The Song of the Keepers

Chapter 7 Truth and Lies

"Esha?"
A bewildered Vienna asked.

"Leah."
I responded softly.

Dear Leah, my older sister who had gotten herself in more trouble in her short eighteen years of life than most people did in a hundred. She'd never been too busy for me, granted most of time we spent together she was teaching me bad habits my mother had thrown a fit over, but they were good memories never the less. At least that's what I had thought, had the memory serum changed the truth about my sister as well?

"Sorry Blue, but Leah? I don't recall you mentioning her before."
Jasper frowned.

"Leah was my elder sister, the twin of my brother Solomon. She was always a spitfire, getting herself into trouble at the drop of a hat. She passed away, three years ago, in her Culling. Or so we all thought."
I explained.

I didn't miss the look that passed between Daaow and Mya across the table, though I couldn't decipher its meaning.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Astrid."
Vienna reached and touched my arm gently.

"That's the thing, I just saw her again."
I pointed to the archway.

"As a Sentinel."

"Dead people don't come back to life."
Kairos pointed out.

"Of course, I know that."
I snapped in irritation.

"But Kyle told me that Sentinels were presumed dead by their families. Could that be the case with Leah? That she really didn't die after all but has been here all this time?"

"When did Kyle tell you about Sentinels?"
Mya asked suspiciously.

"That's beside the point."
I responded, hoping she wouldn't press me on the matter.

I certainly hadn't meant to get him in any trouble.

"It's a good thought Blue, but is it also possible you only caught a glimpse of someone who looked similar to your sister?"
Jasper suggested.

"They do say everyone has a look-alike in the world, perhaps it's your sister's look alike."
Daaow suggested.

"I think I would know my own sister."
I argued.

"It has been three years. Time can distort the memory."
Mya told me.

"You don't believe me."
I said flatly.

"I believe you think you saw your sister. I'm just not certain you really did."
Daaow responded.

I scoffed.

"Maybe you did Blue, it's worth investigating a bit more."
Jasper at least tried to show some support.

"It's really not. Your sister is dead, let it rest."
Mya informed me, looking annoyed.

I shoved my chair back from the table with a loud screeching of wood on stone.

"I don't think I'm hungry anymore."
I announced, getting to my feet.

"Is that how you solve all your problems? By running away from them like a little girl?"
Mya taunted.

I glared at her before storming away, not wanting to do something I would surely regret later. I exited the great hall and blindly headed in the general direction of the sleeping quarters.

I didn't know if the others were right, had my mind been playing tricks on me? In a way, that would have been easier. I couldn't shake the nagging feeling however that Leah was, in fact, a Sentinel, which of course brought up a million unanswered questions. The only thing I seemed to be able to focus on, fixate on really, was that I might have accidentally killed my own sister if she had been one of the Sentinels sent to kill Kyle.