Max read furiously in the conservatory. It was dark outside, and he had lit a couple of candles to give him light. Issa had left ages ago after she tried talking to him. Max couldn’t talk. He had too much research to do. He had to figure this all out. He had to figure out a way to help Griffa. A way to make his own dreams stop.

Max could not sleep without dreams coming to him. Some were nightmares of his time in Aurumist. He would be in the palace pleading for Griffa’s life to watch Philo kill her in front of him. He would be laying in a dirty, cold cell feeling hopeless. He would be back in the temple of the gods in Aurumist, and he would watch Griffa put her hand on the statue of the gods. Blood would poor from her hands until she fell to the floor dead.

If he wasn’t dreaming of Aurumist, he was dreaming or having visions of the kingdom. He would walk through the kingdom, sometimes alone, sometimes with Griffa and pass by thousands who begged him for relief. Sometimes he would find Griffa all alone. She would be heartbroken over something. Max would try to comfort her, only to be overcome by her pain and grief.

Max wasn’t sure why he was so connected to these dreams of the kingdom. He didn’t know if it had to do with his status as a diviner or the fact that he was of full Adalwen blood. He had a feeling it might be a combination of the two. Whatever it was, it haunted him day and night.

Issa tried to talk to him about it. He told her a little of his time in Aurumist, but didn’t want to plague her with all the grizzly details. He told her of his connection to the kingdom, but it was too hard to explain in full. She would sit with him. She would hold him. She would distract him, but nothing could fully take away the pain he felt.

As Max read, he heard someone come into the room. It was late, and he wondered who it might be. He turned to see Griffa walking towards him.

“Hello, Max,” she said smiling slightly and sitting down next to him.

“Why aren’t you in bed?” asked Max.

“I could ask you the same question,” replied Griffa. She looked at the book he was reading. “Is that another book on the kings and queen of Regventus. I would think you have read them all by now.”

“There are plenty more in the library of Abscon I haven’t seen yet,” said Max still looking at his book.

“Max, put the book away for a bit. I want to talk to you.”

Max sighed loudly, but he closed his book, and looked over at Griffa. “What do you want to talk about?”

Griffa studied Max for a moment. She took his hand. He felt the familiar spark of her magic mingle with his own. He gripped her hand automatically, looking down at their conjoined hands. He could see light scares around Griffa’s wrists from where the ropes burned her skin.

“I never thanked you for all you did for me in Aurumist,” said Griffa quietly. “You saved me so many times. I wouldn’t have made it without you.”

“You would have. You are strong, Griffa,” said Max continuing to stare at their conjoined hands.

“No,” said Griffa. “You reminded me time and time again why it was worth it to go on. You are so important to me. It’s funny, I’ve known you for not even two years, but I couldn’t imagine my life without you now.”

“I feel the same way, Griffa. Whatever happened, I knew I couldn’t come home from Aurumist without you.” Max looked up at Griffa. Her eyes were filled with tears.

“I know you are suffering. I know you haven’t really recovered from Aurumist. I can feel how much pain you feel right now from our conjoined magic,” said Griffa sadly.

“You’re one to talk. I can take one look at you and see the pain on your face,” replied Max. He took his hand away from Griffa.

“It’s true. I haven’t fully recovered. I don’t know if I ever will, but I must go on. You must go on. We cannot let our time in the palace define the rest of our lives. It will take time, but we will heal.”

Max felt tears come to his own eyes. He held them back and looked down. “I don’t know. I don’t know if I ever will. When I sleep, I sometimes have nightmares of the palace. I have nightmares where you die over and over again.”

“I didn’t die. You did everything you could to make sure I stayed alive, and it worked. We are home, and we are safe. We can heal, but we have to want to heal. We have to accept what happen to us. It was horrible, but it’s over. We will never forget, but we have to move on. We have so many people here who care about us.”

“I know,” said Max as a few tears fell from his eyes. “I don’t want to feel this way. I don’t.”

Griffa took his hand again. “Then let me help you somehow. Talk to me when you are having a hard time. No one will understand like I will. Don’t keep it all inside. I will do the same with you. I will tell you now that I have nightmares as well. I can’t be in the dark anymore. I have to sleep with a candle lit by my bed. I can’t be alone at any time.

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“At night, I can still smell the cells. I can still hear Philo taunting me. There are times that all I want to do is travel to Aurumist and face Philo. I want to do awful things to him. I want to kill him. I want to take the power back he took from me, but I can’t. I have a larger responsibility. I have people here that care for me and I for them. I can’t throw my life away on revenge or regret.

“You can’t either, Max. You have so much to offer. I can’t save this kingdom without you. Please, tell me you’ll try. Tell me you’ll try to heal. You’ll try to open up and let me and the others help you.” Griffa gripped Max’s hand tight. Tears fell from her eyes and ran down her face.

“I want to try, Griffa. I want to, but I don’t know,” said Max. He felt his tears fall freely, and Griffa reached over and took Max into her arms. He cried as she held him. He could feel her magic swirl with his, comforting him.

She leaned back and kissed Max on the forehead. “You can do this, Max. You have to for Nora, for Issa, for the kingdom, and for me. You swore you would serve me and the kingdom.”

