“How many siblings do you actually have anyway?”

Seppo paused, frowning. “Um, huh. Hold on, let me think.”

“Think and walk,” I said, continuing forward.

We arrived at the courtyard far too late, but at least we got there without any hassle. I breathed in the crisp Permafrost air, the cold filling me with energy. The flavors of life danced on my tongue, muted, but there all the same. The changing of leaves, the burrowing of small, hardy creatures that made the tundra of the Permafrost their home, the smell and taste of sweat from people and creatures alike. All of it was covered in canopies of prey lines that glittered like ice crystals across the grounds.

I’d barely been able to take in the beauty of it all before someone grabbed me roughly and pulled me aside.

“Ouch!” I glared at the serious-faced, black-haired she-goblin. Her dark blue eyes sparked with electricity and her touch stung. I yanked my arm away.

Diaval crossed her arms. “You’re late.”

“I know,” I said.

“Incredibly late.” Her expression didn’t change.

“I had a … rough night last night. We overslept,” I explained, trying to discreetly glance toward Seppo and then back at her.

Her eyes told me that she understood. “Hey, Seppo. Rose was looking for you. I think he’s somewhere in the stables.”

At the mention of his boyfriend, Seppo stood a little straighter. He gave Diaval a wary look, like she might possibly bite him. No doubt he would be happy for any excuse to leave the area.

“Oh, well,” Seppo said. “I better help him, then. With the horses, I mean. Help him with the horses.”

We watched as the halfling attempted to sprint off before we could catch the sight of his ear tips turning crimson.

“Well,” Diaval said. “That was easy.”

“Any excuse to be alone together.” I nodded, looking at Diaval’s semi-disgusted face. “Their love is purer than rain,” I added, smirking.

Diaval grimaced. “Excuse me while I puke.”

“Nice, healthy relationships are that unimaginable to you?”

She waved her hand. “I don’t bother with that sort of stuff. Now sit and let’s get to work.” She brushed back the leather tails of her coat to sit cross-legged on the stone tiles of the courtyard. She rested a hand on each knee, curling her fingertips from where they poked out of her fingerless gloves until blue light crackled from them.

I sat across from her in the same position, though, as usual, nothing ever emitted from my hands. Reaching down into the solid cold of my core, where I could envision my stag powers rested, I tried to pull them up, but it was like fumbling in the dark for something that might not even exist in the first place.

“Stop forcing it,” Diaval said. “It won’t come if you force it.”