Through The Storm

t w e l v e

The second those words left Kaya's mouth, I felt a cool breeze caress my flushed cheeks. My blood seemed to sing within me- I felt lighter than I had in years. I didn't quite understand it- was this what it was to feel at peace? My shoulders instantly felt lighter, and the frantic fluttering of my heart seemed to slow to a pacifying pace.

I had not expected such a reaction from myself.

I had expected to yell at Kaya or scream profanities at her for twisting my mind, for lying to me - because what she was saying seemed so impossible... but I found that I just couldn't. If I was completely honest with myself, everything that had seemed so frayed in my life had suddenly been smoothed over by her simple explanation.

And that terrified me.

"Well, that really sorts things out, doesn't it?"

I whipped my head around to Blake in alarm, for I caught wind of something I'd never before heard in his voice: scorn. He seemed to glower at me accusingly as he said sourly, "So you're not even my real sister, then, are you, Callisto?"

My heart sank.

He was... lost. I was all he had ever had, even when our miserable parents- well, now his miserable parents- were alive. And he had just been told that in truth, he really was all on his own.

"Blake... it doesn't matter whether we're tied by blood or not, you know I love you-"

"A fat lot of good it did me," he snapped icily. "All it did was result in measly meat for five years of my life, and end in me bruising my backside in a prisoners' carriage. All for someone who's really just a freak of a stranger."

His words were worse than a physical blow to my chest. I felt the air go stale around me as my chest began to throb. "Blake... how can you say that? You know I tried my best-"

"Yeah, well, you can keep your best. You're just like the others. You're just a liar, a big liar. And now you can go off wherever you want to and live like the royalty you are, while I have to fend for myself all alone!"

"I'd never leave you and you know that! No stupid title can take me away from you, Blake."

He just rolled his eyes. "I've had it with your lies and drama- ever since she came into our lives." He pointed at Kaya, fury dancing in his once-youthful eyes. Now, it seemed as though he'd aged years in the span of a few moments.

Before I could reply, there was a sharp rap on the carriage door. Wick and Aaron stood there. "It's almost nightfall," said Wick. "Do you wish to see to your needs before dinnertime?"

Blake barely nodded before scrambling out and away with the two men... away from me.

"Let him go," said a voice softly.

I just shook my head. "I don't want to leave him alone, Kaya, at least not right now. This time is crucial-"

"I know... that is precisely why he needs to sift through his thoughts by himself," Kaya said. "Whatever conclusion upon which he arrives needs to be his own. Trust me on that."

"Trust you," I repeated sardonically. "I need time of my own to be able to do that, Kaya. Despite what you've just told me."

She dipped her head once in agreement. "Whatever you need," she said.

The rest of the evening seemed like a blur; all I could register was Blake's sullen face - sat as far away from me as he could get - and the crackling fire that we encircled. I don't reckon I even tasted the food I ate.

That night, as the camp lay asleep save for the single Guard on night-watch duty, I sat wide awake inside my caravan. The warm breeze seemed to whisper tranquil words to me. Even the silence of the forest seemed to sing a song of peace, of hope. I reveled in the melody of the crickets and other forest nightlife- if I closed my eyes, it almost felt like I was on just another hunting trip near Bracken. It almost felt like nothing had changed.