Dark Everglades: The Rising Sun [BOOK ONE] {BEING RE-WRITTEN}

Ethan

Ethans POV

I can't believe what just happened. I can't believe I'm still alive. How am I still alive? An Owanel - a sassy and slightly annoying Owanel named Alexandra - came swooping in just to say hi?! Hello!? With a Demlion with her?!

I shake my head as we walk closer to Eclea and the frost begins to touch my cheeks. What am I getting myself into?

Maybe the little girl knew this would happen but how? And this bell...? As soon as that Owanel landed it seemed to pulse and grow warm. I don't want to take it out. It's real gold and who knows what that Demlion will do with it if she ever got her hands on it.

"You okay there?" Arina calls and I don't turn around.

"Just fine. Why are you asking?"

"You're shaking."

"Of course I'm shaking. I have an Owanel and a Demlion behind me." I stop, turning. "Do you realize how much trouble I'm going to be in - all of us - if we get caught?"

Arina crosses her arms, and Alexandra seems to shutter excitedly. "I know! Exciting right?!"

I give her a sharp look and Arina rolls her eyes.

"Do you think of me as some kind of dumb creature? I knew what the stakes where," She snaps and I stare at her.

"And you're still going with it?"

She nods once and I sigh, turning around again. "I really hope I get enough time to say 'I told you so' before the government separates us."

I can feel Arina's tight scowl as I continue down my path with them slowly following.
***
We have passed Eclea's border, and Arina and Alexandra are slowly turning into ice crystals behind me.

"H-How will we h-hide ourselves from t-the others?" Alexandra asks and I bite my lip.

I stop as the city begins to show itself and I look around slowly. "Maybe we can hide behind buildings. My grandmothers house is right over there."

"T-That mansion?" Arina asks and I nod once.

"Are you rich or something?" Alexandra asks and I scowl lightly.

"Come on, we better hurry before you die of frostbite," I mumble, beginning to turn to the left and staying a clear distance away from the city.

Once we begin to enter my neighborhood, it's about dinner time and the sun is going down. There are barely any Roplana's out in this time and It's frightening how blue Arina's lips are turning and how sick she looks.

I forced Alexandra to keep her warm with her wings even when Arina protested.

"How much longer?" Alexandra asks worryingly, not looking nearly as bad as Arina with her thermal warmth cascading around her already with the abundance of feathers she creates.

"Only a few more miles," I answer, walking quickly to another house with the girls following.

Soon enough the next house is my grandmothers.

"How will we get in without being seen by everyone else?" Alexandra asks and my eyes train themselves on the backyard gates.

"This way..." I begin to quickly run towards the backyard gates, opening the latch and letting the girls through first.

I close the gate, turning and glancing at the girls who stand motionless.