Thunderous knocking filled the room. I sat up, disoriented; tears ran down my cheeks. My belly hurt. Marin opened the door and poked his head inside. I saw the guards behind him, but he waved them back and entered the room, closing the door.

“Everything well? You were crying.” Finn had told them about the dreams, but not the details.

I bundled myself in a blanket. “I’ve been dreaming about the Imani, about what happened to me.”

Marin breathed out and sat next to me on the bed. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“I’m not sure I can. Not yet. Every time I think about them, I’m filled with such fear or rage. I’m not used to it. I was always so in control. It was how I was raised. I can’t handle this.”

“You can handle anything.”

I snorted. “You don’t know me. You don’t know that.”

“But I do. I have been watching you; we all have.”

“I feel like I am falling apart from these few memories. But I need to remember more. I feel like I know even less now than when I woke up out there.”

Marin lay down next to me, facing me on the bed. “We will have some answers soon.”

“When I think through everything, all I get is more questions. I know the Imani brought me here. I know they hurt me. But why? For what purpose? And how did I get here, specifically, to Groos? Why do they want me back? How come I can do magic? Why can I heal, do the haze thing? Why the spark when we touch?” I laughed bitterly. I kept running in circles. One answer only led to more questions I couldn’t answer. I smashed my hand into the mattress.

Marin ran his hand down my hair. He regarded me a second then asked, “When did you start healing?”

“When I first came into town, I was injured. I know I was. I was bleeding. The wound, poof, gone by the time we got here.” I pointed to my lip. “Zanth hit me here. It healed in an hour or two, maybe less.”

“That sounds like fire magic. The haze, I do not know what that is, land magic, maybe. My family and I are strong in air magic, air and water, so pretty much the opposite of you. Our library here is even more extensive than Ute’s and much better organized.” He smiled. “Maybe we will find something there.

Marin took his time choosing his words. “We will learn the answers to your questions, in time. I know it is hard to be patient, but that is something I am good at. I will help you. Remember, what is the goal of learning? Do you need the answers just to know, or do you need them to figure out what the next step is? You could rush out and be bait. Learn some of your answers now, but the Imani would kill you. We cannot fight them. Not yet. This arrangement”—he gestured around the room—“this is temporary until we know more. We will find your answers. That is my pledge.”

His eyes, all that intensity, focused on me. He took my hand and placed it over his heart.

I felt a spark zing through me; he stroked the back of my fingers.

Marin spooned me and pulled the covers over us. “Now, no more dreams. Go to sleep.”

“You said the speed thing was a talent. Is that new?”

I felt him nod. “Yes. I cannot speak for everyone, but I believe we are all getting our powers back. I noticed mine the night you came to town. I fancy the land senses the Imani are coming back. It is arming us. I hope so. As for my powers, my communication has improved. I can call out from this room and project my thoughts to the guards. I heard when the guard died, but I did not get there in time to see anything. My speed is much improved, as you saw. I think everyone is noticing changes, whether they admit it or not.”

“Good, I’m glad.”

I turned and curled onto my side, facing Marin, who rolled onto his back. “We will get him, right?”

A vicious smile carved his face as he turned to look at me. “Yes.”

We remained looking at each other. He lifted a hand and skimmed the back of his fingers down my face. I fought the urge to kiss his palm. What was wrong with me?

“I should sleep.” I scooted close and tucked my head against his shoulder. His hand rested on my head. We fell asleep that way, and I’d never felt so safe.

When I woke up, I was still curled up on my side, facing Marin. His one arm was under my head, his other hand tangled in my hair. I tried to tug my hair free and ended up waking him.

Marin blinked at me and ran his fingers through my hair. A smile ghosted across his face. Marin leaned forward that extra inch and kissed me. His kiss was firm but light; a mere sweep of his lips against mine, but the sensation rocked me.

My lips tingled. I touched my mouth involuntarily; our gazes locked. He remained close. I could see lightning flash in the depths of his eyes.

Holy crap. I wrenched myself backward and off the bed. As I scrambled, he laughed and got up, heading to the door.

“Morning,” Marin said, a lilt to his voice. “Breakfast will be downstairs. No one enters here without me and the guards being aware. So you can roam the house as you wish. Just do not linger in the entryway or go outside, other than the back garden.”

Okey dokey.

That sounded like we were going to ignore what had happened. I was okay with that.

I got up and washed my face. The marks on my wrist caught my eye. They seemed to be getting thicker, more distinct. Mental note: get the book on the jatua back. The mark around my belly button was still fuzzy. I could just discern the shape. At first, it looked like a diamond, but now, it looked more like a star. I had wings across my back, and marks were still forming along my thighs that I needed to learn about. I rubbed my hip, where my only real life tattoo no longer was. Sorry, Daddy.

