Lilli stared at the tiara, then at me. Her gaze shifted to Dawn and Aiden briefly before returning to the tiara. “This can’t be real.” She finally breathed.
“And yet…” Dawn held out her glowing finger.
Lilli shot to her feet, staggering back a few steps. “Okay, so it’s real.” She admitted. “And I’m assuming it’s more of less a secret. So why are you telling me all this?”
“You have a nice belt.” I said. I took the opportunity to scan the stones embedded in it. Near the centre of her torso, there was a vibrant green stone that glimmered in the sun more than the others. “I like the stones.”
“Thanks.” Lilli gave me a smile, but she didn’t come any closer. “I actually put them on myself. I found them in a bag of decorative stones.”
The feeling I was getting just looking at the green stone was unmistakable. I glanced at Aiden and saw he was also looking at the green stone.
As if he could feel my eyes on him, he looked at me and nodded, affirming my suspicions.
“That stone.” I said, pointing. “It goes with these.” I held up the tiara, showing off the fire and light gems. “It means that you’re a Guardian, just like Aiden and Dawn.”
Lilli looked down at her waist and ran a finger over the stone. “It’s the oldest.” She told us. “I found this one when I was making a miniature rock garden a few years ago.” She reached around her back and unclasped the belt. Laying it on the table, she pried at the metal holding the stone to the belt. When she had it free, she held it up to the light. “So there was a greater reason why I kept it.”
Without warning, she tossed the stone to me. Still holding the tiara, I fumbled to get my fingers around the smooth rock. As it brushed over my fingertips, it paused is midair. Slowly, it floated up and attached itself to the spoke across the snowflake from Aiden’s gem.
“Nice catch.” Lilli said sarcastically. She returned to her seat at the table and extended her arms out in front of her. “Do I glow, too?”
I shook my head. “Dawn’s element is light.” I nodded at Aiden. “His is fire.”
She nodded along. “I’m guessing green is for earth?”
“You do work in a flower shop.” Dawn pointed out. “And you yourself said you have a green thumb.”
“So, I make flowers grow?” Lilli sighed. “I do that every day. Can’t I, I don’t know, move rocks? Cause Earthquakes?”
“That would be dangerous.” Aiden interjected. “But, you’re not wrong. I read a report that the last Earth guardian, Tera, could heal minor injuries.”
“It’s something.” She held out her right hand, palm up. Little flecks of green energy floated around her fingers. “That might actually be useful.” She chuckled to herself. “There’s a freshman who passes the shop every day. She sometimes has cuts and scrapes on her hands and knees.”
My mind instantly went to Ciela. I hadn’t seen any injuries, but that didn’t mean they weren’t there. Even if I was a magical princess, that didn’t mean I was above helping people in my everyday life.
“But, is it a good idea to do that?” Dawn interjected. “We shouldn’t let other people know about our powers. At least, not until we’re more skilled.”
A daisy sprouted from Lilli’s palm and unfurled its petals. She looked up at Dawn and raised an eyebrow. “How’s that for skilled?”
Dawn gave a frustrated sigh. “That’s not fair. It took me three days just to be able to glow.”
“Three days from zero?” Lilli asked, a second daisy sprouting next to the first. “Or three days from learning all this?”
Aiden nodded thoughtfully. “Lilli works in a flower shop. That might have influenced her powers.” We all watched as a third daisy grew. “She could also just be a natural.”
Lilli walked over to one of the planters set up along the edge of the roof. Since it was November, there was nothing growing, but there was still soil in them. She pushed her right hand into the soil. When she pulled it out, the daisies and magical particles stayed. “There.” She said, satisfied, before rejoining us at the table.
I could tell Dawn was jealous. Her face was growing red and she had air trapped in her cheeks. “I have to go.” She quickly stood and walked through the door. Aiden followed her.
Lilli sighed and put her head on the table. “I did it again.” She mumbled. She turned her head so she could look at me. “No filter.” She explained. “I just say and do what feels right. It’s why I don’t have any friends.”
“What about William?” I asked, remembering the boy Dawn and I had talked to that morning. “He likes your hair.”
Lilli laughed, but it wasn’t all happy. “I bet he just said it was different.” She fingered the green strands, then looked pointedly at the tiara. “Everyone thinks I dyed it, it just happened. The day after I found that stone, I woke up with green hair.”
“It suits you.” I offered with a smile. Lilli laughed, a real one this time.
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