See You Yesterday

Chapter 23: Elvin

'I'll protect you. I'll stand by you if anything happens.'- Fuyumi Soryo
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I am watching her from the branches of a tree when I see her wake up. She stirs before bolting upright with a yelp. She closes her eyes for a second and sighs. "I know you're up there, Elvin."

I jump from the treetop, rolling when I hit the floor. "I was just seeing if you were alright."

She yawns. "And why wouldn't I be?"

"I don't know..." I say, scratching the back of my neck. "I just... You've had a nightmare."

She raises an eyebrow- a sure sign that she's tempted to say something about my stupidity. Instead, she says, "I was dreaming of something in the past that I can only remember now. It definitely happened, but I didn't even know it until now."

"What happened?" I ask her.

"It was the day Leo brought Carmen through the barrier," she begins. "After he got taken away, I was comforting Carmen. We went for a walk and stood by a waterfall, but...The past has been changed. Gale was there, as well as Charlie, Derythian and Quinn. Why?"

"You don't think they've found out about us, do you?" I ask her.

"They could be close. If they saw me and Carmen being so friendly with each other... I'm done. That alone is against the rules," she cries.

"Derythian Kingsley is extremely observant of the smaller details of things. If anyone finds out, it will be him," I warn her.

"Do you not think I don't already know that?!" She snaps. I gaze at her blankly, until she speaks again, laughing a sad, fake, fed up laugh. "I am guilty of at least four crimes. Fraternising with normals, giving people power, keeping important information to myself, and hiding a criminal. If they find out about Charlie, then-"

"But they won't," I assure her.

"He's just a boy," she croaks. "And we could save him and everyone else, and stop this war, if we fix things now."

"But we can't, Zanna," I tell her. "It's too risky. After everything we've done, we can't turn ourselves in. You will be imprisoned, I'll be banished,  which is the least of our problems, and Ally? Ally will be killed for treason and hiding out in a place where he no longer should belong to."

She stares at her feet, and I know her well enough to know that she's trying to find a distraction to stop herself from breaking down. "I know," she eventually whispers, more to the ground than me.

I gently lift up her chin and look into her wide, anguished eyes. "They will figure out who Charlie is, which is not a problem if they do it themselves; but as long as the simul don't figure out that we kept it from them, along with everything else we've kept from them, and as long as they don't figure out... What I did to Derythian," I say with a gulp, wishing I could take it back, "We will be fine."

"All of this because I couldn't say no to someone who wanted help," she mutters.

"You love him though, don't you?" I ask her, gritting my teeth. A single tear travels down her cheek as she nods. I nod and sit down next to her, allowing her to lean into me. "I swear, I will not let anyone touch you. We all do stupid things for the benefit of those we love."

"But now-" She stutters while sniffling, "But now M-Mac and her f-friends are going after Derythian with L-"

"Hush now," I say stroking her hair. "You don't have to speak. I will take care of everything."

She relaxes against me, and although she has the occasional sniffle, soon I feel a grimace hit me in the chest, and I wait until it stretches into a smile.

I have never ever loved someone so much as I do at this very moment.
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As soon as Zanna falls asleep, I get up and take a walk to the simul mansion, ready to carry out the plan.

I know fine well that Alexander is awake and that he has spies and guards everywhere. Ever since Charlie came and there was a fire started a few miles away from the mansion, our leader does not trust anyone.

Not even his own brother.

It is my job to get rid of the guards and the spies so Mac, Rydian and Jay can get to the barrier with no disturbances. They should be at the barrier in an hour.

There are two guards stationed outside the simul garden gate. They wear black robes and they both have long hair tied in ponytails.

Stick to the plan, I think to myself.

I walk up to them, grinning. "Hello there!"

One guard rolls his eyes. "Get back to your pod, Elvin," he growls.

I smile, trying not to growl as I say, "But of course. I just need to deliver a message."

"A message from who?" Snaps the other guard.

"Alexander. He told me yesterday that he will be patrolling the grounds in... About five minutes, actually. He told me to tell you that he wants you stationed in East Xenia, as far away from the barrier as possible."

The first guard looks at me suspiciously. "You aren't up to anything, are you?"

"Of course not," I lie. "Alexander is working with the faeries to, 'Upgrade', in a manner of speaking, the barrier. Can't have another Charlie, can we? Dreadful, dreadful business."

"Why couldn't he tell us that himself?" the other snaps.

I sigh. "Technically, I'm not even meant to be telling you this because he wanted things with the barrier to be kept a secret. He wanted me to make something up, to be honest. But I really just cannot bring myself to lie to you. After all," I say, "We're comrades."

They elbow each other, sniggering as one says, "You wouldn't mind if we had a quick word with him, would you, then?"

"I wouldn't mind," I reply smoothly, "But he would. He'd think you've been snooping on his plans, and you wouldn't be able to go blaming me, either, because I want to keep things hushed up as well, and I'm helping him."

"Fine!" They yell in unison. They walk away, muttering something about short notice and a pay rise.

The trees next, I remind myself.

I wander around Xenia, looking up as many trees as possible, listening out for the scrambling of people in them and the rustling of leaves. I am shocked when I see Daisy in one. Shy Daisy, who I saw skipping away from the mansion after escorting Derythian there yesterday.

"G-Go away," she stutters.

"Daisy, I've been sent to take over; these trees are practically my territory, anyway. Go get some sleep," I order her gently.

"N-n-nobody told me about a sh-shift change," she stutters in a high whisper.

"That's because you were here. Come on, now, you deserve a break. It was wrong of Alexander to make you do this," I say.

She draws in a quick breath. "Elvin! There are spies everywhere! You can't say things like that!"

I sigh. This is why I can't deal with children.

I hear a snapping sound and she is falling before I can answer her. She is falling and she is going to land on me.

I whip out my arms quickly, getting ready to catch her. She lands in them  with a kapoof.

She sobs. "I'm so sorry, Elvin."

I place her on her feet, rubbing the arm that she landed on a bit too heavily. "Don't be. Go rest and I'll take it from here."

She wanders off reluctantly, still weeping.

I climb the tree with ease and place myself in a comfortable position on a branch, just as I see three figures in the distance moving towards the barrier.

They made good time; all is quiet now.