Genus Terras

Hiding From Traitors

LILY POV: 

After finding out that the man who is trying to kill us was our parent's old friend, everyone is in shock. My parents wouldn't even look at me after they heard the news. They left the room in a hurry, and now I'm left with Skyler, Josh, and Leo.

So I sit next to Skyler, gripping her hand tightly as Josh and Leo pace the floor, both of them in deep thought. Minutes tick by and the atmosphere becomes even more intense as they do. Finally, Skyler stands up, dragging her with me. 

"Let's go train, Lil," she says, determination clear on her face, "we're going to need to be ready to defend ourselves." I sigh heavily, but don't protest as she drags me towards the training room. She makes me change into gear accostomed to my kindgom with the royal plaque on it. I tie my hair up in a messy bun and we get to work. 

Skyler acts as my coach, making me do sit-ups and planks for hours and hours. Just when I think it's over, she pushes it even further. She makes us both run many laps and practice hand to hand combat. We practice throwing knives, dodging things, climbing things, and everything we need to do. We're there for hours and hours, but neither of us wants to stop. 

Finally, Owen comes in and says he wants to talk to Skyler, so I train alone. I never really realized how tough it is to climb a rope, but as I do it makes me feel accomplished when I reach the top. I quickly slide back down and go over to the weapons table, grabbing the first weapon I can get my hands on. It just so happens to be my whip.

I use my whip on a dummy and slash it and slash it, rage coursing through me. It starts to rip and break, but I honestly don't care. 

This man can't do this. He can't try and take my life away from me, my family. He can't do this to me. My life used to be normal before this! I miss not being in danger and fighting for your life at least once a week. I miss not having terrifying visions of death and evil. I miss the days where I had no worries and no care in the world of whether magic existed. 

I realize I'm crying now, but that doesn't stop me from slashing my whip from side to side, destroying the dummy. I sob loudly and make battle grunts as I whack the thing, crying out. 

"This is for Skyler!" I say, cutting it clean in half. "This is for JuJu! For Ethan! For Mom! For Dad!" I cry and cry and wack the thing blindly, rage pumping furiously through my veins. I don't stop until I'm so exhausted I can barely breathe. Only then do I collapse on the floor, silent sobs shaking my body. "It's not fair...not fair....It's not fair..." I repeat the phrase over and over, as if it will give me any kind of comfort. It doesn't. I need someone to comfort me. Someone who I know I can always count on. 

Leo? I ask in my head faintly. The training and crying had worn me out and I no longer feel like getting up. 

Lily? Are you alright? Where are you? I manage a slight smile despite my mood. Leo always seems to worry. 

I need you. I pause, letting out another loud sob. Please come. I don't hear Leo anymore in my head. He's probably just not coming. And that'll contribute to how alone I feel. I'm alone. I start to cry again. 

The weight of the world (or at least the world of Terras) is on my shoulders. Skyler will do it with me, but if I lose her on the way I'll be alone. So alone. 

"Lily!" I hear Leo's quick footsteps as he reaches me. He breathes a sigh of relief. He probably expected the worst. Then he rolls me over to face him, but I only cry into my hands, covering my face from his view.

Why did I ask for him? Why did I want him to see me like this?

"Look, Lily," he says, pulling me into his lap. I sob into his shoulder. "I know this is a lot to take in...but you can't back down now. We need you, Lily." I continue to sob, feeling all that's happened lately crash down on me. It's too much, it's so much to take in. I feel Leo stroke my hair as I cry into his shoulder quietly. Somehow, I do feel a little bit better crying on Leo instead of on the cold ground. Leo has the ability to make me feel safe, make me feel like when I'm with him, nothing can ever harm me.