Chapter 70: Every Word, Every One

Endlessly, She Said; AFI

“This is in our price range, got some decent space,” Cassandra said, nodding at the screen. She and Drake were flipping through house listings on his laptop. There were some options, at least, and she was going to speak with a realtor later to see what they could afford and how much in loan they could get.

There was a lot to think about suddenly. Everyone was trying not to make it sound like this was a big deal, but, it kind of was, and that reality made it harder to hide the tripping over it they were all doing.

But then, maybe it was an unnecessary precaution. Ezio wasn’t paying much attention to anything they talked about, anyway. It was like he was physically there, but in his head, he’d gone somewhere else.

Cassandra looked up and over at him. Still sitting in bed, eyes glassy and unfocused, staring unseeing out the window. Mayor Whiskers had gotten into the hospital, and up to his room a couple days before. Drake had wandered in to find him sitting on Ezio’s bed, but unfortunately even as an emotional support animal, he wasn’t really allowed access to hospitals, and they’d had to take him home.

It was unfortunate, because Cassandra thought, right now, Ezio kind of needed Mayor. He hadn’t really been speaking anymore.

“It could work,” Drake said, flipping through the house’s pictures. “Ezio, do you want to stay in San Myshuno?” Drake looked over his shoulder at Ezio.

Ezio didn’t respond right away, long enough Cassandra and Drake glanced at each other, and then he shrugged. “I guess,” he said.

Cassandra and Drake exchanged another glance. Cassie hadn’t expected him to take the news very well, but he seemed to have taken it a bit harder than she’d been expecting. Of course, she did remember, Ezio was rather old, and had lived through probably too much. Maybe this was just one thing too many.

She didn’t know how to help him. She didn’t even know if she could.

“Ezio, what you want matters too,” Drake said.

Once again, Ezio was quiet for a long moment, and then, again, he shrugged. “I guess.”

Drake looked a hair distressed. Cassandra reached over and rested her hand on his for a moment. “He’s just upset,” she said quietly. “He’ll level out over time.” Or at least, she very much hoped he did, because she wasn’t sure what to do if he didn’t. Of course, she knew as well as everyone else did. Nothing was ever going to be the same from here again.

“I hope you’re right,” Drake answered, just as quietly. “I don’t know what else to do with this.”

That made two of them. Cassandra wasn’t sure what to do for him, either, and didn’t imagine Drake had any better idea than she did. They’d have to just take this one day at a time, playing it by ear. There was no other way of dealing with this that she could think of.

“It’s only been two days, Drake,” Cassandra said. “Give him some time. It’s a lot to take in, a lot of things to sort through his feelings about. You and I both know Ezio doesn’t reach outward when he has things to work out in his head.” He tended to withdraw and pull inward, just like he was doing now.

In time, he’d come back out again, she was sure of it. It’d get better from here.

In the meanwhile, they needed to figure out somewhere else to go. Cassandra thought it’d be best to stay in San Myshuno. If nothing else, Ezio really did love the city, everyone that knew anything about him knew that. The problem was that there wasn’t a whole lot available in the city that had the space they’d need. Ezio would need it for getting around a house in a wheelchair, for manoeuvring around even with just his leg brace, and if they got a service dog, it’d need yard space to run around and exercise.

The more she thought about it, the more it felt like they needed a mansion, just because of how many of them there were in this one household, plus Ezio’s mobility concerns.

“Drake, maybe it’d be a better idea,” Cassandra said, “if just you and Ezio moved out into a house somewhere.”

“What?” Drake asked. “Why? There are more of us in this household than just me and Ezio.”

“Yeah,” Cassandra said, “but if we want to keep him in San Myshuno, there’s not a lot available that has the space and isn’t an apartment on the fifty sixth floor. And even looking outside of the city, most places that are options are giant mansions we may not be able to afford with so many of us and only two of us making any money.”

Drake frowned. “I guess,” he said. “But I don’t think Ezio would want you to go. And besides, you are helping.”

Cassandra sighed. “I suppose,” she answered.

“We’ll keep looking,” Drake said. “We don’t have to figure out answers right this second, there’s still a bit of time. Troi’s not letting Ezio leave here anytime soon.”

