Ashren stared at the woman before him for a long moment before he saw their mother in her. He backed away, shaking his head. “A-Ashira?” The woman nodded once, tears falling down her face freely, before she was overcome with a flurry of coughs that brought her to her knees. Ashren rushed to the bars of her cell, his arm outstretched to touch what was just beyond his reach. “Ashira!”

“Ashren,” she finally gasped. “You shouldn’t be here. If they catch you...” She leaned against the far wall, tears filling her eyes once again. “If they catch you, they will do to you what they have done to me. Ashren, for you, it will be much worse.”

Ashren fell to his knees, tears tracking down the familiar path along his cheeks. He didn’t understand what she was saying. Ashira smiled kindly.

“Ashren, when they captured me, they thought I was what you are.” She started to cough again. When she found her breath, she continued. “I’m dying.”

“No!”

“I am. Ashren, they have killed me. I have aged so quickly,” her voice trailed off as she stared at her gnarled hands. Then her eyes returned to her brother. “But, it will be much worse for you if they capture you. I have the mercy of death. You will not die. Because you are closer to our demon heritage, you will not age as I have, and they will use you to do things... horrible things.”

During one of her coughing fits, she had retreated to the bed of rags at the far side of the cell. Now she returned to Ashren, clasping his hand to her chest. “You must leave here, Ashren. You cannot be captured. Here, wear these, they will be looking for you, my brother. They know you exist, so you can’t go home. You have to hide, Ashren. They must not be allowed to capture you.”

She handed him a bundle of clothes that he discovered was made of a corse rose colored cotton dress.

“Now, go. Leave this place. I die here, before this day has come, but you must live.” Ashren stood, sadly watching as his sister sat on the pile of rags. She looked up at him, her eyes fierce. “Go!”

His muscles gave an involuntary jerk at the tone, so like their mother’s. His jaw trembled with his emotions as he stared at his sister. Just a bit longer...

He gasped, trying to hold back his sobs, tears still trickling down his face, revealing hte bruises that the rock wall had given him under the blood and dirt. Ashira stared at him, the same emotions trailing across her face. She knew the moment Ashren acquiesced with her demands. She was him swallow hard, saw him tug on his lower lip with his teeth. She smiled sadly again, softening their parting.

He sniffled as his eyes lowered and he turned to the door. His little shoulders shook and slumped. At the threshold, he leaned against the door for support. He hugged the bundle of clothes to his chest. From across the chamber, she could see his body shaking uncontrollably.

How she wished she could help him now. How she wished she could hold him close and tell him everything would be all right. Tell him that they could escape and live the life their parents wanted for them. She suppressed her own sobs. He didn’t need her crying now. He would never leave if she broke down now. And he had to leave.

His fingers touched a chain around his neck, withdrawing the charm from under his cloak. She gave a silent gasp, closer to a sob as she recognized the pale pink stone in his trembling hand. He held it tightly to his lips and she felt a warmth enter her heart as she watched her demon twin.

Finally, he pushed himself up and away from the doorway. His head turned slightly to the side, as if he wanted to look at her one last time, but could not bring himself to do so. She understood. He knew it would only hurt and crack the resolve she’d built for him. He rubbed his eyes and pulled the door closed behind him.

Ashira covered a sob with her fist and clutched at her chest with her other hand. She’d told the truth when she had said that she wouldn’t live through the night. The pain in her body had gotten worse and was unbearable. She should have died long ago, for she was only human. She had none of the demon attributes of their father, save for the connection to her twin through the stone their father had made and given to each of them.

Ashren had kept her alive.

And she repaid him by breaking him. She could feel his anguish, his pain and terror. It tore and ripped at her heart like no other pain she’d ever experienced. She collapsed, covering her face with her hands and sobbed, harsh, wracking sobs that brought pain and coughs from her chest.

He’d lost hope. With that hope, his grasp on her life was lifted.

Suddenly her cough stopped with a final wet cough that brought blood to her lips and her body fell to the hard floor.

Ashren allowed his feet to carry them where they would, his eyes lowered to the ground. Twice he bumped into the wall of the tunnel, his mind blank. He whimpered with each new bruise, but the pain could not bring him out of his trance.

Then a shot from within brought him to his knees. He screamed out in pain as he felt his sister’s life leaving the stone and his connection to her blanking out. There was a sudden emptiness in him that he couldn’t cope with, his mind searching for that connection he’d always had, but never noticed until now.

He pushed himself to his knees, hands fisted on the ground. If he could only get home, his dads would know what was wrong. Mum would fix it; make it better. He moved barely and his strength gave out. His face met the ground, scraping and tears created a puddle under him. He called out for his parents in turn, then for his sister, always there, always beside him.

Why had they abandoned him?

Where were they?

He tried to push up on his arms, but there was no strength. He bawled, clawing at the ground. He just wanted to be home, safe and with those he loved... was that too much to ask? Again he tried to stand and make it to his feet in a rush. The blood suddenly rushed to his head and he threw out his arms to keep his balance. The sudden movement jarred his injuries and colorful spots clouded his vision. He stumbled two steps, then the world went black.

If he could just get home...

AN: It is finally finished. Please review, I'll love you forever.