When I started my 2nd life utterly broken, scared, confused, the age of my mind was still that of a child. As I died at 13 again, I was mentally stagnated, and my mind was still thinking like a 13-year-old in my 3rd reincarnation. But in that time, as I lived until 25, the age where Faes stop aging physically, I was able to think more maturely. That is precisely why I ran away as soon as I could to a town on the minor Kingdom of Edelon, because no one with the smallest percentage of sanity would want to stay here if they know that they might face the same fate.
Blaming myself won't help. I know better now. I have the resilience and the maturity needed to get through this again, but with a clearer mind. My eyes are wide open, and I know what I have to do. I see the light coming from the West, from Nebelhain, from Roman. He's the spotlight I'm going after, the one who might help me save myself.
The tables changed significantly in this last year. Maybe the elders saw something different in me and are keeping it to themselves. Perhaps, this something might be the key that was missing for me to overcome this.
I may be terribly wrong, but I'm daring to have the slightest hope. To think as optimistically as I can. I won't allow myself to break again.
"Where's my little Siren?" Grand-uncle Christian came inside the library and I quickly threw the book I was looking at in the shelve again. He keeps calling me that, saying that I have siren eyes, though he said it's a compliment. "I know you are here, little Siren, and I know you can listen to me."
Aye, why did he had to come here? It's 2 am, damn it.
"Little Siren, little Siren. Okay, baby, I'll play hide and seek with you," as if I'm playing that stupid game. "So, hide, and this uncle will get you, ain't that what you want, little Siren?"
I'll stay sit right here. I won't move. If he wants to play, he can play alone. If he wants to find me, he just need to come eight shelves to the left. But why is he here again? Doesn't he sleep? Ugh, how did he even know I was in library? Did one of my Knights tell him?
"Where are you, little Siren?"
He can't be expecting me to actually answer that, can he?
It's not like he doesn't know my precise location through. Christian is strong enough to locate all people in one room, even if he doesn't has his citrine eyes on them. "Little Siren," he sang annoyingly with that deep voice of his. "Little Siren, little Siren, uncle is going to find you."
Crossing my arms and legs, I stared at where he was to come from, and after dragging it for more eight minutes, he finally came to where I was, probably noticing that I wasn't moving from here. He towered over me like a titan, not just because he's an adult, but because he's a male taller than most. It wouldn't be weird if he's 1.90m, as he's the same height as my father and grand-father. My brothers will all grow to be tall as well.
I won't, how great!
"Found you," he beamed and bend down. "A bird told me you've been sneaking into the library every night after everyone's asleep," uncle grinned wolfishly. "Are you able to read and it's hiding from us, little Sirens?" Ugh.
He's too smart.
When I frowned he chucked softy, "I get it, you won't tell me. It's okay, little Siren, I like solving mysteries, and you are one of them," he winked charmingly, and if I didn't know he's a handful centuries old, I would think he's in his twenties.
It's weird to look at the elders because they all look as young as my parents. All because Fae like us stop aging at 25. It's amazing, but so weird. And uncle Christian is very handsome, as he look similar to me.
His citrine gaze went to the shelf and he scanned the books, until he extended his long arm to get the exactly book I was reading. Clenching my jaw, I held his wrist with both my small arms, and he grinned widely, "So, I was right. You really are a genius, aren't you? The Studies of Yin Energy and it's Properties, Handwritten by Master Niminja Numina," he read the title of the enormous book and I bit my bottom lip, glaring at him. "So, not only are you able to walk and read at 1-year-old, but you also knows that you are governed by Yin energy?"
I sucked on my chubby cheeks, not making a sound.
He tilted his head in amusement, "My, my, Notus was right about you, little Siren, you are special like no other!" What? What did his spirit elemental said about me? "I haven't been this excited in centuries," he chuckled, than sat down dramatically. "You know, I'm also governed by Yin energy. There's only five people in the family with it. Well, six, with you. Me, you, my brother Aaron, sister-in-law Malia, and our parents. I mean, your grandparents and great-grandparents," I stared at his face unbothered.
Now, tell me something I don't know!
