Serene Of The Sea

26. Found

I couldn't believe he was really here. He wanted to stay with me. A weight lifted from my shoulders as I leant my head on his shoulder, letting him lead me around the floor. All of my efforts had finally payed off. He was here, alive. Even if it may be short lived. My whole life had been so set on saving him, I wasn't really sure what to do with myself now.

I looked up into his cooling eyes, "I love you. I just wanted you to know that."
The smile that resonated from his face made my heart stutter as he leant his forehead on mine, "You have no idea how long I've waited to hear that," warming breath tickled my cheek as he spoke, "If it isn't obvious, I have been in love with you for a very long time."

Leaning down, he gently pressed his warm lips to mine, pulling me to him until we could not get closer. It wasn't like before, desperate and heart broken. This was full of life and promise. He kissed me slowly, pulling back and brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, "I could get used to this," he murmured.

"Let's survive today first," I reminded him, remembering where we were.
His face also changed, he too had obviously forgotten, "I think by this point you are pretty experienced at surviving so I'll be following wherever you go."
I pursed my lips at his joke, though there was some truth to it. He calls it experience, I call it dumb luck.

Tag lingered close by, trying his best not to look in our direction.
Kai looked over, "I think he's fallen for you too. Not hard to do."
"No he hasn't. He's just being a boy."

Just then Tag looked over and gave us a small smile.
"Oh Serena. You are so blind," Kai stated, kissing my hair, which made Tag frown and turn away.
He better not love me, I had already told him that I was here for Kai. We were just friends, he knew that. Of course that didn't mean I didn't have feelings for Tag. But they were just friendly feelings.

The music stopped abruptly, pulling me from my thoughts. I felt Kai's muscles tense as we turned to find the source of the sudden silence.
I froze as decoy me fell to the floor. Mum stood fuming in the centre of the room, standing over the girl she had just killed. Decoy Tag ran to leave the room, only to be taken out by the guards that we hadn't caught yet.

"Where is she?" my mother bellowed to the room, her full demon revealing itself. I clearly had never seen her angry, the woman paced the room. The fact she was wearing red was very fitting, her outburst capturing the attention of the entire population in moments.
Everyone around her gave her space, eyeing her warily. I supposed to them it looked like she had just gone crazy and killed her own daughter.

She pointed down at the corpse at her feet, "This is not my daughter. Somebody better give me an answer."
She was met with a cavernous silence. Kai gripped me protectively.

Then I saw Sky, breaking through the crowd like a wave, "You," she called with barely covered anger towards Mum, "You killed my sister," Sky faced the room, "See what your leader is capable of? Just now she was ready to slaughter half this room. She has slaughtered half of your families and friends for petty crimes that weren't worthy of the death she bestowed. Are you willing to continue risking your lives to live under her tyranny?"

Murmurs filled the room, quietened by my Mother, "Guards! Silence this woman!"
In seconds, weapons were out. Guess no one in this city ever left home unarmed. All faces were on guard, suddenly no one was sure who the enemy was, confusion evident in the strange silence as they looked around for someone to guide them.

"Myla has ruined this city long enough. My people have already secured half the sectors. Join us! Create a better society, working for the people!" Sky's voice rang true over the crowd, I knew everyone had heard.

A wave of uncertainty washed over me. It took a second to realise Mum was beginning to use her powers. I sent mine out to block hers, snapping the people around me back to reality.
But unfortunately that also broadcasted my location to all the weavers in the room.