The fluorescent overhead emitted a dull hum. It filled the cramped office overflowing with untidy boxes of files with a too-bright white light. It flickered, drawing her green eyes up to the humidity stained ceiling.

“And you like to be called Penny,” said the frumpy, rail- thin woman. She peered at Penny over thick glasses that magnified her chunky mascara. “Hm… Penny. It's cute. Hm… your last case worker didn't leave me much to work with….”

Penny kicked her feet, her toes brushing the floor. “I think they didn’t stay even a year?”

“Hm…,” the case worker murmured noncommittally. “St. Brigid’s Home is your primary residence…” She looked at Penny over her glasses. “Are you forced to go to Mass?”

“I don’t know,” Penny said, still swinging her legs.

“Don’t know….” The case worker flipped through the folder. “Been in care since infancy. Surrendered… Nothing else on the mother… No mention of father whatsoever….”

“My other name is Fox,” Penny said helpfully. “That came from my mom.”

The case worker gave her a tired, thin smile. She set the folder aside but kept it open. She set her gaze on Penny, keeping silent long enough for the small girl to start squirming.

“Do you like living in the group home? Do you feel you get enough attention?”

A soft knock sounded on the doorframe, the office having no door but only half a curtain. The young woman’s plain, dark shoes, black stockings, and ankle length blue-gray skirt were visible before she gently brushed the curtain aside. She wore a matching blue-gray veil pinned to her black hair and a smile that matched the softness she had knocked with.

“Sister,” Penny greeted joyfully, jumping off her chair.

“I assume you’re from St. Brigid’s,” the case worker asked.

“I am. Sister Mary Agnes,” she said with a small incline of her head. She smiled down at Penny, offering her hand. “Are you ready to go home?”

“Can we talk a moment first,” the case worker asked. She gestured to the open file. “Her file is really bare. I could use a little help.”

The Sister hesitated. She gave Penny another smile–this one more forced–and gave her a light push towards the doorway.

“Please, wait in the hall for me,” she said. “I’ll be along shortly.”

Penny gave the Sister a quizzical look but went into the hall without fuss. She leaned against the wall and casually looked up and down the hall at the other case workers’ offices. Murmurs and mutters from the other doorless offices filled the hall in an uninteresting muddle.

“Mary Agnes, you said? How long have you been involved with Penny?”

“Always… to some degree. I’m acquainted with her birth mother. In a caretaker role, I’d say the last two years. …Of course, I’m only one of many Sisters.”

“Hm… she was in specialized infant care, I assume? Then to the home… then to a family…. What happened there? It’s more common for young children to stay with families than go back to a group home. Learning disability? Behavioral issue?”

“You would have to ask the Mother Superior.”

“Would you oppose her placement with a family?”

“My opinion matters naught in that.”

“Is she forced to attend Mass and other religious activities?”

The Sister laughed lightly. “Ma’am, she missed Mass for this interview with you.”

“Her file is still unusually bare.”

“Well… I’m not sure what sorts of things are usually in a six-year-old’s file….”

“Thank you, Sister. I’ll be in touch.”

Penny eagerly took Sister Mary Agnes’s hand as she left the office. She watched the rundown town give way to ill-kempt lawns, and then to a stretch of woods after a sharp turn in the road. A large building that looked like an old one-story nursing home sat on top of a gently sloping hill behind an iron fence that was rusted in some areas and broken in others.

An old woman with gnarled hands and sagging eyes met them in the foyer. She had a tallness to her despite being stooped on a walking stick. Her outfit was the same color blue-gray as Sister Mary Agnes’s, but her veil and skirt were longer and she wore a clunky crucifix around her neck.

Sister Mary Agnes hastily dropped Penny’s hand.

“How did you like your new case worker, Penrose, dear?”

Penny shrugged. “Guess okay.”

“An okay first meeting can only go up from there. Run along and wash up. Snack will be served soon.”

Penny hurried from the foyer, but slowed when she realized Sister Mary Agnes was not following. She turned a corner, waivered, and doubled back.

“--found a family for her.”

“She already did? And already called you?” Sister Mary Agnes scowled. “That is a bit too fast, isn’t it? I only left the office fifteen minutes ago.”

“Penrose is a pretty child. Foster mothers can easily imagine dressing her up and doing her hair.”

“Forgive me, Mother Mary Clare, but I worry about the foster mothers wanting a pretty, little girl to play doll with, and I worry more about the foster fathers also wanting a pretty, little girl.”

“You should not think the worst of people, Sister Mary Agnes.”

“Sorry….”

“I don’t need an apology,” the Mother said. “It is not me that wants you to bring the good out in others.”

Penny shifted uncomfortably where she stood. Sister Mary Agnes wore a strange, uncharacteristically disgruntled expression on her fair face.

“You are much too close to this,” the Mother said. “You did right to disclose your relationship to her when you requested to join us, but you also promised that was secondary to your vows to serve our Lord through our Lady.”

“Yes… Mother Superior.”

“She may be your niece, but you are to serve all the children equally. You are an aunt to all of them. And you should do what is best by them, and that is placing them with families.”

“Yes, Mother Superior….”

“Take heart, Sister,” the Mother said kindly. “We often receive updates and Christmas cards from former charges. This will not be the last you hear from her.”

