I didn't wait up for Val last night. I was too exhausted after cleaning the muddy marks Valore left behind. I didn't even make it to my own room, and I fell asleep on the sofa instead.
I could have left the mess until morning, but Ba wasn't feeling well, and I wanted to care for him after serving my siblings their breakfast. Besides, if I didn't attend to their whims immediately, they'd just argue over my attention. Both of them have such short fuses.
Dawn was breaking when I was roused by Aphro nuzzling my face. I accidentally swallowed a few of her hairs. She meowed persistently, clearly demanding my attention.
I sat up slowly on the sofa and looked at her, my brow furrowing as I remembered her condition when Ba brought her home. Her bandaged paw was still wrapped, but it was strange—she could walk perfectly fine now, and she didn't yelp in pain when I touched the leg Ba said had been trapped in a rock crevice.
She rubbed against my side again, her tail swishing gently, before climbing onto my lap and settling down. "Meow."
"Do you have some kind of power too, Aphro?" I murmured, studying her. "You're walking just fine." I glanced around the dim room, yawned, and stretched before picking her up and placing her back on the sofa. I turned to face her. She stared back as if trying to tell me something. "Is Val home yet?"
"Meow."
I sighed. Silly. At least the cat answered with a "meow," even if I had no idea what it meant.
"Stay here for a bit," I told her. "I need to check on Ba and start breakfast." I left her on the sofa and walked to Ba's room. Since it's on the ground floor, right across from Val and Valore's rooms, it didn't take long.
The door wasn't locked—Ba never locks it. He says it's because when nature calls in the middle of the night, a locked door is a hassle. I've told him to lock it for safety, but he never listens.
"Ba?" I called softly. I knew he was still asleep—the light from the window was just a pale gray—but I needed to be sure he was okay. I always do this: call his name, and if I hear even a sleepy mumble, I'm content. But this time, there was no sound at all.
I stepped inside and walked quietly to his bed. "Sleeping so soundly…"
He was lying on his side, facing the window, so I couldn't see his face. He wasn't snoring, which was unusual; I always heard him snore when I checked on him. I just watched him for a moment before sitting on the edge of his bed. My gaze drifted around the room, landing on the few framed photos of his late wife, Val, and Valore together. That was from a time when their mother wouldn't let me be in the family portrait because I wasn't a family.
When Ba later insisted on a picture with me, Val, Valore, and their mother walked away from the session. So, it's just a photo of Ba and me.
I never held a grudge against their mother. Maybe she just didn't know me well enough. I was terribly shy back then, always hiding behind Ba's clothes in public if I could.
In that picture of us, Ba had tickled my side, making me laugh so hard he started laughing too. It's a happy memory.
I looked back at Ba, sleeping so peacefully. I brushed his forehead and smiled. But as my fingers lingered, a cold dread seeped into my chest.
"Ba?"
No answer. No sound, no movement.
"Ba?" I said louder, my voice trembling. Nothing. I shook him gently, then more urgently. Tears began to well in my eyes as panic clawed its way up my throat. I stood up, my hands shaking as I kept trying to rouse him. Tears finally spilled over. "Ba…!"
Then I heard it—a faint snore. I froze, staring at him. I shook him again and called his name.
He stirred. He shifted, then opened his eyes, squinting at me in confusion. "Sol? Why are you crying? What's wrong?"
I smacked his shoulder lightly.
"You scared me!" I wiped my tears on my sleeve.
He chuckled, the sound rough with sleep. "I was just teasing you. I heard you come in."
"You think that's funny?" I asked, looking away. I felt him sit up beside me. I leaned my head against his shoulder. "It wasn't a good joke. You really scared me."
"I just wanted to see your reaction," he said, his laugh softer now. He put an arm around me. "I won't always be here, you know. Once I return you to your real mother, you might not see me again."
I frowned at his words. "You can't return me that easily, Ba," I whispered. I hugged him back. He truly felt like a father to me. I felt his love, even though I wasn't his by blood. Since I was a child under my mother's care, I never knew my own father. My mother said he was killed in the conflicts that tore Astrea apart while she was still pregnant with me. I never met him. That's why I'm so grateful to Ba. It's also why I'm terrified of anything happening to him. "There's still the Scar to figure out how to cross without getting killed by the things that live there."
He looked at me. "That's why I keep saying we must find Litha," he murmured. "Only she can find a way to lift this curse from Astrea."
I looked at him. "You still believe in the Sun Goddess, Ba?"
He frowned. "Why, don't you?"
I averted my eyes. As I've said, I have no idea about this 'Sun Goddess' Litha. It doesn't seem believable because she's made no sign of herself. If she were real, she would have created a way across the Scar, or just removed it.
