Four Elements Book 3 - Sacrifice

Part 23

They all stood frozen, staring at the photo. No one could think of anything to say, so there was a heavy silence.

"But... it doesn't... It's not possible..." Zarias said.

Andie couldn't be certain she could trust him, but his shock, on the other hand, was very real. Unless he was the best actor she'd ever seen. He stood very still, pale-faced, his eyes wide, his hands trembling.

"It explains everything..." Isabelle said gently. "Why you never knew your mother, why Zorak never wanted to talk about her... why you feel so differently from him..."

"But why would..." he began, but couldn't finish.

"I expect he didn't know Bane would come along then, and wanted an heir. So he stole one, hoping to raise him as his own..." Isabelle replied.

"Or he wanted to see if he could brainwash them..." Bane muttered.

"Bane!" Andie hissed.

But Zarias didn't even seem to have heard them. In fact, she was wondering if he hadn't forgotten about them completely.

"So what do we think this means?"

"It means that the man I always thought was my father used me," Zarias said in a stunned voice. "I was never anything but a tool for him..."

"What I don't understand is when Bane was born, why didn't he take him too?"

"... Balon must have helped my mother keep us hidden..." Bane said.

Andie squeezed his fingers.

"I expect Zorak either wanted two heirs or wanted to see how it would work with an infant and a young boy..." Isabelle said.

"So, what now...?" Andie asked.

Zarias's eyes trailed slowly to the door.

"Zarias, no!" Andie hissed as she and Isabelle grabbed his arms to keep him still when his feet moved towards the door. "He can't know we're here!"

When he struggled, Isabelle glanced at Bane, who took over holding his arm. She then stepped to stand in front of him.

"We'll get answers," she told Zarias, staring up at him calmly. "But not now. It's too dangerous. We have to go."

Zarias's face showed he was warring with himself. But soon, he stopped.

"Fine." he said.

Andie and Bane cautiously let go. When they were certain he wouldn't rush out of the room after his father to demand an explanation, they stepped back, though exchanged a glance. Just then, they heard a faint noise.

"Please tell me that was someone's stomach..." Isabelle whispered nervously.

"No, that definitely came from outside," Andie replied.

They fell silent to listen, and sure enough, the noise was growing louder. Whatever was out there , it was steadily coming closer. Andie thought she heard voices, but couldn't make out what they were saying.

"I think they've caught on to us," she whispered. "We have to go. Now."

Quick as a flash, they spun around and hurried to the red stone. Zarias held his hands on either side, and a bright red light filled the room. Andie felt herself being pulled forwards just as the door slammed open, followed by a yell of fury.

When they finally arrived on the other side of the portal, Andie, Bane, Isabelle and Zarias landed in one messy heap on the floor. There were so many hands and feet mixed together that it was nearly impossible to tell which belonged to who. Andie would have liked nothing better than to stand up, but the weight of her three traveling companions was threatening to break her spine. If she didn't suffocate, first, of course.