Cipher Code {complete}

Chapter Twenty One: What They Are •EDITED•

Ten minutes ago
October, Year 483
Forest of Lacau
State of Nicia
North

Edythe had somehow managed to resist the temptation to roll her eyes as she watched Esau climb up the tree with a steady but slow grip on the aged and mossy bark.

Apologies she was too amused to reply poured out of his mouth with each new height he reached he took.

"C'mon Esau," she whispered, more for herself than for him to hear, "you can do this."

She knew that he was too focused to notice her circle around the tree and effortlessly get on the same branch that he was heading to. She glared at her twin as he struggled to climb up a distance he could have mounted in his sleep.

Typical.

For some reason Esau was scared of everything when he was with her-and Edythe knew for a fact that he was completely fearless alone.

He wasn't afraid of anything but her. To be precise, he was terrified of failing her.

At the thought, Edythe finally allowed her eyes to roll. She wasn't scary and she loved her brother. Sometimes she couldn't just understand why he acted so silly.

She knew he wouldn't have climbed the tree without some persuasion, and since Esau didn't seem to be moved by the threat of being trampled to death, her possible demise was the only other thing that could make him budge-not that she would have let either of them die if her tactics hadn't worked.

Edythe could have carried him up if she wanted, it wouldn't have been that hard for her and she had done it before. But deep down she had a crippling fear that they couldn't always be together-and as much as the thought made her want to curl up into a ball and cry, she couldn't have him being weak when she wasn't around.

They were twins and they were the same. What she could do, he could do. And what either of them could do when they were apart, Edythe and Esau could do with twice the efficiency when they worked together.

It's the way it always is. And we are always together. . . But-

Lost in her troubling thoughts, Edythe almost didn't see Esau looking down into the horde. She almost didn't notice the panicked expression that had seized his features. But it was impossible for her not to feel an instinctive pang of terror.

The fear was hers and his combined.

No. Esau.

Immediately, she shot to her feet. Her brother had never been afraid of heights but all her senses screamed that he was going to fall. He had already reached the branch and was clinging to it with all he had, but his eyes never left the raging flow of beasts.

Look up, look up!

Edythe should have known he would look for her down there but she also knew that he would make the climb.

C'mon E, I'm up here. She screamed in her mind but he never turned his head from the sweeping tide of animals. His gaze drooped and she saw his eyes close.

Are those tears?

Her heart pounded at the sight of them and she prayed that he wouldn't do anything stupid. But lately, nothing seemed to be going her way.

Before she could process what had happened his grip on the branch went slack and he fell.

No, no, no.