Anna had never been so glad to see Kol. She could almost kiss him but she remembered him kissing Andy and her heart ached. No, stop it, she chided. She was done thinking about that. She had more pressing matters at the moment. She was still tied up and on the floor of a boat bound for who knows where. Her aunt had betrayed her and Andy. They were in trouble. She didn't have time to think about that night now.
"Why are you in your pajamas?" she asked as she took in his appearance.
He shrugged. "I didn't have time to change." He knelt beside her and started untying her feet.
"I'm so happy you're here," Andy said and Kol glanced at him. Their eyes met for a second and the prince's cheeks tinted.
"Um, well," he cleared his throat and dropped his gaze, "We couldn't just let you leave without even a goodbye."
"Or let you get kidnapped," Hae added. She'd freed Andy's feet and now turned her focus to the handcuffs. "How are we supposed to get these off without a key?"
"Anyone know how to pick a lock?" Andy asked and they all turned their gazes to Kol.
"Why are you looking at me?"
"Obvious suspect," Andy said.
Kol pouted. "For your information—"
"I might have an idea," Anna suggested cutting him off. "Stand back," she told Kol and Hae. They stepped away. She closed her eyes, immediately like a spark of electricity, magic coursed through her. It was a shock, a familiar one. The rawness of her power made her hands glow and the tattoo on her left hand tingled. Her heart rate picked and she took a deep breath before she whispered the word, "Ligre." The cuffs melted away as if they were made of ice instead of steel and she rose to her feet.
"That's better," she massaged her wrists, where ugly purplish bruised had formed.
"Impressive," Kol commented.
She blushed. "It's a simple spell."
"That you could have done this entire time," Andy said.
"I forgot I could," she said bashfully. She'd been using magic for weeks now but there were moments she forgot she had it. Her mind was not yet used to it. She wondered if it ever would.
She helped Andy out of his cuffs and he got to his feet, using the steel wall to prop himself up. "Thanks," he said. "We have to get off this boat before—"
"Before what?" came a voice, deep and rough. The four of them turned to the door. Standing there, his muscled arms crossed over his broad chest, was the Wythynian soldier. Bedric Menlow, was what Layla had called him. They were silent as his cold menacing eyes swept over them. Kol swallowed audibly, Hae stepped closer to Andy, Andy glared at the man and Anna clenched her fists. He smiled cruelly.
"You weren't thinking of leaving, were you?" he asked and took a step forward. He had heavy steel toe shoes which clunked against the metal floor. How had he approached without making a sound? It seemed impossible. "It would be truly unfortunate if you were. Especially after the trouble I went through to get you here." He took another step and they all flinched.
"I'm not here to hurt you." He raised his hands in surrender. Nothing about this man said, 'I come in peace.' Anna didn't let her guard down. He noticed and smirked. "I'd like to apologize for the way we met."
"For tonight on the beach when you knocked us out or for a month ago when you tried to shoot us with a blaster?" Anna asked.
"I suppose I owe you two apologies then," he made no apologies. "We have stowaways," his gaze turned to Hae and then Kol. "Princess Haelyn and Prince Kolan, I presume."
"You're Wythynian," Kol said, his voice trembling but he stood tall and faced the man. "We won't let you take Andy and Anna." Anna watched the large man's eyes, her arm raised in case he made a move for the prince.
Bedric laughed. It was an unsettling sound, like listening to a bone stuck in a meat grinder. "Stand down little prince," his eyes flickered back to Anna and Andy, it was like being stared down by a churning ocean, agitating, cold and terrifying. "I'm here for them and them alone. I'll return you and your sister to your little island safely, if you're good little royals."
Kol opened his mouth to say something but Anna stepped in front of him. "What do you want from us?" she asked.
"I do not want nor need anything from you, but my commander," he said, "she really wants to meet you."
"Commander?" Andy asked. Bedric didn't answer, before he could the hovercraft lurched as if it'd hit something. The engine's humming sound slowed and the propellers stopped spinning.
"We're here," Bedric said and turned for the door. "Come along children."
"Do we follow him?" Hae asked.
"Do we have a choice?" Anna answered and was the first to go after Bedric.
The hovercraft was beached on the shore of a sandy island. Palm leaves whipped in the night wind, waves crashed against the beach and somewhere in the distance cicadas and crickets sang in harmony. The sky was still dark but where the ocean met the sky a faint line of marigold glowed. It was dawn. Anna stepped off the platform, her combat boot crunching the wet sand. This could almost be called peaceful, the island was calm, but it went against her racing mind and thundering heart.
