I was supposed to be at Mister Pat's - I heard he'd employed more people and redesigned the place - working as the one who took in orders. Or, I had promised to meet with Emily Aniah and Griffin Greenwood - Griffin had finally found the courage to apply for the position of Rose-Gold High's next Senior Prefect.

Good for him, truly. He had oral skills, intelligence, creativity and was an excellent communicator. The only problem was, like me, he was shy. Except, I was better than him. Griffin was the true nerd - he had an amazing body but you would never know that, hidden under his big red hoodies and cargo trousers.

I could have been doing push-ups at home just like I'd been doing for a while now or paid a visit to Madeleine Douglass, Rowan's ex-girlfriend to have a word or two with her. Because of her, Rowan was not himself going back to Birmingham City University.

She was another one of the few people Rowan ever opened his heart to, and she'd broken him.

Mum was also home alone, or maybe she would pay a visit to Clark and his family. If she was home, she would be sleeping or typing, or she would be thinking about a lot of things. But I knew, she would want to see Clark, at the very least.

She missed him, she loved him, despite everything he had done.

Yet, here I was, in this taupe-walled coverage, seated on a red armchair, pushing all of my Earthian problems away.

My right leg was on a stool in front of me. Tujan knelt beside my leg, taking the bandage and leaves off. The leaves were still as green as fresh as before, somehow. Tevessa sat inches away, in an army-coloured sleeved shirt and khaki shorts, watching Tujan work her petite angel skin around the bandages, and all.

"Why are the leaves still fresh?" I let the questions out. Around Tujan, Tevessa, and this family, I felt free and comfortable.

"Bisal never dries, not until it realizes it's not being useful," she explained and finally took all the leaves out and placed them on a small brown plate. All that was left on my skin was a two-inch red scar. Tujan began to dry the green stain on my leg with a wet towel.

"So, now that they aren't on my legs, they'll dry up?"

"If you throw them away, yes?"

"Can they be reused?"

"Would you reuse a bloodstained leaf?"

"I guess... I guess that makes sense." Tujan finished wiping my legs. I muttered a thank you, got up, and readjusted my leggings.

"We should check out Nesylone, you'll love it." Tevessa stood up and eyed the wine glass on the table. Nilsa had given me a glass of pegrazh juice.

"Nesylone?" I asked, wrapped my arms around the glass and took a long sip, silently teasing him.

"Yes. You want to come up?" He stepped toward me. Tujan was watching; she didn't understand the telepathic competition going on between Tevessa and me.

"Up?" I stepped back.

"Well, waters don't stay underground." He took his time, putting his rough hands over mine. His hands were sturdy and rough, like a soldier, like he spent his days putting his hands close to fire, or sharpening swords.

"Well, somehow they do. I mean, if you dig sand in a desert, you would find water." I tightened my grip. "Why would you want to go up? Are you not scared?"

"Of what?"

"Being seen?" Tevessa leaned down so that his lips were at the tip of the glass. He held it between his teeth and dipped his head back. Some of the liquid followed his movement and disappeared into his mouth. "You're crazy, I tell you."

He took the opportunity to take the glass out of my hand and sat at the arm of the armchair, taking his time to enjoy the juice. "Why would I be afraid of being seen?" He was downing in another.

"Aren't the Asterions hiding from the rest of the Nebans?" Tevessa choked on juice and coughed. "Are you okay?"

He set the cup on the table. "What did you say?" His garnet eyes deepened and his lips had turned to a thin line. But he wasn't staring at me; his eyes were focused on Tujan. "Tun tart-uka ther?" [You told her?]

I glanced at Tujan. Her body had stiffened. "Ami ne tart-eamin wuka ther. The-uka win nad tart-tahon win." [I didn't mean to tell her. She guessed and believed it.]

"Ghaijti epshui, Tujan! Epshui! Nad the tart-sredrun!" Tevessa's eyes got darker every minute. Tujan was crying now, and I was confused. But not so much, really. I knew I wasn't supposed to know about them being Asterions. And I guess, Tevessa was angry at Tujan. [Just one night, Tujan! One! And she knows.]

