TBC: Chapter Fifty-Four

Late into the same night, Aderes stood alone, cloaked in the darkness of Ceiabré Forest well past the outskirts of Aikon. He stared through the forest trees at the city in the distance. A pang of sorrow welled within him and tightened his throat as he thought of Gyan and the rest of the team.

He winced as pain shot through his right hand. He glanced at his blistered palm in annoyance. So much for my accelerated healing abilities with this injury, he thought. He vowed to appreciate his gifts as a light warrior more from now on.

He sighed and pulled his lumray from the brush where he had hidden it in the forest. He had snuck the bike out of the Tritum-X and hid it while the warriors were waiting for the Vaznaun to arrive in Aikon only two nights ago. He had already busted the bike panel and removed the tracking device and radio. He opened the compartment beneath the seat on the bike and removed the dark clothes and boots he had previously stored.

After he finished changing, he grabbed his black warrior uniform lying on the seat of the lumray. He stared at the uniform for several moments. A wave of longing for his teammates washed through him as his fingers traced the black embossed Lumsigne on the front of the shirt. He shook his head, took a deep breath, and tossed the uniform in the bushes. He then tightened the strap of the sheath to his gladaé and threw on his cloak.

The lumray purred to life as he sent his energy through it and Aderes took off down the narrow forest path before him as fast as the bike would go.

Aderes breathed deeply, secretly hoping that his full strength had returned. He threw back the hood of his cloak and let the feeling of freedom rush through him. His laugh, genuine for the first time in months, was heard only by the nocturnal life of the forest.

No rules. No restriction. No approval.

After months of analyzing and planning ways to get Lesiana home, his plan was finally happening. The elation he felt at this realization kept his strength high the entire ride. He knew this part of the Ceiabré Forest well because he and Gyan had ventured the trails of the forest together many times as children, always finding another abandoned path that led up to the edge of the Ukilian Drifters—the range of mountains at the southeastern edge of the forest.

I just have to get past the Alsar borders before the day stars rise. Master Shamira will realize I am gone by then and warn the others.

Convinced that it still wasn't completely safe to leave him alone no matter how much Aderes assured them he was okay, Shamira had left a Protective Unit officer at his door as she and Asia went to their rooms to rest. When the guard looked at him from his doorway, Aderes used his charisma to convince the guard to fall asleep within the hour. He then waited for the guard to nod off in his chair before slipping past him.

Aderes slowed the lumray before cutting east onto a path that led to the base of the Drifters. He reached the lake bordering the southwest region of the mountains after midnight and moved slowly through the trees surrounding the lake. As he drew closer to the border of Alsar, he slowed his bike to a stop and studied the activity surrounding the border security stations.

He pulled his hood low over his face again and memorized the path of the guards on patrol. Aderes knew that if he just showed his face, the Alsar border guards would let him pass, but he didn't want to risk anyone radioing his location to headquarters. There was a strong chance the guards had been alerted of his absence already.

He surveyed the area closely, thankful for the lack of moonlight in the area, and watched the nearest guard retrace his steps back toward the security center. His eyes came to rest on a trench that dropped into a small stream leading beneath a road along the border. He jogged beside the lumray to the trench and lowered the wheels of the bike into the crevice. He laid the bike flat against the sloping edge and glanced back at the guard.

Making certain the guard did not see him, Aderes lowered himself quickly into the trench. He righted the bike and walked it along the shallow stream across the border. The lumray hummed again with life after he climbed on and continued down a wide path. By the time the glow of the horizon appeared, he was zooming along the trails of Gawl Forest near the base of the Ice Mountains.

By midday, Aderes had already hidden the bike in Gawl Forest. He reached the outskirts of Androsa where he replaced his black cloak with a new brown one he purchased from an old shop. He then made his way further into the streets to the marketplace.

He knew that the Order would be discussing his absence and deciding what to do by now, but he didn't care. He had only one goal in mind, only one thing he cared about—to free his sister. After the agony he experienced in Aikon, he knew that he would rather die than see his sister dead or a prisoner any longer.

He ate the fruit he purchased from a vendor at the edge of the marketplace and casually wandered the busy street, keeping his senses open to any clue that might lead him to Lesiana.

He turned as two girls in navy cloaks ran past him, laughing loudly. He glimpsed a blonde curl from beneath the hood of a tall, thin girl.

"I wish she wouldn't follow me all the time," the girl said as she stopped and looked around at the various vendor stands.

"That's her job, Lesiana. She's your maiden or whatever," the shorter, dark-haired girl replied.

"Like I want a maiden, Shalsy," Lesiana grumbled. "I'm twenty-three already. You would think Mordán would be done with his chaperone issues."

Aderes dropped the rest of his apala as a numbing shock coursed through him. The fruit rolled to a stop in front of Lesiana's feet. "Oh." She stumbled slightly to avoid tripping over the fruit and laughed as she bent to retrieve it. "You dropped this, Sir—" Lesiana turned around only to find no person there.

"Ew," Shalsy said, "It's slimy and dirty. Throw it away, Lesi."

Lesiana laughed and chunked the fruit at Shalsy's cloak.

"Gross, Lesi!"

She laughed again and ran down the street.

"I'm going to kill you!" Shalsy shouted as she ran after her.

"Lesiana!" A heavy-set woman with flushed cheeks quickened her pace up the street. "Lord Mordán's going to kill me if he hears that she snuck out again!" she said to herself.

From his shadowed corner, Aderes smiled, not believing his luck, as he tried to calm his racing heart. He emerged from the alleyway he had hidden in and followed the woman at a safe distance until she caught up to the girls. He stepped into the back alley of a store nearby where the three stood.

