Ephemeral and Fleeting

“Come in. Come in,” she urged them all forward. “We’ll explain everything.”

At that moment, a woman entered. Taller than average, she gasped upon sight of the twins.

“Vida,” Clarimonde urged her forward with a wave of her hand, “we have visitors. This is Lucy—who you might remember,” she said, tipping her head in her direction, “although it has been some time since you’ve seen her.”

“Yes, of course, I remember Lucy.” As Vida approached, filling the air with her unique scent of the Select—an energetic combination of smells reminiscent of grapefruit, blood orange, jasmine, cedar, and iris—she nodded at her visitors.

“And this is Mara, and Dixon,” Clarimonde added, gesturing toward each of them, in turn. “Dixon and I have known each other since we were children.” She laughed as she glanced his way, as though silently sharing comical memories. “And at long last, your sisters, Reigna and Eden,” she added, tipping her head in their direction, “to whom Mara is Oathtaker.”

The twins stepped up. Somewhat awkwardly, Reigna approached her sister, and then embraced her.

Vida accepted the greeting, visibly taking in her sister’s scent, and then pulled back. Smiling, her eyes brimmed with tears.

“Goodness, I don’t remember Mother all that well—but I know this,” she said, her gaze skipping from Reigna to Eden, “you two are her spitting image.”

“They are,” Dixon said, “but for their hair color, which is a bit lighter than Rowena’s was—and of course, the color of their eyes.”