The Coalition (Book 1)

Chapter 54

"Hey, I know you! You're from Lael!" The boy narrowed his eyes and Aliah stared hard at him.Do I know him? He relaxed his grip on the person he held. An elbow slammed into his stomach and he grunted then bent over, winded.

"Nice welcome, Aliah! Glad you could finally join us!" Good-natured chuckling and a familiar voice flooded Aliah with relief.

He sucked in a breath, clutched his stomach and slowly straightened to look into the laughing, grey eyes of his friend Ellersly who rubbed at the red mark on his neck where Aliah's arm had been.

Aliah breathed out a puff of air then laughed and slapped Ellersly on the back. "I didn't think this place would be occupied. What are you doing here? I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm happy to see you, but I thought you were headed to that cave in the north."

"The further we got from Lael the more your mother remembered this place. She said it's safer to be around people than to be alone out there. Mara knows Kent inside and out. She showed us this room. She said she knew you'd find your way here too. The children have already been taken in by the people here. Amazing bunch, these Kentites." Ellersly smiled then turned to the boy on the ground. "You gonna get up, Uli?"

The boy's face turned red. "I would if I could, Ell. I think I broke my foot tripping over this dang bag."

Ellersly grabbed the bag then tossed it to Aliah.

"It's Shai's," he told Ell. His chest ached as he glanced over at the mound he'd tucked into his childhood bed.

"Shai? She's here? How'd you find her?" Ellersly broke into a wide grin. He walked over to the cot to peek. "She's sleeping."

"She's sick." Aliah muttered as he walked to where Ellersly stood then flung Shai's bag onto his mother's old bed.

"Uh, thanks for thinking of me, guys. I'll just suffer silently."

Ellersly glanced over his shoulder. "You'll live, Uli. Quit being so melodramatic." He pulled the blanket away from Shai's face. "What's wrong with her?"

Aliah studied Ellersly for a moment. An urge to tell his friend everything welled up in him, but he pushed it aside. Telling Ellersly meant involving his friend and risking his life which was the reason he had sent Ellersly away in the first place.

"I don't know what's wrong with her. Fatigue I guess. We've been going for days. Not much to eat. Next to no sleep." He shrugged. "I'm sure she'll be fine in the morning." But the sick feeling in his stomach said otherwise.

Ellersly walked over to Uli, still on the floor, and pulled the boy up by his arm.

"Go back to the Core and tell Cookie we need two more meals. And bring back some canteens of water too."

Aliah smiled when Ellersly mentioned Sector Seven's famous cook, Cookie. Memories of a big man with no hair, a thick black mustache and smiling dark blue eyes surfaced. So he is still alive.

Aliah's mouth twitched when he thought of something else. "Hey, Ell. No one can know we're here, okay?"

Ellersly shrugged and nodded. "Hear that, Uli? Say nothing." He ushered the boy out, then closed the door and leaned against it. "How'd you get into the Center? That guard at the entrance would've stopped you because of Shai's pendant."

Aliah nodded. "He did stop us, but Shai wouldn't let it go. It was Eliana's. So Kael created a diversion and I ran with Shai in here. We were followed, but I think we lost them when we came in here."

"Kael?"

"Yeah, you remember Ava from Conley?"

Ellersly grinned. "Pretty girl with the brand on her wrist. Had it in for you it seemed."

Aliah snorted. "That's for sure. Kael's her older brother. He followed us here."

"All the way from Conley?" Ellersly shook his head and his cheeks wobbled. "That can't be good. Wonder what he wants." He looked down at Shai again, tapping a finger against his chin. "What ever happened to that page you tore out of their book in the Supply House?"

Aliah frowned. "You saw?"

"I saw the look on your face when you ripped it out just before Akan came in asking for it. Was that book our Book? From Lael?"

Aliah turned away from Ellersly's searching eyes. He ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "I can't, Ell. I won't involve you."

"I'm involved! Look around, Aliah. Quit trying to protect me all the time. I did pretty good bringing all those children here. Your mother helped, but I still did pretty great."

Aliah turned around again and caught the laughter in Ellersly's shining grey eyes. "And I know more than you think."

The door opened and an older woman entered. She swept the room with her grey-green eyes then smiled when she saw Aliah. "You made it."

She looked years younger standing in their old room. The yellowish electric light caught the silver strands of her hair and made them shimmer.

Aliah's heart skipped and he crossed the room then pressed himself into her embrace.

"I remember you, Mother. I really remember you."