The World Walkers: Athare/Quiar: Kaito: Running (part 2)

[k_a_webb]

Part 1

There was some days even before he heard about the arrest warrant that Kaito had wished he was like the other Council Walkers. It had been so much easier for him to do the jobs he was given, and be the Walker he’d always thought he was going to be, before he’d gone to Quiar, before he’d connected with one of the sentient worlds the fae didn’t even know were sentient, but he wouldn’t give up what he’d gained. Getting to know a world was something he didn’t know could happen until he did, which he was sure was the same for all of the Walkers who had found themselves to be something more than they thought they were, and it was one of the most wonderful things that had happened to him. At the same time it meant that everything he thought he knew, thanks to the training he had been given, turned out to be wrong.

During their training the Walkers were taught the history of the Web from the point of view of people who didn’t know all the facts. Kaito couldn’t help thinking that part of the reason their teachers didn’t know everything was the secrets the original Walkers kept. If he’d been in their position he would do the same thing, because he was keeping secrets from the Council himself, from the sentience of the worlds to Azure’s choice as a natural Walker to start training with the Council. Maybe, if the fae didn’t have some control over the Council, they would all have chosen to be more open about what they knew. It was hard to know for sure, because he’d never been in the position where he had that choice, and neither had any of the other Walkers.

Of course there was a chance there was a Kaito who’d grown up in a very different Web where the fae weren’t so much of a problem. Quiar had always been honest with him about the existence of the other Webs, but he’d never asked questions about them because he was more focused on the life he was living. The lives the other Kaitos were living, if there were other Kaitos, had been of no interest to him. Carver, when he found out about the other Webs, had been fascinated, and started writing a book about what he was learning, that he imagined being passed from person to person in the same way Leolin’s journals had been. With everything that had happened Kaito was beginning to think he wanted to learn about the other Webs and any other Kaitos.

Azure had convinced both Kaito and Carver to hide a bag in one of the clearings close to Council buildings. Before Kaito stepped into the clearing he checked to make sure that there was no one there, even though he was half hoping he might see one of his friends there waiting for him. When he was certain it was safe he found the bag he’d hidden in one of the large bushes. It held a change of clothes, some food to keep him going, but the food wasn’t enough to get him all the way to the door to Quiar, so he’d have to stop at one village at the very least, and a map of Athare that they’d made from Leolin’s journals and some newer information that Azure had.

“Kai,” a quiet voice said from behind him, making him jump and turn, even though it connected with him before he saw who it was that it was Azure. “Carver’s busy, but as soon as I heard about the arrest warrant I headed here.”

“Are you sure that was a good idea?”

“I don’t care if it wasn’t.” Kaito was surprised to see tears in Azure’s eyes. “I wanted to see you before you left.”

Kaito was even more surprised when Azure threw herself at him, wrapping her arms tight around him, pressing her head against his chest. “What’s up?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

“Do you know why the Council want to question you?”

“I didn’t stop to ask.”

“They think you know about a natural Walker who’s infiltrated the Council.” Azure pulled away from him, wiping tears off her cheeks. “It’s all my fault.”

“No, it’s not. I don’t doubt that there are other natural Walkers who chose to become legitimate Walkers that I know, even though I had no idea that they were naturals, and as Carver isn’t wanted I think it’s much more likely that it some other natural. If they suspected you we’re both be under arrest, not just me.”

Kaito couldn’t help wondering who the natural Walker might be. During his time training he’d become friends with plenty of people who could easily be more than they admitted to be. If he had any idea who it was he could have warned them, but even though he’d gone through everyone he knew in his mind there was no one he could think of who might be a natural. They were obviously keeping their true identity hidden well enough for a Walker not to notice, just not well enough to keep themselves hidden from the Council, and that was always the problem.

“Do you really think so?”

Nodding, Kaito reached out and squeezed Azure’s shoulder. “I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t believe it.”

The relief in her face made Kaito smile, but it soon faded. “Carver and I are still going to need to be more careful, Kai. If the Council do suspect that there are naturals who’ve gone through their training then they’re going to be jumping at shadows and neither of us are what could be called normal Walkers.”

“You both have plans for what you’re going to do if the worst happens and hopefully this will all fade away soon.” Kaito didn’t really believe it would, but he wanted to calm Azure down as much as possible. “Then you’ll be able to go back to life as normal.”

“It will never be the same.”

Mirrored from K. A. Jones Writing.

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No typos spotted.

Poor Kai.