“That’s another problem,” Cassandra said. “He’s got to have racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in hospital bills already, considering he spent at least a week on life support.” That can’t have been cheap. And then, to make everything worse, he’d gone and died.

Drake shook his head. “It’s been paid,” he said.

“Wait, what?” Cassandra asked.

“I don’t know,” Drake answered. “I talked to the billing department, and they said Ezio’s bill’s already been paid in full. All that’s left now is outpatient care, and his insurance will cover a lot of it.”

“What about the service dog?” Cassandra asked.

“I didn’t ask,” Drake answered. “I’m not sure who did what, but I think someone paid it.”

Cassandra shook her head. “Well, no one I know of,” she said.

“I don’t know anyone that has that much to just throw away,” Drake said. And then his eyes narrowed. “Well, except for him, and he was by the other day.”

“The blond guy?” Cassandra asked.

“His name’s Kassander,” Drake answered. “He runs the first, but not the largest, vampire coven in the world. It also happens to be a mafia.”

* * *

“You’ve missed a lot,” Morgyn said, sitting down on the edge of Ezio’s bed.

Ezio was quite sure he did. As it was, he’d been gone something close to a month, if he was guessing right. “What day is it?” he asked.

Morgyn smiled. “It’s almost June now,” the brunet answered. “It’s almost summer, and term will end. I’ve been talking to your professors about sitting your exams late. I’m not sure if they’ll agree or not, but I’m trying.”

Well, worst that happened, Ezio supposed, was he had to repeat a term. But it wouldn’t be that bad in the long run. Much easier the second time around, if only because he already knew all of the material anyway. Ezio decided not to say that. If Morgyn wanted to have that fight for him, Ezio would let the sage fight it.

“It’s fine if you can’t,” Ezio said instead.

“Well, if I can’t, you’ll have to repeat the term,” Morgyn said. “That’s not exactly cheap.”

“Don’t worry so much,” Ezio said. “It’ll work out somehow.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Morgyn answered. “Well, I should tell you Cassandra talked me into unblocking her magic.”

Ezio had sensed that, yes. He wasn’t surprised, though, just a little worried. But of course, he was going to be worried about anything that potentially put Cassandra in danger. On the other hand, he had explained the risks of it to her, and she’d done it anyway. That implied she’d likely eventually decided it was worth the risks.

Ezio didn’t necessarily agree with this assessment, but thankfully, he didn’t have to.

“How’s her training going then?” Ezio asked.

“She seems to mostly be learning from Drake and Bella,” Morgyn answered. “Just as well. I unblocked Liberty’s magic, too, and she’s been learning from me. And a very old spell book handed down through her family. Ezio, she’s learning real magic, the old stuff we learnt about from the stones with writing on them.”

That meant real magic still worked, then. But that led Ezio to wondering why magic had ever changed, if old magic had never stopped working. “What else did I miss?” he asked.

“I talked to Aine,” Morgyn said quietly.

Ezio stared for a moment. And then sighed. “And why did you do that?” he asked. Aine was nothing but poison to Morgyn, but Ezio did still understand she remained important to the idiot. If Morgyn insisted, then Ezio could live with her being around again. He guessed.

Morgyn’s head shook. “It was a mistake,” the brunet said. “I thought, maybe she’d know how to find you and bring you home, you didn’t have your medication and I was scared, and desperate, and so I asked. Now I don’t ever want to see her again. You were right about her.”

Ezio shrugged. “Maybe not,” he said. “I know you always liked her-“

“She was trying to kill you, Ezio,” Morgyn interrupted. “She gave you your heart condition. She’s why you’re dying. She killed you.”

Ezio stared for a moment. Tears spilled over, and slid down Morgyn’s cheeks.

“I killed you,” Morgyn spluttered. “I should’ve listened to you, and I didn’t. And now I can’t even stop it, I don’t even know what she did.”

Ezio looked down at his hands, and then reached over and pulled Morgyn over to him. Carefully, Morgyn moved around him and rested against his side. It wasn’t like Morgyn meant for that to happen.

But for just a second, Ezio agreed. Yes, Morgyn did kill him. But thinking about it, he supposed, if anyone had a right to kill him, it’d be Morgyn.

