"No, my thanks is to you." Moireth smirks.
“Yes, yes, and last but certainly not least,” Athanasius intones. “This is my brother Time, Chronomir Tenebralis, and his avatar, Rose.”
Chronomir steps forward slowly, his cane strikes the floor as he walks, echoing through the house. He is devastatingly handsome, though worn like an ancient statue left too long in the weather—beautiful still, but with cracks and shadows. His white hair is short along the sides and back, with the top left long, falling in a sweeping curtain over the left side of his face. What little can be seen beneath it appears older, more lined and wizened than the youthful, almost untouched side he shows the world.
Like all the Primordials, he has two pairs of eyes—but Chronomir’s are strikingly unique. The upper set gleams pure white, eerily similar to Athanasius’s, while the lower pair are void-black with pinprick golden centers. They're captivating, like stars swallowed by a moonless sky. When he smiles at me, it is fleeting and faltering—more like he does so out of habit than feeling.
His clothing reflects a more recent time—1970s masculine fashion with a casual flair. A fitted short-sleeved sweater clings to his lean frame, patterned in broad stripes of brown and cream, buttoned up the front. Ivory corduroy bell-bottom slacks hang low on his hips, the fabric soft and worn with age. He has style, this is sexy for his look. His runic tattoos are prominent across his bare neck, winding down both exposed arms, twisting and turning over the backs of his hands, and curling along his bare feet.
Athanasius must’ve told them about my no-shoes rule—and it's interesting that only he and Chronomir bear tattoos on their feet. Only Chronomir wears them like gloves, down to his fingertips.
He pauses before me, eyes shifting as though he’s searching for the right place to exist in the moment. Then, with slow, deliberate movement, he bows. As he rises, he leans in to press a kiss to my cheek—a gesture both reverent and mournful, like he’s seen this moment before, countless times. “This is my companion, Rose,” he says quietly, almost reverently.
She steps forward with the grace of someone completely confident in everything they do. The dark green sleeveless romper that clings like it was sewn directly onto her. She's a bad bitch through and through, that is immediately recognizable. Rose looks every bit her name—lush and striking. She’s full-figured, curvy in that envious way that some people try to mimic, but can't get without the help of a knife. Her lips are painted a deep red that catches the lightwhen she smiles, a bold contrast against her rich, dark brown skin. Damn, she is beautiful. But her eyes—her eyes give her away. Slitted pupils shimmer like a cat’s, catching the light with a predatory gleam.
My surprise must show, because Chronomir adds in that same weary tone, “She’s a panther shifter.”
Rose’s smile deepens, playful and confident. Her gaze meets mine, and something in her expression tells me she’s more than capable of handling herself. "Chronomir, please, she's met Delilah, I would have told her." Her accent carries an island flair to it mixed with a New York spin. "Ione, you have it smelling good in here." She says as she leans in to hug me.
"Thank you." I answer, my arms wrapping around her. "Everyone, well, avatars? Follow me."
"Correct rabbit," Athanasius sweeps his arm out for his siblings. "We will go to the living room."
As he leads them along, Rose, Caspian, and Delilah follow me to the kitchen. "I was half hoping," Caspian starts as he sits at the island. "That you'd be a guy. It's not so bad being surrounded by women though." He points at one of the waiting plates. "I'm starving, may I?"
"Yes, please, go ahead." I encourage them. I don't know where to start. "So, do all of you know each other well?"
"Well enough," Rose answers. "I think I have been with Chronomir for longer than anyone else has."
"How long has that been?" I ask, spooning myself some dip onto my plate.
"1972," Rose smirks. "I was 27 when I found this fantastic anklet," She lifts her leg easily showing off the silver and gold braided chain. "Thought it was amazing, and then he appears in my bedroom all depressed but cute." She chuckles. "It's not funny, he really is a melancholy fellow, he prefers that word, not depressed."
Delilah shrugs. "When all you've seen are the ravages of time, I would suspect that it's very boring, or you just get saddened at the events that seem to happen no matter what time period."
Rose nods, chewing a boneless wing. "True."
Delilah hums as she grabs a carrot stick. "Luciara and I met 10 years ago."
Caspian adds in. "Moireth and I met in 1987. I had gotten ears pierced and the next week went thrifting, found this ear cuff, and bam." He leans back in his chair. "Magic happens."
"And you?" Rose asks. "Great food by the way."
"Thank you," I nod. "I bought this house and decided to do some gardening," Sighing, I shake my head and continue. "I found a box with a ring inside, and I put it on as a joke…then Athanasius."
Rose nods slowly, but it's Caspian who answers. "He's the last piece of the puzzle, I wonder who buried him?"
"No clue," I reply. "I took the ring to a woman who deals in antiques and she was telling me how old it was."
"15th century pieces." Delilah taps her bracelet. "When Luciara says they were betrayed."
"So, everyone found their piece, and put it on, their Primordial appeared and you've just been with them ever since?" I ask. "Is it…well."
"Are we fucking?" Caspian smiles while winking. "No, Moireth and I are more like brother and sister, they disapprove of my choice partners." He attempts to mimic Moireth's voice. "You debase yourself with that one." Caspian sighs. "I love Moireth."
Delilah attempts to cover her blush. "Luciara and I are together. She calls me her consort, apparently that's the title for it."
Rose smiles widely. "It took him some time, but yes, Chronomir is lax to admit anything." She rolls her eyes. "What about you and Athanasius?"
