The Other Side of the Lie (EDITING, ON HOLD)

Thirteen-Hawk

Bella was limp in his arms as he flew her away from Cloudspire. Mist and Swift leapt down the mountain in enormous bounds, Hunter on the werewolf's back. Evidently, going down was much easier and faster than going up.

The Sky fey guards had stopped trailing them a little while back, and Hawk was grateful for it. He didn't know what he would do now. Their plan was a disaster. Their mission had failed. And Swan was dead.

Hawk was still reeling, and he was struggling to keep his mind on something that could help them in their current situation. He refused to give in to grief, as he had for his father. Hawk had told himself that he would kill his mother, take the Sky fey throne, and then once that was all settled he would have time to mourn King Eagle's loss. That was no longer the case.

Hawk was pulled out of his thoughts when Bella stirred in his arms.

"Try not to move," he said in her ear so that she would hear him over the wind.

She blinked her eyes open. When she realized where she was she completely froze and her green eyes went wide. A few strands of her red hair had escaped her braid and were waving in the wind.

"We got away from Cloudspire, and the soldiers stopped following us ten minutes or so ago," he explained. "We went down the other side of the Wizard's Peaks, which means we are now in fey territory. We are trying to get as far away as we can before stopping. You were out for a while. What happened, are you okay?"

Bella nodded. "I used too much magic. Is everyone else okay?"

Hawk nodded. "They're on the ground. The sun will be setting soon, and we'll stop, so you can see for yourself in a bit."

"Okay," she said, and curled a bit more into his chest. "It's kind of cold up here," she said in explanation.

"Yeah, it is," he agreed. "I am just thankful it isn't raining."

A quarter-hour later, Hawk set Bella on her feet while her brother slid from Mist's back. He was instantly at her side, making sure his sister was alright.

A stab of pain went through Hawk's heart. His sister was gone. She would never be alright again. Nor would his father. The only family he had left was his mother, and he would rather die than go to her for comfort.

"What do we do now?" Mist sighed as she sank to the ground.

"We aren't doing anything." Hawk sat too, exhaustion settling into his bones now that the adrenaline of the past day wore off.

"What do you mean, nothing?" Bella was the only rested one of the five of them, and she seemed to be the only one whose emotions weren't dampened by tiredness. "We've come all this way! Until now, I admit, I was not completely convinced of how bad Queen Raven actually is, but now I know. I don't want to do this for you anymore, for the safe passage to the witch territory, I want–I will do this for every Sky fey under her rule. I swear to you, if you give up now, I will kill you myself!"

Hawk stared incredulously at the little red-haired girl. He had to look down, as he had almost four inches on her. Hunter watched his sister with a slight smile on his lips. When Hawk caught his eye to silently beg for help, Hunter just grinned wider and shook his head.

"You're telling me you never argued with your sister?" Hunter asked.

"No, I didn't, and I doubt I ever will again," Hawk said sharply.

"I am sorry," Hunter said quietly. "I didn't mean to offend you. I have a lot on my mind right now."

Hawk thought of how the guards holding him had dropped dead. What had that been anyway? It had to have been Hunter who did it, but he was human. Wasn't he?