The Keeper Exams

Stage One: What to Expect

Important details are in bold, the rest is Kate's story.

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The base was buzzing with activity, the Exams were minutes away from beginning and every member of the Guarde was on high alert. I'd spent the last few days since the banquet organizing and preparing for this moment: the start of the Keeper Exams.

"Kate!" Thomas shouts, his footsteps echoing loudly as he jogs down the hallway, appearing at my side. "The apprentices are in their places, I have two Guarde members posted outside each chamber." I nod, my heart thudding violently in my chest as I approach the metallic door marked "KEO".

"Good, thank you." Thomas nods and pats my shoulder. I breathe in deeply at his touch; an unconscious attempt to provide comfort. But I shouldn't need it; I shouldn't be afraid.

"Kate." Thomas voices, a quip of worry tinting his tone. I shake my head and walk a little faster.

"I'm fine." Thomas grasps ahold of my wrist and tugs me to a halt. I bite my lip, refusing to look at him for fear of him seeing the emotional roller coaster in my eyes. Warmth spreads through my cheek as he guides my head up to look into his eyes.

"Kate," I close my eyes, refusing to admit it. "what's wrong?"

"Nothing." My heart clenches and my eyes fly open, a surge of fury lighting through me. I'm not afraid, I'm perfectly fine. "Leave me alone." I pull myself from his grasp and proceed down the hall, wringing my hands before me to stop the shaking.

"Katelyn!" Thomas snaps, I falter and turn around with wide eyes. Thomas has his arms crossed over his chest and his face set in a stern line.

"That girl doesn't exist anymore." Thomas ignores my comment, whispering a single word under his breath. Suddenly, the bland hallway and steel door at the end of the hall disappears. A protection spell of invisibility wraps around Thomas and I, shielding us from prying eyes.

"Now, you can tell me what's wrong or I'm going to dig through your thoughts until I find it." He barks, eyes hard and unwavering.

"I'm scared," Thomas nods, prompting me to continue. I sigh and close my eyes, running my hands over my face. "I'm not scared of dying, or giving up my position, that I'm actually looking forward to. I'm scared of messing up. The Hybrids need a Keeper and the Exams must provide me with a suitable successor, what if I can't find them in time? What if I lose my power before the end of the Exams? I'm scare of ruining everything, the Hybrid society depends solely on me. That's a lot of pressure for a girl who no longer exists, because most of the time I don't feel like the Keeper, I feel like Katelyn and she's just ordinary." I look up at Thomas, giving him a glimpse of the turmoil inside me.

"You're right, the Hybrid society does depend on you. But Katelyn, you don't have to feel like the Keeper to be her. Because Katelyn and the Keeper are the same person, eighty years and you haven't figured that out?" Thomas smiles teasingly, emiting a small smile from me.

"Wow, thanks T." The world comes back into view, the hallway and intimidating steel door reappearing as Thomas's protection spell comes to the end of its thirty second period. Thomas whispers again under his breath and the same spell repeats itself.

"Thomas, stop-" He cuts me off.

"I know, I know. First, run me through stage one again. Let's make sure you know what you're doing when you enter the Keeper Exams Operations facility." I sigh, this is unnecessary. I knew the procedure inside and out. But Thomas's expression was anything but understanding, he was going to keep repeating the same spell until I told him about stage one.