Lyle looked at Amaris. He was both proud and sad at the same time. "Ok. I will start on our way out of here, you coordinate with Alexis. He knows where Marco and Christos should be." He turned around and put the truck into gear. Amaris saw that Taji and Anna were in their own little world holding hands in the space between the seats and talking quietly facing the window. Amaris suddenly found herself envious. She knew that she should have what they had right now, but Lyle had changed his mind. Sheshook the feeling off, she could not think about that right now. She needed to focus on what she needed to do now and then she could worry about whether there would even be an 'us' in the future for her and Lyle. Amaris reached out and mind linked Alexis. "Alexis. Where are Christos and Marco right now. I think that we should go and meet up with them, and then we need to find your brother and see if there is some thing that we can do for him." Amaris could feel Alexis' surpris

"What?" They had both spoken at the same time. Amaris did not make out all that he had said, but got enough to get the gist of it. Lyle seemed to want to back up the conversation again too. "Amaris, what I did, I don't even know how I did it for starters. You were right. I was scared, feeling sorry for myself, and I went back on everything that I said to you back at the Oracle. I had dug myself into a hole emotionally and when the mark disappeared, I panicked. I felt embarassed, and did not know how to explain to you what I had done, not to mention I did not know what it would do to you. I was a coward, and I did the coward thing, and instead of going to you to talk about it and see if we could figure out what happened together, I ran. For that, and so much more, I am truely sorry." Lyle said. With this last part he took his eyes away from the road and looked at Amaris. Amaris was a little confused. "What do you mean that the mark just disappeared? Tell me exactly what

Lyle whipped his head to look at Amaris. "What did you just say?" Amaris was looking out the windshield, and leaned forward and grabbed the wheel to bring the truck back onto the road since Lyle was no longer paying any attention to the road. Amaris was attempting to steer from the passenger seat. "That was what I said. I tried to communicate with him while he was unconscious. Lyle you need to slow down. I can't steer from over here at this speed." Lyle was still not paying any attention to the road. Amaris continued on so she could get to the end of the explination. "It was while Anna and I were locked in the shed with him. We needed to find out where you were being held. I needed to question him, but the only way was through a mind link since he was unconscious. When I entered his mind he was far away." Amaris was straining to steer around a curve to the left. "I spoke to him, He was reluctant. He gave me a clue to try and help find you, and then pushed me out of hi

After everyone was finished eating, they moved all the tables and chairs back so the wait staff would not have to. They left and the place emptied out. All of the men piled back into the trucks. Lyle lead Amaris back to the same truck that he had been in before they arived. They had first gone to the truck and gotten her pack from Anna and Taji. Lyle threw her backpack in, and then helped her into the back of the truck. She sat down on the bench seat, which was much less comfortable than the truck seat, and waited for the convoy to start up again. Lyle came and sat down next to her. He faced her and began to speak. "I'm sorry." Amaris was about to tell him not to appologize anymore when he held up his hands. "No. No. Wait. I have a lot to appologize for and I don't want you to speak for now, just listen." He looked at Amaris as he set his ground rules, unsure if she would give him the opportunity to finish, he took the lead. Amaris nodded once for him to continue. "No e

Amaris was watching where the hawk was flying. It seemed to know exactly where she wanted it to go before she said anything. So did the fox. The fox ran to the edge of the woods where the fencing started. "Good hold there fox. Hawk lets see what we can find from above. Good. Start with the palace. Circle around carefully. If you see any archers go higher and away." Amaris warned the hawk. "Wait. There are archers! They better not shoot our hawk!" Anna said with indignation. Amaris scowled but said nothing. Taji seemed to understand that Amaris needed no distractions while she was trying to track and direct two animals. He went over and put his arms around Anna and kissed her neck and then whispered to her. "They will be fine. Give Amaris the quiet she needs to concentrate and she will be able to protect them." He kissed her again and then leaned his chin on the top of her head. Anna seemed to relax with Taji holding her. Amaris continued trying not to pay attention to anyone around her