The Marked

Chapter 6

The alarms beeped as Starr woke up with a chill. There's a moment right when you wake up and everything seems normal. Then every thought, memory, everything comes flooding back in. She remembered Wren. His lips, which felt so good pressed up against hers. The effect his words had had on her was indescribable. Her heart was beating a mile a minute. She felt alive. Right now, She felt overwhelmed. She decided to get up and fix a hot cup of coffee, which tasted unusually better than usual. Today, everything seemed better than usual.

She heard a knock on the door. Rare, but nothing to be alarmed by, right?

"Who is it?" She yelled from the other side of the door.

"Your father," he answered and she began to unlock the door.

He had a worried expression on his face which scares her a little, given the circumstances of the past few weeks.

"Is everything okay," she asked and twiddled her thumbs, a habit when she's nervous.

"Xander plans to attack. We have 31 days, maybe even less to prepare. His army is huge, but weaker. If they strike us when we aren't ready that could result in hundred upon hundreds of our people dead," he explained.

"He's even more powerful with the star pendant, if he can manage it. We'll need everyone to put forth an effort. We can have no slackers. We can't afford to lose this fight, and we won't." he placed his hands on the table.

Starr hasn't had a lot of training but as Wren had said, she was an advanced participant. There was no way she was going to not try.

"What do I need to do?" she asked.

He shook his head.

"You need to stay safe when he attacks. No-"

She wouldn't settle for staying hidden while everyone else is risking there lives.

"I'm fighting with you. With everyone, and don't even try to stop me. I know the risks, but I can't just sit there while a potential war is taking place. You have to understand-"

"I do understand," Barnett cut in.

"I was just like you at that age. I'll need you to recruit more of the marked who are able and will cooperate. You and Wren can do that. Still, promise me you'll be careful?" he asks, afraid for his daughter and for the rest of the marked.

"I promise," she said and hugged him tightly, treasuring the moment.

"You understand?" asked Starr after explaining everything her dad had told her earlier.

"Yes. I know where a bunch of marked hang out. It's in this old grill downtown," Wren replied.

"Okay, we'll go there. Anything else?"

He thinks for a moment. "Nope."

Entering the run down grill, which looked more like an abandoned shack, Starr looked around.

"Are all the people here like us?" asked Starr to make sure.

"I think so. Let me see," he said and pressed a finger to his forehead, allowing himself to see who was, and was not, Marked.

He scanned the room, spotting no one ordinary. All with powers.

"We're clear."

Wren walked over to a guy with awkward, round looking glasses and slick black hair.

"Jonas," he said and shook his hand as Starr followed.

Wren pointed towards Starr. "This is Starr my," Wren paused a moment,"Uh, girlfriend."