But Tujan didn't tell me. I had figured it out myself, pretty much.

"Tevessa, ami'ik yeros." [Tevessa, I'm sorry.]

"Wuka'in, Rika! He'nel yani. He'in ijha tun!" Tevessa faced me, "Let's go." [Tell it to Rika! He'll be annoyed.]

I was too terrified to argue with Tujan. But he'd said something about his father and Tujan was wailing now. I could sense fear in her eyes. I was looking at her, but I didn't know what to say.

This was one of those times when I truly wanted to help someone, but my mouth wouldn't find the strength to speak up.

I hated it. I hated that I couldn't help Tujan. I hated that she was staring at me pleadingly, waiting for me to say something, anything, to get her out of whatever mess she was in as a result of me blabbing about them being Asterions. I mean, I remember Tujan saying that the entire situation was a sensitive topic for her, her family, and her community.

I hated how I nodded and followed Tevessa. He walked towards the metal door and opened it so that we were facing a wall of bricks. He pulled one back and it split, leading us to the familiar grey wall and stairs that led up and out of this place. And I followed Tevessa, quietly, afraid.

I had messed up, truly.

I didn't dare say anything even as Tevessa and I walked through the brick and were now at the familiar sand where I was chased by a cat-dog called Kulni who ate Cirile cherries.

"Nesylone is pretty down from here. We're going to have to walk there."

"Ok," I barely muttered. I couldn't speak properly in front of Tevessa. I was scared he would turn and throw me against the brick. And this time, I wouldn't go through it, I would hit it, and hit my head against it.

I could imagine his angry self punching me everywhere. I could imagine him being Josh. Even though Josh had brown hair, soft, bulgy hands, and a big broad-shouldered body, he was not as tall as Tevessa. But he was strong. Yet, as we walked, my eyes saw Tevessa turn to Josh and back again.

My steps slowed. Tevessa didn't notice, not until he couldn't hear my steps behind him.

"You're not co-Emery?" He stopped and called when he turned and saw me. I guess my shaking hands gave me away. Or maybe it was my sweaty forehead. "Are you okay? Do you feel sick?"

"N-no. I'm... I'm okay, sorry. How far do we have to go."

"Ah. We've barely walked, see?" He pointed to where we'd begun.

Was I really not walking? And now, these leggings were itching, under the sun. Wasn't it supposed to be a bit cold? Just a little.

"Come on. Race you there." His smile was back but I wasn't the least bamboozled. His eyes were still recovering. The vein on his neck was yet to go back to its calm state. Even his muscles were prominent under this long-sleeved top; he was ready to throw a punch at anyone at all.

I pressed my lips and stretched them because I couldn't bring myself to say no to him, not in his state. He broke into a run and Tevessa was fast, I must say. Even when I took my pace up and ran as much as these flip-flops could take me, he was always inches away. I'd left the Mehjazgeu in Tujan's room, my leggings did not have a pocket and I hadn't brought a purse or anything, you see.

We had gotten there - a neverending river, which didn't look like a river at all. Waters, wasn't that what Tevessa had said? I could make out a waterfall somewhere far, clear water was coming out of rocks and into the water, washing off dirt, and making it more sparkly. Under the sun and bright blue sky, the water was bluer, shinier and cleaner than anything I had seen.

"Nesylone. It's a good source of water. Never runs dry. Not even when the weather gets cold and everything and every place is covered in snow. Water is always rushing out. One of Cirile's greatest wonders." Tevessa began to take off his sleeved shirt. "And it's cool to swim in."

"You're not planning on swimming in it, are you?" But he took off his shorts, leaving him in a pair of tight-fitting underpants. I noticed some tattoos on both arms.

He jumped into the water and brought his head out, bobbing around. "You didn't just come here to admire the water and go home, did you?"

"Uh-"

"You can't swim?"

