Episode Seven, Part 4:
Your Heart Has a Secret

This is a place where I don't feel alone.

Elara woke up, feeling a hand shake her shoulder gently, pulling her out of sleep. She opened her eyes, disorientated for a moment until she saw Ares sitting on the edge of her bed, offering a warm smile her way. 

As she sat up, Elara glanced past her brother, seeing Wynn on the opposite side of the room having just woken up Quill. 

She looked back to Ares, knowingly. 

"It's time," he confirmed, stepping away to allow Elara to her feet. 

Wynn retreated to the bench near the door, where he had been sitting with Ares, and picked up two of the bags. He handed one to Quill and Elara, picking up the third and final one for himself. As Elara went to put it over her shoulder, Ares stopped her, telling her to wait a moment. 

She watched in anticipation as her brother headed to the bench, retrieving his navy-blue hoddie and handing it out to her. 

"What's this for?" Elara asked, unsure why he had given it to her. 

"Put it on," Ares instructed, holding her beg as she followed his bidding, untucking her read hair from inside. "It's so you don't look like yourself, or no one recognises you as easily, not that anyone will see you." 

She looked over at Wynn and Quill, wondering if his statement had made them just as worried as she was.  

"Ares-" She began, but her brother took her by surprise. He lifted the hood up, pulling it over her head, momentarily blinding her. When she pulled it down from her face, she could see him grinning playfully, trying to annoy her for old times sake. 

Quill was watching on, distracted from his worries for a moment, but Wynn couldn't bring himself to feel the same. Not when he knew he was going to have to do this without his brother. 

"See? If you can't see anyone, they can't see you," he joked, earning a swat away from his sister. 

"I don't think that's how it works," she rolled her eyes. 

Ares turned his attention over to Quill and the younger boy looked pleased as he stepped over to him, hopeful to hear what advice he had to offer. 

"You know what you have to do?" Ares asked. He rested his hand on Quill's shoulder, trying to ease him into assurance. 

Quill gulped. "Try not to get myself killed?" 

"Yeah, that's a start," Ares laughed. "Don't do that." Then, his voice softened. "Make sure you stay with them-" 

"I know," Quill cut him off somberly. "I'll be fine. Promise." 

Ares nodded, exhaling deeply for a second, then pulling his little brother in. As they held each other close, a knock on the door came to break them apart, both Sol and Kodiak appearing in the doorway. 

Quill sighed and stepped away from Ares, knowing that they would have to leave now. 

Kodiak walked over to Elara, his hand sliding around her back, nervous about letting her go. Not only was he a Sovereign, but he was also her boyfriend; there wasn't a single part of him that felt okay with her being without him, even it was only just for a day. 

With Kodiak there, Elara felt a little more ground to be able to ask her question, as if there was more of a chance that she would be backed up now that he was there, or realise that it was a good thing for her to have all of her brothers with her. 

"Please can Ares come with us?" She asked, spinning around to look up at Kodiak. He was hesitant to meet her eyes, wishing he could give her the answers she wanted to hear. 

"Ell..." He began tenderly, not sure how to put it clearly. 

Seeing how much he struggling to answer, Ares stepped over, his hand latching onto Elara's arm and encouraging her to look at him. 

"You know I can't do that," he told her. 

"You could," Elara argued. "If you wanted to-" 

"I do want to!" Ares promised. Hurt twinged at his heart, a desperate look of yearning on his face as he glanced between all three of them. "I want to be there with you guys so bad, but I have to be here when Dad comes." He explained. "You'll be with Wynn the whole time. He won't let you out of his sight, okay?" 

Elara looked over at Wynn as he nodded, taking comfort in knowing that was Ares was saying was true. She knew Wynn and Quill would both look after her, but she wanted Ares to be there as well. It didn't feel right leaving without one of them; like it should be the 4 of them, or none of them at all. 

"Yeah, and as soon as Targo leave here, I'll run up ahead and find you guys," Kodiak contributed. "I'll make sure you get home safely. We all will." 

"It's not me I'm worried about," Elara mumbled. 

"Well, at least that's a good thing," Kodiak replied, comfortingly running his hand up her back. 

The young girl sighed, looking up at the Sovereign, a final attempt to change his mind, but he couldn't give in. 

"I'm sorry, Ell, but, it has to be this way. It'll be over soon. Just focus on that." 

Without there being anything else she could do, Elara sighed, nodding as she followed her brothers out of the Quarters. 

////

Ares breathed heavily, standing at the gates of Basilisk beside Fenn and the Sovereigns, all there to see the three of them off safely. They knew the risks, but they couldn't wait any longer. The risks of not seeing the plan through correctly were far greater than anything else they could foresee. 

Kodiak walked over to his direction, clarifying to Sol that they were ready. 

"I've checked all their bags. They have everything they need. Wynn and Quill both have a radio as well." 

Sol sighed and folded her arms, trying not to let her heart get in the way of her duties. She looked at Wynn as Kodiak spoke, nodding to assure him that everything would work out because she didn't trust herself enough to speak. 

As a guard pulled open the gates, Quill and Elara both stepped forward to say their final goodbye to Ares, hugging on tight before they reluctantly drifted to just outside the gate, waiting for Wynn to follow. 

He began to follow them, but he hesitated, stopping to look at Ares. A beat, and then both brothers were hurrying to close the remaining distance between them, crashing to embrace each other. Ares held his younger brother against him, unable to explain why he felt so afraid, or why this was harder than every other time he left camp, but it was... 

"I know you'll be fine," Ares whispered. "I've got your back. For always." 

Wynn exhaled, fighting away every doubt and allowed himself to pull away. Face to face with his brother, and Ares' hand on his shoulder, he repeated his words. 

"For always," he said. "I'll see you soon." 

Ares smiled wistfully, letting go of his brother as he joined Quill and Elara outside the fence, making sure they were close behind him as he led them south of Basilisk - towards Rider's Labs. As he watched them leave, someone walked over to his side, wrapping their arm around his waist. It was Fenn. 

He leaned his head on the boy's shoulder, lingering there until his siblings were out of sight. 

"Everything will work out," he said. "You'll see. This time tomorrow, Targo will be gone and your sister will be safe. And you'll all be home." 

Ares looked up, gazing at Fenn as he soaked in his words. "Yeah, you're right. Everything will be better tomorrow." 

Seven // Part Four
For always.

Dom Sherwood... If you're reading this... I love you.

Btw I might have this book finished tomorrow!!! Tomorrow, ahhh!!

11/04/20