Fifty-three

Aspen has been with Zahra for five days now. I had no idea what was wrong with them, what was going on, or how to see if they were alright, but everyone was waiting on Aspen to wake up and tell us what to do, if we were in the right spot, and if we should move. I was restless, worried about my sister and what was happening to her within her imprisonment, and had the need to kill someone.

However, the opportunity was not what I expected.

"Roan! June!" Finx called.

We ran over to him, Sorrel and Cat standing with him looking just as grim. "What?"

"We have company," Sorrel announced.

June and I look back towards where home would be, expecting to see an army or something that snuck out of Marin's home. Instead, we see a single figure holding something in his arms. I squint, unable to tell who it is. "Is that…" June's voice trails off because she is also squinting.

"Lucas," Cat confirms.

"What is he doing here?" June hissed. "Doesn't he know he's going to lose against Marin?"

"I don't think he cares," Finx whispers. "He's crying."

Sorrel curses in surprise while June and I start walking to Aspen's father.

As I get closer, however, I see Finx was right. Lucas's eyes were red and puffy. Tear streaks stained his tan skin. He looked haggard, or more than usual. His hair was dark with dirt and in clumps, his clothes were hanging off his body, and he wasn't the same arrogant man I have always known him to be.

"What are you doing here, Lucas?" June asks, no sympathy in her tone.

"They're dying." He looks at us, eyes wide. "I need her help! Please!"

"She's not in any position to help anyone," I say.

Lucas thrusts his arms full of twins towards us. "They're babies! My babies, yes, but innocent! I need Zahra! She can give them what they need!"

"Zahra is currently being held prisoner."

I spin around to see Aspen there, looking at his father with pity. "Aspen-"

He shakes his head. Lucas sniffs and wiped his face. "I thought Marin wanted to kill me?"

"He does, but apparently wants her for other reasons," June said, then looked to me. "Let's go!"

"Wait!"

We look to Lucas. He stands and straightens his back. "Let me help."

"So you can take her again?" I ask.

"No. I won't take her ever again." He gives me a solemn look, but one full of what I thought was promise. "I will help you get her out. But in return, I ask that she help the babies."

I look to Aspen. He was the only one who would know if his father was lying. But even Aspen was looking as if the world were breaking around us. "Tell me one thing," he says to Lucas.

"Anything!"

"Do you truly care about them, or are you just wanting them alive to give you power?"

Lucas looks down at Inara and Jed, seems to tighten his hold, and looks back at his son. "I care."

There was a moment of silence. Then Aspen shakes his head and walks forward. He takes Jed into his arms and holds him, then begins to walk back to our group. He doesn't get far when he growls at Lucas, "One wrong move, and I don't care if you are my father. I will kill your myself!"

We all sit in a large circle, Lucas beside June in case he decides to go back on his word, and Aspen tells us of what has been going on with Zahra. It wasn't anything we expected. But apparently, she was facing a shapeshifter who is trying to scare Zahra. The shapeshifter succeeded because Aspen said it took a while for Zahra to understand who he was and that he was real. He also said where she was and the dangers of going in to find her.

When he was done, Lucas was the first to speak. "Let me."

"No!" almost all of us shout.

Lucas rolled his eyes. "She won't be scared if I am controlling her. I will make Zahra fight this shapeshifter, bring her out of whatever home she's in, and the rest of you can do the rest."

Aspen shook his head. "While that may work, it won't happen for two reasons." Lucas raised a questioning brow. "First, Zahra will fight you if she figures out what is happening. It will make it harder for you to concentrate. And second, she won't be conscious for that to happen."

"Aspen, you know as well as I do that she can't stay in her head for too long."

"And I know that she won't be able to last if she returns to her body because she is so terrified, she will break down!"

Lucas shuts his mouth.

"Aspen," June says softly. "If she's unconscious, how do you expect us to protect her?"

"We'll have to figure it out." He looks to me. "This Leilani somehow has found out what your parents look like."

I shake my head. "My mother is dead! Has been dead since Zahra was a few hours old!"

"I know, Roan. But this is why she doesn't want to be awake while we go in."

I shake my head and curse.

