- K A L I - A L I -

     "Suri?"

     My voice squeaks as I look forward in disbelief. The man in front of me seemingly does the same, his hand gripping onto the street sign as if he's forgotten he's holding it entirely. The rising sun lights his face up in a gold-orange hue, completely taking over my vision as I struggle to comprehend it.

     He's older than I remember. Bags sit under his eyes like they're expected guests, taking attention away from the wrinkles on his face. His hair sits frazzled on his head like he just got out of a wind tunnel, some strands falling over his face as if they wish to escape. His eyes widen slowly as his mouth sits slightly agape, somehow forgetting to breathe.

     "Kali?"

     His voice cuts through the sound of the wind and sends shockwaves to my core. It's so much... deeper than I remember. I should expect it, after all, but my breath hitches as I gasp in shock. Illusions don't talk - people do. This is him. This is my brother. Neither of us says a word as we stand a few meters apart, frozen in time and space.

     "Kali, we need to-"

     I rush forward, throwing my body against him and preparing to fall right through. I collide with him, though, staggering my thoughts as I realize without a doubt this is really him. My arms race around him, my hands interlocking behind his back as I burrow my face into his chest. The warmth of him feels surreal as the morning wind bites against my neck, and I feel my eyes begin to well up.

     I feel arms lock around my back as his posture loosens and he leans into the hug we've found ourselves in. I feel his breath change, hitching like a ratchet as he leans his head against mine. I hear a soft cry come from him, only making me shed a tear or two in return. My focus rockets back to my hands, a fear washing over me of letting go.

     "Kali, are- are you okay?" Suri stammers, caught on his own deck of emotion as he leans back a little bit, pressing against my hands. I only hold tighter, nodding my head 'no' vigorously. Thoughts of the lie rush through my head as I lean back slightly, astounded I'd ever believed them. This man is no kidnapper. This man is my brother.

     "You're... you're old!" I exclaim, unsure of the emotion in me as I step back, letting my hands go and looking at him. He cracks a smile, holding a chuckle back behind his lips.

     "You've only got four years then," he smirks, earning a laugh as a final few tears run down my face. He reaches forward, his face contorting to something like relief as he gently rests his hand on my necklace - the one he had given me shortly before the incident. I feel the weight of his heartbroken smile on the necklace, as he nods quickly before letting go.

     Urgency suddenly returns to his face, his head whipping around as police sirens echo in the distance. "We can talk in a bit. We need to get out of here."

     "What's going on?" I ask nervously, and he starts walking down the sidewalk. I follow him, our heads on a swivel as the empty early morning streets stare at us. His legs pick up into a jog, and mine follow quickly, as if I risk losing him again if he gets out of my sight.

     "We need somewhere safe," Suri states quickly, glancing around at the nearby buildings. "Somewhere hidden."

     I squint my eyes, racking my brain for places in the city that match that description. Quickly, a place enters my mind. "Follow me," I state, overtaking him and running down the road.

- ~ -

     "We're good," I sigh in relief, pressing open a hatch and climbing my way onto a roof. My hands grip the railing, pulling hard as I step onto the stucco. The morning sun, now risen above the horizon considerably, illuminates the lively city streets as people go to work for the day. This building, a four-story mixed-use market, sits in the old-town district.

     "How do you know about this?" Suri asks, a mix of curiosity and annoyance in his voice at having to climb the slender fire escape. He pushes himself up, kneeling on the roof as he looks around at the surroundings.

     "This is my favorite nighttime spot," I sigh, looking around. The district sits on a small ridge, highlighting the downtown and financial districts down towards the sea. To our north was the palace, and even farther lay the Caucasus mountains. "Whenever I needed to get out, this is the place."

     "You did this often?" He asks, taking in the view and lingering his eyes on the palace. I can't imagine what it's like to see it again after almost a decade of exile.

     "The court is awful at finding a guard commander," I laugh, still in disbelief that I'm even speaking to him right now. "They're still shit."

     "Some things never change," Suri smirks, leaning against the wall and taking in the view. His eyes catch mine as he turns around, hitching as he looks at me. "Except your hair!"

     I sigh, reaching up and scratching my neck. The memory of grabbing my scissors and shearing it off resurfaces, taking me out of the moment for a second or two. I look down at the ground, the smile unconsciously disappearing from my face. "Yeah," I exhale, my fingers brushing through the jagged edges.

     Suri seemingly realizes the unease, the joy fading from his face as he goes and sits on a small ledge on the side of the roof. His hair blows in the wind, hiding his eyes from the sun. "I, uh," he mutters, tapping his foot as he takes a breath. "I saw the ceremony."

