Shadows (Book Two of the Royals Trilogy)

Chapter One

SKYLAR

Blair and I took two bikes, and with the help of Gideon, we placed them inside the cabin of a pickup truck the leader lent us for our mission. "I wouldn't recommend you taking the bikes," said Gideon for the fifth time since we reached the truck. He was tying the bikes, so they wouldn't move but his face showed just how much he disapproved of our plan of action.

I saw as Blair rolled her eyes, she couldn’t stand her brother sometimes, "you have said that before and look, we're taking the bikes. So, thank you for your opinion but we are going to follow our gut."

Gideon glared at his sister and jumped out of the truck before crossing his arms in front of his chest as he looked down at us. It was funny since he had to look down at almost everyone because he was so tall. "You have no idea what you're doing Blair or what's out there." He sounded worried and I could understand that, Gideon and Blair were closer than any other sibling at camp and for the first time ever, they would be separated for a long time.

"I know Gideon, but I have been forced to train all my life for this and it's not like you know what's out there anyway," spat Blair back at her brother but I saw regret reach her face when she saw his brother's hurt expression.

"Fine then, go," was all he said to her before walking towards me who was standing behind Blair, stiffly. "Good luck, Sky. You really turned out to be something." He pulled me into a friendly, almost brotherly hug before walking away. I followed him with my eyes and at the entrance of the camp I saw Mark standing there awkwardly as he looked at us.

Slowly, I made my way up to him and before he could say anything, I spoke, "you were right Mark, I was acting like somebody I'm not and I'm sorry, you were only trying to be supportive." He looked shocked for a second and then he faintly smiled at me.

"I'm glad you realized that, Skylar. I just came to give you this," he said before handing me the necklace I had worn the day I had arrived at camp.

"Oh my god Mark, I thought I’d lost it. Where did you find it?" I asked excitedly and relieved at the same time. That day I had felt as it fell and in the dark night I had tried to find it in the next few days, but I couldn't due to the lack of light and when I searched in day I couldn’t find it. It was the last gift my parents had given me before the accident and since then I always wore it.

"I was walking one morning, and I saw it, I guessed it was yours since Huntresses don't usually wear necklaces, anyway, the chain was broken so I replaced it with a new one. I meant to give it to you before but then we argued and today I found out you were leaving and- I just thought it would be a nice thing to return it to its owner and give it to you as a good luck token," he said the last part with a bit of disappointment but I wasn't sure if I'd heard right.

I hugged him tightly for a minute, he stiffened but then he hugged me back awkwardly. After a minute, I pulled away and smiled, "thank you Mark, you don't know how much this means to me." He smiled, and a slight blush reached his cheeks.

"Skylar! We're losing daylight, let's go!" said Blair from the truck as she blared the horn. I chuckled and nodded before turning back to Mark, "I should go but when I get back we should hang out."

Mark's smile widened, and he nodded, "we should, I'll be here waiting for when you get back. Good luck, Skylar." I nodded and waved him goodbye before running towards the passenger seat of the truck.

"Hey Skylar!" I heard Mark yell when I was about to close the door. "Congratulations on your ceremony."

I smiled and blushed, "thanks!" He waved goodbye just before Blair started moving and soon, Mark had disappeared from the rear-view mirror.

"Sky-,"

"Yes, I know what you’re thinking Blair; I shouldn't encourage whatever that is but he's only my friend," I said as I turned to look at the dirt road ahead.

Blair chuckled, "I wasn't going to say that, I was going to say that it's obvious you two have some kind of chemistry between you two, no, you shouldn't encourage it since he will be assigned another Huntress to procreate with but in other circumstances I would tell you to go for it."

I groaned a bit disgusted, "I don't get why Hunters and Huntresses can't choose who to be with, it sickens me that you're just assigned to be with someone every time the council wants you to without a choice, to act like breeders."

Blair shrugged, "don't ask me, that's how it's been for centuries and you actually do get a choice, each Hunter and Huntress receives a letter with all the candidates and they get to choose."

I made an even more disgusted face and shook my head, "that's even more creepy."

Blair laughed and stopped the truck for a second as she looked at me and placed a hand on my shoulder, "I feel bad for you Sky, after this, you'll be persuaded to stay since you're a Chase and if you do, they would pair you off with the best males of each family to try and conserve you ‘legacy’."

My horrified look made Blair shrug and she gave me a sympathetic look as she continued driving. I had never considered having a family of my own when I lived with my parents and my aunt, much less after finding out how the hunter ways worked did I want to have a child.

We reached the road and after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence Blair spoke, "do you want to know who my sire is?"

I turned to look at her and shrugged, "that thought had never crossed my mind. You and Gideon don't share the same fath- I mean sire, right?"

Blair shook her head, "no, although we share the same mother, we are not completely brothers. You know Gideon's sire is Hunter Richard." My eyes widened, and she nodded with a smirk, "yes, that makes Mark and Gideon half-brothers."

"How come they don't get along like you and Gideon then?" I asked confused.

"Once they did, but then Richard started to pay more attention to Mark and Gideon was left to deal with Elda, so they grew distant." That would mean that Mark was either the same age or older than Gideon.

"My sire was a well-respected Hunter at camp, he was killed on a mission Elda sent him on even though it had not be authorized," she said skeptically and I frowned, Blair probably thought Elda had sent her sire to die.

"Maybe it was a coincidence?" I said unsure and Blair looked at me with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't really believe that, do you?" she asked.

I shook my head, "of course not, I really don’t know what to think anymore."

The ride became quiet again and I saw as Blair passed my aunt's house, I wasn't sure if she had done it on purpose or if she was only trying to reach the old Royal Brother base and that was the quickest route, but it still stung to think about my aunt. I hadn’t talked to her since the day I had disappeared from her life.

Once we reached the burnt building that was crumbling to the ground, Blair stopped the truck and I sighed after taking off my seat-belt. "Are you alright, Sky?" asked Blair with worry in her voice.

I nodded and sighed, "let's go."