The flowers were in full bloom, the scent calming me inside and out. Stone pathways with grass in between the stones. A boy sat reclined on a bench, long purple hair flowing over the back. Two horns came from the sides of his head and angled up. I walked up to him; I was much shorter than he was. He looked young, but he was as tall as an adult.

"Round two of tag already?" He glanced over his shoulder with a boyish grin.

"Yes, but no cheating this time." I spoke. That was not my voice.

"Alright short stuff, after you."

The body ran up and tagged him. "Your it!"

"Oh no, whatever shall I do. I am hopelessly slow." He stood slowly, and I shuffled away. My two steps were one to him. I tripped over my dress. "Violetta!" He picked me up, lifting the dress to my knees. "It's okay. I can take care of this." He healed my busted knee; my legs were skinny. "Go head, start again."

I hugged him. "I love you Deri."

He petted the top of my head. "I will go slower, no need to run so fast." I coughed, and blood came out and on my hand. "Deri?"

The smell of eggs and salty meat filled my nose. Did Opera, no. My eyes opened, and I sat up flinging the blanket off. I stayed at Balam's place last night and on his couch. I checked my phone, several missed calls, a few messages from Opera and Grandpa. Sizzling sounds came from the kitchen, my stomach growled. It smelled good, and it was only increasing my appetite. Opera had brought one of my bags and it was laying at my feet.

Inside was an assortment of clothes from casual to training. I did not mean to stay the whole night here, just a short nap before I had to fly home. That dream was weird, but it felt close. Like a memory over it being a dream. It was played out lines, and I had no control over the words. I got up and took my bag to explore his living space.

A bathroom would be ideal for changing, I would settle for any locking door. The first door was open, and the light on. Thank the demon gods it was the bathroom. It was like he expected this. In my world the men's restrooms always smelled, but this put the women's room to shame.

Vines lined the walls and held up towels and a shower curtain. Flowers bloomed along the vines giving off a heavily floral scent. I locked the door behind me and changed into my training outfit. If he is making food, then afterwards I can ask him to train. I had a new trick I wanted to show him. I dropped my bag next to the couch and went into the kitchen.

He was cooking, and the smell now had my mouth watering. "Glad to see you are awake." Eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, and pancakes. His hair was still pinned up from last night.

I grinned, hugging him from behind. "What are you making?"

He lifted an arm looking back. "Breakfast, and it is almost done." There was a knock on the door. "Mind answering that?"

"Sure." I wonder who that might be, unless Opera forgot to bring something. I cracked the door, Kalego was standing there with a book in his hands.

His eyes turned in more so than his usual scowl. "This is where you were hiding."

"Not hiding, I might have fallen asleep."

"I brought Shichiro the book."

The door was taken from my hands and opened all the way. "Kalego, come in, I made plenty."

"Not with that look on his face." He growled, and I hid behind Balam.

"The look is because Opera came to my living quarters and chased me around asking for you. I prefer it when Opera stays away from me." He glared at me from the side as he walked in, sitting at the table, arms crossed.

"Ah, yes. Take a seat."

"You too, sit." He pointed with his thumb.

I ducked in the kitchen. "What's that? I couldn't hear." I hugged around Balam, whispering. "Can I help? I'm not going around the corner."

He smirked and laughed. "I'm almost done." He picked me up and set me an empty part of the counter. "Moral support is good enough." He held up a piece of bacon, waving it at me.

I took it. "Thank you. Why is he here?"

"We take turns cooking, and then eat together."

I put a hand over my mouth. "I was so blind. You and Kalego, you two are so subtle I never knew. You two always eat together, talk, and book club. You two are together."

He laughed so hard, he held his stomach, Kalego cleared his throat. "No, Shichiro is the least annoying person I know. I guess you could say he is my closest friend."

"If that's the case, then you two would be my closest friends. The only ones I have considered leaving the house for."

Kalego shrugged. "You are not so…" A letter appeared in front of me, floating. "Bad, either. Open that."

I pulled the black letter addressed to me from the air, flipping it over in my hands. A beautiful wax seal held a wolf growling with the word Naberius under it. I broke the purple and silver wax seal. An invitation to Deviculum with a link to RSVP was wrapped around a letter. This better be good, or a half decent love confession. The words were written in silver ink.

Dear Lady Violetta,

I heard all the terrible news, from you falling sick, to you dying. It is a wonder you came back to life. My brother stayed with you the whole time, if I did not know any better, I would say he has grown too soft.

