Mine (Book 1 )

Part 17

Hal

There was a ringing in my ear, a sound that made my heart sink further. I feel a hand at my shoulder and my hands roll into fists "She is safe now Hal" I turn to look at Nerak. 

"Did you know? That she was his daughter?" I ask and Nerak purses his lips. 

"It is the reason I am here. She is my cousin" he says "I am the son of Vaira" he takes away his hand and steps back "I am here to protect her.... and you" he says. 

"Me?" I scoff. Before I could retort I hear the horn go again. I held my words back and walk back to the town. I see Theffa and Desta still at the top of the stairs and Mother looking aghast at the guards of Ayra trying to put women in a line. I turn to see Uri, Viktor, Nerak and Kyrr behind me. "Protect the women" I command and they nod and hurry away. Kaala comes to stride beside me and people clear the path for me to make my way to where Theffa and Desta were. "What do you think you're doing ?" I address Theffa.

"Finding your future Queen" Theffa ignores me. 

"Attyra!" I order all the troops of my battalion. "If I see or hear of any woman being put to this test, I will behead you for treason myself" Theffa looks at me angrily. 

"You would defy your King?" he threatens. 

"I am defying his son." I hold my own "Who is not my King" I look back at the crowd and see Uri, Nerak, Elijah, Viktor and Kyrr rally the troops and defend them against the guards of Ayra. 

"Stand down brother" Desta threatens. 

 I laugh humourlessly at his threat. The horn blows again "Prince Kal of Gaia and Ayra" the Kryffa announces. 

I look back at the crowd."Return to your homes. Now" I command and look back at Theffa "I warned you Theffa, I listen to the law of the Gods" I walk back to the Palace with Kaala following close behind me. I enter the Palace gates and I see Kal standing there. He turns when he senses my presence and I increase my pace and he walks towards me. We embrace each other when we meet. 

"Hal" he sighs and I feel myself be vulnerable. It was like when we were kids. Whenever I had a problem, I would got to Kal. He would make it go away. I remember the last time he wasn't able to make me feel better. It was when I had left Ayra for Gaia the first time. He would assure me that one day Lexie and I would reunite. Yet, here I was hugging my brother wanting to break down crying over the other part of my soul being torn away from me. I pull away and look at him. "Have Theffa and Desta gotten here already?" he asks worried. I swallow hard looking at him. I gesture for him to enter the nearest quarters when I realise it was Mother's. 

I look around to check if anyone was there and when it was clear I turn to him. "We've found her" 

"What?" he exclaims "The test can stop" he exhales loudly. 

"Brother" I say and he looks up at me. 

"What is it?" he asks worried "Did Rova not get here?" he worries more. 

"She's here. Safe" I assure "It's Lexie" I gulp. I explain to him what transpired till we're interrupted by the door and sigh when its only Mother. 

"You think they're going to stop what they're doing?" Mother spits at both of us "All you did was buy the people here a day" she says to me "Savages. All of them" 

"We have Taissa protecting us, don't we?" Kal asks hopefully. "He surely can't invade Ozea after what happened the last time" 

Before we could speak we hear sounds emanating from the hall and Kal and I hurry towards it and see Nerak standing over Desta. "Nerak" I say and he looks at me unbothered. "Nerak step away" I say again and he hesitantly lets Desta go. I look at him for an explanation.