Things turned out the way they did for a reason. Maybe because Morgyn was short-sighted and selfish, maybe because this was how things were supposed to be. Ezio wanted to live, but he didn’t know how to anyway, so it was just as well that he kept breaking himself so Morgyn didn’t have to. It was all Ezio was really good for, either way.

Well, that and telling people everything would be fine, and sounding like he meant it, amid it all obviously going to hell.

“Did anything good happen?” Ezio asked.

Morgyn shrugged. “This did?” the brunet said, holding up the sage’s left hand. There was a ring on the ring finger that wasn’t there before.

Ezio looked at it for a moment. It had that peach-pink colour to it that implied it was morganite. Of course it was. Sigh, Caleb you absolute sap. “Caleb?” Ezio asked, though he knew the answer already.

“Yeah,” Morgyn replied, hand lowering slightly. “I said yes. But I think I’m falling in love with someone else, too.”

Ezio raised an eyebrow. “I see,” he said. “Have you told either?”

Morgyn’s head shook. “I don’t intend to do anything with it,” the brunet said. “It’s better to let this particular sleeping dog just lie.”

“And you think Caleb won’t sense this?” Ezio asked. “He’s quite good at reading you, really. He’ll notice, so you may as well be honest with him and talk about it.”

Morgyn looked up at him, and then away. “I don’t know,” Morgyn said. “He wasn’t so thrilled about… and this time it’s a choice. I don’t want to hurt him.”

Ezio released a sigh, glancing at the wall. “Here’s a strange question,” he said, “when was the last time you asked how Caleb’s doing, anyway?”

Morgyn looked up at him, seemingly kind of startled, and then looked away. “I actually don’t know,” Morgyn answered. “That’s not good.”

No, it wasn’t, and Ezio wasn’t surprised by that response, given Ezio had asked him if he was okay, and Caleb had broken down into tears on him. Unfortunately Ezio wasn’t stupid, and that meant Morgyn had been being blind and one-sided on accident. It always happened eventually. Morgyn kind of went in cycles on it, or something.

“You two are just bad at fucking everything,” Ezio said, falling back down in bed. “Go talk to your fiance, idiot, before you suddenly don’t have one anymore.”

* * *

So far, Lilith had managed to keep control over Forgotten Hollow. It was to be expected. She was a decent leader type, if she bothered to act in such capacity. Caleb wasn’t very well-suited to it, but that was just as well, and fine enough. He didn’t want to be well-suited to it, either.

Still, it meant she occasionally asked for his help with this or that. It was fine, because the hospital got to him here and there, and he could use the break from it all. Caleb didn’t want to be rude and just leave, even though he didn’t think anyone would be surprised or upset by it.

As he made his way back inside, he headed up to the floor Ezio was on, and quickly found Morgyn sitting outside in the hallway, working on something. Caleb smiled softly, for a moment, and sat down next to the brunet. “How’s he doing?” Caleb asked, leaning over to kiss Morgyn’s cheek.

Morgyn leaned into it slightly, and then sighed. “He’s upset,” Morgyn answered. “I get why, but he’s trying to hide it instead of talk about it.”

Caleb shrugged. “You know how he is,” he said. “Ezio doesn’t like talking about things that bother him right away. He has to think about them on his own first. And when he’s ready, he’ll start talking then.” Not a moment before, no matter how much they all would rather he talked about it, even if it all came out a jumbled mess.

But Ezio wasn’t like that. He tended to keep things to himself, for a long time. Like he had to make sense of them in his own head first, before he could talk about them. Maybe some things, he never talked about at all, because he never could make sense of it any.

Caleb knew how that felt, maybe too well.

“I know,” Morgyn said. “I just wish he would talk about it, everything’s changed and he can’t be okay right now. Cassandra and Drake are looking at housing options, too.”

That was good, maybe they’d have somewhere to go before Ezio was discharged from the hospital. Not having to make him deal with the elevator in leg braces or in a wheelchair sounded like a solid plan. Not that it was impossible, just maybe a pain from time to time. Nothing was going to be the same after this.

“Hey,” Morgyn started, looking over at him, “so… how are you?”