I know you woke up recently, and you have yet to link with me. I do hope you remember our little chat, or will you fake forgetting like you did with everyone around? How long will you pretend not to know anything? Really is a shame you have resorted to absolute secretiveness to get your so back.

I do not know who you have working in the background for you, but that information should have been passed to me by now. I gave you a full day, and I have yet to hear from you. Do not disappoint me, as I am cordially inviting you as my partner to the Deviculum. I do hope you make the right decision and go.

Sincerely, Naberius Narnia.

I hopped off the counter; how would he know all of that? Who was informing him? This handwriting, I have seen this before. I went to the couch in the living room, then summoned the documents. I read this over restricted area form several times; a home order created by this Fenrir guy from border control. Basically, I could not leave the land Sullivan owned.

The writing looked about the same, most letters matched up perfectly. He did say he was there that day, and he saw me there. It was a long shot to call this out like that, but the writing was the same. His number was at the bottom, it differed from the one Narnia gave me. I debated on calling the other guy and call it out, but i needed a better plan.

"What are you doing?" Kalego asked.

I pushed my things to a pile, picking them up. "I was invited to the celebration. I am checking the restricted area order. It expired while I was still under the weather."

"You remembered something."

I looked down. "I found this in a draw. I read like half the information. Really messed up, haven't I?"

"Do you plan to go?"

"Maybe, but I'm not all interested in things such as these."

"Breakfast is served." Balam smiled in our direction, Kalego and I went to join him.

I texted Narnia from my phone that I would call him after breakfast. There were things I needed to discuss with him. One, he was a pervert. Two, I was getting around to that bit of information. If I look like I suddenly remember it all, my plan will fail. It was like he was setting me up to fail with this stupid letter. One peek over my shoulder, and Kalego would become the second to know.

This man was high on my, 'make assumptions and I'll help you come to conclusions list.' I had my own agenda to manufacture, with eleven days to prepare. If I was not careful in calculations, I could fudge the whole thing and land deeper in trouble or worse. I could lose Eli, there would be no stopping me if I lost him.

I would rip the whole world apart for him, they would have to kill me to stop me. I would not make it easy either. I had the world at my fingertips, everything around me was obtainable. The world was full of vibrations, the things you think inanimate were very much alive. The atoms shake in their solid state, a soft hum if I focused on it.

Controlling the amount of power was my only challenge. After breakfast, I snatched up Balam's phone, taking them to the bathroom. Putting Fenrir's number on the screen ready to call, I dialed Narnia. I was ready to prove an assumption. It seemed too obvious to me, but he had all others fooled. Nothing gets past me anymore. Seeing the smallest things among the big pictures.

"You got my letter?" I placed a sound barrier around me.

"Oh, I did. You're a pervert. Who eavesdrops on a lady?"

"Someone who is suspicious of said lady."

I hit dial on the phone. "I gave you all the information I had. I never lied and did my best to help you." A phone was ringing in the background. "Are you going to answer that?"

"No, this conversation is much more important." Damn I thought that might work.

"I can wait, I am sure it is important."

"If it is they will call twice." The phone went to voicemail.

"That seems not border control quality." I redialed the number.

"I have priorities." The phone was going off again. He turned it off and my call was disconnected.

"Well, I was going to call you, if you would have given me some time."

"Time? I gave plenty."

"I am keeping the lost memory facade going for a reason. The six fingers will more likely approach me that way. Your stupid letter appeared in front of Kalego and Balam. If they read that, then what I was trying to accomplish is ruined."

"I am so terribly sorry." He spoke sarcastically. "How was I supposed to know?"

"You were listening in on my conversation, you knew. You could have texted, or I don't know, called me rather than that letter." I called the number again.

He laughed. "My bad, did not know humans had such rituals."

"Ugh, are you going to answer that? It's getting annoying."

"Fine, don't go anywhere." No sound came through, I must be muted.

The phone in my hands picked up, I raised it to my ear. "How did you get this number?"

"You gave it to me when you wrote my area restriction up."

"Violetta."

"Narnia. You know you may change your appearance but write the same. Nice try on sounding different."

"So, you figured it out."

"You should not have written the letter." I hung Balam's phone up, setting it on the counter.

"So, you figured me out. It's been years, not a soul has ever figured that out."

I smirked. "I notice many things. Listen closely."

"I'm all ears."

"As you are aware, I need a cover during the time of this little party. I like the less violent approach when I can manage it. I need Baal out of his castle, this party presents that opportunity for me. I will show up, but not until I get in and out with Eli. I have pictures, proof of his affiliations."

"If I do that, I cannot make it public. At least until you find your precious child. His safety comes first of course."