I drifted downstairs and followed the smell of food. Breakfast, actually more like brunch, was laid out in one of the meeting rooms. No one else was around. I scarfed down a plate, then went scouting. Marin was right. His library was much bigger and more organized than Ute’s. To be honest, that wouldn’t take much. I couldn’t tell the filing system, maybe alphabetical, but that didn’t help me much. I didn’t know how what I wanted would be spelled in their language. Resolute, I went out to track down Marin.

When I left the library, I noticed the oil paintings lining the foyer for the first time. The closest one showed a regally dressed couple standing with two boys, Marin and Zanth. It must have been done right before his parents passed, as Marin looked to be in his early teens. He had the same build, but he’d filled out since then, quite well, in fact. He stood next to his father in a formal pose. Zanth sat by their mother, who had a hand draped over his shoulder. Zanth was the only one smiling in the picture, and it made me inexplicably sad. The rift between them was more than evident. I saw several generations of the Gaol family spread out before me in much the same pose, with much the same sense of wrongness. And I thought my family had been bad.

I didn’t find Marin in the kitchen or any of the meeting rooms. So far, I hadn’t seen any guards around, but I knew there were some about, from the sound of steps behind me and doors closing. I went out the door off the kitchen into the back garden and entered a fairy wonderland.

There was a small deck with a shaded courtyard and some seating to my immediate right. A manicured path meandered into the garden. Large bushes formed a maze to my left. Flowers spread out all along the path in a dizzying array. There were bushes of a holly-like plant interspersed with tall, full red flowers with yellow hymens and frothy filaments. Something like a rose, in a peach color, grew next to them, contrasting nicely with a light yellow daisy. Light danced among the flowers; I saw something that resembled a moth, but much bigger, flittering from stem to stem.

I couldn’t resist stepping farther into the garden and smelling the flowers. I bent over the peach rose. The center was a deep crimson. It smelled like sunshine and apples. I felt a pulse of pleasure and peace drift through me. As I leaned closer, I reached out and touched the petal.

Marin called out, “Not that one, it bites.”

Mother- I faced Marin, sucking on my finger. He sat on a bench around the corner, just out of view from the door. From what I saw, he was simply sitting there alone.

He patted the bench beside him. “The gardens have started blooming.”

“They’re beautiful.”

“I want to show you something. You have to sit here and stay perfectly still.”

I plopped next to him.

“Close your eyes.”

Marin tucked me close to his side. He placed his face next to mine and hummed. The melody started out low then grew in volume. The sound vibrated in the air. It wove around us in a light dance. I realized we were swaying, and I felt a few gentle touches on my face, then some more.

“Do not move,” he whispered into my ear. “Hold up your hands.”

I obliged and felt hundreds of gentle touches. They tickled.

“Now open your eyes.”

We were covered in something. They looked like butterflies, but bigger, their wings feathery, bodies longer. They were a uniform light yellow color, and with the sun shining down on them, they glowed. I held my breath. Normally, I was not a big fan of bugs—but these were beautiful. There was something magical about this, and I didn’t dare shatter the illusion. I closed my eyes and just took in a breath and let it out. Never had I felt so connected to the land. I’d always considered myself green, but I was a product of my planet. I took for granted the plastic, the chemicals, and the preservatives. Sitting here, I couldn’t imagine that now. I didn’t want to imagine that kind of damage on Solum.

Marin’s glance caught mine; his eyes sparkled. He blew at the butterflies, and they scattered. We both wiggled and more flew away. Marin moved closer to me. He looked into my eyes as he pursed his lips and blew lightly across my own. My mouth parted. My eyelashes fluttered shut, and he blew on my eyelids, my ears, and my neck.

He was staring at me, I could tell, but I was afraid to open my eyes. Things were already so complicated.

I heard the door thud against the wall. Marin leaned back. I opened my eyes. There was a faint layer of dust covering my hands. We were just sitting in the garden, covered in stardust, nearly kissing, again.

Jace and Bob wandered into view.

“Just doing our rounds,” Bob drawled as they walked away.

I faced Marin. “I was looking for you. I wanted to ask you about some of the books. Is there a system to them? How do I find a book on the jatua? I wanted to read more about them. I also want a history of the Fost. And the Imani. And more about the magic.”

I babbled after the guards left, eyes downcast. Marin didn’t answer, so I peeked up at him. His calm regard confused me. I glanced away again, hands twisting on my lap.

“I can get the books for you. We should head back inside. I am waiting for reports, and Midday will be soon. You will need to go upstairs and stay in your room. I will come get you after and update you. I promise.”

Midday, hmm. “Will Finn be there?”

Marin’s face tightened. “Yes.”

“Can I see him?”

“No.”

“Why not? He has to come here anyway. He isn’t visiting me in particular.”

“I do not think that is for the best. As it is, he is ‘looking’ for you quite fiercely. He is acting betrayed. And having him linger here would be out of character.”

I nodded. This sucked. I wanted to see him. Everything was much more straightforward with Finn. Plus I needed to clear the air.

Hiding like this chafed worse than sand in my shorts.