Chapter 6 • Sister's Shock

Sora had never seen anything like it. She had seen the glint of determination in her brother's eyes a thousand times before when he would lock his jaw and pursue a cause without wavering but this was different. She couldn't remember ever seeing him so desperate for anything. No Briggs was never desperate. He was confidant, clever and systematic. Seeing her brother so out of control scarred her, and for the first time in her life Sora was unsure if she could reel him back in.

More than once Sora had caught Briggs using his mental persuasion to catch the fancy of a pretty girl on the rare occasion that his unnaturally good looks were not enough. She was relieved to find the tendency had lessened as they left their pubescent years. As a teenager she thought the only sure way the family could keep him and his crazy hormones under control would be to lock him up. And their older cousin Prince Nax was no help whatsoever once he realized that Briggs' powers could help him get past his awkwardness with the young ladies of the court.

Only six months apart in age Nax and Briggs had been inseparable growing up and once Sora was born the two had found her happiness was the center of there existence. Of course they loved to tease and torment but they where also the best protectors and providers as well.

If Sora was Briggs' sedative than Nax surly was his catalyst. Constantly setting off Briggs wild and imaginative side. Pushing his limits and pressing him to extremes far beyond what their family approved of. Although Nax and Briggs were goodhearted boys they were still boys.

Sora single handedly kept them inline with fierce conviction with a good dose of guilt and the cutest blue eyed pouty-face any one had ever seen. Both boys adored her. Sora had never found anything that could wobble their allegiance to her, but as she looked on at her brother clinging to the beautiful injured half naked woman, Sora new she had finally met her match.

Briggs had always greeted her before she was ever in earshot or line of sight. His mind would always catch hold of her attention and welcome her safely in. But her she stood only a few feet away from him and he had no idea she was there. He was riveted to this girl weather she wanted it or not. The two seemed to be engaged in some kind of silent battle. Sora called for Briggs to no avail, she felt badly for the girl, and just as she gave up any hope of freeing the imprisoned girl, she noticed Briggs eyes starting to close. Soon his body relaxed and then se realized he was asleep.

She was completely aghast. Only a few seconds had past and he had gone from being completely riveted to almost comatose. The dark haired beauty gently laid him down and carefully began to inch away. Sora was beyond shocked. It was rare that any female didn't through herself at Briggs but for this girl to not only attempt escape but to succeed wasn't just something Sora had never seen, it was something she thought impossible.

Shock froze Sora as she realized she was no longer staring at her brother but at the strange and exquisite Girl in front of her. The girl's gaze was locked on her as well, for a moment the two shared some deep connection as they stared into one another's eyes. It was as if they were the north and south poles (so similar but a world apart) with a force stringing between them holding the universe perfectly in balance.

And then she blinked when Sora opened her eyes she saw the retreating form of the other girl and felt as if their similar cord was pulling her along. Although she was worried about leaving her sleeping brother she felt as if she had not choice but to run after the girl.

The girl seemed to be gifted at finding every obstacle possible. She ran under boulders, behind trees and through thickets constantly darting into the shade. Shadows almost engulfing her as if they were her friends willing accomplices causing her to almost disappeared into shade. Had it not been for the almost tangible pull the girl had on Sora, she would have been lost.

They ran without cease hard and constant for what seemed to stretch for miles and miles until Sora was pulled to a clearing and forced herself to finally resist the urge to run. Standing on the edge of a large river, Sora glanced up just in time to see the girl run along a small cliff edge beside a torrential waterfall finally disappearing into its wet curtain.

The pull and the draw were only growing stronger. It seemed the farther the girl went the more Sora ached to follow.

Sora feared the water ever since she could remember. She hated it! She would bath by dipping a cloth in a basin of warm soapy water then she would thoroughly ring it out before scrubbing but never would she dip herself in. Her mother told her when she was very young once in a small foot pond she had almost drowned. Her floating Basinet had been tipped by a school of wild monster fish and when fire had pulled her from the water her skin was red and irritated like a strange kind of hives had broken out all over her body. So they had always figured she was allergic to water. She hated the water but the pull was beginning to move beyond uncomfortable to pain.

As she inched along the Rock face she could finally see the opening. She would have to wade into the pond and then enter through the wall of water. It might as well have been a wall of consuming fire as far as Sora was concerned but as much as she hated the water the pull was beginning to move beyond uncomfortable to pain, and Sora new what she had to do.