See You Yesterday

Chapter 43: Mac

'I survived because the fire inside me burned brighter than the fire around me.'- Joshua Graham.
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"Well, come on then!" I yell at the boys. "Grab him!"

Rydian is examining his nails while Jay moves awkwardly towards Derythian, getting ready to attempt to pick him up.

"I could just burn his ugly mug," Rydian says, still picking and looking at his nails. "Would save a lot of time."

A sobbing Gale then slaps Rydian across the face! "How dare you," she says in a shaky voice. "How dare you make a comment as awful as that, made for someone who has no defenses against you."

Rydian looks at her, shocked. "Or I could just burn you instead," he threatens.

Gale raises her fingers to her temples and looks at Rydian carefully. Suddenly, her mouth is twisting upwards into a smile, and her expression is one of deep amusement. "You're afraid."

"What?" Rydian snaps.

"You're afraid of me and what I can do to you," she continues.

He stares.

"Afraid of how I can take away everything you stand for: Lies and power. Afraid of what I'll tell Alexander," she states.

"Stop it," he orders in a hoarse voice.

Gale raises an eyebrow at him. "Scared yet, Rydian?"

He does not reply. Instead he only looks at his feet.

I sigh. "Nobody is burning anyone and nobody is telling anyone anything. Now, will someone please help Jay pick Derythian up?"

Gale rolls her eyes and shoulder barges past the expressionless Rydian who does not even try to fight back. She grabs Derythian's hands and Jay grabs his feet, and together they carry him through the barrier, leaving me and Rydian outside it, ready to follow after them.

He walks up to me and his arm slithers around my neck. "Let's go," he grumbles.

"Yeah," I reply reluctantly. "Let's."
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A horn hoots in the distance as we arrive in Xenia seconds after the others.

"They're back!" Someone yells.

A crowd begins to form around us and it is not long before people are noticing Derythian on the ground and asking us questions.

Professor Avery makes his way through the crowd.

"Professor!" Gale cries.

He does not look angry, shocked or happy at the fact that we are back. He just remains completely calm.

"Professor," Gale begins. "I can explain everything, I-"

He holds up a hand to silence her. "Where's Charlie?"

Gale's lip quivers and I fear that she might start crying again and embarass us all, so I step forward.

"We let him go, Sir," I tell him.

"Children," he says quietly. "What have you done?"

"What?" I ask him.

He is about to reply but then the usual orders that are barked out by our leader suddenly become audible.

Alexander Kingsley moves swiftly through the crowd and then he stops at us. He takes one look at his unconscious little brother and his face darkens. He turns around to face the gaping supernaturals. "Off you go. Nothing to see here." His voice is deadly quiet and his tone deadly calm which is enough to make the crowd scatter and go about their business.

When they are gone, there is only me, Rydian, Jay, Gale, Alexander and Avery left standing, and Alexander is onto us as fast as a hawk can snatch up a mouse.

"Who did this? What did this?" He snaps.

I look at Jay who looks at Gale, who looks at Rydian, who glances down at Derythian with hatred, as if to say it's all his fault.

"Well?!" Alex snaps. "Wait... Where's the boy?"

I can't betray Leonardo's trust.

"I... I can't tell you," I admit.

"What did you just say?" Alex asks me.

"I can't tell you," I say carefully.

"I see. Would you like to tell me why you planned on tracking Miss Crawford down, then?" He says.

"How did you..." I start, but I know the answer already.

Elvin. Zanna. Traitors.

"You seem to have no answers for anything, Mac Menulé," Alex smirks.

Lost for words, I whip around and look at Gale for some help, but she looks scared for her life and Jay looks like he is on the verge of tears.

"She has no answers," Rydian says, suddenly, "But I do."

Alexander raises an eyebrow. "Indeed?"

Proffesor Avery stares at Rydian with vague anger and immense sadness.

"Rydian, no!" I screech. "After everything we've been through you're just going to betray him?"

"I'm sorry," is all he says.

Just as he is about to tell Alexander everything, there is a yell from behind us.

"Somebody stop that girl!"

Daisy, my old neighbour, is walking towards the redemption tree with a lit torch in her hand.

"What the hell is she doing?!" Rydian yells.

"Hey!" Alex shouts, cupping his hands over his mouth. "What do you think you're doing?!"

She turns around and gives us a small smile before turning back to the tree.

Outraged and disgusted at the intellect of the people around me, I start running towards her because nobody else will. I grab her free arm tightly. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Following orders," she replies. "Let go of me, Mac!"

At this, my grip just tightens. "Orders from who?"

She sighs. "Are you on his side or not? They told me that I could trust you."

"Who?!" I yell.

"Zanna and Elvin," she replies. "They told me a friend got in touch with them, giving them specific instructions: 'Burn the tree, break the barrier.' That's what they told me he said. Break the barrier then there's no defenses left for Xenia. Normals may enter and we can work to have everyone live in harmony. That's all I've ever wanted. A normal saved my cousin's life once. You're definitely with us, right?"

Leonardo planned this.

Right.

I reluctantly let go of her. "And he definitely knows what he's doing?"

"Please," she scoffs, "I thought you knew him."

Then fire connects with the tree, making it burns, and fear runs through Xenia, latching onto supernaturals with ease.

The barrier is broken and faulty; and I really hope Leonardo knows what he's doing.