Camp IX | ✓

27

I slumped back against the seat of the car, a sigh escaping my lips. I ran my fingers along the seat, feeling the coolness of the black leather. Next to me Griffin sat, his back poker straight.

"Hey," I murmured, reaching a hand out and letting it brush his arm. "Are you doing ok?"

Griffin nodded curtly.

"It's been awhile since I've been home. It's like it's a different place. Do you know what I'm talking about or am I being ridiculous?"

"No," I said thinking about my own home planet. "I understand what you're feeling."

He turned to me, all traces of his normal liveliness gone. The corners of his mouth slumped down instead of up and his eyes had shifted to a dull violet. All the twinkle was gone. His face too looked paler then usual, almost like he was sick.

"I'm glad someone understands," he said not meeting my eyes.

We fell into silence and I turned to look out the window. We'd left the rundown houses behind and had entered a more upscale part of the city. The streets sprawled wide and people strolled along them aimlessly. Women in light, flowing dresses and flowers tucked in their hair clung to the arms of stately men dressed in uniform.

Everywhere I looked pale skin, silver hair, and light colors flooded my vision. On every street we passed not a single dark color was found. The buildings were built out of light stone, doors painted in light pastels sat below flower boxes that spilled with color. Light from the setting sun flashed off the windows in rainbows and as the sky darkened, strings of lights began to come to life over the street.

And still we kept driving. The buildings became grander and more spread apart. More shrubbery and small trees sprang up and the car started driving uphill. Large mansions stuck their heads above the fencing that lined the road and seemed to stare at us as we passed with their large stately windows.

Even then the car didn't stop or even slow down. The mansions became less frequent and soon we turned right to drive along a step hill. Grass as green as emeralds covered the hills and ripples ran through it from the breeze. Below it, the city spread out like an intricate tapestry that covered the whole bay in twinkling lights.

The car turned again, left this time, and we were engulfed in tall trees that reached their branches towards the fast changing sky. Before long, the car slowed and leveled out. The trees parted and the road led into a large courtyard. The car inched its way to the middle of it and stopped. The purr of the engine that I'd barley noticed up until now ceased and a heavy silence fell.

I glanced over at Griffin as if to ask what would happen now, but it seemed my question was already being answered. The car door sprang open causing me to swallow a curse and a gloved hand beckoned me out. Griffin's door had done the same and he was already standing outside so I took a deep breath and followed suit.

My feet hit the ground and instantly there was a smattering of whispers. The sensation of being watched, scrutinized, and judged sent a tingle up my spin. My eyes followed the edges of the courtyard to a large staircase. Standing, broken into groups, were people. Obviously important people, I assumed, from the way they were dressed and from the way they held themselves. Ridged backs, noses upturned, lifeless expressions carved out of marble.

They're gazes froze me. A small seed of panic began to grow in the back of my mind, urging me to run and hide among the trees we'd just passed. I couldn't swallow even if I wanted too. All the moisture had left my mouth. My palms clammed up and begged to be wiped on my pants but I couldn't move a muscle.

Maybe, I thought in some deranged way, if I don't move they'll lose interest in me.

"Remember what I said about showing fear?" Griffin's voice floated through the haze of panic that had been building in my brain like coastal fog. "If there's ever a time for the fearless Nova I saw out sass Berkeley, it's now."

"That was one of my finer moments," I squeaked.

"Yes it was," Griffin placed a hand at the small of my back and gave me a small push. "Now get ready, the Red Star family is going to sink it's teeth into you."

Shaken out of my haze by Griffin, we began walking forward. The gloved hand that had beckoned me out of the car turned out to be attached to an older man dressed in a dark red butler jacket and black pants. His short hair was slicked back and years of wrinkles crisscrossed his face. He walked in front of Griffin and I leading the way towards the steps.

The whispering increased as we drew nearer and many pairs of eyes followed our every move. I fought the urge to pull my sleeves over my hands and hunch my shoulders. Instead I set my jaw, squared my shoulders, and lifted my chin. And despite every step I took sounding like a death march, it was the most fearless death march I'd ever heard.