The Sankari Legends Book One: The Scars We Hide

KC and Emmalie teleported us not back to Inon like I had thought, but instead to Edil, which was a blur of activity.

“What’s going on?” Megan asked, after she’d gotten over her post-teleport nausea. I wondered off-handedly if that was going to be a common thing with her.

“Tyler discovered that the konna at that camp were planning to launch an attack on Edil within the next week, because Edil is one of the border guards for Einoth,” Emmalie explained. “He’s in the military operations room right now, telling them what he knows.”

“Unfortunately, Nicki told us that thanks to your recent… activities there, they’ve moved up their plans. The attack could be coming as early as tonight.” KC’s news wasn’t what we wanted to hear.

“Great,” Megan muttered.

“Where is Nicki?” I asked.

“She’s with Tyler,” KC said. “We’ll tell her you made it back safely. Right now, we need you and Megan to get these two to the infirmary immediately. And then I think you need to pay a visit to Commander Mecah.”

After delivering the twins to the infirmary and passing quick check-ups ourselves, Megan and I were whisked away to Commander Mecah’s office. It was the last place either of us wanted to be right then, but we didn’t have any choice.

So there we were, sitting and fidgeting uncomfortably in our newly cleaned uniforms. It was such a different feeling than what we’d had only a few days ago when we had first been brought in here to be given our assignment.

Okay guys, you know the plan? Emmalie said in our minds.

It had been KC’s idea to have us be telepathically linked while we were in Mecah’s office. Based on what Nicki had told us about certain leaders of the academy being in leagues with the konna, we all had developed our suspicions of Mecah being one of those and the reason our mission went south. KC had instructed Megan to try and get him to admit to anything she could. (Being an IGS, Megan was of course better suited for information wedeling than I was). My part of the plan was to record the whole conversation on the tiny recorder they had just had installed into my watch. Emmalie and KC were on the other end of the telepathic link, giving us instructions on what to do, but Megan and I knew a lot of what we did was going to be on our own.

We’re good, I answered, glancing towards Megan. She looked just as anxious as I felt.

Mecah’s on the move, KC said next. He’ll be there soon.

Got it, Megan responded. She swept a piece of her hair behind her ear nervously, straightened her uniform shirt, and sat up taller. She was getting into character. With a slight smile, Megan turned to me.

“You ready?” she asked.

I returned her smile. “As I’ll ever be.”

She turned her head facing forwards again, her blue eyes shining with unmatched determination. While right now they were the light crystal blue I was used to seeing, I couldn’t help but remember when her eyes had flashed the dark blue of her konna side.

Hey man, focus, Tyler’s voice sounded. Remember you’ve got a dirtbag to nab. You can ponder about Megan’s freaky eye-color changes another time.

Aren’t you suppose to be preparing for the attack? I asked Tyler in an irritated tone.

I was thankful he only sent that to me, because I didn’t want to give Megan anymore reason to regret telling me her secret than what she already had. Honestly, I was still trying to process it all myself. But Tyler was right. We needed to focus on Mecah right now. The rest would be explained later.

That’s when Mecah himself entered the room. Megan and I quickly jumped to our feet as he walked by, waiting for him to sit down at his desk before moving to sit in two chairs across from him.

“Glad to see you made it back safely,” the Commander said gruffly after Megan and I had made ourselves comfortable—or at least as comfortable as we were going to get. I subtly reached to turn the recorder in my watch on as Mecah continued. “Though, I understand your mission encountered some… difficulties?”

“Yes sir,” I said, assuming my role as the team leader. “We were attacked outside of the borders of Inon on our first night. Then on the second night, still at least half a day’s journey away from the… encampment, Alia and Alec were captured.”

“I see,” Mecah said. He glanced between the two of us. “But you were able to successfully rescue them?”

“Yes sir,” Megan answered.

“Well then I believe that you all completed your mission well enough. Congratulations. Miss O’Carroll, you and the two Parkers will be permitted to graduate and as for you, Mr. Raider, I look forward to seeing your continued work as a mission leader.”

