My Sister, The Chosen One

Thirty-One

Topic & A7S- Breaking Me

Elder Redwood:

I watched her walk out there and completely release the fire inside of her. I've never seen anything like it. The purity of water and fire turning into hot steam. Had anyone gotten too close, they would have died. The heat in the morning air is dense despite how long it's been since the King and the Lord of the realm took picked her up. Even the guards feel uncomfortable. There is no way any air fairy is going to be able to fly in this heat. Their wings can't handle it. The way Elias and the King reacted to it wasn't what I expected. I didn't expect them to agree to help her either. At least, not without some kind of a fight. My expectations of them all are always challenged. They never react the way I think they will.

When I was chosen to be the Guardian, I wasn't close to the others this way. None of us were. We were chosen by score and when the time came for us to stick together, they bailed on me. I tried to help them. I tried to save them but they didn't listen to me. It's a free for all. I was told that it's usually the case. The Royal Party isn't put together to accommodate one another. It's put together to create martyrs. To make the people believe in heroes. To keep everyone under control. The Royal Party isn't expected to survive.

Having a party like this is dangerous because they're here to stay. The last steps of the King and his council actually take control of the entire realm and something tells me the Elders are not going to be okay with that. For now, they're giving Sasha and Rey everything they want because they're not expecting any of them to survive. Especially not the King. They know that. They were counting on the Elders underestimating them. It looks like it's part of their plan.

"She's really something isn't she?" Rain poked my side. She smiled up at me when I looked back at her.

"You should be asleep. You have a long day tomorrow. The jackets are going to be a handful. They're going to give all of you s**t in training,"

"Mm," she shrugged and jumped on my bed. "Why did you choose her, Eric?"

"What do you mean?" I asked. This day was bound to happen. I've been trying to avoid the subject for as long as I could.

"I mean, you have had years to pick a new mate and you didn't. I've seen the way you dress now. You're stepping out of your comfort zone for her. Ansly isn't dressing you or picking out your shoes anymore. You have the others fooled but I'm not convinced. Do you really like her or is this convenient?"

"What do you think?" I asked sitting next to her.

"She's nothing like her,"

"That's the point. Why would I want to be reminded of the past?"

"You're my brother, Eric and I love you. I think you're jumping into this faster than you should. She has plans. Plans that we weren't a part of until now. If anyone were to find out who we are-"

"You're a little too young to bring that up, Rain. I know what you're saying but you have no idea what it means. I've protected you since you were a baby and I will continue to do so. All of us. This changes nothing. This is something I want and you have no business interfering in it. You do as you are told and nothing else. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir," she sat up. "I'm just worried you're going to lose yourself in this. I like the old you. The one that was careful. The one that was successful because he was invisible to the others. With her, you've got eyes on you from all over. You're being reckless and I don't like it,"

"It's not your place to decide if my changes are good or bad. Focus on yourself. That's all you need to worry about,"

"Is that the same speech you gave Ish when you outed him to Sage?" she sneered. I turned back to look at her.

"Ishtar is a void fairy. Just like Sage. Don't act like this is about the family, Rain. This is the first time we start to move without you being part of the whole picture and you're acting out. You're not getting in on this. So, get up and go to your room. This discussion is over," I pointed at the door. She pressed her lips together and stood up angrily.

"Yes, sir," she bit out before leaving.

"She looks mad," Ansly walked in with a box in her hands. I am not going to get a moment of peace for a while. It's going to serve as a great distraction.

"She's being a brat. Hates being out of the loop," I explained.

"I told you. You spoil her too much," she grinned. "This just came in for you. It passed inspection. It's from the little girl that can kill people with a sewing needle,"

"What is it?"

"No, idea," she placed the box on the bed.

It's wrapped in silver gift wrap and topped with a black bow. I pulled the bow apart and took the top off. There are smaller boxes on the inside. A note resting on top. I took the note and Ansly took a smaller box and opened it. It's a black tungsten bracelet delicately decorated with obsidian. I opened the note.

-I know a king when I see one. Welcome to the Family.

~Diana.

"Oh, my god," Ansly whispered. "You're not here for Sage. You found him,"

"I did and I need all of you to play your roles,"

"If you're not serious about her, why the f**k are you getting in her head? Have you been outside? My makeup almost melted off, Ericson," she shoved me. "This girl isn't the kind of girl you use and toss aside, willy nilly. She'll kill all of us,"

"I am serious about her," I rolled my eyes. Ansly is always as dramatic as can possibly be.

"Are you? Then why the f**k are you here playing avenger?" she kept her voice low.

