I knew right away this memory was different. It was clearer. The blonde woman was in clear view and sitting on a grand bed in the middle of a lavish room humming and weaving something from light.

  “Close the door, Jonah,” she said, turning to face me. She smiled, her green eyes lighting up. They swirled like galaxies.

  “Mom, are you an oracle?” I asked, walking into the room and shutting the heavy wooden door.

  She nodded. “I am, dear boy. You and your sister have a bit of my power. I am here to keep the monsters at bay. Come on, we haven't much time. We are in your subconscious. Past that door are your worst memories. I can only keep them at bay for a little while. Search for what you seek,” she said signaling to another wooden door. It held the same spell I wore engraved upon it. I went to it and traced the symbols and smiled. Myra was thorough in her matrix. She really was a prodigy with languages, any language. I turned to my mother and nodded. She nodded back and went back to weaving her violet light. As I watched the violet light began to show images of me as I was now and she smiled sadly. Did she know what would happen to her? To my sister? To me? And she still did it? Still, she ran? Why? I turned around and met sad emerald eyes.

  “Sometimes we cannot change the future no matter how we search. Your future was set and mine with it. I see it was necessary but I wish it hadn’t been so hard for you, dear,” she said.

  “What is my future?” I asked.

  She smiled “It is better to live it, no? Now go!”

  I smirked and opened the door. I was immediately sucked into a memory. I was no longer seventeen but eight and struggling with a formula on a large desk. The teacher was talking but I was sketching a complex matrix on my paper. I was just missing an array I had yet to learn. I studied the paper. I remembered why I made this array. I had a dream of being turned into a creature and I wanted a counter seal in case I was ever in such a situation. The teacher put his book down and walked over to me.

  “While that is an interesting array, young prince, it is not history,” he said.

  I looked up and smirked. “ The humans rose from their destined place and revolted causing the Great War with the Dark Kin. In the war, they invented symbols to grant them equal power to the Kin, and Rune magic was built from the various tribes of free hybrids and humans,” I said.

  The man smiled. “So you were listening then.”

  “No, I know my rune history professor,” I said, smirking.

  The professor sighs and picks up the matrix from the desk. “What is this for?” he asked while studying the paper.

  “I had a bad dream is all, and wanted to be prepared. I wanted to come up with a way to stop Morgan's transference.”

  “That is far above your level still, prince.”

  “I know but I wanted to get started on it as a side project,” I said.

  “Well, I guess history is over then.”

  “Finally!”

  “First…”

  I couldn’t hear the rest as the memory shifted and I found myself staring at a different piece of paper with a different but more complex matrix. I studied it and made notes on a notepad. I dipped my brush in the ink and began drawing the matrix adding a seal here and there. I stopped and looked at the matrix beside me. I tapped the brush against my chin.

  “What did Gale mean about combining protection matrixes and ether element combinations?” I muttered scratching out a symbol and rewriting another that led to another matrix being formed. I hmmd and put my brush down blowing on the ink.

  “It's still missing something. What though? Maybe Mom knows?” I got up and walked down a lavish hall to a grand room. I knocked on the door. A raspy enter was shouted and I opened the door to face the blonde man. Damien. His usual cropped blonde hair was loose and a mess. He smelled of strong ale.

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  I bowed. “My king, may I speak to the lady mother?” I asked.

  “Alondra! Your brat wants you,” he said teetering back to bed. The blonde woman scowled and got up shooing him back to his room and following behind him.

  “That was dangerous, Jonah! What have I said about coming to the room when your father is there?” she said.

  “Not to?” I said.

  “Yes. He could have lashed out again and you know I have no power anymore. I cannot stop him in anything since his last decree.”

  “Sorry, momma,” I said, lowering my head.

  She smiled weakly. “Show me what you wanted to show me,” she said smiling.

  I raise my head. “I never said…”

  “You wouldn’t have disobeyed me for nothing. What is bothering you? Is it your project matrix again?”

  I nod. “I don’t know how to balance each end. I know that’s what I’m missing!”

