At first, Ash's body listened to the order, but then the panic and adrenaline began to churn. She bucked, slamming backward against the man before attempting to yank her body forward and out of his grasp.

The man's grip held. "If you don't stop—" He cut off with a hiss as she dug her teeth into his hands. "Odella, they will find us if you don't settle down."

Odella. Ash stilled. There was concern in the man's voice as he spoke of her sister. She recognized that most of all before processing the rest of his words, but once she did, her blood ran cold.

Whoever the concerned man was, he was trying to keep someone from finding Odella. Trouble really had come for her sister. Stupid. She had been so stupid. Of course the world wasn't done with Odella. Although she hadn't achieved enough for the village to have heard anything, Dreamwoven encountered struggles and the mythical more often than peace and norm.

Odella would have enemies. Odella would be hunted.

Oh gods. What sort of life had Ash turned a blind eye to, leaving Odella to face alone?

The man's hand loosened from her mouth, falling away enough that any sound she made wouldn't be as muffled. She could scream for help, but instead, she bit down hard on her lip, shoving down the sob bubbling within her.

"Are you... Are you crying?" The man spoke gently now, each whispered word a soft breath across her skin.

"She went this way, I'm sure of it."

The man flinched, once again tightening his hold on Ash. She didn't fight him this time, nor when he dragged her deeper into the alley.

They appeared like living shadows moving through the day. Two cloaked figures moved smoothly through the streets. They could have been casual travelers, but it was too warm to be wearing a cloak, not to mention the deep hoods they pulled over their faces. That wasn't all. There was something... peculiar about the fabric. It shifted under her gaze. She squinted, but the odd feeling of looking through a haze didn't go away.

Ash willed her body to be completely still despite the tremors threatening to overcome her, all the while praying that the figures would keep walking. The building's shadow fell over her and the man, but would it be enough protection against anymore more than a passing glance? She cursed her blond hair and pale complexion. If she'd been born with her father's darker features, the shadows would have hidden her better.

The man's breaths grew more hurried, brushing against her and causing the small hairs on the nape of her neck to tickle. She squirmed against him, hoping he'd get the message to stop. He pressed her firmer against him instead. If he wanted her to be still, he shouldn't—

Words. The realization came to her suddenly. He was murmuring words. No, just a single one, over and over again, quicker the slower the cloaked figures moved.

"Go. Go. Go." Over and over, he repeated the word, as if it was his own prayer, except he spoke it more as a command, not a plea.

The first cloaked figure passed out of sight. The second, smaller one paused, their head tilted to the side. Ash's breath caught. The barest exhale of air could draw their attention. Even the man paused.

A soft light shone from the corner of her eye. Her heart fell, and she could imagine the gods laughing. The clouds must have shifted, or the sun must have angled perfectly to fall upon them. She went to twist, but the man still wouldn't let her move.

"Go."

A wave of tingles rippled through Ash, as if a cool breeze carried the slight bite of an icy wind. She shuddered.

The cloaked person's head jerked up. This was it. Whoever it was would finally turn their way. They'd be spotted. What would their pursuers do? Would they kill her when they realized she wasn't who they—

The person didn't turn; they walked on, following their partner deeper into the village.

The man didn't move for many heavy seconds. Ash didn't fight him, either. That had been too close. She'd been so sure the smaller figure sensed their stares and would meet them.

After what could have been mere seconds or a few minutes, the man relaxed. Ash stepped out of his hold with little resistance and took a deep, slow breath. The air slowly loosened her muscles. Then she began to shake. She crossed her arms, each palm cradling the opposite elbow, and tried to hold herself together.

"Who were they?"

She turned, finally getting a look at the man who had been hiding with her. It didn't surprise her much to find the man she'd seen at the market. Up close now, she saw that his eyes were a vivid forest green. They held a deep worry as he took her in.

"Those were the Modika," the man said.

Ash waited for the catch, for the man to smile and deliver whatever ending there was for this twisted joke. His face remained grave, though. A cold knot froze her insides with fear, and her trembling worsened.

"No." She shook her head. "No, no. The gods wouldn't send them after her."

The man's brows drew together. "Her?"

Ignoring him, Ash dug her nails into her arm. This was all a bad dream. She would wake up to find Odella standing over her, expression blank, the only sign of any emotion being the curious tilt to her head. Maybe she'd have her hand over her stomach since Ash had never gotten around to getting her food the night before.

Was that any better? A nightmare awaited her even then. She'd have to wake up over a sol ago, when Odella was still her twin, or to a whole other turn of events where Odella slayed the Terror and returned a hero.

