Chapter 74 - A Half-Remembered Promise

“Sky?”

An impatient tug upon his hand made Skyle look down. His fingers were clasping a small, delicate hand of ivory skin. Each finger held under his gaze was perfect in proportion, exuding grace and beauty even though they were obviously a child’s.

“Sky? What is it? Why are you staring at my hand like a moonsick fool?” Soft laughter rushed at him like a fresh spring breeze. It trickled into his ears like the waters of a burbling brook and filled his heart to bursting. The unfamiliar sensation tugged at his heartstrings until his pulse was echoing loudly in his own ears.

Skyle slowly looked up to find a familiar face smiling trustingly into his eyes.

“Ria?” Skyle blurted out.

The mysterious girl whom Skyle had desperately yearned for seemed to pause at this moment. Slowly, she tilted her head to one side as a hesitant look entered her gaze.

“Skyle? Is that you?”

The shift in the tone of her voice was so minute it was almost imperceptible. However, to Skyle it was the difference between night and day. Whereas before there had been a simple, trusting joy dancing in her eyes, they now seemed veiled by a mysterious emotion that was as complex as it was inscrutable.

His hand unconsciously tightened its grip, suddenly afraid that Ria would be taken away from him again, or worse still, that she might be afraid of the stranger that now stood before her.

“Ow, Skyle, you’re hurting me,” Ria’s kind smile took the sting from her words, but already the light that had been twinkling within her eyes had fled.

“Sorry,” Skyle mumbled unhappily, his head slumping down as he immediately let go of her hand.

He was surprised to find that while he had released his grip, Ria had not. Instead, she began to cling on to his hand even more fiercely than he had before. When he looked up at her face, there was a brave, tremulous smile stretched across her lips.

“That’s alright, I don’t mind so long as it is you,” Ria nodded firmly, and there seemed to be an unspoken resolution within her words.

There were a myriad questions whirling through his mind, but in the end there was only one thing he needed to know right now.

“Ria, is this real? This hand, is it truly yours? Are we here together? We, are we-” Skyle’s words trailed off as he found his courage sorely wanting for the task ahead.

Ria sent an encouraging squeeze through his hand. “This place, you and me, everything about us - it is more real than anything in the whole world. If anything, you must remember that, Skyle.”

There was a hint of desperation and sorrow trailing toward the end of her last sentence that Skyle could not possibly miss.

“Ria? What’s wrong?”

Ria shook her head, and though she still had that brave little smile on her face, there was also a hint of anxiety swirling within the depths of her glittering silver eyes.

“Skyle, you don’t belong here. At least, not yet. I wish it were not so, but that was the agreement. Go back now, but please, please you must remember that I am with you - always.”

“Ria, I don’t-” Skyle began, as confused and lost as he was elated by her words and the surprising depth of her feelings for him. “I don’t understand. What agreement? Why must I go back? Where are we? And how could I ever forget about you?”

“You already have, Skyle,” Ria began, and her voice shook like the leaves of a verdant tree enduring the harsh breath of winter. “Countless times, night after night. It is here and now that we must walk our own separate paths once more. But I will be here when you return, waiting for you to come back into my arms.”

“What? But I don’t want to leave here. I don’t want to leave you!” Skyle cried out.

Ria shook her head, sending the tiny silver bells tied in her silky black hair chiming softly in the silence that followed.

“How long will it be until I see you again?” Skyle asked when he could endure the silence no longer.

“As long as it needs to be,” came the calm reply.

“Why can’t I just stay here?” Skyle protested.

“Because you don’t belong here, Skyle. You should not be here, and neither should I. Yet, here we are, and no matter how long it takes, I will still be right here, waiting for you.”

“Can’t you come with me?” It was a last shot in the dark, and Skyle knew how desperate he sounded, but he didn’t care.

Surprisingly, his own desperation was mirrored almost perfectly in Ria’s eyes.

“Not yet. You have not fully awakened yet, but the darkness stirs. Soon, I will be by your side, but I’m afraid of what that might mean for you and those you hold dear.”

The words shocked Skyle, as he was suddenly caught between his fervent wish to stay with Ria and looking out for the safety of his family.

“Ria-” Skyle began.

“Skyle, don’t ever let go. Promise me, don’t you ever let go, alright?”

Before Skyle could begin to ask what she meant, he wanted to instantly and unconditionally agree. From within the depths of his own soul, whenever he stood in Ria’s presence he felt a fierce fire burning within that he had never felt before. He wanted to protect her as he did with Kass; to guide her as he would with Reik; laugh carelessly about everything as he did with his father; and to become lost within the warmth of her embrace as he did with his mother.

How to express the thousand emotions filling his heart to bursting? It was unused to such strain, and he felt as though every beat might be its last. If so, he knew this would be as good an ending as anyone could hope for, as he would die in the arms of the girl he loved beyond all doubt or reason.

He only knew her name, and that her sparkling silver eyes bewitched him in a way that consumed his soul and left him breathless for more. He wanted to draw her close, to run his hand down the familiar contours of her achingly beautiful face, but he was afraid any movement on his part might shatter this moment.

