SEVEN MONTHS earlier

I can overhear rain falling against the palm-leaf roof. I stare up at the square wooden intermittent beams in the ceilings.

I’m lying on my back, Carrie fast asleep beside me. I can hear her soft breathing, scarcely audible over the flooding rain outside. She is curled under the blankets. I have an arm around her small shoulders, holding her warm body against mine. I have an odd feeling in my gut. Something is wrong. I can feel it in the air's tremble, in the way the curtains flow gently against the open window. I don’t know how I know. I’ve learned to listen to my instincts.

I discreetly crawl over the sleeping Carrie and haul myself out of bed. I pull my hair up in a ponytail and hurriedly get dressed. I noiselessly step out of our bedroom and into the hallway. They solely made the walls of bamboo, lined up one stalk next to the other. Fastened up on the wall are paintings.

I make my way towards the kitchen. I can see through its large, clear windows the dark sky outside. It’s still before sunrise. I can see flashes of white light in the distance, sufficient to make out the imposing silhouettes of tall trees in abundance, all around our home. I light all the kitchen lamps. I water all of my mother’s plants, some dangling from the ceiling, or spilling over every surface that isn’t already covered in books.

Everything seems fine; until I discover the note. It’s taped onto the smooth white stone island in the kitchen.

Darsal and Carrie,

I love you both more than anything else. Just remember that I’m always there for you, no matter what goes on. General Gordon has always been ambitious with his projects to keep the Guardians safe. He would put his life down to save a Guardian’s newborn. Last night, I got an urgent message sent from the General. He says he has found something to help protect us. He asked me to go retrieve it for him. I love you both so much and I have only one last wish. Grow up to be to women who are loyal to the Guardians, no matter the cost.

With all my love,

Mom.

I refuse to accept it. My hands tremble and I drop the water jug. It shatters into a million pieces and water spills on the floor. Her letter sounds like a goodbye more than anything. It’s almost as if she knows that she won’t be coming back. I don’t know what to do. Thunder fractures the sky, followed by a flash of light that bursts through the darkness. It rains harder than ever.

“Darsal!” comes Carrie’s small voice.

She runs into the kitchen and wraps her short arms around my waist. Her straight blond hair is messy and she’s still in her white nightgown. She looks up at me with enormous grey eyes. Fright lingers like a large clawing monster crawling up from behind them. I hold her close. I had forgotten not to leave her alone during a thunderstorm.

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When Carrie questions me about my mother’s whereabouts, I no longer know how to respond. I ache to tell Carrie she’s safe at a friend’s home. I want to tell her everything is going to be fine, but I can’t. I wrestle my tears down. I can’t frighten Carrie. I squeeze my words out with difficulty.

“I—well, I don’t know Carrie,” my voice trembles, “You’re going to go to Black’s house while I find out, okay? He can shield you from the thunder. I’m going to talk to the general.”

“But Darsal,” Carrie protests, looking up at me with enormous eyes speckled with fear.

“It’s going to be okay,” I say gently, running my hand through her hair, “I just need to go find out where mom went.”

The moment Carrie is safely within Black’s home, I spin on my heels. I’m oblivious to the rain drenching me to the bone. The water is above my ankles as it floods the streets. I run as quickly as I can through the town’s streets. Water flies behind me. My heart pounds in my chest. I need to stop her. Wherever my mother’s going, it doesn't resemble even the optimistic woman believes she’ll be coming home alive. My sandaled feet pound against the streets. I’m drenched head to toe. My hair is in wet strands. Two guards stand by the door of General Gordon’s home. They let me pass.

I burst through the double doors to find General Gordon speaking in a harsh tone to his son, Sam. My feet skid to a stop.

“Where is Ma?” I nearly shout, “Where did you send her?”

The general’s face displays just as much guilt as Sam’s had seconds before. Sam steps back, trying to merge into the shadows.

“Darsal, please calm down. I’ll prepare you a delicate tea to warm you up,” the General says.

“Sir,” I say, regaining my composure, “I would like to know where my mother is.”

“Darsal,” a horrid pause, “I sent her on a mission to retrieve a lost possession. A book.”

I clench my jaw as I stand in the middle of the doorway, rain sweeping into the large room. Frustration bubbles inside me. I’m vaguely aware of a very faint gold glow emanating from my body. My skin becomes warm.

Subconsciously, I pull a knife from my thigh sheath, holding it in a clenched fist behind my back. The glow seems to get a little stronger.

General Gordon and Sam both take a short step back.

“Sir, I respect your judgment, but you didn’t send her on a—suicide mission?” I say, words forced.

There is a long pause. I can tell Sam wants to be anywhere but in this room. The heat rises.

“I believe your mother can survive anything,” he says. Yes.

“So that’s it? You’re just going to send my mother off alone because she’s a good fighter? What about me and Carrie? Do you realize what it’ll do to a five-year-old that her mother betrayed her because she thought her sense of duty was more important than her own kids? You’re her fiancé! That’s quite a way of breaking up. A suicide mission, General?!” I holler, respect for my general gone out the window.

“Why her? Was there no one else?”

My skin tingles with warmth.

I have an urge to hit him, “What is so important that she has to die for it? Where did you send my mother?!”

The General looks guilty as if it were his first time destroying a family for “duty”. He doesn't want to tell me, but we both know he isn’t going anywhere without doing so.

“The Eastern desert. I sent your mother to the Eastern desert,” he says, voice low.

When you hear “the Eastern desert”, the first thing that comes to mind is impossible. The glow emanating from my body disappears as quickly as it came. My knees go weak and I collapse on the ground.