Roan's words bothered Ash for the rest of the day. She returned to help Nydia after the Holy Pass, and while the woman gushed about her reunion with Callum, Ash mulled over the new information Roan had provided her.

The night of her disappearance, Odella had left the tavern after darkness had overtaken the city for a private meeting with the priest. Roan had known this. Had watched her leave, even. But their plan hinged on Odella's growing friendship with the priest, so he'd not stopped her.

"I wish I could go back, change my decision that day. At least follow from a safe distance. Anything to prevent whatever happened," Roan had told her before they separated again, voice thick with emotion.

None of this was what ate at her, though. No, it was the young man's genuine joy upon seeing Odella. Because if what Roan said was true, then did he believe the priest had done something to her twin? But then he would have been confused by her recovery.

Unless he had faked his happiness.

But if he hadn't, and it had been real, then what did that mean? Roan wouldn't suspect him for no reason. Had Odella walked into an accidental trap? She thought back to how the people spoke prayers that no single god, much less a Terror, could grant. Maybe a much greater veil was being pulled over all of their eyes. Could they all be innocent in this?

As a couple more days passed, Ash found herself wanting to believe that theory more and more. The people of Volant proved again and again their kindness and generosity. Roan was pulled away quickly for his own tasks, leaving her alone, and she found herself easily figuring out things without him there because of how amiable everyone was. Even the grouchiest of citizens had moments of good humor and shared smiles.

She was in the middle of weeding the flower garden of one of these grouchier people—an elderly widow with scarring she told stories about every time Ash stopped to help her—when someone cleared their throat.

The grumpy woman glared from her spot on the porch. "Don't you see she's busy with something at the moment, boy?"

A deep, warm chuckle sounded from the same spot as the throat clearing. "Sorry, Winnet. I just hoped I could borrow Odella for a few moments."

Ash stilled at the familiar voice. She'd not had a chance to speak to Roan about all the thoughts swirling in her mind. One of the other three was always around, and the town had grown so busy that she never had a moment alone during their working hours to speak with him. This left her with all her worries and no reassurances as she turned on her knees to face the dark-haired young man with the too-open smile.

"Would you be open to that, Odella?" the priest asked.

She swallowed. Odella could only give one answer, no matter what Ash wanted. That in mind, she smiled and stood, swiping dirt from her dress. "Of course, Callum. That sounds wonderful."

Putting a name to the one who had been a distant, dangerous priest still felt wrong, and using it more wrong still. But Odella would use it, because Odella had formed a close friendship with him, even if it was false.

Ash, however, mentally prayed for Roan to appear out of nowhere. Some said Scions heard the prayers of the people and carried them to the gods. She had never thought much about that, but she really hoped at that moment that it was true.

Winnet snorted from her spot on the porch. "You two will be gone until the sun has set over the hill, I'm sure of it," she said. "Do you want this old sack of bones to hurt herself weeding that garden?"

Any nerves that may have hindered Ash's smile melted as she turned to the grumpy woman. "I will be back today, Winnet, even if it means I have to weed in the dark."

She waved a finger at Ash, her wrinkles deepening as she scowled. "Now, if you do that, these townsfolk will think me a Terror working you to death!"

Ash fought her instant desire to frown. She hadn't realized that the people of Caeleria believed in Terrors given their tendency to worship the worst of them as gods.

The priest—or Callum, as she'd need to start calling him—distracted her from these thoughts by laughing good naturedly. "Nobody could think that of someone as sweet as you, Winnet."

She made a disgusted sound and waved him away. "Get out of here, you two, before you turn my hair grey."

Ash saw no reason to point out that her hair was already grey. Based on the twinkling glance Callum sent her way, he shared the same thought. He stepped back and executed an elegant bow. "After you, my lady."

Despite all her anxieties, Ash found her lips quirking up. She summoned all her experiences of Odella to her mind and let it guide her actions. Almost as if gaining a mind of its own, her body dipped into a courtesy.

"Why thank you, your holiness," she said, and her heart lurched. When they were together, Odella and Ash could be silly and playful, but around others, Odella was the only one who did well at carrying that same confidence.

