My Shadow and His Flame

Two-Shadow

Layden

My letter came today. I start working for the royals tomorrow. Of all the courts, I was assigned to Court Liana. All I hope for is that I don't have to start working directly for the new Queen. Word got out that Kingstrium will take place next Friday. Lucky me, I start tomorrow. No doubt I will be at the gathering for those Courtlies.

My mother hates the idea of me leaving. All she has left is my little sister, Alya, who will be leaving in two years for her work. She is super smart and can memorize anything. No doubt Court Liana or Prasine will want her. My older siblings, Zaiden and Coralena, already have their jobs. Zai works for Court Magnar with the ability of flight. He's worked there for two years since you start your job at seventeen. Cora works for Court Velius with enhanced ability. They took her since she has her ability, she can be the court's spy. Whenever one of the Wisps can't get to someone, they send her. She has been doing that since a few months before her seventeenth because they wanted her early. My father is old enough to retire and my mother rarely works. Dad would never tell us which court he had worked for but he can create small objects so that could be anyone. Mom can heal plantlife so Court Primree had wanted her in case the child natrilings ruined one of the plants during training. 

Me on the other hand, we try to hide my ability at all costs. When I was old enough to figure out my ability, we wrote down that my ability was enhanced agility so Cora had to try to help a lot to somewhat prove that. But that isn't the truth. Truly, my ability is like a fearion, fire. Unlike the fearions who can only manipulate, I can produce flame. It's like it runs through my veins. Sometimes it does scare me. No other morer has an ability as powerful as mine. Working for Court Liana won't work out well when I drop something when I am supposed to have amazing balance. 

Morning rolls around and i'm welcomed by the sound of birds chirping outside the house. My room is with Zai but I have some room to myself with him always on shifts. Mornings are usually the same. Wake up, eat anything we can find, go out and steal. I usually meet with my friends Cree and Orla to pick off some poor souls in the market.

"Layden! Cree is here for you!" Mom loves Cree with a passion. He always sucks up to her and if he has left over scraps he gives them to us. Orla on the other hand, Mom thinks she's all trouble. It makes no since, we are all the same. 

"Coming Mom!" I throw on some clothes with random holes in the legs and a jacket I stole off some security guard blind as a bat.

"Layden, where did you get that jacket? I don't remember you ever having such thing," Mom always asks when she sees knew things in the house.

"Oh, this? Orla had gotten it for me for my birthday. Never pulled it out until now though." I shrug.

She nods, "Alright. You too do whatever you guys do all day."

"Of course Mrs. Sterling. I'll make sure little Layden doesn't get hurt," Cree grabs my head .

"Alright you two go!"

"Bye mom!"

________________________

We get to the market and meet with Orla there. Here's when the fun begins, our fun. 

"There's rumors that Court Ciana is passing through here. Why? Not entirely sure but this is our chance to get big money," Orla always has some plan everyday.