Two days later, Penny found herself once more in the car with Sister Mary Agnes. The ride was much longer than going into town to visit the case worker. It was quieter with an uneasier air.

The scene outside the window had a few rundown houses, some mobile homes, and a lot of trees that somehow came across sad and old. One of the homes had nicer flowerbeds and a littering of toys in the small, front yard. Three cars were crowded in the narrow driveway. The case worker stood outside in the yard with a middle-aged couple, a teen girl, a girl near Penny’s age, and a toddler dressed in blue overalls.

“They look nice,” the Sister said. “The little girl could be your new best friend.”

“Maybe…,” Penny muttered. “Do Sisters have last names?”

“We do,” she said, looking in the rearview. “Our birth names are still our legal names. My driver’s license doesn’t say Sister Mary Agnes, for example.”

“Then… we still have the same name,” Penny asked.

The smile slowly fell from the Sister’s face. She turned in her seat, fixing Penny with a surprised and sad expression. She offered her hand which Penny reached forward to take.

“Call, write, whatever you want whenever you need me,” she said. “I’m only an hour away. You can visit if you want.” She nodded towards the family. “You just have to ask. They seem kind. I’m sure they’ll allow it.”

The placement lasted six months.

She found herself in her case worker's office with her about-to-be former foster mother. Her toes dragged now no matter if she was kicking or not. The light above still buzzed and flickered in an annoying way.

The case worker stared at the new notes in the file with a puzzled frown. She pursed her lips and straightened up, setting her stare upon the foster mother.

“I’m not understanding the issue,” she said carefully. Her eyes momentarily darted to Penny. “She’s six.”

“Almost seven,” Penny chimed up.

“I can’t explain it any better,” the foster mother said stiffly. “And I won’t with her sitting here.”

“Ma’am… you want to give her back because she believes in fairies,” the case worker said bluntly.

“No. No, that makes it sound—. It’s more than that. It’s….” She shot to her feet. “I’m allowed to give them back if they don’t adjust to the family. We’ve tried. It isn’t working.” She looked down at Penny with pity and apprehension. “I hope you can get the help you need, Penny. You didn’t do anything wrong, okay? It isn’t your fault.”

She stalked from the office, nearly colliding with Sister Mary Agnes on her way out. She muttered “good luck” at her before vanishing down the hall.

Penny smiled and waved eagerly at the Sister as she came to stand by her chair. She rested her thin hand on her shoulder, and returned her smile.

“Can I take Penny back now,” the Sister asked.

“You don’t want to know why the placement didn’t work?”

“I believe it not appropriate to talk about that in front of the child. The Mother Superior is expecting a full report though.”

The case worker tapped her fingers on her desk. “Hm… if you have time, I’ll give her a call now to give her the gist and see what she wants to do from there.”

She took the Sister’s hand and went out into the hall. She tried to settle against the wall just outside the open doorway, but the Sister took her further down, away from the offices, to an old, beaten bench at the start of the hall. Penny leaned forward to stare back down the hall at the office.

“Curious,” the Sister asked, a smirk tugging her lips.

“Do you believe in fairies,” Penny asked.

“Of course. I’ve seen a fairy or two in my time.”

Her green eyes lit up. She stopped looking down the hall and stared up at the Sister’s face. There were no signs of lying; her smile was gentle as usual, not teasing. She peered down the hall to make sure no one was coming, and slid closer to the Sister.

“Is this because we’re related,” she whispered.

“I think so…” 

The Sister also checked the hall, more apprehensively. She held her palm flat, turning to shield it from the hall. She held a finger to her lips to indicate quiet, and a second later a bright, golden light emanated from her outstretched palm. The light bubbled like a fountain slowly turning on, and formed into a tiny golden flower.

Penny gasped and clamped her hands over her mouth to stop her squeal of delight. She gave a small, disappointed “aww” when the flower was snuffed out.

“Magic sensitivity is strong in our family. I think that’s why you’re having trouble in your placements; because, this is not something most people have.”

“Is it a secret,” Penny asked breathlessly.

The Sister’s expression turned from gentle into something Penny couldn’t define. She seemed sad, but also kind of angry.

“Not on purpose,” she said carefully. “People just… stopped believing. I don’t know if forcing belief would do more harm than good.”

“Like with God?”

“Similar, at least,” she said with a small laugh. The light fell from her dark eyes as they fell upon her hand. “This is a gift from God, but sometimes people dispute that. Even those who have high faith.”

“Does Mother Mary Clare know you have magic?”

“She does. She serves the Holy Cor same as me, but the other Sisters and Mother Mary Bernadette do not. Mother Mary Clare believes it is best to do our service in silence, and keep our connections to the Realm quiet.” She smiled at Penny, patting her hair. “I’ll explain what I can of that later. Now that you’re older, I’m sure the Mother won’t mind me tutoring you between my other duties.”

“Am I a witch too,” Penny asked eagerly.

“I’m not a witch. I’m a mage. Witches are something different. As for you, I don’t know yet. You might just be sensitive. Your moth—.”

The Sister stopped. Her eyes went over Penny’s head, down the hall. She stood with a gentle smile once more on her face, and stepped forward to meet the case worker before she reached the bench. They exchanged some words Penny couldn’t hear from her seat before the Sister returned.