Caleb probably looked rather surprised, glancing over at the brunet. Eh, never mind. Ezio probably told Morgyn to ask. “Ezio said something, didn’t he?” Caleb asked, but the tone of his voice made it clear it wasn’t really a question.

“Yes,” Morgyn said. “But he was right all the same. I haven’t been thinking about you very much, and I’m sorry for that.”

Caleb shook his head, reaching over and taking Morgyn’s hand. “You’ve been dealing with a lot, Morgyn. It’s fine.” Granted, Ezio woke up high as a kite back from the dead, crippled, and in pain, and he still managed to find time to ask how Caleb was. It wasn’t like Morgyn meant to be that way, and Caleb knew it. He tried not to be unfair about it all.

Morgyn’s head shook. “No it’s not,” the brunet said quietly. “It’s just, there’s a lot of me that doesn’t know how to think about someone else, and I have to try harder than most I think, to do it. It’s an explanation, not an excuse, though.”

Caleb shrugged. “Morgyn, you barely have the emotional and mental capacity to think about Ezio half the time,” he said, “and even that’s half-assed at best. It’s not like I don’t know this.” Morgyn had always been that way.

It didn’t mean it didn’t hurt, it just meant Caleb understood that it wasn’t purposeful. And somehow, knowing it wasn’t purposeful, it made it easier to deal with overall.

Morgyn winced. “Am I really still so bad at it?” the brunet asked.

“I’m sure Ezio understands, too,” Caleb said. He had to know. He’d been here the longest of any of them. Maybe once, Morgyn wasn’t like that at all. Caleb almost wished he could know that Morgyn. But that wasn’t his Morgyn all the same, either.

Morgyn stood up, shuffling around to kneel on the floor and hugged Caleb. “I’m trying, Caleb,” Morgyn said. “I really am. And I know I’m not very good at it, but please believe me, I never mean to hurt you.”

He knew that, too. Caleb released a quiet sigh, sitting up and resting his hands on Morgyn’s back. Caleb still had to wonder about their overall compatibility, and how long they could last this way. Because Morgyn may not mean it, but it was still hurtful. And Caleb had to wonder how much of it being hurtful he could stand before it hurt so much it’d be better to walk away from it all.

Caleb never thought he’d think that. But these last few months had changed them all, he supposed. Maybe some part of him would always love Morgyn. But he wondered if he loved the brunet enough, if maybe that really was a thing.

Expecting Morgyn to change was unfair. The brunet may never change at all, and if Caleb couldn’t accept Morgyn the way Morgyn was, was that really love? And if Morgyn couldn’t make him feel like he was needed and appreciated, was that really love?

Ezio had made him start thinking about things he probably didn’t intend to, through one, simple, well-meaning gesture. And if that was all it took, to make Caleb start questioning his feelings for Morgyn, was that really love?

And then Caleb wondered, did he know what love was? Because all of this was making him think maybe he didn’t know at all. But not right now. Caleb would leave these things for later, because right now, neither he nor Morgyn were in good mental or emotional places, and discussing these things before they were ready could only end in tears.

“I know,” Caleb said. “You’ve always been this way, Morgyn, for as long as I’ve known you. And I won’t expect you to become someone else. Just think of me, here and there, if you can.”

He’d always love Morgyn. But maybe, not always in the same way.

* * *

“You feeling better kid?” Ethren asked, sitting on the side of Ezio’s bed.

Ezio, as he’d been doing off and on, was half lost watching the breeze outside the windows. It took a moment, but eventually, he looked over at the former sage, and then back out the window. “I’m alive,” he said.

“That’s not quite the same thing as feeling better,” Ethren answered. “But I get it.”

Ezio didn’t say anything in response. And then he took a breath in. “One of my legs is dead,” he said. “The other’s weak.”

“Ezio, I’m sorry,” Ethren said. “Do you know what you’re doing now?”

Ezio shrugged. “Cassandra and Drake are looking at other places to move. We live in an apartment complex that wouldn’t be thrilled to hear the words ‘stair lift’ and ‘ramp,’ I’m sure. Troi said something about a mobility service dog, leg braces. There are some new braces out now, partially robotic, that might help. Between those and a service dog, maybe I’ll stay independent.” At least, mostly so.