His name was Skyle, and she was Ria, and it was all he needed to know. He was about to say this, to explain that he would remember, and that he would find her again no matter how long it took, but at this moment the floor abruptly opened its hungry maw and swallowed him whole.

“.. don’t let go..” He heard as he was lost within inky darkness.

“I won’t,” Skyle cried out in his heart. “Wait for me, Ria.”

“.. Not letting go!” Skyle cried out as he bolted upright.

Strong hands pushed him back down, and he realized with a start that he was lying on his own bed.

“Good, now let go of my hand before you break this poor old farmer’s bones, you scoundrel,” his father chuckled, and relief slowly eased away the worried lines twisting his face.

Skyle looked around in a daze, seeing all the familiar faces of the people he loved the most.

There was Reik, holding on to the narrow wooden frame of the bed, his eyes full of concern and relief. Kass was clutching at Skyle’s left hand, her expression one of both joy and fury as she ignored the tears sliding down her cheeks.

His mother, Adrienne, was sitting by his bedside, one hand constantly stroking his hair while she ran a damp cloth over his forehead. Strangely, her expression seemed cold and distant, and for the first time in his life, Skyle felt that there was an unknowable distance, a terrifying gulf between himself and his mother.

Just as Skyle’s brow began to twist with the startling realization, his mother’s eyes shimmered at once and the harsher lines of her face instantly melted into the soft, mellow curves of unconditional kindness and relentless love Skyle had grown so familiar with. The transformation was so sudden and thorough that Skyle instantly realized he had not been imagining things.

Any other time, Skyle might have pursued this mystery with dogged determination. That his father might have a past he was not fully comfortable sharing with his children, Skyle could somehow accept. However, this hidden side to his mother felt like a betrayal of everything Skyle had believed in, and the pain of this broken faith was as raw and intense as any of the painful injuries screaming for his attention at the moment.

However, at this moment Skyle caught a shadow of movement at the corner of his vision. Turning his head, Skyle caught a familiar figure slowly limping out the door of his bedroom. That’s right, limping.

Ash might be lazy and temperamental, but his pride would never let him limp unless he was hurt - badly hurt.

Skyle cried out in surprise as he stared at the empty doorway through which Ash had gone.

“Ash!” Skyle cried out, suddenly forgetting about his own pain as he struggled to get up. “What happen-”

“Calm down son, Ash is fine,” Kendric laid a firm hand upon his son’s shoulder, pushing him back down. “Darned fool of a cat went and picked himself a fight against old Razor, that’s all. Let him lick his wounds, he deserves it for being so damn stubborn.”

Skyle shook his head, stupefied. “Why would Ash pick a fight against one of the meanest, oldest alphas in the streak?”

Realization struck him even as Kendric raised an eyebrow in his direction. That was all the response he got, but it was enough. Kendric Farrow had a habit of never wasting time answering foolish questions.

Skyle felt his heart lurch within his chest. It was his fault once again. Damn it all, he couldn’t seem to get anything right ever since he had returned from Sanctuary. He was finally home but he was making a bloody mess of everything.

The fight against Ramsey and the brutal beating he had inflicted upon children who just didn’t know any better. The life-and-death fights which he had engaged in at the academy, bringing down disaster upon his family without a care for any of the consequences for his recklessness. Now Ash, who was practically his adopted brother, had clearly gone to pick an impossible fight and gotten badly mauled because of him.

It was as clear a message as only snowblade tigers could even think of in the first place. You want to rush off into unknown dangers and risk your neck without caring about the people - and cats - who love you? Fine, then Ash could do something just as stupid just to show that he could, and so Skyle would know how it feels to watch an idiot of a brother brain himself against a wall - not just once, but several times.

“Fine, I get the message. I’m sorry Ash,” Skyle sighed.

“How are you feeling, sweetie?” Adrienne asked, interrupting his wallowing in self-pity and guilt.

“It hurts, but I think I’ll be fine. What happened?” Skyle murmured, wincing as he tried to stretch his back.

A strong herbal smell assaulted his nostrils, and he could feel an uncomfortable wetness on his back. Still, there was surprisingly little pain. Maybe he had overreacted and his injuries hadn’t been as bad as he thought.

“Reik brought you over from the academy. We treated you as well as we could. You’ll be alright, honey,” Adrienne explained as she laid a hand on his forehead to check his temperature. “Fever’s down and you should be up and about by tomorrow.”

His father guffawed at that. “Good, you still owe me quite a few latrine ditches. Seems like you’re bursting with energy, picking fights against mage students at that fancy academy of theirs.”

Skyle’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he looked down at the tiny hand that had been insistently squeezing for a while now. Kass had not said a single word but the silent tears streaking her face had been more than enough.

His mother harrumphed loudly, and Kendric instantly stood up straighter. “Your son has been bullied mercilessly at the hands of much older students who ought to know better, and that’s all you’ve got to say? Kendric Farrow, you had better make this right or I promise you, I will.”

