The story so far:

---- Aija and the others are on the South-Land. They are waiting for the Leadership to attack. Goldstar is alive. They lost the Premiere, Leigh, Tailyn, Arah Lin. Ze is getting better in his training. The war comes to an end when Iernei spaceships arrive. Aija finds her brother Rei and Vincent alive. Aija and Thieron tell Goldstar all that has happened with them. Aija and Thieorn want to go to Ierne to give Aa'di Irih'va the Avo. Luka didn't expect to survive this long. He now feels at home with Thieron and Nala. Zuri goes home. She asks her parents to go to the South-land with her. They refuse. Xan accepts Var-Inu's offer to get an Iernei body. Xan is now Iernei. Thieron talks to Aija; she says she's confused and needs time. They all go to Ierne. Zuri roams the Palace. She meets Ze, who tells her he doesn't like Nala and makes Zuri doubt her relationship with Nala. Aija asks Irih'va to remove her bond with Thieron. He agrees and accomplishes it. Goldstar gives Premier Zhaleh a plan to use against the Leadership. Thieron wakes after the bond is removed. He misses Aija. Aa'di Irih'va asks him to go home and then to join the Ithi'hra to work with him.

----Thieron convinces Nala to go home. Xan learns from Aija what really happened to him; he feels hurt. He wants to warn his family about the experiments to save his siblings. Goldstar finds out Vincent is Ytean-human. And that he was responsible for his reputation. He is upset. He chooses to leave behind 'Goldstar' and be Rei. It is Ze's wedding day. He's happy. Diya and Nova are present. Ruyanir's and Ze's wedding takes place. Ze challenges Na'thwir for the position of Zayr chief. Thieron goes to Zya'ara with everyone. Meets his family after years. The Company is on their way to attack again. Aija and Thieron fight with the Zya'araeans against the Wy'sith. Aija gets dragged away from Thieron. Nala and Luka struggle to shield Eiva and Afe. Nala is losing control over her shield. Zuri arrives to help. Thieron panics when he loses Aija. The ji'var attack him, but AIja finds him. Together they manage to kill the metal-controller, but when the Utzrn withdraw, Thieron realises it's to drown them. Aija calls Tai'un for help, and tells him she'll do anything in return for help. Tai'un uses the Avo to help them. Xan meets Vaughn, they spend time in Sier Ghat. Aa'di Irih'va has lunch with his grandfather, who tells him about his parents.

----Zuri waits for Aija to wake. When she goes to check on Luka, she hears Nala talking to Z'our.

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****25.1 AIJA**** 

The clouds, determined to renounce all their burden, relentlessly lashed rain down on the city.

The heavy drops drummed a sporadic beat against the windows.

Aija yearned to step out, but her fatigue implanted her on the bed. She sat alone in the dark of her room; even Dhr'aar had gone out. Eiva, Afè, R'irè, An'ri, Brun, T'ea, and Xan had come to see her. Xan had insisted on staying, but Eiva had ushered him out along with the others, saying Aija needed to rest. After everyone had left, Eiva had returned, kissed Aija on the cheek, placed a hand over her heart, and whispered she was indebted to her for saving her people and land.

Thieron hadn't come, even once, making Aija suspect Zuri's claim that he'd come numerous times. But maybe, it was for the best. He made her nervous, his presence making her feel like she'd never before with anyone. He infused her with desire; she didn't know how to handle it.

Zuri was back with Nala; it made Aija glad. She seemed joyful again; all Aija wanted was for Zuri to be happy.

Without warning, the door to her room unlatched, startling Aija. She reached for the Thieron's blade she'd slid under the pillows, hand strangling the hilt.

Aija relaxed on seeing Thieron softly slip into the room, sliding the door close behind him as gently as possible. He halted on seeing her awake, blade ready to attack. She lowered her weapon. Every shadow, sound, sudden movement frightened her. She hated battles. It put her on edge, not when they were happening, but when it was all over, and silence reigned.

Thieron tiptoed towards her, eyes on hers like there was nowhere else he'd rather be. No, he didn't make Aija nervous. It was something else; she'd yet to learn its name.

Thieron wore black slacks, a red full-arm shirt; a black overcoat with cape-sleeves hung over his tall frame. Regal. He'd brushed his wet hair away from his face and clutched a book in one hand. "Better?"

Aija dipped her chin.

Thieron sat in front of her, hands on his lap, eyes on the book. Aija studied him; he appeared young, lost to the world. The gold nose-ring shimmered with every lightning flash. Aija let out a long breath at ease. She'd been tensed every waking moment that day. Until now.