“That’s a start, certainly,” Ethren said. “I know it feels like the end of the world, but it isn’t. This will get better. And maybe over time, with physical therapy and the like, you’ll regain control and range of motion over your not-so-dead leg.”

Ezio was quiet for a long moment. And then blinked and the tears fell. “I’ll still never dance again,” he said. “I’ve wanted to dance again so much for so long. And I know it was never a promise that I could someday, I just, held onto the hope I guess. It was the only thing I’ve ever wanted, Ethren. Now it’s gone forever.”

And what did it matter, anyway? Ezio never got anything he wanted. Except Drake and Cassandra, somehow, but he still didn’t understand how he’d gotten them.

“Maybe someday, things will change, Ezio,” Ethren said. “Or maybe you’ll find you want something else. No one understands what our purpose here is. … well, except maybe you.”

Ezio glanced over at him, and then his gaze went back to the window. He reached up and brushed away the last of his tears. Crying wouldn’t solve anything.

And Ethren was right. He knew exactly why he was here.

“You know what it means,” Ethren started, “when your astral chain is tied to someone else, don’t you?”

Yes. As it turned out, Ezio remembered, now, just vague flickers of it, but it was enough. The day he was born. “Yes,” Ezio said. “I remember now.”

“What are you going to do with it?” Ethren asked. “Obviously Morgyn doesn’t remember.”

Ezio shrugged. “Nothing, maybe,” he said. “I don’t think it matters now.” Of course, Ezio had begun to wonder what this meant, but it was just one too many things to think about right now. There was a lot going on, and he still had to figure out the mess with the All.

Maybe he should be asking someone for help with it about now, but Ezio had decided some few years ago, it had something to do with Morgyn. And it was better not to expose Morgyn to it until he knew what it was, and whether it was dangerous to the brunet or not.

He was guessing, it probably was.

“It doesn’t,” Ethren said. “It doesn’t change anything. You’re still the same Ezio you were before.”

Was he? Did it matter either way? Ezio didn’t think so, but he didn’t say that. He felt different, now, anyway. Not because of that, just in general. He felt like a completely different person to the one that took that lightning bolt to save his twin.

He’d still do it, of course, if he could change it. But too much had changed in the time since then. He didn’t feel quite the same.

“I need to go back to Keisha,” Ethren said, reaching over and patting Ezio’s hand. “You know how to find us, if you need one of us. Don’t be afraid to ask for us.”

Ezio looked up at him, and nodded. “I know,” he said. “Maybe I’ll come by and visit. Could you check on Mayor? I’m not sure if anyone’s gone home in a while.”

“Yeah, sure,” Ethren answered, and then stood up. “Don’t die again, kid.”

Ezio snorted. He’d try not to, but Ezio knew better than to make any promises. He was still an Ember.

* * *

Ezio slept a lot. It was probably a side-effect of still being in a state of healing, but it was frustrating. At least the ghosts were nice enough to leave him alone. Or maybe he was blocking them out like Morgyn did, because he couldn’t deal with their ectoplasmic drama right now.

He was still a very angry person about all of this, but he had no one to blame but himself. He kept saying that. But maybe the truth was, this was more Morgyn’s fault than he wanted to admit to.

Unfortunately, it didn’t help him figure out what to do with any of this mess. It was just as well he was sleeping a lot. He probably needed it, and being awake was stressful.

He woke up as he always did, to a room that was too bright for him, and at first, he was alone for once. Drake must be out house hunting with Cassandra, or something. That was fine, too, it wasn’t like Ezio was good for Drake’s mood right about now. Actually, he seemed to depress him, and that made sense.

The door opened eventually, and Caleb wandered in. He didn’t say anything right away, instead reaching over and setting something on Ezio’s chest. Ezio blinked, and looked down, to find a little furry white tiger plush looking back at him.

“Who’s this?” Ezio asked, reaching up and taking hold of the tiger’s front paws. It was awfully soft.

Caleb shrugged. “I just wanted to say thanks for telling Morgyn he’s being a dumb-ass,” he said. “You didn’t have to do that, though.”

