Cerys shook River by his shoulders but he wouldn’t stir from his unconsciousness. She took hold of his face, patted his cheeks and pleaded for him to wake up, and when silence answered her, she pried his eyes open. Only white remained, his eyes rolled back. She slammed her ear to his chest and shuddered a breath of relief out, his beating heart music to her ears. His steady, calm breaths added to her assurance, but it seemed no matter what, River wouldn’t wake.

She could have kicked herself for being so sure River would’ve been okay to pass through the barrier of the Gate—after all, he was when he passed through the doorways she made before—but the magic of Astera’s Embrace was more potent, more powerful. She should have known better! River had been exposed to so much magic already, his raw and rashy skin attested to that.

“Cerys!” Clementine came through the Gate and Cerys shot her tearful gaze up to her. The Gate dispersed in a flash of light, leaving behind an archway of entwined branches fused against the trunk of a large, hulking tree surrounded by woodland. There was no chance of the Everlasting Servants finding them now, their only way in sealed shut.

“I don’t know what’s wrong!” Cerys’ voice was raw with desperation. “It’s never been this bad before, except when we were kids, but he came to almost immediately and, and our dad was there and—”

“Cerys, you need to calm down!” Clementine cupped her face and brushed her thumbs over Cerys’ wet cheeks. “Breathe,” Clementine exhaled slowly, her chest rising and falling with deep breaths. Cerys followed, breathing in tune with Clementine. “Now, what happened?”

“He just collapsed!” Cerys dropped her head to River’s chest, comforted by the strong beat of his heart.

“He looked faint,” Atreus cut in and Cerys raised her head to meet his gaze, surprised as he approached, stopped short from where River lay. “And like he was in a lot of pain,” Atreus continued, his brow furrowed as he studied River. “It happened before too, when I tried healing him after he got hit by the eldritch abomination.”

“Did it do something to him?” Clementine wondered aloud.

“No,” said Cerys. She wiped another stray tear from her cheek. “He’s… He’s allergic to magic.”

“What?” Atreus uttered in complete disbelief.

“I didn’t know that was possible.” Clementine knelt down beside River, and traced her fingers above his skin in the air, careful not to touch the burst blisters or the raw skin they left behind. Blotches of hives were splattered across his arms, worse on his hands, and a red rash similar to a sunburn was spread across his face. “I thought he got hexed,” she said, “when I saw all of this.”

“He did, but… The magic from the hex did more damage than anything else,” Cerys explained. “We need to get him help, but I don’t… I don’t know who to turn to. You don’t have a hospital here. Are there any mundane doctors? Perhaps they might know how to help.”

“No need when we have my father,” Clementine said, a smile spread across her face. She placed her hand on top of Cerys, reassuringly adding, “he can help.”

“I know he’s good at healing magic, but magic will only make this worse, Clem.” Cerys took her hand but then slipped away from Clementine’s touch, stroking her brother’s face instead. She tried to pat him awake again, and still, no response came.

“You aren’t left with many options,” Atreus said and leered down at Cerys. “And I don’t trust you with any of our people. Besides, Cas knows everything. Maybe he’s familiar with this… Affliction.”

“That settles it then!” Clementine shot up and clapped her hands together, both Cerys and Atreus turning to her with bewildered expressions. “Atreus, you’ll carry River back to my place, and Cerys, I’ll Aether Jump you home. You’re too weak for anything else.”

Cerys and Atreus both raised their voices in unison. “Absolutely not!”

“Why do I have to carry him?” Atreus asked. “He’s already out, let’s just Aether Jump with him.”

“No!” Cerys’ knelt close beside River and slipped her arms underneath him, groaning with a huff before she immediately toppled over on top of him. “Fuck, when did he get so heavy?”

“You’ve exhausted your aether, Cerys,” Clementine kindly offered in explanation, though Cerys didn’t want to hear it, regardless of how true her words were. “You’re too weak to carry him, let alone walk all the way back to my house.”

