Dragon Aster Trilogy

6: SLEEP STALKER



Kas’ meditation was broken when he sensed someone sneak into his room and towards his bed, where they stopped on their knees and stared at him. He didn’t know what Sybl was doing, as she should have known well enough that he didn’t sleep as most somnus didn’t, but decided to play along. He kept his eyes closed as she snuck closer to his face, to the point he could feel her warm breath tickle his ear. It finally won, and he opened his eyes.

“You are sleeping again,” Sybl accused him.

“I was meditating,” he said flatly. “And you are the one who should be sleeping. You are going with Cirrus to Toria once the festra finds me, right?”

“You think Sial will come to you?”

“He has followed me for a long time, and the Aeger leaves habits intact. Now that the dragons are no longer our enemy, it would be best to guard the weapon in Toria as well.”

“Aren’t we in the hurry to get rid of me?”

Kas sat up and set his legs over the side of the bed. “You can stay if you would rather. I had only assumed that you would want to follow your Bond.”

Sybl sat on her heels and breathed in deeply.

“What is bothering you?”

“It’s just something really stupid. Sorry to bug you—”

“Hold on,” Kas said, pouncing on her before she could get to her feet. “You were thinking about the first Aster just now.”

“I…uh…” When he let go of her arm, Sybl regained her balance and sat up straight. “I was just trying to remember it better.”

“Maybe I can help.”

She gulped and looked to be searching for the right words. “Everyone on the first Aster was born as twins, right?”

“Yes.”

“I just wanted to be sure that you’re okay with it all being so different now.”

Kas tried to sort through her thoughts, before finally making some sense of them. “Sybl, we were brother and sister back then, and I consider you my sister, now. Only now everything is different as we are not perfect creatures anymore, so we do things differently. Who filled your head with all this?”

“Crazy, eh? I don’t know. I think I’m just stressed out. I’m sorry, Kas. I’ll cut back on the sugar.”

“Get some sleep,” Kas said, nodding towards the door.

Sybl got to her feet and left his room, shutting the door behind her.

Kas took in a deep breath, as her questions had come too close to the truth. He didn’t know why the rest of her memories had not returned yet, but he was grateful that they stayed away for now. Some things were better left forgotten, and with him would die the last sadness that could hurt her in this life.