Mist (Book Three of the Royals Trilogy)

Chapter Two

I was gasping for air as soon as I left the building. I felt as if my lungs were on fire and millions of troubling thoughts emerged in my mind. Emma was supposed to be safe, Elda promised me my sister and I would walk away from this. But I knew better, Elda lied and manipulated people to get what she wanted, I didn't think my sister and I were the exception. 

The air outside was unusually chilly and a shiver ran through my body. I didn't know if it was due to the cold air breezing towards me or if it was just my wariness of the situation. Either way, I needed to walk and clear my mind. 

For some reason I found the forest soothing, there was something special and unique about nature that called to me and relaxed me. I was standing at the edge of the forest, pulling my hair back into a ponytail and taking in the smell of the trees around me when I heard subtle footsteps behind me. "Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked in confusion and my body tensed. I turned around and was met with Mark's concerned expression. 

"Do I have a stalker? This is the second time you've sneaked up on me," I said trying to sound playful but instead I it came out coldly. Mark's eyebrows scrunched upward in surprise but his smile never faltered. 

"Sorry, I was just heading towards the research facility and I saw you rushing out of the hospital. Are you alright? Did something happen? You look troubled and upset." His voice was filled with concern and it took me by surprise how softly he talked to me. He really was trying to make things work. 

"Yes, they won't let me in to see my sister and there are just a lot of things in my head right now, I just wanted to take a minute and breathe, to calm down," I confessed before letting out a sigh of defeat. 

Mark nodded his head in understanding and stepped closer. I jumped back, my eyes wide and my heart beating wildly in my chest. "Sorry, I know you're wary about being us being seen. But I'd like to know what you're thinking, I want to help you." 

A slight blush appeared on my cheeks and I nodded. "I know and it means a lot. But right now I want to take a walk, think things through before saying anything. Besides, I'm sure you have a lot of work to finish since you dropped everything to go help Blair and I on our mission."

Mark chuckled and sighed, "I'll tell you what, I'll go do my job and you go on your walk. When you're done, you can come meet me at the facility and I can get us passes to leave camp for a couple of hours and we could talk, we could go do something... human-like, or have dinner, I don't know. The possibilities are endless," he trailed off with a grin on his face and I couldn't help but smile back. He was sweet, caring. 

I nodded my head, "gotcha, I'll meet you after my walk." His eyes seemed to shine at my response and he nodded his head. "Hold on, is this some sort of date?" I asked, suddenly feeling jittery and nervous. It had been years since I'd gone on a date, and years since the last time I had let anyone inside my mind, my heart. 

"We could call it something else if you'd like but in all honesty, I'd like to go on an official date with you," he said as he put his hands behind him. I could tell he was nervous as well. 

Slowly, I walked closer to him until there were just mere centimeters between us and I gently kissed his cheek after making sure there was nobody nearby. "I'd like that," I whispered as I began to pull away. 

Mark's cheeks seemed to redden and he nodded his head before beginning to step back, towards the research facility. Our eyes lingered on each other a moment longer and then both of us turned to opposite directions. I let out a deep breath and walked into the forest. 

My dark-reddish hard was starting to turn to a copper-like shade, I couldn't help but chuckle, it had been kind of immature to dye my hair just to feel more confident around Ethan. I guessed what they said about changing your look meant the end of a chapter. Ethan. It had been a while since I last thought about him. If I hadn't seen Devion today that wouldn't have changed but seeing Ethan's older brother, the most powerful vampire, laying unconscious on a bed, made me worry. I knew the bond we had once shared had been broken, otherwise I would have been able to feel if they had done something to Ethan. And I was sure they had. 

I sighed, I just hoped Emma wasn't in pain. I hoped that whatever happened to Devion wouldn't affect her. It was just wishful thinking, Emma hadn't taking the antidote before we had gotten to camp. She had refused even though there was enough for her to sever the bond between her and her beloved. 

After our mission report and individual interrogations with Elda and the Council of Elders, I had barely been able to see Emma. The next time I saw her I would make sure to push harder and convince her to take the serum, she shouldn't have to live like this, tied down to one person. Letting fate decide for her. 

I had the vial with the serum hidden deep in my drawer, I didn't think anyone besides my friends would go inside my partner's and my cabin but you could never be too careful. I had the suspicion that Elda and the Council were keeping a close eye on us. They had looked uncertain when we explained the reason as to why Gideon had returned alone, they weren't completely convinced by our cover. 

I sighed, that only made it more difficult to dig more information on Elda and expose her. Not to mention that she was always accompanied everywhere by Hunter Richard, he looked like her personal bodyguard. His harsh glares and cold expression made anyone uncomfortable, everyone except Elda and Mark. 

In front of me, through the trees, I could see the Cave of Answers peaking through. I stopped at the edge of the trees and looked at the cave with a dilema in mind. I did have a lot of questions, I wanted to know what I was supposed to do and obtain answers to all my worries. I hesitated at the entrance of the Cave, I was certain that if I walked inside I would come out with more questions and with more preoccupations. I tensed and slowly turned around and headed back into the forest. I preferred to talk to Mark and the others first and get their opinions before going into the Cave to consult my Spirit Guide. 

