[Legacy of a Martyr #2] Liberation from the Masquerades (A Key Keepers novel)

Episode 16: Pool Day

When I came out of my room, everyone but Eni was gathered in the front room. Mama was with them, too. They had fans going and T was using her powers to make the air circulate even more.

Marshall looked like he was probably the hardest hit. He had his bandanna on, as did the others Engrads who weren't my sister, but his face was flush.

Mama lit up. She came and whispered in my ear, "Hey, Lan. Let's go to the pool."

"How hot is it, anyway?" I asked.

Mama teared up. "The air conditioning broke a couple hours ago, and it's a hundred and ten degrees outside!"

"If you wanna take the others, go ahead."

"What about your brother?" she asked.

I furrowed my brows. "Hey, T? Does Eni know how to swim?"

My big sister groaned and sat up. "I can't remember, so probably not."

Mama smiled. Her eyes were still sparkling. "Why would that mean he wouldn't wanna come with us?"

Did Eni like water? I had power over fire, and I didn't. Of course, that didn't mean my brother was like me.

"I give!"

I went to Eni's room and knocked before opening the door.

He was still sleeping. He was curled in a ball. Deep in sleep. I wouldn't bother him then. I could always ask him after he woke up.

"Ain?" Eni sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Are you hot? The air conditioning broke, so it's miserable hot for my mama and the others."

He shook his head. "It's hot for them? Are they gonna try to get less hot?"

I nodded. "Mama was talking about taking everyone to the pool to go swimming."

He tilted his head. "What's that?"

"I'm gonna borrow your phone." I swiped through the screens ignoring the voice prompts Eni had on his phone since I didn't need them. "This is called a swimming pool. This is where people go swimming."

His eyes lit up. "I've never seen that before."

"I could go so you don't have to stay if you don't want to." That was when I remembered. "People wear special clothes to go swimming. We'd have to find you something."

"He could just borrow from your dad. That's what the boys are doing," Mama said.

I jumped. "Jeez, Mama! Don't do that!" I took a deep breath. "I don't think any of Dad's trunks would fit him anyway."

"Don't you have any, Ain?"

"I don't like swimming." My flames pooled in my cheeks. "I'm not sure if I have any trunks. Even if I do, they might not fit you."