“Mother Mary Clare wants us home,” she said. “The goal is still to place you with a family, but we have all the time before then.”

They reentered St. Brigid’s hand in hand, but Sister Mary Agnes quickly dropped Penny’s hand when Mother Mary Clare stepped from her office to cut them off. A large woman, just as old or older, joined them. Mother Mary Bernadette wore her usual severe expression.

“Well then, Penrose,” Mother Mary Bernadette said, staring down at Penny, “back again? No matter. I’ve decided to add my resources as well.” Penny shrank back from the Mother’s attempted smile. “We will find you a proper home. Never fear.”

The two elder nuns exchanged a look as Mother Mary Bernadette walked off. Mother Mary Clare gave Penny a nervous smile and a pat on the head.

“I’m sorry, Penrose, dear,” she said. “Mother Mary Bernadette was in my office when your case worker called.”

“Is that bad,” Penny asked.

“No… That’s too negative for her want to help you,” the Mother said. Her pale, watery eyes met Sister Mary Agnes’s. “She’s heard about the fairies. She doesn’t believe it to be more than a child’s imagination, but she wants to keep an eye on it. …The foster mother’s notes were rather hysterical.”

“Actually, I was telling Penny that she’s old enough to start learning about the Realm,” the Sister said. “After all my other duties, of course. And, only until her next placement.”

The Mother took a long, hard stare at Penny, making her squirm. “Does she have magic?”

“Not that I’ve noticed. She’s still young, so she could. Or, she could just be sensitive to it.”

“One is more manageable than the other in placing her with a family….” The Mother hobbled towards her office. “I’ll hold Mother Mary Bernadette at bay. We at the very least need to know if she’s a mage before she’s placed again.”

Penny beamed up at Sister Mary Agnes once they were left alone. She grabbed her hand and yanked her into a brisk walk, eager to hear all about magic.

--------------------------------

Using the Dragon Orphans (but abbriviated) for the title! I'm not sure how to ex[lain/better show the group home structure. There aren't any nun run orphanages anymore, but there are still group homes (usually for problem kids) that have some Catholic Charities influence, so nuns will go serve in them. But, since Penny's early story touches more on the Holy Cor, I'm mostly showing the nuns with case worker meetings.

The Brothers and Sisters follow a lot of the Marian Order traditions, so all Sisters have 'Mary' as the first half of their name. I picked Agnes because my great grandmother was an Agnes, and it is apparently a commonish name for nuns to pick if they've experiences some type of loss. Agnes also starts with 'A' the same as her birth/legal name. (Mary Agnes is named Aisling and will be called that in chpt 2, so not a spoiler.)

I was going to have Penny spot a fairy as she was being passed over to that foster family, but it was much more jarring to not do that. Then you get the confusion with her case worker like 'okay she's a little girl and they like fairies'. Case worker was not named because, not a spoiler, Penny will have a different one next chapter. They have a very high rate of burnout and turnover.

I did not expect this chapter to urn out this quick, lol. I'm rushing a bit to get what needs covered in her childhood done.

They diverged into two groups once they landed in San Francisco. The Regere stayed on the jet with Morgan who was fast asleep while Evora escorted Amias, Rhys, and Nellie to the domestic flight gates. She exchanged brief goodbyes–handshakes for Rhys and Amias and a half-hug for Nellie–before disappearing.

With the fight put together at the last minute, Nellie was sitting nowhere near Rhys or Amias. The businessmen she was squashed between ignored her, which gave her the chance for another nap. She was soon jostled awake by the landing.

There was no luggage for them to fetch with Amias having a chic carry-on that they gave him at the gate. Nellie and Amais waited outside a bathroom for Rhys. Amais checked his flipphone.

“Flying international is magic in itself,” he said. “Looking at today’s date, we left China this morning and it is only barely evening. Amazing.”

Nellie glanced at the time, smiling through her grogginess. “The longest nine hours of my life,” she joked.

Rhys reappeared. His face was clean shaved and he had attempted to slick back his straggly hair by wetting it. The small changes immediately made him look less like a mountain hermit and more like the boy in the photo Nellie had tucked in her pocket. The three of them wound around the crowds until they found themselves in the arrivals in a blanket of unbearable humidity.

“Evora scheduled our rideshare for half after five,” Amias said. He looked at his phone. “Should be here shortly.”

They piled into a shiny, black Lexus. Nellie found herself in the backseat with Rhys. She drummed her fingers on her knees as the car whisked them into the stop and go traffic outside the airport.

“So… are you excited to see your sister,” Nellie asked.

Rhys blinked at her as if he’d forgotten she was right next to him. He gave a small shrug. “I suppose so. …We’ve always gotten on well.” He shifted his focus to Amais in front of him. “I take it Evora is arranging for Silas to send Perenelle’s things back to the house? Where is this house? Close?”

“Hardly,” Amais grumbled. “Your dear sister is a charming woman, but her taste in homes is too… rustic.”

“She wanted us to be near Webb so I could be a day student,” Nellie explained.

Rhys gave a little, “ah,” and turned to stare out the window. Nellie chewed her mouth, thinking of how to get him to speak to her again during the long drive. Part of her wanted to ask about the things she overheard on the plane, and part wanted to just yell at him for ignoring her.

