IMMORTAL SECRETS: THE SACRIFICIAL LAMB

CHAPTER FIFTEEN - ACCALIA

My lungs are on fire. My legs are shaky and weak, but I remain focused on saving our lives as we bolt deeper into the forest. Deeper and deeper we go, jumping over exposed roots and ducking under fallen trees. Farther from Solom's castle, farther from the angry mix-breeds, who seem to have stopped their pursuit, believing Nicholas would capture me and Bali; their wrathful chants have been silent for quite some time.

"It's safe for now," Nicholas finally breathes.

Mine and Bali's run becomes a walk, and then we're stopped completely. He frees my hand. Both of us bend over to catch our breath, placing our hands above our knees. Nicholas stands with his hands atop his head, fingers interlaced, breathing heavy, searching for unwanted company, his marks settling on his copper skin, his chest heaving.

Bali collapses to his knees, chin twitching. His breathing is uneven, his chest forcefully expanding, and then he breaks down into tears with each of his exhales. Past his tears are internal pain and anger echoing through the darkening forest as he begins screaming in agony for the ones he just lost. He lowers his head, his long, partially braided hair falls in his face, and then he covers the rest of his face with his scarred hands, muffling his cries.

"Shh," Nicholas orders Bali. "We'll be found, if you continue to carry on."

A part of me thinks Bali wants to be found, be reunited with his daughters. His cries become louder and it seems all of Nepha is crying and screaming with him. The whole world is paling with regret, in the way his air marks are becoming far paler than the burn scars on his bare chest and chin.

Nicholas tells him to quiet again. The better part of him must agree, Bali's cries are now softer as he sinks into himself.

Night is slowly falling. The sky is a darker shade of blue, the vegetation begins awakening with color to pierce through the coming night. Hughes of red, rolls of blue, likenesses of purple, and subtle yellows twinkle and glow. The animals and bugs of the night are awakening, howling and buzzing. Chandresh always says they're not like the ones on Earth, these on Nepha are more extraordinary.

Chandresh ...

The hope that carried me this far fades into guilt wrapped in sorrow and stamped with hatred, not solely for my betrayal towards Chandresh, but ...

Mine and Bali's relationship has always been complicated; however, I share his pain. It's my fault Lucky and Lyn were recaptured. I should've been strong enough to save them, when their predicament is my fault – because Solom saw our bond. Didn't Bali tell me to use my magic to save us all? I practice with Chandresh, but I'm not ready to be anyone's savior.

I collapse to my knees like Bali. The guilt for leaving Lucky and Lyn is eating me alive. Anger towards Solom fuming inside me. The sorrow for it all streaming down my cheeks. But I don't bellow like Bali had for the world to hear, mine are silent.

I lower myself to sit in the luscious grass, its lighter viridescent around me. It's when I see the necklace Chandresh gifted me. The elegant silver around my neck dripping to cradle the moonstone – and it's glowing brighter by the second. The moon is barely seen through the canopy of leaves, a transparent white subtly glowing – but you can see it seemingly linking itself to my necklace. I cup the necklace in my hands and will Chandresh my location. I may hate myself for leaving Lucky and Lyn, but Bali's words in the fire dome are front and center – their survival, everyone's survival, depends on me not being recaptured.

After pouring my heart out to Chandresh, I release the moonstone necklace to lay on my chest and then search the sky for signs of his dragon form. Never having seen it, I believe the vibrant emerald of his purebred magic would ring familiar to me. I listen for mighty dragon wings slicing through air, but nothing is seen or heard except the forest.