“How’s that stolen magic serving you now?” Atreus bitterly remarked, his arms firmly crossed over his chest, and Cerys shot him a nasty glare. If only she had the strength and power to send him flying back into the lake behind him.

“Carry him, Atreus,” Clementine sternly instructed. “Or are you too weak for that?”

“It’s not a matter of strength, but—”

Clementine wrapped an arm around Cerys and helped her to her feet, holding her tight against her body as Clementine rolled her eyes at Atreus’ protest. Clementine’s magic spilled forth from her in scattered rays of rainbow, a suncatcher full of light, and twirled with Cerys until the rainbows swallowed them both up, away from River and Atreus’ unfinished words.

Hard, grey stone welcomed Cerys and Clementine, both falling to their knees from exhaustion. Warmth seared Cerys’ hands from the stone ground, the hot sun brightly overhead. She glanced up, squinting from the light before she stared up at the grand, two-story wooden log house Clementine brought them to. Cerys swallowed thickly, her stomach in knots at the next challenge of her day.

Clementine groaned and slumped her head against Cerys’ shoulder, River’s denim jacket a barrier between Cerys’ fractured flesh and Clementine’s unblemished skin. Her wounds weren’t contagious, not one bit, but still, Cerys despised it whenever Clementine—such a pure-hearted girl—touched those cursed marks.

“I’m tapped out,” Clementine whined. Cerys wrapped her arm around her, careful not to touch her with her disfigured hands, and rested her head against the younger woman’s.

“You pushed yourself, didn’t you?” Cerys asked, her eyes falling shut in her own weariness. “Protecting River, bringing me here… Thank you.”

“Maybe a touch…” A soft chuckle left Clementine and she reached up to Cerys’ arm, taking hold of her hand. Cerys flinched, but Clementine hardened her grip, unwilling to let go. “But it was nice!” Clementine continued, “to be needed for a change. I felt like Atreus, a hero to defend the weak.”

Cerys snorted. “When has he ever defended the weak?”

Clementine gasped and Cerys opened her eyes, flinching at the sight of a very large, broad-shouldered man, standing on the front porch that wrapped around the house. He folded his thick, dark arms across his chest and clenched his jaw, brown-almost black eyes piercing through Cerys like poisoned daggers.

“More times than you,” he spoke in a deep, gruff voice. He stepped off the wooden porch onto stone steps, each step of his sandals a hard slap.

Cerys swallowed thickly and shifted away from Clementine, who remained seated on the ground. Cerys forced herself to stand, straining to hold back the urge to cry out from her stiff and sore body.

She only liked one of Clementine’s three parents, and unfortunately for her, she met her least favourite one first—Sol.

He stopped at the very last step, adding even more to his already outrageous height. Everything in her screamed to insult him, snap at him, give him some sass, but instead she swallowed down her pride.

“Please hear me out!” She begged and hung her head down, submitting before the man. “I need to speak with you and Cordelia, Heads of Juniperus, and Alaric, Head of Zenith.”

“Please, Dad.” Clementine rose to Cerys’ side and linked their arms together, facing her father with a stern look of determination. “I vouch for Cerys Augustine and her brother, River Augustine.”

“Is Atreus aware of this?” Sol asked, his voice a booming pressure. He never took his eyes off Cerys. “I imagine he’d have quite the complaint. Where is he?”

“He trusts in our leaders to decide.” Clementine replied. “And he is assisting River. He won’t be too long.”

“I don’t come empty handed either,” Cerys quickly chimed in, not willing for Sol to ask questions about her brother. She didn’t want to risk Clementine mentioning River’s allergy, a weapon Sol could use against her. “I’ve something of value to offer you all, in exchange for what I wish to ask, and as Clementine says, I come with my brother. I’ve something dear to me to protect.”

