Fly or Fall

Chapter Fourteen

Andy rushed down the hall to the throne room with his sister, Kol and Hae behind him. He didn't wait to have the guards open the doors for him, he barged right in. "Is it true?" he asked urgently.

"Andrew," Sevan stepped in front of him, "this is no way to enter the throne room," he chided.

"It's okay," the empress said as Anna and the rest came in. "I understand his excitement." She waved off Sevan and turned to Andy with a delicate smile. "Yes, I do believe we have found your aunt."

Andy heaved a heavy sigh and smiled wider than he had in a while. And though he wasn't religious in the slightest, he felt the urge to get on his knees and thank the lord almighty. They found her. They really did find her. "Where is she?"

"New Emeli," Nyx said, as she stepped forward. New Emeli was the Wythynians' capital. Hae had told him about it. It was the first piece of land the Wythynians took from the natives when they arrived on Omora. Aunt Layla was there? An uneasy chill run down his spine. "We were arranging for a team to be sent before you interrupted."

"Is she okay?" he asked nervously. Not for the first time in the last fifteen days, images of his aunt hurt and crumbled up on the ground flashed through his mind and he wanted to retch. He didn't like to think of her like that, but in moments like this, moments when he was faced with the reality of their situation, his mind couldn't help going into the dark places.

"She's alive," Nyx answered, "I'm sorry but that's as much as I can tell you." He nodded solemnly.

"Can we go?" Anna asked abruptly as she stepped next to Andy.

"What?"

"Can we go to New Emeli with the rescue team?" she asked again.

"Anna," Andy said gingerly as he reached for her hand. She stepped away from him snapping her head to face him.

"We have to go," she said sternly.

"That is out of the question," Nyx interjected.

"She's our aunt," Anna argued and Andy frowned. He thought he should say something. They couldn't possibly go. Anna was being... irrational.

"Be that as it may, this mission is going to be dangerous and you will only be in the way," Nyx said. "I'm sorry but you're not going anywhere. It's for your own safety."

Anna huffed before storming out of the room. Kol quickly followed after her. "I'm sorry," Andy said and turned to go after her.

"Andrew," the empress stopped him. "If you and your sister were to leave the safety of the island I'm afraid I can't promise I'll be able to guarantee your protection. The world outside is a very dangerous place. The Wythynian forces are still very much after the amulet which entail means the two of you. I do hope you can help Annabel understand that." Andy nodded.

Andy and Hae found Anna and Kol in the drawing room. Anna was sitting on one of the arm chairs with her face buried in her hands and Kol stood next to her, rubbing soothing circles on her back. He looked up at Andy when they were close. Their eyes met for the briefest of seconds before Andy turned his gaze to Anna.

"Anna," he said. She looked up at him with watery eyes and he swallowed. "We need to talk."

She shook her head. "We have to go with them."

He frowned. "We can't."

"We have to," she insisted as she shrugged off Kol's hand, getting to her feet. "Andy, we can't..." she sniffled, "we can't leave her there."

He put his hand on her shoulder. "We're not. The Kuth—"

"We have to be the ones to save her," she said with conviction.