But this was reality. Only nightmares greeted her, no matter how hard she dug her nails in.

Her sister was just a phantom of her old self, and the gods had sent their deliverers of justice after her. The Modika... Ash squeezed her eyes shut. "I thought they were only legends. The gods use their Dreamwoven to protect the world."

"The Dreamwoven protect the world, yes," the man said. His voice was gentle, much like her voice when she spoke to Odella. "The Modika protect their order. If something isn't working how they desire, they send their True Justice to handle it."

Her mother's words came to Ash then. She'd said Odella's state was punishment for abandoning her quest. Could that be right?

"Odella?" There was more to the man's question than to check on her. He was connecting the dots, unsure if the one before him was who he thought.

Ash squeezed her eyes shut against the tears fighting for release and shook her head. "You've found the wrong twin."

"Twin," he repeated once, and then again. "Twin." Taking a deep breath, he leaned away from her. "You are not Odella."

She refused to meet his eyes. It must have been all the answer he needed.

The man ran a hand through the side of his hair that wasn't braided. "You're Ash."

She flinched. "You know my name?"

A soft smile touched his lips, in parts amused, in other parts fond. "Yes. We shared many stories over the fire, and Odella spoke of you in them often."

The words struck Ash like a blow, leaving her feeling suffocated and deprived of air at the same time. Rather than finding penance for the guilt that ate at her, she found new threads to add to the noose.

The rest of his meaning hit her. Her eyes widened, and she took a step closer to him, grasping his arm as if he would try to escape otherwise. "You travelled with her?"

He glanced down to where her hands bunched the material of his shirt sleeve. He slowly nodded. "Yes. I was among the group who accompanied your sister on her journeys. My name is Roan."

Ash's heart stuttered. Roan seemed like he might add more, but her words burst out before he could. "When did you last see her? What happened?"

His face fell, taking her elation with it. "You only know she's gone missing then? I was hoping you'd know more." A small pause followed. Before Ash could decide if she would tell him what she knew, he sighed. "We were at a small town on the outskirts of Caeleria."

Her heart stuttered. Caeleria. The wicked country known for shunning the gods. The one where the Tempest Serpent Terror that Odella was meant to slay resided.

Dreamwovens always had a final quest, but it could take time. There were always other things to be done before their great battle. Villages to save from thugs and thieves. Groups of minor Terrors to slay. Kidnapped nobles to rescue. It was said the more great deeds a Dreamwoven performed, the more likely they were to succeed at their final goal.

That took sols, not mere lunes. Why had she been there so early? Perhaps the gods had sent her to scout out the Greater Terror was located?

Ash took a deep breath, willing her racing imagination to calm. "What occurred over there?" she asked.

Once again, he looked at her hands, and it was only then she realized she hadn't released him. Face burning, she let go, taking a step back. He peered up at her through his lashes, a slight quirk to his lips even as his tone remained grave.

"We located a town that was housing the Serpent."

"What?" Ash barely caught herself from shouting. "Why were you already there?"

"The gods decided her mission would not be one of force, but of gradual subterfuge," he explained. "They foresaw it being the most guaranteed route to ensuring its demise."

Ash licked her lips. That was not the typical way of the gods, but they were not controlled by any specific rules with these type of things, were they? "Alright," she said. "What happened to her there, then?"

He turned his head, making it impossible for her to look at him directly. "I can't say I'm entirely sure. Odella began acting strange. There were periods in which she'd leave for hours without explaining to anyone where she was going. Then, one night, she just..." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I feared the worst, but I refused to give up hope. Then I came back here, and I saw you, and..."

A weight dropped in Ash's gut. "Nobody knows what happened to her?"

She'd spoken more to herself, forcing herself to acknowledge that this man didn't know any more about Odella's condition than she herself did. He, however, couldn't have known that, so he said, "I'm sorry, Ash. I'm sure your twin is still alive. Especially if the gods are sending out others to find her."

The reminder of the Modika had Ash's mind wheeling again. She placed a hand over her stomach as if that could stop the dread churning within. She and Roan had escaped the Modika, but that wouldn't stop their search. Surely warriors of the gods would know where they lived. If the warrior Scions appeared at their front door, would her family dare keep Odella hidden?

Her mother's words from the night before came back to her, and Ash knew. No, they probably wouldn't.

The first tear fell before she had time to realize her eyes had started to sting, and then more large drops followed. She gritted her teeth and pressed the heels of her palms into her eyes. The seeds of powerlessness that had been taking root in her heart bloomed. Its vines crept through her, entangling her lungs until she couldn't breathe.