“I know,” Ezio answered. “But I wanted to. We don’t need to be hurting each other for no reason right now, right?” Besides, it took a really dense mother fucker to miss how much Morgyn loved Caleb. Sometimes, Ezio wasn’t sure if Caleb loved Morgyn as much in return, but that wasn’t his business. Maybe that fell under Lilith’s jurisdiction. He’d leave it to her, then.

Caleb didn’t say anything right away, settling down on the bed next to him. He looked upset about something, and just when Ezio was going to ask him what was on his mind, Caleb looked over at him, and smiled.

“You know,” he said, “I’ve been thinking, and I believe you’re the glue that holds us together, Ezio.”

Ezio blinked, raising an eyebrow. “Me?” he asked. “Oh don’t be silly, it’s probably Morgyn or something.”

Caleb snorted. “Morgyn’s not even good at holding himself together, okay?”

Uh. Well. Where was the lie… “This is just… weird,” Ezio said. “I don’t really think of myself as terribly important, you know? I’m just here.” And kind of a burden, and now he was going to be more of one, because he was the idiot that took the lightning bolt.

Maybe he’d regret that for the rest of his life. And all the same, it didn’t mean anything, because if he found himself in a position to need to do it again, he would in a heartbeat.

“You’re more important than you know,” Caleb said. “So I’m really glad you didn’t stay gone. You’d really be missed.”

Ezio tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. “Are you high again?” he asked.

Caleb snorted. “No,” he said. “I just… feel like maybe no one tells you how important you are and what you mean to us often enough. And you keep saving me, so, I guess I’m hoping I can return the favour.”

Ezio released a breath. “What’d I do this time?” he asked.

“Oh, you know,” Caleb answered, “I was feeling awfully sorry for myself is all. You know, Miss Hell came back. We were talking for a while, before I killed her testing out that sunlight potion.”

Ezio looked a hair concerned, at that. “You know she’s full of shit, Caleb,” he said. “Don’t listen to anything she said to you.”

“I know,” Caleb said. “But it doesn’t stop the wondering, I guess. But enough about me, we only ever talk about me, what about you? How are you?”

Ezio shook his head. “Fine enough,” he said, looking down at the plush tiger. “I’m going to name it Kane.”

Caleb raised an eyebrow. “Why Kane?” he asked.

“Kane sounds like the start of your name,” he said. “And it’s stripey, like a candy cane.” Ezio paused a moment. “That’s lame, isn’t it?”

“Nope,” Caleb answered, laughing quietly under his breath. “I was thinking it’s cute.”

Well, Ezio could be glad for that much. “By the way,” Ezio said, “I’m sorry to have you in a hospital so much. It’s probably really messing with your emotions. If you want to go home and stuff, I’ll understand.”

Caleb looked over at him, and shook his head. “No,” he said. “I like being here with you. You worry me a lot, you know?”

“More than Morgyn?” Ezio asked.

“Definitely more than Morgyn,” Caleb answered. “But also in a different way. Morgyn tends to scream his hurts out loud. There’s never any question of whether and when Morgyn is in pain, because he makes it very obvious. I never wonder about it. With you, it’s different. It’s like you start to hurt, and you squirrel it away where no one can see it. Maybe because Morgyn’s hurts are always more important. I do the same thing. I guess that’s why I can see it when you do it. And I know hiding it only makes it hurt more. So, if you ever need to talk to someone, and can’t talk to Drake or something, I’m always here. You know that, right?”

That was a strange way of looking at it, but all the same, Ezio couldn’t tell him that he was wrong. Because he wasn’t.

“Why did you do that?” Caleb asked softly. “Morgyn could’ve handled that lightning bolt a lot better than you did. It’d still have done damage, but not nearly so much.”

Ezio released a sigh, sliding down in bed, eyes on the stuffed tiger plush. Idly, Ezio waved the plush’s front legs in the air. Kane was a suitable name, he thought. “Do you really want to know?” Ezio asked. “Because I think I know why, now.” It explained a number of things, as it turned out.

Caleb nodded. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t,” he said.

“You know you’re an empath, right?” Ezio asked.

“You’ve said that before,” Caleb answered. “And I guess I’ve always been kind of sympathetic to others.”