I pressed a hand to my chest. "Oh, and here I thought you had no morals."

"Children are the fruit we bare, the treasure of the land."

"Kalego says the same. I am glad you learned something from him." I chuckled.

"He learned it from me, I am older. One more thing, you are to attend as my partner at the Deviculum. I want to see you before then of course. I can help you with your infiltration attempt on Baal's castle."

"You make it sound as if I might fail. Your partner? I think not."

"Surely not, the mighty Violetta failing? You have poisoned yourself. If you have this much confidence, then you must have a plan. One that involves you at my side being my partner."

I gritted my teeth. "Gross, I'd rather eat eyeballs."

"Hardly an insult, that's a delicacy."

"That is your perception, to me, they are disgusting."

He laughed. "Such humor, tomorrow, my place. You had better get started now if you want to make it on time. Take the straightway here from your home, don't veer south. Oh, and wear something nice."

"I will wear what I want, and there better be dinner planned. No eyeballs, nothing that is still moving. What's wrong with the south?"

"A civil dispute over land and resources, a small war. It's been going for some time; I am sure you will be able to avoid it if you do not go south of the general direction."

"Real descriptive. How long is this travel?"

"About a day, maybe two if you are slow. You better check the pin drop and plan accordingly. A tip of advice, flying is fastest. Don't worry, your secret is safe so long as you show up." He hung up the phone. My fists clinched; my phone cracked. I set it down, running my hands through my hair.

Why was he making this impossibly hard, I thought he hated humans. I screamed loudly with in my bubble, "Insufferable asshole!" He has climbed to the top of most hated. My phone pinged, but it was wrapped up in vines. The whole room was overgrown, letting in little light around me. When did this happen, was it me or Balam?

I let the shield down, the vines handed me my phone. Caressing my face and arms, this was too weird for my liking. "I'm fine." I spoke as I brushed them away. They retracked back to where they used to sit, and I left the bathroom. Balam stood to the side and Kalego leaned against the far wall, arms crossed.

"You were in there for quite some time, did not hear anything, but the vines had grown out the bottom of the door, holding it in place." I glared at Kalego.

"I have to go." I handed Balam his phone.

"Why did you need that?" Kalego asked.

"I was exposing the mole to sunlight. Don't call or answer that number. It's a border control guy." I walked past them both, Kalego grabbed my arm.

"We are not done talking, your hiding things again." I built a barrier around his hand, lifting it off me.

I clicked my tongue. "Fine, I remember everything, and it is to stay hushed. If you must know every detail of my life, I am leaving here and going to Narnia's castle. I am receiving some real help getting my son back. Never touch me again." I smiled at Shichiro. "The food was delicious Shichiro, thank you for letting me stay and then eat at your place."

"Thank you, and you are always welcome." He smiled as he petted my head. I walked towards the living room.

"Don't take her side. Just what will you be doing at his place?" Kalego asked.

"He will be my new teacher for a short time. Oh, and I have a date to the Deviculum now. Narnia has so graciously demanded it."

"He what?" His nose crinkled.

"I think I said that correctly. Excuse me, I have things I need to sort out in a small amount of time if I am to be there by tomorrow."

"That is a two-day travel minimum for you. It's dangerous in that area, regardless of heading straight there."

"Ah, well he seems to think I can be there by tomorrow if I start now. That's about two days."

I checked my phone; the location was far. There was a red bubble around an area, I tapped it, a box popped up. 'War zone, civilians do not enter.' He was not lying; it was my line of path. Was he trying to get me killed. I zoomed out, all my saved places of travel were lit up in green. One was south of the bad area but would cut half my travel time.

Baal was in the south as well, closer to the desert. I had a green dot over there already. When did I go there? I zoomed in, a shopping strip. Oh, Opera, grandpa and I went there to shop for a dress. I ended up with more than I needed. It was nice to want for not, but I felt I owed something to him. I was lying to him too.

"You can't say anything until I leave. Opera will object, or one of them my want to follow me."

"We will be following you. You're traveling close to a war zone, what happens if you get hurt?"

"I call grandpa. Are you not supposed to stay here?" I slung my backpack over my shoulders.

"We can take time off. Besides, I will have the opportunity to see my brother."

"He was not specific in if I could bring anyone, but you better ask him. I will not get the third degree for your decisions."

I opened double doors to a small terrace, decent height. I stood on the ledge facing them. "I must leave and pack; I am going regardless. Meet at the beginning of cutthroat valley after lunch." I fell backwards off the ledge, summoning my wings, I caught wind and swooped up. Flying home and to the mansion.