Eighteen

"Roan, go after her!" June gasps, breathing heavily from whatever Zahra had done to her. "Go!"

I shake my head, feeling torn between June and my sister. "You're hurt, June. You need help!"

She grabs my shirt and pulls me close. "She is your sister! Go get her!"

"She hurt you!"

June coughs and I see smoke come out her mouth. "Go! Before she hurts anyone else!"

"June..."

She looks at me with defeated eyes. "Please, go find her. She can't stay with him and not go insane."

"She's already insane!" I hear someone say.

"Leave her be...she's not worth the people at risk," says another.

"What's going on?" I turn and see Aspen finally up and hobbling out. He sees June and me and furrows his brows. "What happened?" He looks about. "Where's Zahra?"

"That bitch left after slowly killing June!"

"Don't forget we still don't know what's wrong with Sorrel!"

Aspen looks at me again. "Roan, where did she go?"

I hang my head and don't answer. But I don't need to because Aspen runs to the stables and climbs on a horse. I walk over and catch him before he leaves. "She is worse. I hadn't realized it until she hurt June."

"Why in the hell didn't you stop her!" he hisses.

I shake my head. "It shocked me. I tried to stop her but she wasn't listening. She kept going. She didn't even tell me what was going on."

"She couldn't," he growls. "And it wasn't her fault."

"I know!"

"Then come with me. Let's go after her before it's too late."

I look back at June, but she waves me away as people help her into a shelter. Sighing, I grab a horse.

Aspen and I ride through the forest, looking for any sign of Zahra. I kept my ears open for any crying, any screaming, anything she might do. I searched for blood, I searched for prints, but there was nothing. Lucas must have had her cover her tracks.

"She must be there," Aspen hissed. "She must be in his lair."

"We are never going to get close enough to help her," I say.

"If he has complete control, she won't want help."

Without talking it through first, I spur my horse forward in the direction of Lucas's lair. Aspen didn't protest, but rode behind me.

It was dark when we arrived and there not a sound. There was no fire, no light, no screaming, no laughter, nothing.

Narrowing my eyes, I got off the horse and strode forward. "Roan..."

"I'm getting her back!"

"Roan, stop!"

I turn to him. "Don't tell me what to do! I'm getting Zahra back and I don't care if it kills me!"

"Would you listen?" he growls. "Look up at the hill!"

I turn back to Lucas's domain and look at the top of the hill. There, a lone figure stood and watched us. I knew it was her and I knew she was told to aim to kill. I backed away slowly so that she didn't think I was intruding just yet. "If I try to go to her, do you think she'd try to turn me to a crisp?"

Aspen is silent for a moment, then says. "I'm not willing to find out. At this point, I think we should regroup and try for a different course of action."

"I can't leave her here, though."

"Unless you think you can get her to listen, you might have to."

I don't really think about what I do next, I walk forward and put my hands to my mouth. "Come down here and talk to me!"

We waited, and I watched the figure just stand there. Aspen said after a long moment, "You tried. I don't think she's coming down unless she wants to come down."

"I'm her brother! She has to come down for me!" I hiss.

"Zahra isn't Zahra anymore. She's Lucas's puppet completely. Unless we can figure out a way to snap her out of it, there's nothing we can do until we figure out a way to kill Lucas."

I look at him. "We can't leave her alone...she's probably terrified!"

"I know. And I don't know what else to do."

Sighing, I get back on the horse and begin to turn towards home when I hear, "You shouldn't have come."

I go still before looking at her. "Are you going to kill me?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem?"

Zahra doesn't show any sign of fear or any emotion when she says, "Because if you come again, I will be forced to make sure you never come for me again."

Aspen speaks now, "If you're still in there, you won't hurt us. You will fight him."

"It's not that easy," she says flatly.

"And you're okay with his orders?" I ask.

"I don't have a choice." She crosses her arms. "Please, if you don't wish for me to experience hurting you, leave."

"Not until I see some part of my sister," I hiss.

Zahra stares at me and there's nothing that reminds me of who I once saw.

"Zahra, please," I beg. "Just let me know you're here. Let me know you're still fighting."

Something flickered in her eyes at that and I held my breath. She said, "I went with him to stop hurting you. I hurt June and I didn't want to hurt you. He may have taken the pain away, but he hasn't taken my memories. I can't get her face out of my head, Roan." Again, her eyes flicker and a tear runs down her face. "I can't have your pained face in my head too."

I jump down and walk up to her. "Will you let me hold you?"

She hesitates for a moment, then walks into my awaiting arms. Although she's stiff, I feel her head rest against my chest like she always has. "I am breaking, Roan."

"I'm trying," I whisper.

She wraps her arms around me. "Hurry," she says into my shirt. "Before his plan is enacted."

"Give me one week?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "Not that long."

"A few days, please give me at least a few days!" I hiss desperately.

Zahra thinks for a moment. "I have four days. I don't have longer."

I nod and squeeze her to me. "I'll hurry. I will try to get you before those are up."

She pulls away and there are tear stains on her cheeks. "You have to go now."

I cup her face. "I'm coming back for you, I promise."

Her face is blank, but for the small smile she gives. "I know."