Orchid

Traitors!

"Are you kidding me?" I shout. "Arya, I thought better of you!" The vines are loosening as my sister drifts out in deep thought. Distraction. Maybe I could get loose if I distracted her enough...

 "Do not speak to her like that." Xander moves closer to  Arya. "She is my mistress's daughter. My mistress is queen. So she is a princess. You may address her as Your Highness or Princess Aurora, not some nickname like Arya."

 "Because you'll be a royal, right?" I glare up at him. "You're no Your Highness. More like Your Snarkiness."

 Xander flushes red in anger. "Don't test my limits, Orchid Terrarien."

 "Sorry. I didn't hear you. You've got the wrong person," I bark back. "My name is Orchid Evergreen."

 "Orchid Evergreen-Terrarien is your full name." Xander smirks. "My my, Orchid, isn't it polite to call you by your true name?"

  "Well, well, Alexander Jackson," I growl, balling my fists. "Isn't it polite to return the feelings?"

  Anastasia and Jason are still, and I wonder why. Then I see the controlled jaw of Anastasia, the vein on her neck pulsing with concentration. They're fighting by mind. I should've known. But Jason is a Warrior...so Anastasia...to fight him so hard...

 "So how many of these special Warriors are there?" I challenge Xander. "There's me, Hero, you, Jason, Anastasia, Lycaeon, Shira, Arya, and Zilon. That's all I freaking know."

 "Powerrmaster and  Zuzuni as well," Xander corrects. "Spirit powers are inherited, so siblings would get the same. And you missed two others. Anubis and Persephone."

 "What? They told me they have earth."

 "Noo, dear Orchid, Anubis lied to you." Xander smirks as the amulet whispers again. Traitors. Four of them. Four, the terrible curse number. "In fact, I was the one who told him that. He's a best bud of mine."

 "How do I know you're not lying?" I counter. 

  "Because I've come to verify it." A dark, gloomy voice fills the air.

  Anubis  hovers in the air, expressionless, his spiky hair looking more spiked than usual. He narrows his eyes at me in absolute hatred. I remember his sharp words when we first met. He is surely a traitor. But what of the other three? Perhaps Persephone? But that only makes two. Would Arya and Anastasia count?

  Anubis's knuckles are scraped and bleeding. It looks like someone took a sharp metal object and continuously knifed it into the naked flesh of his hand. Anastasia looks likewise scarred, with an extra slash on her cheek. Is Lycaeon abusing her loyal and faithful followers? They should hate her for that!

 "What happened?" I approach cautiously with my words. Arya looks unharmed. Of course. The queen wouldn't hurt her daughter, would she?

 Anubis grimaced. "The Dark Mistress gave me a lesson I shall remember." He puffs his chest out, his eyes swelling with pride. "She gave me marks I will never forget."

 "You're insane," I shoot back, and study Xander. There are faint cuts on his wrists and his leg is bent. Arya, deep in thought, probably didn't even notice Anubis's arrival. She screams suddenly, and eyes wide, I notice a wave of water streaming in. 

 Of course...the Water people!

 Riding the wave is Amphitrite herself, jaw set. Arya, distracted, lets go, and I break free of the snaking ivy vines. Anastasia shouts. "Arya!"

  "Orchid! I'm here!" Amphitrite yells, and harnesses the wave, splashing Arya and Anastasia and engulfing them in it. They're swept away, out of sight. I hope Anastasia drowns, but Arya...Arya!

 "She's my sister!!!" I wave my arms overhead. "I don't want her to die!"

  "She won't." Freed from his war, Jason puts a hand on my shoulder. "She has Water on her side. Anastasia too, because she's a Warrior. They wouldn't drown. All of us here, except for Amphitrite, is a Warrior."

  "A Warrior?" Amphitirite asks. "But...there's only two. You and Hero." Confusion dots her gaze.

 "No. Shira, Lycaeon, and Zilon are Warriors. Xander and Anastasia and Powerrmaster are Warriors. And many more," I explain. "They hid the truth."

  "What's that I see?" Jason puts a hand to his forehead.

  I see a faint dot in the sky, hovering. Another attack? The three other traitors? I clench my fists, ready to fight.

  As it draws closer, I find out it's not an enemy after all.

  "Dad?" I whisper.

  My Outsider dad?