Secrets Intertwined

Chapter 8: Part 3

After a few moments of lying on the beach, soaking in the sun's rays, Aislyn opened up her bag and pulled out some trousers and a loose-fitting shirt she had stolen from Galen. Audibly conveying her annoyance,  she discovered that they were dripping wet. She sent out a lick of blue flame to dry them off, constantly looking around to make sure no one was watching her.

Once dry, she began the long tedious process of removing her suit. Buckle by buckle she went unstrapping and unbuttoning everything. She stripped down to her underwear and hastily pulled on the trousers, tightening the cord around her waist securely. 

She went to pull on the shirt when she felt sand sticking to her back. She tried to ran her hand down her back but stopped when she felt the three enormous scars. She gingerly ran a delicate finger over one of them, stretching her arm as far back as she could and suppressed a shudder. Memories she would rather forget danced in the back of her mind.

Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she brushed the rest of the sand off of her and pulled the shirt on over her head. It hung down just above her knees, so she tucked it into her trousers and pulled a bit out to fashion it into a loose hanging top.

Sitting back down again, her eyes began to hungrily scan the skies looking for Galen. Her vision zeroed in on a black dot zooming through the air so, huffing in annoyance, she pushed herself to her feet. Stuffing all her belongings into her bag, she marched into the forest behind her, heading for the Community House.

After a few minutes of walking in contented silence, she heard a rustle in the leaves above her head. Smirking to herself, she hauled her bag over her shoulder and broke into a run, jumping over fallen trees and puddles. She could hear a heavy thumb of footsteps following behind her and looking over her shoulder, whilst still running, she could see Galen barrelling after her.

Seeing that he was gaining on her, she flat out sprinted and cleared the tree line to reveal the Bane Community in all its glory. Ignoring the usual hustle and bustle and the cries and shrieks of surprise from the people, she bolted towards the platform that lay in the middle of the market. Slowing her pace a bit, so that Galen could catch up to her, she reached the platform and jumped on. She spun on the ball of her foot to reveal him hot on her heels; Grabbing her bag, she yanked it off her shoulder and violently swung it, clipping Galen square on the jaw. The momentum of the hit sent him flying to the ground where he landed with a thud.

Howling with laughter she threw her bag at him, knocking him on the head and flew towards the house. As she ran she saw Jackson, Logan and Tamani standing off to the side watching the spectacle.

"Ais!" yelled her brother.

"Not now, bro," she bellowed back, "I'm in a race!"

When she reached the door to the house, she flung it open and ran inside, slamming it hard enough to rattle the glasses on the table.

She threw her body weight against the door moments before a big force hit the other side of it.

"For fuck's sake Aislyn," she heard Galen's muffled voice from the other side of the door, "Let me in, I want to have a wash! I've been flying for three fucking days!"

"Should've been faster!" she shouted back.

Ignoring the fowl words spewing from Galen, not to mention the thuds on the door that rattled the windows, Aislyn locked the door and went over to the sitting room. Stuck her head out the window to see Jackson, Logan and Tamani had all walked over to the house.

"Oh, boys! I'm home!" she called to them.

"Yes, we gathered that," replied Jackson.

"I think the whole Community knows," retorted Tamani, snorting.