But before she could reach the dais, one other figure stood out from the crowd. They were so short, Aizel hadn’t noticed them.
Confused, Aizel stopped. She opened her mouth to sing once again when the small figure raised its arms in a wide arc over their head, wiggling their fingers all the way.
Celesta?
Aizel’s heart pounded and tears fell down her face.
Her sister was fine.
A new movement on the steps of the palace caught her attention and Aizel noticed a fresh contingent of guards rushing down the steps. Behind them, a single figure stood, the crown on his brow sparkling in the sunlight.
Aizel ran toward her sister.
“Stop!” Celesta signed across the plaza. “Save him.” She pointed to the dais where Robin was preparing to defend herself against the incoming soldiers.
“She’s got this. She’s a warrior.” Aizel spoke with her hands as she continued racing toward Celesta.
“No, not her. Him.” Celesta pointed back to the dais, where a sleeping figure with a covered face was sleeping among the soldiers.
But Aizel could only focus on one thing. “No, you. Let’s get out of here.”
“No!” Celesta’s movements were as loud as she could make them. “He saved me.” She moved away from Aizel, running toward the dais herself.
Aizel swerved back, struggling to find a safe place to put her feet among the sleeping bodies. She wanted to question her sister, to find out who had saved her. But she knew—somehow, deep inside her—whose face she would find under that cloth on the dais.
A clang of metal cut into her thoughts and she looked up to see Robin fending off an entire group of soldiers on her own.
As impressive as it looked, Aizel knew it wouldn’t last long.
Tapping into the relief that Celesta wasn’t in immediate danger, Aizel opened her mouth and continued her song.
One by one, the soldiers around Robin fell to the ground.
Robin threw her a quick nod of thanks, then turned her attention back to the palace stairs, ready to face any new attackers.
Aizel reached the dais.
Celesta was slowly picking her way up the stairs, which were covered with collapsed people. Aizel used her upper arms—toned from years of swimming—to pull herself up over the side of the small stage, although she had to stop her song to do so.
Once on the higher platform, she could see the entire plaza more clearly. Her eyes noted the unusual sight of hundreds of people, slumbering peacefully, though her mind had no time to marvel at it.
Another group of soldiers poured down the palace steps. Behind them stood King Gareth, his hands covering his ears. She could barely make out the look of rage on his face, but she could feel the smug satisfaction that rose inside of herself.
She quickly wound her way to the stranger’s side, singing as she went to help Robin with the remaining soldiers.
Grabbing the rough-woven cloth from the stranger’s face with one hand, she lifted his heavy head with the other and tugged the cloth free.
The sight of Erich’s face, calm and peaceful, overwhelmed her so much she stopped singing.
He had saved her sister. He had taken Celesta’s place. She had no idea how he’d done it, nor did she have any idea how she would ever repay him.
“Aizel!” Robin called. “We need to get out of here. NOW.”
Aizel looked up. A line of archers stood beside the king on the top step. They wore a covering over their ears.
Looping her hands under Erich’s arms, Aizel tugged him toward the edge of the dais. Celesta was at her side, pushing his sleeping body toward the edge.
Jumping down, Aizel pulled Erich on top of her.
