The Boy in the Field (20 page)

“Yeah. He’s alive.” You smiled.

“Do you know where I can find him?” he asked, at the entrance
to the building.

You patted your pockets, as if searching for something. “I
don’t have my card case. You looked around and glanced at the building. “Step
inside. I’ll write down our details for you.”

Ethan smiled and opened the door, letting you through first.
You nodded to the two men inside. A scuffle ensued as Ethan entered and your
colleagues pinned him to the floor.

“
Kuji!
” Ethan spat. “You set me up!”

You sat on a desk and shrugged. “You left me for dead.”

“Is that what this is? Revenge?”

Your eyes followed him as he was wrestled into a chair, his
wrists bound. “Not revenge. Justice. We’ve seen you with the Liberationists. We
know what you’re doing.”

“Oh, you have no idea.” He shook his head. “Let me go before
anyone knows I’m gone.”

You laughed. “No one is going to know you’re gone, Ethan.
You’re one of a pair, remember?”

Ethan’s nostrils flared and he straightened in the chair.
“What’s he doing?”

“You’ll find out, soon enough.”

You looked out of the window towards the council building. The
streets were still calm.

“You are making the biggest mistake of your life. You have no
idea who I am.”

“How about you tell me? We’ve got a few minutes.”

“I have papers in my inside pocket.”

You moved towards him, one of your colleagues keeping a knife
to his throat. Inside his jacket, you found a folded document with the royal
crest of Kinel, King Sadin’s coat of arms and his signature beneath a statement
declaring that one Mr Ethan Wicker was acting on his express command.

“What the
draff
?” You felt a tingle run down your spine
and into your legs. “He’s not a Liberationist. He’s a spy.”

At that moment, shouts began outside and you saw Noah sprinting
across the road. You cut the ropes from Ethan’s hands and pushed him to his
knees on the floor. Noah pushed the door open and ran straight past you,
disappearing into a corridor behind you. A few seconds later, five Kinel
soldiers entered the building, stopping as they saw your team with Ethan. There
was shouting and you found yourself surrounded, the men forcing you to the
ground beside Ethan.

“Where did he go?”

“On your knees!”

“Drop your arms!”

You raised your hands above your head only to have them roughly
shoved behind your back and clamped in iron cuffs. You heard armour clattering
along the corridor down which Noah had fled, returning a few moments later.
He’d been caught.

“They know I’m a twin,” Ethan said, as his men helped him to
his feet. “They know everything about me.”

* * *

“I find all four defendants guilty of the murder of Neska
Polai,” The judge said. “I personally feel that death is too good for you, but
the law of this country states that you cannot be allowed to live. Therefore, I
sentence you to death by hanging, stayed for one year during which time you
will be incarcerated in four separate prisons.” He clapped his hands twice.
“Guards, take them away. Court is dismissed.”

You looked at Noah as you were led away, out of the courtroom
and down a long corridor to a yard where four separate prison carts waited. You
didn’t say anything before you were forced inside. There was nothing you could
say. It would be the last time you saw him before the execution, assuming you
lived that long.

The guard inside the cart smiled at you, his eyes cold. He wore
the uniform of Jhatani Women’s Prison. The door was shut behind you. The guard cracked
his knuckles. You weren’t sure you’d even make it to the prison. The cart began
to move.

The End
(Back to start)

You turned to face him before he could lead you to the door of
the building, stopping him from going any further. You wrapped your arms around
his shoulders and whispered into his ear.

“You’re being set up. Noah is in that shop, dressed as you,
ready to kill the king’s aide and there are two men inside this building
waiting for you.

“Why?”

“He thinks you are a traitor. We saw you with the
Liberationists.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“In case he doesn’t stop.” You held out your arm, pointing
towards the town hall – the signal for Noah to abort the plan.

Ethan sighed. “I'm sorry to do this, but trust me and you won't
get hurt.” His hand moved and you felt something hard against your side. “Turn
around.”

