Rarity

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Lily

            The alarm went off at 4:30 sharp, as it always did. I groaned and rolled off my cot, my bare feet tensing up as they hit the cold floor. My COVEC uniform was all over the place and I’m sure my hair looked like death itself. I yawned and stepped up to the door of my cell, cracking my knuckles and back as I did so. The door slid open as it always did and I walked to my spot in the line, waiting for everyone to hurry up so my row could go into the bathrooms. As usual, the fae took forever and had to be hurried along by the guards. They allowed us in and I went into one of the cubicles and took a 3 minutes shower before brushing my teeth. I avoided looking in the mirror. I hated the empty look and sunken skin that always stared back at me when I did. I yanked my thin black hair into a braid then changed into a new uniform, waiting for the magic fabric to print my name and ID before walking out the other door of the bathroom. The vampires around me formed a line as we walked towards the cafeteria, a line of boys marching in sync with us from the other side of the hall.

            We walked into the cafeteria, the vampires going into one line, the fey and werewolves in another and the rest of us forming a separate line. The coven of witches stood in front of me and they were annoyingly cheerful as always. The leader, Serena, was talking about how the guards were going to let her grow sage in her garden in the courtyard and the other two squealed in excitement. I rolled my eyes and waited for them to hurry up and get their food.

            A disgusting sniff came from behind me and I knew that if I turned around I would come face to face with Gred, the irritatingly emotional goblin. Like seriously, you’re a goblin. Pull it together. No need to cry over the fact that you can’t eat a fresh baby for breakfast and steal something from a museum in your spare time. I stepped up to the table and grabbed the offered bowl of oatmeal and an apple. I walked to my usual corner table, hidden in the shadows. I started eating and looked up when a young boy joined me. Jamie, as usual, was silent, his gaze faraway and out of focus. He sat down and we ate in silence.

            I frowned as I watched him. He had lost weight and his uniform was hanging loosely off of him. His hair, which had once been a glowing chestnut was now a gloomy brown and hung in messy waves around his head. His dazed eyes were even more distant than they had been when he first came 4 months ago and the silver irises that were the defining characteristic of seers, were now a flat silver. As if he could sense my worry, he gave me a small smile. I mirrored his attempt at a grin then looked up as the announcements came on the speakers.

            “Attention everyone. Today is Tuesday, June 23rd and I have some announcements to make.” Captain James’ voice came through the patchy speakers and I groaned. He always went on forever and ever with his announcements.

            “I need the nephilim Zachariah, number 234-04, the darkling Lily, number 256-23 and the seer Jamie, number 543-09 to be escorted to my office immediately. We are also going to have some new rules that need to be followed during free time in the courtyard.” His voice became fainter as I cleared my dishes along with Jamie and walked over to the guards at the door. I noticed the literal “golden boy” of the prison walking over and I growled deep in my throat. I hoped I wasn’t in trouble for fighting with him again. The last incident was, like, 4 days ago!

            The guards formed a box around us as we walked and I kept one hand on Jamie’s arm, making sure to guide him in the right direction. The last thing we needed was for him to wander off again. We arrived at the solid titanium door and I adjusted my collar as the guards knocked and the door hissed open as the locks released. Inside the office, was a large wooden desk and uncomfortable wooden chairs in front of it. Two large bookshelves stood against one wall and the other was coated in weapons and “trophies” of all different kinds. I held back a gag at the demon horns hung carefully next to a necklace of fangs. To pull out a demon’s horns was the worst and most painful you could do. It was like pulling someone’s arm off, but 100 times worse.