Follow the Arrow

Chapter 8

"Oh, Prince Zane. Prince Zane," she chirps for the millionth time.

I try not to roll my eyes. "Stop calling me, 'Prince' Zane. There's no necessity for that."

"Yes, there is a necessity for it." She walks over and sits next to me. "Unless you'd rather I'd call you My Prince Zane." She tucks her legs behind herself and hugs my arm. "I'm okay with either. Which do you prefer?"

"I'd prefer neither," I mutter under my breath. "I'd prefer you wouldn't call me at all." But she didn't hear that.

"As my fiancée and future king, we must..." And she goes into yet another speech about the duties of being a royal.

I stand up, pulling my arm from her grasp, then walk over to the window. This is what has become of my life the past three weeks. I've been stuck in this huge castle with this girl as my company. When I first met her several weeks ago, she seemed harmless enough. She seemed as normal as a person in our position could be. But as her parents kept pushing her on me, and my parents insisting I go with it, I've found out she's not all that harmless. I turn around and lean against the ledge and look her over, wondering how I ever mistook her as anything less than harmful. Her hair is long, reaching her back and it's such a dark shade of purple, and it’s nearly black. And her eyes are purple as well. All of her features are sharp and angular, making her appear to be older than she is. Sydelle's two years my junior, but she looks older than I. But her entire appearance screams 'dark'.

I turn back around and place my folded arms on the windowsill, staring out at the forest. A lump forms at my throat and my eyes sting. In the forest, something terrible happened. Something I can never forgive myself for allowing it to happen. Because of me, she's gone. They caught her and did exactly what the law said to do. And worst of all, I was unconscious when they did it! If only I had kept running with her, we may have made it out. If I hadn't left in the first place, she'd still be alive. But I did neither and she's dead for that. Orchid is dead because of me.

Feeling some tears build up, I pinch my nose and close my eyes to prevent any of them from falling. "Zane, were you paying attention to me?" Sydelle asks.

"No one was paying attention to you. You've given that speech dozen's of times. I bet he could recite it word for word by now."

"No one was talking to you, Eli," she snaps.

"No on cares for what you’re saying, Sydelle," he snaps back. I hear her getting to her feet. I look over and see her standing in her brother’s face. If I hadn’t already known they were fraternal twins, I would have never imagined these two even being related. They’re so different. While she got the darker traits from her parents, he got the softer ones. His hair is curly brown, his eyes icy blue, and he’s almost the total opposite of her when it comes to their personalities. She’s harsh and blunt, he’s sarcastic and witty, yet also clumsy. But the thing I like most about him is that’s he’s just as fascinated by non-wizards as I am. He doesn’t see the point of the penalty. And he was eager to ask questions about the things I’ve learned.

"It’s not worth it, Sydelle. He’ll probably go tell your parents if you do anything," sighs their cousin, stomping her staff. Of course she’s going to jump in now. She’s almost just like her cousin.

"No, that’s what she does," Eli retorts. Their cousin, Nerreza, limps over, her staff making a clunking sound each time it meets the floor. She stops behind Sydelle and glares at the boy. "And apparently she can’t even fight her own battles." His sister takes out her wand from a pocket in her dress and points it at his throat. "Go ahead. We all know you’ve wanted to do it since we were children."