And Then, There Was Fire.

seventeen.

Paula entered the office before Trey could show Lauren a page in the binder, immediately turning to face Paula as his eyes followed her back to her desk. "Sorry, didn't know you were done talking to Kurisch." She excused.

"Paula, Pusrathena? Who is that?" Trey asked as he pushed the binder towards Paula and pointed to the drawing of a woman that caught his eye. Her drawn tone was a light-colored honey as her dark crinkled hair laid over her shoulders and down her back, draping off her shoulder as she sat herself up on what seemed to be a large rock surrounded by water.

"Pseusrathena. She was also the ruler of the seas during their time. There were more bloodlines, or families, that could be rulers of the same thing. " Paula corrected Trey on her name as it's written underneath the two figures. She then smiled and looked up towards Lauren who was now focused on the drawing that mirrored Lauren with the exception of the hair length. "That's who you remind me of."

"I guess you can say she resembles me." Lauren said quietly, in denial.

Trey narrowed his eyes and looked towards Lauren, scuffing as he sat back in his seat. "More than resembles."

He could understand if Lauren wasn't taking this as serious as he was, as this was completely unexpected for him. So he could only imagine how she must have felt.

"She was actually Neveredes' immaculate. From my understanding, immaculates were to be perfect matches, where two people were destined for each other. Each God is designed for another."

"How can that be if Neveredes ended up with a normal woman?- IF, this guy is whoever you say he is, in relation to me." Trey asked, quickly adding his denial.

"Not all immaculates in Theo necessarily end up in an intimate relationship. Immaculate means....perfecto. Perfection." She smirked. "But some of my favorite stories that my grandmother used to tell me were the pairs who fell in love with someone other than their immaculate. Immaculates, such as Neveredes and Pseusrathena, are still drawn together. Think of it as eh-" She tried to find the best words in English to describe, searching the ceiling until the thought came. "partner in crime." She smiled.

"Or just best friends?" Trey asked simply.

"That's actually easier." She laughed, finally causing the two to join in a laugh with her. Paula wanted to ask Lauren details about her life or more importantly her parents, but she sensed that her mind wasn't as open to this idea yet.

"You mentioned your grandmother told you these stories." Lauren began to ask. "Isn't this all just... stories?"

Paula's smile faded as she then sighed. "When I was young, they were just stories." Was all that she cautiously replied with.

"How did your grandmother know these stories?" Trey asked.

Paula then turned to Trey as she hesitated again before speaking. "Because she was a Theoan."

Trey became nervous as Lauren's heart just raced. "How many of them are there? That's here?"

"That's a very dangerous question to ask, Tremaine." She softly whispered. She then sighed while leaning into the desk with her elbows placed in front of her. "No God or Theoan is to be here. This world is all I know, and such as the others that are scattered throughout this world. My grandmother wasn't a God or ruler like these here," She then touched the binder with her hand, scrolling the pages to refer to the numerous drawn figures. "but something happened that caused them to flee here one by one, which isn't allowed. Once Neveredes found a way to leave Theo, others began to follow. But the things my grandmother was afraid to share, was due to the fact that she was in hiding. Once Kurisch came to aid my family and I after my grandmother disappeared, I finally understood why."