Back in Laurelin and Jian’s house, Alvis and Keelia went to do some questioning with their parents. Brinely and Delisa went to the Mickinson home to try and brainstorm what the antidote could possibly be in the Throne Room. Keelia and Alvis entered the house without knocking. They were family, after all. Jian and Laurelin were sitting at their kitchen table. Jian was shuffling through files and accounts from previous years, and Laurelin was reading a large book Keelia hadn’t seen before. “Hey guys!” Keelia said, and made them both jump quite dramatically. Laurelin jumped up at once and crushed them both in a hug, kissing the tops of their heads. They pulled away, but they were all smiling. Keelia never thought that she’d enjoy having the Alies being her real parents, but they were pretty great. Nobody really knew that they were related, except for the King and Queen, and probably the other Counselors and Inspectors.

                “Hello! I didn’t expect to be seeing you here today! Off to try and revive our friend upstairs? I’m sorry to say that he hasn’t stirred all day,” Jian said, also giving them hugs. Jian messed up Alvis’s hair with his hand as they walked towards the table. It had been a few days since they’d seen each other, and it had felt a lot longer than it really had been. They all sat down on the sunlit table together. It was midday on a weekend, and Keelia was glad that the sun wasn’t dulling.

                “Actually, we were going to ask you guys a question,” Alvis said, and Keelia let him ask it. “We were with our friends today, and they didn’t know that we were siblings, let alone twins. You did tell people, right?” Their parents looked at each other.

                “We haven’t yet. We were planning on doing that, though,” Laurelin answered uncomfortably.

                “Yes,” Jian agreed. Then they both sighed.

                “We’re sorry we haven’t gotten around to it. It’s just so hard when we think about what they’ll do. What if they’re angry at us? Something bad is bound to happen. Please forgive us, but we don’t think that we should say anything about it,” Laurelin said gently.

                “But what if we wanted to come and live with you? What happens then?” Keelia asked. Laurelin’s eyes filled with tears.

                “You would want to live with us?” she asked. Alvis glanced over at Keelia, eyes wide.

                “We’re not sure, yet. but if we were, then we’d have to admit the truth then, and that would hurt people’s feelings,” Alvis said, and Keelia thought for a moment that he was reading her colors, but she nodded.

                Alvis and Keelia parted ways with a quick hug. In three days it was their seventeenth birthday. Keelia didn’t feel like she was seventeen; she still felt like a fifteen-year-old inside. Eliza and Helbry were in the kitchen preparing dinner and Keelia said down at the table. Brinely came down with the usual: “Nothing on the antidote, I’ll tell you if I find anything.” That night, Keelia and Brinely stayed up really late and tried different methods with chemicals and jewels that might work on Crypja jewels that could reverse them. “It’s no good!” Brinely sighed and shut one of his research books. “We’ve tried to mix gems with every substance that we possibly could!”

                “Do emotions count as substances?” Keelia asked, skimming one of her brother’s school books.

                “I don’t think so. But I guess that could kind of make sense? But how would we be able to give our emotions to a gem?” Brinely asked.

                “I’m not sure, can I see your key?” Brinely gave her his key, as she had asked.

                Keelia focused all of her energy into staring into the key. She decided to start with the easiest emotion to trigger. Anger. She thought of Straten and Golsvon’s laugh. About the day she found out that Brinely had lied to her. How Mr. Thisgy had lied to her and caused her to be ashamed of her music. She thought of when Fern’s memories had entered her mind all those months ago. The stress of the non-studied exams. And moreover, her general hatred of the Shen Drar. Their evil plans to dull the world, or at least, Nivara, of color and happiness. She blasted all that hate toward the gem, knowing it had a part in all of the terrible things that were happening.

                “Keelia!” Brinely shouted, “STOP!!!!” Keelia forced her mind back to the present and saw Brinely with his head in his hands.

                “Brinely?! What happened? Did I do something?” Keelia asked, scooting her chair closer to her brother.

                “Yes,” Brinely said and recovered suddenly very fast, “yes, you did!” It was late that night, and Keelia went to bed with anticipation. Brinely wouldn’t tell her what she’d done, but clearly it made him happy.

                Early on her birthday, Keelia was the first person down. There was a letter on the table. It was addressed to Keelia from an old and familiar handwriting. Samuel! She flipped it over and pulled out the piece of paper and began to read.