"No-I mean yes. As in, yes I can swim. As long as I know how deep it is."

"It is deep, but if you stay close to the bank, you'll feel the rock underneath. You'll be able to stand up and get your head out."

"But Tev-"

"Scared of getting naked?"

I had only planned to get my bandages off and then go back home and deal with all the problems it came with. So, I didn't think wearing a short gown over leggings and flip-flops was such a big deal.

But I couldn't be more scared, not of Tevessa, and definitely not of getting naked. I pulled off the green gown and took it as far from the water so it wouldn't get wet. Then I gently made my way into the water, in a plain black cotton half singlet and this pair of black leggings. I felt the rocks and stood. The water stopped at my stomach.

"You know, leggings can be uncomfortable when wet. Ah just take it off. You're in the water, I can't see you."

The thing with what he said, that was so annoying, pretty much, was that Tevessa was right. And he knew it. He knew that I would listen to him and that I would take it off.

"See?" He beamed just as I threw the leggings far from the river. It landed just beside his shorts. "Come in deeper. It's not swimming if the water's at your stomach."

I heeded his instructions, convincing myself that I wasn't nervous. I repeated it in my head. So, he was almost naked and so was I, then what? It was not the first time I was going for a swim.

I shrugged, which seemed weird to him, considering that he did not know what was going on in my head. "You're something else, Emery."

Tevessa's skin had calmed down now. His eyes were now the bright garnet eyes I always saw myself admiring. Now that he was shirtless, I could see him well.

The tattoos on his arms: on his left was a sword-the hilt had taken some part of his upper arm while the blade went all the way to his wrist. On his right arm was a fiery dragon with two snake-like things sticking out of its nose or perhaps, the side of its nose. This dragon has claws and its nose was quite long.

His hairy chest, the hair going down in a line until I couldn't see the part of him hidden and blurred by the water. Not that I wanted to, anyway.

And I figured I was less nervous now. Nor scared of what he could do. I was... I was actually normal. So brave I told Tevessa, "Tujan didn't tell me you are the Asterions. I'd figured it myself. I mean, you are hiding under the sands of Asterions. It is pretty obvious."

And this time, he didn't tense. He said, "I know. I just got angry. I know you must have finally concluded while with Tujan that night."

"That doesn't mean it's her fault. I think you should not have shouted at her like that."

"Maybe. But Tujan had always been a fragile one. As Asterions, we're supposed to be natural fighters. But she can't fight, can't stand the sight of it."

"Does that explain why her eyes are so clear, with red representing blood, and all?"

"I don't know, maybe. Sometimes I think about it that way... But we're used to it, to Rika's old cane." He turned so that I could see the scars on his back. They were numerous. Two of them were even red and fresh. "My father handles us with a thick hand... or cane, in this case."

"But Tujan said that this community was nothing autocratic."

"Tujan," he sighed, but his body was still so calm. "She says the things she wants to believe. The things she wished were true. But she knows those things would never happen, not until our goal is accomplished."

"What goal? What does the tattoos on your arms mean?"

He smirked. "So tell me, Emery, would you rather ask me questions that would do you no good knowing them, or do you want to enjoy the undying calmness of the river?"

I didn't know where I found the courage, but I swam to Tevessa's back, and traced my fingers along the scars on his back. He flinched away and faced me-sure, he would have a sensitive back.

"Both." I pouted. "Is that so much to ask."

"You're very beautiful when you pout. But you choose to press your lips all the time. It's like you're hiding who you are."

.

A/N

What's up y'all? As you may or may not see. The two tattoos are the origin of the first two covers I had created for Saving Neba:

and

Now, before we say any more thing, we might not get the meaning of the two objects up until maybe the thirty-somethingth Chapter, so if you're curious, you'll have to follow the rest of the story ;)

I apologize for not updating. I have reasons (even tried to explain on my message board) so I hope you understand.

Again, I like to thank you for the number of reads I get. Do compliment it with a vote please •́ ‿ ,•̀
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Till next update, byee!