She was still a novice on how magic worked. She didn’t need to think too much on it since she had none, but there was something unsettling and wrong about that green glow she saw on the plane. She couldn't find a single memory from her time with Arch and Itzel where she saw such an ominous glow; their colors had always been warm, and not only because Itzel favored fire.

“You’re so quiet back there,” Amias said. “I’d think you’d have much more to say. Shouldn’t you be asking Nellie tons of questions?” He scoffed as the silence continued. “My lamb, how are things with your friend from camp? The girl with the glasses?”

“Oh, Ava? It’s all good now. …Probably. I should call her tomorrow and see if she wants to hang out since I’m back from,” she glanced at their driver, “camp early. Oh wait… My phone…. Guess I could always write her. It’d give me an extra day to sleep.”

Nellie was able to ignore Rhys as much as he her; passing the minutes turned to hours by chatting with Amias. The sun was down and she was fully aware of how little she'd eaten as the car crested the top on the driveway.

Amais was the first to exit the car, having the driver stop at the top of the driveway due to his knowledge of the smoke wolf undoubtedly lurking in the dark. Nellie wanted to take in the sight of the little house with its glowing windows, absorb the sight and the pittering of her heart before stepping into the wet heat that–unfortunately–did not dissipate with the sun down.

“Coming, Commander,” Amais asked. Rhys slowly climbed from the car, and Amais leaned back towards the driver. “My good man, will you idle for just a moment so that I may hug my goddaughter goodbye? Off to the hotel after, post haste.”

“You aren’t staying,” Nellie asked, disappointed.

“Afraid not, my lamb,” Amais said, patting her shoulder. “I need a king sized bed and a soaking tub after that dreadful flight. Besides,” he looked at Rhys, “your father will be on the only couch tonight. I simply refuse to sleep on the floor. But, I must catch up with your charming Nathalie, so I'll be by tomorrow.”

Rhys’s face took on an odd expression that Nellie did not have time to decipher. An eerie howl sounded, taking all of her attention from the two men. She stooped over and held out her arms.

“Ash!” 

She was bowled over without seeing him, either due to the dark or him poofing too close for her to process she couldn’t tell. She laughed, half crying as she fought off the wolf but tried to hug him around his furry neck all at once. He felt significantly heavier since the last time he tackled her.

Amais took Ash's distraction as his chance to leave. Nellie was only just aware the car was pulling away when she heard the front door bang open.

“Creature! If you've dragged me out here over some poor rabbit again… Oh goodness me, it's people!”

Nellie squirmed out from under Ash and was racing down the drive before Nathalie could begin her streams of warnings and apologies over Ash's conduct. There was a shriek of recognition moments before she threw herself into Nathalie’s arms.

“Mom!” She squeezed her tight.

Nathalie held her tightly, petting her matted, auburn waves. “Oh my girl… I missed you so.”

Ash wedged between them with a low, unsure rumble in his chest. It took Nellie a second to remember that she hadn’t returned home alone, timed perfectly with Rhys loudly clearing his throat to gain their attention.

Nathalie squinted into the dark. Then, her breath caught and she clamped a hand over her mouth.

“Sorry to drop in unannounced, Nattie, but may I come in,” Rhys asked. He held out his fist towards Ash, avoiding looking directly at him, to allow him to sniff. “There are a few things I must fill you both in on.”

Ash was left outside to scratch at the door peer through the window as the three humans went in. Nellie sat at the kitchen counter giving way for Rhys to take the couch. Nathalie flitted around the kitchen; turning on the kettle, searching for tea, rummaging through the fridge. She abruptly stopped and leaned onto the counter to stare at Rhys.

“Your hair is much too long,” Nathalie said.

Rhys snorted, shaking his head. “Yes, I'm aware. I’ve been out in the mountains the last six months. I’ll take care of it.” He dug in his pocket. “May I smoke in here?”

“Certainly not,” Nathalie said. “Filthy habit, Rhys. I thought you kicked it before you left England?”

“I reintegrated it the last two or three years,” Rhys muttered. He knitted his fingers on his knees. “It’s so good to see you again, Nattie. How’re Mum and Dad? Winston?”

“All in perfect health,” Nathalie said. “Lillian is engaged to be married. No date yet though, much to Winny’s chagrin. He fears her vision will bankrupt him the longer she thinks on it.”

“Lillan is…” Rhys mumbled under his breath as his eyes slowly widened. “Dear lord, I’ve been away so long.”

“Twenty years or so,” Nathalie said stiffly. “Thirty at least since you left home. You did used to call. Write. Even send pictures and have video chats a few times. There was a visit or two, if I didn’t imagine them.” She busied herself with the whistling kettle. “Tea? Decaf?”

Nellie gratefully accepted honeyed decaf tea and leftover, cold pizza as Nathalie made a cup of strong, black tea–leftover from Uncle Winston’s visit–for Rhys. She searched for crackers but came up with Caesar salad croutons. She apologetically gave them to Rhys in a small bowl along with his tea, and settled onto the couch with him.

“So…,” Nathalie started, her voice fading off.

Rhys took a long sip of tea. “Perhaps, I should ask what you do know to start off?”

“I heard you talking to the Regere,” Nellie said.