“Ethan, is that a knife?”

“Yes.” He pushed you forward. “Just do what I tell you and I
won't hurt you. Walk.”

You obeyed, letting Ethan guide you towards the council
chambers. Once inside, he left you with a pair of his colleagues while he
disappeared. When he returned, he was holding a message canister.

“The aide is safe. Noah has been arrested.” Ethan sighed. “Why
did you do it?”

“I was angry at you for leaving me in Landia. But then when I
was walking with you... I don't know. I just couldn't bear to see you hurt, I
guess.”

“So holding my hand and saying you missed me... Was any of that
real?”

You put your hand out to him again. “I
am
single. And I would
like to know what happened to you since Landia.” You smiled. “Maybe you would
like to take me out for a drink before I get sent home?”

“Well, you did save my life. I suppose that’s the least I can
do.”

You nodded. “It’s just a shame I couldn’t save you both.”

Ethan smiled. “Don’t worry about Noah. I’ll find a way to help
him. I promise.”

The End
(Back to start)

“I can’t believe you’re both alive,” Ethan said, pouring you
and Noah each a cup of tea. “But it would have been nice if you could have
spoken to me before punching me in the face.”

Noah scowled. “My traitor reflex kicked in.”

“Then your traitor reflex may need retuning.” Ethan shook his
head. “I work for the King.”

He pulled a sheet of paper from the inside of his jacket and
passed it across the table. It bore the royal crest and the signature of King
Sadin, declaring that Ethan Wicker was to be given full cooperation for
anything he requested. Ethan was a spy.

“I think, technically, that make you the traitor, brother.”
Ethan smirked. Noah rolled his eyes. “Still. I won’t press charges and I might
even be able to help you. I assume you want information on the Liberationists?”

You nodded. “They seem to be doing a stellar job of turning the
Kinns against Serlora.”

“They are.” Ethan sat back. “They don’t see it, but it’s doing
more harm than good to our country. The problem I have is that I’m often needed
to be in two places at once. I
have
to protect the country, because it’s
my job, but it’s difficult when I’m supposed to be with them. Too much time
spent with either and suddenly my loyalty is being called into question.” His
eyes remained fixed firmly on Noah as he spoke.

“No.” Noah shook his head. “I’m not going to be your decoy.”

Ethan held up his piece of paper. “Please?”

Noah sighed. “I’m not a Kinn. I’m not bound by your King’s
commands.”

“Then as my brother.” He smiled. “For our country.”

You nodded at him. “If you don’t agree, I’m just going to tell
our captain and he’ll make you do it. It’s a great opportunity.”

* * *

Noah’s work earned him two Kinn medals in the year that he
acted as Ethan’s decoy. Together, they managed bring down many of the
Liberation’s key figures, weakening the rebellion. After that, their
organisation crumbled. The armies could focus on repelling the Taatars.

“Why do you always have to be right?” he asked when he finally
got home. “You always make me do the right thing.”

“That’s what family’s for.”

“You should have got those awards, not me.”

“Then it’s a good job I don’t also have Ethan’s face.” You
smiled and linked your arm through his. “Besides, it would be pretty creepy if
I did.”

Noah rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Just imagine the
trouble we could have gotten into if you did.”

“I think two of you is enough for this world.” You grinned.

The End
(Back to start)

“Your mother threw a glass at me.”

“What?”

“She said she hates me.”

Noah turned to look at you, the smile fading from his face.
“You are joking, right?”

“No.”

“Why would she do that?”

You shrugged and shook your head. “She’s stressed. You need to
find her a medic. She’s ill.”

“Did she say anything else to you?”

“She’s said a lot of things. It’s my fault that Ethan left. I’m
going to take you away from her. I’m going to ruin your life.”

“None of that is true.”

“I know that, but she doesn’t. She really believes it.”

