Kael rolled his eyes.

“What’s your problem?” I shot out, dropping my hand to my side.

“He’s my problem,” he replied, moving out of the doorway to stand close to me, his towering frame made me feel small in comparison.

“I don’t understand? He hasn’t been anything but nice and supportive of me.” Squaring my shoulders, I tried as hard as I could to make myself seem intimidating.

“If you let this go on much longer, you will end up getting hurt. You should stop hiding behind the Golden Boy.” Kael said, flexing his knuckles.

“Is that a threat?” My eyes widened at his hands. “Are you threatening me if I don’t quit seeing Joss?”

“No, I’m telling you, he’s not the one for you. So, in the end, you are going to get hurt,” Kael spoke, his voice going dangerously quiet.

“You don’t know that. In fact, you don’t know anything about me. And what could you possibly know about love? The only emotions I’ve ever seen from you are resentment, disgust or intense hate. Never love, never happiness.” I was getting worked up again.

Kael leaned in dangerously close to me, whispering,“Is that it, then? Are you saying you’re in love with him?” Just being this close to Kael made my heart race, either from intense fear or excitement; it was too hard to tell.

“If I were, I definitely wouldn’t be telling you,” I countered, my voice dropped to a murmur.

His eyes darkened. “You’re wrong about me.” He leaned into my doorframe and stretched his arm to the top of the door as he looked down into my eyes. I felt trapped by those eyes, those stormy eyes that flashed from different shades of blue depending on his mood.

He brought his face precariously close to mine and I froze as his breath tickled my neck and he whispered softly into my hair. “I am capable of feeling more than resentment and hate. But when I’m around you, that’s all I feel.”

Frustrated I gave him a hard push in his chest, he backed away and I closed the door on him and locked it. I heard him chuckle and wish me pleasant dreams through the door.

~~~

I had decided I wasn’t going to go out the front door. I had my fill of Kael and his mood swings. Today was supposed to be a fun-filled day spent with Joss and I didn’t want a tag-a-long. There was something about the way Kael acted, that made me think he would try and spoil my outing with Joss. Especially if he knew I was planning on spending the whole day with him alone. I wasn’t about to take Kael’s warning.

I opened the window and leaned out to look at the ground twenty feet below. My mouth went dry at the prospect of slipping and falling to death. Biting my cheek, I grabbed the rope I had hidden in my room, tied it to the bedpost and threw the ends over the window sill.

Taking a wary glance at the door, I waited to see if it would burst open with an angry Kael…it didn’t. I hadn’t figured it out, but it seemed like the SwordBrother always knew where I was, and had made a habit of following me. Did he never sleep? Well, not today. Today I had decided I was going to get away from him and his disapproving looks.

Sitting on the window ledge, I took a deep breath and swung down. Hand over hand; I lowered myself, using my feet to brace against the wall, refusing to look down. Finally, my feet touched the earth and I let myself breathe in success.

A hand touched my shoulder. “And where do you think you are going?”

“EEEEK!,” I screamed jumping back and knocking into Kael. “How did you-? Where did you-?” I couldn’t find the words to describe my frustration.

Kael just smiled at me and pointed toward the gate, “I think Golden Boy is waiting for you.”

My mouth kept dropping open in embarrassment. I couldn’t believe he caught me sneaking away from him. No wonder royalty wanted SwordBrothers as guards. They were harder to get rid of than a wart. I turned my back on him, flipping my braid over my shoulder and stormed over to where I was supposed to meet Joss.

Joss was waiting by the gate but he wasn’t alone. I felt my heart sink when I saw Syrani and another boy I knew only as Cooper with her. I was under the impression that we were spending the day together alone. Obviously, I was wrong.

“Hey, there you are! Are you ready?” Joss’ face lit up when he saw me. Syrani’s darkened.

“Uh, yes,” I stammered and wiped my sweaty and rope-burned hands on my pants. Syrani’s eyes followed my hands and she made a look of disgust. I looked down and saw that I wiped dirt on my pants, instantly becoming aware of how I looked in comparison to her.

Joss reached for my hand and pulled me toward the gates. “So what would you like to see first, the jugglers, acrobats, or the musicians?”

“Um maybe- “I tried to give an opinion.

“The shops,” Syrani interrupted, “We need to see the shops.”

I turned my head to look over my shoulder and she smiled innocently at me.

Cooper spoke up. “I’m slotted to compete in an hour and Syrani you want to go shopping?”

She batted her eyes at Cooper. “It will only take a moment, besides you want us to look our best don’t you?” Cooper nodded his head blankly at Syrani. I had a feeling that he would have agreed no matter what she had said.

“Then it’s settled.” She released Cooper’s arm and latched onto mine. I tried to pull away from her, but her grip was like stone. Joss released me and slowed down to walk with Cooper, while Syrani led the way through the town toward a particular store.

I cast Syrani a side glance wondering what she was up to. I knew she hated me, but I couldn’t figure out what brought on her sudden need for friendship. Her grip lessened the closer we got to the shop and once I saw the dressmakers sign on the door, I froze.

“It will be fine, come on.” Syrani pulled me into the shop.

Joss and Cooper shifted uncomfortably on the doorstep. “If you don’t mind, we will wait for you girls out here,” Cooper called out.

Joss looked at me and sheepishly nodded his head at me. I was stuck. No one was going to save me from this embarrassing and confusing mess that I had gotten myself in.

Syrani bustled around the shop pointing at dresses and skirts, while the owner of the store took her selections and put them aside. Never once did she make any effort to make small talk, or explain what she was doing.

“Now, take these and try them on.” She hurled the clothes on me and pointed to the back room impatiently. I passed by the shop owner who seemed flustered by Syrani’s orders, she moved out of the way and pointed toward a small side door.

Grumpily I entered the small room, threw the dresses on the floor and stomped in anger. How dare she command me to try on clothes that I don’t even want? I thought we were stopping here so she could buy dresses, not me.

I heard the door creak open behind me and I turned to snarl at Syrani to get out, when hands grabbed me roughly from behind. I tried to scream but someone punched me hard in the face. I felt dizzy, sick, and instantly wanted to vomit.

Another door opened and I was dragged out the back of the dress shop and into the alley. My head started to clear and I opened my mouth to yell, when my eyes landed on Scar Lip. My body froze, fear overtook me and I was incapacitated as my worst fear had come back to haunt me.

A cold knife touched my throat and Scar Lip threatened me, “Scream and they die, use any of those powers on me and they die, fight us and they die.” I looked past Scar Lip to see two hooded figures holding Pim and Jury hostage. The kids were bruised, tied up and gagged. “Do you understand?”