Chapter 13


"Hello, Emma. How are you today?"
The girl didn't answer. She just kept staring at the wall. She was sitting Indian-style on top of the white bedspread, clutching something to her chest.
"What do you have there?" Serena asked softly. She slowly approached the girl, afraid that she would frighten her if she moved too quickly. She was afraid that somewhere along the way the confidence she had been able to ignite in the girl had dissipated and now she had to get it back. Otherwise she wouldn't be able to help her.

Emma didn't answer so Serena slowly knelt in front of her and looked up into her face. The little girl's hair had grown and her dark bangs were brushing the upper corners of her large eyes. Her eyes, formerly so warm, had turned vacant, empty. It chilled Serena to the bone to look at the girl and not be able to see her soul anymore.
"May I look?"
Still there was no answer. Serena slowly reached for what Emma was clutching to her chest. Emma didn't react, didn't utter one single sound of protest as Serena took the fabric away from her.

It was nothing, Serena noted as she looked down at what Emma had clutched so dearly to her heart. It was only a shirt. A piece of clothing. A white shirt that belonged to the palace, which meant that it couldn't hold any good memories for Emma, only fear and isolation.
"Emma, why are you holding this?" she asked, searching the little girl's face.
Emma wasn't looking at her. She was looking past her. Serena moved into her line of vision, but still she did not react. It was as though the girl was looking right through her.
"Do you want me to leave?"
Serena was desperate to get some kind of reaction out of her - any at all - so that she would at least know that she was alive.
No answer.

"You want me to get you anything? Is there something you would like?"
No answer.
"I read something about candy. Do you want candy? Or ice-cream?"
No answer.
"Emma," Serena gently brushed the bangs out of Emma's eyes, "I want you to know that you can trust me. I'm your friend. And I'm going to take care of you until your mommy and daddy can take care of you."
The jerk of Emma's head in her direction was so forceful she jumped in surprise. Emma's eyes bore into her very soul.
"Mommy?" Her voice was so small and lonely, Serena wanted to resort to her primitive reflex to cry, which she hadn't done since she was a child.

"Yes, honey. Your mommy is looking for you," Serena's voice trailed off, knowing how dangerous it was to talk about this here. She looked into Emma's eyes and gently, trying not to scare her, pushed into her mind. Emma's eyes widened as she realized what Serena was doing and she tried to pull away, but Serena hushed her softly. Made her feel safe.

Emma, listen carefully to me. Your mommy and daddy are looking for you and I'm going to help them find you. But first you have to be a good girl, okay?

Emma nodded. Serena could feel her confusion ripple through the connection, but for the first time Serena understood the depth of this girl's bravery. She was so strong.

The men here are not nice, but as long as you do what they tell you to do they will not hurt you.

Serena certainly hoped that she was giving Emma the truth. Of course, she couldn't know for sure what the men in the palace would do to Emma, but she knew for a fact that they would be easier to control if Emma cooperated.

You are not alone, Emma. I'm here to take care of you until your parents find you. Do you understand?

Emma nodded.
Serena smiled. "I'll be back again tomorrow, Emma. Good-bye."
Emma nodded and Serena could feel her confused, but relieved, eyes follow her until the door closed behind her.

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*Tonight.*
Serena closed the door behind her and frowned at his voice. *Tonight?*
Aldonis stepped out of the shadows of the poorly lit room and took her hand, pulling her further into the house. Cradling her face in his hands he easily formed a connection with her.

