Together we fall

14 | Sophie

The second the twins glittered into existence, Sophie knew something was up.

She and Keefe were sitting on a small hill beneath an orchid tree—the second best place after Calla's panakes tree. Sophie loved the spot; it overlooked a glassy river and smelled of roses and poppies.

It also held the best memories she could remember.

It was the spot she'd told Keefe he was going to be a father so many years ago, one of the best moments of Sophie's life. He'd been so happy, happier than she'd ever seen him. He'd spun her around in his arms and kissed her silly, so adorably excited that Sophie's heart had melted.

The memory always made her smile.

But now, a decade and half later, the twins appeared at the base of the hill, just beside the twisting path that led to the entrance of Dreamglade. Ember was completely red, her face brighter than the hues of scarlet fading beneath the hills as dusk set in.

Ace was also red, but he looked much more amused than Ember.

They walked up the hill to where their parents sat, Ember stumbling and seeming disoriented, distracted almost.

What had happened to her?

As they neared the crest of the hill, Keefe raised a suspicious eyebrow at his kids. "What happened?"

"Nothing!" Ember said at the same time Ace laughed, "Do you really want to know?"

Sophie sighed. "Yes, we want to know."

The twins went silent.

"Ember?" Sophie prompted, watching her daughter stare at the grass like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Yeah," Ace chuckled, giving a salute. "I'm gonna go."

He took off down the hill before anyone could object. Ember glared at where he had stood, probably annoyed at him for abandoning her.

"Are you hurt?" Sophie asked, worried.

"No!" Ember said a little too quickly. "I'm fine."

"Then what's going on?" Keefe asked, making room between them for her to sit.

She did, plopping down inbetween her parents. She opened her mouth, then closed it, staying silent.

Sophie stared at her daughter, trying to discern what had happened purely from her expression.

Her face was still bright red, but she also looked like she was trying to hide a smile. When Ember reached up and touched her lips, sighing slightly, Sophie had already figured it out.

"Ember!" Sophie said a little too loudly, making her daughter jump.

"What, mom?"

"You kissed him?" Sophie asked, already aware of the answer.

Keefe's eyes widened as he figured it out.

"Actually," Ember mumbled, "he kissed me."

Sophie rubbed her temples. She'd hoped she wouldn't have to deal with this for a couple more years.

Keefe studied his daughter intensely. "Do you like him?" He asked, his hands tearing out sections of the grass.

Ember nodded happily. "He's the best."

"Emerson is a nice kid," Sophie murmured.

"He's not a kid!" Ember argued. "He's sixteen."

"But you're what, ten?" Keefe said with a smirk.

"Dad!" Ember complained. "I'm fourteen!"

"Actually," Sophie murmured, "You're fifteen."

"What?" Ember sputtered.

Sophie and Keefe shared a look.

"We counted your age the way humans do," Keefe explained gently, pausing. "You're nine months older than you thought."

Ember's eyes widened. "But . . . why?"

Sophie's gaze dropped to the ground. "I . . . I guess I just wanted you and Ace to have some small connection to humans—like I did."

Not that Sophie's connection was exactly small.

"But why didn't you tell us?" Her daughter asked, fiddling with the sash of her tunic.

"We're sorry, Em," Keefe said. "We should have."

"I'm fifteen?" Ember asked, staring at her mother with wide eyes.

"Uh huh," Sophie murmured, brushing Ember's hair behind her back and fluffing it.

Ember curled her legs into her chest. "Ace and I are old enough to be level fours."

Sophie and Keefe nodded.

"What if Emerson and I aren't a good match?" Ember said suddenly, her shoulders tense.

"Whoa," Keefe told his daughter. "Calm down. You're not getting married to him."

"But we might," she said with a twisted grin. "You know, in the future."

Keefe shook his head. "They grow up so fast," he muttered with a snort.

Sophie had to agree.

The sun disappeared beneath the mountains surrounding them, and the stars came into focus, their light cascading down onto the trees and painting them a faint shade of silver.

Keefe held out one hand to his daughter and one to his wife, helping them stand. "Time for bed."

Sophie nodded.

She could only hope the nightmares wouldn't return.