“Thank you sir,” we both said quietly.

“Now if that’s all, I do have some important paperwork to finish so if you two don’t mind…” He lowered his head and began writing on a piece of paper. Our cue to leave.

Megan glanced at me from the corner of her eye. I gave the slightest of nods in response. Time to do what we really came here for.

“Sir, there was one other thing I believe I should mention,” she said slowly, but confidently.

“Hm, and what would that be?” Mecah asked without looking up.

“The konna encampment, sir,” Megan said. “It wasn’t a temporary camp as we were led to believe. It was a permanent building, complete with research laboratories, high-tech prisoner cells and interrogation rooms...”

“Well, I’m glad you brought us this information, Miss O’Carroll. I’ll make sure to alert the field commanders in charge of that area and let them know what they’re dealing with. Good work.”

“That isn’t all sir,” Megan continued. “While our orders were originally to not infiltrate, we had no choice when Alia and Alec were captured. Once inside, I gathered even more information I believe you will find interesting.”

“Yes?” Mecah asked, looking up at Megan with a stern expression. She was trying his patience. I glanced at Megan, noticing she wasn’t even flinching under his glare.

“The cells we found Alia and Alec in, sir, were specially designed for the two of them in mind. The cells were located right next to each other, with a fog-window placed in the common wall so that it was possible for them to see into the other’s cell when the fog was deactivated. Alec’s cell was reinforced with rubber—a material he cannot control—while Alia’s was clear of everything except for the torture table. Even her table had been modified. Instead of using normal metal or leather bindings, hers were electric. There was no way she would have been able to use her telekinesis against those.”

“What are you suggesting, O’Carroll?” Mecah asked in a steely tone, leaning ever so slightly across his desk.

Megan didn’t even waver. “Sir, I believe that there was a possibility our mission was compromised from the start.”

Mecah turned to me, just like I had expected. Because Megan held a lower rank than I did, she couldn’t make an accusation like that without my prior knowledge and agreement. So of course, Mecah would ask me to confirm what she was saying.

“Raider? What is your say on this?”

“I agree with my subordinate, Commander,” I said. “Zeta O’Carroll is the IGS on my team, and I trust her judgment.”

Mecah leaned back into his chair and pressed his fingers together. For a moment, he didn’t say anything. Over the mind link, I could hear Megan silently freaking out while Emmalie and KC tried to calm her down. On the outside, however, Megan kept a mask of complete calm.

Finally, Mecah stood up and turned his back to us, looking out of the window onto the training yard where students of every year were working to make preparations for the impending konna attack.

“I understand the true implications of your accusation, Miss O’Carroll. As I’m sure both of you are fully aware of,” Mecah said.

Neither of us spoke. Megan’s thoughts blurred with mine over what he was meaning. Then the Commander said something that surprised us both.

“Excellent job, Miss O’Carroll. You truly are one of the best Intelligence Gatherers we’ve had at this academy in years.”

“I, uh… thank you, sir?” Megan responded.

“Of course, because you are so good, you’ve left me with very little options.”

Just then, Mecah spun around and pointed a gun straight at Megan. Even though she pushed back into her seat in shock, Megan barely let any emotion come to her face.

“Sir!” I protested, hoping to draw the Commander’s attention from Megan and onto me. “This isn’t necessary.”

“You will be silent, Raider,” Mecah said, moving the gun to point at me briefly before returning to Megan.

Megan held her head up straight as she glared Mecah down. Even from where I was sitting beside her, I could see her eye color flickering, wanting to turn to the dark blue she shared with her sister. I didn’t understand the implication of what the eye color change meant, only that it was somehow tied to Megan’s konna side.

“So it was you who gave the information to the konna,” Megan said.

