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Chapter 1: Ben

“We knoho you are, and we knohat you want…”

I had no idea to who in my ears, or what presence had followed River and yptian desert, but after the vision I’d just had, I knew one thing: The Oasis held answers Answers about my past Answers that nobody in The Shade had any clue about

There was no doubt in my mind that the infant in that vision had been me I had been taken to Aviary as a newborn

“What is it, Ben?” River asked as she stared at ?”

I couldn’t find my voice to explain to her what I had just seen Not yet

Ibrahiainst the door of the cha his eyes, he looked our way His sleepy expression turned to one of concern “Is so?”

“I need to speak to s off the narrow bed

Ibrahim looke'd confused, but I was relieved when he just nodded “I will go wake theone, you had better make sure that Ben doesn’t lose control of himself and escape the Sanctuary”

River gulped, then nodded “Try not to be too long,” she said, her voice strained

Ibrahi River and ainstmy chin on her head so that I could breathe her in Her arms slid around my midriff and she heldover the vision I had just experienced The vision I had been given

River didn’t ask again rong, and I was glad that she gave hts before htclothes as they appeared in the roo scent of my father’s blood I backed away into the furthest corner of the room with River

Before they could ask an to explain “I just had a vision I sawhappened tokept there… I was carried away by a Hawk to another place briefly before being brought back again”

My father’s brows furrowed “Wait, Ben A vision? What do you mean, a vision?”

“Iin bed with River”

“Are you sure it wasn’t a dream?” my father asked

“It wasn’t a drea I know that for a fact”

“What do you mean you were taken somewhere else?” my mother asked, her face tense “Where?”

I described the place as best as I could The black reenery The dark clouds The sky tinged with red

The expression on my parents’ faces was one of shock