"What did the Spirit ask you in return?"

When Aija didn't answer immediately, Thieron lifted his gaze from the book to her, waiting.

"Anything,"

"Anything at all?"

"Anything,"

Thieron resumed studying the book in his hands. Aija recognised it as one of En'ari's poetry books. Aija didn't know Ytèan, but the bright red cover of the book was familiar. It wasn't the book Afè had given her; it belonged on the shelves of En'ari's collection.

"You must rest,"

"I can't sleep."

"Because of the war?"

Aija nodded. "Every shadow reminds me of that...that darkness."

"You should've switched on the lights," he rose.

"Don't," Aija pulled him down by his arm.

Thieron sat, staring at her hand on his arm. Aija instantly removed her hands off him, her chest tightening. Aija preferred it dark; it accentuated the lightning outside. And Thieron was with her now; the shadows scared her no more.

"If we had the bond, I'd coax you into sleep,"

"Like compulsion?"

"No," Thieron smiled. "Compulsion doesn't work on you. The bond; if you reached for me through it, I understood I could reach for you. I put you to sleep in Zya'ara."

Aija frowned.

"After you saved me from Etrie," he helped her remember.

After they'd fallen into Yu Oht'zya, Aija had fallen asleep. She'd thought she'd cried herself to sleep. But, no, Thieron had put her to sleep through the bond and taken the Àvo from her.

"How dare you?"

"It's past us," he grinned, opening the book. "There's no bond, but technical stuff will put you to sleep."

"How'd you know?"

"When Luka went on and on, you know on the spacecraft, about Tech stuff, you'd tuned him out in a second; you and Nala, both. If it bores you, it should put you to sleep."

Thieron remembered so much about her. He, himself, had left the Deck when Luka had started teaching Zuri the spacecraft's workings. Aija had found him at the outer-ridge of the ship alone.

"The rune doesn't help me read."

"I'm right here," he crooned.

"And, it's poetry,"

Thieron lifted his head from the pages, eyebrows raised.

"Afè showed me the book once. In any case, the rhyming words would've given it away."

Thieron grinned. "I love that you're clever."

Aija's stomach clenched.

Thieron stilled, watching her. Moments later, he put the book aside, leaning forward until Aija could see her reflection in his eyes. He placed his hands on either side of her. She felt his heat, and her body craved for more, more of him for her heart and soul. But the only thing she had left of her old life was her animosity for him. She didn't know how to cure it.

"Aija," Thieron whispered, "I'm in love with you."

Aija's heart skipped a beat. No, what? What was happening?

Thieron waited; shell-shocked, Aija couldn't respond at once.

"I hate you," she blurted, seconds later, terrified of the actual words she wanted to say.

"You must be more convincing if you want to lie," Thieron purred.

Aija felt his breath on her lips. It ignited her senses. And anger.

"I'm not lying. I hate you. I do. So, so much,"

Thieron put his hand over her cheek. Aija instinctively lifted her hand and corrected herself, letting it drop. Aija saw his eyes go from vulnerable to stoic in a second.

"Okay," he murmured, "keep telling yourself that," he rose, eyed her one last time, and left.

The silence that awoke in his absence made Aija breathless. She didn't hate him. But, it was the only thing tethering her to her old self. But hadn't she changed? She couldn't keep trying to hold onto the past. Time only moved forward for a reason.

She'd committed a grave blunder.

Like Zuri said, she'd learn. Aija would learn to be with Thieron. She'd learn to let go of her hate and perhaps, fill herself with love.

She'd messed up. Aija slipped out of bed, staggering to the door, managing to run down the corridor. Thieron had disappeared quickly. She ran down a random hallway, missing the bond's ability to locate him. Then, she sprinted towards his room; he stood by the door.

He wasn't alone. M'nrn was there, and Aija heard the girl express she wished to talk to him alone.

Aija halted in the hallway, wheezing. Thieron and M'nrn turned to her. Thieron's eyes rounded, but something like relief passed over his face.

"What is it, Aija?"

Aija froze; the words didn't move up her throat, over her tongue. She glanced between Thieron and M'nrn. Aija didn't fit in Zya'ara like they did. She'd seen them fight, back to back, like she and Thieron had. M'nrn, a Ytai, harmonized him better.

"Aija?" Thieron took a step forward, an urgency buried in his tone. And hope.

"Nothing," Aija chose to make another mistake that night. "Nothing," she choked on the word, tears stinging her eyes.

Aija cried on the way back to her room. 

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