Meyrin learned that the Tetimi were named Merith and Hemil and they were both Asori. Merin knew little about the Asori, but he knew to respect them even more than other Tetimi. They were Asirim, people whose magic was connected to the souls of both the living and the dead. Unlike most Asirim, who communicated with the dead or touched living souls, the Asori could rip the souls from the bodies of the living, killing them and casting their souls into the Spirit Realm with the other souls of the dead. They were vital in fights against necromancers who fueled their own magic by consuming the souls of the dead. It was commonly said that the power was linked to the Asori existing in a way that was neither male nor female, or somehow both. Meyrin wasn't certain he truly understood, but he wasn't going to ask something so personal to someone who could rip his soul away and kill him in a blink.

Once they had all eaten and the rain had ended, Meyrin returned to his range of targets with the Tetimi. He still wasn't certain why they wanted to see him shoot, but he put on the best exhibition of skills he could, firing at any target they asked and hitting it precisely. They even set up additional targets and he hit those perfectly, as well, without having practiced on them before.

"You do this often?" Merith asked.

Meyrin nodded. "Almost daily, if my aunts don't have anything they need from me. I find it relaxing. That, and making arrows."

"With skills like those, have you ever considered joining the Tetim Lanali?" Hemil questioned.

"No," Meyrin replied honestly. "I never thought there would be much use for me outside of the inn. The Tetim Lanali is for those with true skill. I'm a simple archer."

"Your skills are easily comparable to those of the Tetim Lanali's warriors," Merith argued. "The Tetimi could always use people with such skills. You should consider it, before you're too old to be accepted into the training program."

Meyrin had to admit that the idea of joining such a prestigious organization interested him, if they truly thought he could be of use, but how could he leave his aunts to run the inn without his help? After all they had done for him, raising him after his parents had died? It seemed like he'd be ungrateful to abandon them to go to Solaris and attempt to join the Tetimi.

"I can see you're doubtful," Merith said, expression kind. "We'll write you a recommendation letter and leave it with you. That way, you have some time to consider the idea. If you choose to take the suggestion, the letter will give you audience at the training grounds in Solaris. The new year of training will begin two days after Lozk's Day, so there is still some time for you to consider if this would be the best choice for you."

Meyrin nodded. "Thank you."

That evening, after the Tetimi had retired to their room for the night, Meyrin sat with his aunts by the fire. Usually, Evanphira was the first to retire for the night, but it seemed both his aunts wished to sit with him. It was as if they expected him to have something to speak to them both about. 

"Did the Tetimi speak to you about me?" he asked, curious.

"They only asked who you were," Reeya replied. "Though we've been wondering why they took you out to shoot."

Meyrin couldn't miss the curious tone to his aunt's voice. He stared at the flickering fire until his eyes burned from the light. "They suggested I consider joining the Tetim Lanali."

"We thought they might," Evanphira replied. "And we think you should, if that's something you'd like to do."

He looked at them both and shook his head. "I can't leave you to run this place without me, not after all you've done for me."

Reeya laughed. "We've done nothing more than what family should do for its own. You have every right to make your own life now. We will be just fine. It isn't as if business is so great that it will break us down to run the place ourselves. If you want to go to Solaris and apply to join the Tetimi, that is what we want you to do."

"We already know a time will come when we will need to sell the inn," Evanphira added. "Whether you are here or not will not change matters when the time comes. And no matter where we move, you will know about it and you will always be welcome in our home."

Meyrin swallowed the lump in his throat. "I don't know if I want to apply for certain yet," he told them honestly. "I don't know if I want my life to change that much."

"Whatever you choose," Reeya assured him, "you have our full support. If you don't go, we won't make you feel regret for it, and if you go we won't make you feel it either."

"Thank you," Meyrin said, his voice catching with emotion. He didn't want to make such a large decision about his future, but he was grateful to have his aunts' support and the ability to make the choice at all. "I'm going to go to bed and think for a while," he added.

When he rose from his chair, both of his aunts did as well. They each hugged him tightly, gave him their love, and wished him goodnight. Then Meyrin made his way upstairs to his room, where he undressed for bed and lay for some time gazing into the nighttime shadows, unable to quiet his mind.

When sleep finally took him his disjointed dreams were filled with archery and magic.