Starstreak

Bitter Truths

Holy shit. 

How the hell did I not figure that out sooner? I mean, all the evidence was staring me in the face for, like, an hour. It just felt so effing obvious. 

I couldn't speak. I tried to but every single syllable dried up in my mouth. 

Krix (or Dad I guess I should call him) seemed to be quite enjoying the internal turmoil his offspring were currently experiencing. Asshole. I thought bitterly. Who was cruel enough to do this to their own kids? Him apparently. 

Jordin looked utterly furious. Not that I blame him. I mean if we really are siblings, then he would have an explosive temper as well. 

I couldn't even make out what I felt. Angry at Krix, er- Dad, for separating us. A little angry at Mom for never telling me any of this. Wonderment at the discovery of a long lost brother. Delight that I have a sibling at all because what little kid hasn't at least once asked their parents for one? Confusion that I had a sibling and never knew it. And self-disgust for not figuring it out sooner. If that doesn't make sense to you, imagine how I feel. 

A deafening silence filled the huge space. No one spoke. No one moved. 

"Where are Zara and Alex?" I demanded, pushing aside this very uncomfortable realization. I didn't care if I'd shattered the only bit of truth in the world. Alex and Zara were my only concerns. Excluding everything that just happened. 

Krix (I'm just going to give up on calling him Dad) gestured toward two men. They immediately left the room through a door I hadn't noticed previously. They returned a few minutes later with two struggling teenagers, their hands tied tightly behind their backs. A weight seemed to lift off my chest at the sight of them. Zara was cursing at her captor at maximum volume and jerking violently to get away from him. I wouldn't have been surprised if she dislocated her shoulder from that. I mean I'd be worried but not surprised. Alex was doing the same except a little quieter; no one could be louder than Zara when she was this pissed off. 

Alex spotted me first. "Raven!" he shouted, smiling slightly. 

Zara followed his gaze. "Raven!" she screamed in delight, temporarily pausing her furious grapple. 

Alex's eyes traveled behind me and landed on Jordin. His face fell a little bit, and his struggling began to slow. Zara had resumed battle with her captor and was now jerking more fiercely than ever. She remained oblivious to Jordin's entire existence. 

I glanced over my shoulder at Jordin who still looked like he was going to murder something. It made sense that Alex was a little wary of him. Also considering what happened in the woods . . . 

I shot a quick glance at my dad. He was watching me with a mildly interested look on his face. 

"What do you want?" I asked more calmly than I felt. 

"You already know what I want," he answered serenely. 

"Well then, you know I can't give it to you." My hand hovered over my hip where the sheathed dagger would be. Jordin looked over at me, spotted the location of my hand, and slowly relaxed into a simple hateful glare. He knew where my dagger was, having seen me pull it out and replace it in the caves. Multiple times I might add. 

Krix didn't seem to notice or care about my slight change in position. He just gave me a hard glare. I glared right back. I was not giving up without a fight. 

Krix glanced over to where Alex and Zara were still struggling against their guards. He gave the guards a slight nod. They both pulled out their guns from their holsters and pointed the barrels at their prisoners' heads. Zara abruptly stopped cursing and fighting. Both she and Alex, who'd stopped fighting as well, looked absolutely terrified.