Blood Wars

Chapter 9: Trials of the Heart

Jacob was passed out on the couch when I finally snuck in the door at four in the morning. The TV was still on some late night advertising channel and Jacob was hanging off the couch in his blue plaid pajamas. It hurt a little to see that my uncle was more concerned for me than my mother or father. Ezekiel would never wait up for me, but every time I stayed out late Jacob would be up waiting for me or asleep on the couch. He really was more of a father to me than Ezekiel ever was.

            I put a blanket over him and turned off the TV before heading upstairs to my own room. “Reese, the meeting is at 8 ... A.M.” Apparently he wasn't as asleep as I thought he was. I groaned loudly walking up the stairs and I could hear his sleepy laughter.

           

           

            “Reese it's time to get up.” I groaned and swatted at my intruder. “If you’re going to stay out all night, you have to live with the consequences. Now get up the council is meeting in an hour.”

            I shot up. Shit. I had forgotten about the meeting. Jacob was still standing beside my bed looking worried. “What's wrong?”

            “Why are your eyes blue? They had been green last night when you left.” I blushed, but a smile spread across my face. That was going to be a problem if my eyes kept on giving me away.

            “I had a little run in with Galen Chambers last night.” My uncle didn't find it as funny as I thought he would. He had his arms crossed and was looking mad. “What?”

            “Galen's father is a member of the council and he is the one who decides your tasks. It is not wise to provoke him.” I just rolled my eyes and started getting ready.

            “Please, Galen and his father are a sorry excuse for a royal family. Besides father needs me to succeed, he would never let me fail.”

            “You and your dad aren't on the best of terms right now. He won’t be as willing to defend you to Justice and Blake.” I hadn't thought of that. Ezekiel needed my powers but that didn't mean he wouldn't rough me up to keep me in line.

            I grabbed the pitch black training uniform out of my closet. It fit like a second skin. Making us agile as we trained, but in the hot August heat, it just made me super-hot and uncomfortable. My hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, but I refused when they tried to make me wear it in a bun. Jacob was still rambling on about the dangers of tormenting Galen, but I wasn't listening.

            He must have realized, because he called my name loudly in an aggravated tone. “Reese!”

            “What!” He just rolled his eyes at me and started to walk out of my room.

           

            “I was saying, maybe you should tell Wolfe to listen in. The council is going to be assigning you and three other teams on a joint task to track down the Primus.”