We walked Lexus the rest of the way to his next class and Cade walked me to mine. I had to do a lot of
meditating in the class that trained my abilities. My teacher was the castle’s Oracle. He knew a lot from
experience and some of our abilities were similar.
After I walked with Lexus to his last class. I had met up with Konn for my last class. “I heard you
overslept.” Konn said.
I chuckled nervously. “Yeah, the festival made me exhausted. It won’t happen again, I promise.”
That was the only question he gave me about this morning. I wanted him to know I took this job
seriously, so I needed to make sure this didn’t happen again. It could have easily been Konn finding out
instead of Cade. He started our lesson and he spoke a lot more than yesterday.
I thought a lot about last night because I hadn’t exactly processed the fact that me and Lexus had sex
for the first time. So much happened earlier this morning that I didn’t get to really think about it. My first
time was with someone I cared a lot about and who cares about me. It was the craziest thing I ever
experienced. That part I liked but I just wished he weren’t with Sadia. That would have made it even
more special. When I walked Lexus to his last class earlier it was the only time today, we were alone
but we didn’t speak, I think he was thinking a lot about the fact that Cade knew now.
After two hours he turned to me and said, “We’re done for now, do you have plans for the rest of the
day?”
“I don’t think so, Lexus will text me if he needs me.” I was getting my hopes up for what Konn said next.
“If you want, I could introduce you to Gray,” He finally offered. “He’s in the garden with Lynn right now.”
I walked beside him. “Yeah, okay.” This was exactly what I wanted. We took the elevator down then
walked out the castle to the garden in the back.
Gray smiled when he saw Konn. “Hey Dad.” He waved. He was sitting on the bench next to Lynn who
didn’t acknowledge me instead she was on her phone.
“Hey Gray. I want to introduce you to Aqua.” He gestured to me.
Gray stood up and walked to us. “Yeah, I know her, she played tag with me and Kaya.” I’m glad he
remembered that since it was recent.
“She’s also a part of our family.” Now I could finally feel like that was true. “She’s your sister, she was
living somewhere else for a while but she’s going to stay here with us,” Konn explained. “She has a
different mother than you but I’m her father too.”
Gray looked a little confused. “Oh. Why didn’t she visit before?”
I glanced at Lynn who was staring at Gray but still didn’t acknowledge me. I never wanted Lynn to hate
me. I didn’t know how to be friendly in a way she’d appreciate since I’m a walking reminder of her
husband’s affair. “It's complicated but she’s the holder so that’s one reason why she’s here now.” It was
the only reason but Konn made it sound better.
“Wait, she’s the holder?” Gray was disappointed. “But you said there could only be one…”
“There can only be one but it’s okay that you’re not the holder. She’s shown more signs and abilities
than you. This means you can do whatever you want to do now. You don’t have to serve the kingdom.”
Konn tried to get him to see the bright side. “And now you have a sister.”
Gray looked at me. “Yeah… it was nice to meet you.” He walked back to his mom, sat next to her, and
rested his head in his lap.
This wasn’t how I wanted this meeting to go at all. “I’m going to go…” It was going to take longer than I
thought to be accepted by everyone.
“Aqua, you don’t have to go,” Konn said. “I thought it was better to tell him now so he wouldn’t think we
were hiding it from him. He won’t hold it against you. Stay a little longer.”
Cade walked up from behind us. “Why is Aqua leaving? I just got off work.”
I turned to Cade. “Gray’s taking it hard that I’m the holder so it’s probably better that I go.”
“How is he going to warm up to you if you’re not around? Stay,” Cade encouraged me.
I took a deep breath. “Okay.” I watched Cade walk to Gray and Lynn. He knelled in front of him and
started talking. I couldn't hear because he was whispering at a distance. “I had another holder dream,
but it was about the past.” I was dying to tell him all day but couldn’t bring myself to till now.
Konn looked down at me surprised. “Already? What about?”
I thought back to this dream. “It was about the past this time, when my mother told you she was
pregnant with me. You said bringing me into this situation would be selfish. She said she didn’t want to
get rid of me, but she couldn’t raise me herself. I guess that’s why she didn’t raise me.” I wasn’t sure
how good of a reason I thought it was.
“It was selfish, but she already loved you. I’m glad she didn’t get rid of you.” He watched his family.
“I’m glad you guys were selfish.” I muttered. I wouldn’t have said that before I came here but I was
happy to have my life now. “Did you ever stop?” I asked.
He took a while to answer. “I haven’t.” He implied that he never stopped loving my mother.
“Mae is a really pretty name.” I smiled at the thought of her.
“It is.” He patted my head.
“Do you think I would have reminded her of you?” I wish I knew what she looked like but I doubt Konn
kept any pictures of her after all this time.
Konn nodded. “I think so, but you remind me of her too. I wouldn’t have minded having you around to
remind me of her. I don’t think she would have minded as much as she thought either.” It was nice to
hear even if we couldn’t change the past.
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