(Amaia)

I rush towards the infirmary with Larissa. The recruits have been given holidays so there are not many people around.

"You and your brother are both very resilient," Larissa kindly says to me. Her bright eyes waver to my hair.

"I knew you were special the very first time you came to the infirmary but I didn’t know you were this special."

I exhale. "I always thought it was a curse but no more. I am accepting who I am. No more hiding."

Larissa agrees with a single nod. "Indeed."

"Thank you for taking care of my brother."

I am genuinely grateful to her and Healer TJ.

"It’s our duty and don’t worry. He is safe with us. No one will know."

I grab Larissa’s hand and squeeze.

"I appreciate you!"

We hurry inside the infirmary. She guides me towards the back room, where I find my brother lying on the bed, but his eyes are open. A tiny, hopeful smile he carries.

"Aziel!" I exclaim and fling myself forward, hugging him. He is all bones, hooked to the IV drip.

"Ami!" He uses the nickname he gave me during my childhood. "You are here."

There is so much comfort in his voice and embrace.

"How are you? I will bring something to eat for you," I ask, lifting myself off him and taking his bony hand in both of mine. A dam of emotions is clogging my throat.

I stare at my brother, covered in a blanket, his hair thinned out, his eyes hollow with dark circles underneath. His condition makes rage boil inside me like a dragon, who wishes to burn everything and everyone in the path because someone dared hurt his loved ones.

"I have eaten. The kind lady and her father fed me soup and gave me some healing drinks when I gained consciousness," he answers with a smile.

I keep his free hand between mine and press it against my cheek. Anything to feel closer to him, to know he is alive and he is here with me. It still feels like a dream.

"Tell me everything. What they did and all," I request, blinking away tears. I am not going to cry in front of him, I have to be his strength.

"Is this a safe place?" He quietly asks. His eyes waver around in fright and I gently squeeze his hand.

"It is. Now that I am here, no one is going to hurt you." I will be his protector like he was mine in the past.

His eyes focus back on me. I lean in, ready to hear his heart-wrenching story.

"Amaia, the first thing you need to know is that Queen Adrnia of Orion is alive and imprisoned in Istrale for the last 19 years."

The ground slips from under my feet, hearing it. Rigel’s mom is alive.

So that false flag operation Dread Army carried out. Not only was Rigel captured but they took his mother to Istrale and imprisoned her. Both mother and son faced the same tortuous fate.

Atleast Rigel will have some happiness once he will reuntie with his mother. We need to get her out of there along with other Faes.

"How do you know?" I ask in a trembling voice.

"She was my cellmate. She kept me hopeful and alive. Her son, Rigel most probably didn’t make it..."

I squeeze my eyes close at his words. The pain jolts my heart. Rigel’s memories flood me and I want to hold him.

"He is alive...." I open my eyes and stare at my brother. "He is my mate."

Aziel’s eyes widen in surprise. "He is?"

Slowly, I nod, fighting back tears. "You know those necklaces mom made us wear, were charmed by Queen Adrnia. And Rigel came with her to our house to deliver them. He held you and played with you."

A tiny tear trickles down my cheek at my brother’s words. So we have met before. He and I have been connected since our childhood. It’s exactly why he always felt so familiar, why I trusted him so easily. Why my heart and magic accepted him even though I didn’t feel the mate bond.

Rigel is special, always will be.

I take a moment to collect myself and reveal everything about Rigel to my brother.

Both of them have spent the same life. Imprisoned, tortured and whatnot.

"I am glad both of you found your way to each other. I know you will be able to save him too, as you saved me," my brother reassuringly says. "He will come to you."

"That’s my next goal. I am going to find a way."

"Tell me what happened on that night we were attacked, after we were separated," Aziel quietly asks. Tears make his eyes wet. Mom, both of us are thinking about our mom.

"You didn’t see Mom, did you?" I hopefully ask, knowing deep down that he would have told me if he had.

Slowly, he shakes his head and squeezes my hand in return. We have to be brave for each other.

"She is gone. We have to make peace with it." I sniffle, the memories, the pain making my chest tight.

After revealing everything about my past from the moment both of us were separated until now, I hopefully ask.

"Aziel, do you remember anything about our father?" My heartbeat grows faster.

He slowly nods. "A little, yes. I was five at that time when we left the place. You weren’t born. It was a grand place and he was a Fae. But that’s all I can remember."

"Do you remember his name?" My heart loudly thuds against my chest.

He sadly shakes his head.

"No, it has been such a long time. I can’t remember much and mom refused to spread about him."

This shows that King Xamian was lying. I tell my brother about him, throwing him into deep thoughts.

"I don’t know Amaia. So many aspects of our lives are hidden and forgotten. But now that we are together, we will find the truth."

Heartily, I nod.

"One more thing before I forget. Queen Adrnia told me that she kept a diary in her chamber in a secret place. The diary has secrets she couldn’t tell anyone. She always wondered if that had been discovered leading to her kidnapping. If not, it can act as evidence to bring the perpetrator to justice."

Now, this is something we need, something which will lead us towards the whole truth.