  “Didn’t your uncle explain this?”

  “Uncle can’t explain runes very well. He mentioned something about protection arrays and an element but I know there’s an easier way.”

  She smiled. “Dear boy, are not the elements balanced against each other?”

  “The elements?”

  “Yes. Fire is balanced by water and earth is balanced against the wind. Ether is balanced against both wind and fire, being so powerful. It makes the elemental matrix. It was taught to you in class. Now, what happens when you spread those elements to ending points and connect them in a matrix of their own?”

  My eyes widened. “Balance!”

  She smiled and nodded. “Now I’ll leave you to it. It seems your sister has gotten herself in a bind again,” she said grinning.

  I nodded and got to work on the matrix. My mom left me. The memory blurred again and I was about thirteen. I was putting the final touches on the matrix when a scream sounded from my mom’s rooms. I put my matrix and brush down and raced towards the doors.

  “Momma! Momma!” I cried.

  “E-Everything is fine Jonah. Do not come in!”

  I could hear crying and murmuring. Was there someone there with her? Were they hurting her?

  “Momma!” I cried pounding on the door.

  “All is well. G-go back to your rooms, Jonah, please,” she begged.

  I stood there unsure of what to do. My twin walked forward and patted my back. “Momma had a vision. It was...unpleasant. That was all brother.”

  “They’re getting worse, Datha. Why won’t Dad let her be blessed by the oracle of the council? It would stop these visions!”

  Datha shrugged. “You know the answer to that, brother.”

  I nodded, crossing my arms. “I do and I don’t like it.”

  “What we see isn’t for us to enjoy but to learn from. Thank goodness we are not full-blown oracles like Mother.”

  “Males can’t be oracles, Datha,”

  “But you can pass on the gift to your children and have some of our gifts as well,” she said, smiling her galactic eyes swirling in happiness.

  I snort. “If you mean my dreams. I don’t take them seriously.”

  “Then why did you make that matrix? Why spend six years on a pointless matrix?”

  I didn’t answer and walked back to my rooms. I sat down and stared at my matrix, committing it to memory.

  “She’s right. Why did I build a useless thing?”

  The memory blurred and found myself back at the wooden door looking into a black abyss. I remembered the matrix. It needed the last part added to it. The anchoring magic array and I could make one with Myra as my anchor. I turned to the room but it was empty. How did I leave? I sat on the bed and thought about my memories. They weren't so bad but I had a feeling the bad ones were about to start knocking on my mind soon. I had to awaken now! I lay on the bed and closed my eyes. I slowed my breathing and thought about going back. Nothing.

  “Ready to go back?” my mother asked. She had reappeared in a seat to the right of me smiling.

  “Yeah, I got what I needed. I never finished it did I?”

  “You never had time to. After that day we ran. You’ll remember that day soon.”

  “How did I lose my memories and powers? I had them on Earth. During my first days on Earth, I used them to survive.”

  “You stole from the wrong person,” she said smiling. “She didn’t mean to take everything but thought it would be easier for you if you thought you were a normal human. She couldn’t take away your strength or dexterity but she could take away your memories of Sapherine and your elemental powers.”

  “Why did I get them back?”

  “Magic backlash. It was why you were so sick. Now close your eyes. I will bring you out.” she said.

  “Goodbye, Mom”

  “Goodbye, dear boy.”

  I closed my eyes.

  I opened my eyes to curly hair on my face. Myra had fallen asleep waiting for me. It was still dark but was it late or early? At least my mom did it. I was out and unharmed. I smirked. I also knew the matrix I needed and how to complete it. I needed Myra’s help. She wasn’t up to power arrays yet but these were pretty simple. She would understand them. My arm curled around her and pulled her closer. I liked the body heat and Sapherine was mighty cold on nights. She wasn’t fighting my hold so she was either really out of it or getting used to me again. I hoped it was the latter. I really missed her snuggling up to me like she was doing now. Her head was on my chest over my array, and her breath tickled me. I decided to sleep again and closed my eyes.