I fight back a smile, for years, I always felt like I didn’t belong, like a part of me was missing. I love Andi and her family; they looked after me like a son, but it still didn’t fill that void. Now, with Iza, I know who I am, I know where I come from. I have a member of my family choosing me.
“Thanks, Iza.” She shrugs me off, but can’t hide her smile, her stone face from the beginning completely gone.
The next few weeks are spent training, gathering supplies, and planning the route. Caelan has everything down to a tee, the only thing that is undecided is the day we are leaving. Caelan thoughtit best to wait for the weather to lighten up, so finally, after days of waiting, we leave in the morning.
Andi has come a long way with her training. Ronan was tough on her, like he was on me, maybe more so.
He pushes her to her limits and keeps pushing until she physically can’t take anymore. I join her for her morning runs; every day she is getting stronger, but will she be ready if we meet guards on the road? I have no idea.
Arel has been devising strategic plans to aid her training, which normally include attacking her when she least expects it. Iza and Lilah have been a huge help, with Lilah’s illusions, she has been able to create a scenario when Andi could be attacked, with Iza instructing her movements. It started as a training exercise for Andi, but Ronan has us all doing it, saying we can never be too prepared.
Caelan catches me in the training field, asking me to walk with him. “This is between us for the time being.” I nod. “With Aron feeling better, and Seema’s approval, he and Izaac will head out for Zury in the morning. Their mission is to locate your family and forward the information using the Echo stone. I feel it would be prudent to keep this between us, at least until we find out more.”
My heart thumps in my chest, I’m not sure if I can keep any more from Andi. Secrets are like a spider’s web, intricate and complicated, and with one wrong move, the whole thing falls apart. Is this the right move?
Caelan squeezes my shoulder before heading back to his hut. I drag my feet back to the training field, leaning against the fence, watching Andi, carefree and happy. Caelan’s right, I need to keep her in the dark for a little while longer.
For the first time in, I don’t even know how long, Andi is laughing and joking with my friends, with Ronan hanging around her like a bad smell. Should I stop this? Or step back andallow Andi some happiness. Even though I am adamant that he is reckless, at least he would be protective. He can look after her, unlike Myles. He’ll challenge her in a way Myles couldn’t.
Andi glances at Ronan, her cheeks flushing a little each time. What was I thinking? There is no way I’ll be able to stop this. I’ll keep up the rouse, let them think I’m against it.
A sharp whistle from the entrance makes us all stop what we’re doing and turn to the gate. No one went out, so we shouldn’t be expecting anyone.
The glint of golden hair has Andi running. Kali throws her arms around her, gripping her tightly. Looks like she has ventured through the veil and come back to tell us about it, with large purple bags under her eyes, her sleeves cut and bloody, like she has seen a ghost or has been running for her life.
“I had to come back. Cyvail, it’s in ruins. The houses and shops have been torn down, and bodies litter the streets. Even the governor’s house, the windows have been smashed, the girl’s toys scattered along the ground.” Kali sobs into Andi, her top glistening with blood and tears. “They’re all dead. My friends, they’re gone.”
Andi grips Kali tightly, looking around at us she says, “Can someone get Seema?” She turns to Kali, “We need to get you cleaned up, come on.” Kaleb runs to Seema’s hut, and Andi follows him with Kali clinging to her.
Caelan stomps back into his hut. Ronan and I follow him, curious over his reaction. Inside the hut, Caelan muses over his map, mumbling to himself, adding more red pins with a curse. The map is imbued with claret red pins, like the wine Caelan favours. Continuing he mutters to himself, “If we… no that won’t work... How are they… Fuck!” Caelan stands up straight, with his hands interlocked behind his head.
Ronan steps forward. “What’s going on? You’re not telling us something.”
Caelan rests his hands on his hips, eyeing the map. “There have been reports of mercenaries raiding the towns, Adrian’s men have fallen back to Zury. These guys are destroying everything in their wake, but they’re moving too fast, and I don’t know how. All these red pins are known attacks. We need to get Andi out of here tonight. The attacks are getting closer, and soon they will block our path to Yiren.”
“Tonight?” I ask, stepping forward. “Do we have what we need?”
“We’re going to have to be ready. Tell everyone. Tonight, under the cover of darkness.”
Ronan and I look at each other, it’s what we’ve been preparing for. Andi will be ready; she has to be. She’s had the most intense training out of all of us.
Together we walk in complete silence to Seema’s hut, contemplating the journey ahead. Although we may not see eye to eye on many things, we both have Andi’s best interests at heart.
Seeing us walking towards the hut through the window, Andi steps into the cold and visibly shivers, wrapping her arms around herself.
“Kali is shaken up, but Seema said she’ll be fine.” She sighs and smiles to herself before her smile fades, taking in the sight of us together. She wags her finger between us. “What’s going on here?”
“You know we knew each other before you dropped out of thin air,” I say, crossing my arms over my chest, and Andi copies me and raises her eyebrow. She gets her stern face from her mum.Her mum. I swallow hard at the thought of them, hurt or worse, I can’t even think about it right now. I have to get my head in the game, we’re leaving with Andi tonight and she doesn’t know. How do I even broach the subject? Caelan would lose his shit if I went against his orders.
“I don’t think you have said two words to each other since I arrived. Sorry, nice words.”
Ronan rubs the back of his neck and looks at his feet.
I clear my throat. “We’re here to tell you that Caelan has decided we need to leave tonight.”
“Tonight?” Andi’s arms fall and she immediately presses on each of her fingers, hesitantly she says, “Okay. I’ll make sure I’m ready.”
As night approaches, the few that Caelan would allow to come stand armed and ready at the gate. He needn’t ask any to come with us, but he has had to turn quite a few away. Nu’cov still needs fighters here. He only agreed to let Iza and Lilah go after Iza explained her plan, reluctantly, he had to agree. He wasn’t sure what was even left of the order, but Iza is adamant she will find them.