FATESWORN

8 ~ sisters forever

I don't know whether or not to follow the humans, but as I see them drag Airgon away, I know I have to do something. But at the same time, I'm alone. What good could I do here if I'm alone and get caught? I watch from the shadows of the treetops, just staring as they drag the box and crates and Airgon along like they are the same thing.

So, as I move from tree to tree, being as silent as possible, I watch and listen to the humans. Maybe they can explain why they're kidnapping and possibly murdering fae. But they just gloat about what they're doing.

"Did you see the look on this thing's face? Damn, girl, you are one hell of a shot!" says one of the men dragging Airgon along.

I look down at the girl he's talking to. She has long, platinum blonde hair, gray eyes, and is a bit more tan than me. But it is the scar on her face, one that runs from her right cheek down the side of her neck, that cements the truth for me.

She isn't just anyone, oh no.

Rynn. No.

I stare, my heart in my throat, my eyes wide, my palms sweating. How? How the fuck did she end up with them? With a group of humans who would gladly kill fae?

Oh. Because of me.  When Thorn took me from her and our sister, she must've been driven to hating fae. But how did she arrive at the fact that the fae are who took me? And where is our other sister?

Ash can't be like this. She can't be like Rynn. No, I refuse to belive that. But I have to know, one way or the other. And so, I find myself in the trees at their camp, deep in the forest, at least three miles from the water, and at least five more from the border.

Ash and Rynn can't be against the fae, against me....

"Ash!" Rynn calls as they drag Airgon to the center of the camp. I bite my lip, staring, as the tent across from the center of camp is opened. Out emerges the one person I never thought I'd see. Ash steps from the tent, her long, flowing platinum blonde hair sways over her face as she jogs up to Rynn.

Ash and Rynn embrace, and I lean in, closer to them, trying to hear the words being spoken. But then, the branch breaks. And before I can react, I'm on the ground. In their camp.

People exclaim in shock, and yell. But I leap up, and watch as they start to surround me.

"He had backup!" someone yells.

"What the fuck is that?" yells another.

I look up, seeing Ash and Rynn come running over. "Ash! Rynn!"

Crossbows and bows all are drawn, and aimed at me. I can sense the iron on each of those weapons. But then, Ash steps through the crowd, running up to me. "Oh gods, oh gods, no! No! .... Kesh?!"

"It's me, it's me, Ash," I say.

"What ..." Her eyes are wide, and her hands shake as she reaches toward me. 

"Don't touch it, Ash!" Rynn cries, running up behind her.

Ash whirls around.  "It? No, Rynn! It's not .... this is Kesh!"

"No, it isn't. Its a faerie trick!"

"No," I say.  "Rynn, it's me, I'm real. I'm your sister, I'm Kesh!"

"No. Kesh died. She was murdered by the same creatures that you are defending!" She makes a sweeping gesture to Airgon. "He and you are the monsters who killed my sister! And I, I am not going to let you hurt anyone else!"

"No!" Ash steps between us. She holds her arms out, her back to me as she faces Rynn.  "No, Rynn! This is Kesh! This is a miracle, Rynn! She's not dead. She's alright. She's okay. Please, please, please! Don't hurt her!"

"She? No. Ash .... this thing is lying to you. That's what faeries do. They lie and decieve. They make us think things that are not true. Not real. And this thing right here, this monster, is not our fucking sister!"

"I am," I say.  "I am the same person who used to read you bed time stories about the fae when we were kids! I am the same person who was once your best friend."

"No, you aren't. Look at you. You're a —"

"I am a Changeling," I say. "And you are my sister, no matter what. No matter what happens here, you are always my sister. I'll never stop loving you, Rynn."

She narrows her eyes. "You are not Kesh. Kesh died. She was murdered by monsters like you! And you're the worst of them, because you stole her memories!"

"Oh, come on, Rynn!" Ash exclaims. "You can't really believe that, can you?"

"What else am I to believe? Kesh died seven years ago. And now, this .... this .... thing comes along with her memories and claims to be her?!"

"You don't see how much she looks like her? Rynn, what if we were wrong about the fae? What if they took her because of how they knew we'd react? Whar if they took her just to save her, keep her safe from people like us?"

"That is ridiculous," Rynn scoffs.

"Is it? Is it any more ridiculous than the lies you're spewing right now to try and convince yourself that she's not our sister?"

Rynn sighs. She turns to me. "I'm going to ask you one question. And if you know it, I'll know it's you."

I nod. "Okay."

"What did I tell Kesh on her sixteenth birthday? The secret that I told her I'd share only with her, no one else?"

"Come on, Rynn! How's she supposed to know that?" Ash demands.

"You told me that no matter what has happened in our lives, no matter what, you'll always love me and Ash. You said that you didn't mind that our parents were dead. You said that, as long as we are together, nothing else would matter."

Tears spring to her eyes, and then, Rynn hugs me. Ash steps over, hugging both of us. She and Rynn both cry. And so do I. Because after all this time.... I've got my sisters back.