Secrets revealed.

Lillith stared at the cabin ceiling, her mind relaying back to the day's events. After her and Phyro had watched the sunset, Phyro had disappeared below deck, emerging a few moments later armed with two deckchairs. He'd set them up near the edge of the deck and held his hand out to her, "m'lady," he'd called her. She loved the twinkle in his eyes when he spoke to her.

 

All night they'd sat on the deckchairs watching the stars, talking. She'd opened up to Phyro and told him everything. She'd told him about Clairessa, Isabella, her mother, her father, why she was really travelling to Errol - she'd even told him about Annabekke.

 

He'd listened intensely, nodding his head in understandment or agreement every now and then. Once she'd finished, he'd told her about himself. He'd grown up in Zeta, south of Ebrak. His mother died in child-birth so he and his two brothers, Zhan and Xio, were raised by their father. Growing up, he'd never dreamed of becoming an explorer. He'd been raised to always have a steady career - doctor, exectuioner, judge, teacher... But as fate would have it, his career as a teacher took a turn for the worse, and he ended up being an explorer temporarily. But he'd loved the occupation so much he'd decided to become a permanent explorer, much to the dismay of his family.

 

He'd told her about some of his travels, and she'd been utterly fascinated by them. His travels to far-out places she'd only ever heard of in stories, like

D'Nabrid, Jenic, Se'Nic and other places. She sighed happily and turned onto her side. Her eyes explored the dark cabin, searching for anything vaguely interesting to focus on. Finding nothing, she settled with closing them as she thought more about Phyro. After a while, her thoughts started to drift as she slowly fell into a dreamless sleep.

 

Lillith awoke the next morning to someone shaking her lightly. She groaned and opened her eyes.

Phyro stared down at her, smiling. "Good morning, sleepy-head."

"Mmmm. Morning. What time is it?" She asked, yawning.

"Past 12. It's nearly afternoon." He replied, standing upright.

"Oh," Lillith sat up. "So late already?"

"Well, we were up pretty much all night," he answered. "And usually when you

stay up all night--"

"I know what happens when you stay up all night." She scowled, "I'm not that stupid you know. Can you get out, or at least turn around, while I change?"

Phyro nodded and turned around. He heard her get out of bed and root around in her bag for some clothes.

 

She picked out some jeans and a t-shirt and some clean underwear. Stripping down, she changed into her new clothes and tossed her pajamas behind her pillow and her dirty underwear into the cupboard before tossing her bag in behind it.She closed the cupboard and stood up. "OK, I'm done."

Phyro turned around to look at her, then smiled. He held out his hand with a small bow, "m'lady?"

 

She took his hand and his lips lightly brushed her knuckles, before he gently pulled her towards the steps and out into the daylight of the top deck.

She sheiled her eyes from the sudden light, allowing them time to adjust. Then she pulled her hand down next to her and looked over to the right, her eyes exploring the ocean, invading every wave, every smooth curve, every drop of water that seperated from the wave as it crashed against the bottom of the boat.

 

She smiled and inhaled heavily, taking in the salty scent of the ocean. Just like old times, she thought.

Phyro smiled at her. "Enjoying the ocean, then?"

"Oh yes," she replied. "Definately." He smiled at her and squeezed her hand, before grinning. "Follow me," he said. "I want to show you something... interesting." He made his way the the other side of the ship, hand still clasping Lillith's as she followed closely behind. He led her up to the north part of the ship, and around the side of the wooden structure of the captain's quater, to a small, secluded place away from everyone else. He grinned and winked at her, then sat her down on the hard wooden deck. He took a few steps away from her.

 

"Okay. I trust you. So I thought I might as well show you this..." He said, smirking at the confused look on her face. Then, he shushed her by putting his index finger of his left hand to his lips, allowing a slight 'Ssssh' noise to escape before he clicked the fingers on his right hand. Lillith's eyes opened wide as a ball of flame appeared in the palm of his hands, sparks lightly dancing on his fingertips.

 

"How do you DO that?!" She exclaimed, her voice a mixture of fear and wonder.

"It's a secret," he said, smirking. He clapped his hands once and an energy ball replaced the air where the fireball had once been, twirling and twisting just centimetres above his hand in a mass of sparkling white colour.

"Pretty impressive secret," she replied, her eyes stuck on the swirling white ball, mesmerised.

 

"You think so?" He said, clasping his hand shut, extinguishing the energy ball.

"Yes, definitely." She replied. "It's amazing how you do that."

"Not really," he said. "There are many people out there like me who can do it too. It's not a big thing."

"Oh? Please... elaborate?" She retorted, her eyes sparkling with curiousity. "Come on, you said you trusted me."

"Hmmm..." He smiled at her, his smile slightly crooked. "Maybe in the 'morrow, for I have said enough today." He held out his hand for her to hold. She took it, and was instantly pulled onto her feet. His free arm automatically wrapped around her waist to steady her. She stared at him, her breath caught in her throat.

 

He smiled at her and removed his hand from around her waist. "You okay?" He asked, his eyes seemingly locked with hers. She nodded shakily,

"I'm fine."

"Good," he replied, letting go of her hand. "Shall we go back to the main deck?"

"Sure," she smiled. "After you show me another one of your... tricks." She smirked. He shook his head and sighed,

"Okay, but just one." He winked at her and grinned as the air around him started to waver and shimmer, then he was gone.

She stared at the spot where he had just stood, her eyebrow raised when she felt his hand clamp down on her shoulder. She turned around to face him. "I've seen that trick before."

 

He frowned at her, "where?"
"My mother used to do it," she replied simply. "All the time. To occupy Isabella, mostly. She loved it."

"Lillith, tell me more about your mother," Phyro requested, taking her arm in his and leading her back to the main deck. "Please," he added.

"Well... where to start?" She replied, letting him lead her. "She was beautiful," she said. "Long golden hair, baby blue eyes, rosy cheeks. She was tall, too. Not too tall, mind. Father was taller."

 

Phyro nodded as she talked, wtching her intensely. The intensity of his gaze unnerved her slightly.

"She could do a few tricks, some similar to yours." She continued, "she could make things expolde, but that usually only happened when she lost her temper. She was empathic, too. She always seemed to know if one of us was feeling depressed, or angry..." Her voice trailed off, "that's all she'd let us see. Father said she had many other powers, but she never told us them."

Phyro nodded, "understandable." He mumbled, "did your father have any of these powers?"

 

She shook her head, "not that I know of, no."

"I see," he replied, looking down at the floor, "human father..." he mumbled.

"Sorry, what?" She asked, turning to look at him.

"Nothing, nothing." He replied, his eyes wandering towards the ocean, "I have to go... do something. I'll see you tonight or tomorrow, yeah?" He said, looking back at her.

"Oh, um, okay. See you later, I guess." She replied, confused. He kissed her forehead,

"Goodnight, Lillith," he said. She felt the air around her waver, and then he was gone.

 

She lay on her hammock that night, staring at the ceiling, thinking of what Phyro had said.

What had he said? She thought. Something about a human father? Her face moulded into one of confusion. Human father? Had he meant her father? But wasn't her mother human too?

Aa thousand questions swirled around in her head. She turned to lay on her side, staring at the wooden cabin wall. What had he been talking about? Was her mother... not human? Was he not human?

Was that why they both had special powers?

With that final thought, Lillith drifted off into her own little dreamworld.