[ Savia ]

"Where is Auron?" Savia cracked open the front door and peeked out into the night. Firelight glowed from the side of the house, where Delia had set up a campfire to boil water for her.

"I believe he went into the house to rest." Delia's voice was distracted and faint. Savia would have to make sure the older woman took more rest.

"He is not in the house." Savia stepped out and closed the door behind herself. "If he is not inside, and not with you, then he must be in trouble elsewhere."

"Trouble?" Now Delia sounded more alert. Footsteps brushed over the packed dirt and then Delia appeared, looking slightly disheveled. She brushed her hands over her skirts and frowned at Savia. "Why do you say that?"

Savia scanned the nearby houses, looking for any clues as to what direction her friend had gone. "Because he is always in trouble when he is not nearby. Auron has a talent for finding danger."

Delia scoffed. "Usk is a safe place to reside, healer. What danger could he possi—"

The color drained from Delia's face.

"What thought did you have, Delia?" She kept her voice low, but firm.

Delia balled her skirts up in her fists, and she turned her eyes towards the lake. "Summer can be dangerous for the men of the village. They all know not to go near the lake, but...I do not think we told your friend of the Rusalka."

Rusalka. Mermaids.

Savia ran. The wind whipped her hair into her eyes, but she didn't slow. Around her, the trees grew in thicker bunches, and she wove through them like a thread through a needle. In the distance, the glittering lake loomed. Each step seemed like a small eternity, though she knew that she moved faster than any mortal.

Silver light erupted in front of her, blinding her.

Savia skidded to a halt and reached out a hand to grope her way forward. Panic welled up inside of her. "Auron!" She couldn't help but call out for him. "Auron!"

Splashing water sounded, and her feet sank into the ground a little. Mud. She ran forward until she stepped into water. Savia sank to her knees and blinked her useless eyes, trying to get rid of the afterimage of light that had been burned into them. "Auron!"

Something brushed against her leg and she reached out for it. Part of her wondered if she were the next meal for the mermaids, but the more desperate hope inside of her wanted it to be Auron—whole and alive.

Her fingers met flesh, and she ran her hands up a scarred arm and onto a familiar torso. Savia unfocused her gaze until his life force bloomed in front of her.

Auron was alive.

His heart beat sluggishly, but his chest rose and fell under her hands. Savia pulled him from the waters, clutching him tightly as she scrambled backward into the mud.

She turned him onto his side and shoved two fingers into his mouth, checking his throat for anything that might be in the way of his breath. Nothing. Her eyes cleared slowly, and she looked back to the deceptively-still waters of the lake.

Auron was soaked. There was no way the mermaids hadn't gotten their hands on him. Yet he was both alive and, from what she could see, unharmed. It made no sense. Her racing thoughts came to a sudden stop when a voice floated over the air to greet her ears.

"Good evening, daughter." The voice was soft and low and feminine.

All of the hair on Savia's nape stood up, and so did she. She turned in the direction the voice had come from and saw the pale figure of a dark-haired maiden. Her form was curvaceous and generously covered in hardened leather and cloth that was trimmed with fur despite the summer heat. Silver eyes arrested Savia and she could not find words to speak her racing thoughts.

The maiden smiled, her eyes lighting with humor. "Is that all the greeting you have for your mother?" Beside the woman, a man seemed to materialize out of the air.

Savia knew that he simply moved too fast for her eyes to process.

His dark hair fell in waves around his shoulders, the locks intermittently braided to keep them away from his face. He slid an arm around the maiden's waist and pulled her close to him. "You should be thanking Artemis, childe."

The rumble of his voice finally snapped Savia out of her speechlessness. "Thanking?" Her bottom lip trembled with all the emotions she couldn't express. "For what?"

Artemis gestured to the ground, where Auron still lay, apparently unconscious. "The mermaids were going to eat him, you know. It was I who pulled him from the lake and their hungry fangs."

Savia wrapped her arms around herself. "Thank you. For saving my friend from death."

Artemis smiled. "You are most welcome, Savia."

Savia's head snapped up with surprise.

Artemis chuckled. "Yes, daughter, I remember your name. And your death. I have seen you on many a night from the Heavens. Do you think we gave you our gift in ignorance and then set you free upon the world to do as you pleased?"

The man snorted softly. "We are wasting precious time, my heart."

"Hush, Ambrogio." Artemis laid a hand over his upon her waist. "You know I would not dally were this not important." The man grumbled quietly, but said nothing more.

Savia stepped forward, anxiety forcing words to her lips. "Then you kno—"

"Yes, dear one. We know all that has happened to you. All that you have done." Artemis' smile turned bitter. "We came to tell you that it will all come to completion soon. Already, the thing you seek most in the world is growing close, and you will have choices to make. I only hope that by the end of it, you will not curse our names so much."

Artemis took a deep breath as her eyes began to glimmer with unshed tears. "We did not mean to bring such sorrow to you. I hope you can understand why we did what we did one day soon." She turned into her husband's chest and then kept turning until she faced away from Savia entirely. Ambrogio turned with her, shifting so that their hands were always linked.

Together, the two walked away from the lake, hand-in-hand.

Savia let out a quavering breath. Against her arms, her fingers trembled with years of pent up despair and hatred. Memory threatened to swallow her awareness. She dug her nails into her skin and let the sharp points of pain anchor her into the present.

Auron's cough drew her attention and she turned to tend to him. As she placed a soothing hand over his forehead, he opened his golden eyes.

"--ther?" His croaking voice was a relief to her. Then, his eyes focused on her and recognition flitted over his face. "Savia," he breathed.

"I'm here, Auron." She leaned down and pressed a kiss to his hair. "You're safe."

Auron began to smile, but it was lost to a twisted grimace. He blinked rapidly, but tears flooded his eyes and rolled down his cheeks.

Startled, Savia looked him over again. "Are you hurt?" Her fingers moved rapidly down his torso and over his legs.

He shook his head. "I r-remembered." Auron gasped for air. "She's dead."

"Who is?"

Auron lifted a hand to cover his eyes. "My mother." 

Auron is alive! Praise Selene. And now, we have a small bit of drama to feed us until next time. Yay! 

If you're anything like me, then you're quietly cursing me for having so many dramatic cliffhangers. Please note that if you murder me, I cannot produce the next chapter. So. Hopefully that will keep me alive for a time. ;)

Thank you again, Mina, for your help editing!