I was halfway through the forest when I heard a stick snap behind me. Cautiously, I reached for one of my daggers on my belt. Quickly, I turned with my daggers raised in front of me, ready to strike. But what I saw made me even more confused, there was something, some kind of floating, glowing energy a couple of meters away. It floated in its place as if waiting for me. 

Hesitantly, I walked towards it. The glowing light stayed put as I walked towards it. I was at armlength when I reached for it with my free hand. When my fingers grazed the light a pulse of energy ran through me and then... I was falling. 

...

My eyes opened in an instant. I gasped and sat up. I was on the ground where I had last been right before touching the orb of light. My head was throbbing painfully and I took in my surroundings. I squinted my eyes, the light coming form the sun was too bright and it only worsened my headache. 

Everything was as it had been, the only difference was that now it was past noon, almost dusk. I had been out for hours and I couldn't remember anything that had happened after I had touched the floating light. The only evidence of that encounter was the throbbing headache I was left in and a tingling sensation on my wrist that was beginning to burn. 

I pulled my dark sleeve back and saw that on my right wrist, there was a small mark. It looked like flames, impregnated on my skin with dark ink. My eyes widened and I tried to rub the ink off but it was useless, I now had a new tattoo.  

Pulling my sleeve back into place, I got up and brushed the dirt off my clothes and hair. My stomach was starting to feel weird and suddenly food didn't sound like a viable option, I was sure I wouldn't be able to keep it inside my body. Instead, I walked slower to camp and only walked into the calm cafeteria to get something to drink and just in case the nausea passed, I took a granola bar from the counter before heading outside. 

I could see small children playing among themselves, some were examining the rocks, trees and animals they could find at the edge of the camp while the older kids were wrestling each other. A couple of Trainees were watching over them, one of them being Melissa. She looked bewildered and tense as she watched two boys that were wrestling on the ground. 

On the other side of camp, I managed to get a glimpse of Elda and her bodyguard. They were heading towards the cells of the camp. Intrigued, I walked closer to listen into their conversation. Elda didn't look too happy as she murmured under her breath. I only managed to hear the words; "doctor" "magic" and "Dalia" before the Hunters standing guard stepped aside to let the Camp Leader through. 

My body stiffened, Elda was going down to talk to Dalia, the Queen of Shadows, an important piece in Elda's game. If we wanted to find out more about her plan, we needed to go down to talk to Dalia. But guessing from the Hunters standing guard, they wouldn't let anyone in that didn't have Elda's authorization. With Gideon's help, I was sure he could get us access. All we needed to do was turn him against his mother, as if that were going to be easy. 

I looked at my watch and saw it was about to get dark and I had told Mark I would meet him. My walk towards the research facility was uninterrupted and surprisingly, I hadn't gotten a message from Blair in all day. Nevertheless, I walked inside the building and greeted the receptionist that had also been there the last time I had been here. 

I headed over to the second floor and walked through the hall until I was outside of Mark's office. I considered knocking but he said he would be expecting me. I walked inside, Mark's back was facing me and I could see he was very concentrated on what he was working on with his hands. I walked around his desk and towards his working table at the back of the big room where Mark was standing. "Hey, what's that?" I asked as I looked at the gadget he was building, it looked like a some sort of gun. 

Mark chuckled, he had jumped slightly when he heard me behind him but his face seemed to light up and his body relaxed when he saw me. "You came," he managed to say and he stopped working with the weapon. 

"You seem surprised. I told you I would come and I'm here," I said with a sly smile.

Mark ran a nervous hand through his head, "to be honest, I wouldn't put it past you to change your mind. You looked pretty upset when I last saw you." 

My smiled wavered and I shrugged, "yes well, I had enough time to think things through and I think we shouldn't waste more time than necessary, tomorrow Melissa and Gideon have to know everything and I think we should invite Hunter Liam, that would help Gideon believe us. By any chance do you know how to find him?" 

Mark nodded, "as a matter of fact, I do. I know where he's hiding, I told him where to go. We could go see him if you'd like." 

I fidgeted uncomfortably and nodded, "yes, but only to tell him about tomorrow. I still want us to go on our date."

His eyes widened and his smile widened, "great, I'd like to go on a date with you." I blushed and nodded my head. Our eyes remained locked for a couple of seconds, butterflies were beginning to churn inside my stomach, I had never felt like this, not even with my former beloved. 

"We should get going before it gets late," I suggested and Mark nodded in approval. He opened the door for me and we walked side-by-side out of the building, making sure to keep an appropriate distance between us. 

When we reached the gate, I stayed back while Mark went to talk to the Hunter standing guard that night. I got the impression the two Hunters were friends because they talked for a moment before Mark turned to me and nodded. I walked forward and he let me through the gate first. 

"Can we take the bikes?" I asked with excitement clear on my face. Mark looked surprised but he didn't object. 

Each of us got on a bike, the helmets were hanging from one side and we quickly put them on before letting the motorcycle rumble to life. I smiled and gave Mark a thumbs up. He nodded and I let him lead the way. He was driving fast through the dirt road and I followed closely behind. 

Even though we could talk through the helmet's communication system, we remained quiet and enjoyed the ride. For a moment I was paralyzed when my eyes locked on the sunset before me. I had never seen a sunset so beautiful and for a moment, all worries faded with the light of the sun.