The Phoenix People

Chapter Forty-Nine

Just like the previous day, I waited outside for Moonhopper. When he came to retrieve me, I had made a decision.

"Good morning," he greeted me.

"Hello." I took a deep breath. "I...I've decided that we can drop Jack off with the other babies."

Moonhopper grinned. "Thank you, Alexia. This will make everything easier."

I nodded. "It's important for Jack to socialize with kids his own age," I explained, not sure if I was justifying this to Moonhopper or myself.

"Very true."

"Do you have children?" I asked as we started on a slightly different path from yesterday to reach the child tent.

Moonhopper laughed ruefully. "No."

"A wife?"

Moonhopper's smile dimmed and I instantly regretted the question. "no."

"I'm sorry," I murmured.

Moonhopper glanced over at me, chewing his lip contemplatively. "My wife left," he blurted out. "A few months ago."

"Outlanders do that?" I asked, so surprised that I forgot to be polite. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I don't mean to pry."

"It's fine." Moonhopper sighed. "And no, they don't."

Now I was thoroughly confused - if Moonhopper's wife was gone, then obviously Outlanders did leave. However, this time, I remembered my manners and remained silent.

We arrived at the tent for children. I hugged Jack close and kissed the top of his head. "I promise I'll be back for you," I promised.

Moonhopper was watching me with an odd expression. He looked away when I glanced over, and held out his arms for Jack. Reluctantly, I handed the child over.

Moonhopper disappeared inside of the tent for a few seconds before reappearing. "They'll take wonderful care of him," he promised.

They'd better, I thought protectively, following Moonhopper to the Skimmer that was keeping pace with the slow-moving camp.

"Okay, then," Moonhopper said, clapping his hands together. "Show me what you remember."

*

Hours later, I felt tired, but accomplished. I hadn't fallen off of the Skimmer nearly as often, and now knew practically every command I needed - except how to send it back to camp.

We had finished a little earlier this time. I was glad - I was eager to see Jack again.

He seemed completely fine. He was, however, very excited to see me.

I laughed and cooed as he made thrilled, incomprehensible, baby noises. Moonhopper smiled crookedly at us.

"He's lucky to have you," he murmured. "Now, I should be getting home. Goodnight."

"Goodnight. Thank you," I replied, and watched as he meandered off.

Since I still wasn't quite sure how food distribution worked in the Outlander camp, I decided to find Sky and see if the food tent was even open. After all, it was an hour or two earlier than when I had eaten dinner yesterday, but my stomach was still on the verge of protest.

I was about to jump onto the wooden beams supporting Sky's tent when I heard heated voices coming from within.

"You're making a huge mistake, Sky," Clearwater snapped. "You're endangering all of us." I was about to turn away, uncomfortable with eavesdropping until Sky's quieter reply halted me.

"Our numbers are dwindling. We need the baby and it wouldn't hurt to have a princess, either."

My chest violently constricted. They knew. They all knew who I truly was. How long had my cover - faulty as it was - been blown?

"She's not stupid and neither is her brother. What if he figures out what's happened?"

"Oh, please. He left her and the baby in the desert for dead. It's not like he wants them back."

How did they know so much about the royal family? Things weren't adding up.

"He did the same thing with the other princess and yet he was outraged at her survival. We can't keep harboring his family, Sky."

The words hurt, physically hurt, like getting punched in the stomach. All of my breath was sucked from my lungs, a faint ringing beginning in the back of my ears.

I now had the missing pieces. And I absolutely hated the resulting picture.

Alia hadn't gone missing under unknown circumstances. She hadn't been kidnapped or chosen to leave.

My brother, the king, had banished her to the Outlands. She had come to this Outlander tribe. They had protected her, just as they were now doing for me.

But why? Why would Audric exile her? Had she learned of his plans and stood openly against him? My sister had always been braver than I.

I fought rising tears. I hadn't felt such utter betrayal in my entire life. Had Audric been standing before me right then, I would have killed him with my bare hands.

With fury coursing through my veins, I turned away and stalked back to my tent. I had heard enough.

*

Sorry for the shorter chapter...