When an Elite dies, so to do their vassals. For a human, there’s no greater honor than to die in the service of an Elite.

- Order-Chaos, Lesser Titan, 1817

Lesly didn’t feel any smarter.

Dr. Coffey had said she’d gain intelligence, but how would she know? Sure, she could solve math problems, but that didn't count. Furthermore, she could only see the solution after speaking the numbers out loud, or writing them on paper. If she merely thought of a multiplication problem, she couldn’t see the answer. And that’s exactly what it was — seeing, the answer magically appearing in her brain. She didn’t understand how she arrived at it, so really, it was no different than using a flippin’ calculator.

Sitting cross legged outside her house, head bowed to the afternoon light, she let the warmth of the sun’s rays seep into her skin, and willed it to somehow make her smarter. She also pressed her thumb on the head of a rusty nail which protruded from the weatherworn deck, half expecting to drive it back into place with her newfound ‘super strength’.

It didn’t move.

Of all the benefits granted to Elites, only heightened intelligence sparked her interest. In truth, she couldn’t care less about becoming bigger and stronger. Those gifts would likely annoy her more than anything. However, she needed to be smarter, if only to improve her ability to communicate with her sister. Ky had always been brilliant, and if Les couldn't find a way approach her sister’s intelligence, she’d be lost.

Perfect example — since they’d returned from the doctor’s office, Ky had secluded herself in their room, refusing to leave. The door had no lock, and Les had entered a couple of times only to find Ky in her bed, comforter pulled over her head. Twice, she’d been about to tickle her sister (a sneaky tactic Ky had often used on Les in the past), but just as her fingertips grazed the blanket, a sharp pain shot through her skull. The second time, the pain had been even more pronounced, like a magic wand poking through one ear and out the other.

Somehow, she knew the pain belonged to Ky and not to herself, but it didn’t make it any less real. Furthermore, though Les wasn’t an expert like her sister on the subject of Elites, she’d heard enough about their powers to remember feelings pushed out from the Elite, not in. Perhaps this meant her sister was becoming an Elite too! It would certainly be welcome relief. If Les could have a single wish, it would be for her sister to ascend.

Lesly closed her eyes. Please God, if you’re listening, please make my sister an Elite. I know you don’t make mistakes, but I think maybe these powers belong to her. Also, please let her talk to me again. I’m really sorry about the things I said…

Les opened her eyes. She had said some mean things in the doctor’s office. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately, first with Jakob, now with her sister. Both times she’d been flustered, unable to think quickly enough to stop her mouth from saying hurtful lies. She couldn’t even remember exactly what she’d said to Ky, only how it felt, as if she were desperately trying to hurt her sister with words.

Les frowned deeply as tears welled up in her eyes. Would she become like them? Like the Elites she and her sister watched on tv? Sure, many were depicted as heroes, but others paraded around as big meanies. Maybe Les was becoming a meanie, and if she was, she’d drive her sister away for sure. Ky was definitely the hero type, and Les would give anything to trade places and become her loyal vassal. Instead, the universe had turned their relationship upside down. And it sucked!

The screen door opened then clapped shut as someone, likely Mom, stepped onto the creaking wooden boards. Les sniffled, then quickly wiped her face against the sleeve of her oversized t-shirt.

“Stop crying, you big baby.”

Les didn’t hear the words, only the voice — Ky’s voice!

“Mom told me to go check on you.” Ky’s footsteps padded to the edge of the deck. “You realize you’re projecting right? I could feel you crying all the way from the bedroom.”

“Oh.” Les squinted into the sun as she glanced up at her sister. “Sorry.”

“You can turn it off,” Ky said, her back turned as she faced the yard. “The projecting. It’ll just take practice.” She sighed. “I can probably help.”

“I’m sorry!” Les blurted before she could stop herself. “About the things I said earlier.” She could feel the moisture returning to her eyes as if siphoned upward from an unending supply in her frozen lake of a gut. “I didn’t mean any of it. I — I just — ”

“Chill, you idiot,” Ky said. “I know you didn’t mean it. Neither did I. Well, at least the part about you being ugly. You’re not ugly.”

Les had forgotten about that, but it seemed insignificant. Ky was talking to her again. Ky was talking to her again!

“Actually — ” Ky started.

Les jumped up, faster than she’d expected, and wrapped her arms around Ky before the blonde had a chance to turn around. She buried her face in Ky’s bedhead hair, loving the oily, fruity smells she found there. Given her newly acquired height, Les’s nose fit quite nicely in the nape of Ky’s neck.

“Off!” Ky squirmed, but she didn’t appear to be fighting too hard because normally she’d break free from one of Les’s surprise hugs in an instant. Unless…

Oh, right!

Les released her sister, fearing her own increased strength. “Sorry!” She’d never heard of an Elite harming a human by accident, but with her luck, she’d be the first, especially if she didn't learn to hold back.

Ky rolled her eyes, straightening her clothing. “Obviously you’re stronger now, but you’re not going to break me, so calm down. That doesn’t mean you can hug me whenever you want.”

Hmm, in Lesly’s mind, it kinda did mean that.

Ky always seemed to know what Les was thinking. Well, not always, but at important moments like this.

“Anyway, as I was saying.” Ky met Les’s eyes, no longer needing to look down. “I was angry with myself, and I took it out on you. I shouldn’t have.”

“Oh.” Les chewed on the inside of her bottom lip.

“I was mad because I failed to become an Elite, and I was jealous of you.”

Les nodded her head, brain desperately trying to process the words. Ky being jealous of Les simply didn’t compute. Les had become an Elite, true, but Ky was Ky. She didn’t get jealous of anyone because she was already super-duper amazing. Les would have to think on it more later.

“Then, I realized I don’t need to become an Elite.” Ky’s eyes stared not at Les, but through her. “I’m already good enough to make a difference. You’ll see, Les. I’m going to change this world in a big way. I’m not sure how yet, but my life’s going to mean something. People will know me.”

Les nodded fervently. This was the Ky she knew and loved, the Ky everyone knew and loved.

“Becoming an Elite would’ve made it too easy,” Ky said. “This world has only begun to see what Kyleigh Watts is capable of.”

“I know — I mean — you’re awesome!” Les sounded like an idiot, even to herself, but as usual the words spilled out of her mouth. “I just wish I could still be your vassal.”

“Obviously, you can’t. An Elite has never been a human’s vassal...” Ky’s brows furrowed.

“Yeh.” Les let out a deep sigh.

“But, if you really wanted to be my vassal...it would be different,” Ky said. “Maybe even world changing.”

Lesly liked where this was heading. Ky was so smart! If she could find a way to make Les her vassal, it’d be like breaking the laws of physics or something. People would notice, Ky would be praised, and Les would be right there with her.

“Could I?” Les asked. “Really?”

“I’ll think about it,” Ky said.

“Kay.” Lesly tried not to sound too excited, fearful Ky might change her mind.

“But before I even consider it, I’ll have to train you.” Ky paced back and forth across the deck. “You don’t know anything about Elites even though you are one. We’ll need to work on your strength, your reflexes, and your brains. If you’re going to be my vassal, you’ll have to be the best you can be.”

Les nodded so hard and so fast, she almost broke her neck. She didn’t know if it was the sun exposure, or Ky’s words, or both, but everything about the moment seemed so perfect.

She still had a place in her sister’s plans. She only needed to work hard to maximize her abilities, and her sister would accept her —

Maybe she’d even need her!