Kendric’s laughter got stuck in his throat as blood rapidly drained from his face. “Dear, I didn’t mean it like that. Of course I will head over to the academy and talk to the authorities. Don’t you worry none, darling. I will make them rue hurting our little boy.”

Adrienne only sniffed loudly at this, which caused Kendric to start sweating as he continued issuing empty threats against that “darned butcher’s den” and those “blood-thirsty, evil devil worshipers” until he ran out of breath. Adrienne did not look impressed, but she secretly sent a wink to Skyle when his father wasn’t looking.

It brought a smile to Skyle’s face, and as he drew his baby sister closer so that he could envelop her in his embrace, he thought that dealing with both those crooks at the academy and enraged old nobility could wait.

This here, it was his family, and Skyle swore that he would do anything he could to protect them.

In the end, Adrienne Farrow was still unconvinced by her husband’s promises. Kendric could only swear even more fervently against the evil academy and its denizens, and when his mother judged that the language was shifting into an area unsuited to the children’s ears, she led them both out of the room with a final encouraging smile towards Skyle.

Reik nodded briefly in Skyle’s direction before stepping out as well. That left little Kass alone with her brother. Slowly at first, but then with increasing urgency, Kass slowly told him everything that had happened after Skyle lost consciousness.

“I guess congratulations are in order, baby girl,” Skyle grinned, and he didn’t bother to conceal the deep pride he felt in his heart.

Kassandra shook her head and burrowed herself deeper into Skyle’s chest, snuggling herself closer to his body. It was a narrow bed, but by now they had done this so many times, that it was almost second nature to lie side by side while speaking softly.

“Shut up, you made me so worried. It was all your fault.” Kass raised a tiny fist as though to strike it against his shoulder, but in the end her upraised hand trembled for a moment before falling powerlessly at her side.

Skyle’s heart ached when he saw that. After hearing of what had happened at the academy, he knew he had broken something in Kass today, and that his baby sister would likely never be the same.

His bigger hand easily wrapped around Kass’ tiny fist as he pulled it close to his chest. He held it right over his heart and he let her feel the steady beat of his heart.

“You saved me, Kass. You stood up for me and you did what you had to in order to protect me. It doesn’t change who you are or what you mean to me. You will always be my little Kass, you hear?”

Skyle ran his fingers down her tear-streaked cheeks and cupped her chin, lifting her gaze to meet his eyes.

“You got that through your thick little skull, miss frowny face?”

Kass finally relented at that, giggling softly as she nodded. “You promise?”

“Of course! No matter how terrifying a summoner you become, I’ll always ride in to unleash my ultimate tickling attack and instantly render you a helpless little kitten once more,” Skyle promised with a totally straight face.

“No tickling!” Kass immediately protested.

Skyle shrugged helplessly, indicating that the subject matter was clearly out of his hands.

“Afraid that can’t be helped. Tickling is a mystical power inherent to the position of bestest older brother in the whole wide world. Can’t have one without the other, so you pick.”

Kass seemed to consider this with a serious frown on her face, but in the end she relented.

“Fine, a little tickling. From time to time. Judiciously applied, you hear? No rampant-” Kass began in a grave voice, but the rest dissolved into helpless fits of giggling as Skyle launched a brutal surprise assault.

A long moment later, after they had both regained their breath, Kass looked up from where she had laid her head on Skyle’s shoulder. Her eyes were liquid pools of endless skies and cloudless summer days.

“You promise you will always be there, no matter what I become?” Kass asked in a painfully vulnerable voice.

“I promise, Kass. I will be there for you, always.”

Skyle began to smile, but the expression froze on his lips as he recalled another voice who had made that same promise to him from what seemed like ages ago.

“You must remember that I am with you - always.”

“Ria..” Skyle whispered without realizing he had spoken.

His fingers tightened over Kass’ hands, as though afraid that he might let go of something incomparably precious.

“Brother?” Kass looked in askance. “What is it?”

Skyle shook his head.

“Huh? What?” He peered inquisitively at his baby sister.

“I don’t know, all of a sudden you got this really sad look on your face and you said something. A name, I think.”

“Did I?” Skyle frowned at that.

Kass nodded seriously.

“You must be hearing things,” Skyle smiled as he gently pushed his sister’s head back down on his shoulder. “Exalted summoner lady, you might be one day. Doesn’t mean you have to start going crazy now.”

His teasing laughter was cut off short by the vicious pain that shot up from his ribs.

“Hey, that hurt!” Skyle protested.

“Good!” came the satisfied reply.

“I’m injured here, you know? Defending your honor and all.”

“Hmmph, more like needed your little sister to drag your sorry behind out of the fire, dear older brother.”

“Ouch, that hurt even more,” Skyle said quietly.

“Oh.I- I didn’t mean-” Kass hesitated, her voice full of remorse.

“That’s it. Time for another tickling assault - go go GO!”

Amidst the squealing giggling and warm laughter that filled the room, Skyle was still unable to shake the feeling that he had forgotten something very important.

What it was, he did not understand. What he did know, however, was that for some reason he refused to let go of his baby sister’s hands. At least, not tonight.

He would not let go.