Eyes of our Minds

5 - Sylvia

I was shoved against a wall, effectively snapping me out of my trance. Faer opened her mouth, her expression livid, but I simply waved my hands, the familiar sensation of teleportation washing over me as my surroundings faded into nothingness.

In my hurry, I had forgotten to picture a place. I had no idea where I would end up, but I no longer cared what happened. I no longer had anyone else to protect.

Willing myself to land, I was thrown to my knees in a dark forest, the trees looming above me ominously. I pushed myself to my feet, resolutely ignoring the sharp stab of pain through my leg and scanned my surroundings briefly. This was the forest that I had spent so many years of my life in, the forest that I had been hidden in before everything had gone to shit.

I was about to teleport again when three voices sounded behind me.

"I swear to the Gods, Ivory, if this is your idea of a—"

"It wasn't me, asshole!"

"Nobody else here can teleport, smartass."

I cursed under my breath, trying to get far enough away from them to teleport without risking bringing them along too. I froze as a twig snapped under the sharp heel of my boot, shutting my eyes in annoyance.

Praying that they hadn't seen me yet, I prepared to run into the forest when the golden haired girl— Ivory? — called out, "I told you it wasn't me! It was her, probably."

I huffed out a breath of air, turning on my heel and placing my hand on my hips. Keeping my face carefully uncaring, I shot a bored glare in their direction.

Ivory was sneering, hands folded across her chest, sleeves falling low beneath her arms. "Why the hell did you do that?"

I scoffed, raising my eyebrows. "Y'think it was deliberate? Why would I want any of you here?"

She snarled, mirroring my position effortlessly. "I don't know, murder? To get your own back for being captured?" She rolled her eyes, stepping slightly closer to me as her hand began twitching towards a deadly rapier at her side.

Fire crackled as the second girl stepped up, placing a calming hand on the teleporter's shoulder. "Drop it, Ivory. After how she acted at the palace, do you seriously still believe that she wants to rule this cursed real?"

Ivory turned, fixing a murderous stare at the girl. "Shut. Up. If she's on their side she could—"

I shook my head, raising a hand. "I don't know what you two are talking about, but I sure as hell don't want anything to do with this stupid place. I was perfectly fine on my own before I got brought in. And I plan to keep it that way." I looked down, sighing inaudibly. As true as that was, seeing a village again had been almost... Fun, I supposed. If I had not been captured, if I hadn't been forced to hide myself, pretending to be someone I'm not, I might have enjoyed myself.

But everyone believed me to be a Dark. A rogue Dark Heir, someone to be brought in and forced into a role of murderer.

Kaye glanced at me, an emotion passing across his unmasked face too quickly for me to identify. I kept my face passive, convincing myself that if he didn't want to talk to me, then it was for the better. This was an entirely different world, and we were now entirely different people.

He stepped closer, standing at the other side of Ivory and resting his arm on her shoulder, muttering something unintelligible into her ear. She shot an incredulous look before him before sighing almost defeatedly and nodding. "Fine, but if anything happens it is on you."

"That's fine by me." He shrugged elegantly, clasping his hands in front of him carefully.

The girl with the fire stepped towards me, keeping her hands firmly away from her weapons, the soft glow of fire fading from her palms. "We... The three of us also disagree with how this realm— and the other— is run. It's sadistic, and tyrannical. We don't work under Faer and Orlon, and we never will. Would you... I mean—" she paused, running a hand through her hair and seeming to sort through her words— "Look, we want you to help us. If you... If you're on our side, maybe we could actually change something. If you agree to help us, it might not just be the same old dance anymore. You could help us to revolutionise our worlds."

I blinked, not bothering to mask the fleeting look of surprise that crossed my features.

The girl smiled gently at my expression. "You have met the demon twins, haven't you? If you wanted proof, there it is. They would never have allowed us to free... To free the boy." I blinked slowly. I had had few doubts after her initial monologue, however she truly did have a point. Faer had seemed ready to kill me after what I had done to her brother.

I would have deserved it, if she had.

I pursed my lips, turning away and staring out at the vast expanse of twisted, dead trees in front of me. Limping a single step forwards, I weighed my options. The girl's words were true. If I helped them, we might be able to finally connivance the world that their cruel system was wrong— that the Darks did not have to be Darks, that we did not have to be the bloodthirsty tyrants they expected us to be.

If I left, I would still be viewed as the rogue Dark Heir, and innocent children would still be thrown from their homes at the age of ten for matters that they had no way of controlling.

I jolted slightly at the feel of a hand on my shoulder, stiffening at the contact. "The boy— if you aren't going to join us, could you please do that for me? I— He... It doesn't matter, but just... Please?" Her voice was soft as she spoke directly into my ear. As if she didn't want the others to overhear.

I knew who she was referring to without having to ask for clarification. I turned to look at her as I nodded, barely dipping my chin. I would find him, of course I would find him, but...

I shut my eyes, taking a slow breath as I made my decision.

"I'll help you."

I watched as her face lit up, mouth splitting into a grin as she squeezed my shoulder.

"If you haven't already, I can help you get a better grip on your fire. If you want." I nodded absently, grateful for her help, but too tired to reply properly. I stared towards the forest once again.

I would be trading a life of hiding, of running, of hoping and pretending for a life that could either end in death, blood and murder, or in revolution.

A life where I would either become hated, despised and feared— the true Dark Heir— or I would become one of the people who finally managed to change the corrupted views of our two realms.

I didn't want to be a murderer.

But for the children being thrown out of their homes, disowned for nothing but the colour of their eyes...

I would do it willingly.