Riders of Elysium

Chapter One

----Eyre's PoV----

It was August fourth. My birthday. I turned fifteen. Lucky me.

My mother gave me a small leather choker necklace with a silver circle pendant. The circle was engraved with a hawk.

A week before school started again after the summer, I heard the doorbell ring. I carefully hopped down the stairs and opened the door.

"Is this the Sari household?" The person at the door asked.

"Yes," I answered, "Who are you?"

The person seemed to smile, "Right. I'm Amias Swallow. We haven't met."

"What do you want?" I asked. I never used to be this cold towards people.

"To talk with your family," The boy said.

I turned and yelled up the stairs, "Regina! I think this might be your boyfriend."

My older sister came running down the stairs on her phone, "I don't know this guy. And he looks nothing like my boyfriend. You've met him."

"Eventually, you will remember that I rely on voices not appearances," I growled. There was a small gasp from the boy at the door. If he hadn't noticed I was blind yet, he sure had now.

"I'm sorry to disturb you-"

Regina cut him off, "I'd grab Suni, the only responsible one of us," I was mildly offended, but I knew it was the truth, "but she decided to run off to college. On the other hand, one less mouth for mom to feed."

"Or you could just grab mom," I said, "Where is she?"

"Eating breakfast," Regina said, "She was working late again last night."

I sighed, "I know. I was there when she got home."

"Why are you always awake when she gets home?" Regina asked.

"Who's this?" Zoya came bounding up to the door, "Regina, is this your boyfriend?"

Regina was about to snap back, but went to grab my mother.

"Zoya, how was school?" I asked. School for her had already started. First grade.

"Amazing," Zoya yelled, "I'm gonna go tell Regina about it-"

I stopped her, "Regina's not in the mood."

"She never is," Zoya complained, sounding hurt.

The boy at the door spoke again, "I was hoping to talk with your father? James Sari?"

"Can you go upstairs and grab the- the letter?" I choked out. I realized it was raining, "Come in."

My mother stood by the kitchen, frozen, "He's not here."

"I can come by another time if-" I handed him the letter, "I'm so sorry, I-"

"Don't be sorry," My mother said, "How'd you know him?"

The boy- Amias- smiled at the memory, "He came to my school once. He seemed like a nice person."

"What did you want to talk to him about?" Regina asked.

"Girls, go do your homework," My mother said.

I frowned, "School hasn't started yet."

"Then go help Zoya with hers," My mother snapped. Zoya didn't need help. She may be a fifth grader, but she was smart and independent. Nonetheless, I figured now was not the time to argue.

I nodded and walked up the stairs carefully, taking the letter with me.

"Hi Eyre," Zoya said, "Why's that boy talking about dad?"