Sacrifice
A Sequel to Quietly into the Night
Conventional Couples
Rating: PG-13

Chapter Eleven

Antar – Royal Palace

"Damn!" said Kyle, banging his fist on the table. "Liz, stop blocking me. Why won't you let me in?"
"What's the matter?" asked Kam. "Is my Mommy ok?"
"Yes Kam, your mother is fine," said Kyle, but he raised a finger to his lip signaling Kam not to speak. He motioned for Kam to follow him to the closet. "Kam, I think you should go lay down for a while. I'm sure your mom will be back soon. I'll be out here, if you need me." He opened the closet door, and he and Kam stepped inside. "Kam, I'm trying to talk to your mother, but she keeps blocking me. Will you try it?"
"OK," he said. He closed his eyes tightly and concentrated as hard as he could. "Mommy's not playing the game right now," he said. "But Lexie is."
"Oh yeah," said Kyle cheerfully, trying not to let the boy sense his dismay. "And what is your sister up to?"
"Her and Auntie Isabelle are playing a hiding game."
"Wow, a hiding game? That sounds fun. Where are they hiding? Will Lexie tell you?"
Kam concentrated for a minute and then smiled. "They're hiding in a cave, with your friend."
"With my friend. What friend Kam?"
"You know Unca Kyle. Lexie said his name is Jeremy, but that's cause she's just a girl and she can't say his name right. They're hiding with Jereon."

"What!" shouted Kyle. "They're here?"
"Unca Kyle, are you mad at me?" whispered Kam.
Kyle pulled the child to him tightly. "Oh no Kam, never. I'm just excited, that's all. OK, look, we need a plan. And look at me," said Kyle, talking more to himself than to the child in his arms. "I'm trying to get a three year old help me come up with a cohesive escape plan. Think Kyle think!" Kam giggled at Kyle's antics.
"You're silly Unca Kyle," he said
"Yeah, aren't I just," said Kyle absentmindedly. "Buddha help me here," he said. "Come on man, think. Kam, I'm going to try and talk to your Auntie Isabelle, ok? You just be quiet for second. Can you do that for me?"
"OK, Unca Kyle," said the boy as Kyle released him from his grasp. "Who's Buddha?"

Antar – Capitol City

"Auntie Isabelle," said Lexie. "Auntie Isabelle, I gots to tell you something."
"Lexie," said Isabelle, her voice quivering. "Can you go up this ladder and find Saranara for me?"
"But Auntie, it's important."
"Later sweetie," said Isabelle, wanting to get the child out of the tunnel. "Please go get Saranara for me."
"Auntie, there are bad men coming, I can see them!" shouted Lexie
"What? Lexie, what are you talking about. Honey, what bad men?"
"The same bad men that beat up Jeremy. They're coming back here."
"Lexie, how can you see them, you're down here with us?"

Jereon turned away from his father who was still unconscious. "Lexie, what do the bad men look like?"
"They have on these funny blue clothes with silver stripes on them. They have funny hats that are silver that have a thing like Unca Michael's helmet." Jereon looked at Isabelle, confused by Lexie's description.
"A visor," Isabelle explained.
"Shatak!" said Jereon. "Those are Kivar's guardsmen. Isabelle, you have to stay down here with Lexie and be quiet. No matter what, do not come upstairs unless Saranara or I come for you." He pushed pass Isabelle and Lexie and quickly scaled the ladder back up into the storage area. He closed the trapdoor with a bang, and Isabelle could her him shift the storage containers back to obscure the trapdoor.

"Saranara," he called to his sister. "Lexie believes that the guardsmen are returning. I've hidden them in the tunnels, but we must do what we can to divert the guardsmen."
"We must convince them that you are still injured, Jereon. I don't know if I can do it. I haven't used that power in so long."
"You have to try sister. It is our only hope. Now get out there and wait for them. I'll stay in here," said Jereon. Saranara nodded and ran back out to the store. Within minutes, the door burst open and Kivar's guardsmen filled the room for the second time that day."

"Y-yes," she said. "How may I help you?"
"Shut up!" shouted one of the guardsmen. "You do not ask the questions, you job is to answer the questions I ask."
"I don't think I have any answers that you would want," she replied. "Please," she paused to look at the name on the guardsman's uniform, "Plenja, I don't know anything at all."
"Shut up!" he yelled as he brought his hand up and struck her face. He turned to the other guardsmen. "Search this place. Tear it apart, do whatever it takes to find it."
Saranara brought her hand up to her face, smiling slightly. Now she'd be able to concentrate on modifying their memories under the guise of covering her wounded face.

The guardsmen searched the store and the storeroom, but the only thing they found was an apparently bruised and bloodied Jereon lying on the cot. Plenja gathered his men, and sent them out of the store. "I know you are hiding something, traitor. I don't care how many times I have to come back. I will find it." He walked out of the store, slamming the door behind him. Saranara waited until they were out of site and then she ran back to the storeroom, tears streaming down her face. "Jereon, Jereon, are you alright? They didn't hurt you again, did they?"

Jereon got up from the cot and met his sister in the doorway to the storeroom. "No Saranara, I've not been injured again. Help me get these containers moved. I don't want to leave Lexie down there any longer than we have to."
"What about Isabelle?" teased Saranara. "Do you want to leave her down there?"
"I think the Princess can take care of herself, but Saranara, I didn't get the chance to tell you."
"Tell me what Jereon."
"We found Father down there as well. I don't know the extent of his injuries, but he was unconscious. I wasn't able to rouse him before Lexie told us about the guards."
"How did she know?" asked Saranara as they shoved the storage containers out of the way.
"I don't know," he answered. "But she knew they were coming, and she gave an accurate description of their uniforms." He reached down and pulled up the trapdoor and descended down the ladder. "Princess, Lexie, it's safe," he called. He reached the tunnel and looked around and quickly climbed up the ladder. "They're gone. All three of them are gone."