*His Majesty has requested to meet with us tonight.*
*So soon?*
*There's been a change of plans. It's not entirely safe, that's why we have to cut down on the number of guards.*
*What triggered this sudden change of plans?*
*I'm not sure. But I got the feeling that things are slowly turning worse. Has something happened to the human child? Because if there is some connection between His Majesty and the child that could be the reason for this abrupt rescheduling.*
*Actually, lately she's been more withdrawn. I can barely get in contact with her. Do you think that she is somehow communicating with His Majesty?*
*Is she capable of doing that?*
*I don't know. But I formed a connection with her today and I had no problem doing it. It was as if she was prepared for the connection. I got the feeling that she is used to mental connections. It wouldn't surprise me one bit if she was in fact connected to someone.*
*Maybe we'll find out that tonight.*
*Is everything ready for the meeting?*
*Almost. I've contacted Londror and he's preparing the men.*
*Where?*
*We'll meet in the Mnordi Forest.*
*Good. I'll get my things.*

Aldonis pulled out of her mind and Serena casually walked into the kitchen area.
*How was your day?* Aldonis asked lightly.
*Just fine,* Serena answered. *I made some progress.*
*That's great,* Aldonis said.

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Max gently placed a kiss on Liz's lips and slowly pulled away from her, his arms still locked around her trembling body. "I'll be okay."
"I know," Liz whispered, wishing that she could believe it.
"Don't go anywhere. Stay inside and don't go anywhere alone."
"I know," Liz whispered again, neither of them really paying attention to what they were saying. Their attention was focused on the feeling of each other's body.
"You have to do this," Liz said, "I wish I could come with you."
"So do I," Max said and they both knew the truth of that statement. Max looked into her eyes, ascertaining himself of the fingerprint of her soul. Burning her image onto his retina, as he had done so many times before. "I love you."
"I love you," Liz said slowly and captured his lips. Her hands moved into his hair and pulled him closer, her whole essence whimpering under him. His warm hands slowly traced the contours of her cheeks as his lips were loving her skin.
"Come back to me," Liz said as he pulled away from her. He rested his forehead against hers and murmured.
"I'll always come back to you."

"Max," Isabel's gentle voice made Max and Liz inhale deeply with the realization of their separation. Max was only going to be gone for one night, but they were all painfully aware of the risky nature of the meeting. Of everything that could go wrong.
"It's time," Isabel said and watched Max and Liz pull away from each other. Their limbs slowly separated, changing from one whole to two smaller parts. Lastly his fingertips left hers and with one last glance at her, Max turned and walked out of the tent with his sister.
Outside, he captured one of the head guards. "Don't let her out of your sight for even a second, even if she commands you to leave her alone, don't." Liz did know the seriousness of the situation, but Max knew that she could be very stubborn and very particular about her privacy, "I don't care if you make her believe that you are leaving her alone and then continue watching her, or if you openly disobey her, just don't for a second leave her alone. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Good."

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It was a cold night. It was one of those nights when the darkness felt like it was suffocating. It crept into every pore and filled them with utter emptiness. Max, Michael and Isabel were walking in the middle of four guards that surrounded them as they slowly and soundlessly walked through the forest. Max's senses were sharp as he gazed into the darkness around him. The advantage of darkness was that it was good to hide in, but unfortunately it was also very effective in hiding enemies that could be lurking behind any of the trees.

No sound escaped Michael. His ears and eyes were like that of a hunter. Even though the setting was unruly unnerving, it was the first time Michael had ever really felt content. This was what he was meant to do. This was when his powers became the most useful. He had never had any power that was special to him. Max had been able to heal. Isabel had been able to dreamwalk. And Michael had been able to blow things up. But so had Max and Isabel. He had never really had a power that was his own. They had always figured that it was because he had never gotten the chance to develop his powers as well as Max and Isabel and that was why his personal power hadn't shown itself yet. But now, walking in this foreign dark forest to a meeting with allies on an alien planet, he really knew why. He had never discovered any power specific to him because there had never been a situation on Earth that had demanded him to use those powers specific to him. They were all about hunting, about protection and about hiding. He noticed that he had no problem seeing through the darkness. His eyes almost worked like those of a cat. He could see better in the night than he could in the day. His hearing worked like that of a dog and he could hear even the faintest of sounds. That was why he, just seconds before Max slumped forward, could hear the buzzing sound erupting from Max's head.

