The Glistening Key (A Key Keepers novel) [Completed]

Episode 7: Departure

When Thyst went downstairs, she found Sky laying on the couch.

"What are you doing up?" She stroked her son's head. "Even the chickens are still sleeping."

"I couldn't sleep. I didn't wanna wake everyone up."

Thyst crawled onto the couch to lay with her son.

"Mom?"

She stroked his hair. "Try to get some sleep. You have a big day ahead of you."

"Will you tell me a story?"

"If you promise to go back to sleep. Which one do you want to hear?"

Sky smiled at her. "You can pick one."

He was leaving home already. Maybe Alastair's first day on Nachima?

"A boy had just left his home for the first time. A family friend was supposed to pick him up when he got into town, but she didn't want to."

"Why?" Sky asked.

"The boy wasn't as mature as he should have been for his age. What he came to do could be dangerous. She didn't want him to get hurt."

"Yikes..."

"The boy was getting hungry, but he didn't have any money. Three strangers offered him food, but the food was bad, so he threw it up. The strangers got mad at him for being rude. The big stranger got shocked for being aggressive."

"The big oaf deserved that."

Thyst giggled. Yes, he did.

Sky snuggled up to her. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you, too." Thyst smiled as she stroked her son's head until he dozed off. He looked so cute.

***

Thyst soon joined him in dreamland, but that wasn't to be as sweet as she would have liked.

"Where were you?" Cyan shouted. "Collin got taken away and you were nowhere to be seen!"

Thyst had been caring for Sky as he'd gotten a fever, but she didn't want to tell them that. "I-I had matters to attend to." Her eyes widened. "Wait, what do you mean he was taken away?"

Cyan glared. "He got taken by the princess!"

Maggie nodded. "To think that boy was a KK. No wonder he acted so strangely when I spoke about them."

"The princess?" Thyst frowned. "Then I'll go see if he might be in the imperial prison."

Cyan glared. "Be quick about it."

Thyst nodded and warped to the prison.

A guard pointed a baton at her and shouted, "Hey, who are you?"