She couldn't do anything to break Odella from her state. She couldn't stop the Modika from finding her. Just when she thought she might have a plan, the world caught up and began crumbling around her.

"Hey." Roan's hands fell on her shoulders. He gave her a small shake. "Breathe. Deep breaths. Come on now. Yes, that's it," he said as she slowly began to follow his soft, almost hypnotic commands.

She took in a few more slow, deep breaths before the tears finally stopped; she took one last one, deeper than the rest, before lowering her hands.

Roan leaned over, putting him eye to eye with her. His eyes were such a vivid green. She could have sworn they glowed as she sunk into their depths.

"I'll find her, Ash. I'll keep your sister safe," he said, squeezing her shoulder. "I promise."

She shook her head. The truth rested on the tip of her tongue. Something deep within held it back by the smallest of strings. Maybe it was because she'd kept this a secret for a full lune, refusing to let any detail slip. Or maybe she was afraid that even if he did know, nothing would change, and the sense of powerlessness would overwhelm her.

But she couldn't do nothing. Researching in books wouldn't help her sister now. Her parents had no clearer idea than her. She saw only a single way forward.

Steeling herself, she cut the thin string. "You don't understand," she said. "I know where Odella is, and I'm sure before long, the Modika will as well."

Roan's brows shot up. "What?"

She explained all she knew in the span of a few minutes. Well, not all. She kept her first reunion with Odella to herself. The shame and agony of that memory burned too hot to voice yet. The entire time, Roan listened silently, his shock and worry conveyed by his expressions alone.

"I need you to take me to your home," he said when she finished.

She curled her hands into the material of her skirt. This was what she wanted, but the thought of taking him to Odella still unnerved her. She couldn't predict how her sister would react when confronted by the outside world.

"Do you know anything about her state?" she asked. She forced the next words out, even as the mere idea caused her to tremble. "Have the gods caused it? Is that why they sent the Modika?"

He studied her. She squirmed beneath his gaze. How long had it been since the Modika went past them? They couldn't be far from her home at this point.

"I have heard theories, but they are just that. Theories," he said.

She gulped. "Tell me."

He hesitated for a moment, and then he sighed. "There are murmurings that the gods react with harsh justice if their Dreamwoven stray from their paths. It is possible that she was inactive for so long that they began to revoke their blessings. Or perhaps something has happened that made them worry she would turn her power on them."

Ash stumbled back into the wall to balance herself. Her mother had been right, or at least almost right. The gods were punishing her sister. Except... why would they?

She shook her head, more to herself than to the man. "That can't be right. Odella was on a mission to fulfil her mission for them, and she would never betray the gods. They must have made a mistake."

If one of the priests heard her, they'd have her scrub her tongue until she tasted soap for an entire lune cycle. To believe the gods would make such an error was pure blasphemy, but she knew her sister.

"I don't know, Ash." Roan gave a helpless shrug. "All I do know that is if the gods are sending the Modika here, then something has gone very awry, and it would be best for me to get her out of here. Please." He stepped in front of her, leaving less than a foot of space between them. "I don't want anything to happen to Odella. Take me to her before they choose to look there."

She met his gaze, searching for... Well, she didn't know for sure. A promise that her sister would be safe? But how could she guarantee that? If only she could hide Odella away forever. If only she could make everyone forget about her sister until she could figure out some way to get to the truth of this. If only she could get the gods'—

Her heart skipped a beat as an idea formed from all the little "ifs" she created. It was insanity. So many things could go wrong.

But it would turn all eyes away from Odella. Except they wouldn't know it.

Something must have shown on her face, because Roan's brows drew together. "What?"

Ash squeezed her hands into fists and sent a mental plea that this would work. Who to, she wasn't sure, not when this meant potentially deceiving the gods. She took a deep breath and met Roan's eyes, hoping the stare showed her steely resolution.

"We don't need to get Odella out of here. We only need to make everyone think she is."

"And how will we do that?" he asked.

She smiled, more out of nerves than any amount of confidence. "Simple, really. I will be Odella." 

*****

Odella's past has come knocking, and it's brought a handsome blond dude with it!  Say hello to Roan, everyone 👀 With him, we finally get a couple of answers in regards to Odella, but they don't seem to be enough answers, and Odella is still in danger.  But maybe with Ash's new plan, that can change?

Let me know your thoughts on the chapter down below, and if you enjoyed it, don't forget to vote and comment! I also have a discord open to anyone who wants to join, and we have a section there to discuss the book :D Let me know if you want to join!