Chapter 5 #3
Some people considered it a tragedy. Viri understood why, but her hunter mind was still relieved that she lived in a time when the only citizens with notable levels of ellixen were those younger than fourteen, since at least that meant there wasn’t an entire population for reapers to siphon from.
Some didn’t even wait until fourteen—Viri herself had been ten when she’d given her magic to the obelisks.
She could barely remember her Impartation ceremony now…
but that was only because it had been overshadowed by her parents dying that same day.
“Everything all right, V?” Wynter asked. “You’re looking pale.”
Realizing it was her turn to play, Viri rolled the dice and used her warrior mage to save a village from marauders, then collected the bountiful reward. “Just tired. Someone woke me up this morning.”
Wynter grinned shamelessly.
“How is it that even when tired, you still manage to beat me?” Soren asked, indicating his pile of treasure cards that was half the size of Viri’s.
It was only then that she saw they’d reached the end of the game, and the others were counting their cards. She didn’t need to, given how visibly large her pile was.
“Viri won, Soren lost,” Jessy declared with no small amount of glee. “That means she gets to choose his penalty.”
“I will never understand why the winner’s reward is to punish the loser. What are we, sadists?” Soren complained. His grouchy attitude was an act, though—of them all, he was the least likely to hold a grudge or be a sore loser.
“What’s a sadist?” Jessy asked, her head tilted curiously to the side. “Isn’t that some kind of sex thing?”
Wynter, having just taken a sip of her sparkling elderberry juice, nearly spat it all over the table.
“It absolutely is not,” Soren said firmly.
“I mean, it can be,” Wynter murmured, dabbing juice from her chin. “Crack a book, Sor.”
The look he leveled at her had Viri coughing to cover a laugh.
“This isn’t the most age appropriate of topics,” Sarielle said mildly, her words belied by the humor in her eyes. “Let’s move on, shall we?”
“I’m nearly fourteen,” Jessalyn argued. “You don’t have to treat me like a child.”
“You’ll always be a child to me, sweet girl.” Sarielle glanced around the table. “That goes for all of you.”
“Ugh, we’ve reached the feelings part of the night,” Wynter said with a comical shudder. “Quick, Viri—give Soren his penalty before Mom lets loose with the emotions.”
Viri was too tired to think of anything creative, so she went with something useful. “You’ll owe me a favor,” she told him. “Anything of my choosing.”
Soren was gracious enough not to mention the favor he’d already granted her that very morning. “Just don’t make it anything weird,” he warned. “And remember, what goes around, comes around. Next time I win and you lose, watch out.”
Viri couldn’t remember the last time Soren had won a game at family night. But she said nothing, only smiled to herself and helped Sarielle pack up the board while the others cleared away the food, until the room was immaculate once more.
“Time to get this one to bed,” Soren said, slinging an arm around Jessalyn’s neck.
She elbowed him in retaliation. “Only one of us needs beauty sleep, and it’s not me.”
“She’s got you there,” Viri said, yawning. “With that face, you need all the help you can get.”
Soren didn’t miss a beat. “Fortunately for you, there’s more to life than looks.”
Viri laughed. “Such a charmer.”
“I save all my best lines for you, Solace.”
And with that, he offered a cheeky goodnight wave and led his sister out the door.
Turning to Wynter and Sarielle, Viri jokingly asked, “Remind me what we see in him again?”
“He has a very nice backside,” Wynter said seriously. “His front side isn’t bad, either.”
Viri choked. “Wyn!”
“What?” she said, all innocence. “Objectively speaking, it’s true.”
“That’s our best friend you’re talking about.”
“Yes, and we both have eyes. Hell, I dated the guy, so trust me when I say that he is beautiful everywh—”
“La-la-la, not listening.” Viri spoke over her, plugging her ears.
Sarielle looked as if she wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cringe. “On that note, I think it’s time we all retired for the evening.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Viri said emphatically.
“Same here,” Wynter said. But despite her agreement, she moved toward the front door. “I just have to grab some notes I forgot to bring home earlier. I need them for a weekend assignment.”
Sarielle’s forehead wrinkled. “Can’t that wait until tomorrow?”
“Procrastination is the killer of dreams, Mom. But don’t worry, I’ll take Viri with me for company.”
Viri was about to protest until she caught the look on Wynter’s face and realized her friend wasn’t heading to the Healers’ Guild, but instead to her secret lab to practice alchemy—something Viri had forgotten she’d promised to help with.
Regretting the deal she’d made earlier, Viri didn’t have time to come up with an excuse before Wynter started dragging her away.
“Don’t wait up, Mom,” Wynter called over her shoulder.
And with no say in the matter—and many mental curse words aimed at her friend—Viri was yanked out the door.