Ahe'ey

I Will Find You

I WILL FIND YOU

Sky’s heart raced, overwhelmed with panic and guilt. She sprinted through the forest, away from the Yi’ingo village. It was the night of the summer solstice, and she knew most of the Yi’ingo warriors and Ma’asai farmers would be drunk, gathered around fires celebrating the fertility of the earth. They engaged in rituals that culminated in the dissemination of their seed. Sky ran in the direction of the Ange’el village in search of her aunts—Luna and Viviane. The girl stopped when she saw the figure of a tall man standing in the middle of the road between her and the village entry.

“Come here,” ordered the man.

Sky attempted to fight his persuasion powers, but his skills were too strong. The mind and feet of the strong-willed girl followed the command of the man’s smooth voice. As she approached him, Sky noticed that blood covered half his face, coming from a hole that had been recently occupied by a missing left eye. From the left gouge he cried blood, but from the right eye, he cried salty water. He contorted his mouth in pain and grief, and his long dark hair absorbed the briny red river that streamed down his face and neck. As the girl got closer, he lifted her by her neck until her feet were off the ground. Sky gasped for air.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“S . . . Sk . . . y.”

He pulled her face closer to his right eye. Sky’s mind ordered her legs to kick, but her body refused to oblige. She realised she was under his control, a hopeless slave to his mind’s eye.

“The queen’s granddaughter. One of four children of the bloodline. A pure-blooded mare.” He snarled and released her. She fell to the ground and gasped, attempting to catch her breath.

“Who are you?”

“Sathian. Your worst nightmare, little cousin. The beast who will destroy everything you hold dear.” Bitter tears and blood continued to roll down his face into his mouth. Sky could feel autonomy return to her body as the man’s face contorted with some inner battle. She got up, c****d up her head and placed her hands on her waist.

“You . . . You monster. You ordered the attack, didn’t you?” She looked around for a weapon, a rock, something, anything . . . She found nothing.

He spoke to her as if he was speaking to an old companion, to another adult.

“They forced me to do it; do you understand?” he said, looking down at his bloodied hands.

She took a step away from him, testing if she was free from his controlling mind.

“They took everything away from me,” he continued, biting his lip and placing his left hand over his missing eye, “and now they will pay, all of them. They’ll have a taste of their own poison. Those who value the purity of the royal bloodline will bear impure babies. I’ll destroy everything you hold dear, royal brat.”

“I’ll find you and kill you,” Sky shouted as she raced away from him, hoping his mind’s confusion prevented him from summoning her back to him.

“No Sky, I will find you.”

She held back her tears; she had no time to dwell on her feelings. She had to find help, her mother and sister were in great danger.

As she ran towards the Sacred House, she sighed with relief as she saw her cousin—her best friend—running in her direction. Gabriel carried their younger cousin, Bastian, in his arms. The little boy slept peacefully. He wrapped his arms around Gabriel’s neck and leaned his head against his cousin’s shoulder.

“My mum and sister—”

“I know, I’m so sorry, Sky. Our fathers are assembling the Yi’ingo army. They’ll rescue them. Come Sky, we must hide in the forest. I must keep you and Bas safe.”

“Nooo! I don’t need your protection. I must go back and help them.”

“Sky, our blood; we must safeguard it. It’s our duty. We’re the last of our kind.”

“I can’t just leave them,” she said, outraged by his suggestion.

“Help is on the way. Come?” He held onto Bastian with his left hand and extended his right hand in her direction. “Please, Sky. We must run.”

“They’ll pay. I’ll kill them all.” She licked the salty tears that coated her lips.

“In due time,” he replied patiently.

In any other day, Gabriel’s cool, compassionate logic would smooth her solar storm, but today, wasn’t any other day. How can he be so cold?

“I’ll chop them into little pieces and feed them to the dragons.” She raised her fist in his direction. He reached to grab her hand, squeezing it gently. She resisted and pulled her hand from his grip. The touch of an Ange’el was nurturing and reassuring. It could heal and relax any creature in the land. She didn’t want it; she held on tight to her rage. “And, don’t you try to stop me, Ange’el.”

The twelve-year-old boy paused for a second, dropping his hand and looking straight into her eyes.

“I won’t. I promise. Come, Sky. Bas and I need your protection. You’re the warrior, remember? Will you help us? We’re lost without you.”

He won; he always won. He knew her better than she knew herself, and although she was aware of his ability to steer her will, she couldn’t resist his thoughtful influence. She looked at Bastian, then she grabbed Gabriel’s hand and led the boys into the forest.