"The stories about her seem too… epic," I said. "Because if Litha were still here, or was real, she'd fix this broken world we're living in. She'd fix what's happening to her people. Look what happened. Instead of uniting, things got worse."
Ba sighed. "Ah, Sol, you're still young. Litha can't fix everything, especially people. People aren't all the same. There are good ones and bad ones. All Litha can offer is a path—a chance for this world to find a better way. What you imagine won't just happen. You have to work to make it happen, right? That's how it is with Litha. She's the path, and we are the ones who must walk it. It depends on how people choose to think."
I smiled at his wisdom. "That's why I admire you so much. You're not just a good advisor, you're so kind to me!"
He laughed. "It's not just about being kind, Sol. I'm trying to make up for what I lack with you and your siblings. I want the three of you to get along, to care for each other, even if they hardly notice me. You're the only one who does, even for the small things."
"Whether the act is big or small, it leaves a mark on a person's heart, Ba."
He nodded. After a few more minutes of quiet conversation, his expression grew serious again. He was still holding me, but his grip loosened. Finally, he removed his arm from around me and simply placed a hand on my shoulder.
I asked him again if he was sure he was okay. He said he was fine and not to worry. I wanted to challenge him, to say I knew he wasn't telling the whole truth, but he spoke first.
"I want to find Litha," he said, his smile weak. He sighed. "Even if all I ask of her is to return you to your real family, to where you truly belong. If only I had an affinity like others, like my two children who were lucky enough to be chosen by the light… maybe I could have found her by now."
I took his hand and laughed softly. "What are you talking about, Ba? Don't you see? Their affinities are useless for crossing the Scar. No one knows how. Maybe even Litha doesn't know. The Scar was born from people's discord. Litha had nothing to do with it. Maybe the stone my mother spoke of… but that's all so vague. Maybe even that came from the people."
He looked away. He stood slowly and walked to his dresser, pulling something from a drawer. When he turned back, he showed me a small, dark stone. It was modest and looked ancient. He walked back and sat beside me. "This stone is a fragment from the one the people broke apart. I took it before I pulled you away from the Scar. Sometimes, when I hold it, I can still feel the energy it holds. That's why I still believe the Sun Goddess is still alive." He handed it to me.
I examined it. Ba told me to feel its energy, but all I felt was its slight weight and cool surface. I said nothing, handing it back quickly. I didn't want to talk about this. Every mention of that stone dragged my mind back to the past.
"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked, changing the subject. Even though he nodded, I told him to stay in bed and rest, and that I'd bring him breakfast. He agreed, and I left his room.
I found Aphro in the hallway, trotting toward Ba's door. I let her in as she meowed her way inside.
"Watch over Ba for a bit, Aphro. But don't bother him; he's not feeling well!" I closed the door and headed for the kitchen.
There, I found Val rummaging through the fruit basket. His hair was disheveled, his clothes wrinkled. The hem of his loose pants was muddy—it seemed he, like Valore, had walked home last night. I also noticed a small tear in the shoulder of his shirt.
I wasn't going to approach him, knowing his temper was still volatile. But then I remembered the letter from his friend. I hurried back to the sofa, grabbed the rolled-up paper, and walked into the kitchen.
Our eyes met. The pure disgust in his gaze as he stared at me was palpable. I let him look.
"Didn't I tell you not to show your face to me?" were the first words out of his mouth after a few seconds of glaring. He strode toward me. I didn't flinch or back away. I just looked back at him. He raised a hand, and I felt the air begin to stir violently around it, the pressure building against my skin.
But I moved first. I thrust the rolled paper toward him just before I felt the constriction around my neck, cutting off my air. The force pinned me against the counter.
He looked at the paper in my hand, his own still raised threateningly.
I clutched at my throat, gasping. "A… a letter…" The pressure tightened. "A letter for you… from your friend."
He scowled. "What letter?"
"L-Let me go first," I managed to choke out.
"What if I don't?"
"I-I'm serious. H-He came… he came here last night to give this to you—" The pressure vanished suddenly, and I sucked in a ragged breath. "Your friend came last night with a letter. He was looking for you, but you and Valore weren't back yet, so he gave it to me to pass on."
He snatched the paper from my hand and unfurled it quickly. His eyes widened as he scanned the contents. I wanted to see what it said, but I didn't dare—we weren't close, and interfering might be the last thing I ever did.
"Shit!" he hissed under his breath. I frowned, watching him. He snapped his attention back to me, his face unreadable. "Did you read this?"
I shook my head. "N-No."
He pushed past me without another word, shoving my shoulder hard enough to make me wince. I rubbed the spot, watching as he stormed out of the kitchen, clearly in a hurry.
"Wait—"
"Don't talk to me!" he shouted over his shoulder. The kitchen door slammed shut with a blast of wind that washed over me. And the loud bang made me jump and flinch.