《Broken》 Prologue Everyone clapped as she danced, the perfect image of beauty, grace, and elegance. Her voice swirled around the room, entrancing the listeners until they could no longer look away. She was considered perfect, both in beauty and strength, her martial skills as good as if not better than her dancing. He stood off to one side, watching in silence as everyone praised her. Empty, he thought. If something happened to her and her skills disappeared, would they ever remember how much they¡¯d praised her? Even as he thought it, he knew the answer, but even one so indifferent as he had to admit that her chosen activities were beautiful.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The girl, spinning on the very tip of her narrow white ice skate, seemed to be in her own world, as though she could neither hear nor see her audience. It had surprised people, in the beginning, how a girl not yet six could dance and skate and sing and fight better than many people several times her age. Now, approaching twelve, she was simply a wonder to behold - no matter how fast she spun or how high she lifted her leg, she never once wavered. She looked so content, so peaceful, that he hoped no one ever took it away from her. But a few months later, everything changed. She lost her ability and will to dance, and he lost the one beauty he had allowed himself in his indifferent world. Chapter 1 - Lyna ¡°No, Adina, I will not consider it. Until I meet my bonded mate, I will not, cannot perform. If someone walks in on me it¡¯s different; I didn¡¯t make that choice. No, you can¡¯t have people pay to spontaneously walk in on me and hope they catch me singing.¡± Lovlyn sighed. ¡°Sorry, Adi, I have to go. The mail just came in and we have a test coming up. I need to study.¡± Her friend¡¯s voice mumbled from the other side of the phone. ¡°You¡¯ve never needed to study, Lyna. You could walk in to the test after skipping school for a week and still get a perfect score. You just want to get rid of me, I know it. Thanks for reminding me about the test, though. Unlike you, some of us do need to study.¡± ¡°I am most emphatically not trying to get rid of you! But I do have to go. I¡¯ll see you in school if I don¡¯t hear from you before then.¡± Lovlyn paused. ¡°I love you and you¡¯re an awesome best friend and I know you¡¯re still trying to make me feel better even though it¡¯s been four years since my accident. You should know, though, you don¡¯t have to. I can walk without limping, now, and I can fight almost as well as I could before.¡± Adina gave her only silence for a moment before saying quietly, ¡°I know, but I can¡¯t help it. I want you to be happy and I feel ashamed that there¡¯s nothing I can do. Yes, I know you are a strong, independent woman who can seek happiness all on her own, but sometimes I wish I could give you back what you used to have, Lyna, and I know I can¡¯t. All I can do is hope your mate comes soon; the seer claims he¡¯ll love you as you are, not for what you used to be, and I believe her.¡± Lovlyn¡¯s voice almost broke on her next words. ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Adina¡¯s voice was gentle, but firm. ¡°Because I love you, for who you once were, still are, and can be again, no matter how cynical you¡¯ve become or how bleak you believe your future to be. I don¡¯t care if you get your leg back or not¡± Lovlyn sucked in a gasp of pain ¡°as long as you learn to smile and laugh again. Sorry, I should have worded that better; for a second it sounded like I didn¡¯t care what happened to you, but I do, far more than you seem to believe. What I meant is, I don¡¯t care what you look like, or who you hang out with, or how well you do or don¡¯t dance, all I care is that you can be happy again, Lovlyn.¡± Adina never used her full name unless she was deadly serious. Lovlyn¡¯s voice was small and quiet as she said, ¡°I know and it¡¯s one of the reasons I love you so much. You¡¯re my only real friend and I love you like a sister.¡± Her voice shook. ¡°But Mom¡¯s home and I really do need to get off the phone and at least pretend to be studying, or you know she¡¯ll get upset with me for being lazy the night before a test.¡± Adina laughed. ¡°Did you happen to point out that your near-photographic memory has long been proven and you have no need of studying? No? Oh well. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, I guess, but don¡¯t forget that tomorrow¡¯s your turn to bring lunch. Love you, Lyna!¡± ¡°Love you too, Adi,¡± she murmured as Adina cut the connection. ¡°See you tomorrow.