to touch her beautiful hair. I stared at her immeasurably. With her entire presentation, I was delirious. I could see why she and Ozario had been so... close? Looking between her and Ozario, at some point, I could totally see how they might have been drawn to each other. I was barely able to decide who was more attractive. Him or her?

In absolute bloody captivation, I blurted out, "My... God. Because you're real, you are even better than a unicorn! I mean, seriously! There is no surreal world beyond what I have seen now that you stand before me. My God!"

The woman laughed in enjoyment at my reaction. "I see she isn't nervous after all, Ozario." Her voice was bold, loud, and a little low in pitch.

Shocked, Onyx shook his head, smiling at me. He introduced her, "Let me introduce you to my good friend, Meridia. She can help you with your gift. Meridia, this is my best part of me and new family, Catalina."

"Aw," Meridia smiled wider.

I stared back and forth between Meridia and Ozario, then to her butt and my butt. It wasn't exactly the bottom I had imagined, but it was still unbelievably large and more perfect than mine. What a perfectly sculpted arse! Through her voluptuous, purple-ish-ly colorful dancing clothes she wore, I could easily see it from the side. I touched the hem of Meridia's adorable shirt, wanting to wear one too. Then she began to touch my hair and my shirt. I chuckled a bit, realizing that I was probably being rude. She isn't a doll, you know. I stopped and scratched the back of my neck.

"Sorry," I apologized. "It's just that you're sooo hot and divine and regal... Wait... this isn't coming out right." I tapped my fingers on my lips.

Miss Meridia giggled louder. "Well, thank you still. I'll take it as a gift! I hadn't been this complimented in a long time. You and Ozario are just alike. Ha, ha! Come on inside! Oh! Skuld, don't think I didn't notice you. Where are your friends? Come and let's give hugs!"

The Fates ran into her arms for a huge group hug. I heard air kisses behind me and smiled. They giggled like high schoolers. Miss Meridia introduced herself as everyone walked through her doors and caught the names of everyone invited tonight. Inside me the anxiety grew. Yes, I managed to compliment her but that was from sheer surprise from personally meeting her. I heard the doors close slowly behind us with a small clicking noise. When I faced Meridia's lobby, I couldn't believe my eyes!

"The palace is amazing!" I gasped, becoming the astonished Annie inside Mr. Warbucks' home for the first time.

There were pure white walls. There were golden columns slithering from the floor, rotating to seem that way. With red, green, and purple gems swirling down its lovely, carved vine designs. An incredible mural of what looked like a goddess was on the ceiling. I guess, since the building was named after her, Hathor was the Goddess. In the middle of it, a large crystal chandelier hung. The floor was made of white tiles. A long red carpet extended all the way down into a corridor. With embroidered hieroglyphics colored gold and, kind of, indigo looking, mostly purple, the sides of it were designed. The lobby was surrounded by some colorful chairs and they were made like giant pillows. On top, they had surreal gold designs and smaller pillows, with multi-colored shapes as well. See the chairs and doorways covered by curtains. They had hems with gold patterns. What an incredible edifice! She took us to a multi-colored room with a few clothes to our right on a rack. A man came in with drinks and treats, leaving them on a table in the middle of the room.

Meridia waved to the man to come over and then turned to us. "Thank you, Omid! Lovely darlings, this is Omid and he will cater to you if you ever need anything. He is my sexy butler who stole Ozario's and Henry's place after they left." She chuckled afterward.

Omid winked at the brothers. Ozario and Henry slightly waved. I thought when people knew each other, they would shake hands and do the air kiss cheek thing but they didn't. I wondered why. Was it because of Omid's status versus theirs? The family and I greeted Omid kindly. He shook our hands, smiling. Ozario and Henry did greet Omid the way I was told but I suppose it simply took a moment.

Then, Omid left with a soft shout, "Nshoofk ala kheir (Hope to see you under good circumstances)!"

I waved, yelling, "Good night!"

Meridia clapped her hands together. "OK! I had someone bring some nice sleepwear for all of you. I know most of you don't fall victim to it, but it does get hot, even for vampires. There are free dressing rooms in here. You can rest here and we can all chat for fun. Ozario, Henry, both of you knew not to come over here fully dressed. Naughty boys."

