I woke up on top of my neatly made bed, how did I get here? I face-palm myself at the realization of earlier events. I shouldn't have cried in front of the gang, it's not like me. I was always the headstrong one, I only cried one other time in my life, and that was when this hell started. Even when I was a baby I wouldn't cry, or at least I don't think so. I got up sleepily and went out to the main room, were the others were eating dinner. Katie got up and ran to me.
"Kay! Are ok?" Katie yelled, giggling at the irony of my name. It's not like I didn't realize that before.
"I'm fine, just got a little worked up." I said, prying her of of me.
"A little?" Helen mocked from her floating position above Harry.
"Shut the hell up, HELLen!" I retorted, she scowled at me.
"Swear Jar!" Harry chimed, rising form his chair and shoving a jar in my face with the word 'swear' written in big letters on it.
"What?" I asked. It's not like didn't know what it was, the question was why.
"50 cents for every swear." He said beaming. I rolled my eyes and looked over at Diego, he stared back with a mouth-full of mashed potatoes. At least he swallowed before speaking.
"Don't look at me, it was her idea." He said, gesturing sleepily towards Helen. I glare at her as she smirks at me.
"Fine." I groan, digging a quarter and a stick of gum from my pockets.
"That's not 50 cents!" Harry pouted.
"It's all I got." I said, kneeling down to his level.
"Should've thought of that before you cussed, scrub." Helen mocked once again, hovering over the kitchen counter now.
"How about this, if I can bring you back a rare specimen of a flower for your studies, I get 10 free swear words. Deal?" I asked, both Harry and Helen perked up at this. None of us could deny a heart's love for science.
"Deal!" Harry squealed, practically carrying me out the door. I laugh at his enthusiasm, climbing down the stairs to solid ground. That's when I meet my problem, I knew nothing about flowers, and it was getting dark out.
"Well shit." I murmured, so Harry wouldn't hear. I started walking and came upon a cliff, I looked out on the forest and sighed, the green canopy mixing with the red and orange of the sunset. Maybe the neutral zone wasn't so bad. My stomach started grumbling, I hadn't had lunch or dinner and a small breakfast. I turn around to go back the way I came. I walked through the trees, completely lost, when I came upon a pond, I walk up to a group of lily pads, full bloom. I guess it'll have to do for Harry. I pick a few and look around, I heard a horse in the distance and figured it was one of ours. I walk in the direction of the sound, the delicate flowers tucked in the pocket of my hoodie. I walk around of the tree and come face to face with a jet black horse, I turn to run, fearing it was one of the forbidden. A gentle but firm hand grabbed my forearm.
"Sorry miss, did I startle you?" A man asked, I turn to look at him. I couldn't see him well in the moonlight, but I could see his choppy black hair that fell a little past his ears. His red eyes seemed to glow at me, begging me to answer.
"You damn well did." I responded, jerking away from his grasp, praying he didn't see the faint red forming on my wrist, what it usually does when I'm ready to fight.
"What are you doing here at this hour? I haven't seen anybody here for a while." He pressed on, what was this guy's deal, and why wasn't I running. I know, I didn't know were to run, and what did he mean 'for a while'? Whoever he was, I didn't trust him.
"I was doing a favor for a friend, I'm heading back now." I said, looking for a way around the massive horse that backed me onto a tree. Right on time, my stomach growls.
"Are you hungry?" he asked again, obviously not letting me go yet.
"I'm fine, I just need to get back to my house." I retort, gasping at the information I just gave away. He jumped off his horse, his tall, muscular figure looming just a few inches above mine.
"Whoah, you live here?" He responded, I knew there was no going back now.
"Would you rather me go to the clubs?" I ask, putting my hands on my hips. He looks to the ground at my question.
"Clubs was destroyed, like the other kingdoms." He said meekly. I gasp at the statment, in the past few days the forbidden had destroyed everything. How was I gonna tell Katie and Diego?
"Then you know why we live here." I said, trying to push past the horse. I was really fucked up.
"We?" He asked, tilting his head like a puppy.
"Yeah, I take care of the kids from spade here that lost there family, sorry if it's on your territory." I finally push past the horse. I started to walk away.
"I thought you were doing a favor for a friend." I pressed on, leading his horse behind me. The sun was rising, I could see him more clearly now, his jet black hair hung over his head like a mop, his red eyes bore into mine with a burning urge to know more. He was in black jeans and a black button down, his cape matched the rest of him. His riding boots complemented his horse's gold reigns with similar accents. I took an extra long time studying the sheath that hung at his belt, the same shape as a long, thin sword.
"Just leave me alone." I turned to try and find my way back.
"Then I wouldn't get what I came for." He said in a different voice. One more mature, kind of like Diego's, but had a hidden lust behind it. I freeze when I hear the cool, sharp sound of a sword being drawn. I was hit in the back of the head with a hard object, I scream as I fall to the ground. To top it all off, I could feel myself being thrown on top of a certain horse before I blacked out.
ns 15.158.61.48da2