"Max?!" Isabel hissed as she watched her brother stumble, his hands immediately flying to cover his ears as if he were trying to block out a piercing sound. But the forest was completely soundless.
"Max? What do you hear?" Michael whispered.
Max stumbled over to a tree, his face contorted in pain.
"It's them. They're here," Kira whispered to Michael.
"What are they doing?" Michael hissed, as his eyes scanned the terrain surrounding them, trying to look for their hidden enemies.
"They are making contact. They are probably verifying his true nature right now."
"They can do that? Without touching him?" Isabel asked quietly, her fearful eyes moving over the dark tree trunks that suddenly seemed so much more menacing.
"Yes," Kira answered. Just then, Max straightened up. As he looked up at his friends, his eyes were cloudy, but they quickly sharpened as he focused on the people around them.
"They are over there," Max said, his voice strained as he pointed towards a point behind Michael. Michael swiftly turned around, his body tensing in apprehension. But he couldn't see anything.
"Where?"

He barely got the syllable out before he was on the ground, an invisible force holding him down.
"There," Max answered and with Max's words they all watched the air shimmer in front of them. Out of the darkness contours started to take form, morphing into humanoid figures. But from their length and their composition it was clear that they were aliens.
The man at the front of the group bowed his head lightly. "Your Majesty," he said in broken English.
Max heard Michael grumble as he started to rise from his position on the ground.
"My apologies for treating you that way, Rath," he continued, while straightening up which revealed his intense blue eyes which sparkled in the darkness, keeping a firm gaze on Max.
"Yeah, well..." Michael huffed, feeling a bit offended that they had caught him off guard.
"Mindwarp?" Max asked.
"Yes," the man answered. "It's an honor to finally meet you, Your Majesty. I've heard a great deal about you."
Max nodded. "What's your name?"
"Aldonis."
"Are you the leader?"
"I am the leader of the Loyalists."
Max ignored the curious looks from the men standing behind Aldonis. "How do we know that we can trust you?"

"I have information you might be interested in," Aldonis said and Max watched to his amazement as a woman walked up beside the man. She was the only woman there. "This is Serena."
"Your Majesty," Serena said, bowing her head. Her eyes were filled with awe as she straightened up and met Max's eyes. There was a flash of recognition in her eyes. And she knew. She recognized his eyes far too well.
"I work at the palace. I think you would call me a spy," she began, her voice low and melodic. Max immediately felt some sort of faith in her. As if she were to be trusted. It was something in the way her eyes moved over his face and the way she held herself that told him that he could trust her. Max remained quiet and let her continue the story.
"A couple of days ago I was assigned to work on a new case," Serena continued, "A very special case. They had brought in a human..." Her voice trailed off as she saw the emotion flicker through Max's eyes.
"A human?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Yes," Serena answered, "A child... Your child."
"Oh God," Max murmured. Was it possible that this woman had direct contact with his child? That she met his child on a daily basis. "How is she?"
Serena met his eyes head-on. "Not good. She has become isolated and she's closing herself off."
"But you meet her? Every day?" Max asked. The desperate need to have some hope to cling to was evident in his voice.
"Yes," Serena answered.

"Your Majesty-"
"Please, call me Max," Max said, his eyes traveling to Aldonis.
"Max," Aldonis corrected himself, "How can your child be human? And why isn't Ava with you?"
Max sighed and anger flashed in his eyes. "Ava was a traitor. She died on Earth, by the hands she had so willingly served."
"She turned to the enemies?" Aldonis asked, surprised.
"Yes," Michael answered, "And she almost managed to kill Liz."
Aldonis frowned in confusion. "Who's Liz?"
"The mother of my child and the woman I love," Max answered, possessiveness flashing in his eyes.
"Love..." Aldonis mused.
"They are connected," Kira clarified.
"But she's completely human?" Aldonis asked.
"Yes," Max answered.
"That's why," Serena said. "That's why I could connect so easily with your daughter even though she is human. Because of the connection you share with your monrè."

"Monrè?" Isabel asked.
"The one you connect with," Serena explained.
"We don't have much time," Max interrupted, "I need to know if you are willing to help us get my daughter back."
"Yes," Aldonis answered firmly.
"Then let's get down to business," Max said.

TBC…