THE FLOWER CHILDREN

Chapter 15

WHEN Asmeen woke up the next morning, she could tell that Wylla and Elyn had stopped by, given the books on her bedside table. She'd probably end up just giving them to Aven.

"You just missed them," Aven said, already sitting up and biting into some bread. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit better," Asmeen said. "You?"

He shrugged, making a so-so gesture with his hand.

Asmeen looked around. Only one other pair was left. And they looked extraordinarily similar. Almost like twins. She hadn't noticed this before.

One of them saw her looking at them and smiled.

Asmeen smiled back and took the opportunity to ask, "Are you two sisters?"

They both nodded. "Twins, in fact," one of them said. "I'm Saira, and she's Suri." They both had the same dark skin and flowing black hair, but Saira's face was a bit rounder, softer.

Asmeen blinked. "Really?"

Saira grinned, as if they were used to this question. "Everyone is shocked when we first tell them. I'm training for the Children of the Night, and Suri is going for Flower Children."

"But—" Asmeen restrained herself. It would be rude to ask them how that was going to work out.

Saira seemed to understand anyways. "What will we do when only one of us gets selected?"

Suri shrugged. "We don't really know why the both of us were paired together."

"We'll manage," Saira said, nodding. "We've already agreed that there will be no hard feelings. Whoever gets in, gets in. And besides, we both might get in."

"Really?" Asmeen asked, her brows furrowed. "That can happen?"

"Well, it has before," Saira said, her face unsure.

"Rarely," Suri added somberly. "But that's the best case."

"Well, good luck," Aven said, his face serious. Asmeen exchanged a glance with him. They could barely make it through a day without biting each other's heads off because of the pressure—what would it be like for twins?

"What you said...about both in a pair getting in," Aven said slowly, his eyes fixed on the twins.

"It's very rare," Suri said. "But if the leaders decide that both partners are worthy, they might make an exception and choose them both."

"It's what happened to our mother," Saira said. Then she smiled. "She was paired with our father, and then they both got picked. And, well, they ended up getting married after they left."

"That's romantic," Asmeen said. Of course you would get to know your partner well over the course of training, which was a few months long, so there was a possibility of love, or at least liking blossoming. She hadn't really heard of it before, though. And it would be complicated if only partner made it and the other didn't.

"They like telling the story," Suri said, her face wry.

"So, are both of you unwell?" Aven asked, changing the subject smoothly.

"I've sprained my ankle," Suri said, glancing at her bandage-wrapped foot despondently. "It'll take some time to heal."

"I just have a fever," Saira said, shrugging. "But I'm feeling a bit better today."

"It's disappointing, isn't it," Aven said, his lips twisting. "I really want to get back to training."

"So do I," Asmeen said, nodding. The other two made noises of agreement.