Royal Secret

Turning Tides

"You can run but you can't hide" A deep voice said.
Afraid but bold, Ezra was face to face with a cloaked figure.

"You think I would be afraid of you?" Ezra questioned. "Trust me I know your weaknesses, your blind spots"

"What makes you so sure?" The figure said grabbing Ezra's wrist.
Yanking back Ezra kicked the figure in the stomach and ran.
Grunting the figure glared "I will make you suffer, make you pay for what you have done, more than ever imaginable."

"Let me see that crystal again" Scoth said as he looked through an old book. Crystal took off her necklace and gave it to Scoth.

"Well, this isn't just a regular crystal, I sense there is more too it than just a force field and healing" Scoth said looking closely at the blue stone.

"But it seems normal" Raven said looking over Scoth's shoulder.

"Yes, it seems, but it isn't" Scoth replied.

"Well duh, other wise she wouldn't have been able to heal the wounds, or put up that force field" Asher said sarcastically looking at Raven.

"Oh shut up, you aren't exactly the sma--" Raven started saying.

"I swear you guys are like little kids sometimes, for five minutes, five minutes! Just please no fighting." Scoth said irritated.

Suddenly Zakir runs away from Crystal's side and into the jungle.
"Hey! Zakir! Where are you going?" Raven yelled after the running creature.
Crystal decided to run after Zakir. Raven was going to follow but Scoth stopped him, "Let's see what happens, maybe he found something"

Zakir was whimpering as he pushed his paw into some dark green plants.
"Zakir what is it?" Crystal asked as she looked behind the bushes.
She gasped as she saw Ezra limp, bleeding, and bruised. Quickly Crystal pulled him up and quickly she feel down with Ezra on top of her.
"Uh.. Zakir? A little help" Crystal said pushing Ezra off.
Zakir and Crystal managed to get Ezra laying on Zakir's back. When they reached the others, Asher came running up to Ezra,

"Oh my gosh is he alright? What happened?" he asked clearly worried.

"Just give him his space, he needs his rest." Scoth said coming with a wet rag as he placed it onto Ezra's bruises.

"Wha--" Ezra spoke for the first time. He looked around a quickly realized that his gloves were taken off. Quickly he covered his left hand.

"Hey! You're alive." Asher said giving Ezra a hug. "I was so worried"

"Where are my gloves?" Ezra said quickly searching for his leather black gloves.

"Why do you need them so badly?" Asher asked.

"I just need them!" Ezra snapped.
Asher backed away, "Scoth has them I'll go get them" he said with a hurt look in his eyes.

"Well that's a nice way to welcome your friend" Shade said with his hood covering his face. "No wonder no one ever stays with you"

"Shut up" Ezra said clenching his fists.

"Oh what was her name? Something Violet? Right.. She left you.. Your parents.. And soon so will--" Shade started.

"I said shut up!" Ezra said grabbing at Shade's throat and pushing him against a tree.

Asher comes with Ezra's gloves tight in his hands, What am I doing wrong? We have been friends for as long as I can remember and he--. Asher is snapped out of his thoughts as he sees Ezra with Shade.

"Ezra! I got your gloves!" He says hopelessly.

"Better got get them before they find out why you wear the gloves all the time" Shade said sliding  down as Ezra let's go of Shade's neck.

"Let me tell you something" Ezra said inches away from Shade's face. "I know you know things, I know who you really are, you can't fool me, but you can fool them, don't take this for granted." Ezra says letting go.

"So, what we need to do is get out of this jungle and find a village, where we can get old books and accounts, to see if we can get any answers" Scoth said over a fire.

"A village?" Crystal asked.

"Never mind" Raven said giving her a smile. "You'll see when we get there"

Ezra seeing the two clenched his fists. What's happening to me?
He watched Crystal as she asked Scoth more questions.

"Yes, I agree, let's leave tomorrow so we can get to the village in two days time" Asher said as he looked over the map.

"Uhm.. Not to burst your guys' bubble or anything but have you forgotten? We are some of the most wanted bandits." Raven pointed out leaning back and watching Crystal.

"We will have disguises" Scoth said thinking.
"So we leave tomorrow?" Ezra asked holding the bandage covering his bruised arms.

"Yes, and if we keep up the pace we can get there in two days"

"Seth, Soren, and Zayne, come here" a man with one red eye and one brown said watching the bandits and Crystal. "I want you three to make sure those bandits never make it to the village, or at least hold them back from getting there"

The three cloaked and tall men hurried out from behind the dark bushes and trees  and ran off into the direction of the bandits.

"Soon, I'll have my revenge, what I deserve, and people will pay." The man said with an evil smile and sparkle in his eye.