All her mental preparation had worked, though. She mirrored Odella physically with her glamour magic, and with her memories, Ash channeled Odella's personality, too. Based on the grin she earned from Callum, she had even done it well.

This was good. She could do this. Her heart had no more reason to twist with pain and longing. She was getting her sister back.

Ash took the first steps forward, and Callum fell easily into step beside her.

Silence filled the space between them for the first few minutes. It was an easy quiet, as if it was settled around them rather than waiting to burst. Callum still wore his all-white robes and matching gloves, and the more Ash looked at it, the more she found she didn't like it. It didn't complement his copper skin or his dark locks. Even his eyes were the color of the dark waters. Something needed to break up the monotonous cloth to make it work.

Callum faced forward, but his lips pulled up into a smirk. "You're staring," he teased.

Ash's cheeks warmed. "I was just thinking how your robes could do with some embroidery."

"Yes. You have told me this a time or two before." His eyes flicked to her. Amusement glinted in their depth, but along with it the barest edge of a challenge.

Any embarrassment over the staring or fear she had over bringing up what Odella had already said melted away. She grinned back at him, her twin's face continuing to give her a confidence she wouldn't usually feel. "I may tell you a few more times if it will help you add to the drab material."

He placed a hand over his heart and gasped, though the twinkle never left his eyes. "You would have me be so sacrilegious as to mar my holy clothing for the sake of fashion?"

"It must be a crime against holiness already to be wearing that," she teased.

Before he could retaliate, someone shouted, "Odella! Priest Callum!"

Tonnie waved excitedly at them. Her wave turned into a pinwheeling motion as she struggled to regain her balance. The foolish child stood atop a tall wooden railing. One of her friends squealed as it looked like she would topple over, but she managed to stay on it.

Callum sighed and strolled over. "Tonnie, what has your mam and papa said about you climbing on things?"

The girl pouted, but she didn't put up a fight when Callum scooped her up and placed her on the ground. "I only falled once, and I didn't even break anything!" Tonnie grumbled.

Grinning, Callum patted her head. "Maybe if you walk across things that aren't so thin, you won't risk falling at all," he said, giving her a conspiratorially wink. "Now go on. How about you and the others play something safer? Or even head to the beach? The water is amazing today."

They bid farewell to the children, and then Ash and Callum continued their walk. It didn't last very long before an elderly couple stopped them to ask Callum how festival preparations were going at the town's temple. They'd only just escaped that interaction a few moments before a mother with a babe swaddled to her chest asked them to help her with her groceries. After that, most of their stops weren't long, but it seemed as if everyone wanted to say something to Callum, or more specifically Callum and 'Odella.'

Callum took each interruption in stride. He smiled kindly at the townsfolk and spoke to them as if they were best friends. Though when they'd turn away, he'd glance toward Ash and roll his eyes to the sky. There was nothing malicious or snarky to the action. It was more like an exasperated family member who chuckled at their overbearing relatives.

"I apologize for the town," Callum said later. Sand gave under their feet and waves crashed to their right. They'd finally escaped interruptions by arriving at the beach. "They are always a lot more interested in me near festival time, and with your reappearance and our meeting yesterday..." He chuckled, a slight blush coloring his cheeks. "The rumors seem more rampant."

It was Ash's turn to laugh. "Don't apologize. It's endearing. You'd think the entire town sees you as their son rather than their priest."

He shot her a quizzical glance, and for a moment she worried she'd once more repeated something Odella had said. Then he pushed onward, though, and she let herself breathe. "I suppose that happens when most of the town has known you since you were running around the streets in your diaper."

Ash gaped. "You ran around in your diaper?"

The color on his cheek darkened, but he still smiled as he nodded. "Back when my father was the priest. I insisted on following him everywhere, but as a tyke, I hated wearing clothes."

"Quite the opposite of now, where you're covered head to toe," she teased.

Callum rolled his eyes at her before turning his gaze to the ocean. For a few minutes, the only sound was the lapping water. Ash studied his profile, imagining a tiny version of him with the chubbiness of a baby darting around in nothing but a diaper.

The image was adorable.

It also constricted her heart and lungs as efficiently as the largest of snakes.

