BLOOD OATH

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: SARAH

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

SARAH

My entire body stiffened.

Serena held onto me so tightly that I could barely move.

Her face was buried against my chest as silent tears soaked my clothes.

"I knew you would come back..."

"I knew you wouldn't leave me forever..."

She whispered between sobs.

I slowly raised my eyes toward the sky.

What exactly was happening?

I carefully tried to pull away.

She only hugged me tighter.

She was stronger than she looked.

......

"Serena!"

A familiar voice echoed across the lake.

I turned.

Cassian was already walking toward us with hurried steps.

His expression immediately darkened the moment he saw Serena clinging to me.

"What happened?"

He reached us and gently pulled Serena away.

"Let go of me!"

"I don't want Sarah to leave again!"

Serena struggled desperately.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

I frowned.

Sarah?

Again?

Cassian's jaw tightened.

His eyes briefly met mine.

There was helplessness in them.

Real helplessness.

He slowly released Serena.

"Just..."

He paused before lowering his voice.

"Please go along with her."

I looked at him.

Go along with her?

What was he talking about?

......

Serena immediately returned to my side.

She looked up at me with watery eyes.

"Don't mind my brother."

"You won't leave me again, right?"

For some reason...

The words refused to come out.

I looked at her hopeful face.

Then nodded.

"I'm not leaving."

The moment I said it...

She smiled so brightly that it almost startled me.

She hugged me again.

"I missed you."

"I missed you so much."

This was becoming troublesome.

......

"Look!"

"I did all your chores while you were away."

She pointed proudly toward the garden.

"I even rebuilt our little house."

"You'll praise me, right?"

I followed her finger.

Hidden among the flowers was a tiny hut made from branches, leaves and old pieces of wood.

I stared at it.

Was...

That supposed to be a house?

"It's beautiful."

I lied.

She immediately pouted.

"You didn't mean that."

I blinked.

How did she know?

"I did."

"No."

"You looked confused."

Sharp.

Much sharper than I expected.

I quickly corrected myself.

"I meant..."

"It looks smaller than I remembered."

She gasped.

"You're right!"

"You've gotten bigger!"

"We'll have to build another one together!"

I nodded.

"That sounds better."

She clapped excitedly.

"Let's go!"

Before I could protest...

She grabbed my hand and dragged me away.

......

I glanced back once.

Cassian was still standing where we had left him.

Our eyes met briefly.

He gave me a silent nod.

I rolled my eyes.

When did I start taking instructions from him?

......

Serena led me deep into the garden.

The little hut looked even smaller up close.

There was no way two adults could fit inside.

"Come on, Sarah!"

She crouched beside it.

"We always played here."

I looked between the tiny hut and Serena.

Then sighed.

"I think..."

"I've gotten too big."

She frowned.

"Hmm..."

"You're right."

"We should build a bigger one another day."

I smiled faintly.

"Exactly."

Her face lit up again.

"Then let's play our old games!"

Before I knew it...

She had already drawn little circles on the ground.

I had absolutely no idea what the rules were.

She explained everything patiently.

Whenever I got it wrong...

She simply laughed.

Not once did she become annoyed.

Not once did she complain.

For the first time...

I found myself laughing too.

A real laugh.

Not the fake smiles I forced around others.

This city was dangerous.

It kept making me do things I never did before.

......

From a distance...

Cassian quietly watched the two of us.

A small smile appeared on his face.

For the first time in years...

He had heard Serena laugh like that again.

He whispered softly to himself.

"Thank you..."

Then he turned around and walked away before either of us noticed him.