Page 23 of Lies That Blemish
Her mother was chasing us and trying to kill me!
‘What do we do?’I asked as she flew closer to the wall, the red rider right on our tail.
‘Do you feel any powers emerging yet?’Zara asked me.
I didn’t. I was way too panicked.
Reaching into my pack with a shaky hand, I pulled the handful of flares I had left. When I saw the red one, I ripped off the cap and pressed the button, shooting a red firework into the sky. Then I couldn’t breathe again, as the red rider was right on top of me once more.
Chapter 10
Aisling
I felt halfdead on my feet, so tired I could sleep for a week, but at the same time, I was alert, fueled by anxiety for my sister.
She was probably in the Luskin Wilds right now. It was nearly midnight and no flares, no contact. We’d driven by car even farther north, just outside Sky Reach, nearly at the Wall. If she was going into Luska, I wanted to be close in case she needed me.
“Alek, can you send Iniki to go look for her again?”I begged him. He was right by my side, getting me coffee and telling me Valor was strong and would be okay. I’d pulled him out of bed after Valor stopped sending flares, and he’d never complained.
Iniki peered at Alek, then at the two guards who stood at the fence line.
“I will if you want, but it might seem like preferential treatment.” Alek offered.
I glared at the guards, reporting back everything to the admirals so they could say Valor had no help. I wanted to throttle them right now and go check on my sister.
“No, you’re right. Let’s wait a bit,” I agreed.
Liana came up behind me then, nuzzling my side with her head.‘Want to go for a fly over Sky Reach? Take your mind off of things? You may not see her until morning. It’s a far walk that deep north.’
I heard what Liana said, but I also sensed something else behind her words. Like maybe if we were high in the sky, I might be able to peek over into the Wilds and see Valor?
“No harm in a night ride,” I told her.
I walked over to the guards. “I’m going for a flight over Sky Reach. Report to me immediately if you have any word on my sister.”
They nodded.
Elaine assured me she would also keep watch and be here for Valor if she got out.
“Mind if Iniki joins you?” Alek asked.
Having Alek here and being able to depend on him in my time of need spoke volumes about the person he was.
“I’d like that,” I told him, and Iniki leaped for the skies. I knew she could report back to him anything I wanted.
I slid onto Liana’s back, resting in the saddle, and then we were off.
The second we hit above the trees, I craned my neck for any sign of my sister. The trees in the Wilds were so thick, coupled with the glow of the fire sky—like a burning vein down the countryside—it made it hard to see anything.
Iniki soared alongside us as Liana made slow circles around the base. I peered at the Wall, and it felt so weird to see only two men patrolling it. Normally, it was packed with our soldiers. But since the Luska front had died down, we’d put our resources into other things.
I was just about to look back over at the Wilds when a shot of red caught my attention. A flare shot up into the sky.
Red flare.Valor.
Without even asking, Liana shot through the sky in that direction.
My heart raced as I thought of all the different scenarios. Valor’s flare had come from theotherside of the wall, in Luska. She was captured. I knew it.
