Evellam

Chapter One - Mist

CHAPTER ONE:

Mist

I look in the mirror and I can identify no imperfections, yet I cannot accept my appearance as being beautiful. My eyes are a very vivid green, and my hair is so dark that I am accustomed to calling it black. It flows down to my waist, and is as viscous as water.

But I know that green is the colour of Envy, and what is there not to be envious of while stuck in a place like this? And sometimes I feel that my hair grows so fast because it is trying to get away from me.

Many times people have mistaken me for Princess Yesenia Evellam, future Queen of the entire planet of Simerasia. But even though we may look alike, we could never be more different. All they would have to do is look down and see my grey, boring clothes to understand that no, I am not the princess, I am just another orphan, the same as all the rest of us in this school, in this jail.

To outsiders the school looks like a safe haven for us orphans, a sanctuary, and yes, they do feed us, and they clothe us, and they give us a place to live; but I have never wished for anything more than to get out of here.

Inside the walls we know what the school is really for.

They are training us, teaching us how to use our powers as weapons against the vampires. We are all caelli in here, no humans; we all have powers we must learn to control. This school transforms us unclaimed teens and children into tools, and when they think we are ready, they ship us off to the caelli camps, where we will be involved in strikes against the vampire covens.

And all of it is against our will.

We can't get out, we aren't up for adoption; we are only here to learn how to harness our powers. So that is what I am doing.

I'm going to learn to harness my powers and I'm going to use them to get away from this place.

"Larni?"

I spin to face my mentor, Prince Kallis. He peers at me with his pale blue eyes, holding so much wisdom, although he is not much older than I.

"Are you ready to go?" He asks.

"Yes," I reply, stealing one last glance at the mirror before we leave his room.

It is not often that we get to look in a mirror here. It's not about us; it's about the weapons we will become. So they don't cater to our needs, and especially not our wants.

I find it hard to remember what I look like after a long time without seeing my reflection. Every time I look in a mirror, I find that I am shocked at my appearance, how my features have changed, and how there is an elder, wiser look in my eyes. It's almost like every time I look in a mirror I have evolved into a different person that I don't even recognise as myself.

"Hey," Kallis says. "Are you okay? You seem a bit distant today."

"I've just been thinking about my future," I say, and although I enjoy my time with Kallis, I do feel pleasure as sadness passes over his face.

He knows just as well as I do what will happen to me when I turn 16. I will have no future.

"What are we focussing on today? Water?" I ask, trying to lighten the mood. Kallis' smile is the only thing that gets me through the day.

"No," he replies, running his hand through his light brown hair. "It is a selection day."

My words choke in my throat, threatening to suffocate me.

"Look, you know that I care about you, and I don't like what happens to you guys out there, but there is nothing I can do about it. That's why I come here to train the Elementals, I want you to be strong enough to handle yourself out there, and Larni, you are strong enough."