“I gathered as much with you and Morgan piled outside the door,” Rhys said, the corner of his mouth twitching. “So? What do you need clarification on?”

“Everything,” Nathalie muttered under her breath.

“Do I have to leave,” Nellie asked, her voice higher. She stared at her half eaten pizza. “Morgan keeps saying that with you back… and looking for Brue… and everything I know now….”

She bit her lip, turning away more as she heard Rhys stand. She felt his strong hand on her shoulder. She peeked up at him and found him smiling sadly.

“Perenelle, I would never force you to leave your mum,” Rhys said. “I’ll tell you everything you wish to know that I think appropriate.”

Nathalie gave a hearty sniff. She excused herself with a little blubber, and went to the bathroom to clean her face. Nellie gulped back a sob and flung her arms around his middle. He smoothed her hair, gave her a pat, and they broke apart with near identical watery smiles.

Rhys cleared his throat. “Now, then… to your questions.” He settled himself back on the couch. “Did you overhear about the possibility of Brecken using you–?”

“As bait,” Nellie finished. “He’s done it before. Said so to my face. Oh, don’t worry! I think it’s better he told me. I know I have to always look twice at anything involving him.” Her blue eyes darted to the bathroom door. “I don’t think it’s the best idea for Mom to know though.”

“I’ll handle my sister,” Rhys said.

Nathalie returned, her eyes bloodshot. She smiled at them and retook her seat next to Rhys.

“It wasn’t just in the hotel,” Nellie said. “I heard you on the plane. And, I saw… glowing.”

“Ah.” Rhys swirled what was left of his cooled tea, setting it back down without taking a sip. “Brecken was a powerful mage in his own right, but he has additional power that is not truly his. Very dangerous power.”

“A curse?”

“A real curse,” Nathalie asked. “Is that why you didn’t want him near Nellie?”

“Part of it,” Rhys said. He knit his fingers together. “Everything goes back much further than ten years ago. Further than twenty-five by eons, but twenty-five is where we start.”

Nathalie frowned. “1999?”

“The dawning of a new millennium,” Rhys corrected. “Each millennium faces the challenge of Tiamat waking. What made 1999–2000–different is that the Realm is considered a figment of the imagination. Technology has all but completely replaced magic. Dragons are for children’s stories. …I’m assuming you understand enough of the Realm that the mention of it didn’t go over your head?”

“Wait, wait,” Nathalie said, holding up her hands and shaking her head. “I need you to slow down, Rhys. What is a ‘Tiamat’?”

Nellie had an inkling that she heard the name recently. Her mind kept latching onto the Regere pulsating that eerie green when she tried to remember where she heard the name.

“Tiamat is… a primordial monster,” Rhys said. “Typhon. Jormungandr. The Leviathan. Vritra. And in her other forms she’s been called Medusa, Lilith, Hacate, Izanami, and et cetera across all myths and cultures. She appears in Genesis as ‘tehom’, the deep.” He sighed heavily. “The point being, she’s the cause of all this. The Y2K scare was not exactly the technological collapse it was advertised to be, but it was catastrophic.”

She knew it was the least important of the details Rhys just gave, but Nellie could not help but get stuck on the small, seemingly trivial tidbit. “Umm… what's Y2K?”

Nathalie and Rhys exchanged a look before they both gave a snort of laughter. It was the most annoying reaction they could've had, and her annoyance must have shown on her face.

“Sorry, Nellie, my love,” Nathalie said, stifling the rest of her laughter. “Y2K was somewhat a branding that was everywhere in 1999. And the Y2K scare was the idea that all the computers would reset to zero.” She waved her hand dismissively. “Something to do with the year ending in a double zero, I think. I cannot quite remember, and it came to naught, so I never cared to learn anything more about it.” Her face took on an odd expression. “Remember I told you of my medical complications? This Y2K nonsense was around the same time.”

Nellie thought back to her conversation with Nathalie all the way back in January, back when she first found out Rhys was her father and Nathalie was really her biological aunt. She remembered bits about Nathalie being sick, and that causing her the ability to have her own children.

What she was still unsure of was how clocks reading double zero would destroy the world. She didn’t get a chance to ask; Rhys giving a dismissive wave akin to Nathalie’s own.

“All the technology side of things was sorted long before the year changed. It is also not important for this conversation. Not that I could explain it any better,” he added with a nod at Nathalie. “The bigger issue, the real issue, was Tiamat waking. And she was thwarted, or at least mostly.”

“Mostly,” Nathalie questioned.

 Nellie wrinkled her nose. “Twarted?”

“Tiamat is… complex,” Rhys said. “More than we even understand. The Keepers understand some of it all, but they're fairly guarded. His Majesty was instrumental in what we assumed was Tiamat's defeat, and he has been most forthcoming in that right…” Rhys stared hard and unseeing at the edge of the coffee table. “But, I cannot shake that there is more he isn't saying.”

Her heart missed a beat. “Was Ira’s mom involved,” Nellie asked.

“Ah, so Brecken wasn't just spouting nonsense saying you had some familiarity with his Highness,” Rhys said.

“He slept on this couch,” Nathalie said gravely, gingerly touching the upholstery she sat upon.