¡± Turning to her textbook, Lovlyn sighed. Her mother meant only the best, but sometimes Lovlyn wondered if her mother even knew how smart she was. Lovlyn was a skilled fighter and a beautiful singer; if it weren¡¯t for the accident that had stolen her ability to dance and skate, she would still be wonderful at those; but her true strength lay in the acquisition, absorption, interpretation, analysis, and storage of knowledge, from any source: she never forgot something she had learned, and she could put it to any use, even those outside common consideration. Her mother, apparently, had forgotten this. ¡°Lovlyn, dear, I¡¯m home,¡± her mother called. ¡°I brought dinner and a friend. She says she¡¯s your science teacher?¡± Lovlyn groaned internally. Of course Mom would bring Mrs. McGillin home. Of course she would. Mrs. McGillin, while not unkind, was one of the people who persistently asked her if she would dance for them, and appeared continuously disappointed when she informed them that she couldn¡¯t. Even four years after her accident, people still recognised her once-graceful form, despite her slight, ever-present limp. ¡°Coming, Mom,¡± she called. ¡°I¡¯m just finishing up some homework. I¡¯ll be down shortly.¡± Her first endeavor when she had returned home from the hospital, after figuring out how to walk, had been teaching herself to climb up and down stairs. She had refused, rather belligerently, to become dependent on elevators or even a cane. While her mother had been skeptical, her father had supported her whole-heartedly, never appearing to tire of catching her before she could tumble down the stairs. He had also agreed to help her re-learn her fighting techniques, teaching both her and himself to work not around her injured leg, but with it instead. He and Adina were her saving graces, the lights that kept her going until she could walk with a barely noticeable limp despite her twisted leg: they had seen her for who she was and encouraged that she learn how to not just survive but truly live, even without dancing. Stepping around the corner with nearly as much silence and grace as she had once commanded, she tried not to betray her shock that her leg had held her for such a maneuver. ¡°Mrs. McGillin, how nice to see you. Unfortunately, the past two days have not changed my condition and I find myself yet unable to acquiesce to your request and dance for you. My leg simply will not hold for it.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Lovlyn¡¯s mom looked back and forth between the kind old lady and her mildly rebellious daughter. ¡°Lovlyn, what on Progin are you talking about? Mrs. McGillin came to deliver something, she says it¡¯s some kind of acceptance letter. I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d applied anywhere, sweetie, why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± As Lovlyn offered no information, Mrs. McGillin decided to speak. ¡°I apologize for my previous insistence, Lovlyn. It must have been quite a bother to have your science teacher constantly asking you if you could dance. In all honesty, I was simply hoping that my persistence might prove sufficient motivation for your clearly flagging spirits, but I think I merely made it worse instead. Please accept my sincerest apologies.¡± Lovlyn watched Mrs. McGillin for a moment before deciding to nod. ¡°Thank you, and I accept. Fortunately I have Adina to boost me up if I happen to fall.¡± Mrs. McGillin nodded. She knew how close the girls were. ¡°You are truly fortunate to have such a friend. I wish I¡¯d had a supporter such as her when I went through high school. Thankfully, I believe she will be able to follow you to your next destination, should you accept. What I have in my hands¡± she was suddenly holding a glittering golden envelope ¡°is an acceptance letter to Aurum Academy. The reason you had no knowledge of it is because Aurum does not have an application system; instead, the Headmaster and professors seek out their students with the help of a uniquely crafted set of spells specifically designed for the purpose of determining and obtaining students. Therefore, I now offer to you your letter of acceptance. I suggest you at least read it.¡± Lovlyn¡¯s mom stifled a gasp. ¡°Aurum? Isn¡¯t that the highest academy of magic in the world? And Lovlyn was accepted? Oh my!¡± She didn¡¯t seem to have even considered that perhaps Lovlyn didn¡¯t want to go. ¡°Lovlyn sweetie, isn¡¯t this wonderful? Oh, read it, read it! What will you be needing? Go on!