Chapter 28

I slowly awoke to the warm feeling around me as well as the movement of the carriage as it moved down the streets. As I moved to sit up, the warm feeling left me, making me feel cold.

'Why had it stopped' I couldn't help but wonder.

"Your dad gave you some energy to help your body recover from being overly drained of energy...is that what you were wondering about?" my mom asked me.

I nodded and signed a thank you to my dad.

"Anytime, Baby girl" he said as he kissed me head and squeezed me slightly tighter in his arms. I had only just realized that I was sitting on his lap, but found his presence made me feel safe and comfortable.

To test out how drained I really was I attempted to spread my aura out and realized I could barely feel it at all and I wasn't able to control it at all. Panic welled up inside of me and heart started pounding loudly in my ears.

"Calm down and take a deep breath", my dad told me. I had not realized that I had started to hyperventilate. "It's just temporary. You'll be able to use your gifts after you rest and restore the energy you lost during the ceremony". I did as he said and was able to quickly calm down.

"Aren't we going home?" Jasper suddenly asked.

"Nope, we're headed to see Lady Emmi. Right?" Sapphire added.

I could feel my dad's head move in a nodding motion above my head before he verbally added "yep". Most likely for my sake.

I wondered who Lady Emmi was, but was unable to ask as the carriage had stopped.

We all got out of the carriage; my dad still holding me.

"Lady Emmi's house seems to be just inside the gates of the imperial palace. The house has a stone base, wood frame, an ornately decorated door, and beautiful flowers planted all around the front entrance." Jasper described the layout as the whole family walked up the the front and tapped on the door.

The door was opened and before either of my parents could say anything the woman informed them that Lady Emmi was already expecting them.

'Dad must have come here after dropping us off at the site of the ceremony' I thought.

The air inside was instantly warm. A pleasant warm like that of a fireplace on a cold winter evening and the smell in the air was like cinnamon and apples. I couldn't help but instantly like this house.

My dad carried me further into the house following the servant who had answered the door. I could tell by the sound her footsteps made in front of us.

"Welcome friends" a soft and warm voice greeted us when we stopped walking. "Please have a seat".

"First, I apologize for our rudeness in showing up without sending a calling card." My mother began "How is it that you were expecting us?"

"A royal pest informed me that today was the day your youngest was having her ceremony, so I assumed you would be coming to see me afterwards. Especially since the two of you name your children according to their gifts, which may not manifest completely until much later".

When Lady Emmi mentioned 'a royal pest' I could hear and feel my dad have a choking cough.

"Wouldn't that mean she just wouldn't have a name until later?" Jasper asked the question that had me puzzled as well.

"Our law states that a child must have a name no later than 28 days after their ceremony. If the parents fail to submit their child's name to the Temple, then a name will be provided for said child and they also risk being forced to give up the child on the grounds of negligence." My dad, having seemingly recovered from his brief coughing fit, informed those of us who had no idea.

"Bring her over here" Lady Emmi commanded. I was brought over to sit on a table next to her. She took my hands and I could feel a similar feeling to the one earlier when my dad was giving me warmth to help recover from my energy drain. Her energy seemed to go much deeper inside of me. The sensation was like pin pricks. Almost felt like numb legs that have started to have circulation once again. Uncomfortable, but not unbearable.

"What have you done!?" Lady Emmi said in a cold voice that filled me with dread.

"What do you mean?" my dad asked with concern and confusion.

"I mean why does your daughter have 8 chambers in her body?"

"Eight! How...Why...?" My family exclaimed.

"The only way that is to happen is if you fed her the special food for longer than the recommended 3 months." [Lady Emmi]

"We did, but only because she was poisoned so badly and we wanted to make sure she would also have a gift. She was already blind because of...someone poisoning her before she was born and then again a year later making her mute. If she had no gifts on top of everything, we feared she would view herself as a cripple. We're her parents. We wanted to do everything we could to ensure her happiness...guess it backfired on us?"

"How on earth did you get so much of that precious food to feed it to her for a whole year?"

My dad cleared his throat in a very awkward sounding way "doesn't matter" he said gruffly.

I couldn't help but feel touched. It sounds like the boring and repetative mash and fruit that I had long began to dislike was actually for my benefit and seemed to have come at significant cost to my family. Who knew?

"What does 8 chambers mean for our little sister?" Sapphire asked.

"It means she has the potential to become very powerful, but she will be very vulnerable for much longer than a normal gifted person. She will also be in danger from several groups. If she is to live to adulthood, you will have to hide her and hide her well." Lady Emmi's words were said in a very serious tone, silencing everyone else in the room.