Fallen Allegiance

Epilogue

EPILOGUE - ONE MONTH LATER

I wandered through the familiar woods of Ezalfar, I had been coming here often in the past two months, nearly every day. It felt like home, something that wound never change. Something I could hold onto. Something that I wouldn't have to let go of.

I had been in Valcriea for five months, yet I was still confused as to where I wanted to be. The drama of Khadi coming back had passed, it had obviously just been a faze. I hadn't seen her, I was just panicking.

I sighed, looking up through the cracks in the trees at the sky, letting the sun flicker down and blind my vision. My hand rested on the bark of the tree which I sat at most days. The tree I had carved my M in.

I had gotten the idea off Andor and every time I thought if him, I cringed. I squeezed my eyes shut, leaning my head against the tree, ignoring the rest of the world. Where was he? Two months. Two months I had waited for him to return. He never had. I never even had a sign from him telling me he was okay. He was like some character of my imagination and even now I wasn't sure if he had been real or not.

I had forgotten a lot about him, caught up in this new life of mine, but every time I shut my eyes I saw his face. His intense golden gaze and jet black hair. His pale complexion and arrogant smirk. The way he liked to confused people, his sarcastic remarks and the secrets he hid so well. Why had he left me? Why save me then leave me? Why?

I couldn't obsess over him forever, I had to move on. Elisha was still trying to find me a 'fake' husband but I couldn't even be bothered to sneer at the boys any more. Dwynwen and Sayer were slowly leaving me behind, whispering to each other and laughing together, without me. They didn't do anything in public, though I could tell they were hiding something.

Ianthe had found himself again, he had gotten over Zane and was now back to his usual cocky self. Melissa, on the other hand, had become serious, unable to take a single joke, as if it was painful to her ears. Ianthe and her bickered constantly and I slowly found my small Dusarla group breaking apart.

Lauri had gotten her wish, Charia and her were together, and now even my sister didn't come to see me, too busy with training. I would hunt alone, not having a pair, and usually Ianthe and Melissa would hunt with other groups. Everything was crumbling and I couldn't keep up.

Could I go back to Earth? No, I wouldn't have made the swap, Sayer told me that. I was stuck here. Alone.

I gave a frustrated shout before blinking the angry tears from my eyes and continuing through the forest. For some reason, I found my feet taking me towards Eza Lake, but I didn't object. Water calmed me. Earth protected me. Air encouraged me. Fire strengthened me. Spirit guided me. It was guiding me now, I didn't know why, I just followed the faint purple glow on the ground.

That's when I heard it. The voice, coming straight from the lake. A lump formed in my throat but I pushed it down, creeping slowly towards the voice. I hid behind a tree, my fingers digging into the bark as I struggled to keep my heart beat under control.

"Eamon!" the boy hissed, "Are you even listening to me? I said no, I'm not going to do that." There was silence before he spoke again, "Shut up and listen. I don't care what we made you do, I'm not bloody doing that! Okay?" More silence.

I frowned, I knew that voice. I edged further around the tree and caught a glimpse of the boy. He was facing away from me so all I could see was his strong body and black hair. His muscles tensed suddenly.

"No." he said. I caught the faint sound of an angry voice before the boy replied, "I don't care what you think, Redliche, I do things my way."

The boy stood up, his hand sliding something into his pocket as he did so. He froze again, this time standing up. I bit my lip, unsure what was going. I recognised him, though it was impossible to tell who he was just by his back, I needed to see his face.