Chapter 10

Dhiren dusted off the cover of the large volume. Sophronia sat and watched. He seemed so sad, but why? She couldn't understand, but she did know one thing: It started with the mention of Shella.

Earlier that day, Sophronia had asked Dhiren what Shella really was, upon seeing the book still open to that page. She knew it wasn't a real place, just a name he had to make up. "What's with the secrecy?" she had urged.

"When I would leave home, I wouldn't go to some remote island. And the place I went was definitely not filled with magic."

"Then where? Where?"

"I went towards that crystal." He had pointed to the massive jewel in the distance.

"Really? Was it beautiful?"

"Very. It used to shine with a light so grand—"

"Used to? It looks the same to me."

"It does?" Her brother had looked again, sighed, and left to his room.

Later, she had come in and asked what he would do there. And that brought them to now, where Dhiren opened the large volume to a place marked with a rusted ring.

"The fire ring! I wondered where it went."

Dhiren lifted it. "It was given to me by a dear friend I met there at the crystal."

"I get it. You met your friend there every day. But why not just meet here?"

"It's not that simple, Sophronia. My friend was a Lilty."

.

"You are a Lilty! You should be honored by such an arrangement!" Her father was red with rage.

"By heavens, I thought you'd be giddy with joy about this!" Her mother was equally shocked.

Miach stamped her feet. "But I'm not! He scorns me! He looks down upon me! Why must I—"

"You must learn to live up to his expectations." Her father placed a hand on her shoulder. "His expectations are our expectations. For he is our sovereign."

"But why? He is unfit!"

"How dare you speak so!"

But Miach ran from the room. "A king mustn't act that way. He must act with kindness to his people." She sighed, looking at that fading crystal. She knew, out there, somewhere, Frederick was ruling kindly, king or not.

.

Frederick brought up the bucket from the well. "So our refugee camp isn't quite as we had hoped… so what?"

Chessa poured it into her pot. "As long as we're helping someone, it doesn't matter how many. We're here for those who need us. I guess we just aren't needed."

They let out a simultaneous sigh.

"Well, let's hurry back. We have to keep an eye out."

Chessa tried to lift the jar. "Darn. I might've filled it too much." She tried again, but felt the load lighten as a rough hand touched hers. Rough, but kind and warm. She looked up. Frederick was lifting the jar too. "Thanks," she said shyly, well aware of the blush on her cheeks.

He smiled back, equally red. "Let's go."

.

"Two Clavats?" Sophronia was more intrigued than appalled, which made Dhiren feel much better. "We were best of friends. And we met every day." He fiddled with the ring. "Until six years ago."

"Childhood friends, huh?"

"Nothing but."

"But your times you're explaining seem so fun!"

"Oh, they were. But it was still childish. Look at how the land is separated! That crystal, it's faded, I see it. It's not like it used to be."

"What's written there?" Sophronia pointed to the text, not letting her brother's despair take the conversation.

"Selkie text."

"Selkies too?"

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Uday did not dare to shake the tambourine, not because of the noise it would make—he didn't care about the punishment—but because he did not want to hear the sound. He felt the ringing would shatter his heart even more. "Have they no compassion?" he whispered with a growl. "To kill an innocent young girl!" Tears began to run again, as every other night. "She did not even want to fight!"

His hatred for the Lilties grew into unbearable loathing. "Those stupid plants will pay for what they've done! For they must be plants, no soul, no hearts. Disgusting, distasteful… Onions!"

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Once beloved friends, now despised enemies…