Sol regarded her for a strong minute, the longest minute of Cerys’ life. He then rubbed his hand over the short, black stubble of his beard and nodded, his stern gaze snapping to Clementine. “Take her to the sitting room. She isn’t to touch anything, and you aren’t to let her leave your sight. You want to vouch for a villain, then you can ensure she doesn’t act like one.”

“Yes, Father.” Clementine bowed her head, her hands clasped in front of herself.

Sol said nothing as he turned and climbed back up the steps, his sandals a loud echo as he crossed onto his porch. Cerys hated how quiet he’d make himself, easier to sneak up on others and remain undetected. He bested her once before with that trick of his.

“Audience granted,” Clementine proudly stated and smiled at Cerys, her brown eyes a sparkle of hope and glee. “Are you alright?”

“I’m worried about River,” Cerys sighed and wrapped her brother’s jacket tighter around her. It was larger on her than it was on River.

He wore it well like it was made for him, but on Cerys, it was loose and the cuffs reached the bottom of her palms. She couldn’t believe how much he had grown, how tall and bigger he was. She missed out on all his growth, his formative years… How could he still love her so much?

“He’ll be okay,” Clementine assured without an ounce of uncertainty. “Papa will get him back up on his feet, and who knows, maybe he just needs rest.”

“Yeah, maybe.” Cerys huffed out and then pocketed her hands into River’s jacket. She stared up at the house and thought of how to face the three Heads. “Let’s get inside, before the Heads gather.”

Large, french timber doors welcomed Cerys and Clementine, opening to allow them inside. Cerys registered the wards of the home, stronger than her own, and glanced back at the doors closing behind her. She hoped the barrier of the wards wouldn’t worsen River’s state.

Passing through the foyer, Clementine led Cerys straight into the living room. A large, stone fireplace stole the attention of the room, even with the hearth unlit. Green, leather lounges and sofa chairs surrounded the fireplace, a carved, polished oak table in between. Ceiling to floor panelled windows revealed the back porch outside of the living room, the gardens eye-catching with an array of flowers, plants and shrubbery.

Drawn to the sight, Cerys approached the windows and admired the colour and nature outside, from the decorated gardens and stone path coloured in messy chalk, to the open field of grass and juniper trees, leading further back to the forest surrounding Astera’s Embrace.

Cerys recalled her days spent in the gardens, basking in sunlight amongst the flowers and bees, the sounds of nature all around her, the mouth-watering scent of something baking inside… Back when she was welcomed to stay in Astera’s Embrace—back before anyone knew who she really was.

“Cerys Augustine, what a surprise to see you!” Though the voice sent a chill down Cerys’ spine, the tone kindly welcomed her. Cerys turned and met Cordelia’s hard, cold stare, a contrast to the act her voice tried to sell. “What brings you to my home?”

In a white, ruffled blouse and a long black skirt, Cordelia stood at the top of the two steps into the room from the foyer, her dark green hair curled around her shoulders and her hands clasped over a wooden, walking cane. Sunflowers and delicate swirling patterns were carved into the wood, a faint glow emitting from within the grooves. 

Cerys faced the woman head on, knowing better than to show even a slightest bit of intimidation in front of her. Though she liked Sol the least out of the three Heads, Cordelia unnerved her the most, far more than a Head of a peaceful coven should.

As calm and confident Cerys could be, she uttered, “I’ve come seeking—”

“ —an audience with us, yes, I’m aware.” Cordelia frowned and waved a hand back and forth, unamused and bored. “Sol informed me of everything you told him, and at this very moment, I’m certain he is informing Alaric too. You’ll have your audience, but what I want to know is what brought you here?”

“Morana and her servants are after me and my brother,” Cerys answered, the truth she decided to offer. “Our lives… His life is in danger.”

“So it truly is about saving a long lost half-sibling.” Cordelia scoffed in an odd amusement, her red glossed lips curled into something sinister. “So tell me then, Cerys, what are you willing to sacrifice for him?”