Assassins at Dusk (KOTLC FanFic)

Ch. 15- The Secret

"Maria was supposed to be working with the cattle, so she must have hidden somewhere on our farm." Allesandro reasoned, his stride fierce. Leto looked at Allesandro, concerned. Ever since Allesandro saw his family hanging in the Renisanca square, he was quiet, barely answering any questions and only keeping determination on his mind.

"Allesandro, we should talk about this," Leto said, ducking behind some rocks when a squadron of Esposita guards walked by. Allesandro glanced around and continued walking, not answering Leto.

"Allesandro, listen to me-"

"I can't Leto! I lost everything I ever held dear in a couple of hours! And now I am stuck trying to figure out how I'm going to see my sister and myself grow old without being hunted our entire lives! Our entire family are seen as fugitives now, and all because we saw injustice int the world and tried to correct it!" Allesandro snapped, turning towards Leto, his entire body shaking.

"But-"

"And now, I have to go see if my sister is even alive after she saw our parents dragged away from our family home! My parents had done so much for me, Leto, I am not going to waste the life they gave me on tears. I don't have the time for tears." Allesandro said quietly, quickening his pace towards the farm. Leto stayed silent and looked down towards the ground, unable to find the words to comfort his best friend.

"What is it your mother said before she..." Leto didn't want to say it.

Allesandro took a deep breath as if even thinking about the memory will cause him to collapse.

"Under the floorboards is the secret we were too afraid to tell you, go find your sister," Allesandro repeated, thinking back to his mother giving him desperate details in her last moments of life.

Leto thought down for a moment.

"What about those creaky floorboards right below the staircase? Maybe they had prepared for this and had something for you and your-" Leto stopped as he made it over the hill looking over the barn. The barn was in tattered splinters with small fires burning on the mainframe of the barn. The smell of smoke and burning meat filled the air. There was no sign of Maria.

"Gods, no..." Leto whispered, staring at the barn,

"Kynarath, please let me sister be alright," Allesandro said, rocketing down the hillside, tripping and stumbling over rocks and weeds, too worried to bother about the scratches and bruises he was getting.

"Maria!" Allesandro called out to the barn. Leto caught up with him and started to move around the debris as well. They were beginning to lose hope until a small, meek voice called out from under the rubble.

"B-brother?"

Allesandro and Leto rushed over to where the voice had called out for them. They pulled the last metal sheet off to reveal Maria's body, shaking. But something was off about her; she had this new aura like a power that was protecting her from the smoke and rubble.

"Maria, oh dear gods you are alright," Allesandro said pulling her out of the rubble and into a hug, a hug so tight it was like she was the only thing keeping him grounded.

"Maria, I am so happy you are alright and everything, but how did you survive that? It was a huge piece of rubble that was just on top of you." Leto said, bending down so he could be at eye level with Maria. Maria was about to explain until Leto cut her off.

"Woah, Woah, Woah! Do you have... fangs? And are your eyes okay?" Leto asked, pointing to her mouth. Maria covered her mouth and looked at Allesandro wide-eyed. Allesandro sighed and looked Maria, deep into her now silver sheened eyes.