In an oversized sweatshirt, dark sweatpants and sneakers, Layla Echowood stood next to Bedric. Her auburn hair had been pulled into a ponytail. The bruises and cuts that had marred her face the night she arrived at the Dello ball were mostly healed now. Her expression was placid, showing no hits of guilt, Anna found this unfair. The woman was betraying them, the least she could do was look guilty.
"Why are you doing this?" Anna demanded as soon as she was face to face with her aunt.
Layla didn't answer, she turned to Bedric and said, "They're waiting. We should start moving." Anna clenched her fists, her nails digging dangerously deep into her palms.
"Answer me!" she yelled stepping closer to Layla. "I'm confused. You said you'd protect us, that you'd always do whatever it took to make sure we were safe. Why are you doing this? This man," she glared at Bedric, "he tried to hurt us. I don't understand why you'd be working with him."
Layla didn't say anything but something flashed in her charcoal grey eyes. Pain. Anna was sure. "Please," Anna begged. "Don't let him take us."
"I-I can't... I'm sorry," she apologized before turning away.
"Don't look so glum kid," Bedric said. "I can promise you we're not the bad guys. We're not going to hurt you." Anna didn't believe a word. They took her aunt away, they'd already hurt her.
"Start walking," Bedric commanded. Andy, Kol and Hae now stood with her. Andy took her hand and squeezed it tightly and tried to smile. He was promising everything was going to be okay. She wanted to give him the same reassurance but the best she could do was a nod. They started walking, following the trail Layla had left.
>>>>>>>
Kol was shaking, partly because of the cold but mostly it was due to the fear. He hadn't been this terrified since the day his father died. Some nights he still dreamt of that day, the blood, sticky and warm on his hands. It had a metallic scent like copper. He'd see his father laid out of the palace floor, unmoving. He'd kneel next to him, eyes filled with tears. His mother would be standing next to him, her face expressionless but her eyes raging like a storm. He'd hear her call for the guards but he'd know it was too late. The emperor was dead.
The man who'd hurt him. Orrick Hast. He'd never forget him, or the cold gleam in his eyes as he plunged the dagger into his father's chest. Kol feared that man. He feared that day. He'd always wake in a cold sweat, shaking and weeping. The only thing that ever calmed him down was Val. She always knew the right words to say to make him feel better. He wished she was here now. He couldn't do this. He couldn't be the brave one. But looking at Hae, he knew for once in his life he had to be the strong one.
They walked further inland until they came to a clearing. In the center of it was a Wythynian jump ship. It was a sleek black model with a pointed nose, narrow two hundred feet wide wings, massive twin turbo jets at the rear and a laden looking cargo hold. At its side was the Wythyn insignia, a pair of white wings and two gold blades crossed over them. Kol gulped.
The insignia was a symbol of death and destruction all across Omora. When the Wythynian took control of Omora they pitched flags with the Wythyn insignia upon piled up hills of the bodies of the people they killed. They had it around the camps where they brought their captives. Kol had heard stories passed around the palace since he was a child. He knew enough to fear the symbol. He knew enough to know they were in trouble.
Standing at the base of the ship were three Valek soldiers. They wore the same armor as the soldier behind them, fitted with large blasters at their backs and hoods and masks covering their faces.
"Bedric," one of the soldiers spoke. She had a firm commanding voice. "Glad to see you back." She pulled the hood off her head, revealing a head of blazing red hair, cut in a bob that framed her round face perfectly. She had grey eyes as hard as pebbles and they glared disdainfully at the man behind Kol.
Bedric laughed, putting his hand over his stomach. "Cheshia," he said stepping past Kol and the others. "If I didn't know any better I'd think you were worried about me."
She scoffed. "I was worried I'd have to follow after you and bail you out like last time."
Bedric's smile dropped. "I got them back here, nice and safe," he told her. "And as a bonus I even brought you two of the princes and princesses of P-00."
Cheshia stepped forward, her lips pursed. She looked to Kol then Hae. "I can see that," she sneered then turned back to Bedric. "That wasn't part of your mission. We don't need them. Kill them." She raised her hand, gesturing to the two other soldiers who stepped forward with their blasters in hand.
