I hadn't decided what I wanted to do. Not because I didn't have my own ambitions, but because, like Brianne, I couldn't determine if I was ready for a career. There was so much to learn and see, and we honestly hadn't been able to do that. Our vacations were always interrupted or disturbed, or something would occur beforehand that made it difficult to just live.
If we dedicated ourselves to our careers after graduation, who knows. Maybe we'd drift apart, and though I knew I may have Brianne around, I was scared of losing Connor and the others. For us to drift away until we were just acquaintances and nothing more.
Lifting my hand, I stared at the tattoo on my wrist. None of us had tested out the power this tattoo could deliver to us, but the sight seemed to aid in taming the whirlwind of negative thoughts.
"Notorious Five," a deep voice read. I blinked and looked up at the man who was holding a glass of water in offering to me. With a frown, I acknowledged him from head to toe.
He was tall with red hair that shifted to black and held a bit of orange and gold highlights. His hair reminded me of flames that shifted into black ash, which blended perfectly with his caramel skin and molten lava eyes that were filled with wisdom.
He was in a sharp red suit with a black tie and he definitely looked rich at first glance. With him staring at my cup, he decided to enlighten me with his reasoning for the generous offer.
"The bartender was calling you, but you were lost in your thoughts," he revealed. I bobbed my head slightly before accepting the drink. It went from cold to boiling hot to the point that it was bubbling.
The man watched me with interest. "Let me guess," he began. "Making sure I didn't drug it?"
"Well, that would be logical wouldn't it?" I offered back. "As much as I'd love to believe this world is a pure place, it's pretty opposite."
"Well, that's the way of life," he voiced as the water in my glass stopped boiling. My choice was smart at the time, but now that I was staring at the hot clear liquid, I was second-guessing my choice.
The man chuckled and reached out to hold the glass while it was still in my grasp. I watched as the steam vanished before the water dropped in temperature so swiftly, it almost turned into a block of ice. The surface level already had a light layer of fragile ice.
"There. Should be cold enough for you," he revealed. "With your eyes on it, we both can come to the clear conclusion I didn't drug your drink."
"Accurate," I quietly muttered as he let go. "How did you do that when your aura gives total flame vibes?"
He could have easily lied or answered like any other person with an "its magic, duh" response, but his lips perked up at one side as he seemed pleased with my interest.
"It's hard to respond when your world consists mostly of mages, huh?" he offered with a bit of mischief as he slipped his hands into his pockets. "Fire and ice run through my veins. I coexist with both, just like your dominant energy is of fire, but I sense that very flame has an array of possibilities to be something else, doesn't it?"
"You're not wrong," I muttered in a bit of irritation at his correct observation. "But I could probably handle the truth."
"That I'm a dragon king from another universe here with my girlfriend to do some business deals while looking for a Zephyr?" he offered.
I blinked a few times before answering what was easiest to reply to, "You're looking for Connor?"
"And who is Connor?"
"My boyfriend," I replied. He seems intrigued as he slowly bobbed his head in understanding. "Intriguing, though I doubt that's the Zephyr we're looking for," he admitted. "Though another Zephyr is lingering around here with his girlfriend, and of course our Zephyr."
"Your...Zephyr?"
Okay, maybe I was seriously drunk and not comprehending much of this conversation because I could have sworn this guy was trying to emphasize there were currently three Zephyrs here.
"Sorry, I'm probably confusing you," he apologized. "You have immense strength, like a man who could rule a nation. I figured I'd let you know that."
"Me?" I whispered as I took in the compliment. "I don't feel like someone who could rule a nation."
"No one 'feels' like they're ready to rule anything," he commented with a smile as he admired me. "Even kings carry uncertainty in how they can rule a kingdom. They just hide it well."
"What if this king is intimidated by the future?" I tossed the question to him because I had nothing to lose asking it. "This king is going to have to make a decision soon. Whether to take some time off from ruling to live next to his queen without fear of retribution, or to simply suck it up and continue to rule because it's his responsibility. Which choice would be best for the kingdom?"
"Well, it's a pretty obvious answer, don't you think?" he suggested. "As a king, I have a duty to take care of my people."
I nodded my head as I looked at my glass. "That's true."
"However," he continued, which threw me off because I thought he was done, "if I'm completely out of fuel, how would I rule?"
"Well, you'd just rest and get back to it, wouldn't you?" I suggested.
"I could," he agreed with a shrug. "But what happens when a few days after, I'm on the verge of collapsing? Or better yet, when I'm so tired of my role that I begin to make irrational decisions? Better yet, what if by ruling in unhappiness, I'm left becoming a bitter king who hates that his very kingdom is holding him back from a time of freedom? Then what?"
"That's..." I trailed off because he had a point.
I watched him grin as he noticed I got what he was trying to imply. "My queen is a very powerful leader," he whispered as he turned to lean against the structured black pole with me. "A lot of people rely on her. Students. Professors. Many up-there people, which can be intimidating when some of them are rich royals or individuals from another universe, for example."
He looked to the crowd as he continued. "Not to forget her other relationships with those who are also dear to me. She has to balance it all without the ability to see the future. It's intimidating and at times scary, even for her, but she knows when she's on the brink of breaking that she needs to stop and think about herself. If she needs a break, she makes those around her know she needs that break. If she can't handle the piles of tasks set out for her, she acknowledges it and gets the help she needs so she doesn’t burn out. Life will always be filled with challenges, but it doesn't mean you deserve to drill yourself into the ground because you have responsibilities."
Turning his attention back to me, he smiled while his molten eyes twinkled in glee. "You look like a hard worker. One who will try to please everyone around him but not realize that your own tank is running empty. You wish to change the world for the better. Make policies that will benefit the minority and ensure that when you step down from your duty, that the next to take your stead won't have to struggle like you did. You're the type to hate unfinished business, and if you could take all the hate of this world, I'm sure you would. That's a vibe of a leader, ruler, or ultimately, a king."