The Cullen family looked at each other, then to the clothes and back to Meridia. They thanked her and walked over to see their names on the tops. This made Meridia happy. I stood aside, nervously wanting to give her the gift.

Ozario glided close to her. "Meridia, you know why we are here, yeah? Clothes are the last thing on our minds." He held her shoulder and kindly turned her toward me. "Why don't you talk to Catalina for a bit to see how we can help her, Please? I think she has something for you too."

Meridia looked at me and nodded cheerfully. She took my hand and took an outfit from the rack. "OK…" She faced Ozario and lifted her index finger. "But, you will have Omid dress you tonight. You know how provocative he can be. I told you no clothes, so now you get his."

"Nope," Onyx yelled!

Meridia eyeballed him.

"Sí, mi estimado Doyenne, Meridia. Sí, madame," he repeated and then he ran out the same door as Omid!

Meridia stared at me and laughed. "My eyes gets him everytime. He knows I'll beat his butt if he disrespects me."

I chuckled. "I would like to give you this."

Meridia took the small box from my right hand and opened it. The box had a framed piece of art inside, a powerful woman. She happily and slowly gasped.

Happy about her response, I told her, "I didn't know what to give so I drew this for you."

Impressed, Meridia nodded. Her eyes still fixed on the painting. "Oh! I also see hieroglyphics! 'May you be powerful.' Aww, this is so great. Come with me, you sweet gentlewoman." Meridia took my hand again and dragged me out of the room. She was walking in zig-zags. "Watch your step! Not all of these white marks are lotion," she informed like a merry tune!

My eyes popped open. Freaking out, I tried to walk a little strangely to avoid any white spots that might have passed under me. It's a shame that a nice hall like this had messy floors. Meridia brought me to a small dressing room and gave me the clothes she was carrying. It was a light grey shirt with a white veil flowing from the shirt's bottom. The thin, cotton capris matched.

"Thank you for the clothes. It's really pretty."

"Go put it on," Meridia happily shooed me behind the curtain to change.

She started humming a merry tune, then paused for a second. "Henry called me up late. I could have taken you all to the Spring Festival. There's not a lot to do now. But, it's for the best, I guess. I've got a performance to do tomorrow at a party. I could take everyone with me. Are you excited to have your new powers?"

I supposed that she finally decided on a conversation. I was trying to force myself, out of nervousness about messing up, to speak,"N-not exactly. I believe it is too powerful. Plus, I think I can use it only if my blood is spurting out of me, which is dangerous. If I bleed too much, I'm going to become that zombie, vampire thing. So, I am kind of disappointed with it. I don't even know what I can do with it."

Meridia pushed open the curtains. I squeezed my chest, trying to use my arms to cover it up. I haven't put on a shirt yet! Close the curtain! She criticized me; her head leaning. She grabbed my arms with her hands and pulled me out. She dragged me in front of a big mirror.

"Catalina, look at the mirror, please," She commanded in question form?

I stared at it, seeing my body I couldn't hide. She held down my arms. Awkwaaard.

"Uh… I'm still shirtless." I acknowledged out loud, pointing at the mirror.

Meridia shook her head, "No, Cat, that isn't important right now. Focus. When you look at yourself in the mirror, do you see someone confident or the opposite?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I see a half-naked girl, who doesn't know what she is capable of at all. Everyone and everything else seems to tell me who I am, except me. So, I don't know."

She sighed and murmured, "I think you look best in light blue." She looked behind her, and then left my side.

"A lot of people tell me blue fits my skin color, so… Thank you," I shared with her; my head down.

Through the mirror reflection, I observed Meridia. She pulled a box from the wall and began to rummage through it. She pulled out a lovely blue chemise with a matching silk capris, better than the grey ones. It was laid out on the table by her. A few fine pieces of hair pins were in the pockets of the garment. Meridia came back to me, touched my hair and hummed again. I wonder what she's thinking?

"You wonder what's on my mind," she acknowledged and began pinning my hair up with hair pieces? "Well… You see, I used to work with Ambrosia as her personal nurse at an ancient Egyptian temple. I stole Aro's ability the first day he turned. So, right now, I'm trying to find your childhood in your mind. Let's see now. The Daughter of Adriana and Iseul Yong, Descendent of the beloved late, Queen Isis, and co-leader of The Volturi Coven, Aro. Did you know he was your ancestor's servant? No? You lost all of your memories, yet, it doesn't seem to exclude anyone else who can see it. Catherine?"

