Does that mean Lyle does, too?
The questions build, growing bigger and darker in my mind, and the calm water at the centre of my chest starts to shake as my emotions grow wild and unruly.
“It belonged to Elex. In case you were wondering. And I’m pretty sure that ring you’re holding onto like your life depends on it belonged to Aerith.”
“Who are Elex and Aerith?” I turn back to Fenix, but my body doesn’t feel right. It feels… off.
“They are our parents.”
seven
. . .
Aten
“Brother?” I check. The word doesn’t fit with what I know of Ever. “How did Micah get mixed up in this?”
Kyra’s usually light spirit is cloaked in sorrow as I turn to her while addressing Crimson.
“Ever knew Kyra was in the cell, and she warned us as she was leaving with him, her brother.” Crimson makes her way to stand next to her family—her own brother.
“Willingly?” I ask because there’s no situation that I can think of that would unravel this enough to make sense of it all: Ever has a brother, Micah is dead.
“There was nothing willing about what I saw.” Kyra’s voice is bitter and drenched in grief, enough that it chills my bones.
“You say he killed Micah?”
Through misty eyes, she looks to me and nods. “Two men dragged me to the cell where Ever was being held. She was fighting, and they threatened me. She only cooperated and left because they threatened me.”
“And Micah?”
“He was already… dead on the floor when I came in.”
“So, you didn’t see this man kill him?” Cetus is quick to question. “You assume he did.”
“Ever would never kill anyone, certainly not Micah. She bargained to go quietly if I was left unharmed.” Kyra’s defence of Ever sparks hope that she’s on our side, no matter what others may think. She isn’t behind any of this. She can’t be.
“If you were left in the cells, how did you get out?” Cetus continues pointing his finger.
“Someone must have alerted the guards because they let me out a few hours later. I reported the murder to them, as well.” Her voice trails off, and a gentle breeze wisps around her.
“Ever told us you were being held,” Calix adds to the story.
“You heard that?” Crimson’s head whips to Calix.
“I wasn’t quite unconscious. It’s about the only thing I do remember until I woke up.” He shrugs, but it looks a little less comfortable than usual. “You should be with your family, Kyra,” Calix suggests, but it is the wrong thing to say to her.
“No. We deserve answers. And, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that there are no clear answers when it comes to Ever Hart. Everyone kept her in the dark, and I won’t let that happen again. Micah was murdered. And someone took Ever. Forcibly. You two,” she points at the Aster twins, “are loyal to Aten, who isn’t even meant to be here. So, whatever is going on, I’m in. Because I deserve answers, and The Court sure as stars won’t give them to me.”
Calix, maybe for the first time I’ve known him, looks a little bashful. It’s hard to tell behind the bruising and red welts still marring his face, but the bite in Kyra’s voice has got to him.
The cold of her emotions has fired up.
“Okay. So, how did this brother of hers get to Ever in a locked cell?” Crimson asks. “And why?”
“To rescue her,” Cetus offers, as if it’s a logical explanation. “And before we get carried away, we don’t know much about Ever. She’s a Fifth, so let’s think about this reasonably.”
But there is no reasoning with me when it comes to Ever. Just a driving urge, an instinct that’s overriding every other sense or feeling, that I need to get to her. To help her. And I don’t fucking care who I need to go through to do it.
