Everglade: The Underaged

Chapter 11

Luke put on his costume. It was a dark blue with edges embroidered with gold thread. All his guests will be in costume, even Isabella. She was going as a peacock. He was going as a prince. Luke headed to the ballroom, Eclipse following as usual. She was fully grown now. He had lessons for riding her. His telepathy training was going great too. He could now move things using telekinesis. He still couldn't block out thoughts though.

He arrived at the ballroom. He could hear the music. When he heard his name announced, he took a deep breath, prepared himself for flying tomatoes, and walked in. The room was really crowded with nobles. Luke hoped Korman was able to make it. He searched the room. He spotted him by the punch bowl. He began to make his way over there, but he was cut off by a surly man.

"Luke, I presume?" The man said.

"Yes sir." Luke replied.

"I'm Duke Rowan." Luke shook hands with the Duke. When the Duke moved on, Korman was gone.

Where'd he go? Luke thought. He used his telepathy to search for Korman's thoughts. He brushed against everyone's minds, searching for Korman's. He found it and tracked it. Korman came into view again. Luke began to make his way over.

"Korman!" Korman looked at him. His face lit up. Luke came over to him.

"That's a lot of jewelry." Korman said.

"I know. I think it's excessive really." Luke replied. The circlet on Luke's head slipped sideways. Luke straightened it. It slipped again. Luke straightened it again and held it there. He and Korman laughed at his plight. Luke looked around. Then, he noticed someone. A girl dressed as a swan. Luke figured it had been made by the same seamstress as Isabella's costume.

"Luke, hello? Luke!"

"Huh?" Luke tore his eyes away from the girl.

"What was that about?" Korman asked.

"I saw someone."

"Who?"

"I don't know. I just saw her and she caught my attention."

"Ooh you like her."

"That's crazy. How could I like someone I haven't even met yet?"

"I'm just teasing."

"Hello." Said a gentle voice. Luke looked towards it. It was the girl he'd seen.

"Hello." Luke said. Korman elbowed him. He elbowed him back.

"My name is Estrilda." Estrilda said.

"I'm Luke, this is my friend, Korman." Luke replied. Luke's circlet slipped again. He quickly straightened it. There was a scream. Luke whirled around, his circlet flying off his head. A man in black had the Countess in a chokehold. He was holding a knife to her throat.

"Hey! Let her go!" Luke yelled at him. The man looked at him.

"There you are." He said. He tossed the Countess aside and charged after Luke. Luke backed up and grabbed a plate of cheese. He dumped the cheese off. As soon as the man got close enough, Luke smacked the plate against his head. It did nothing. Luke bolted, Estrilda and Korman followed him. Isabella put herself in between them and the man, but Luke grabbed her arm. He dragged her away.

"Hey, let me go!" she screamed. Luke didn't. They burst into the hallway.

"This way!" Isabella said. They followed her.

"Who was that?" Estrilda asked.

"No idea." Luke replied. "Probably someone who hates me." They stopped by their rooms to change, trusting that the guards were on the man, then, they headed out of the manor through the back. There were men in black everywhere. A hand reached out of the shadows and grabbed Luke's arm.

"Gah!" Luke yelled. He was drug into the shadows. The others followed, ready to fight. Luke looked into the person's face.

"Who are you?" Isabella demanded.

"Not your enemy." The person replied. "If I was, the Griffin would have attacked me already." Luke wrenched his arm out of the person's grasp.

"Who were those people, and what did they want with me?" He demanded

"They are the Band of the Crows. They collect Underage Partners."

"You mean, what happened to me, has happened to others?"

"Yes, but they weren't as lucky to escape as you were. The Partners that they collect, they put under mind control and force them to do bad things."

"Like kill?"

"Worse."

"What could be worse than killing?"

"Torture for some, kidnapping for others. It depends on their powers. Those who can kill, they force to, those who can torture they force them to do that."

"What would they have forced me to do?"

"They would have forced you to break people's minds. Make them go mad." Luke's stomach lurched. He was glad he escaped.

"What can we do?" Korman asked.

"Run. Hide. While you still can." The person said.

"I can't run. Who knows what they'll do to my family to find me? I've already lost one set of parents, I can't lose another, adopted or not." Luke said.

"Then you fight. My name is Ailwin."