¡± Lovlyn shared a private eyeroll with Mrs McGillin. No choice, I guess. Normal for Mom. Taking the letter, she popped the (admittedly rather beautiful) seal and read: Aurum Academy The professors of Aurum Academy are proud to offer this letter of acceptance to Miss Lovlyn Arika Bynn, in honor of her excellent test scores and impressive cognitive abilities. We are prepared to offer any assistance necessary should you choose to attend. You are permitted to bring your own, but all textbooks and supplies will be provided and will stay with you, rather than returning to the school. Aurum is a boarding school with a large dormitory and excellent cooks; uniforms will be provided. Personal items are allowed, but we kindly request you bring no more than a single suitcase. Your courses and teachers will be decided upon arrival. Should you choose to attend, you will have two weeks to pack your bag and meet with other students from your area at the crossroads of Whitby and Genal. We sincerely anticipate your arrival at our school and will be deeply disappointed - though understanding - should you choose to decline. Have a wonderful day, my dear. Lovlyn lifted an eyebrow as she finished reading. ¡°Quite casual, isn¡¯t it?¡± Mrs. McGillin nodded. ¡°Aurum doesn¡¯t believe in formalities anywhere near as much as many private schools and magic academies. I believe you¡¯ll find the staff there particularly accommodating to your injury, and if anyone attempts to bully or pressure you into something you don¡¯t want, they¡¯ll no doubt defend you, though they¡¯ll expect you to make an effort first.¡± ¡°Has anyone ever declined?¡± ¡°Well of course! Every year there are a few students who either believe themselves unworthy, or don¡¯t think they can handle it, or have something they don¡¯t want to leave behind.¡± ¡°Is there a cost?¡± ¡°None at all. I¡¯ve been told that many of the chosen students come from rather poor backgrounds. Everything is covered by the school.¡± Mrs. McGillin had a slightly confused expression. ¡°Why? Your family doesn¡¯t seem to be having any issues¡­¡± Lovlyn allowed herself a small, amused smirk. ¡°Not at all, Mrs. McGillin, but I¡¯m sure we wouldn¡¯t want to spend it all on my education, either.¡± Lovlyn¡¯s mother broke in. ¡°Sweetie, do you mean to suggest you don¡¯t want to go?¡± Her voice held an almost dangerous edge to it. ¡°Of course not, Mother,¡± Lovlyn responded with her own edge. ¡°Merely being certain I know what I¡¯m going into.¡± Mrs. McGillin¡¯s eyes moved back and forth between the two like she was worried about a fight. She cleared her throat and cut in with, ¡°I apologize for interrupting, but I have other houses to visit today. I¡¯m the guide for this region, so I¡¯ll be leading you to school if you accept. I know the letter states the meeting place, so I won¡¯t bother repeating it.¡± She paused to look Lovlyn directly in the eyes. ¡°I know you have your doubts due to your unusual situation, but I honestly believe you¡¯d enjoy Aurum, even if you seem to prefer silver over gold.¡± Mrs. McGillin winked and Lovlyn almost smiled at the reminder of the silver clothing she had almost always worn when ice skating. ¡°Thank you, Mrs. McGillin,¡± Lovlyn said. ¡°You¡¯re right, I have my doubts, but I¡¯ll give the offer serious consideration. Either way, Aurum couldn¡¯t possibly be worse than attending the local magic school, anyway.¡± Mrs. McGillin laughed a little and politely excused herself. She tried not eavesdrop, but Mrs. Bynn was so loud that there was no way not to hear her. ¡°What do you mean, you¡¯ll consider it? Of course you¡¯re going. After you robbed me of all that fame and money that would have been mine, you¡¯ll either get out of my house in disgrace or become famous for some other reason! GO PACK!¡± As she left, Mrs. McGillin flinched at the sound of something being thrown and wondered if she had enough evidence to claim child abuse. Chapter 2 - Alek I wonder what happened to that girl. It¡¯s been four years, did she ever learn how to dance again? ¡°Zander! There¡¯s a man here asking to see you!¡± The words broke Alekzander out of his thoughts. ¡°Coming, Zoran!¡± He called, attempting to leave and slipping on one of the many piles of books heaped around his room. ¡°Ouch!¡± When he finally reached the front door, Alekzander was surprised to see his history teacher, Mr. Zakowski, standing just outside with an envelope in his hands. ¡°Oh, good morning, Mr. Zakowski. What brings you here?¡± Mr. Zakowski smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve brought an acceptance letter,¡± he announced. Sensing Alekzander¡¯s confusion, he chuckled and continued, ¡°I know you¡¯re surprised because you didn¡¯t apply yet, but Aurum doesn¡¯t take applications anyway. The professors and headmistress hand-pick the students with the help of a few special spells specifically designed for choosing new students. Here.