"Henry calls me that. He started teasing me with that name after I won a chicken talk contest. We came up with it after watching Teen Titans Go on cartoon network. Ya know… waffles." I notified her, so she wouldn't be confused.

Meridia chuckled. "Henry calls me Aida for short. So, I'll give you permission too, since your good friends with those brothers. Hmm…" She circled me.

I smiled, curious to what she would do next.

"I just learned all of your memories by simply touching your hair. Catalina, the day you lost your memory by that bite, you were put under a strong blockage spell. As in, you didn't lose it, you can't access it." She sighed in relief. "Luckily, everything is still there. The blockage is also the cause of your inability to use your powers. You used to utilize them very well." She sighed and put her hands on her hips. "Those vipers are a card… Tricky. They even have the spell books, too."

I crossed my arms, listening closer. "Spell books? You mean medieval witchcraft? The spell that made Isis immortal - No, cursed."

She nodded. "Yes, The Book of Life and The Book of Death, books of Heaven and Hell. They contain spells the darkest people in the world should not grasp. We shouldn't have messed with those, either."

"So, spell books… Witches are real," I asked, turning to her?

"The Diviner Coven and Princess Anuktata – Uh, I mean Astrid – were witches, years beyond today. I thought they would have told you. The Diviners were the girls who learned how to immortalize your ancestor. The beautiful skin and the unlimited usability of the brain's functions were pros to the 'blessed' symptoms. However, I was there the day the five of us learned that those three women gave our queen a curse. The Diviners needed a living sacrifice, and the Fates failed to fulfill that demand. So, as punishment for doing an unfinished spell - FROM the wrong book - the Book of Death - thirst for blood became apparent when my Queen, Atinmerit, or Ambrosia Isis, began turning undead. I found a spell in The Book of Life, which modified the queen's curse. This modification allowed her to bare children, but could never release her from the curse or satisfy her bloodlust."

I frowned in sadness and looked down.

"She was the first living vampire. The first whom possessed blood in her veins, I mean. Those spells did more. They made Ambrosia the greatest vampire who ever lived. It gave her dovelike wings and an unbelievable gift," Meridia walked away and grabbed the blue clothes. "She had a baby boy with Aro. Sutekh was his name. I couldn't believe it, but it happened. The spell I found worked for the better. Later, she needed an army when a group of shape shifters attacked our lands. We were at war. Isis changed the rest of us, except Astrid, her sister. Isis gave her baby to Aro, so he could guard Sutekh. The rest of us fought alongside her army. Ambrosia was accused of hurting children, and then passed away by burning to death. This is how vampires were born. The 'blessed' spell – the one which allowed Isis motherhood – is the reason those with special gifts like Aro's and Ozario's are enhanced as we become vampires. But, I'm not saying those with gifts are better. We are all still cursed until it's somehow lifted… Somehow," Meridia replied, handing me the new sleep clothes.

I took them. Aida said Ambrosia had a gift. I asked her about it, "What gift did Ambrosia have? You said she had wings and a gift of her own. Is it the ability to reproduce?"

"No, but that's part of it. It's a beautiful gift. I never knew something like us would gain such a power... Creation and re-creation. I could never absorb that gift," Aida shared. "She brought withered flowers back to life. She had a difficult time using it with humans, depressingly."

Meridia couldn't absorb it and Ambrosia struggled with her power, too. "So, we do have limitations," I said.

Meridia nodded and explained, "Yes, but each person with a similar gift are unable to use their gift in the same way. I was able to steal Aro's gift, but no matter how many times I try to steal Skuld's… It's simply impossible. Aro's gift blocks hers out. I can use one gift better than the person I stole it from. I have a gift that makes me feel numb every time I use it, which is Ozario's. We should find what works for you. Some can be too powerful for us to handle, even with an incredibly powerful gift like ours."

I held my head, trying to process. "Ok… Spells, vampires, life, death, war, gifts, limits, and curses? I got these things locked. Now, what I don't understand is…If…Astrid never got bit, then why is she immortal? Wait… She's a witch, right? She… did it to herself."

