Ahsid felt strangely calm as she and Dane flew on Baby.

"You okay back there,"asked Dane.

Ahsid replied,"Dane, please, don't change yourself because of my visions of you."

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't have to come to th Healing Room and say all that, in front of Noah too. I understand that it is difficult for you to talk about your emotions and I want to respect that."

Dane's eyes turned misty. "Ahsid, don't worry. I am not doing anything different. I have not let people influence me for years and it won't change suddenly now,"assured Dane.

"I trust you,"said Ahsid.

Dane grinned but Ahsid could not see that.

"Whom did you like the best?"

Ahsid thought for a while. "It's difficult beacuse each of them have their own unique role in the Coetus. Without one of them performing their duties, you wouldn't be able to function in harmony."

Dane nodded,"I guess that's true. Even the minor skirmishes between the vampires and werewolves are necessary as they only push each other to do better."

Finally, Ahsid gathered her courage to ask the question she had been meaning to ask.

"Dane, can I..."

Her voice broke. She didn't want to hear the bad news. But, he was in two minds. Should he tell Ahsid the whole truth or downplay what Dora had said?

Sighing, he said,"You have magic in you Ahsid. With proper training, you could impress Master, I am sure."

Ahsid smiled. "I am so happy, Dane. I mean, I am not useless."

"Ahsid, even without your powers, you are strong. Do not berate yourself, at least, not in front of me."

A flush crept up Ahsid's face. Now she understood how Eugene felt when he had praised him.

"Ahsid, there is something I need to ask you. Who is Ethan?"

Ahsid drew in a sharp breath. "He is a friend of mine, we know each other from fourth grade."

"Does he know?"

"He might suspect that I am hiding something from him but I do not plan on letting him know if it means I will not be able to mingle in your world."

"Looks like somebody has started to like the creatures of the dark,"whispered Dane.

Ahsid didn't reply. She didn't need to.

"I will come tomorrow to get you. Zion is useless,"spat out Dane as Baby gracefully alighted on the ground. "We will have training tomorrow as usual, if you feel up to it."

"I will ALWAYS feel up to it,"she stressed.

But Dane did not confide in her about the pain that she would be in. A sudden exposure to that much mana would have killed a human being but here was Ahsid, still on her feet, though a bit unsteady. They exchanged a soft good night and the only thing that Ahsid remembered was falling into her bed at five, with her clothes on and dreaming about a certain yellow eyed boy who held her hands in his, a rare smile on his face.