Wucaii

Chapter Eighteen

Aelana paced the floor of the cave. After leaving the asylum, she insisted on finding a safe place for Bayn, but he refused. He told her his people needed him, that he had to get them to safety, and he wasn't worried about any more attacks. Aelana couldn't say anything, so she took him back to the church. As she walked back and forth, she wondered if it was truly a good idea. It also stressed her out wondering who had Kalen. It could still be another band of homeless people, or a completely different set of wackos who had visions of overthrowing the dragons. What if they thought using Bayn against her again was a good idea? She didn't really want to rescue him again. Her focus needed to be on getting Kalen back. It would have made her feel better if Dek were there. He would have been able to sense an attack, but no one had seen him for days. That worried her too. Had someone taken him?

How was she going to get to Kalen? Eventually, she was probably just going to have to burst into the War Room and take him. There was only one more day before the destruction started. The apocalypse would move quickly after that.

"You're wearing a hole in the ground," the queen said.

Aelana stopped for a second and looked at her. "Then help me figure out what to do."

"I can't make your decisions for you. You're an adult. Make your own choices." She readjusted on the floor and laid her head on her front legs. "But make it quick. You're mesmerizing me with your movements."

Aelana nodded. "I'm going after him."

"Good for you," the queen said. "Help us out along the way."

Aelana couldn't help but smile. She'd told the queen what had happened after her capture, and Her Highness responded that there were fewer people to destroy. It was such a dragon thing to say. Aelana didn't derive pleasure from killing, but it didn't disappoint her either. It was just something she did, something that had to be done. If she was honest with herself, she would admit that there was some feeling there when she took a life. It might have been happiness or maybe guilt, but something was there. She didn't look for people to kill. She only took those who threatened her and her friends; those who invoked her wrath. Even when the destruction started, she never took part in the killing of innocents; she usually kept her distance.

The questions the man asked her in the office were nothing new. Many different species on different planets wondered about the same things. They were always curious why she had the power to decide who lived and who died. At first, it made her feel guilty, made her think her actions were wrong. She thought maybe she should take the same amount of time to pick the survivors as she did picking the prophet. But it was infeasible; there wasn't enough time. Besides, as the queen had pointed out, the most worthy wouldn't always be the ones who were saved. When survival came into play, creatures lied and deceived to ensure their own safety.

When it came down to it, Aelana only gave the species on the planet the symbol that would save them. Ultimately, it was up to them to decide if they would put that symbol on their bodies. She had no control over that decision. She gave the prophet the word, and he would spread it. If everyone on the planet decided to tattoo the eye on their wrists, they'd all be saved. The cities and the rest of the planet would fall around them, but they would be alive. In the end, it was up to the species on the planet to decide if they lived or died. The power to survive was in their hands, not hers.

The power she did have was to help Kalen. She couldn't be there to help Thoran, and that feeling of powerlessness was the worst in the universe. She didn't want to feel like that again. Living with the guilt and anger had been almost unbearable.

The first thing she did when she got back to the cave was check the ruins. The magic was still there, so, more than likely, Kalen was still there. In reality, she didn't know if Kalen was actually there or if he was alive. For all she knew, they could have killed him days ago. That would be another reason his aura had disappeared.