"No!" Anna yelled. "You said you'd let them go." She was glaring at Bedric.
The large man shrugged. "Plans change."
"Get the twins onto the ship," she ordered Bedric. "Sep and Dullion," she was referring to the other soldiers, "take care of the royals. I'd like to be back on Ellimer before noon." With that she turned for the ship and disappeared into it.
Sep and Dullion pointed their blasters at Kol and Hae. Again, fear filled Kol, it was like a cold cube of ice running down his back. His body froze. He needed to do something, he knew if he didn't both he and Hae would be goners but for the second time in his life he couldn't move. It was ironic, almost funny, he'd spent his whole life as this ball of energy. Samma used to always complain she could never get him to stay still for a moment but when he needed to move the most, he couldn't.
Lucky for him and Hae someone else did. Anna was in front of them before Kol could blink. With a jolt of electricity jostling from her finger tips, she struck Sep and Dullion, knocking them off their feet and onto the ground.
"What the—" Bedric said as he reached for his blaster. Andy cut him off as he tackled him.
"Run!" Andy yelled.
Run? Kol's legs were trembling. He didn't think he could but something clicked in his mind when his eyes met Andy. Here Andy was, fighting to keep them alive. Kol couldn't afford to be weak right now.
He grabbed Hae's wrist. "We have to go."
Her bottom lip quivered. "A-Andy..." Andy was still on the ground, scrambling to get Bedric's blaster. The larger man was stronger and faster but Andy had caught him off guard and he was still struggling to get his bearings. Kol knew this wouldn't last for long. Andy would lose. But Andy didn't look terrified. He looked determined.
"Anna," Andy called. "Get Kol and Hae away from here."
Anna who now stood next to Kol shook her head. "What about you?"
"I'll be right behind you," he said but something in his eyes said otherwise. He was sacrificing himself and he knew it. Anna was about to say something when Bedric rose and seized Andy. He grabbed him by the waist and threw him back. Anna screamed.
"You're not going anywhere," Bedric said, wiping blood from his mouth.
"Go!" Andy cried. Kol didn't need to be told twice. Purely on instinct he grabbed both Anna and Hae's hands and pulled them into the jungle surrounding the clearing. His heart was racing, his head was on fire and his legs were aching. Small rocks pierced the bottom of his bare feet. But he didn't stop until they were back on the beach.
"I have to go back," Anna said in between heavy gasps for air.
"You can't," Hae said clutching her hand against her chest.
"I can't leave him there," she sounded on the verge of tears. "He's... He's all I have left."
"I understand, but Bedric—" Kol was cut off when a laser was shot from the jungle, missing his ear by a millimeter.
"Come on kids," Bedric's guttural voice echoed across the island. "You have nowhere to run."
"Guys you have to go," Anna said standing facing the jungle. They could hear the rustling of leaves. He was getting closer.
"Not without you," Kol told her as he tugged onto her arm. Bedric would find them in no time they had to move.
"I'm not leaving without Andy," she told them firmly.
"And I'm not leaving without you," he said with the same conviction in his voice. "Anna, we'll die if we stay here. Please. We have to go."
Anna seemed hesitant but then another laser shot came, this one stuck Kol's shoulder, he cried as he fell to his knees. It hurt worse than anything he'd ever felt. It was like pieces of glass being pressed into his skin. "I'm fine," he said holding his hand against the smoldering wound. "Let's get out of here." Anna didn't argue this time. She led the way as they ran.
Something inside of him squirmed and twisted. It shrieked and whined, calling for him to turn around. He couldn't leave Andy. Coward! It yelled into his head. He's going to die and it's all your fault, just like your father. It said. He tripped on an overgrown tree root and hit the ground face first.
"Are you okay?" Hae asked as she helped him back onto his feet.
He nodded. "I'm fine," he said, the words didn't feel any more real the second time. "We have to keep going."
"There's nowhere to go," Anna told him.
She was right. They were on top of a cliff, at the bottom of which were the rough waters of the ocean crashing against jagged rocks. They'd ran straight into a dead end. But something gleamed at the bottom of the cliff and Kol felt something spark in his head. "I have an idea," he told Anna and Hae.
"I hate your ideas," Hae said.
He looked down the cliff again and swallowed. "I hate them too," he said and grabbed both Anna and Hae's hands. "But I don't see any other way out of this." He jumped, pulling both his sister and Anna down with him.