“Of course it was me,” Mecah said. “While some of the other Commanders are just as involved with the konna as I, none were in the position to assign your team this mission or to inform the konna of your itinerary. Which was a difficult task, especially when I was forced to offer you an extra day in Inon. Though, thanks to predictably rash personalities of Alia Parker and even you, Raider, I was confident you wouldn’t accept the offer.”

“But why?” Megan asked. “Why would you involve yourself with them, and why was our team your target?”

“Well, the first can be answered simply. I, much like yourself, young O’Carroll, am a kalahati. I simply chose the easier path of be a full konna that being a full sankrin. As for your second question, surely you can answer that?”

Megan didn’t respond, but instead glared at him. Her eyes were slowly turning darker and I realized what was going on. She was struggling to contain her darker side, which no doubt wanted to jump up, knock the gun out of Mecah’s hand, and then shoot him. But Megan knew what she needed to do, and couldn’t allow herself to lose control.

Sabin, she said over the link, answer him please.

“You obviously wanted Alec because of the knowledge he has about Einoth,” I said. “And Alia proved as a good tool against him, because of course he would want to protect his sister.”

“Mm, close, but not quite,” Mecah said. “Alec was one of the targets, and it is true that Alia was an added bonus. But no. The true target… was her.”

He gestured the gun sharply at Megan.

Megan’s eyes widened slightly.

“Me?” she asked, though her tone held more of a disbelieving laugh than an actual question.

“Your sister is positive that you will one day join our side,” Mecah answered. “Though I originally doubted her confidence, I can see how much you’re struggling right now to keep back your konna side, so maybe she is right. You’re a lot more konna than you would like to believe, Megan.”

“If you’re so sure I’ll join your side, then why are you pointing a gun at me?” Megan asked quietly, her voice holding a harsh edge that I admit made me worry.

“Because the last thing I want is for your sister to get what she wants,” Mecah said. “That girl climbed the ranks in an impossible way, and I don’t appreciate her outranking me. So, I plan on taking away what she wants most.”

Then he pulled the trigger. Megan moved quickly enough to where the bullet hit her in the shoulder instead of the chest where Mecah had been aiming. She still screamed out in pain and fell to her knees. She didn’t notice Mecah raising his gun for a second shot, this one guaranteed to kill.

I admit it was probably stupid of me, but at that moment I sort of stopped thinking. Nicki always told me that there are times when I act on pure animal instinct—a side effect of my powers, I guess—and right then was one of those times. I was the alpha male, wanting to protect a member of his pack. So that’s what I did. Without even taking a second to tell myself I was an idiot, I jumped in front of the bullet. What would’ve been a kill shot to Megan’s head instead caught me in the stomach.

I fell down next to Megan, not even able to scream out the pain was so bad. My abdomen exploded in pain, blinding every single one of my senses. My head spun and I couldn’t really process what was happening other than that someone—I think it was Megan—pressed their hand firmly against the flaming wound. It only made the pain worse, and I could hear the horrible squishing sound of blood squeezing through her fingers.

“Stupid kid,” Mecah muttered, just as the sound of his office door opening rang in my ears.

“Commander Mecah, stand down!” I recognized that voice. Zig. He was here. But how?

“Not today, boy,” Mecah answered.

There was a sound of crashing glass. I turned my head just barely in time to see Commander Mecah fly out through the window. I’d forgotten he was a flier. Must be nice… being able to fly.

A ripping pain through my stomach brought my thoughts back to the present. I cried out in pain. Megan’s face appeared in my line in vision.

“Sabin, you idiot, why did you do that?” she asked, tears streaming down her face. Her shoulder, which I could barely see, was a bloody mess. It was bleeding freely, since she had her good hand covering my wound instead of her own.

“You’re hurt,” I said.

“Forget about me!” Megan said. I realized she was directing this at me as much as she was at her brother. She used her head to wave him back.

“Sabin, you shouldn’t have taken that bullet,” she said.

“Isss ‘k’,” I said, slurring my words. My world was slowly growing dimmer. I could feel my energy draining away with every passing second. My middle felt like it was on fire. “I… heal quickly. My powers… let me.”

