"I finally got a letter back," Sera announced as she walked into her parents’ living room a week later.

"From the temple?” Tess asked from atop Ayden’s lap. “Sure took long enough.”

“I know,” Sera agreed, sitting beside Matt on the opposite couch, his black attire contrasting with the white damask fabric beneath him. “They said I can see the high priestess, but she’s at the Oraunt temple right now, so I have to go there.”

“Why not write her?” Matt asked.

“I’d rather talk to her in person. It just feels better that way,” Sera answered.

“Great, let’s go,” Tess said, ready leave immediately.

Sera smiled. “We can leave in the morning.”

“I hope she knows where this Temple of the Gods is,” Ayden chimed in, “because there’s no real reference to it in any of the books I’ve found. Nothing more then stories that are believed to myths. If it is real, it was most likely built thousands of years ago, long before humans came to Kelstone, and so they have no record of it. And you’re dad says the elves don’t know anything, so…”

Sera nodded. “Well, I didn’t think getting an audience with the goddess herself was going to be easy.”

“Do you really think Aryst will make you a dream healer again?” Tess wondered.

Sera sighed. “It’s the only hope I have of being reinstated at the temple.”

Matt reached for her to pull her into his arms, but at that moment Gavin ran into the room and jumped onto his lap. Matt scowled at him. “Don’t do that. I hit things that run at me.”

“Sorry,” the kid said, but wasn’t at all repentant.

“I’m serious.”

“I know,” Gavin replied, unaffected by Matt’s gruff tone.

“Will you tell me more stories?” Gavin asked eagerly.

“Not right now.” Matt moved the kid off his lap, then walked out the back door.

Sera sadly watched him go. “Please don’t surprise him like that,” she told Gavin gently. “It makes him upset.”

“Yes, the gods forbid we upset him,” Tess muttered.

Sera rolled her eyes at her cousin as she caught Gavin around the waist and pulled him back. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“Outside.”

“No. Leave him alone. He’ll come talk to you when he’s ready.”

Tess stood. “Well you can’t stop me. Maybe a good ass kicking will cheer him up.” She smirked and sprinted out of the house before her cousin could argue.

Sera rubbed her face and sighed. “Why does she have to be like that?”

Ayden frowned. “Why do you have to baby him?” he countered.

“I’m not. It’s just that you guys don’t understand. Controlling his temper isn’t easy for him, and she really doesn’t help.”

He stood. “And just how long are we supposed to walk on eggshells?” he asked, but didn’t wait for an answer as he followed the others into the backyard.

“I understand,” Gavin said.

Sera forced a patient smile. “Yeah?”

He nodded. “Dad gets mad cuz he says he loves Mom and doesn’t like people making her upset. Then he says, knock it off, Gavin.” The boy smiled—half sheepish, half impish.

She smiled for real now as she stood and held her hand out to him. “Come on, let’s go make sure they don’t kill each other,” she said lightly, though she did worry about them. She didn’t mind them sparing, but Tess provoking him when he was already feeling upset scared her. She knew Matt held back with Tess. She had seen his memories, she knew what he was capable of, and if Tess pushed him far enough that he really let loose, she would get herself seriously hurt.

Sera sat Gavin down near the back door and joined Ayden, who was standing off to the side, watching the fight. She hooked her arm through his and leaned her cheek against his shoulder. “Sorry,” she murmured.

He put his head on hers and sighed. “Me too. It’s just… it’s getting worse.”

She watched the fight for a moment. Matt had been getting edgier lately. He was okay with her, but—especially around Tess—he kept getting a little more temperamental every day. Tess did too. They seemed to feed off each other.

“Is he like before?” she asked. She didn’t have to explain that she meant when he still had his birthmark—Malluk’s mark.

Ayden thought about it for a minute before answering, “The fighting is. And they aren’t using weapons again.”

“Why does that make you feel so hurt?” she asked. “Tess is holding her own, and I’m here to heal her.”

He took a deep breath. “He’s being too rough with her again, though at least there’s no fingerprint bruises on her arms this time… not yet anyway.”

Sera leaned her head back a bit to frown up at him. “There’s more.”

“I don’t wanna tell you.”

“You’ve always shared with me. Please don’t shut me out now.”

“It’s not like that,” he assured her. “I just don’t want you to have to worry or feel upset.”

“I can already feel yours,” she pointed out. “Tell me, please.”

He hesitated for a moment, then sighed. “Tess has always loved fighting with her daggers. She’s never liked hand to hand. It’s only since him that she suddenly decided to like it. She still spars with weapons with everyone else, just not with him.”

His feelings at that moment told her more than his words did. “You’re jealous.”

“I’m scared,” he admitted. “It’s just getting more and more like it was before…”

“She had sex with him,” Sera finished for him. “You’re worried that they’re still attracted to each other and might… slip.”

He nodded.

She returned her gaze to Matt and Tess and focused on their feelings for a minute. “He just feels anger right now,” she reported. “And Tess is edgy, and has that usual thrill when she fights.”

Sera looked at Ayden’s sad face. She wasn’t supposed to use her empathetic gift to share people’s emotions with others, but she couldn’t stand Ayden feeling sad. “She loves you and is very happy with you. She occasionally does feel some attraction to Matt, but it’s really nothing, much less than I expected actually. She desires you a lot. As for Matt, he actually doesn’t desire her at all, which is weird. I asked why he had sex with her if he wasn’t really attracted to her, but he didn’t want to talk about it.” She shrugged. “But if anything changes between them, I’ll let you know, okay?”

