He opened it with a flick of his magic, then sent another spark out down the porch steps and a few feet ahead that opened up a shimmering citrine door.
Ketheron and Ambrose came into view standing there somewhat patiently—at least on Ambrose’s end—hand-in-hand.
“Come on in,” I called out, joining Vax by the door and waving them inside.
Ambrose gave a nod and Ketheron’s eyes lit up.
He almost barreled forward like a bull, but Ambrose grasping his bicep, pulled him up short. He frowned at him, but then Ambrose brushed his lips over his cheek, and the frown dissipated. “Shh, you’ll get what you need, treasure.”
Then Ambrose was telling Vax and me, “He needs to see your home. At least any spaces that are not considered private. If you will.”
I saw Vax trying to analyze the interactions, and especially Ketheron, and it clearly didn’t sit well with him that he couldn’t completely manage it—because Ketheron was an outlier. I knew, because I’d lived inGlacialis Arxwith Win’s family a few years back during that whole Cursed Servitude shitshow that Sylas had eventually saved my parents from. I’d seen a lot of it up close. Although, even I couldn’t fully predict the Ketheron of it all. And I honestly liked that about him. He was unique—andsointensely sweet and kind.
“I’m guessing before you get to whatever you came here for, right?” I spoke.
“Yes,” Ambrose admitted. “Most definitely,” he added, as he stroked Ketheron’s hair.
“Please go ahead, Ketheron,” Vax said, stepping back and gesturing inside our home.
In the next second, we were all jolting as Ketheron burst past us with barely perceptible speed, just a rush of air whipping into the house, and then up the stairs.
I chuckled and told Ambrose who was now striding up the porch steps, “Come on. Vax and me have no issue with your magic, even if it was live right now. You know, with where our natures are rooted and all that, being Ifrit and Basilisk.”
Judging by the look in his eyes, he’d already known that, but had likely wanted to be sure. And there was also Evira, her being of “pure” dragon magic.
“Evira isn’t here,” Vax informed him. “However, so long as you don’t invoke significant power, all will be well in that respect.”
“She isn’t present,” he mused to himself as he stepped into the living room, and Vax closed the door and sealed the ward. “Then we cannot make haste. We must wait until she returns.”
At Vax’s proper manners on display of inviting Ambrose to have a seat, he sank down on the fluffy white couch, as the two of us settled opposite back on the brown leather one.
He frowned at the fuzzy material, tentatively running his palm over it, looking both amused and confounded at the sight of it. It was honestly hilarious.
“Wait for what?” Vax asked.
Ambrose moved to answer, only to be pulled up short by Ketheron’s excitable cry from upstairs.
“Wow! This is delightful! Aww, tiny god, you have a perfectly adorable home here waiting for you when you return.”
Then bursts of speed zipped all around us, shaking some of the ornaments on the living room shelves, as Ketheron obviously hit the main floor with his self-directed tour of our house.
Ambrose pinched the bridge of his nose. “Ketheron,” he spoke in an even tone, not needing to raise his voice because of Ketheron’s ultra-sensitive hearing. And also… I couldn’t imagine him ever doing that anyway, even if it was somehow needed. “If you will, treasure.”
Another couple of bursts through the living room, and then Ketheron shot into view and came to a jarring, incredibly controlled stop, suddenly sitting right there on the fluffy couch beside Ambrose. “Apologies. I didn’t want to miss anything.”
Ambrose smiled and stroked his chest over his white tee. “Understood.”
“And I didn’t miss anything,” Ketheron said, with a twinkle in his eye.
“What are you referring to?” Ambrose asked, a little worriedly. “Ketheron?”
Ketheron held out his palm and there, resting on it, was Win’s amber gemstone.
“You need to return—hold on… is that…”
Their eyes locked.
Ketheron’s gleamed. “Yes. It certainly is.”
