As Skylar stared at the wanted poster before her, she sighed. It was the poster of Luke, and her finger was resting on his cheek.
“Where are you, Luke?” she asked silently to the poster as if it could answer, “If I go to Duelgestein, will you come there and find me?”
She swallowed the lump in her throat, overcome with loneliness and sadness.
If she went to Dueglestein, could she even be in the same place the others could come to?
“Skye?” Sebastian asked from behind her.
The thought was good, but that name. No. It brought back too many memories.
220Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4rbU2dadF
“Amazing shot, Skye,” her father said to her as the arrow she’d just shot was a bullseye. “You’ll be the best archer we have in no time.”
“Come on, Skye,” Chris said to her as she blocked his attacks with her bo-staff. She was ten at the time, and their father was no longer around. Chris would continue to push Skylar until she was the second-best warrior in the Secret Woods.
Skylar failed to block one of his attacks, and she stumbled backward, falling on her back. Chris extended his hand to help her up. “Good job, Skye,” he said to her as he helped her up.
“You did better than last time,” Chris put an arm around her shoulder, and offered a smile.
220Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WpT7Z5V15
“Skye?” Sebastian asked again, “You look pale,”
“I-I’m fine,” Skylar said, clutching her head. “Just…please, don’t call me Skye.”
Sebastian looked confused but nodded in agreement.
“So…” Sebastian glanced at the poster she still had laid on the crate, “Have you made your decision? Are you going to come with us or go on your own?”
“Yes…” Skylar said although she didn’t want to tell him what it was just yet.
“Do you really think this plan will work?”
Skylar thought back to their plan. They’d said the same plan over and over again, fixing any flaws and thinking of what to do each time.
Skylar nodded. “Yes, I think it will work. If not, all hope is lost.”
Sebastian nodded as well, running a hand through his hair.
“Skylar, are you going to come with us to Duegelstein? We would love to have you with us,” Sebastian offered.
“I…I will come to Dueglestein with you…but I’m still not sure if my friends would be there. If I don’t find them, I don’t know what to do.”
Sebastian shrugged. ‘You’ll find them, I’m sure of it. You’re very smart and resourceful, and you’ve made it this far by yourself.”
Skylar looked down at the ground, still unsure. “My father was a genius. And a survivalist. If you sent him into a forest with nothing but a knife, he’d build a city in a week.”
“I’m sure you could as well,” Sebastian smiled.
“I am not my father,” Skylar sighed, “Unfortunately, I’ll never be my father. He always said I had too much of my mother in me.”
“Do you?”
Skylar looked to the sky, exasperated. “I don’t know. I never met her. I always hear such wonderful stories about her and how much I’m like her, when I can’t even know for sure.”
Sebastian looked deep into Skylar’s eyes, to the point where she was becoming a little uncomfortable. “Why are your eyes so yellow?”
“I’m a Protector of the Moon,” she answered, “My people have had yellow eyes for generations since the first of us were blessed by Luna herself.”
“And the moon on your cheek, what’s that?”
“A birthmark,” Skylar’s finger went to her cheek, brushing against the birthmark. “My father says I get it from my mother, and my brother Chris has one, too.”
“I’ve noticed it changes,” Sebastian observed, “With the phases of the moon.”
“Yes,” Skylar answered, “But I don’t know what I think about it. On the new moon, it disappears, so for once, you can see me as a normal person. But I think it’s confusing on the days it changes.”
“Well I think it’s beautiful,” Sebastian said, stepping forward. For some reason, Skylar felt her cheeks flush, and she reached behind her to touch the crate for support.
“Do you…think?” Skylar was about to ask if he thought she was beautiful, but the words didn’t form in her mouth.
Sebastian looked down at her, his sea-green eyes brighter than ever. He closed them as he leaned in, his lips parted for a kiss.
“Sebastian…” Skylar started, unsure of what to do.
As he leaned in, Skylar realized something. What was it with his eyes that filled her with hope and happiness? She was sure she’d seen it before, but where?
That was when she realized.
Luke.
“Sebastian.” Skylar said, firmer now, “Sebastian,” she continued in a softer tone. He opened his eyes and looked at her, confused.
“I’m…sorry Sebastian,” Skylar didn’t look at him, “But my heart belongs to someone else.”
Sebastian’s face fell, then he nodded in understanding.
“It’s him, isn’t it? Luke?” Sebastian motioned to Luke’s wanted poster on the crate Skylar was still clutching.
Skylar nodded, avoiding his eyes.
“Of course,” Sebastian muttered bitterly, turning away from her, “Of course!” he shouted.
“I’m sorry, Sebastian. I let go to save him. I fell from the cliff so he wouldn’t fall with me. I love him, Sebastian.”
Sebastian cursed under his breath, kicking a nearby rock. “And you want to find him, don’t you? Even though you have no idea where the hell he is?”
“Sebastian…” Skylar tried to calm him down, but he continued his rant.
“If you love him so much, why don’t you go find him?”
“That’s what I’m trying to do,” Skylar said, the exhaustion of the past week overwhelming her. “I know they’ll go to Dueglestein, but I don’t know when and how.”
“I should’ve known,” Sebastian muttered, his voice breaking, “You met him first and spent more time with him. I shouldn’t have tried to make the first move,”
“Sebastian,” Skylar said, this time earnest and honest, “If I had met you first, I would’ve let you kiss me.”
Sebastian turned now, a little hope on his face. “You would?” he asked.
“Yes,” Skylar nodded. “I’ve learned from my time with you and your father that people still can be honest and kind, and that people can change. I lost hope for a while. You’ve given me that hope.”
Sebastian nodded, although he still seemed upset. “Well, the ship will be here soon. We better be ready.”
“Yes,” Skylar agreed, glad for a change of subject.
Sebastian walked away from her, not looking back, and Skylar felt sick as her stomach was full of guilt...
ns 172.70.39.203da2
