R U [ I ] N E D

When Life Is But a Beautiful Lie

Callan closed the door quietly behind him as not to disturb the silence that spread throughout the rest of the house. He sighed, laying a single hand against the door as he lingered there for a moment. Once her drew away, he spun on his heels and started down the hall in search of Soleil. He found Reighn first.

The boy pushed up from where he was leaning against the wall, waiting to hear how Ismerina was doing, Cal could only assume. "Can I help you?" he asked, moving to stand in front of Callan.

"I was looking for Soleil. She's been gone awhile, and I just wanted to make sure that everything was okay."

Reighn took a step back, a more casual distance between the two of them rather than one that felt to Cal like an interrogation. "She's still with my mom and Rina..."

Callan peered toward the door that Reighn has been hovering nearby. "I don't want to interrupt..."

"Then don't."

Cal swallowed, more focused on maintaining a calm non-threatening manner than being offended by Reighn's brusque manner. "Would it be okay if I ask you a couple of questions while we wait?"

Reighn shrugged indifferently. "I'm not answering anything I don't want to. If that's not a problem for you, then sure."

"No problem at all." Cal simply hoped that he might be able to learn more about Soleil and her family— and Ferndale too, perhaps— if Reighn was willing to share. "Do you and Ismerina practice magic like Sol?"

A dry laugh escape Reighn's lips and he shook his head. "No. Sol got her magic from both sides of her family. My dad was a sorcerer, but my mom's human," he explained, "Neither passed down a magic gene to me. Rina is a bit different though... She's a half sorceress, but with her health how it is, she's never been strong enough to practice magic properly." He looked to the floor wistfully. "She's always admired Sol's powers. I think she's envious, not that she'd ever admit it."

"Does Sol know?"

"Yeah... she feels bad, but there's not much any of us can do."

Callan frowned, wondering just how much the sorceress had put herself through for the sake of her family. "What about Ferndale?"

"What about it?" Reighn grumbled. "The city was against the whole citizen soldier regime that Gwyrholm is built on, and it was destroyed by war. Idiotically ironic, I'd say."

"But everyone knows that part of the story, Reighn," Cal said, pushing for more information as delicately as he could. "What don't we know?"

"I don't know... It really messed people up. I don't think I've ever seen Sol more pissed off in my life—"

"You just might if you don't stop talking, Reighn."

Both boys turned at the sound of Soleil's voice, and her cousin gave a mumbled apology. "Sorry, Sol."

She waved it off, giving him a message from his mother instead. "Auntie Oma wanted me to tell you to go to sleep. Rina's fine, but she needs her rest. You can see her in the morning."

Reighn was reluctant, but he gave in considering it was for his sisters well being. He nodded to Callan as he headed to his room. "Goodnight then."

Once Reighn was gone, Sol beckoned for Cal to follow her. "I told my aunt I'd take the first shift watching Rina, so if you want to talk, come along."

The shifter did as instructed, heading into the dimly lit room along with Sol. She took a seat at Rina's bedside, where the girl slept restlessly, tossing and turning with a thin layer of sweat coating her skin.