¡± Mr. Zakowski passed Alekznader the envelope, which turned golden the moment it touched his hand. ¡°Oooh, open it, Zander, open it!¡± Zoran¡¯s excitement was contagious. ¡°The envelope¡¯s so pretty!¡± Almost smiling at his eight-year-old brother¡¯s antics, Alekzander tugged open the seal, admitting privately that the golden scrollwork was quite beautiful. At Zoran¡¯s request, he read the letter out loud, almost frowning when it occurred to him how informal the language was. He asked Mr. Zakowski about it.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Mr. Zakowski nodded. ¡°Aurum doesn¡¯t believe in formalities anywhere near as much as many private schools and magic academies. They¡¯re particularly hard on bullying, and if anyone attempts to bully or pressure you into something you don¡¯t want, they¡¯ll no doubt defend you, though they¡¯ll expect you to make an effort first. They won¡¯t coddle or shelter their students, but they do attempt to ensure that everyone leaves in the same or better condition than they entered.¡± Alekzander thought privately that the whole speech sounded rather practiced, but he kept it to himself. Just then, their father stuck his head over the upstairs railing. ¡°Boys? Is there a visitor?¡± He asked, sounding tired. Before Alekzander could think to quiet his brother, Zoran called back, ¡°It¡¯s just Zander¡¯s history teacher here with an acceptance letter to some fancy-sounding place called Aurum. I wish I could go, it sounds like fun.¡± Mr. Joseph Argent was a stern but reasonable man, who cared for his children above all else, especially since the death of his wife. ¡°I hope you go, Alekzi,¡± he said wearily. ¡°I went, it¡¯s where I met your mother. You should go. I think it will be good for you, and you have a chance of finding your mate, slim though the chance may be.¡± Alekzander considered his father¡¯s statement, carefully attempting to forget the last part. He had little desire to find his mate quite yet, but the school was well-known for being the best, and did respect his father¡¯s opinion. ¡°What do I need to pack?¡± Chapter 3 - Lyna The next day, Lovlyn was at Adina¡¯s house when Mrs. McGillin came knocking, but she didn¡¯t tell her friend what was happening, only watched mysteriously to see how she took the surprise. She was sitting just out of sight for the entire conversation, but nobody noticed; she simply sat quietly in her own amusement and watched it all play out. When her science teacher knocked on her door, Adina was more than slightly concerned. Had something happened to Lovlyn? Was she in trouble for something? Did her dad get thrown in jail again? Mrs. McGillin shook her head in amusement. ¡°No, to all of the above,¡± the woman said kindly. ¡°I¡¯m actually here to offer you something. I promise it¡¯s not more homework or an extra credit opportunity, so please calm down and stop threatening to shut the door in my face. I believe you¡¯ll actually want to hear my offer before you send me away.¡± Adina frowned; Mrs. McGillin had already ruled out most of the probable reasons for her visit, so what could possibly be left? Her frown grew deeper when Mrs. McGillin held out an envelope. ¡°What, am I finally getting kicked out of school?¡± She asked cynically. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem like much of an offer.¡± Mrs. McGillin actually laughed. ¡°No, dear. It¡¯s an acceptance letter to Aurum. I¡¯m certain that you of all people don¡¯t need me to tell you what that is.¡± No, she didn¡¯t. Both of Adina¡¯s older siblings had attended Aurum in past years and now had successful jobs in the magical service industry. But that didn¡¯t mean she wanted to go. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t care, except if Lovlyn is going. I refuse to engage in a long-distance friendship where I can¡¯t support her nearly at all. Did you already see her?¡± ¡°What makes you think she received one?¡± Adina snorted. ¡°Lovlyn has the possibility to have the strongest magic in three generations. I¡¯m strong, but my magic is paltry compared to hers. If they were willing to accept me, there¡¯s no way they¡¯d overlook her.¡± Lovlyn started at this revelation, but gave no sign that she¡¯d moved. Strongest? Her? Adina was overestimating her again, and underestimating herself, but Lovlyn held her silence and continued to watch. ¡°Fine. Yes. Lovlyn received an invitation, but you¡¯ll have to ask her whether or not she¡¯s planning to accept.