“Except that bullet was tainted,” Megan said. “Tyrone’s anti-energy abilities. The bullet was coated with it. Sabin, it’s draining your powers. You aren’t going to be able to heal.”

“Bu… wha’ ‘bout you?” I managed to ask. Surely the anti-energy drained away her powers and energy as well.

“The anti-energy doesn’t affect me like it does you. A perk of being half evil, I guess.” Her voice held a slight tone of bitterness, but also fear. She was scared for me. Even though her shirt was now covered with as much of her own blood as it was mine, she was scared for me.

“Megan, we really need to get him out of here,” Zig said from off to the side. I couldn’t see him. I could barely hear him.

“M… Megan,” I said slowly. I couldn’t remember what was happening. Why was I in so much pain?

The blonde girl turned to look at me. “Don’t worry, Sabin. We’ll take care of you. You’re going to be okay.”

Her words were comforting. I didn’t really remember who she was, or why she was there. But she made me feel a little better as I slipped into the world of the unconscious.

I woke up to see Megan sitting in a chair beside my bed, reading a book. Wait, how did I get in a bed? Where was I?

I tried to sit up, but an agonizing pain ripping through my stomach stopped me. I sucked in a sharp breath, which only made it worse.

“Sabin!” Megan exclaimed, dropping her book. She pushed me gently back down onto the bed, favoring her right arm, as her left one was in a sling with a thick wrapping job around her shoulder. “Don’t try to sit up. You’ll pull your stitches… or worse. Just lie still.”

I groaned but did as I was told. In all honesty, lying down did help the pain some.

“What happened?” I asked weakly.

“You got shot,” Megan answered shortly. “About twelve hours ago, we confronted Commander Mecah. Remember? He shot me in the shoulder, and would’ve eventually killed me, but you took the bullet instead.”

As she spoke, the memories all came flooding back. I glanced at Megan’s sling and bandaged shoulder, then gently felt my stomach to find it was also tightly wrapped. I realized I was also missing a shirt.

“You’ll get your shirt back later,” Megan said. She was wearing a simple tank top, but had a blanket draped over her good shoulder. “Don’t worry, you won’t have to go around half-naked for long.”

She sounded bitter, but it’s not like I could blame her. I’d been a total idiot. I scolded myself for acting so rashly and taking the bullet for Megan, but then again…

“Even though you’re an idiot for intentionally getting shot,” Megan said quietly, “you did save my life. So thanks, Sabin.”

She smiled at me, and I couldn’t help but return the gesture.

“You would’ve done the same for me,” I said.

“Maybe,” she said with a sigh. “If I could fight back the konna selfishness long enough to do it.”

I frowned slightly at her words. I knew she struggled with having the two separate parts of who she was, but I hadn’t realized it was that serious. She’d played it off like it wasn’t that bad.

I was about to say something when Tyler and Nicki walked into the room.

“Hey big bro, glad to see you’re awake,” Nicki said with a grin.

“Thanks, I feel like crap though,” I admitted.

“Don’t look much better either, to be honest,” Tyler said. “Nice gutshot, man.”

“Ha ha.”

“Anyway,” Nicki continued, after lightly punching Tyler in the arm. “We wanted to tell you guys that Alia and Alec are awake as well, and doing much better, though they both insist on joining in the battle.”

“The battle?” I asked. “Has it started?”

I would’ve jumped out of bed right then, had Megan not held me back with her good arm.

“Not yet,” she said. “But you and I are grounded, just like the twins, so don’t be getting any ideas about going out there and fighting.”

“I wasn’t…” I said, even though I couldn’t stand the idea of sitting and doing nothing.

“It’s okay, Sabin,” Nicki said. “You’ve done enough already.”

“Yeah, dude, thanks to you and Megan, and the twins, we’ve figured out that a lot of the Commanders here were involved with the konna somehow.” Tyler turned to Megan. “Oh, by the way, Layne’s here.”

