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feels right. I don’t have any qualms or doubts about it. It’s something more ephemeral than a basic reason. You know?”
    “Sorta,” Pagus said, and Typhos could tell he didn’t understand.
    “OK, it’s like, I hear stories of all these worlds out there, but I don’t know a lot about them. I don’t know how much the council knows about them. I have this insatiable thirst to find out as much as I can—it’s almost a curse, the way things just stick in my mind until I resolve them. And the sense of the universe is something I desperately want to explore, and I think I can do so as chief. That’s… that’s as good an answer as you’ll get right now, in the last hours of me being fourteen.”
    Pagus nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer, if not fully comprehending it. I barely understand it, so if he does, he should be in my shoes. But it’s trivial since I’ll be there anyways.
    “I’ll admit, man, you’d make a good chief. Everyone our age loves you, thinks you’re hilarious, and takes your side in most disputes. You have a very loose and free attitude that appeals to a lot of people and can relate easily to them. Just… remember this afternoon. You got some strong powers, Typhos.”
    “I know,” Typhos said, a mix of pride and understanding in his voice.
    “Good. On these other worlds, have you been to any?”
    Typhos disappointedly shook his head.
    “My mother doesn’t want me to go, so until I’m older, I’m stuck here.”
    “Why?”
    Typhos shrugged. Because Mom’s dumb?
    “Who knows? She thinks the Kastori should embrace their home and not constantly be on the move for new places. But… I don’t know, Pagus. That’s her choice. There’s not a whole lot I can do. I know she’s been to those worlds, but when I mention that, she says she earned it with age and experience. So…”
    I’ll earn it much sooner.
    His voice trailed off, and a smirk came as a gleeful thought came to mind.
    “I’ll make it mandatory to visit foreign worlds when I become chief.”
    “Now you’re talking,” Pagus said laughing. “What worlds are you—”
    But Pagus finished when he turned to the sound of footsteps from behind them. Typhos turned and was shocked at the sight of his father. Typhos could not hide the horror on his face at the sight of Adanus—his face looked gaunt, his complexion had become much whiter, and his eyes lacked any of the spark that Typhos had grown accustomed to. He’s not better. I’m going to press him if he says he’s fine.
    He’s almost certainly dying.
    “Hi son,” he said.
    “Dad,” Typhos said.
    “Sir,” Pagus said, quickly rising to his feet.
    “It’s OK, Pagus,” his father said, his voice soft and trembling. “Are you doing well?”
    “Yes sir, very much so.”
    “Good. I normally wouldn’t want to interrupt you two, but I would like to speak to my son for a bit.”
    “Oh, yes,” Pagus said, stumbling over what he said. “Yes, sir, sir, yes. Typhos, I’ll be around.”
    He quickly departed to his tent, and Typhos had a sick feeling come over him. Why is he out here? Did he overhear what we talked about? Is this going to be a lecture?
    Or something more…
    His father struggled to crouch, and Typhos offered his hand for support. Adanus accepted it and sat on the ground with a bit of a thud.
    “You all right?” Typhos said.
    “Nothing but a bit of a bump,” his father said with a warm but weakened smile.
    “I meant—”
    But something in the eye of his father shut Typhos up, preventing him from probing further into his health. Typhos looked back at the sun, now beginning to dip below the horizon, as he waited for his father to speak.
    And for the first time in this spot at this time since… ever.

 
     
     
     
    6
    “I know it’s not very fatherly or chief-like of me to eavesdrop, but I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with Pagus.”
    Typhos’ eyes went wide with embarrassment, and his father responded with a kind laugh