Dear Keelia,

Happy Birthday! It was such a surprise that you were able to come out and visit us. I gave this letter to Brinely and told him not to give it to you until your birthday. I can hardly believe that it’s been a year since you were taken by the man called Dedrick Howell and his son, Alvis. Right now, you’re unconscious in your old room, and I hope you’ll have no side effects from the attack. I  know that you like staying in Crecklington, and don’t try to deny it to yourself. You most certainly belong there, but always know that you have a home here in Tennessee as well. If you ever have the chance, come back and visit like you did.

I can’t believe how much you have matured in your year away from home. You have grown into a beautiful young woman, and I hate to admit it that I could barely recognize you when you showed up at my college dorm. Today you are turning 17 years old, and I couldn’t be more proud of you. Your love toward your friends astonishes me!  I hope that you know how much you are loved.

While you were here, I overheard a very interesting conversation with a boy called Everie and Dad… I hope that you say yes to you when he asks you. I know that you’re only sixteen, but by the time he asks you, you’ll probably already know why I’m saying this. You’re going to live for hundreds of years, and it only makes sense that you should find the perfect man sooner than later. He loves you greatly. Don’t be awkward about it, take it slowly. You’ve known each other for a while, and believe it or not, he even passed my test when he brought you in from that attack. I see it in his eyes that he cares deeply for you. And if you do say no, nobody’s going to judge you, Keelia. Everie’s a good guy. He’s a bit older than you, and he’s been of age (in your culture) for a few months.

 I love you Keelia! Happy Birthday! Congratulations on surviving for seventeen years! 

Love,

Your Brother (forever, no matter what),

Samuel Cobell

P.S. Keelia, I could never be more proud of you for how strong and independent you have become. I know that you don’t think so, Keelia, but you made the right decisions the past year. All your friends told me about your adventures.

                Keelia put the letter down, a tear slipped down her cheek. Samuel had always been there for her when she was little. She loved him so much. But what was that about Everie? She skimmed over that paragraph once more, then twice, then three times over. Come of age? Please tell me that wasn’t actually a thing in Crecklington. The age where you have a great deal more responsibility that you used to, and the day you were allowed to get married? A knock sounded on her door. It was Everie. Not Jililian and Everie, just Everie. She sat down on the couch and looked at the letter and said, “It’s open.” Everie came into the room.

                “Keelia? Are you alright?” Everie asked, and noticed the letter. He took it from her and she didn’t resist when he pulled it from her numb fingers. He sat down across from her in the armchair that belonged to Helbry. “I didn’t think that anybody was listening to that conversation,” Everie finally said.

                “Everie, I really don’t know what any of that means-” Keelia began.

                “I wanted to calm your mind from all the things you’ve been thinking about. I thought that this conversation wasn’t going to take place for another year or two, but if you need me to ask, then I will. You are-”

                Keelia interrupted. “I’m what? Not taking things seriously enough? All the things that have happened are my fault!” Keelia said loudly.

                “No, I was going to say that you are beautiful and I want you to marry me,” Everie blurted softly. Keelia’s mind went blank. I guess dating isn’t a thing in Crecklington? Do people just- get married?

                “Everie- I don’t know if this is the best idea,”  Keelia muttered, covering her head with her hands, then stood up next to him.

                “Oh. So, no, then?” Everie asked quietly. His eyes went to the floor.

                “Not no. Just, not yes either,” Keelia said, “I’m not used to the whole ‘coming of age’ thing. I hardly even feel like I know the culture of Nivara, or Crecklington, for that matter. I-”

                “It’s alright Keelia. I guess I’ll go then. Happy Birthday. I’m sorry I didn’t get you a better present,” Everie said and walked toward the door. She was torn for a moment. Samuel just gave her a letter, begging her to accept. Everie loved her, and to be honest, she loved Everie. She liked him almost more than Samuel, but she didn’t want to dwell on it.

                “Everie,” Keelia asked, he turned around. His face crestfallen. “Can we not say anything about it until later?”  Everie’s face lit up in an instant.

                “Is that a yes?” he asked.

                “I guess!” Keelia said. Everie ran forward and hugged her lightly. He pulled something out of his pocket, placed it in her hand and ran out the door. She peered out the window to see him skip the three stairs by the door and do a heel click. She laughed softly to herself. Then froze midstep. I’m only seventeen! What am I doing? Did I make the right decisions? I think I did, but I can’t let this distract me. He said we didn’t have to tell anybody, right? She looked down at the small box, and bopped off the lid. She took a deep breath, and blew it out again. Then she went upstairs and put the box on her desk.