Megan’s already pale face grew even paler. “What?” she asked. “Why?”

“To interrogate anyone who may have been involved,” Nicki answered.

“Wait, who are you talking about?” I asked. “You don’t mean Layne Blythe do you?”

“That’s her,” Megan said. “You remember her, right Sabin? She’s…”

“She’s like, the best IGS of our generation,” Tyler said, stating what we all already knew. “Maybe even in centuries. She graduated with Zig, not just at the top of her specialty, but at the top of the entire graduating class. She’s freaky good. She transferred to Aelston last year when Zig’s team was split up. But Megan and I both had her as a drill instructor.”

“She’s terrifying,” Megan summed up.

“But don’t worry about her,” Nicki said. “They’re going to send the twins in soon, and then you four are going to be teleported to Aelston for now.”

“What?” I asked.

“Not happening!” Megan protested, apparently new to this information as well. “Look, we might not be able to fight, but I’ll be damned if I’m being taken away from here.”

“Zig said so, Meg,” Tyler said.

“Then damn him too,” she countered. “And you can tell him I said that, Tyler, because I am not leaving. Not while there is still something I can do here.”

Nicki and Tyler exchanged glances and sighs.

“Okay, fine, we’ll talk to him,” Tyler said. “You two wait here.”

“Not like I have much of a choice,” I muttered.

They left the room and Megan slouched back into her seat, wincing as she jostled her shoulder.

“How’s the arm?” I asked.

“Hurts like hell,” she stated. “And what makes it worse is I’m left-handed. Well, actually I’m ambidextrous when it comes to writing and shooting guns, but when it comes to eating my right hand is useless. It simply refuses to hold a fork.” Megan chuckled. Anyway, how’s the… how’d Tyler phrase it? ‘Gutshot’?”

“Yeah, that’s it,” I said. “And it feels like a cosmic explosion going off in my abdomen, but I’ll live.”

“Glad to know,” Megan said. She took a breath. “Look, Sabin… about what Mecah said.”

I knew where she was going with that.

“Megan, I don’t believe him. You may struggle for control sometimes, but I can’t believe you will ever fully change. I refuse to accept that.”

She gave a slight smile, not looking at me. “Thanks. But Sabin… if I… ever do turn. I’m trusting you to take care of it.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. The gravity of what she was asking me to do hit me with the force of a freight train and all I could do was sit in stunned silence.

“Sabin, please?”

“Megan, you realize what you’re asking me to do, right?” I managed to say.

She looked up at me and finally met my eyes. They were light blue now, not a trace of konna darkness in them. Tears brimmed around the edges, but still Megan managed a firm expression.

“Sabin, please, I need you to promise me this. Really, you’re the only person I can trust to do it. I can’t trust myself to regain and maintain control if it happens and as for Alia and Alec… neither of them would ever be able to make the sacrifice, not after all they’ve lost. And I know it’s asking you to take on a huge burden, but it’s the only way and…”

“I’ll do it,” I said, interrupting her.

Her eyes lit up. “Really?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I will, if it ever comes to that. But it never will.”

I was confident about that. I had faith that Megan was strong enough to fight it back on her own.

“Thanks Sabin,” Megan said, breathing a sigh of relief. She glanced up at the door. “Now the only thing left to do is to tell Alia and Alec.”

“What are you going to tell them?”

“I have to tell them everything,” she answered. “Except what we just agreed on. I’d feel better if that stayed between you and me?”

“Sure, Meg,” I said. “Though, Tyler will eventually find out. And Emmalie, if she hangs around. And probably Nicki too.”

“That’s fine, I expect that much. Besides, those three are like me. They’re walking banks of secrets. They’ll be okay.”

“You have a very valid point there,” I said, allowing a small smile to form.

And that’s when Alia slammed open the door, stomped over to Megan, glared her down with the harshest glare I’ve ever seen out of her and said:

“Megan Elise O’Carroll, you have a hell of a lot of explaining to do.”