The Lost Kingdom

The Ruins

I wake early the next morning, my head pounding softly with pent-up energy. I've been trying to keep my powers in for a while, trying to make it to where I don't have to release the energy as often, but the extra strain is making it worse. I know that if I don't let the power out, it will eventually come out on its own, and it will be bad.

I sigh and start to get dressed for the day. I pack a satchel with two daggers and poison herbs. Being stuck in a fallen castle with a bunch of people I don't know will already be uncomfortable enough without the added fact that I didn't have my weapons with me. I don't care if the teachers don't want me to bring them. They should have thought of that before inviting Assassins into the school.

Once I've packed my bag, I get dressed in a black shirt and pants and throw a cocoa brown cloak over my shoulder, with my leather boots and belt.

I look in my dented up mirror and pull my hood over my pointed ears. My eyes dilate and become rounded over my glowing red eyes. The purple is almost gone. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before opening them again. More purple this time. Good.

I turn and exit my home, heading towards Piper's house.

Once there, I knock three times loudly, knowing Piper is a deep sleeper and won't hear me otherwise.

The tired Healer opens the door with her hand raised to her eyes, rubbing the sleep out of them. "What?" She asks simply.

I give a small smile. "Rise and shine sleepy head. Time for school," I say sarcastically.

She lowers her hand and glares at me. "Brook, I can't leave right now. I have a list of supplies a mile long that i have to get from the other kingdoms, and no one to watch Leena. I am running on energizing herbs and no sleep. And if I have to handle one person bumping into me at this 'school', I might just throw a hand full of velvet ants at their face," she says irritably.

I frown. "Jeez Pipes, who broke in and stole your joy?" I ask jokingly.

Piper roles her eyes at me and moves to close the door.

"Wait. What if we asked Mixie to watch Leena. And then, as soon as school is over, you can come home and wallow in tiredness and stress," I offer with my foot in the door.

Piper sighs and nods. "Fine. But I wasn't kidding about the velvet ants," she says.

I laugh as she goes to wake up Leena and find Mixie.

                        ●●●

After finding Mixie and dropping Leena off at her house, we head into the market to meet with the others who are going to the ruins of Avalon for school.

As we come up to the group, I notice Octavian standing off to the side, his golden hair shining in the sun.

My mind flashes to the last mission we were on, remembering how Octavian saved my life.

He nods at me from across the way, and I nod back.

I turn away from him and focus more on the group around me. KiKi, Klause, and Carter are there, as well as our poets, Logan and Willow. There is no sign of any of the royals, and I assume they are sitting in their castle, the only ones who get to get out of this new requirement.

Logan and Willow have their heads close together and seem to be having a very intense conversation. Klause and KiKi are talking to Carter about their stands. Piper looks annoyed. All of their thoughts have the same path, "What are we going to do about this?"

I look at the ground and try not to be noticed too much. I feel Octavian's eyes on me, and it makes me suspicious. I haven't talked to him since he saved me. I remember that my powers had come very close to coming out. I don't know what he saw or what he knows.