III

An irate voice sliced through the haze of Lyra's mind. "…understand anything at all! What sort of authority does that have? They simply vanished! No flesh, no blood, nothing!"

Lyra groaned, her hand flying to her throbbing head as she pushed herself into a sitting position. "Ugh, everything hurts," she muttered, wincing as her fingers brushed against the shallow cuts on her arms. Staggering to her feet, she drew a trembling breath, trying to clear her senses. The world swam into focus, and with a sickening lurch, she realized this wasn't her bedroom in Indiana. This was Oria. A knot of pure fear tightened in her stomach.

Then her gaze fell upon Kara, lying still on the ground beside her. Lyra rushed to her sister's side, her hands hovering for a frantic examination. There were no visible injuries, no marks at all. Kara's face was pale, a fine sheen of perspiration clinging to her brow, but she seemed to be merely asleep. Relief washed over Lyra in a dizzying wave. She gently brushed a stray lock of hair from her sister's cheek before rising to pinpoint the source of the voices. One was sharp with fury, the other calm and measured, though laced with confusion. After a final, worried glance at Kara, Lyra crept toward the tree line.

She crouched low in the dense foliage, peering through the leaves at two warriors examining a patch of scorched earth.

"Kara is exceptionally powerful," the man's level-headed voice replied. "I would wager her sister is as well."

A small, triumphant grin touched Lyra's lips. Finally, someone who gets it.

The woman’s voice was a low growl. "I simply cannot fathom it! How can two ordinary girls wield such power? Without a day of my instruction, they are already stronger than I am! It's a cosmic injustice!"

"Please, relax, Reya. You and I both know that Kara is—"

"Yes, yes, I know."

Lyra’s brow furrowed. Who is Kara, really? What instruction? Lost in thought, she shifted her weight, a dry twig snapping underfoot. She stumbled, tumbling headfirst from the bushes with a startled squeal. In an instant, she was pinned against a tree, the incandescent edge of an energy sword humming perilously close to her throat. A few feet away, the woman, Reya, held a roiling ball of blue light in her palms.

Lyra struggled, but her captor's grip was like iron. His royal blue eyes, intense and focused, were inches from hers. Despite the imminent danger, a fleeting part of her mind registered that he was incredibly handsome. That probably won't stop him from lopping my head off, though.

"Hey! Get off me, you creep! Help! Maniac on the loose!" she yelled, thrashing wildly.

The man laughed, a surprisingly warm sound, and released her. He shook his head at his partner, who sighed and allowed the ball of light to dissipate. "Calm yourself, Lyra," he whispered, his voice gentle. "I was never going to harm you."

Lyra squinted at him for a moment, then her expression melted into a quick, audacious smile. "Ha! I knew that!" she declared, giving his arm a playful punch.

Reya rolled her eyes at the new, appreciative sparkle in her companion's gaze and turned away.

"I am Kiro, Commander of the Sentinels," he introduced himself, taking Lyra's hand and brushing his lips against her knuckles. "I was sent to guide and protect you until you have completed your training."

A faint blush warmed Lyra's cheeks. "I'm Lyra," she giggled. "Wait, you knew that. How did you know that?"

Kiro smiled warmly, guiding her back toward the path. "We were alerted to your arrival in Oria," he explained. "We learned a great deal about you and your sister, including your names."

Their steps faltered as their eyes met and held—hers a vibrant green, his a startling blue. "Uh," Kiro murmured, his voice suddenly thick, "you're truly beautiful." He pulled her into a brief, almost clumsy embrace.

Lyra swallowed hard, closing her eyes for a second. "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself."

They pulled apart, both taking a deep breath. Kiro cleared his throat and strode back toward the path with renewed purpose. Lyra smirked and skipped after him, offering a silent thank you to whatever gods had orchestrated this meeting.

After a tense introduction between Lyra and Reya, Kiro began to bandage Lyra's minor wounds. Just as he was dressing a scrape on her hand, Kara sat bolt upright with a gasp.

"Kara!" Lyra squealed, throwing her arms around her sibling in a bone-crushing bear hug.

"Hey!" Kara laughed, returning the embrace. Lyra pulled back, her expression turning serious. "You scared me, you know!"

Kara arched an eyebrow, offering a weak smile. "The feeling is mutual."

Kiro shook his head, watching them as he packed away his first-aid kit. One is a spark, the other is the ground, he thought. A perfect harmony of passion and intellect.

"We really must be going," Reya called from a fork in the trail ahead. With a shared glance, the twins hurried to catch up.