Meridia nodded. "Could be a reason why she killed Ambrosia."

I finally understood why people told me Astrid was crazy now. "Because, Ambrosia wouldn't give her immortality or the books? Why?"

Meridia shrugged, "I don't know. I never had a sister. But, Cat, this is good. Now, we know the Vipers got those books after Astrid somehow. We know why your powers and memories are blocked. Annnd, you got a history lesson on how vampires came into existence. Catalina, our power works by believing it does. It's all in the mind. By confidence and trust in ourselves. Once you accept your entire body as is, you accept your gift. So, no more of this 'hating on your powers' junk, you are going to have to love it because it's who you are."

"No… I don't hate it… I just..." I shrugged and looked down, again. "I don't know," I uttered.

"No," Meridia sternly said , "You don't trust your own life if you don't have confidence in your power. Think about it. If you can't trust yourself, how is it possible to trust someone like Ozario? If he cannot be there to catch you when you fall, what will you do?"

I thought over that. She has a strong point. "Alright. I love my power, then," I replied with a smile.

Aida smiled, too. "Good."

I nodded, my fist clenched against my chest. Then I remembered... I wasn't wearing a shirt. I ran into the dressing room and hurriedly put my blue clothes on as Aida laughed at my struggle. I was a bit ashamed to wear this gauzy chemise, especially since Ozario was going to see it. My stomach was revealed through the veil, clear as daytime, and I had taken out my belly ring after hearing Ozario's weird fetishes so as not to seduce him. Some years ago, during my time visiting India with my mom, I got it. She was doing business with some people I couldn't remember. It was a lot of fun... but, now, I regret that... the belly ring, not the visit.

Meridia walked back to the guest lounge with me following. I was afraid to go back with what I had worn. The family would see me dressed like this, all flashy. Aida had to grab my arm and tug me inside. The whole family was also in some semi-revealing nightwear. The sight has made me relax a bit better. They chatted busily, so I didn't feel too self-conscious about their eyes on me either. I analyzed the cool outfits for everyone and realized that Oni was still missing. That once again made me nervous. What will he say once he sees me?

Ozario and the butler walked inside — Omid, I think from earlier. Well, Onyx was certainly less dressed than I was. A black, sheer, baggy, deep V-neck shirt. Attached to each side of the V-neck were the smallest, golden chains. And to match, he wore black, sheer, baggy shorts. Under that, only the black boxers, tight just to my liking, covered him. On one side of his shoulder was his long, wavy, chestnut hair. And Ozario's choice, I assume, was on his feet — black, puppy-looking house slippers. I smiled at him; he didn't know. The two men were conversing. They both stopped, and they glanced at me and Meridia. Ozario's head tilted, smiling. I blushed, shying into an invisible shell. Aida lifted my head, straightened my back, and pushed me forward. Right ... Confidence ... I need self-confidence. Part of the way, Ozario met me and took my hands. My head dropped again with nervousness in my chest. Come on. I'm freaking out. What will he say?!

Onyx chuckled, lifting my chin up with his big hands. "You look amazing. Don't be afraid," he encouraged.

I blushed and swayed a bit. "Oh. Um. Okay. Thank you."

Since it was already night, Omid took us to rest in some rooms — only those who could sleep. When Ozario and I were the only two, he led us to the end of a long hall with a long balcony on our right. They had circular arches and were decorated with purple, green and blue gems. A long, clear, silver curtain with a precious gold embroidered at the hem flowed from the top of the doorway at the edge of the hall. I looked up at Ozario and he grinned at me.

"Mrahaba bieawdatik (Welcome back)," Omid said to Ozario.

"Ana mundahush la yazal ladayk hadhih alghurfat aqamat (I'm amazed you still have this room set up)," Ozario replied.

My eyes widen. "You speak Arabic?" I asked in surprise?

"Yes. I had to learn in order to work here years ago," he explained.

My shoulder slumped, and I smiled. "I wish I knew how to speak the language. I know how to make it out but that's it," I shared with him.

Ozario looked down at me and giggled. "If you can understand what we said," he stated, "then you can speak it."

