Watchtower

Chp 7

I made my way back inside and wrapped my arms around Griff's waist from behind.
"Well, that was fast."
"Yeah because there was a pay phone right outside." I mumbled, burying my face in his shirt.
"So the books were right then."
"Seems that way."
"What are we going to do?"
"What can we do? We'll tell the others and we'll do our best to train the twins but other than that there's nothing."
"What do the twins have to do with it?"

I let out a sigh.
"Supposedly the main group of four will raise another group of four and they'll be really powerful. I'm assuming Alexia and Tristan are part of that 'other four'."
His muscles tensed beneath my arms and we sat like that for a while, both of us deep in thought. I started wondering if this was a blessing, none of us could have biological children thanks to him but with adoption they would be our family. I smiled softly in anticipation at the thought, maybe we could still have children of our own in a way.

A knock on the door pulled my attention from my thoughts and onto Hesterin, who was frowning.
"What's wrong?" I questioned, immediately releasing Griff and making my way over.
"He left another one." She barely whispered the words, holding out an envelope with a blood red seal. It was left unopened, but the hand writing addressing it was obviously his.

A scowl tugged at my lips and a stuffed the envelope in my back pocket before embracing my best friend in a hug. We all felt different about the man behind it all, but Hesterin was affected the most. I didn't know how much, but I knew it was bad. Any time anything reminded her of what had happened she'd freeze up, and then shut down. She'd hide in her room for days until Ryo convinced her to come it.

Lately she's been happier, she hasn't seemed to the think too much about the past while the twins were able to distract her. She allowed her arms to wrap around my body as mine had done to her and I could feel her trembling.
"It'll be ok, he can't hurt you anymore. You can't give him that ability over your life." I whispered, trying to comfort her.
"How am I supposed to do that? I can barely close my eyes without seeing his face...." she sobbed and my heart broke for her for the millionth time.

"Show him just how little his words me to you. You don't even know what he said, you can't let it control your life. Fight him, fight the power he thinks he has over you. Everything will be ok in the end." She nodded softly, but we stayed like that for a few minutes so she could gather her thoughts.
"You'll tell me if I need to know something?" she questioned, obviously talking about the envelope.
"Of course, when don't I?"
"Thanks."
"You're my best friend. I'd do anything for you, other than die because I'm too young to die."

She laughed softly and shook her head at me before leading me through the hallways and towards the twins' bedrooms. We spent the rest of the day playing and talking with them, happy that they could speak and understand a good chunk of English already.

As we hung out I began to realize just how much they meant to me. Not just the twins, but Hesterin and Ryo. They were family, as much as Griff was. I didn't plan on letting any of them go anytime soon.

~~~~

*Alexia's POV*
(Eleven years later)

"Get up Lia!" Tristan huffed, yanking my favorite blanket away from my body. I groaned and squinted at my twin, still hoping he'll give me back my blanket and let me sleep just a few more minutes.
"It's so early!" I exclaimed, annoyed.
"So? Hes is only giving us an hour to walk around without a babysitter and then we have to come back and train. Would you rather sleep or explaore the woods?"

I hated that he knew me so well.
"Give me five minutes." He nodded and exited my room briskly, allowing me to change into a comfortable pair of leggings and an oversized hoodie. I quickly brushed my hair and teeth and then stepped out of my room, where Trista was ready and waiting.
"Let's go!"

I laughed softly at his enthusiasm as he led the way through the twisting halls. I had no idea how we'd memorized them honestly, there we just so many. We rushed outside, happily breathing in the salty air, before taking off into the woods and allowing our wings to show, using them to get a burst of speed.
We jumped over fallen logs and wound around trees, sometimes narrowly avoiding a branch to the face, thought it always made me laugh whenever he had that terrified look on his face.

We ran four several minutes straight before we climbed into two separate trees and caught our breath listening to the early morning noise.
"Do you think we'll ever be able to travel?" I asked quite suddenly, my heart yearning to see the world.
"I'm not sure Lia. I guess it all depends on whether he gets dealt with or not." My twin replied honestly, picking at the wood.
"If you could change one thing, right now, what would it be?"
"That fact that no matter how hard we try we're always in danger of being found."

I nodded in understanding. All Tristan ever wanted was for us to be safe. Well, safe and free to do as we wished.
"What about you Lia? Anything you'd want to change?"
"I think I'd change the fact that we're always running from something. First it was nightmares, then it was flashbacks and now it's the very thoughts we have. I'm tired of being afraid of someone who we'd barely known." I huffed in response, crossing my arms over my chest.
"I'm sorry Lia." He muttered, jumping over to my tree and wrapping his arms around my shoulders.
"Don't apologize Tan. There's nothing you could've done."

"Doesn't mean I can't be sorry for how things are now."
I simply nodded, leaning into the embrace. We sat there quietly for a while, until Tristan sighed.
"We should be getting back."
"Yay, more training." I muttered sarcastically. He chuckled and shook his head, hopping out of the tree.

I smiled and followed in suit, but froze when I nearby branch broke.
"Seriously Ash? Shhh!" A boys voice whisper-hissed.
"Sorry." A girl answered softly, clearly uncomfortable. Tristan and I shared a look. They didn't sound very old.

We made our way towards the source of the noise and found a boy around our age hugging a girl probably a little bit younger and whispering to her. Both of them had ash blonde hair but neither of them seemed to notice us yet. Tristan gave me a questioning look and opened his mouth to speak, but a growl rumbling from the boy stopped us in our tracks.
"Who are you?"