Max nodded. He pulled away and took both of Griffa’s hands. “I will try. I will.”

“Good,” said Griffa. She squeezed both of Max’s hand and let them go.

“What about the problems with the kingdom?” asked Max. “Are you still having dreams of suffering in the kingdom.”

“Yes,” said Griffa sighing. “I don’t know what we can do about it. I hope soon we will know what is happening. I am thinking we may have to go out and see for ourselves, soon. We will discuss it at our next Ring meeting. Now, there is one more thing you have to do.”

Max looked away. He knew what she was going to say.

“You have to make peace with Ansel. He cares for you deeply, Max. You’re anger for him is not good for either one of you.”

“I know. I don’t want to be angry at him anymore. I don’t know how to let it go.”

“You will have to find a way. I know it might take time, but you will have to figure it out. You are two of the most important people to me in this kingdom. I can’t have you at odds. Will you try to talk to him about it soon? If not for any other reason, than for me?”

Max looked at Griffa with a small frown. “I will speak with him. I will try for you, Griffa. I can’t make any promises.”

“Thank you,” said Griffa. She stood up and held out her hand. “Come on, we both need to go to bed.”

Max took her hand and stood up. She led him from the conservatory and to the stairs, which they walked up together. At the top, Max turned to walk to his room.

“Max, if you have any bad dreams, please let me know. Don’t suffer alone.”

Max nodded and walked to his room.

The next day after lunch, Griffa took Kedan out on the lawn for his training. Ansel stood at the back window watching. Max walked up to stand next to Ansel, watching Griffa work with Kedan.

“What is she trying to do with Kedan?” asked Max

“She is trying to make it possible for him to see spells and curses. I don’t know if it will work, but she seems to think it will. After the things I’ve seen her do, I’m not going to question her,” replied Ansel.

“Would you like to take a ride, Ansel? I think it’s been a while since you’ve been on a horse,” said Max.

Ansel turned and looked at Max. “You will come with me?”

“Yes,” said Max. “I enjoy riding. I like to take Echo out at least twice a week.”

“Then let’s go, now,” said Ansel. “I have some time.”

They walked down to the stables together. Griffa stared at them as they walked by, giving them both a small. The ready their horses without much talking. After mounting, they rode fast out into the fields and to the stream. When they reach the stream, they slowed their horses down to a walk. They rode by the stream following its path through the back of the field.

“Ansel,” said Max looking forward. “I promised Griffa I would try to talk with you. I don’t know where to start, but I said I would try.”

Ansel looked at Max. “I know you are angry with me still, and I don’t blame you. I’m not happy with myself either.”

“I am angry with you. I’m not sure that I should be, but I am. I’ll think I’m getting over it, and then I remember what it was like spending those two months in the palace. I remember Griffa’s screams of pain. I remember not knowing what the next day would be like. I was so sure you would come for us, but day after day, you didn’t.

“I would lie awake at night, thinking about the battle in the Valley. You wouldn’t listen to me. I tried to tell you about Griffa, and you wouldn’t listen.”

Ansel took a deep breath. “I don’t know what to say, Max. I could apologize. I could tell you how awful I feel about it all. I could tell you that I still have nightmares about Philo taking you and Griffa. I could tell you all of that, but it doesn’t make it any better.”

“No, it doesn’t,” said Max. “Griffa could have died, Ansel. I don’t know how she survived as long as she did. I tried to get her to cooperate with those in the palace, but she wouldn’t. There came a point where they didn’t even give her the chance. I was sure each day would be her last.”

“What can I do, Max,” said Ansel quietly. “I can’t change the past. I wish I could, but I can’t. What can I do to help you?”

Max was quiet for a long moment. “Give me time, Ansel. I think I can get past this, but I need time.”

“I can give you time. I can give you all the time you want. I’ll be here if you need me. When you are ready, you let me know.”

“I will,” said Max patting his horse. “Can you promise me you will do everything possible to keep Griffa safe.”

“I promise you I will do everything to keep her safe. I am her protector, and it is my duty. More than that, I love her,” said Ansel looking at Max. “I can’t lose her.”

“None of us can,” whispered Max.

“Come on,” said Ansel. “Let’s head back. Our queen is wondering about us.”

They rode back to the stables to find Griffa standing outside, waiting for them. They both dismounted and handed their horses to the stable master, Wallis.

“Did you two have a nice ride?” asked Griffa as Max and Ansel walked up to her.

“We did,” said Ansel. He took Griffa’s hand and put it on his arm. He started walking with her slowly back towards the house. Max fell in step at Griffa’s other side.

Griffa looked at Max. He smiled back at her and asked, “Do you remember when I first came to Abscon? You two spent half your time fighting. I guess a lot has changed since then.”

“I don’t know about that, Max,” said Ansel. “Griffa, still does things that aggravates me. We still argue.”

“Yes,” said Griffa happily, “But now I always have the upper hand. I’m your queen, you can’t win an argument against you queen.”

“She’s not wrong, Ansel,” said Max laughing slightly. Griffa grinned at Max. She took his hand as they all three walked to the house together.