"He's hiding here for a reason, Ans. I want to know where I'm going to start when I get back,"

"Get back? Are you insane? You can't go home. This is our home now. They will tear you apart," she's panicking.

I reached out and pulled her to me so she can calm down. Ansly is very sensitive. She's been this way since it happened. I had to pull her out from under the bed where she had watched the rest of our family butchered. We've all come to terms with the fact that we can't completely pull ourselves out of the war but we can limit our interaction with the dangers of fairy politics. When I decided to become an Elder here in Aldrich, she wasn't too happy about it. None of them were.

"Ans,"

"You promised me," she shoved me. "You said we wouldn't lose anyone ever again. You know if you go back we're dead. All of us and even if you can convince them that we didn't make it out of there, we'd lose you, Eric, You'd be gone forever,"

"He won't," we both looked up to see her leaning against the door frame. "Sorry, but the sound of crying makes me anxious and the door was open. Might want to be a little more careful next time,"

"Sage," Ansly quickly tried to fix her face.

Sasha is wearing a pair of black high-waisted shorts and a gray crop top with black letters that read DON'T TALK TO ME. Her long hair is pulled up into a high ponytail. Her skin is completely drained of color. It's almost a soft glittering silver. Her bare feet are hovering a couple of inches off the floor. The color was nice but this absolutely stunning.

"You're up," I greeted her averting my gaze.

"I promise your brother won't disappear forever. I'll protect him," she placed her hand on Ansly's shoulder.

"What happened to you?" Ansly asked, looking her over.

"Oh, I drained the void. It's empty," a hint of a smile pulled at the edges of her lips.

"You can't make a promise like that," Ansly pulled away from her.

"I can. Want to see?" she asked.

"See what?" Ansly looked her over. Sage turned her head to the right to show her something.

"This is called a promise rose. It's a void fairy thing. It has six vines on it. One vine for one promise. Once the promise is official, it's absolute. I have to make sure the promise is fulfilled. If I were to break the promise, I lose a life. Six lives in total,"

"What if you die?" she asked.

"I can't die until she does. Until the light fairy twinkles her last twink, I can't die. Cool huh?" she moved around the room slowly until she stopped in front of the box. She reached inside and pulled one of the smaller boxes out. "Where is the bracelet?"

"Right here," Ansly picked it up and handed it to her. She took it out of the box and came over to me. I took a step back when she reached for my hand. She sighed.

"Your hand, Redwood," she demanded. I raised it and she put the bracelet on my right hand. She turned my hand over to secure the clasp. She put her index finger in her mouth and bit it until blood was drawn. She looked up at me as she let a single drop of blood fall into the clasp. It shut on its own and locked in.

"Sage," I groaned pulling away.

"What did you do?" Ansly demanded.

"He's a king now. The King of Spades," she went back to the box and began to take everything out.

The veins on my forearm began to darken until they were black. A black spade began to form in the center of my forearm. At the top, there's a crown. I looked up at her. She sat on my bed and pointed at her ankle. She has a black anklet on her right ankle. She turned her leg to show me the spade.

"Are you okay?" Ansly asked.

"Yeah," I answered looking it over.

"She can't see it. You have to be part of the team," Sasha shrugged.

"What is it?"

"A spade," I answered.

"These are all King essentials," she began to open boxes. "Cufflinks, jewelry, ties, details. This," she pulled out what looks like an album from the bottom. "Is your guide to what and when you'll be needing these details. Things like Galas, fundraisers, operas, meetings, and gatherings. It's all there. Study it. If you get a single thing wrong you will be disciplined,"

"How?" I asked.

"Let's hope you never have to find out," she pulled the collar of her crop top down to reveal a clove brand. "I killed him so, we're even,"

"He branded you?" I asked.

"No, it just heals with the branding intact. It's to show that I paid for my indiscretion,"

"What was the indiscretion?" Ansly asked.

"Aces aren't supposed to be together," she shrugged. "It's a male's world so, I had to take the blame,"

"And you stayed with him?" I asked.

"It was a complicated time. Bygones. He almost killed me and I killed him. What's running the underworld without having a little beef with the other bosses? Just keep it to yourself," she winked.

"Ansly, why don't you give us a moment?"

"I was leaving anyway," she sighed. "I don't know if I want you to make that promise,"

"Think about it," Sasha smiled at her. "Have you given our journalism conversation some thought?"

"I have," Ansly nodded. "I'm thinking about looking into it,"

"Why don't you invite Falcon for breakfast? He knows people,"

"Thank you," she nodded. "I'll do that," she looked back at me and took a deep breath. "Bye,"

"Sasha-" I looked over at her when my sister was gone.

