At the shelter, Minx checked into the command post to let them know she was back. Raven handed Minx a message that had come in from Sam. Sil was to spend 16 days with the family then use the teleporter to return to the Cursed Ship. The Botan ladies were not needed in this push and were to be used in a different way according to Minx's needs. Quinn refused to allow them to be put in such a dangerous location as to be near the dalki. Sil smiled, having a good amount of time with his family and having a plan for when he was needed back.
Midas handed his niece to Shalt and went back to his home. The rest took all the juveniles except Stephie back home. They then went to find Amanda and see if she was interested in having a special friend.
The Blade kids were at the playground at the orphanage. Peter and Borden were away.
"Minx, who's watching the kids and training them while Borden and Peter are away?"
"Winnifred is in charge of their food…. I think I need to move Midas and Shalt," she turned to look at Shalt who nodded and broke off to watch the kids, "over to them until the war is over. I'll have Fiza take a spare room in our house to help me. They need to be able to play but they need their rigid schedule as well."
Sil nodded, "They need their training even without Borden and Peter. It's vital."
Minx nodded. "I'll make the adjustments."
In the playground, Minx called out, "Amanda?"
A little girl that looked like Sil came running toward her. She gave both Minx and Sil a hug.
"Amanda, we'd like to talk to you for a moment if you have time?"
She looked concerned but nodded. Adults wanting to talk was not always a good thing.
"I know you guys are aware of Caser, have you met his children?"
"I've seen them but not actually met them."
"This young lady is Stephie. She said that she likes you and would like to be your animal companion, much as Caser is for me. Sil and I were wondering how you feel about that."
"I would get my own pet?"
"I think of it more as an animal friend. You would need to spend some time at my home until you learn how to communicate with her. I can't teach you to speak to her as I do but we can work together on creating a way for the two of you to communicate. What do you think?"
Amanda smiled, "I would love to do it!"
Minx smiled, "I'm glad."
Sil added his own thoughts, "I need you to understand this is the daughter of my wife's friend. You MUST take good care of her."
Amanda nodded with a sincere smile. "I promise!"
Stephie used her tentacles to give Amanda a hug and the girl smiled once Minx explained what was happening.
Over the next 16 days, Amanda and Stephie learned how to communicate and Amanda ended up living with Minx for only 10 days. Minx was impressed with the girl's intelligence.
Within days, the couple settled into a routine and got to enjoy being a family for a little while. They were keeping track of days in the back of their minds. The distance between them had vanished and they seemed closer than they had been in school, separated by school rules. Instead of Minx studying, she and Sil hung out with their children as well as the Blade kids. Sil even chose to spend the afternoons having the children attack him with abilities, all at once. It amused Minx to see all these children try to hit him while he got to practice dodging them all.
In the evenings, Minx digested the files about her species. She learned that females had four evolution levels. The first looked human. The second was the form she currently had which naturally occurred at the age of 18. The third evolution enabled her to turn into a treant. The treant form was something she could become as a transformation ability based on the description. The fourth enabled her to turn into a dryad. The dryad was a final evolution that was choice but there was n going back from it. It would bind the fae to a forest of their choosing. They would ensure the health of all that live there. These two forms were optional.
All females speak with trees starting at birth. The ability grows based on the strength of the fae. The strongest on record at the time if her mother's file, all of the trees would speak not just the ones that were typically friendly. The maps would be fully labeled, including arrows, messages and directions. Speaking with any plant started around the age of 6. The ability to grow plants and use them as weapons and healing also was normal to occur at the age of 6. At the age of 16, females developed the ability to speak with animals. Fae were stronger, faster, and more agile than humans at a young age and the gap increased with age. There were rumors of stronger fae being able to do more but nothing more had been documented.
For males, they had the human form and one evolution which turned their skin a light green and gave them wings, Midas's current form. Males developed different abilities based on their skills. Minx relayed all this to Sil so he would understand.
Too soon, the fated day arrived and Sil had to leave.
"Remember, give those crystals to Vorden and see if it's enough for him to evolve. We love you and will be waiting for you to return to us."
Sil was too choked up to talk. He simply grabbed his wife after kissing each child in the forehead and gave her a passionate kiss. He then stepped through the portal and was gone. Minx sighed, already beginning to miss him. She headed back home to resume studying.
On the Cursed Ship, Sil went looking for his brother. He smirked when he found him, "hey Vorden. Do yourself a favor and borrow this bracelet for a sec. There's a word right here on the bracelet. Say it in your mind. Use them all. I want it back when you're done."
Sil watched his brother's face as Vorden looked into the bracelet. He started laughing, "let's get to our ship." As soon as they did, Vorden found himself a spot and immediately sat down in the training room they were currently in. Not long later, he evolved, having already been hunting for the required crystals.