I straighten my back again and just thought about something. "The bedroom at the end of the hall… was this your old bedroom," I questioned?

"Yes."

Oh! Um…Did he ever…? I had to know so I asked him, "Um…Did you…Ya know…In your room?"

Ozario nodded his head nervously. "Nn…Y-y-mm... BUT, I had everything cleaned up long before I left, which was 113 years ago. And, Omid volunteered to clean it again," he assured in a panic.

Omid shot a devilish grin at me and sniggled. "Ma yaenih hw 'nem'. Hadhih hi gharafatuh alty yadin biha li lilttanzif (What he means is, 'yes'. This is his room, which he owes me for cleaning up)," he admitted.

Ozario jerked for a second. "Y-y-ea," his voice broke. He cleared his throat.

Omid snickered. Is Omid like Onyx? I glanced between the two of them. As they talked, they almost walked the same way. For the remainder of the walk, they pestered each other like brothers. Hmm… I wonder how close they really are. With a broad grin, Omid left Ozario and I by the door.

As he lifted the silver veil over our heads, Ozario said, "I hope you'll like my room."

I smiled and looked ahead. Inside, the lights were dim on the marble walls. It was enough to see a swirling staircase made of black marble. I noticed that there were white strips on the floor. With a smile, Ozario picked one up.

"Lotus petal," he informed. "No need to worry about white stains here. I've always been too much of a clean freak. My mother implanted that in me, this magnificent palace isn't supposed to be a mess, right?"

I chuckled. "You're right. Lovely."

Ozario started walking down the stairs.

I followed him and began to think about something. "This reminds me," I stated, "I never saw your bedroom in Forks."

Ozario looked at me. "I never slept until you came into my life, Cati. I never knew I could until... I get too relaxed around you and that's unnatural for me. But, I love it," he admitted. He looked ahead of himself again.

I touched his shoulder and we stopped on the steps. I asked, "You don't have a bedroom at home?"

Onyx faced me. "Nope."

I thought the theory of my room originally belonging to my bestie was true."But, if the room I'm sleeping in wasn't yours," I asked, "Whose room was it before I showed up?"

"Edward's old room. He gave it up for you, for he no longer needs it. He has a cottage with his wife and daughter in the woods. Though they are my 'foster parents' — not really but in order to help cover for Carlisle — I still go wherever I please. I was given the room, by Carlisle, where the bookshelves are. The one that you'll most likely find me in. I've read nearly every single book, now," he clarified.

"Hm." I looked down and understood.

"Now, just because I don't have a bedroom at home, doesn't mean I don't have one at all," Ozario said at the bottom of the stairway. "Welcome to my bedroom, Catalina... Even if it is weird you'll be in here."

Onyx placed his foot on the ground. Around the room, torches lit up, clear and bright. My mouth dropped. His room was not what I'd imagined at all. I thought there were tons of books and weapons on the walls, all well arranged. I would have thought of something like music posters and nice and neat paint brushes set up around the room. Maybe, maybe, something like an indoor garden, since I knew that Ozario was a little eccentric about certain things. In my imagination, one thing was right. The room was perfectly organized, clean, and beautiful. Still, not what I was expecting.

The first thing I saw was the same silver veil hung from the ceiling over a large, circular bed, swaying away by the breeze of the air vent. The round bed lived on a black marble platform which, like a king on his throne, covered a small percentage of the room, perhaps 10 to 15 percent. I ran under the veil to take a close look at the bed. The back board was white padded. The decorated pillows were gold and black. The sheets were white and the covers lay across the edges like melted gold with tassel-looking stuff dangling from ornate triangles. Satin, silk, and velour made the three bed coverages.

I touched the inside sheets first. This must have been velour, an incredibly soft fabric that is far more comfortable to touch than any other type of cotton. In my periphery, something glimmered and I glanced to my right. A pool in Ozario's room right there. It was very narrow, horizontal, and there were aligned jasmines to guide my way to it. There were water lilies floating in the pool. Once I got there, I was sitting on my knees and I reached for a flower. I picked one up gently and smelled it. It was very fresh! They're real. The water wasn't so deep, only 2 feet high. I noticed the water only covered my calfs.