"You were mean to me last night," she smirked. "I've had time to think about what you said,"

"Is that why you released the fire inside of you?"

"No, I want you to see what I am without it. I was thinking about how you wanted me to get help. Talking isn't going to help someone like me. That's not the kind of release I need," she waved her hand over the bed. A small book appeared. "See, void fairies are particular. The kind of therapy I would need is drastic. I'm great with words. A normal therapist would lose their mind. You aren't a normal therapist. You have military training. You have trauma. You have lightning,"

"What?" I shook my head.

"If you want to fix me, you're going to have to do it yourself," she offered me the book. "Read it. Tell me what you think. I personally can't wait to start, Elder Redwood,"

"Sasha," I grabbed her arm keeping her from hovering out of my room. She looked down at my hand and then back up at me.

"The heat neutralizes the cold. I want to thank you for reminding me of that. I know you were serious so from now on, you are my king. Try to keep up when we run,"

Without saying anything else she disappeared into the hall. I looked down at my arm to see that it's official. My loyalty is now completely hers. There is no way out of this. Not just that, I wonder how much she knows. I want to know why she thinks that me doing this for her means she has to do something for me. What is she thinking?

I looked down at the book she handed me. It's black. Not leather or some kind of cloth that looks like it. It feels like skin. Like actual fairy skin. It's well preserved and ancient. There's a hint of magic that binds it together. An air spell. One cast before the Elder trees began to decay. There are color tabs along the side where she labeled each section. Anatomy, Elements, Psychology, Abilities, Channeling, Promises, Lives, Finale. My curiosity is peaked. I want to read all of it. It concerns my brother as well as her.

"Hey," Ishtar walked in. "Nice bracelet. Tungsten?"

"Almost, it's concentrated wolfram,"

"A binding spell? What is it?"

"A spade,"

"She made you her king," he smiled. "Things are getting serious between the two of you, hm?"

"I told her I didn't want anything to do with her until she sought psychological help,"

"Oh, you're dead serious about her," he sat on my bed. "You bringing her back with us?"

"That's the plan," I nodded. "She's not going to have anywhere else to go when this is all over,"

"You tell Ansly yet?"

"I didn't have to,"

"E, I know you're trying to protect them but we're not going to be able to do this without all of us being there to help. Ansly, the twins. We need to sit down and talk this over when we have time. You know, like right now. We have two days before things are in motion. She did what you wanted her to do. The fire is out of her body. I've heard some stories about that in the training barracks. She's going to be completely focused on what's in front of her and right now, that's not you,"

"No, I'm not but she needs to do this. It's not about me or anyone else. If she's going to make it back home, her emotional turmoil needs to be in check. Lightning fairies will chew her up in her condition,"

"She might surprise you brother. She's had me on edge since she saved you. It's been one mission after another since then and she's never lost a single battle. Not just any fairy can break a spell as powerful as a loop,"

"She gave me this. I think we should both go through it. When you became a void fairy, it was different than when she did. We didn't even notice. She had a massive impact when she turned,"

"Yeah, she did. Her change was violent. Violence is all she's known since she was a kid. We're the same age and I don't have the body count she does. The worst thing that happened to me was listening to my parents die while trying to look for the twins. Sesshomaru has a really nasty reputation and if she's gone through at least half of it with him, I can tell you that whatever we have to do to help her is not going to be easy,"

"I don't need it to be easy," I opened the book.

"Where did you get that?"

"Void fairies originated here in Aldrich before the divide. My guess is that this is what they have on the few that were born here," It's written in Old Aldrian but her notes translate everything in detail.

"I can read this without the sticky notes," he took it from me. "This symbol means freedom,"

"What symbol?" I asked. He turned the book over to show me the cover. "I don't see anything,"

"Maybe it's like your bracelet. Elite circumstances,"

"Maybe," I nodded.

"The study in her room. We should go there. I doubt she's going to be using it for a while. She's in the lab with her sister and Falcon,"

"What did you find on him?"

"He's clean. Working-class kid with real talent. Got by on his own. Aldrich speed tournaments. The kid took gold home two years in a row. It paid for his tuition at Aldrich Academy. No one took him seriously until he came across Breeze Airstorm. They've been working together for three years now. It wasn't until just recently that he got into the inner circle with the Royal Party. Wrong place, wrong time,"

"That makes sense," I nodded. "I don't think it was wrong anything. Magic doesn't work like that. The elder trees are fighting back. It's putting the pieces where they belong,"

"You don't think any of this by chance?"

"We're fairies, Ishtar. There is no such thing as chance. Fae are just instruments for magic,"