"A demon?" Zeras asked. "Are you sure you didn't get hit on the head in the forest? Are you really alright? Should I call a healer to help you?"
"No. I saw it. I know what I saw," Lilian rebuked firmly. "I saw father, and I saw that demon. They were talking in his throne room, and they were speaking of an agreement. An agreement to sell me to that demon!"
Her breathing became heavier as she gave voice to what had happened, as if she were in that throne room again. Zeras slowly stood up and walked over to her, and placed a soft hand on her shoulder, calming her down. She felt warmth and comfort in that hand.
"Are you sure you saw these things? Heard these things?" He asked, gaze narrowed.
"Yes," Lilian said while nodding her head.
Zeras studied her gaze, and then sighed. He pulled the chair to the edge of the bed and sat down, and leaned forward, staring at his sister.
"Tell me everything you saw. Leave nothing out," he instructed her. "Tell me everything that happened."
Lilian nodded, and felt warmth and love from her brother as she told him everything, from hiding in the palace, to teleporting away. Her brother's expression grew darker the more she revealed, and she felt growing hope. Her brother was just as enraged with her fathers actions as she was. Her brother would help her!
Lilian told the entire story, and then fell silent. Her brother leaned back on his chair and sighed out deeply, as if the weight of the story was almost too much to bear. He remained silent, staring up at the ceiling above.
"Big brother Zeras," Lilian eventually asked. "What do I do? How do I…I can't be sold to that demon! I…can't…" she asked, and started to break down into tears again, thinking of such a fate.
She was just a child, and had the whole world ahead of her. Finding out that vibrant world ahead was a complete lie nearly shattered her, and if not for her big brother, she might have already lost all hope.
"You've been keeping secrets from me, huh?" Zeras said, his voice slightly teasing as he stared back at Lilian. "When did you improve your time and spatial Dao's this much?"
"I…recently," she replied, not sure why it mattered, but answered nonetheless.
"You really are a monstrous talent," Zeras said, a sad smile on his face. He suddenly stood up, and gestured for her to do the same. "Come, if what you said is true, then you can't stay here. We need to leave the empire immediately."
"Okay," Lilian nodded, feeling hope for the first time. Her brother would help her! She had hope!
"Clean up, and then put this one," Zeras instructed, handing her some clothing. It was a simple robe with a full face hood, hiding her face completely should she put it on. It even had some formations on it, formations meant to stop divine sense both ways.
Lilian frowned.
"It's to hide your features," Zeras explained. "You're far too recognizable. This robe will stop prying eyes from detecting who you are as I take you away from the empire."
"Okay," Lilian said, and then raced forward to her brother and embraced him, as if she never wanted to let go. It was an embrace filled with love.
"Off now," Zeras said, and Lilian nodded and scurried into the washroom. She cleaned herself up, removing the dirt, grime, and blood on her body, and then put on the plain robe. Her head was contained within, blocking her sight completely. She couldn't see out at all, which made her feel restricted. But that also meant no one could see her either, and so she felt comfort in that fact.
She walked back into her room, not needing to see where she was going, as she had taken that route a thousand times before.
"Good. Let's get out of here first, and then figure out what to do afterwards," Zeras said, and took her hand.
Lilian nodded, and followed her brother as he guided her out of the house. He then took her in his embrace, and took to the sky. She felt the wind race by as her brother flew through the air. She felt her hope grow with each passing second, as each second was a second farther away from her father.
Each time she thought of that conversation, she nearly broke down in tears. But she remained strong, as strong as she could. Her brother zipped in several directions, weaving through the mountains and valleys of the Astral Empire. She felt her body go through a short teleportation, clearly from a transportation formation.
'Good! If we can teleport out of the empire, it will make it harder to track me and big brother,' Lilian thought, clutching tightly to her brother. Her brother landed and began to walk, the soft steps bouncing her up and down lightly.
Lilian remained silent as her brother walked. He paused occasionally, a few seconds here and there, as if waiting for the path to clear…or doors to open. A frown appeared on Lilian's face as the pauses continued; pauses with a familiar cadence.
One hundred yards, then pause.
Seventy-five yards, then pause.
Sixty yards, then pause.
And so on.
She knew these pauses. She had experienced them herself hundreds of times before. When she had walked through the palace towards her fathers throne room! A creeping pit of despair appeared within her, and she struggled to break free of her brother's grasp.
'No. It can't be. Not big brother Zera-' Lilian's thoughts stopped as she felt Zeras put her down, and the hood of her robe was ripped off by him, revealing the scene around her.
"You really are too innocent and naive," her brother said, his voice like a sigh.
Her eyes went wide with terror as she locked gazes with her father, seated on his throne.
"So, you were the rat I felt earlier?" the Astral Emperor said musingly. "A pity you had to find out this way," he said, and then nodded, staring to her side.
Bang!
A strong blow landed on the back of her head, and darkness enveloped Lilian once more.
