I was swamped with books while my mate, Elizabeth Fraye, was watching me like a hawk, saying nothing. I threw one finished book at her without looking, and she giggled. I heard her chair move and went to my side. I knew what she was about to do, but something had shifted her mood when she saw what I drew.
"Are these the items you were looking for?" Fraye asked, sitting beside me as she checked the drawing.
"Hm, I'm not sure, but they were the thing I had in my mind whenever I thought of them," I answered honestly before adding, "That's why I'm searching for whether there was such a thing around here."
"These things weren't around here," she said as she stared at them.
I frowned before wondering, "You've seen them?"
"Not all, just two of them," she answered as she showed me the two drawings I had. Then she pointed to the sword, pierced on a rock, saying, "This one was the Hero's Dragon Blade, but it was kept and sealed as an ancient sword like Excalibur at the heart of Dragon's mountain. I heard that nobody could ever pull it out or even get near it."
My eyes narrowed, scrutinizing before asking, "And how did you know it?"
"Let's just say I was borrowing something there when I saw it." She grinned, indirectly answering my question.
I narrowed my eyes more, but I waved it off. "Fishy, but I'm not going to pry if you're not ready to tell me about it."
She giggled. "Funny." Her voice became soft yet steady, saying, "But the answer will be there if this is one of the items you're looking for."
I nodded before wondering about a shield. "About the Guardian's Shield?"
"Hm, about it, it's a golem's precious shield. It was like an heirloom, a symbol of a very strong golem knight. I've seen it when I met a golem knight, and to be honest, that fight was very difficult on my part because I use blood, and golems don't have any." She answered what she recalled before adding what she knew about it, "But from what I heard, there was only one strong golem knight who used it, and since there's no successor anymore, it became an old, forgotten item of the golems."
"And these two?" I asked, showing them my drawings.
"Hm, I heard rumors about them, but nobody has actually seen them," she answered, but her eyes squinted as she seriously studied the drawings: a teardrop and a fiery feather-like inside the orb. "But your drawing seems real."
"What rumors about them?" I wondered.
"Hm, this teardrop, I think I heard it around the fairies known as Fae's Tear." She answered, starting by pointing to the teardrop drawing before adding, "I think it was the fairies' rarest gift from the fairy queen. They said that the fairy queen's tear has the power to see lies and read hidden emotions." Her voice was skeptical from trying to remember what the rumors she heard about the teardrop before continuing, "It was powerful enough to be searched by anyone seeking power, which made the fairies return home and hide from everyone's greed."
"Well, it could be powerful if people knew how to use it, but to others it would be a petty power to obtain," I said, stating what I thought of the power. Then I asked as I turned to the last drawing, "And what about this one?"
"From your detailed drawing, I think it was about the phoenix queen's rare gift to give to her chosen one," she answered, trying to remember what she heard about it before continuing, "From the rumors I heard about it, and if my judgment isn't wrong, this is connected to necromancy, and it's the rumored Flame of Life & Death."
"Does it mean literally like that?" I wondered, and she nodded.
"Yes, but it also had other powers like healing," she clarified before adding, "But of course, nobody could ever have it or see it in person. And if they do, they won't be able to picture this detail."
"Then why do I know exactly how they looked?" I wondered, yet somewhere in me, I already knew the answer.
"Maybe because you're close to necromancy or perhaps it's your spirit wolf," she answered, shrugging her shoulders. Then she looked one more time thoroughly at my drawings and the stuff I already had with me before saying, "From what I could see here and the timing of Mycillas' desire to meet you in person, it might have something to do with your Spirit Wolf's awakening."
"If that was the case, then there would be a potential time that I would be able to morph into a wolf again," I guessed.
"It could be. But don't get your hopes too high about it. See it thoroughly, and when it does, grab it," she advised as her eyes softly looked at me.
"I know…" I muttered before I read again.
"I'll get you something," she said and kissed my temple before leaving me alone with the books.
***
I know it was not the right decision to leave me alone with books because I wasn't sure anymore how I ended up inside the very restricted room. I looked around, and I was once again surrounded by books, notes, and crumpled papers scattered around me.
"Hm, I fell asleep throughout my research." I yawned, stretching my body before checking the notes I left. I was even surprised at myself by seeing a detailed drawing, a map. "How did I…oh, never mind. I had been like this whenever I'm too absorbed. But a map…that's new," I muttered, reading the map as I compared it to the real but old map, and sighed. "This map…is something I created only for me to read…what a clever self."
I know that was an arrogant monologue, but it was useful in case it was stolen. I sorted my notes and sketches in order as I checked the books where they were. It was stuck before adding another note, and when I was about to put them back, I got dizzy.
"Reaper," I whispered, and he appeared in his tiger form to prevent me from falling before supporting me to sit back on the ground. "That's nothing new, but…it isn't subsiding…" I was drowsy when I heard frantic footsteps heading here, and the next thing I felt was my two wives' presence. Mirxalyn was already pulled into her arms, worried, while Fraye was furious. I pulled away and said, "Fraye, don't glare at my guardian like that."