"What if I go in with whoever finds Zahra, then fly her out?" Cat suggests.

"And risk you being shot and never able to fly?" I snap.

"I can go my maximum speed," she argued.

"We can't risk you being permanently grounded," June said, giving Cat a sad smile. "What if the shooters have excellent aim?"

Our friend frowns. "I just want to help."

"You have helped," I counter. "If it weren't for you, we would not have found this place in such a short time."

Aspen sits up then. "Maybe you shouldn't fly," he says to her. "But your speed would come in handy." He turns to me. "She could come with those of us going for Zahra. While we are dealing with Leilani, she could quickly search the rooms and find her."

"But what if Zahra wakes?" Lucas asks. "She is afraid of being tricked."

"I've given her a way," Aspen says with a shrug. "But Cat could help grab Zahra and get her out by running, instead of flying."

"What about the rest of you?" the subject of discussion asks.

"We know what is going to happen," Aspen says. "We'll be prepared for whatever Leilani wants to shift into."

"Let me help," Lucas demands softly. "Let me help get her out."

"You're not going near her!" I snarl.

He smirked. "I don't mean by touching her or controlling her. I mean with Marin."

I still. So does everyone else. "How?" Sorrel asks.

Lucas shrugs. "It'll be the battle of minds. See who will break the other first."

"Marin broke you hold on Zahra already. What makes you think you're stronger than him?" Aspen asks.

"Zahra was easy to manipulate," Lucas says and leans forward. "Even at a distance, I only needed a small drop of power to make her do what I wanted."

"Then how were we able to get her to stop going to you?" June asks.

Lucas frowns. "As with all gifts, Ice Lady, there are natural things that are stronger. With Zahra, it was love."

We stare at him. I cross my arms. "Then what happened when she hurt June and Sorrel?"

"She wasn't herself, remember?" Lucas closes his eyes and seems to be picturing everything. "She was more of her young, child self, right, Roan?"

I nod, thinking back to that time.

"What does a child know of love truly?"

"They know love," June protests.

"They know a mother and father's love, which is shown by protecting and feeding and caring." Lucas opens his eyes again. "But did Zahra have that?"

"My father fed and cared for her," I say, not knowing why I was defending my father when I knew better than others what he was capable of.

"But why, Roan? It wasn't love for Zahra. It wasn't the love of a parent to their child."

"What do you know about that?" Aspen hissed.

Lucas's gaze hardened. "Believe it or not, Aspen, I did love you at one time."

Aspen went motionless.

Lucas turned back to me. "Your father, as you know, hated Zahra. Maybe it was because of your mother. Maybe it was because of some unknown feeling deep inside him. But he did not love Zahra. Just like he did not love you."

"So, you made Zahra into the girl who never knew love?" June asked.

"Precisely."

"And that's how you were able to take hold of her?"

"Just as you said."

"But it still doesn't make sense," Sorrel says thoughtfully. "Roan was able to bring Zahra back to herself the whole time she was in that state, breaking your hold. Why only later did it not break?"

Lucas stayed quiet. But I knew. "He used a bit more power." Everyone turned to me. "She was beginning to understand the love of a sibling, something she could only do in that state because children learn best. When she began to understand, Lucas knew he was losing his grip. It's why she kept saying he was angry. It's why he made it painful for her. It's why she clung to my bed that whole time, because it anchored her to what was around her, it kept her from giving into his hold."

Lucas clapped. "And we have solved the mystery of our dear Zahra! Wonderful!"

"So back to the original topic," June says after a long silence. "Why do you think you're stronger than Marin when he's broken your hold on Zahra?"

Lucas smiled. "He did break my hold, but remember, I got it back!"

"How?" Cat asked.

"By using something Zahra and I both wanted desperately."

"The children?" I asked.

He nodded. "She loved the children, likely still does, and that coincided with my need to see and meet them. In a way, she let me back into her mind to take hold. She let me take control."

"Unknowingly!" Aspen growled.

"Yes, but as your very rude friend can confirm," Lucas says with a look at Finx, "Zahra did find out just how much I wanted to see them, how much joy it brought me."

Finx blushed, but didn't deny anything. I now have a better understanding of everything, and that both frightened me and relieved me.