“Well she doesn’t get to decide who I spend my life with. I am
not going to choose between you.”

You smiled. “She’s your mother. And she’s sick. You have to
choose her.”

“No I don’t.” He shook his head. “We’ll get her some help and
she’ll get better and we’ll move out of the area and things will be okay.
She’ll be like she used to be. We’ll all be friends again. It’ll be okay. It
really will.”

You looked across at him. His eyes glistened and his smile
looked forced. You said nothing, but wrapped your arms around him.

“It’ll be okay,” he repeated.

* * *

But it didn’t get better. It got worse. Adina refused the
medics at first, complaining that they were too expensive. She became bitterer
towards you, refusing medication and blaming you for not giving it to her on
time when Noah came home.

And then she couldn’t get out of bed. Her energy was gone and
even the desire to drive you away from her son didn’t give her the impetus to
get up. She sniped at you when she was awake, but for most of the day she
slept.

Until that day when she didn’t wake up.

Part of Noah died with her that day. Ever since you had been
driven from Landia, there had been a tiny spark of hope in his heart, hope that
he would find his brother and life would go back to the way that it used to be.
That day, the spark went out.

Instruction:
147. Kendra

“I want to leave.”

He smiled. “Soon,
parahi.
I’m saving money. A few more
weeks and we’ll be able to afford a place in Kendra, the other side of the
river.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Then—”

“I don’t want to be with you anymore.” You pushed his hand
away. “It’s my fault Ethan left. If I stay, you’ll get hurt too.”

“That makes no sense.”

You hopped down from the wall. “You will be better off without
me. I’m going to get my things and get out of your way. You’ll get out of that
house faster without me. Your mother will be happier.”

“No.” He grabbed your hand. “Don’t go.”

“You’ll be okay without me.”

“I won’t.” He pulled your arm as you tried to walk away,
forcing you back to his side. “I lost Ethan. I can’t lose you too.”

Choice:
145. Look at Him
or
146. Keep
Walking

“If they don’t let you retire, I’m not going to let you run,”
you said. “That you would even ask means the world to me.”

“What do I do if they refuse?”

You wiped your eyes. “You go to work, like they want you to.
And you stay alive and you come home safe and you write to me every single day
you’re away. Okay?”

“
Accha
.” He wrapped his arms around you as kissed you.
“I love you and I will do anything to make you happy.”

“I love you too.”

* * *

They denied his request to retire, but instead transferred him
to a desk job where his talents would still assist them in the war. In the two
weeks before his new role began, Ethan worked with the cadets, helping to train
them. The youngest were trained as messengers and Ethan showed them how to
carry messages across the city without attracting attention taught them how to
write in codes and told them which routes were the fastest between the
different military camps in the city.

The fresh war seemed easier to handle when Ethan was at your side
every night. When you knew where he was, you didn’t have to worry. As long as
he wasn’t facing the Serloran soldiers head on, he would be okay. Their army
might have been large, but the Kinns were clever enough to keep them out of the
capital. You knew things would be okay.

The End
(Back to start)

“What if I run now?”

“They’ll execute you for cowardice or something.”

“So let’s make sure I’m not caught.” He smiled.

The first thing the next morning, you went out to begin
gathering the supplies you would need for the journey. You spoke to people as
if everything was fine, as if there was no chance that you would consider
breaking the law later that same day.

You returned home after a quick spree around the market. As you
shut the door behind you, you heard a bang from the living room and you hurried
through, stopping dead as you saw two figures in military soft kit tied to
chairs in the middle of the floor. The window was open a crack and you saw
another man fleeing across the garden, mounting the fence and vaulting over
before you could even shout at him to stop.

Instead, you turned your attention to the men in the chairs.
Both were identical. Your heart felt like it would burst with shock. They had
been attacked and gagged – by the man you saw fleeing no doubt.

You rushed over and without hesitation, you untied…

Choice:
148. The One on the Left
or
149. The
One on the Right