Page 4 of All That Has Flown Beyond
“You have proven yourself to be an irresponsible member of the pack,” Ahmik said. Kaiyo tried to interrupt, but Ahmik went on. “As Kephale, it is my duty to protect us. Your actions put us at risk. You…you are no longer welcome here.”
The silence that followed had its own sound. Kaiyo stared at Ahmik. He could see nothing else.
“Okay, that’s…I get you’re upset, but I’m fine. You’re taking the joke a little too far, don’t you think?” Panic was rattling Kaiyo’s bones.
“This isn’t a joke,” Ahmik said. Kaiyo searched his face, but the features of Ahmik’s mask didn’t shift.
“This is ridiculous. You can’t just—I’m not listening to this.” Kaiyo made to stand up, but his legs were suddenly cut off from the rest of his body, immobile. Kaiyo looked down at the couch. “What…is this thing enchanted?” he asked incredulously.
He tried getting up again, but the harder he strained, the stronger the staying force seemed.
“What the hell is this?” Kaiyo snapped. A muscle in Ahmik’s jaw clenched. Kaiyo furrowed his brow.
“Let me go,” Kaiyo demanded. Ahmik didn’t reply. Kaiyo looked at the others. “Thea,” he implored, but she still wouldn’t look at him, her hand clasped tightly in Emil’s. Kaiyo looked at Mehdi instead. “What do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, knowing it was Mehdi’s rune trapping Kaiyo to the couch.
“He’s not doing anything. This is my decision,” Ahmik said. “Mehdi is just here to assist with the ritual.”
“Ritual? You can’t be serious. This is—this is bullshit. Mehdi, break the rune. I get it. What I did was wrong. You can’t just…kick me outof the pack.”
“I can, and I must,” Ahmik said in that same flat, toneless voice. “Mehdi. Please commence.”
“Commence?This is ridiculous. Ahmik—”
“Kaiyo Amanati,” Mehdi cut in. Kaiyo’s voice died in his throat. “Your Kephale has called on me to perform a severing ritual. Once complete, you will no longer belong to his pack. You will no longer belong to this land. All ties will be severed. You may remain in Bamsdale, but the pack house will be warded against you. This is the will of the pack.”
“The will…thewillof thepack?” Kaiyo spit out. Everything inside him was rushing. His blood, his thoughts, the panic racing through. The world was becoming a blur.
This had to be a joke. The pack was his family. His home. Apart from his mother, it was what he had left in the world. It was his future and destiny.
He couldn’t lose this. Not again.
“Wait. Wait, please. Look. I-I know I haven’t been…listening. But I’m listening now. I’ll be more careful. I won’t do it again. Please, I—”
“It’s too late,” Mehdi said. “The will of the pack has spoken.”
“ButI’mpack! How can you say that! I’m, I’m—”
“Not anymore.”
“Please—”
Thea and Emil got up from their chair, joining Ahmik in rounding the coffee table to make a semi-circle in front of Kaiyo. Kaiyo stared at them. He couldn’t breathe.
“Guys. Guys, come on. I-I get it, okay? Don’t—this is ridiculous. Don’t do this,” Kaiyo pleaded.
Thea made a broken sound. There were tears in her dark eyes. Kaiyo focused on her.
“Thea. Thea, please,” he said, but she shook her head.
This couldn’t be happening. This just couldn’t be happening. He was still in the hospital, trapped in a nightmare.
Mehdi joined the circle. The ritual began.
Mehdi’s voice was steady as words began to fall. Stones to build walls, knives to cut ties.
At first, Kaiyo felt nothing. And then, from the centre of his chest, from the deepest part of him, a tugging.
“Wait. Wait.” Kaiyo struggled to get off the couch, desperate.