“His father is quite good-natured and down to earth. There is a comfort knowing the son shares some of those traits,” Rhys said. The small, wry smile that had formed when speaking of Clayborne York fell away. “Yes. The mother was there, and instrumental as well.”

“Then, Penny’s mom, this Fox lady,” Nellie said, wriggling in her seat, “she was involved too?”

“My, you do catch on quickly,” Rhys said, the smile returning. Nellie felt her face warm with pride and turned back to her unfinished pizza. “Fox wasn't involved during the Y2K battle, but she had some sort of dealing with Tiamat. Pinpointing when has been most difficult. But, she was always being dragged into something so it fits with her trajectory that she'd find herself up against a primordial monster furious at the world.”

“So… then, Brue…,” Nellie trailed off.

“Your uncle comes into play there,” Rhys said darkly. He sighed heavily. “Brecken’s curse comes from Tiamat. I don’t know if Brue was targeted to punish him, but that is what always made sense to me.”

There was a length of silence as Nellie–and Nathalie–took a moment to digest this. Natahlie quietly asked Rhys if he wanted another cup, and circled around the counter where Nellie sat to turn the kettle back on. She was gaunt and her hands shook, but she still gave Nellie a happy, contented smile that Nellie couldn’t help but return. They were in it together.

Rhys murmured his thanks as Nathalie supplied him with another cup of tea. He was beginning to slump more on the couch; his exhaustion starting to show.

“Now then,” Rhys said, “is there anything else presently? I won’t vanish on you without a goodbye. If you wish to sleep on the rest of your thoughts, I am more than happy to oblige.”

“Are you a Catholic,” Nathalie asked.

Rhys snorted a laugh. “Would that matter?”

“You know how our mother feels about Catholics,” Nathalie said sternly, unable to hide the smirk on her face. She rubbed her hand soothingly across her little brother’s broad back. “Of course, it doesn’t matter.”

“I do have one more thing… I heard you and the Regere saying me and Penny were in danger.” She looked away to avoid taking in Natahlie’s horrified expression. “Ira too. But… you said his danger was different. So…?”

There was a pause before Rhys drew himself up, inflating to look more like the Commander and less like an overly tired semi-mountain man. He gave a small nod.

“Tiamat is a vengeful creature,” Rhys said. “Our assumption was that she cursed Fox and her Majesty, but we only put together what that meant when it was your mother that was cursed.” He stayed rigid. “Her Majesty and Fox vanished. No one was with them, and we were running on multiple theories, but I was there when Brue succumbed to the curse. …I saw her change.”

“Change… in her behavior, or…,” Nathalie trailed off uneasily.

Rhys shook his head. He met Nellie’s eyes. “You mother has wings. You and Morgan wanted my input to narrow down your search. That’s what I give you.”

Nellie went from a twinge of fear and excited apprehension to annoyance. “Wait, that's it? That she has wings?”

“Nathalie and I have much to discuss regarding how your life goes from here out, but I am confident she and I are on the same page on this; you are much too young to jump into all of this.” He held up his hand to stop her protest. “Ah, you may argue with us in the morning. I'll be here for a few days.” He smirked at Nathalie. “If you're all right with me crashing on your couch?”

“You didn’t answer,” Nathalie said quietly. “Nellie asked about the danger she was in, and you deflected.”

“Yes…,” Rhys said. He drained his cup and rested on his knees, fingers knitted together. “Tiamat appears to specifically target women. With Fox and your mother already succumbing to her curse, there is a theory she may already be aware of you and Fox’s daughter. There is a great fear that she may target you in the future.”

Nathalie gave a weak gasp, covering her mouth, but Nellie merely frowned.

“But, you don’t know for sure she only goes after girls,” Nellie said. “Ira could be in danger the same… way….”

Ira told her he and Penny suspected all dragons were originally women. The Piasa Bird she'd faced still had a human face, and while some of her friends referred to it as a male, they were only going off the beard and a quick glance. Nellie–even at that time--had thought the greenish facial hair was more likely part of the transformation.

“His Highness would be in a different sort of threat if the theory of attacking only women proves true,” Rhys said. He stood. “Bed, for now, I think.” He attempted a smile. “You have much to think over.”

“Would it be a curse, just not a dragon—?”

“Perenelle,” Nathalie said, firmly but with tired gentleness, “in the morning.” She also stood, and placed a hand on Rhys’s shoulder. “He’s trying to hide it, but he’s dead on his feet.”

Reluctantly, Nellie slipped from her seat. She hugged Nathalie, swaying for a moment and soaking in the familiarity, comfort, and affection before releasing her. She stepped in front of Rhys, wringing her hands. She lunged at him, squeezed him for half a second, and scurried to her room.

She began to feel the weight of her exhaustion once she was done preparing for bed. Her steps were heavy as she went to her window, wrenching it up.

“Ash,” she hissed into the dark. “Ash. Come here, boy.”

She stumbled away from the window as black smoke filtered through the screen, reforming into the black wolf with red eyes. She hugged him around his furry neck, shushed him, and ushered him to the end of her bed.

Her eyes blinked slowly as she stared at the light coming through the gap at the bottom of her door. She could hear Rhys’s deep voice as the siblings quietly caught up. A smile twitched her lips as she caught a few words of Rhys complimenting Nathalie on how she was being raised. Her eyes closed on his hushed promise that someday, when she was older, she would resume her quest with no interference, only help.

