go back outside to teleport?” Iniru asked.
“I can cast the spell from here just fine.” Turesobei held out the cylinder. “And with all this energy in my hands, it will be a cinch. Unless I mispronounce a syllable or something.”
They all groaned, not wanting to be reminded that a single stutter could obliterate them all. Moments later, they were safely back at the gate.
Hannya congratulated them on their success. The villagers had brought her offerings of food and jewels and were currently bowing and singing to her.
“I had forgotten how good this feels,” she said. “I almost wish I could stay longer and bask in it.”
Hannya turned around and chanted the spell to open the gate. When the portal activated, they stepped through. Moments later, they arrived back in the Nexus.
Lord Gyoroe and Enashoma met them on the platform. While Enashoma rushed into Zaiporo’s arms, Gyoroe stepped forward eagerly.
“My great work.” His fiery blue-white eyes glowed with passion as he took the cylinder into his hands. “You all have my eternal thanks. Take a week off to prepare for your next battle.”
Lord Gyoroe hurried off toward the Throne Room, with Hannya following in his wake.
“I guess I will tend to everyone’s injuries,” Turesobei said.
After everyone was healed, and Enashoma had fussed over Zaiporo and probed them with a million questions about the battle, Iniru asked, “How about tomorrow we take a swim in the Bath to celebrate?”
“But we just fought nasty water creatures,” Awasa complained.
“That’s why I want a pleasant water experience to balance it out,” Iniru said. “I was the one who had to dive down to the bottom, after all.”
Awasa groaned. “I really don’t want to.”
“Oh, come on,” Iniru countered. “We all know you’re just going to go to your room and soak in the tub all night. What’s a little more water going to hurt?”
“I’ll think about it,” Awasa snapped.
Chapter Seventeen
T he next evening, everyone except Motekeru and the hounds met in the Bath. When Turesobei an Zaiporo walked in, the girls were already there. They stood chatting in a clump near the edge of the pool. But the conversation stopped as soon as they noticed the boys. Turesobei had spent most of the day alone in his room, resting. He had assumed the others were doing the same, but maybe he was wrong. He glanced at Zaiporo, who shook his head, clearly as confused as Turesobei.
Enashoma darted over, grabbed Turesobei's hand, and dragged him towards Iniru and Kurine. “You’re never going to believe it!"
"What?"
She nodded encouragingly at his girlfriends. "Go on. Tell him."
Iniru and Kurine exchanged a look. Iniru took a deep breath and said, "We've moved in together."
“What?!"
Kurine answered. "We talked about it and decided that we needed to spend more time together, just the two of us. And the best way to make that happen was to be roommates."
"So I moved my sleeping mat and clothes into Kurine's room,” Iniru said.
"My room was closest to yours." Kurine grinned sheepishly. "What do you think?"
“Um…wow.”
Iniru snorted a laugh. But before she could say anything, Lu Bei fluttered into the room, followed by a sulky Awasa.
"I found her, Lady Shoma!"
"Oh, good. Now we can start." Enashoma waited until Awasa had shuffled over, then she gave each of them a hard stare. "Does everyone remember the rules?"
They all nodded. Enashoma had made them promise to stay at least one pace away from each other before she would agree to the swim party. The girls also had to keep themselves submerged to the shoulders in the cloudy, mineral-rich water. And she’d gotten the servants to make bathing suits for them.
"Good. And Lu Bei is going to keep an eye on everything from above."
"Yes, ma’am!” The fetch gave her a smart salute, then zoomed off into the clouds of steam that hung over the bubbling pool.
As Zaiporo and Turesobei walked down to the opposite end of the long pool,
“I can cast the spell from here just fine.” Turesobei held out the cylinder. “And with all this energy in my hands, it will be a cinch. Unless I mispronounce a syllable or something.”
They all groaned, not wanting to be reminded that a single stutter could obliterate them all. Moments later, they were safely back at the gate.
Hannya congratulated them on their success. The villagers had brought her offerings of food and jewels and were currently bowing and singing to her.
“I had forgotten how good this feels,” she said. “I almost wish I could stay longer and bask in it.”
Hannya turned around and chanted the spell to open the gate. When the portal activated, they stepped through. Moments later, they arrived back in the Nexus.
Lord Gyoroe and Enashoma met them on the platform. While Enashoma rushed into Zaiporo’s arms, Gyoroe stepped forward eagerly.
“My great work.” His fiery blue-white eyes glowed with passion as he took the cylinder into his hands. “You all have my eternal thanks. Take a week off to prepare for your next battle.”
Lord Gyoroe hurried off toward the Throne Room, with Hannya following in his wake.
“I guess I will tend to everyone’s injuries,” Turesobei said.
After everyone was healed, and Enashoma had fussed over Zaiporo and probed them with a million questions about the battle, Iniru asked, “How about tomorrow we take a swim in the Bath to celebrate?”
“But we just fought nasty water creatures,” Awasa complained.
“That’s why I want a pleasant water experience to balance it out,” Iniru said. “I was the one who had to dive down to the bottom, after all.”
Awasa groaned. “I really don’t want to.”
“Oh, come on,” Iniru countered. “We all know you’re just going to go to your room and soak in the tub all night. What’s a little more water going to hurt?”
“I’ll think about it,” Awasa snapped.
Chapter Seventeen
T he next evening, everyone except Motekeru and the hounds met in the Bath. When Turesobei an Zaiporo walked in, the girls were already there. They stood chatting in a clump near the edge of the pool. But the conversation stopped as soon as they noticed the boys. Turesobei had spent most of the day alone in his room, resting. He had assumed the others were doing the same, but maybe he was wrong. He glanced at Zaiporo, who shook his head, clearly as confused as Turesobei.
Enashoma darted over, grabbed Turesobei's hand, and dragged him towards Iniru and Kurine. “You’re never going to believe it!"
"What?"
She nodded encouragingly at his girlfriends. "Go on. Tell him."
Iniru and Kurine exchanged a look. Iniru took a deep breath and said, "We've moved in together."
“What?!"
Kurine answered. "We talked about it and decided that we needed to spend more time together, just the two of us. And the best way to make that happen was to be roommates."
"So I moved my sleeping mat and clothes into Kurine's room,” Iniru said.
"My room was closest to yours." Kurine grinned sheepishly. "What do you think?"
“Um…wow.”
Iniru snorted a laugh. But before she could say anything, Lu Bei fluttered into the room, followed by a sulky Awasa.
"I found her, Lady Shoma!"
"Oh, good. Now we can start." Enashoma waited until Awasa had shuffled over, then she gave each of them a hard stare. "Does everyone remember the rules?"
They all nodded. Enashoma had made them promise to stay at least one pace away from each other before she would agree to the swim party. The girls also had to keep themselves submerged to the shoulders in the cloudy, mineral-rich water. And she’d gotten the servants to make bathing suits for them.
"Good. And Lu Bei is going to keep an eye on everything from above."
"Yes, ma’am!” The fetch gave her a smart salute, then zoomed off into the clouds of steam that hung over the bubbling pool.
As Zaiporo and Turesobei walked down to the opposite end of the long pool,
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