Every second in this gods-forsaken town only confused her further. She held fast to her conviction that the Serpent Terror had spun a lie around the entire population, convincing them of its lies. They worshipped it without knowing what it was, without knowing what it did. Stories of blood sacrifices? That had to be exaggerated. Or maybe the Terror could put the people into a trance.

These people weren't evil. Callum wasn't evil.

They couldn't be. They couldn't be this good and also be that horrible, right?

"Odella, what really happened the night you disappeared?"

His question caught her off guard. She stumbled in the sand. He caught her, helping her to find her balance once again. The worry clouding his ocean blue eyes had nothing to do with her lack of grace.

She wanted to look away, but she worried what it would say if she did. Instead, she forced a smile through her confusion. "I told you, Callum. I received a sudden message about my mother and had to return to take care of her."

Roan's words returned to her. If he had concerns that Callum had somehow caused Odella's condition, why was the same man now asking Ash about her twin's disappearance? He would have known had he caused it.

The person who caused it wouldn't frown even deeper, doubting the same story everyone else had eaten from her palms. "When you met with me, you seemed so... so distressed. You said you had something to tell me. But before you could tell me whatever it was, you heard something. When you went to check it out... You just never came back."

He raked a hand through his hair, messing up what had once been neat black waves. The storm brewing in his eyes could almost match the mess he'd caused in Ash's mind. So much of what he said matched up with what Roan had said. He had seen Odella going to meet with Callum, and she had. Then her sister had gone to tell Callum something, just for some noise to interrupt their conversation. After that... What? Had whatever caused the noise been what broke Odella's mind?

This was meant to be easy. Blame the priest, blame the Terror, defeat them both, save her sister. How had so many questions arisen like roadblocks before her?

Callum settled his desperate gaze on her. "Well, Odella?"

She swallowed past the lump forming in her throat. "I am sorry that I caused you so much worry, Callum, but I had just learned about my mother. I had meant to tell you, but my way back home arrived unexpectedly, and I had to leave. That was the noise I went to investigate, and I had no time to come back."

He pressed his lips into a thin line as he searched her face. Finally, he sighed. "I will be honest. I don't believe you, Odella. But you must have your reasons for keeping whatever this is to yourself, so..." He reached out, taking her hands in his own, and squeezed. "Should you ever finally feel you are able to share with me, or you are unable to carry whatever this is on your shoulders alone, I am here. And I will not hesitate to help you carry it."

Odella. He was speaking to Odella. But it took far too much willpower for Ash to keep tears from pricking as she thought of all the pressure from a full lune-cycle keeping her sister's condition a secret. Of helping her broken sister while it slowly broke her inside.

"I will not hesitate to help you carry it."

How long had she longed to hear those words from her very own parents? Even Roan, who walked by her side now, did so to fulfill a common goal. He had never offered to take any of the weight from her.

She must not have kept the emotion off her face well enough because Callum smiled gently and squeezed her hands once more. He released one but not the other, keeping it held in his own.

"Tell me about your mother, Odella." He said it as a statement, but it was an offer, a way to escape to another subject. A peace offering to act as if she had been telling him the truth.

Her heart stuttered, and she mentally cursed herself. If this was how Callum always acted, she could understand why rumors had begun.

And knowing her twin, she couldn't help but wonder if they truly had been rumors. Not with the soft way he watched her when she wore Odella's face, and not when he could even make her heart dance when she should hate him.

Had Odella and Callum truly just been friends, or had feelings been blooming into more?

One thing was for certain, though. Callum hadn't harmed her sister. But if he hadn't, who had?

*****

Welp, Ash has spent quality time with Callum, and now she's even more confused.  You're not supposed to be cool and make the stomach flutters, bro >:V Be evil so she can hate you and know you're the bad guy!  But yes, this just continues to not be easy, and Ash believes he can't be the one who messed with Odella.  Unless he's lying.  Which, well, who's to say he's not? 👀 

Let me know your thoughts on the chapter down below, and if you enjoyed it, don't forget to vote and comment! I also have a discord open to anyone who wants to join, and we have a section there to discuss the book :D Let me know if you want to join!