"Sorry, but when it comes to you, I'm— " Fraye's voice was grim, and I haven't heard that before. I flinched in Mirxalyn's arms, trying to hide from it. But it quickly subsided as she narrowed her eyes at me before kneeling and biting my finger out of the blue. Then she threw it aside. I was surprised when it became acidic. "Your blood is defensive of me."
"Defensive?" I frowned in wonder.
"May I?" I heard Mirxalyn's voice, and before I could even respond, she bit my neck where she marked me. I moaned a little, and by the time she licked it, she kissed my lips. "Her blood tasted the same for me."
I was blushing, hiding on her neck before asking, "What does it mean then?"
"I'm not allowed to drink your blood," Fraye answered, sighing before kissing my lips.
"So, what made you lose track of time this time?" Mirxalyn changed the subject as she looked over the books and papers scattered around us.
"The research that I wanted to look for when we travel," I answered as I pointed to the detailed map that I've created, and Fraye gave it to me.
"This is the Celestial world map," Mirxalyn said.
"Not exactly, but it was close because even hidden islands were here too," I corrected proudly as I pointed out some uncharted islands.
"You did not create such a map." Fraye chuckled as she sat beside me, looking at where my fingers were.
"I just did," I replied, giggling too.
"And for the travel we're taking soon?" Mirxalyn guessed, and I nodded.
"Yes," I answered, giggling, snuggling with Fraye.
"But before that, you need to get ready yourself," Mirxalyn said seriously, and I nodded.
But Fraye's aura became very protective after I almost fainted. I knew she was worried, but she was becoming like Mirxalyn when it came to my safety. I stared at her, and she smiled at me when she noticed my look at her. But despite her smile, her eyes were still worried about something she was not telling us.
Then she touched her wrist tattoo, and it became a bracelet before putting it on my wrist. Then she said, "Darling, take this with you."
I looked at it, and it was a simple rose gold bracelet with two bloody gems and a rainbow moonstone in between. Then I pecked her lips before wondering, "Thanks, but why give me this?"
She smiled sweetly at me before teasing, "Well, you had been receiving gifts from Mirxa, so I made this." I didn't take it seriously and glared at her. She looked away, giggling sheepishly before answering me truthfully. "It'll protect you whenever Reaper or Mirxalyn can't."
"You're not coming with us?" I asked carefully.
"I can't. I had to be the acting queen here," she answered, which was understandable, but part of me wishes to have more bonding with her outside the empire.
"I understand. I just hope you'll be able to come with us," I said hopefully before sorting the notes in order and giving them to Mirxalyn. She looked at them, frowning, before looking seriously at me. Then I said, "I knew you knew them, and we're going to look for them."
"But they were kept hidden away from everyone's knowledge, and only chosen ones could find them. Are you sure they were the ones you were looking for?" Mirxalyn's voice became cold and firmer as she asked, and I nodded. She sighed, getting up before saying, "Then you need to train because where they were protected is somewhere that isn't easy to face."
"You knew where they were?" I asked curiously.
She sighed before answering, "If the sea and land haven't changed much, then perhaps we could find it easily." Then her voice shifted and softened, saying, "But for now, rest. Your body needs it. Fraye and I had to discuss something for our travel."
"Noted. I'll be in our bed…" I said grinning, and when I was about to walk, I got dizzy again. Luckily, Fraye caught me.
"Don't speak anymore." Fraye's voice was soft but became serious when she commanded my bat. "Reaper, take her to our room."
"Fraye, don't be harsh on him," I warned Fraye as I hopped on Reaper's tiger form's back.
"You will know the reason why." Fraye's voice was stolen but quickly softened as she kissed me, followed by Mirxalyn.
"Go, Reaper. We'll clean this place," Mirxalyn said coldly, and Reaper took me to our bedroom.
***
When I got back into our bedroom, I was in the bathroom finishing my bath when I saw my tattoos begin to fade until they were gone. I frowned, confused, but when I checked in the mirror, they were still there.
"What just happened?" I wondered, tilting my head to my side, thinking carefully about it.
'Don't think too much about it. It won't fade; it won't show on your skin but only with your wolf.'
"Are you talking about yourself, Sage?" I asked with sarcasm, and she laughed. I became quiet for a second before wondering seriously, "What will happen once you're back?"
'Are you afraid that I'll steal your wife, Mirxalyn, from you?'
"Sage," I warned, but my voice came out wavering a little, and it didn't escape from her Fenrir's ears.
'You wavered.'
"Who wouldn't when you had a past with each other?" I rolled my eyes, obviously annoyed and slightly frightened because Sage was Mirxalyn's past lover, and I hadn't told her about her existing in me.
'Fair enough. But let me tell you something, I am you, and you're me. So rise up and claim who you were meant to be.'
I sighed, saying, "You made it sound like I'm different."
'Aren't you? You've changed and kept growing. Don't stop. Keep going.'
I turned away from the mirror and continued changing. "You make it sound easy, but in reality it is hard."
'Maybe if you lost your focus.'
"Maybe…" I sighed as I soaked myself in the tub, relaxing, saying, "This is going to be tough."