“But since you are a human, it’s not easy for you to see the mark unless the dragon itself wanted you to see it. You can feel it inside you, though, especially during emergency situations related to water. I heard that Demi inherited the aquatic mark as well. That’s why it’s safe to say that both of you possess water abilities.”
Nathan smiled. “I bet you can pacify the dragon in her wrist. Why? Because you have the same mark. You wouldn’t have difficulties controlling the water if Demi couldn’t do it yet. Your mark will guide you. Otherwise, the mortals would have found out about her powers long ago, and would have exposed her to the public. But that didn’t happen, right?”
I bit my lower lip. Does that mean that the blue light I saw last night was not a fraction of my imagination? That it was real? Then that must have meant that my mark was the reason why my daughter was comfortable enough to show her abilities to me as a supernatural being.
So, Demi could play with water and I could control it without me being aware of it? And then it hit me. Each time Demi had no idea what to do or how to make the water stop from moving, all I needed to do was to gently hold her wrist. And then she would calm down and the water would fall and stop.
So, it was because of the mark, all these times?
“Alex used to believe with all his heart that you would know that he didn’t leave you. Because he said he gave you a gift. And that gift would enable you to see him from wherever he is each time you want to. But maybe my cousin was right to stop believing that. You can’t see him anymore, can you?”
“I tried.” My voice trembled. “I tried so desperately to see him again. But it didn’t work anymore. I thought the gift had disappeared along with him.”
“No, Alison,” Nathan countered while shaking his head. “That gift remains inside you, unless he takes it back. You didn’t see Alex again, because your mind and heart were probably at war. You see, that gift is a little tricky. It includes both your mind and heart’s cooperation for it to work properly.”
“I didn’t know.”
“It’s alright. I’m not blaming you or anything. You were hurt. Maybe it was your subconscious that didn’t want to see him again. You just didn’t realize it yet. And about Alexandros leaving you, he never wanted to do that, so please don’t blame him. Blame me instead. It was my fault. Don’t take it to the wrong person. I was the one who took him away from you.”
Nathan let out another sigh.
My lips thinned as I stared at him. “What do you mean?”
“It was a long story. But one thing is for sure. Alexandros never stopped trying to come back to you every day, Alison.”

Two years ago…
(Nathan)
“WHAT’S the matter?” Still puzzled, I asked one of the knights who was assigned to guard the doors. I saw plenty of female servants running back and forth. There were surprisingly more knights and more servants today unlike the other day. And this had never happened since we returned.
Alexandros didn’t like seeing so many people around. My cousin didn’t want to be disturbed in his spell. And everybody knew that. And yet, everyone looked anxious right now while others seemed very frightened.
I was only gone for a day but it looked like a lot of things had already happened. Alexandros assigned me to different provinces in the North to personally check the situation of the citizens there. Clavia was originally the person who was assigned in the North.
Alexandros still believed that Clavia was a good woman, and I did, too. That was the reason why she still managed to acquire a position in the new government. Because even if Alexandros was gone, Clavia didn’t change and still continued to help the citizens in her own way.
But Clavia suddenly went missing this morning, that’s why I had to fill in for her. I used my magic to create rain to help the citizens. Ever since the drought happened, the officials including me, had to create rain at least thrice a week to make sure that the people would have enough supply including their farms.
“The king is furious. The Olunia river had suddenly lost all of its water,” the guard said in a shaky voice. He looked as white as paper. “Please excuse me, your highness. I need to help the rest of the guards to find the culprit.”
“Olunia river? Damn it. That’s Alex’s life!”
The guard lowered his head. That was an open secret to everybody. When he left, I pressed my forehead. Even I was loss for words. The Olunia was the river where the portal was located. It took Alexandros two years before he was able to bring back its old glory after the drought.
All of us were witnesses to the frustration he felt and to his sufferings just to restore the water in that river. After Alexandros wakes up and before he goes to sleep, that was the first and last place he would go to. He personally supervised the river and used variety of spells hoping they would help to reopen the portal which didn’t happen yet.
I rushed to Alexandros’ office. All the lights were off but I saw him beside his mahogany desk. For the first time, the king’s office was in a huge mess. The scrolls and the pens were scattered everywhere. The lampshade was broken and so were the other figurines.
For the past six years, I had never seen Alexandros’ resolve shatter. He remained positive because he still had hope, and Olunia river was the source of that hope. That’s why even if he was tired, he keeps doing the best he could.