     I sit down nearby, exhaling as the thoughts come rushing back to me. I hold my wrist out, lightly touching the area where the Kamar had violently rejected me - or, more accurately, my mother's lie. My fingers trace the scarred flesh, thankful that most of the other burns had healed swiftly. The only ones that remain lie on my wrist, and I doubt they'll ever come out.

     "Not my best day," I smirk morbidly, trying to avert the memories with humor. 

     "I'm sorry," he stammers, looking away in frustration. "I've rehearsed this conversation for years, but I... I just know you've been through so much, and I-"

     "I know you didn't do what they accused you of," I say quickly, interrupting his train of thought. I desperately want to look at him, but my eyes stay trained on the roof. I hear his breath hitch as he seemingly exhales, relief flushing his system. "I... I missed you, Suri. So, so fucking much."

     I manage to look at him, his eyes glistening as his face tightens. He wipes away a tear or two, nodding as he composes himself. "I missed you, too," he says, his voice slightly cracked as it comes out.

     The thought of the knowledge I now carry presses against me like a landslide. Telling Shuma was hard enough... how can I tell Suri? A bit of anger wells up at my mother for cursing me with the truth. She didn't really protect anyone - she just prolonged the reality, the truth that began breaking free a few days ago.

     "Suri," I mutter, the words seemingly to slide from my mouth without control. "What happened that night?"

     Suri leans back, sighing as his hands come together on his lap. "Are you sure you want to know?"

     The irony of his question elicits a bit of a chuckle from me. "I already know, dude," I say, looking at him with a sigh. "Our mother used you to cover her dirty little secret."

     His head tilts slightly, and his brow furrows in confusion. "What secret?"

     My stomach sinks as my face goes pale. I never even considered... does he know? Surely he has to, right? "What?" I squeak, suddenly frozen in place.

     He leans forward, concern etched on his face. "I heard her say something at the palace that night. She mentioned my name, and then something about 'He's asking too many questions. He needs to go.' I didn't know what she meant, but I thought it was about me."

     I sit there, still, managing to close my mouth and nodding. He doesn't know. Alebi thought he knew, and that's why he was exiled; at least, that's what Klen had written. If he didn't actually know... they ruined him for nothing. Dread overtakes me as I envision the next thirty seconds, suddenly placed into the position of the bearer of bad news. Again.

     "Suri," I say, my voice quiet from the fear. "You-you really didn't know?"

     "Know what?" He asks, apprehension spilling across his face as I gulp.

     "I-" I stammer, nodding my head no and wishing I wasn't about to say this. "Suri, um... I'm not... your sister."

     His eyebrows rise as a wave of confusion washes over his face. The wind seemingly stops, welcoming in the deafening quiet. "What?" He murmurs, his eyes dancing around.

     "Alebi had an affair, and I..." I start crying, remembering her face when she spilled the truth to me. "I'm not Shuma's."

     The sentence hangs in the air, seemingly poking at him as his body stiffens and his mouth hangs agape. He looks down at the ground, exhaling as the truth hits him. "That's why it burned you," he says quietly, connecting the dots as tears run down my cheek.

     He stands up suddenly, walking over and embracing me. The hug melts me, falling into his body just like when I had run into him earlier in the morning. "I'm... I'm so sorry, Kali," he wimpers, dipping his head into my shoulder as I wipe off my tears on his ragged shirt. The sand in it rubs against my face, making me recoil slightly. He had clearly not had an easy journey here.

      "Everyone's given us the short end of the stick, huh?" I mutter, pulling away and running my fingers through my hair. He sighs, nodding in agreement.

     "That's why we need each other," he says, a resolute tone seeping from his voice. His eyes fade over to the palace, locked on like a bird to its prey. I watch as anger seemingly rises in him, his nails digging into his palms, before fading. 

     The two of us sit again, a more tragic but stronger understanding between us this time. I look over at him, ready to speak again, but notice a light dancing around us. It grabs our attention, Suri's especially as the two of us watch it. It looks like... like a reflection, jaggedly moving between us. The two of us turn around, fear rising on my face as I wonder whether someone knows who we are up here.

     My eyes scan the nearby rooftops, and my eyes land on someone a couple of buildings away. Fear rises inside me as I watch a blonde woman waving something reflective, trying to get our attention. I hear Suri gasp as she begins waving, her black gloves standing out against the brightly colored walls. Her ponytail flips around in the wind, and Suri stands up.

     "Suri, get down!" I exclaim, tugging at his arm. "What are you doing?"

     He smiles, looking back at me with confidence. "Don't worry, I'm pretty sure she's on our side."

     "Pretty sure?!"