“No,” Ezio said, “I mean literally. You’re a literal empath, Caleb. No one’s taught you to control it, though. No one we know can, so the world simply dumps its information into your head. I know one empathic ability. I’m only empathic with spirits. And Morgyn, technically, but semantics. I can teach you how to receive memories empathically from another person.”

Caleb blinked, like that possibility had never crossed his mind, but Ezio supposed it hadn’t. That was why Caleb was so easy to influence and hurt, Ezio figured. He didn’t know how to stop it from cascading into his head. He’d have to find another empath for that, but Ezio didn’t know any. At least, that he knew about.

“Okay,” Caleb said, breathing out. “I assume there’s a reason why that in particular.”

Ezio smiled, setting Kane on top of the bed frame, and sitting up. “I won’t tell you why I did that,” he said. “I’ll show you, instead. Take my hands.” Ezio held both of his hands out for Caleb.

Caleb hesitated, but only for a moment, before taking his hands, and Ezio started to teach him how to command empathic energy.

“You’re not a boy you idiot!’

“Girls are stupid, just ignore her.”

“Come on, we’d better not go that way. Some kid got lost in there last week.”

“Maybe she will too. Good luck being a boy next life, stupid!”

Rose could still hear them, laughing back there. One of them had thrown a couple rocks, like always they did, but Rosalie didn’t pay it any mind, hurrying around the trees. Home was the other direction, but they wouldn’t come in the forest, either. Bad things tended to happen in the forest.

Rose shouldn’t come here, either, but there was very little else to dissuade the village idiots from messing with Rose. Ever since Rose had said something about not being female, or not feeling female, the village boys got it in their heads it gave them the right to say nasty things and throw rocks. Sometimes, if Rose was in the wrong place at the wrong time in town, one or another of them tried to trap Rose down a back alley, and the brunet didn’t like the idea of that.

Rose had never told anyone. It was best not to start trouble.

Slowly, their voices went away, as Rose got further from them. And then the brunet slowed down, starting to take some care in stepping around the brush. The forest spirits wouldn’t like Rose breaking every branch and root possible on the way. If the brunet started going that way, then Rose would get home by-

Rose squealed, stopping and falling backward. The brunet hit the forest floor, scooting away from the boy that’d just appeared out of nowhere.

“My dad said you’re just confused,” the boy said, looking down at the brunet. “How’d you get confused in the first place?”

Rose didn’t answer right away. Then, in a small voice, the brunet said, “I’m not confused.” Rose wasn’t a girl. Or a boy, actually. Maybe that was what he meant, because that was very confusing.

“Of course you are,” the boy answered, stepping over to Rose and pulling the brunet up off the forest floor by one arm. “Girls are girls, and boys are boys, there’s no crossing there. You’re a girl.”

“No I’m not,” Rose answered, squirming around in his grip. “Let go.”

“Girls are weak, anyway,” the boy said. “If you’re not a girl, make me.”

Rose went to argue, but the boy’s lips were suddenly against Rose’s, and the squirming became even more frantic. And then, a sparkle and burst of light shot from Rose’s hands. The boy immediately let go, and Rose hit the forest floor again.

Rose scurried backwards. The boy cursed.

“You cut my arm!” he shrieked. “Fucking bitch!”

But as he moved towards Rose, someone else moved to follow him, grabbing a stick off the forest floor and slamming it against the back of his head. The boy instantly dropped. Rose shrieked in surprise as he crashed into the debris beside the brunet, and then looked up at the second one in the forest with them.

The light wasn’t on his face, but Rose thought he looked weirdly familiar. Then, he stepped a bit closer, around the tree, and into the light. Rose gasped. That wasn’t a he at all, and she looked just like Rose. Well, a bit bulkier in build somehow, that was definitely different.

She? He? Held a hand out for Rose. “Are you okay?” the other asked, but it was a very masculine-sounding voice.

Rose stared for a long moment, and then reached up and took the offered hand. Effortlessly, the other pulled Rose up and back on stable footing again.

“I’m fine,” Rose said. “Thank you. Who are you?”

The other looked confused. “Don’t you know? You made me.”

Rose frowned. “Made you?” Rose asked. “That’s silly, I can’t make whole people.”

“Magic can,” the other answered. “I am you.”

“But you’re not a girl,” Rose answered.

The other smiled. “And neither are you.”

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