-----------------------------------

And Nellie's book is done! Or books. I still might split it at the Cumberland dragon.

From the start, I wanted Nellie's end to be finding more of her family, most importantly Rhys, and realizing that Nathalie was still Mom. Even with her coming to that conclusion, with her being 12, she still has/had the anxiety over 'these people are more related, they'll claim rights'. Rhys sets that to rest for her. (Legally, no one could make Nellie leave because Nathalie has legal guardianship, and Rhys would've had a hard to impossible time proving he was a fit father with a 10 year absense.)

Rhys also sets up the rest of the serise with the reveal of Tiamat (I need to remember to put a picture in the chat). It was fun piecing together how widespread this Babylonian primortial diety was: dragon-esque serpants are very common around the world. Tiamat is especially venegful compared to some of the other dragon-types Rhys mentioned (and 100% always seen as a female). I did not know about her possible link in the Book of Genesis, (shockingly, I don't read ancient Hebrew or kione Greek, lol) but that just added a whole other level of seriousness in my mind since the Bible is still current while the other myths are not practiced/believed. And, it tied so nicely back to the original roots of the Order of Ferblanc being the exorsism and templar branches of the early church.

Penny will be next!

Thanks for reading!

Now alone in Ben’s front room, Ace and Athena–and the bare beginnings of their friendship–found themselves sitting in a very awkward silence. Whatever casual conversation may have begun at any other point in time was stifled with the weight of their newfound knowledge. Ace’s mind was swimming with all he had learned about his father, his curse, and the seemingly impossible feat of breaking it. Athena, on the other hand, knew Ace had to be struggling a great deal, but worried she didn’t know him well enough to try to talk him through it.

Despite thousands of other thoughts to chase, Ace knew he couldn’t ignore the young woman sitting on the other end of the couch. “Um–so,” he began, though his words dried up before he could continue.

Athena pressed her lips into a faint smile. “I’m sorry about… all this,” she shrugged when she, too, lost where she had been trying to go.

He hummed, half-shrugged, and reached over his shoulder to scratch his back, “I guess I’m glad to get some answers; I just wasn’t quite expecting them to be so… drastic,” he paused to scowl, “and deadly.”

“And now we know where to start,” she nodded, her tone remaining positive. “Before long, we will know exactly where to go and exactly what to do to break the curse.”

His eyes narrowed skeptically. “You think so?”

The smile continued to warm her face. “I know so.”

The smile was beginning to rub off on him. “Are you really going to come with us to find Prince Ingarathos?”

“Absolutely,” she gave a short nod.

A grin tugged at his lips. “You don’t mind putting your valiant quest of becoming a lady swordsmith on hold to join with some random stranger you just met on a quest that may or may not even work out?” 

She broke into a short laugh. “Of course–except that I think it will work out.”

He bowed his head almost sheepishly. “Well… thanks.”

She simply smiled again and glanced toward the door.

Ace followed her line of sight. “Well, don’t feel like you need to stay here. I mean–I was thinking of going back to my place, but–you know–I’m already here…”

Athena found a smirk, noticing the haughtier tone his voice took and the casual way he stretched his arms over his head. “As a matter of fact, I had just left the inn I’d been staying at this morning; I was hoping to settle into a new apartment, but it wasn’t available after all.” She gestured to the bag and thin rapier near the door. “I have all of my belongings with me, and I will graciously accept Ben’s hospitality so I don’t have to look for somewhere to stay at this time of night.”

“Oh,” his arms fell against the back of the couch. “Well, that was lucky.”

“Or meant to be,” she tilted her head as the smile widened.

His face flushed and he instantly slapped a hand to his cheek in the guise of scratching near his ear.

She tried to stifle another giggle as she turned away, also finding herself blushing. “I just need to go check on Allan and give him some water and a snack before I settle in.”

“Oh!” Ace got up with a start. “I’ll go see what we’ve got. Ben almost always has some chicken of some sort. Hopefully it’s cooked...”

Athena laughed as she followed him into the kitchen. “I take it you used to live here? At least, that’s what I gathered from some of Ben’s comments.”

“Yeah,” he opened the electric-powered refrigerator and started rummaging through a wide array of bottles. “I ran away from home when I was twelve, and Ben was the only person I could think of to run to.”

“You ran away?” Her face twisted in concern. 

Ace, still turned away, didn’t notice. “Yep. My adopted mom had kept in touch with Ben for a while, and miraculously, I remembered how to find him.” Ace turned back to her with a paper package in hand. “Would this work?”

She opened the package to find a cooked chicken breast and nodded, but her frown remained unchanged. “Why did you run away?”

It was his turn to frown as he returned to face the refrigerator. “My adopted dad was abusive, and I got tired of it.”

She took a step back. “Oh, Ace; I’m sorry.”

He shrugged and managed to find a bottle that didn’t contain some sort of unknown liquid. “Sweet–apple cider! Want some?”

“No, thank you,” she took another step back, still holding the chicken. “I’ll just get some water for Allan.”

As Athena turned to the cabinets over the sink to find a cup to hold water, Ace had taken another paper package of chicken and the bottle of cider and sat down at the table. As he ate, he watched Athena carry the chicken and water outside, and then caught a glimpse of the raven landing on her arm through the half-covered window.

