Edan & Hima: The Awakening

Chapter Thirteen

"Hey, have you seen Taryl?" Spencer asked his sister when he approached.

Sarah was among the crowd for the annual Fire and Ice naming ceremony.

"This year's winner for the crest of Ice—!" the announcer chirped.

Sarah turned to her brother with worry. "What do you mean?" she chuckled. "I thought she was in the medical ward."

"Yeah," Spencer scoffed while glancing around the crowd, "well, she's not there."

Now Sarah turned to Spencer with shock and worry painting her face. Her eyes were wide, and her heart was racing. "What do you mean she's not there?" she hissed.

"I mean—Taryl is not there! She's gone! The room was empty!" Spencer violently hissed while flinging his hands in the air.

Sarah became more shocked. "Victor was gone, too?"

"Yes!" her brother responded. "And what's worse is that I can't find Yazier anywhere, and he was supposed to help me at the stand today." Spencer turned to the stage in front of the crowd. But then he gasped and turned back to Sarah. Sarah had looked at her brother with raised brows. "You don't think—?"

"She escaped again," Sarah said with a sigh. The crowd around them applauded when Fire's crest was given to its winner. Sarah had only joined them in the applause.

"For god's sake," Spencer snapped. "You would think she'd understand the importance of staying in the medical ward, especially after what happened in that fight!"

"She's eighteen, Spence," Sarah reminded him. "She deserves to live a little, and I don't think she wants to be prodded like a lab rat because of what happened."

"Sarah, she's been doing these escapes, and with Bennett's help, since she was twelve," Spencer reminded her. He nodded his head and scoffed, "I'm pretty sure she's lived plenty."

His sister giggled in response. Spencer looked at her now with confusion. Sarah glanced at him to see his confused stare.

"What?" he asked.

"Oh, you don't see it," she laughed.

"See what?"

"All those times you refused to help her and didn't want to be responsible for another little sister?" she asked him. This only confused him more. "You're acting just like a big brother right now."

Spencer was now surprised by her response. "And is that supposed to be bad?"

Sarah hummed and shook her head. "No, it's refreshing," she said. "Look, I'm sure Taryl is perfectly fine, especially if she's with Bennett and Yazi. The worst those three can do is fall out of a tree."

"With how uncoordinated those three are," Spencer scoffed, and he crossed his arms over his chest, "I wouldn't doubt it." They both turned back to the stage to watch Michael step forward. He was chosen to bring the festival to a close this year. Spencer snickered and leaned over to his sister. "Bet you ten he screws it up."

Sarah sent her brother a glare before she jabbed his side. Spencer hissed and tucked his side. His hand jumped to cover the bruised area.

"Stop it," she told him sternly.

"You know your elbows are bony!" he whined.

"—and with that," Michael said into the microphone, "we bring this year's Element Festival to a—"

The squeaking sound of the speakers surrounding the village halted everyone. Spencer and Sarah stopped their bickering and looked around. Michael froze, but his eyes turned up when the sirens began soon after.