I'm out the door before Lux can utter another word.
My thoughts race as my breaths quicken and my hands clench into fists.
No no no! This can't be happening. This can not be happening.
I find Leo at the dining room table, the chairs pushed against the far wall so he has better access to the massive map spread across it. He's leaning across it with a pencil behind his ear and a handful of pushpins in his hand.
"Leo," I gasp, trying to push out the words that seem to be trapped in my throat.
He turns and his eyes widen at my frazzled expression. "Ari, what—?"
"We have to go," I say and lean against the table for support. "We have to go now. Lux—she—Nina—"
Leo grabs my shoulders. "Breathe," he says and gives me a gentle shake. "Ari, you have to breathe."
I nod, and after a moment I stop hyperventilating and take a deep calming breath. "Okay," he says now as he drops his hands from my shoulders and takes a step back. "Now tell me what's going on."
"Lux told me that I was supposed to be the one taken, not Nina, and because they took her they are using her for what they were supposed to be using me for but she's not hosting Beata so they are actually killing her and she doesn't have long," I blurt out, the words tumbling out of my mouth just as fast as I am thinking them.
Leo blinks. "Wait a minute, you're Beata's host?"
"Yeah," I say and rub at my arm. "Lux said that Beata puts some of herself in a member of my family—the first born girl, technically—so that the balance between both worlds can be kept, but only the Veti know about this. She didn't want anyone to find out what was really going on so she had them keep it a secret so the rest of Caelum only knows that Mari betrayed everyone," I say before waving it away. "But that's not important. What we really need to be focusing on is Nina. We have to go now, Leo."
He shakes his head. "We can't," he says. I feel the familiar burn behind my eyes as I hold back tears. "Vul isn't even back yet and we have to figure out how to get you to the Bratus undetected. And," he says with a pointed look at me. "You still have no idea how to control your powers, or what they even are. Last I checked, Beata told you that you need them to get your sister."
I frown. "But we have to go, Leo. That's my sister they're killing. And besides," I say as I fiddle with the hem of my t-shirt. "Lux said that the easiest way to figure out what I can do, is to be in a situation where I'd need my powers."
"But I thought you said the life-or-death situation was out of the question."
"I know, but that was before I found out that Nina could die any day now."
Leo watches me for a moment before sighing and turning back to the map. He rolls the pins around in his hand, studying the winding paths and greenery with a look of concentration. "All right," he says finally and turns to me. "Here's what we'll do. Vul should be back soon, in the meantime I'll work on the map. You can pack the supplies." He begins scribbling in the corner of the map with his pencil. When he's done he rips of a small section and hands it to me. "There are backpacks in the hallway closet along with most of what you'll need. I'm sure Lux can help you with the rest."
I give him a grateful smile as my shoulders sag in relief. "Thank you," I breathe. It's not this second, but I'll take what I can get.
"No problem," Leo says as I turn on my heel and make my way to the hallway to gather supplies.
"You really shouldn't go out there so soon," Lux chides as she hovers next to my head. I roll my eyes and yank the backpacks out of the closet. They were at the bottom, buried under a bunch of junk.
"Considering the fact that my sister's life is on the line, you don't have much of a say, Lux," I tell her as my eyes scan the list in my hand.
She sighs and peaks over my shoulder. "I will get the herbs and molas then, but don't say I didn't warn you." She turns and disappears down the hall, her soft light following.
I roll my eyes and grab the sleeping bags from one of the shelves. I have no idea what 'molas' are so that's one less thing to worry about.
Once I have everything off of the list, I meet Lux in the room I've been staying in and we begin packing everything into the backpacks, somehow managing to stuff everything inside of them.
I hear the front door open and Lux settles onto my shoulder as I make my way back to the living room where Vul has joined Leo at the map. They were both talking softly to each other, Vul still wearing a scowl as he pointed at something.
"Everything's all packed," I say as I step up to the table and lean against it. "When can we leave."
Vul rolls his eyes. "We can't just leave, human," he scoffs and I frown. "We need a game plan." He turns to Leo. "The best way would be to go through the Fallows. We'll be completely under the radar then. From there it's a straight shot to the Bratus."
"No," Leo says while shaking his head. "It's too dangerous. No one knows what's out there. It's practically the Nether."
The Fallows.
The Nether.
I don't think I'll ever fully understand what they are talking about.
I bite my lip, resisting the urge to ask what those two places are. It'll only set us back and I would like to leave as soon as possible.
"But doing it your way would take us days," Vul groans, exasperated.
"At least we'll get there then," Leo says and taps the middle of the map with his pencil. "If we go through the Fallows, there's no certainty that we'll even make it out alive."
"We can make it," Vul argues and crosses his arms over his chest. "Have some faith, bro."
I glance between the two brothers and finger the hem of my shirt. "Uh," I start and they turn their heated gazes to me. "In all honesty, I think we should go through the Fallows—whatever that is. We have to get to Nina as soon as possible."
Vul gestures to me. "See? The human has some sense."
I scowl. "Ari," I say while I throw my hands up in frustration. "My name is Ari, thank you very much. Stop calling me 'the human.'"
He ignores me. Typical.
"But it's not safe to—"
I roll my eyes. "It doesn't matter which way is safer, Leo. As soon as we leave I'll be in danger, and I assume this Fallows place will make it harder for the Veti to find me so that should be the way to go."
Leo sighs and hangs his head. After a moment of watching his shoulders rise and fall, he picks up his head. "Fine," he breathes out and drops the push-pins on the table. "We'll do it your way."
Vul smirks in satisfaction as Leo brushes by us and to the hall. Not wanting to be alone with the freaky fox Arco, I follow after him.
He steps into what I assume to be his room and digs through his closet while I lean awkwardly in the doorway.
"You'll need this," he says and tosses a black cloak behind him. Startled by the sudden movement, I stumble when I step forward to catch it and fold it in my arms. "I suggest you make sure that you have everything together as we change. Then we'll leave."
"Okay," I say as I step back and head to my room. Lux hops off of my shoulder as I slip on the cloak and go over the list once again. I find my knife and stuff that back into my boot before cramming whatever was in the bag I brought into the backpack I will be using.
The guys look to be in their rooms still, so I fall back onto the bed and stare up against the ceiling.
"Lux," I say and run my fingers along the comforter. "What are the Fallows."
"Oh," she says from somewhere to my right. "That's the forgotten land. A long time ago that place was like the rest of Caelum, but when the Arco who lived there faded, it faded with them."
"Faded?"
"When an Arco's animal dies in your world, they begin to fade here until there's nothing left. I guess using one of your terms, it means they died."
I sit up and turn to her.
"They all died?"
She nods. "It happened a long time ago and was a dark night for all of the Arco." She gazes up at the ceiling with a frown on her face. "It was so unexpected, Beata didn't even sense it coming. One night everything was fine, and then—"
Lux stops talking when Leo steps into the room with a small sack over his shoulder.
"You ready?"
Vul comes in behind him. Arms crossed, scowling.
Seriously? Does that guy have any other facial expression?
"Yeah," I say and slide my bag over my shoulder. "Let's do this."