¡± Mrs. McGillin sounded tired. ¡°You know the drill. Same time, place, and rules, if you¡¯re planning to accept, and don¡¯t forget to at least open the letter so that I don¡¯t get accused of not doing my job.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah. If Lovlyn agrees, you¡¯ll see me right on time. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I don¡¯t plan to let my cookies burn, so you¡¯ll have to see yourself out.¡± Turning around, Adina nearly tripped over the seated form of her best friend. ¡°Oh, Lovlyn! How long have you been there?¡± Lovlyn shrugged. ¡°Pretty much the whole time.¡± ¡°Then you heard all that? God, I can¡¯t believe I asked her those questions. What¡¯d you decide?¡± ¡°I decided to go¡­ not that I had much of a choice.¡± Adina winced. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go save my cookies. I still remember what happened last time we got too distracted while baking.¡± She shivered. ¡°That was a nightmare and a torture I wouldn¡¯t wish upon my worst enemy, though I might consider subjecting your mother to it next time she tries to control you. Have you spoken to your dad yet?¡± ¡°Nah, I haven¡¯t had the chance yet, but I need to. Want to come with me?¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Adina nodded eagerly. ¡°Your dad is awesome, I would love to visit him with you. And if this batch of cookies turns out okay, I¡¯ll bring them with us.¡± Two hours later, the girls approached a small cottage in the woods not too far from town. ¡°Dad!¡± Lovlyn called, and Adina yelled, ¡°Mr. Talin, are you here?¡± ¡°What is it, girls?¡± They both startled as he stepped out from behind them. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen you.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Lovlyn threw herself into his arms in the strongest hug she could manage. Behind her, Adina chucked and held up her letter. ¡°The notices came,¡± she said. ¡°Lovlyn of course has to go, she doesn¡¯t have much choice, and I¡¯ll follow her.¡± Lovlyn blushed as her best friend grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what our crazy little fighter would do without me, after all, and someone has to keep her out of trouble.¡± Mr. Talin laughed as he picked Lovlyn up and started carrying her toward his cottage. ¡°Well I know it won¡¯t be you keeping her out of trouble,¡± he said, teasing. ¡°After all, you seem to get into it even more than she does!¡± Laughing, the three of them made their way inside his home. Lovlyn kept most of her personal stuff there with him because her mother was far more likely to look through it, so she took the opportunity to pack some of her books and weapons that she¡¯d been storing in her room there, leaving Adina in charge of choosing which clothes to bring since she had a far better eye for what matched and what didn¡¯t. As they dragged the suitcases down the stairs, Lovlyn paused outside the open door to her father¡¯s office space. She had never gone inside, but not because it was off limits; her father continued to display every single trophy or award she had ever won, and she didn¡¯t want to see them. Didn¡¯t want to acknowledge that her father had turned an entire wall - and the shelves mounted there - into a shrine to her past glory. Didn¡¯t want to have to ask him why. ¡°You okay?¡± Lovlyn startled at the sound of Adina¡¯s voice from right beside her ear. ¡°Yeah, fine.¡± She turned away from the door with effort and continued down the stairs, ignoring her friend¡¯s concerned expression. ¡°Just¡­ thought I saw something moving and wanted to see if a squirrel had broken in.¡± Adina nodded, accepting the lie for what it was, and followed her. ¡°Here,¡± she said. ¡°Let me grab the other end of that. With all the books you packed, it¡¯ll be easier to lift it together.¡± Lovlyn knew what her friend was really saying - ¡®Here, let me help you get the weight off your leg,¡¯ - but also knew her friend understood Lovlyn¡¯s pride well enough not to actually spell it out. Lovlyn wasn¡¯t so prideful that she wouldn¡¯t accept, however, especially when her friend had taken the effort to say it gently instead of bluntly as usual. No doubt Adina knew what was in the office and knew that Lovlyn was feeling particularly sensitive over the subject of her injuries. Sighing, Lovlyn nodded. Adina smiled. ¡°Come on, Lyna,¡± the girl said with false cheer, ¡°a new school can¡¯t be that bad. After all, everyone there will be new, and many will have something that makes them different. You won¡¯t stand out nearly as much there as you do here, and if they try to pick on you, I¡¯ll just have to beat them up for you!