A Spy's Home--Book 1: Beyond the Borders.

Prologue

Prologue

Snap!

My body shot out of bed as I heard the startling noise. My head was throbbing from today's spar, but I barely noticed as I crept out of my dorm. I knew we weren't supposed to be out past midnight, but I have always been a stubborn kid.

I climbed the fence that went around the sparring field and crossed cool, moist grass to the other side. I looked up at the security cameras; someone had turned them off! "You shouldn't be here." a voice whispered into my ear. Instinct took over and I tried spinning around and punching the figure, but whoever it was was smart and caught my arm and pushed my back.

I recovered quickly and got back into my fighting stance, but the figure came closer without hesitation and grabbed my wrists. I don't know why I didn't fight; I guess something in my gut told me not too, and I was happy I didn't because it was my partner, and best friend, Rory!

"Zylina, I need you to be quiet." he ordered, dragging me to a closet. Once we were inside, he said, "I'm leaving and you can't come with me." "Why are you leaving?" I whispered back. He had been planning an escape for a couple months, but I didn't think that it would be so soon. "You know why, I have a family out there, and the only way to find them is to leave." Rory explained back. "Am I not your family?" I asked, as my eyes stung from the waterfall of tears that was about to be released. "You're too young. I'll come back for you." Rory replied, kneeling down to my eye level.

It was true I was only ten years old and he was sixteen, but I decided to retaliate. "I'm not too young, I can fight and-" "Life is more than fighting, Zylina!" Rory cut me off. I clamped my mouth shut and looked down to the ground with sorrowful eyes. Rory lifted my chin to lock eyes with me again and said, "Zylina, you're like a little sister, and I have always protected you like an older brother should. Once I find a way to make a living, and get enough money I'll come back to pick you up." I looked down again and nodded; Rory forced me into a hug, and I couldn't stop it, and started silently sobbing into his shoulder.

"I promise I'll come back for you. I don't know how long it will be, but I will, and to make sure you remember me I have something for you." Rory said, releasing me. He reached into his pocket and fished out a silver cuff bracelet that had white at the border. He grabbed my left arm and attached the cuff, and told me, "Never take it off, sleep with it, train with it, don't tell anyone about where I'm going and who gave this to you." I nodded, and we walked out of the closet. I went back to my dorm and he snuck away into the night, away from the Spy Academy.