There was no way Em would let Maiolaine go off with that jerk. Her steps were lighter than Maiolaine’s and next to undetectable. She followed in the shadows, trying her hardest to control her conjuration as she saw him grab his sister’s hand and laugh. 

“Oh. This dude is total dead meat!” Emmaline murmured and breathed in slowly to lower the temperature of her blood. She realized this was an excellent test of her ability for self-control. 

The pair stopped at the lake and sat on the dock. The moon was full and glowing. Its reflection was dancing on the subtle black waves. The breeze was pleasant. It may have been romantic if the guy her sister was with wasn’t a complete lying sack of shit.

Six shadows drifted out of the darkness as the liar put his arm around her sister’s shoulder and glanced back at the advancing shadows. He knew them and he knew what they were about to do. 

The self-control test was over and Emmaline sprang into action as she heard her sister’s screams. They outnumbered Emmaline, but she saw red as one shadow put a bag over her head. 

“NO!” 

Emmaline ran as fast as she could but she tripped and when she looked up the carriage carrying her sister took off down the road. She looked around frantically, trying to find anything to help. How was she going to find her sister on foot? 

“Telepathy!” 

They hadn’t trained in it yet, but Maiolaine had read about it. She was always reading advanced subjects. Maiolaine figured it useful to learn the subject before they practiced it. Emmaline was wracking her brain as she tried to remember any information. Emmaline had the knack of ignoring her sister in the books she’s read. 

“Dammit!” 

Emmaline was beyond frustrated. Why didn’t she listen to her sister? Why didn’t her sister listen to her? She slumped back on the tree that its root had tripped her. Defeated, she made her way back to the stronghold to tell her mother what had happened. White light blinded her and an image of a white tree near a cemetery. Another bright light flickered, followed by a second image of a tomb marked with the name Briar entered her mind. 

Emmaline got up and ran once she recognized the location. As she picked up speed, a burning pain pulsated in her left ankle. Her sock stained red from the cuts on her leg and ankle. When she looked up from her leg, she realized the carriage had gone out of sight. An injury would not slow her down from getting to her sister. Ideas of what they had planned for her raced through Em’s mind. She ran back to the stronghold, not thinking of the pain and only thinking about getting her sister back.

"Maman!" Em screamed as she doubled over. "Shit."

The adrenaline wore off and now Emmaline noticed the burn in her lungs and the sharp throbbing pain in her ankle. She felt as if she was going to vomit. Her pulse hammered in her head as she tried to blink the stars out of her vision.

"Emmaline? Oh, my goddesses!"

Her mother ran to her side as Em finally collapsed on the ground, taking big gulps of air.

"They've got her."

"What?" Olympe brushed her hair back. Her mother's fingertips glowed blue, and Em felt as though she could finally breathe again.

"Mai. The Dark Knights took her."

"What is the meaning of this?" Arber barked as he saw the two women on the ground. 

Em narrowed her eyes at her uncle. She did not have the energy or the patience to deal with his bullshit. 

"Are you able to walk to the infirmary?" Olympe asked her daughter.

"Yes."

Em pulled herself off of the floor and limped beside her mother, never once taking her eyes off of her uncle. 

"Are you just going to ignore me, Olympe?" Arber seethed.

"Yes. Until I find out that my daughters are fine. You may join us in the infirmary if you would like answers."

It appeared time here was going slowly while the outside world sped on. The nurses were fretting over her injuries and making her lie down on a cot when all she wanted to do was find her sister and teach those Dark Knight assholes a lesson, especially.

"Em," Olympe's soothing voice broke through her thoughts. "Calm yourself."

"I can't, Maman!" Em shrieked. "Not when they have Mai!" 

A red flash emitted from Em's body, and she pushed the nurses away from her. Her mother closed her eyes and a tranquil peace fell over everyone in the room. Em fought it, but the more she fought it, the more tired she got.

"Calm yourself."

Em laid back down on the bed. The nurses tentatively approached the young Paladin once more. She hated when her mother used her powers over her, especially at a time like this when they had no time. Who knows what will happen to Mai. It was unfortunate that her mother was one of the most powerful Paladins in Aeris. 

"Can you all tell me what is the meaning of all of this?" Arber asked.

Em had forgotten her uncle had followed them to the infirmary with the promise of answers. 

“The Dark Knights took Mai," Em said through labored breaths. She was trying to fight her mother's conjuration. "We are wasting precious time."

"You need to tell us everything you saw, Emmaline," her mother said.

Em recounted everything to them. Even divulging the information about her sister's behavior before her capture.

"She kept talking as if Dark Knights had rights. I think she's been sneaking out to meet up with this boy. He's been brainwashing her."

"Or perhaps she knew this and has been conspiring with the enemy this entire time."

"What exactly are you implying, uncle?"

Emmaline narrowed her eyes, and her blood boiled. Arber gulped and looked at Olympe as if to say to control her child. Unfortunately for him, she wore the same face as her daughter. Olympe rose from her seat next to Emmaline's bed slowly.

"You surely are not implying that my daughter, your brother's daughter, is a traitor. Are you Arber?"

Em had never seen her mother look so dangerous and it was clear on Arber's face that he had not seen this side of Olympe either. 

"Of course n-not," Arber stuttered. "I was just listing out the possibilities."

"In the future, you would do well to keep your asinine thoughts to yourself."

Olympe returned to her seat and with a huff, Arber left. 

"I can't stand him." Em gritted her teeth.

"No one can, dear," Olympe said. "Now that he's gone. Tell me more."

"I think she sent me messages telepathically."

"Really?" Olympe's eyes went wide. "That's a very advanced practice. How?"

"Mai was reading up on it. We did a bit of practice, but it never worked. As I was trying to pick myself up off the ground, a bright white light flashed over my vision and these mental pictures showed up. A cemetery and a tomb with the name Briar on it."

"I know exactly where that is," Olympe jumped up. "We will need to contact the Peers."

"Maman, we don't have time for that!" Em shouted as hot tears fell from her eyes. "I can't allow her to get hurt!"

"I won't either, dear," Olympe said, and she rushed out of the infirmary after giving orders to the nurses to not let her out of their sights.

The nurses nervously looked back at Em and she smirked.