"Please don't run anymore, Miss Lesiana. I'm tired," the woman said as she sat on a bench at the edge of a park located at the end of the marketplace. She fanned her face.

Lesiana bent over and cupped the woman's cheeks in her hands. "Okay, sweet Dosla. You can rest." She kissed the woman's cheek and then threw herself onto a large patch of grass near the park bench. She lay back to look at the sky and chuckled as Shalsy mimicked her move.

"Seriously, you two! You act more like wild children than ladies of the palace!" Dosla scolded.

Lesiana pushed herself up on her elbows. "It's the only way to live, Dosla," she said in a serious tone. "I think you probably still have some wildness somewhere in you just waiting to be unleashed."

"Oh!" Dosla said as her cheeks flushed brighter, "Miss Lesiana, watch how you speak!"

Lesiana grinned and raised an eyebrow. Shalsy burst into laughter.

From the alley, Aderes had trouble holding back his laughter as he observed his sister and her friend. He leaned his head back against the back wall of the building and allowed the warm sensation that entered his chest to spread through his body. Relief flooded through him. Silent tears that he had buried inside soaked the edge of his cloak just beneath his jawline as he breathed deeply.

"Let's get a drink," Lesiana suggested. She pointed to the tavern across the street.

Shalsy grinned. "I'm for it."

"Oh no, Miss Lesiana. Remember what happened last time?" Dosla said.

Lesiana's eyes widened. "Of course not."

"You got into a fight," Shalsy said, "or would have if Lucian hadn't shown up."

Lesiana sighed. "Yeah, that guy deserved it."

"Miss Lesiana, let's go back to the palace," Dosla said with an edge of panic in her voice.

"Where's your sense of adventure, Dosla?" Lesiana said slyly. "Don't you want to have tales of leaping walls and fighting dragons to tell your grandchildren?"

"I think I'll leave that to you," she replied as she stood.

Lesiana groaned. "Alright, but only if we stop in next door for a treat first." She pointed a thumb to the building with a sign above the door that read, Marv's Sugar.

Dosla nodded, and the three moved in Aderes's direction to the front of the store.

Aderes ducked into the shadows of the side alley.

As Lesiana approached the front of the store, she turned sharply toward the alley with a curious expression.

"What is it, Lesi?" Shalsy asked.

Lesiana absentmindedly grabbed the necklace that hung around her neck—a single crystal star hanging from a silver chain. "I don't know, just a strange feeling."

Aderes gasped audibly when he saw Lesiana's necklace.

Lesiana narrowed her eyes. "Go in without me," she said to Shalsy. "Get me my usual. I'll be back in a minute."

"Okay," Shalsy said with a shrug. She disappeared into the shop.

Aderes's heart began to race again as Lesiana walked into the alley.

"I know you're here," she called out. "I can feel you watching me."

Aderes stepped in front of her, his cloak hood low over his face.

Lesiana gasped and stepped back. She reached down and yanked a small dagger from her boot. She pointed it shakily at Aderes. "Who are you and what do you want?"

He smiled and placed a hand up in front of him. "I will not hurt you."

She glared at him. "Who are you? Show me your face."

Aderes slowly lowered the hood of his cloak and lifted his eyes to Lesiana's. "I am your brother, Lesiana. I am Aderes." He moved closer to her.

Lesiana's eyes widened and the dagger fell from her hands. She covered her mouth with a hand as she took several steps back. She looked around in wide-eyed confusion as Akila's spell lifted from her mind and her childhood memories returned to the surface of her thoughts. "Aderes?" Her eyes sought his. "What's happening to me? I feel…weak." She stumbled.

Aderes swiftly closed the rest of the gap between them and reached out to catch her. "Your memories have been blocked by a spell," he explained. "Coming in contact with a family member is what brings them back."

"I—I remember…I was scared…" she placed a hand on her stomach, "…I was calling for you. Then, I woke up at the palace…I was so scared…" She inhaled sharply as tears streamed down her face. "My head hurts."

Aderes tightened his arm around her waist to prevent her from dropping to her knees. She clasped her shaking fingers around his other hand as he pulled her against him.

"Lean on me," he whispered. He looked up the alley watchfully. "I'm here now. Take deep breaths."

Lesiana breathed in deeply through her nose as her tears continued.

"Good," Aderes whispered. "Your heart rate is slowing now."

"Where are nán and dán, Aderes?" She placed a hand on her chest. "Never mind, I know…"

She suddenly looked up into Aderes's eyes and noticed the red halo around his irises. "Aderes! You're a light warrior!" She sniffed and smiled at him through her tears.

"Listen, Lesiana," Aderes said hurriedly. "They will come to look for you in a moment. I will tell you everything soon. Mordán has a star witch at the palace and has placed you under a spell to remove your memories after they took you from the farm. The spell is broken now that I have found you. You cannot let them know that the spell is broken, or they will know you have seen me. Do you understand?" He released her and grabbed her shoulders. "You must pretend."

Lesiana nodded and stood up straighter. She wiped her tears and straightened her cloak.

"Lesi!" Shalsy called. "Where are you?"

"Meet me in the forest in two hours in the large clearing, off the path leading from the palace. Do you know what location I'm talking about?"

"Lesiana!" Dosla's voice joined Shalsy's.

"Coming!" Lesiana called out. She wiped her face again and nodded to Aderes. "Yes, I know where."

Aderes grabbed his sister tightly to him. "This is the day I have lived for—the happiest moment of my life."

"I love you, Aderes," Lesiana whispered in his ear.

Aderes closed his eyes. "Always," he replied. He pushed back to look at her. "Now go."

Lesiana turned and ran back up the alley. "I'm right here! Geez…can't a girl ever get some privacy!"

Aderes's smile widened as his sister's voice faded around the corner.

***