Fly or Fall

Chapter Twenty-Four

Andy's hands were bound again. He sat in the cockpit of the Wythynian jump ship. The red-haired woman, Cheshia, sat at the controls getting ready for the ship to take flight. Layla sat across from him and he glared at her. Try as he may he couldn't understand why she was doing this. The woman he knew had sacrificed everything to raise him and Anna, but the woman before him had sacrificed them for what? It had to be important, his aunt wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't important. But what could be so important she'd sell out her own niece and nephew.

He wanted to ask her but the words wouldn't form in his mouth. It was as if his tongue refused to accuse her of anything, as if holding onto the hope he was wrong about her somehow made her less guilty. If he didn't ask her he could still cling onto the idea that maybe she was doing this for them. Part of him wanted to trust her. Part of him still did.

"Captain Lycrest," one of the two soldiers who had stood outside came into the cockpit. Cheshia rose and the soldier saluted, placing three fingers against their forehead. They still had their hood and mask on, the most Andy could discern from their face were their eyes. They had Bambi sized chocolate brown eyes.

"Lieutenant Sep," Captain Cheshia Lycrest said. The soldier dropped their arm and stood with their hands at their back and their legs slightly parted. "Have you secured the girl?"

They shifted. "We scanned the island," they said, their voice slightly muffled by the mask.  "We couldn't find her or the royals."

A tick formed in the jaw of the captain as she clenched her fists. "Tell me lieutenant, how do three children escape the Valek's most skilled team?"

Sep stiffened. "I'm not sure, ma'am."

"If they were still on the island the aerial scan would have detected them. The island is small, they couldn't have gone far on foot. The hovercraft is still on the beach, which was probably their only viable escape route. And it's not like they could have swam away. But somehow, they did leave this island. It only leaves one logical conclusion. Magic." She turned her focus to Layla. "Miss Echowood, I do not appreciate being deceived."

Layla kept her gaze firmly on her hands in her lap. "I didn't lie to you," she murmured.

"So, I just missed the part where you explained your niece has magic."

"I didn't know," she lied. It was an obvious lie.

Cheshia huffed. "The commander isn't going to be happy about this. Unfortunately, I'm the one who has to face her." She turned back to Sep. "Contact HQ, explain the situation and have them send in a tracker team. They'll find the girl no matter where she is on Omora." Her voice turned intently threatening towards the end.

Andy gulped and Cheshia turned to him as if just remembering he was here. "Does he have magic too?" she asked.

"He would have escaped by now if he did," Layla answered.

Cheshia glared at her and then pinched the bridge between her eyes, as if Layla was testing her patience. "Knock him out," she said to Sep. "I don't want any more mishaps today."

Andy didn't try to resist when Sep approached with a blaster. There'd be no point to it. The last thing he remembered was the sharp pain at the side of his head and the world around him growing dark.

>>>>>>>

The first sound Andy heard when he woke up was the rapid clicking of nails on a steel surface. It rang through his head stirring him closer to consciousness. He opened his eyes to a brightly lit room. A figured blurred in front of him. It took a second before his eyes focused on it. A woman, dressed in a black military coat, slacks and knee-high leather boots, stood in front of him. The coat was lined with gold ribbon and embroidered with curling designs. Polished gold and silver medals were laden over the front right pocket. The clicking sound stopped when their eyes met.