I searched around to see if I missed anything. There was a white ceiling. Gold borders were wrapped about 4 inches away from more black marble. This black marble surrounded the room, outlining the ceiling. That was why the gold walls were fastened to the ceiling. Some gold walls had inscribed hieroglyphics on them.

"You're making a face again, Cat." Ozario laughed.

I faced him with big eyes. He cracked up as he held his nose bridge with two fingers.

"What happened to the book shelves? The music posters? The harp? Paint brushes? Weapons? Magical and mystical Ozario garden," I shouted from shock? "I expected it to be beautiful but OMGH! This room is drop dead gorgeous!"

Ozario remarked, "I have them in here. They are in other sections of my room."

"You have sections," I shouted?! "There is more!"

"I am very eccentric. You know this," he reminded me.

I jumped up. "Let me see!"

So, apparently, Ozario did have what I thought he had. Still, not as expected, how he would organize the things. His Egyptian harp was in his bathroom because, after or before he bathed, Onyx used to enjoy playing it for his old clients. For me, it was kind of awkward, but was also cool to find out. In his walk-in closet, which was incredibly big as a flip, is where his bookshelves were! Ozario managed to perfectly organize every single bit of his clothes and accessories in drawers and on hooks. No weapons were in there. No posters. But there were old vinyl and new CDs on his bookshelf for music, which, by the way, had their own sections by date. By just looking at what he wanted, he could choose anything he wanted to wear or to read! His room was enchanted by a spell that the Diviners had taught him. So, cool! I can't believe I'm in my crush's bedroom!

I looked up at him as we sat on a couch in his closet. "So, Ozario, how were your days living here," I asked him with a grin?

"The weirdest days of my life," he replied, thinking about the past. "I've spent 24 years working here. A servant by day and a prostitute during the night hours, mostly for people like us. Our greatest friends were Omid and Meridia. During work hours, I didn't exactly lose my shame. After Omid and I officially became friends, that's when I lost my shame. He is kind of the reason I'm-."

"A jerk?"

Onyx frowned at me and answer, "No. That was my brother's fault."

I shrugged and said, "Ruthless?"

Ozario crossed his arms and smirked. "Cat."

"Yes, senior hater," I answered, tilting my head.

"Humph." Ozario laughed at my attempted with a Spanish accent. "You suck."

"That was the point."

"Weird, Cat." He nodded, confirming to himself that the word was properly characterized. "Omid taught Henry and I how to be mysterious and how to pull pranks... But, uh... He's strange. He's like our third brother, most likely the youngest out of all of us. We consider him one of the Xaviero brothers."

"Aw. That's so sweet."

Onyx chuckled. "I'm only telling you this because, since you know me, you know him," he clarified.

I raised a brow and tilted my head, "How?"

Ozario looked at his right with wide eyes. "Think of it like this. He's the third of whom I am today. Watch out for his pranks," he warned and stood up. Onyx patted my shoulder. He whispered, "You know the way I do pranks."

With wide eyes, I nodded. Uh, oh. Ozario and I were ready to go to bed. Ozario blew out one of the torches, causing the rest of them to burn out on their own. Through the dark hours of night, I could see the city shining brightly from the window. Ozario kept me closer than usual, reading a story he had brought with a candlelight. With my eyes closed, I stayed awake, thinking about my new gift. Thinking of how to be confident until I can persuade myself that I could be. I kept repeating to myself in my head the word, 'power.' A sharp pang sent a wave of sound through my ears. This time, I could hear everything, like an uproar. It was more uncontrollable than before and, with its constant ringing of cacophony, ripped my head apart. Once Ozario caressed my hair, everything finally stopped, snapping me out of the horrible meditation. I looked at him, slightly twitching. My ears hurt.

"I'm… ehe… Okay..." I tried to tell him.

"What happened?" He crooned in my ear, soothing the pain I felt. His breathe on the back of my neck calmed me.

I shook my head. "Do you really think that I can be confident enough to use this power? I'm a little scared. What happens if I hurt myself or hurt someone else? What if hurting myself is the only way to use or control it?"

Oni smiled and kissed my the side of forehead. He held me closer while setting his book down. He whispered, "You really don't know how incredible you are, do you? Sleep."

I nodded, curling in his arms. "Okay."