Rose's Thorns: The Wolf's Prophecy

11

Orion's Pov

When Orion had woken up to Rose's letter, he thought it was a joke. But in the small amount of time he had known her, he learned that she rarely joked around.

To the suit... 4 large steps... tap the wall... enjoy the-

Enjoy the ride?

Then, in the part of the wall where the two rooms might meet on the other side, a panel gave way, with enough room for someone to walk in. The further he went, the steeper it got until he was sliding quickly down a metal pipe. To the sides, he could just make out the blurry shapes of holes or other pipes that joined the one he was in. He was going sickeningly fast and he began to doubt his friend's idea of thrills. Suddenly, the dimness exploded in the morning light of the outside. He flew, ironically hoping that he would meet the ground very soon. Thankfully when he landed, there was a catch of unnaturally soft grass. he dusted himself off and watch as the hole he had just come out of the blended back into the bricks of the castle. "Enjoy the ride. Ha. Amusing. Very funny."

He could not help but smile at the mystery behind the princess. He shook his hair out of his eyes and set off in the direction of the clearing. On his way, he began to think. It was nice of Rose to do all this for him. Orion was sure she did not know how much trouble she would get into if anybody were to find them out. But then again, would she really care if she got into trouble? Probably not.

He had to keep telling himself that they had barely just met, and she meant nothing more to him than an acquaintance. She was not his friend. She was not.

But demons of Hell could come to him and tell him she was nothing, and he would still know in his heart that she was everything. It was beyond his control, but he knew a good person when he met one. And she was the furthest thing from toxic or bad as one could get. Maybe he really had found his first real friend. Back home, he had friends, if you could call them that. But they all seemed to disappear from his mental list when it came to whom he felt had his back. Only two names were on that list. Rose and himself.

But what about your secrets? His brain coaxed wickedly. What will she think of you then? When all else fails and the walls crumble and she knows your all? What then?

But he pushed those thoughts away as he came to the clearing. Quietly he looked around and then he saw her. Standing tall with a blank expression frozen on her face. Her hair blew in the wind. Her eyes flashed, dark green to light, to blue to light green again. It was oddly fascinating to see her emotions so avid on her face and in her eyes. She hated it, but he loved being able to tell what she felt. He stood quietly behind a spruce tree and watched as she worked. It took Rose minutes to do, what it took nature years to accomplish.

It was strange that it bothered Orion, but she never looked around for him once. As usual, he shook his thoughts away and continued watching the girl. But his thoughts would not cease and soon, he was a prisoner to his mind again.

When he had left home, he had crossed the mountains and had taken the train way to the other kingdoms. All around, people whispered of him. But he never paid much attention, because it was one thing to hear the sounds, and another to acknowledge the words. Besides, those who spoke behind him were behind him for a reason.

It was entertaining, to say the least, to learn of the other gifts that Tobias possessed. He never really liked to show his heritage "art" as he liked to call it, so it was useful to pick up things here and there while he traveled. Fire was just so difficult.

He was brought back to his senses when a little cottontail rabbit practically ran into him. He looked up to see something he never would have believed. But something was wrong. Fear grabbed his heart in a killer clasp as he noticed the effect it was having on her. Her mouth shut tight in pain. Her eyes, watering, flashing the familiar yellow of hysteria. He moved as fast as he could, but he did not reach her in time. Her body dropped down and when he arrived, she was only a motionless being, breathing lightly. Her body convulsed and her eyes flashed open and closed as if caught in a nightmare. Blue, trapped. Green, intense. Orange, anger. Yellow, loss of control.

Control.

He had no control. His entire world exploded in a ball of light.