"At least in the last three millennials. We have some ancestors who were also of Yin energy, but the Alderidge were always reigned by those governed by Yang energy, little Siren. It's ironic that the strongest Fae in our bloodline were all like us, though. If I could compare our situation to any other House in Midgard, it would to Nebelhain!" I widened my eyes at the mention.
Nebelhain? Roman's Kingdom? What does he know about them? He must know a lot, as he traveled there before, no? No one in my family talked to me about him, ever. What can he tell me?
Uncle pinched my cheeks softly, "That seem to have catch your interest, hm? I'll tell you, little Siren. In counterpart to Alderidge, Nebelhain is currently reigned by people of Yang energy, except for the Crown Prince Roman, who's 4 now. Nevertheless, he's said to show a bigger amount of magic compared to his parents of little siblings. The strongest in his bloodline were all of Yang energy, such as his grandparents, Landon and Ariana Nebelhain. Landon, like myself, my brother, and mom, being an elementalist."
I already know about the last part, but I didn't know Roman showed so much magical potential even before he awakened at 5. Which will happen in a year from now, I guess, as it happened in all of my past lives, I believe it to be a unchanging point in time.
"Between his ancestors too, the strongest were all of Yang energy. I know them because me and Aaron had a rivalry with Landon," what? "A friendly one, but still. Me and your grandpa are only a year apart, he was born in early winter a year before me, thus he's of the Water element; I was born in late winter, on August 1st, same day as mom, and near your birthday, and that's why we are all of the Air element. While Landon was born in late spring on the same year as my brother, so he's younger than him and older than me. His grandson also was born around the same time, I believe it was in December 8th, so he's also of Fire."
I never knew Roman's birthday, only that it was in December and that he was indeed of Fire. To think we are born in the same day, it warms my heart. 8 of the 8th and 8 of the 12th. Yin and Yang. Fire and Air. We may not be so compatible, but I love it still.
"Thinking now," he looked at me as if he was only seeing me now. "You might be able to rival his grandson!" Why would I ever want to rival Roman? "Oh, my Gods. This amazing, to think Aaron's granddaughter will be able to rival Landon's grandson. My little grand-niece. It's almost poetic. Ha!" He exclaimed overjoyed. "That's it. It's decided. I'll train you."
What? How did he come to that?
I blinked confused and he kissed my cubby cheeks, "Little Siren, you got yourself the best master ever. Aaron may be a stronger elementalist than I am, but I'm stronger physically wise. I was always better than him at Yin-Yang, martial arts, and swordsmanship. We are compatible, not just in Yin energy but in our strongest element, Air," he exclaimed passionately. "And if you end up having Water as your second strongest element, I'll be able to teach you even more."
Which is, indeed, the case.
"First, let's work you to awaken, got it? That little monster will definitely awaken soon and make history, according to what Landon was bursting about to us. You have to awake soon as well, okay? So, let's first work on your acupoints!" He caressed my black wavy hair. "Aaron will, one hundred percent, help on training you. Mom might too, as she's enchanted with you. We can keep it from your parents and siblings, and only tell them when you fully awaken, or it could cause an unnecessary commotion!" Wow.
Is he genuine on this? Because if he is, this might be the chance I was needing to grow stronger. I won't rival Roman, he isn't my rival, he's the one I want to be with, and they might unconsciously help me getting that. If I grow stronger with their help, maybe it'll make it easy for me to get to Roman.
Never have I imagined them to be so close to Landon Nebelhain, but this might be a golden chance. If he gets his eyes on me, he definitely will want to take me to his family. I hadn't considered him, but he might end up being the chess piece that will get me to my goal.
Better yet. If I get Christian, Aaron, Malia, Medea, and Maven on my side fully, with their ambition, there is no way in hell they will allow my parents to sell me to neither Montara, Thornbury, or Astrophel. There's no way, especially if their rivalry with Landon Nebelhain is indeed friendly as uncle Christian is saying.
Bloody hell. They might save my ass more than I thought possible.
"What do you think of my idea, little Siren?" Uncle Christian took me out of my mind. "If you agree, pinch my nose!"
Without even a second thought, I did it. With a hard pinch.