Out of Reach

Chapter Twenty Six

GORGEOUS DRAWING OF LUX  BY YamazakiOfthevoid

Lux grumbled something incoherent under his breath but stayed silent.

"Most everyone who lives here has gotten infected." Topaz nodded, her voice quiet.

"When did it infect the first patient? What are their symptoms? Do you know what illness it is? Is it common? Does it affect everyone or just a specific group?" Lux spewed.

"I... Have no idea... Damien insisted neither of us get too close. I b-barely" Topaz clenched her fist and closed her eyes.

"Fantastic"

"Calm down Lux." Skye murmured. "Is there any way we can help?"

"I-I don't know." Topaz hung her head, tears beginning to stream down her face, "I don't know." She whispered.

Skye put a hand on Topaz's shoulder. "It's okay. We can still try to help, even if it's just collecting resources."

·····

"Since when did I agree to this?" Lux said, closing the door of their room.

"Since now."

"Her royalest of majesties, ordering her slaves from such a young age. Why, she's just like her father." Lux wiped away an imaginary tear.

Skye clenched her teeth. "My dad died years ago. And he definitely wasn't a tyrannical king."

Lux began to laugh a loud, mirthless laugh.

"I wasn't being serious. Did I hit a sore spot?" He smiled, but quickly stopped when he saw Skye's expression. "Sorry..."

Eager to switch the subject, Skye asked the first thing she could think to ask.

"Are you doing fine? You've been pretty tired today."

"I did wake up at an ungodly hour."

"That's not it, you're a lot more... Sour."

Lux worked his jaw, staring off momentarily. "Can I go off on you, princess?"

"I guess, if it helps. Might as well."

"

Lux bent down to look Skye in the eyes, his elbow resting on the bed.

"Stop being so-... So stupid." Lux said, his voice suddenly deathly serious.

"I'm stupid?" Skye scoffed, immediately turning defensive, "And anyway, what's it matter, nothing has even happened yet."

"One," Lux stepped closer, "You have signed up to assist a dying village that could get us both killed. Two," Lux's face was half an arms length away "You can't actually do anything to help the village, so you don't. You get me to do all of the work. I didn't sign up for this. Three," he stepped even closer, "My priorities are on my brother, and I thought yours were too. He could be dead because of this escapade. Four-" Lux stopped and inhaled, before backtracking to his bed.

"I-I didn't mean any of that. Just... Pretend it never happened, please princess?"

"N-"

Skye heard a light knock on the door.

"You guys dropped off your bags, right? Let me show you the village. I'm sorry, the guest house is a while from..." Topaz trialed off, looking at her guests' faces. "Wow, you guys look down... Lux, Damien wants to talk to you. Skye, I'll take you to the village, the boys can catch up with us later." Topaz walked out slightly hurriedly.

·····

Skye and Lux threaded through the forest, following Damien and Topaz.

The trees towered high over them, the emerald light barely making it down through the thick leaves.

"We're here." Topaz said, turning to face them.

"Where's the village then?" Lux frowned. "Sometimes I question my sanity, following a group of thieves to help their imaginary village."

Topaz let out a sigh. "Please, just put up with us a little longer. It's above you."

"It?" Skye's gaze turned to the treetops, her breath hitching in her throat.

The towering trees loomed over them, the emerald light filtering through the treetops barely making it down to the forest floor.

But what was most breathtaking were the treehouses up high in the trees, supported only by the trees themselves, long wooden platforms connected all the treehouses together. The village was in the trees.

The only sound occupying the area wasn't the usual hustle and bustle of a village, or the noise of laughter that Skye had associated with happiness, but the growling of beasts and cawing of birds. Accompanied by the faint smell of death.

A/N: hehe....

I love this chapter, it is definitely my favorite so far.... Thank you all so much for reading!