Alone with his thoughts, his mind wandered wistfully to his previous family: a mother who had just lost her own baby stepped into the adoption clinic moments after Ben had walked in with a starving newborn in tow. It seemed like pure luck that she was able to immediately accept the “unnamed Gallagher baby,” name him Michael Harley, and bring him home to be the younger brother to her four-year-old son.

“James,” he spoke the name aloud as memories of his childhood flooded his thoughts. A smile warmed his lips, at least until the memories touched upon the father of the family.

His adopted father had originally been accepting of this new addition; but, as time went on, the man began drinking more and caring less. The son of the “Siren of Fortanya” was born out of back luck, after all; and he brought that misfortune upon their family. Ben, who came to visit every once in a while, was now a threat and was banned from his home. And the worse things got for the Harley family, the more physical his attacks became–and the more they spread to other members.

The front door opened, releasing Ace from another downward spiral. He blinked himself back into the room, finding Athena returning with a good portion of the chicken package in hand.

“Not hungry?” He asked, eyeing the chicken.

“He ate some,” she returned to the table. “We can save the rest of this for Ben.” She glanced at the table and at the empty bottle of cider and the cleaned chicken bones in front of Ace. “Or perhaps you,” her grin widened.

Ace grunted nervously and looked down. “I hadn’t eaten dinner.”

“I won’t judge,” she set down the remaining chicken on the table beside him.

He smiled, half embarrassedly, and decided a free meal was a free meal.

Silence again seeped into all of the space of the sitting room. Ace was acutely aware of how loud he was when he ate chicken, but he hoped Athena was far enough away not to notice. She had relocated to her pack of belongings and was hanging up her sword belt and small round shield on a rack beside the door. She had also removed her shoes and set them on a small mat below.

When he noticed her standing up and slinging her bag on her shoulder, Ace got up and loudly crinkled both paper packages, and he was sure to make an exaggerated grimace from the sound as Athena approached him. He shook his head as she laughed, but, at once, he felt even more self-conscious when he found the young woman was now lingering beside him with her hands gently clasped around her bag strap.

He casually laid a hand against the refrigerator beside him. “Um–did you need anything else?”

She had just begun to shake her head when the movement slowed. “How,” she paused. “How did you come to be called Ace?”

He huffed the start of a chuckle through his nose. “I meant from the fridge, but…” he leaned his back against it, crossing his arms with a smirk. “When I ran away, I wanted to distance myself from my adopted name; so, I took an old nickname and started calling myself Ace Gallagher.”

“And Gallagher is your mother’s surname,” she recognized.

Ace shrugged. “I was always called ‘Gallagher’s son’ anyway. So, why not embrace it?”

“It suits you.” She finally met his eyes, the hint of a smile playing on her lips.

He, too, felt his lips tug into a smile–and the heat of his face flushing red under her gaze.

With a more pronounced smile, Athena bobbed her head in a short bow. “I’d better get to bed. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Yeah,” he pushed himself from the fridge, though he wavered in his boots before he got any closer to her. “Um–hope you sleep well!”

“You too,” she slipped past him. “Goodnight, Ace.”

He bolted to the edge of the kitchen, though, once again, found himself hesitating before he could catch another glimpse of her ascending the stairs. When the sound of the door closing reached his ears, he exhaled the breath he didn’t know he was holding.

“Goodnight, Athena,” he mused, chewing on a smile.

He took a few steps backward before turning to face the couch. He glanced back at it, realizing this would be his bed for the night. He wasn’t sure if it was an upgrade from his hammock, but it looked well-worn and comfortable enough. A blanket was already folded over the backrest, though part of it was inadvertently tucked into the seat cushions.

He gave the blanket a light tug to free it. Two silver pieces popped out from between the cushions.

The silver glinted in his eyes. A thought entered his mind; a thought that–up until that point–had not even surfaced that evening.

He crouched down and began to search the cushions for any more loose change, and he was surprised to find one more coin that had slipped underneath.

He looked at the three coins in his hand. He could bring these to any gambling hall and place a bet. He had given away all he had to Dorian; these coins could be his ticket to earning a few more for their trip. Bengal wouldn’t miss them, considering they had been lost between couch cushions up until that point.

He bit his lip as he stood up. The smallest twinge of regret settled in his stomach.

It subsided almost as quickly, and, with quiet determination, he crept out of the house and into the darkness outside.

---

While Mioko and Dorian are visiting Mioko's aunt for lavender oil, Ace and Athena have a semi-awkward but friendly moment alone at Ben's house. He's gone to bed, and the two of them, who had only just met earlier that day, now have to figure out what to do.

One of the fun things that happens with Ace and Athena is how she immediatley begins to influnce him to be a better person. With her, he does not think about going gambling until after she leaves the room. He also doesn't for a second think about how he can con her into taking her money like he has with every other girl he's met to this point. She shows him kindness and brings it out of him as well. That doesn't mean Ace instantly becomes perfect (in fact he struggles again with gambling in book 4) but he now has something to strive for and influence him - and that's also with the others, too. Dorian may be the only other to really start knocking some sense into him, lol.

It's just cute to see how these two start out... 💙