-Mare's POV-
"Ha! I won! You lost, again!" squealed Tamla. Tamla's Shade's new girlfriend. I never thought I'd like someone who got in between me and Shade, but she was lovely, I couldn't hate her. We all sat in a circle playing cards, Tamla was good, better than Shade, who was the undefeated champion.
"NO!" I yelled, slamming my cards on the floor. We all laughed, tears brimming our eyes.
"If you win one more time, I'll strike you with lightning!" I threatened. Tamla put her hands in the air and smiled. She was gorgeous. She had long, chestnut hair that looked like waves. Her big, green eyes always seemed to glint in the sun and small, brown freckles covered her face. Tamla was always happy, which made Shade happy.
"Wait," she said, "Can I see you use your powers? I've never actually seen them?" I shook my head with a chuckle.
"No way, my powers are dangerous, if you were to get hurt-" I started.
"Come on Mare!" Tamla pleaded.
"If Tamla wins the next go, can you show us, I would love to see you use them!" Shade said eagerly as he turned to Tamla. He looked at her lovingly, adoring ever inch of her body and Tamla did the same. I felt a pang of jealousy in my chest.
"Fine!" I said as Tamla grabbed the cards and reshuffled them. Of course, Tamla won the next game and she threw her hands in the air and stamped her feet in victory. I moaned the whole way to my practice room. I opened the metal doors and turned on the lights.
"Wow," she mummered, mesmerized by the room, "It's huge!" I turned to look at Shade, his right arm was around Tamla, embracing her. She was much shorter than Shade, Tamla barely reached his shoulder. I pressed a button on the wall, and a tree appeared at the end of the room.
"Stand back and enjoy," I said as I turned around to face the other end of the room. I felt the power flowing through my body and begging to be let out. I held my hands out and focused on the tree. Power surged out of my fingertips and travelled to the end of the room, turning the tree to ash. Tamla clapped excitedly as Shade swore quietly. I turned and smiled, bowing.
"If you think this is impressive, ask Cal to show you his!" I giggled. Tamla's eyes filled with wonder as she hugged me.
"Thank you Mare!" she exclaimed, "This is amazing! I wish I had a power!" I laughed quietly, thinking at all the trouble this has gotten me in.
"I should get going," I said as I ushered them out the door.
"Thanks again, Mare," Shade said as he smiled at me. I shrugged and walked away, back to my room.
When I got in, Kilorn was on his bed. We have both said to never speak of that night again and to move on as friends. He put his notebook down.
"Hello Mare," he said and I replied 'hello' back. I sat on my bed and let out a long sigh. I kept on thinking of all the trouble my power has gotten me. If I didn't have the power, I wouldn't be wanted by the murderous King, I would know my family is safe and okay, my heart wouldn't be broken and I would just work at the palace. A knock on the door, disrupted me from my thoughts. I got up and opened it, Shade was there, tears streaming down his face.
"They've killed them," he spluttered, holding a letter, I brought him in and sat him on my bed.
"What?" I questioned.
"Read i-it," he stuttered. I picked up the letter and began to read.
'Dear Mare and Shade Barrow,
We share our sorrows with you. We have recently been informed that your whole family has been killed and Gisa has gone missing. If there is anything the Scarlet Guard can do to comfort you at this time, please let a guard know.
There's a meeting today at nine at night. Please attend and ask Tiberas Calore. You both are needed.
-Officer Farley'
I dropped the letter, as tears streamed down my cheeks. I sat down and hugged Shade. Kilorn ran over and read the letter and turned to embrace us, his hand stroking my hair.
"I'm so sorry Mare," he whispered. I thought of my mothers body, lying on the floor in the living room, her blood spilled over the rug. I stood up and went to my mirror and rubbed at my eyes.
"We have to go, Shade," I whispered as he got up and cleaned his face. We left, not saying a word and went into the conference room, putting on a brave face. Cal was already there, someone must've told him. Farley sat at the end of the table with two other officers at her left and right. She stood up, putting a piece of her red hair behind her ear.
"Thanks for coming you three. We have gotten a video from the palace. We thought you would be the best ones to see this," she said calmly, ignoring the fact Shade and I recently found out that our family was murdered. She pressed a button on a remote, which played a video. Maven was on the screen, his icey eyes seeming to bore into my mind. Gisa was in the background, looking frightened. I gasped and stood up. Gisa was with Maven. He started to speak
"Hello Scarlet Guard, it appears you have something I want. I have something one of you wants. Give me the girl and I'll leave her unharmed. You have two weeks. All the girl has to do is go unarmed to one of the officers and says who she is. If Mare doesn't do this in two weeks, this will happen to Gisa, but without the healer," he snickered as he grabbed a knife.
"NO!" I screamed, watching Maven stab my sister in the stomach. I wailed as tear poured out of my eyes. He repeatedly stabbed her, as she cried and screamed. The healer healed Gisa as she moaned, blood staining her dress and tears pouring down her face.
"You know what to do," he smirked as the video ended. I wailed as Shade sat there, speachless.
"Mare can't go!" Cal yelled standing up, "I won't let her." I couldn't stand this, I walked out of the room, to the doors that lead to the outside.
"Can I go out," I said, trying not to burst into tears. I heard Cal yell behind me, but I ignored him. As the door opened, I slammed it, blocking the guard and Cal from following me. I ran out, yelling at the top of my lungs.
I seemed to be running for hours as I noticed a light in the distance. A purple light, a Palace Officer's light. I yelled at the top of my lungs, sinking to my knees. I was exhausted. They didn't notice me so I sent lightning into the air next to me. I saw the purple light growing bigger and bigger until the car drove next to me. The officer grinned wickedly.
"I've got her," he sniggered as I felt a sharp pain in my side. The world went black.
