Dreigiau Book 1: The Gift of Flame

Chapter 30

"Are you feeling better now?" Zento asked his sister.

"Yes," SaRa answered, sipping her tea slowly. The color in her face was already returning, supporting her words. "Thank goodness you found us."

"Of course I did. You think Zemi wasn't keeping track of who entered the area around Ceiswyr? Seems like even he's more cautious lately," he told her.

He turned one of the small wooden chairs around and sat in it backwards, propping his elbows on the back. For a time, he just watched his sister where she sat, curled in a blanket on a small couch at the other end of the room. After the heat of the battle, now that silence washed over the islands, Zento worked through the impossibility of it all. As much faith as he had that Zemi would hold his promises, Zento wasn't always so sure if he'd ever see his family again. Now, they were there.

They've all come so suddenly.

It was a sign of dangerous times, he knew. But for now, Zento wanted nothing more than to relish a few moments of normalcy with his sister.

"You look well, Zento," SaRa finally commented. It was one of those talking-about-the-weather conversation starters, but he decided to roll with it.

"Of course, I always look good," he accented it with comical, bouncy eyebrows in hopes to make her laugh.

She smiled with that reserved smile she had, and he knew that he was at least partially successful. SaRa was always the more prudent of the two. Her mind was obviously on more serious matters.

"The Council... the Ghost Clan... what's happening to Nefol, Zento?" she asked.

"I don't know everything yet. Zemi's gone to tend Tsu and should be back with more information soon. He seems to think he can figure something out from all this," he answered with a grim look.

"Zemi..." SaRa's voice trailed off. "So it wasn't just a dream? Zemi's really here?"

"Yeah. He's taken an Earthian form and everything. It's pretty crazy," Zento said.

"He was always one for surprises," she smiled faintly again.

"That's true," he nodded thoughtfully. "I'm sure he'll be back here as soon as he has something to talk about. Zemi seemed pretty intent on getting some answers."

"Well, until then, what shall we talk about?" SaRa invited.

"You know what I want to hear," Zento scooched the chair forward across the floor until he could put his hands over hers. The warmth of the tea in her cup steamed lightly between their fingers. "Tell me how you've fared... and about the boys..."

"Of course," she said.

SaRa began slowly, painting a verbal picture of recent life in Nefol. It was so long since Zento saw his two sons, and as much as he tried, it wasn't always easy to get word from Nefol about his family. He hung on to her every word, grasping for memories and thought-images, knowing that in time, he'd have to face the two young men that were only boys when he last knew them.

Eventually, Zento's questions were mostly answered and the daylight was growing thin across the far wall. The doorway finally opened, and Zemi strode in.

Maybe it was because Zento had known Zemi for so long that the Dreigiau's new form was so striking. Through all of his years, Zemi was always that reassuring feeling in the back of Zento's mind. Or the warm voice that sometimes accompanied a glittering image of the star-dragon within the Host Gate. To see the Arweinydd there, represented as an Earthian, was something that would take time for Zento to wrap his head around. He could see from SaRa's reaction that she thought the same, too.