¡± That got a laugh out of Lovlyn. ¡°You¡¯ll have to beat them up? All I have to do is challenge the strongest of them to a duel. He¡¯ll underestimate me and I can kick his butt. Then they¡¯ll all leave me alone. And if they don¡¯t, I can keep kicking their butts until they finally do. You should just sit back and enjoy the show, Adi.¡± Adina smiled wider at the use of her nickname. It was the first sign that Lovlyn was returning to usual. ¡°Yeah.¡± Her voice turned somber. ¡°You know at least one of them will ask you to dance for them, right?¡± Lovlyn sighed again. ¡°Yeah.¡± She leaned in closer to stage whisper, ¡°Here¡¯s my plan. I¡¯ll tell them I need a dancing partner, but instead of dancing, I¡¯m going to do the closest thing I have left to my old fighting style. Basically, I¡¯ll be ¡®dancing¡¯ as I hit him in the nuts, nose, and stomach. They won¡¯t ask again.¡± Adina stares at me wide-eyed for a moment before bursting into laughter. ¡°You¡¯ve really thought this through, huh? Looks like I have nothing to worry about.¡± Just then, Mr. Talin came walking into the room. Confused at the sight of them collapsed on the floor chortling, he decided to ask them what was so funny. Soon, he was laughing right along with them. Chapter 4 - Alek Alekzander was standing in front of his mother¡¯s grave when Zoran showed up to tell him it was time. ¡°Thanks, little buddy,¡± he said, ruffling his brother¡¯s hair. ¡°Try not to cause too much trouble for Father while I¡¯m gone and remember to fix anything you break. If you don¡¯t know how, text me and I¡¯ll call and explain as soon as I¡¯m on break. Fair?¡± Zoran nodded solemnly and bowed to their mother¡¯s grave before the two boys hiked the three miles to the crossroads. He may not have understood exactly how bad their situation was, or why his brother wanted him to fix things instead of throwing them away, but he loved his brother and knew that if Zander was telling him to, there was probably a good reason for it and he¡¯d understand eventually. He knew that he could ask and Zander would give him a well-explained, satisfactory answer, but he also knew that there were just many things that would go straight over his head. Better to just listen and understand why later, especially when Zander only had fifteen minutes instead of two hours to explain the situation¡­ and all the confusing words he¡¯d used. Alekzander shifted on his feet. He wanted to sit down. For that matter, he wanted to fly to the darn school, not wait for the magic transport that was scheduled to show up in fifteen minutes whether the students were there or not. He looked around and saw three other kids headed his way. ¡°Hey,¡± one of the them said when she got close enough. ¡°Bit chilly out here, isn¡¯t it? ¡®Specially for the middle of summer.¡± The others nodded, but Zander was too busy checking Zoran¡¯s homework. ¡°Is that your brother?¡±Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Alekzander straightened and debated whether or not to answer. Before he could come to a conclusion, Zoran grinned and bounced up to her. ¡°Yep! I¡¯m Zoran, I¡¯m only eight. I wish I could go with him though.¡± It wasn¡¯t until Zoran had started speaking that Zander had realized the question wasn¡¯t meant for him. His eyes never left his brother as Zoran and the girl chatted, but his ears picked up on the sound of something approaching rapidly. His instincts told him it was their transport and that if they all stayed still it wouldn¡¯t hit them. He set a hand on Zoran¡¯s shoulder and the boy glanced at him. Reading the message in his older brother¡¯s eyes, Zoran stayed perfectly still as he continued his conversation with his new friend. Zander saw one of the other students, a guy and clearly a dragon like him, watching the brotherly interaction with interest. Looking up, the guy caught Zander¡¯s eyes and flushed. He started to move closer to tell him something, but stopped as his instincts kicked in. Suddenly he understood what Zander had just told Zoran and nodded at them in respect. Only the strongest could sense something that far out. The bus landed with a loud fwoomp and Zander wondered briefly how they fixed the craters left behind each year. He gave his brother¡¯s shoulder a squeeze as Zoran hugged his leg and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll be back as soon as I can. Make sure to keep Mom company, okay?¡± When Zoran nodded, Zander pulled himself away and climbed onto the bus, waving only once through his window before the bus took off again. He watched his brother become smaller and smaller until he was finally out of sight.