Ayden raised a brow at her. “You’re breaking the rules.”

“I know, but only because I love you.” She smiled at him. “Besides, there’s no chance of losing my empathy, just getting in trouble at the temple. And you won’t tell on me when I return, right?”

He smiled back. “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he promised. “Thanks. Guess I’m just being a bit silly about it. It just… it feels hard to compete sometimes.”

“You’re amazing,” Sera told him firmly. “And just remember, she had her chance to be with him. But she left and went home to wait for you. She didn’t want to be with him, she never has, and she doesn’t now. She chose you, and she doesn’t ever regret that.”

“Yeah?” He smiled and looked back at Tess. “Guess so.”

“As for Matt, he’s a bit cooped up here. Maybe getting out of town will help. Maybe Matt and I should go to Oraunt alone.”

“No.” Ayden sighed. “Tess would have a fit.”

Sera nodded. “Okay, then I’ll just ask him to lighten up on her.”

“Maybe he could just insist on using weapons. It’s not so bad that way. It’s the hand to hand that gets brutal.”

She gave his arm a hug and leaned against his shoulder again. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Thanks.”

—————

If there was one thing that irritated Matt, it was being told what to do, and he had a problem differentiating orders from suggestions. But in the end, he agreed to using weapons when sparring with Tess.

The morning after the group arrived in the capitol city, they split up. Ayden was taking Tess to the library, which Sera thought was strange since Tess had never been interested in books before. It might have been her first visit ever. Matt decided he didn’t want to go to Aryst’s temple, and it was probably better that Sera spoke with the high priestess alone anyway. They all agreed to meet back at the tavern later.

The temple in Oraunt wasn’t the head temple, but it was the most beautiful. In the middle of the granite city with its clay shingle roofs, was the clean white stone and high, ornately carved archways of the Healing Goddess’ temple. Sera walked down the center isle between long rows of light wood pews. The huge stain glass window in the grand sanctuary glowed with the morning sunlight, and cast soft shades of blue and gold light across the room.

At the back was a higher floor, carpeted in the same light blue as the rug leading up to it. A statue of Aryst stood tall in the middle. She was a vision of perfection with long, flowing hair and a face carved in an expression of compassion.

On the step before the statue, the high priestess was kneeling with her head bent in prayer, her silver hair in a simple braid down her back. She wore the same light blue robe that all those in the service of the healing goddess wore, though hers had intricate gold embroidery around the neckline and at the ends of the sleeves.

Sera stopped several feet behind her and waited. She also bowed her head, reciting the goddess’ prayer silently. Goddess be with me, for your will is my way, give me the strength, the wisdom, and the compassion to help those in need of your healing and guidance...

“Sera,” the high priestess interrupted a moment later. “It is good to see you.”

She lifted her head to look at the woman—her face soft and wrinkled, her eyes warm and bright. “High Priestess Salyn,” she greeted, tipping her head slightly in a small bow.

Salyn smiled. “Your hair is a very pretty color,” she said, reaching out to touch the copper curls. “I don’t think I’ve seen anything like it before.”

“Thank you,” Sera said. “I get it from my mother, she’s half nymph.”

“Ah, that explains it.” Salyn took Sera’s hands in hers and grew serious. “I heard what happened, my dear. I am truly sorry that I gave that justice cleric permission to enter your dream state. I had no idea how painful that man’s past was going to be. Had I known… I would have never allowed you to have been so hurt.”

Sera nodded. “It was difficult,” she agreed, “but please don’t feel bad. It’s good that I saw what I did. Knowing his past helps me understand his current pain, and I can help him more.”

“You’re still with him?” Salyn asked, surprised by the news.

“Yes, happily so.”

“Amazing,” she murmured. “So, why did you misuse your power in the first place? Why didn’t you just go see him in person?”

“He wouldn’t let me to come to him. He didn’t feel he deserved to be with me. Using the dream state was the only way I was able to get through to him, to help him see that we belong together.”

The high priestess sighed. “Well, he must be a remarkable person for someone as devoted as you to give up everything.”

“He’s worth it,” Sera said wholeheartedly. “And I don’t regret what I did, but I do very much wish to return to the temple.”

“You broke temple law, Sera. You misused the gifts given to you by Aryst herself. Even worse, you misused that gift. A dream healer is a rare thing.”

“I know,” Sera said softly. “But if I were able to become a dream healer again, would that be enough for me to rejoin the temple?”

Salyn’s brow furrowed slightly. “Well, of course, but that’s impossible.”

Sera shook her head. “I’m going to find the Temple of the Gods and see Aryst herself.”

The older woman gaped at her for a moment. “I’m not even sure that temple exists. Even if it does there is said to be deadly trials before you can enter the Immortal Planes.”

“It’s my only hope,” Sera said earnestly. “Please, is there anything you know that might help?”

The high priestess thought about it for a long moment. “No. You’re best chance is to try to see Brex, the God of Chaos. He is the only god who resides here on the Mortal Plane. If the temple is real, he would know its location.”

“How do I find him?”

“I don’t know. He doesn’t have temples, but he does have followers, you could try asking one of them. A lot of them wear black, modern looking, that new, edgy style. Oh, and they all wear a necklace with a silver meerkat on it—that’s his symbol.”

“A meerkat? Weird.”

Salyn shrugged. “I’ve never heard anything about Brex that fits into what one might call normal.”

”Okay, well, thank you,” Sera told her sincerely.

“Of course. I really hope you’ll be able to reenter service.” Salyn said, smiling warmly and patting Sera’s hand. “I will pray for you.”