"What happened after those guys attacked, Kara-kara?" Lyra asked.

Kara glanced back at Kiro, who was walking a few paces behind them. "It's all a blur. Kiro pushed me out of the way, and Reya shielded us while he fought them off. You were out cold the whole time."

"Yeah, because those things zapped me! Pshoo!" Lyra mimed being struck, staggered dramatically, and flopped onto the path. As Kara applauded, Lyra leaped to her feet and took a bow for an imaginary crowd.

Kiro caught up, continuing the story. "That's not the end of it. She left out the part where you got some payback on her behalf."

Kara searched her memory, her expression baffled. "I did?"

"In essence," Reya interjected, cutting Kiro's narrative short, "you possess the elemental power of Aether. It manifests as focused telekinesis and precognitive visions. You must have instinctively called upon those powers when you sensed your sister was in danger."

Kiro sighed. "That's what I was getting at."

"Yes, but you were being overly technical," Reya retorted. "They are new to this world, Kiro."

Kara stared at her hands in astonishment. It all made sense now—the visions, the surge of energy. She had Aether powers. She touched the choker at her neck out of habit and smiled.

"Oh, Kara! Your amulet is glowing!" Lyra cried, pointing at her sister's throat.

Kara's gaze dropped. It was true. The amulet was glowing. Its central orb throbbed with a steady, internal light, while one of the seven surrounding symbols shone with a constant, unwavering brilliance. The symbol was a yin-yang with an intricate eye at its center. "Whoa…" she breathed.

Kiro glanced at Reya. "It's the amulet. Her Highness was right."

Reya nodded, distractedly running a hand through her hair. "I've never seen anything like it. Does this mean…?" Her face paled as her eyes met Kiro's.

A flicker of pain crossed his features. He swallowed hard. "Yes."

"Does anyone want to explain why this crazy amulet is glowing?" Kara's sharp voice cut through their reverie.

"Reya, would you do the honors?" Kiro commanded softly, before turning to walk a short distance away.

Reya watched him go for a moment, then faced the girls and began a concise explanation. "This is the Amulet of Mynora. Each of the seven symbols represents one of the elemental powers. The orb at its center signifies its connection to the Orian Royal Family, through which it is passed down." She paused, testing them. "Kara, what does each symbol represent?"

Having listened intently, Kara answered without hesitation. "The yin-yang with the eye is Aether, the flame is Pyre, the leaf is Terra, the swirl is Gale, the teardrop is Aqua, the starburst is Lumen, and the crescent moon is Umbra."

"Very good," Reya replied, turning to lead the way once more. "We must keep moving. The sun will set soon."

The sisters exchanged a wary look and hurried after the Sentinel. Kiro, who had been scanning the darkening sky, fell into step beside them. Lyra looped her arm through his, and the others heard her infectious giggle.

Kara sighed fondly. "That's my Lyra."

A small, knowing smile touched Reya's lips as she watched Kiro lean down to whisper something in Lyra's ear. "And that's my Kiro." The two women shared a look of mutual understanding. "I suppose we have the same problem," Reya concluded.

"Seems that way," Kara agreed with a laugh. "So, where exactly are we going?"

"To the Sovereign City, the capital of Oria. It is home to the Princess of Oria, who rules this realm and commands the Sentinels through Kiro. He is, surprisingly, her right-hand man, leading a vast legion of Sentinels across Oria."

Kara nodded, finding it hard to picture the impulsive, hot-headed Kiro in a position of high command. She suspected the Princess was the voice she'd heard from the Amulet. But if she had a "vast legion" at her command, why summon two girls from Earth?

Before she could ask, an earth-shattering roar reverberated through the jungle. Kara clapped her hands over her ears. "What was that?" she yelled over the ringing.

As Kiro pulled a terrified Lyra back into the group, Reya uttered a sharp phrase in her strange tongue, and a shimmering dome of blue light materialized around them.

"Reya!" Kiro barked.

"Sir!" she snapped, her training taking over.

Kiro drew his energy blade, its light cutting through the gloom. "Keep them here. I'll investigate." He met Lyra's frightened gaze for a heartbeat before turning toward the edge of the shield.

Lyra spun on Reya. "You can't let him go alone!"

Reya's arms were crossed, her stance unyielding. "Kiro is an immensely skilled swordsman. He will signal if he requires my aid. Until then, we wait."

Kara sat, trying to ignore the gnawing pit of dread in her stomach. Lyra began to pace, her nervous energy a stark contrast to the Sentinel's rigid composure. Within moments, Kiro had vanished into the oppressive darkness of the woods.