The Elite

Chapter 1

log: 06.21.830 AA

He said he'd be back. He was going to talk to... the Elite, was it? Now I'm stuck on Korith alone. All alone on the streets. I miss mom. And dad. And home. Although I suppose this will be my home now.

"Rennya!!"

My head snaps up to see a head of dark hair bob up from behind stone stairs. Well, maybe not all alone.

"Oh. Hi, Wren," I say, failing to hide the tiredness in my voice. I brush a strand of black hair away from my face. "What are you doing here? I thought you were with Isabelle."

"Yeah, she's with Eks." Eks' name is much longer than that, like most Xerithians. Unfortunately, most humans can't form the syllables to say Xerithian names, so Eks is the best we can do. Wren gestures to the street below the abandoned building we call home. The city is so busy that places like these are forgotten and left to people like Wren and me. "Why do you sound so tired," he asks, cocking his head at me, then plopping down next to me.

"Didn't sleep well."

He twists his head around to look at me. "Oh yeah. You've got dark circles under your eyes."

I glare at him.

"Fine, fine, fine. You don't look like a zombie."

"Thank you–"

"Only a little bit."

"Ah!" I elbow him, causing him to let out a small laugh.

"Well, anyways look what I got." I see a glimmer in his eyes that only shows up only after he's stolen something. Something big.

I scooch over closer to him, the anticipation building in my gut. I watch as he scoops out three silver circles. "Silver sets!" My eyes widen at the sight of them. Not the wooden bartering chips we usually used. A mimic of the actual coins used among the Norith Union. Official singles were only ever used in official transactions, with bartering chips being more common among most markets. Especially on Korith. "Tell me. How did you manage to get genuine silver sets? Not even singles!"

"Well... a Norith official may be short on a few sets..." A smile creeps up on his face.

My eyes widen. "No way... You stole from the Union?"

"Stole what?" A small black head with white eyes pops up from the stairs.

"Wren–!" My hand shoots out to hide the sets. Wren was faster.

"Silver sets." He says, flashing the coins.

I turn to face the newcomer. "Eks, don't tell anyone. Please."

A second voice chimes in. "Too late!"

"Hey, Isabelle," Wren says. He stands but is immediately knocked to the floor by Isabelle's hug.

"I missed you," Isabelle says, looking up at him.

"I was gone for the morning, that's it. And you were with Eks, how could you have missed me?" He says, kneeling down to be at eye level.

"Because you're the best brother!"

Her eyes are so wide with joy. I bet that's what I'll look like when Irvin is back from the Elite.

"Well," Wren says, turning to me and Eks, "How are we going to use these sets?"

Eks runs over to him, standing next to Isabelle. They both look at each other, and in some shared thought, they run down the stairs, into the streets of Korith, dragging Wren and me with them.