He did not speak but the answering squeeze told her that her words had found their mark. Lyra closed her eyes and sighed against his hair. Her poor sweet little brother. There was so much for him to learn, to practice, to discover… and he would need to do so in the wake of a loved one's passing. What wisdom the spirits would have imparted would be limited as they languished in their grief, and so too would her duties multiply to ensure they continued their work unto the land.

At least until the next Guardian was born.

Once Damiano's hold on her eased and he lifted his eyes to her, Lyra resolved to ask, "Did Mother insist upon your learning with the ley?"

Damiano flinched, averting his gaze from hers. "Well, no…"

"She said you sought practice," Lyra drew her arms back to her brother's shoulders, carefully situating herself before him. "Surely, you did so with her guidance."

The unasked question 'did you not' lingered in the air between them and Damiano's continued silence was an answer she dreaded to hear. Lyra held his shoulders tighter, remembering herself when he winced again. Her hands lifted from his trembling shoulders to cup his face between her palms.

"What had you done, brother?"

"I.. I wanted to go with Mother. She went into the forest again, and I wanted to see what she was doing so.. I followed."

"Father, Mother, and I have warned you of venturing into the forest after sunset." Lyra sighed, and fixed her brother with a scrupulous eye. "Father was under the impression Mother knew you were with her."

"She did!" Damiano cried out, his rounded eyes wide and shining with unshed tears. "O-Or at least she did in the beginning. At one point, she stopped walking. I-I asked her what was wrong but she wouldn't say anything. Then, she laid her hand on the ground and said a few words before walking away. She didn't say anything to me when I called for her, and she moved so fast I lost her."

By the time his tale ended, the tears loosed upon his cheeks only to be caught by Lyra's thumb. She held her brother and pressed another kiss to his head while shushing his cries. The pieces aligned themselves together. Their mother was entranced by what the leys showed her, and in pursuit of their message, had left Damiano behind in the forest. Without any other recourse, he only turned to what he'd been shown.

Lyra sighed, wiping away the last of her brother's tears. "I understand now." She released him with a parting kiss to his forehead. Words would be had with their mother, but for now, Damiano's needs took precedence.

"Come, let's ready for the day."

Damiano nodded, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He shuffled backward and swung down to the floor. Lyra turned her back as bare feet tamped across hardwood toward the door; sunlight twisted around her limbs whilst she lingered underneath the window pane, spirits masqueraded as dust motes twisting in the air as they chattered restlessly of her talk with Damiano.

"Lyra…?"

She hummed softly, closing her ears to the spirit's whispers. 

"The leys said Rhea is back."

Lyra glanced over her shoulder at Damiano, fidgeting in the open doorway with his dark eyes shining with hope. She knew he was hesitant upon mentioning the results of his misguided practice but excitement at the mere prospect of seeing Rhea again overwhelmed his shame.

Would Rhea be pleased to know how deeply Damiano cared for her in spite of her absence? 

Lyra smiled warmly at the thought and the softness of reunion. What greater balm could be offered after enduring the sharp sting of mourning for so long? 

"She is. I thought of taking breakfast to her as well, since she returned with aught but herself and her food stores are likely empty." 

Damiano brightened at the suggestion and beamed, brighter than the sun itself. "Really?!" He abandoned his precarious perch at her doorway, bounding out of sight and down the hall as his voice carried back. "Don't go without me! I'll be ready soon"

Lyra chuckled, rising from her bed again. This time, vigor filled her bones and dashed the chill lingering with her blood. Yet, as she held her hand out for the light spirits to settle on her fingertips - wonder filled her heart. 

Just what had the leys whispered to her loved ones, and what did it mean?