I Choose You

Twenty-Three

Gwendolyn 

I couldn't help but shiver at the papers. 

Mare Barrow, the girl I'd watched for years, is falling for the King.

King Maven.  

My usually cold body gets chills at that name. 

Coro and Genesis had almost the same expression we did.  Mare was a year younger than us three, and she was already with King Maven.

We knew once she left the Stilts something was up, then she turns into Mareena Titanos as a pawn for the Houses.  

Of course, her painted face didn't fool me, she is red, a newblood, like me. 

I am a Shiver, can control ice and snow.  But I am different.  I can make it, create it.  

One other difference I had, my father was the first newblood, but he was erased from all records for my safety.  I am officially the first newblood-red mix in Norta.  

My powers are stronger that my Father's though, before he passed, he could only control it, when I could create it. 

I knew Mare was a newblood just by the look of her, Genesis and Coro did as well, the three of us newbloods stayed in hiding from Silvers.  We watched her from the shadows, staying hidden and hiding our powers from society.  

Mare was part of the Scarlet Guard, I am conflicted on being surrounded by newbloods, scared of what my powers can do.  

I have harmed Coro and Genesis before, almost killing Genesis on my ability.  I only use it when I feel like it, otherwise I hide it, like I was born to do.

Genesis is a greenwarden, she can control plant life and earth. Coro is a windweaver, making nice breezes.  I have known them all my life, they have their abilities down, teaching each other when necessary. 

Father taught me from time to time, but when he left, I had no one except Coro and Genesis.  Coro stays out of the way, while Genesis stays with me at all times.  It might be because Coro is 21, and Genesis and I are only 18. 

"Well, there goes that plan," Genesis says with her sweet, motherly voice.  Coro just rolls his eyes.  We planned on speaking with the Barrow on the Scarlet Guard and making her our bug on this rebellion.  Now that she is in Maven's grasp, that seems almost impossible. 

"Any ideas?" Coro finally says something.  Genesis looks at the ground in our small little shed away from every city that we have called home for 10 years now. 

"No, I got nothing," I say, Coro looks at me with his teal eyes and dirty blond hair, shaking his head.  He hates now knowing what to do. 

"I have a small idea," Genesis says, losing the confidence in her tone.  Coro sits on the floor, joining the small circle we made. "The Scarlet Guard."

Coro's head falls into his hands, a chill of fear runs down my spine.

"Genesis, we've been over this,"

She stands up, proving their point.

"They know Mare better than anyone, what's the harm in being with people like us?" 

I stay silent, letting Coro be the judge. 

"They won't accept us, not with our reputation,"

"They take in newbloods like us, we've had our powers for 10 years, they have just acknowledged that they have abilities, we have ours under control,"

"What about Tiberias, he is there, a Silver, he can't be trusted, not around Gwen,"

Coro knows burners scare me, especially the Calore's.   Ice and Fire are opposites, and in most cases, they don't attract.  He notices my worry, he puts his hand on my shoulder, he got used to my cold, rough skin.  I know I may seem tough, when on the inside, I am just a bottle of fear and anger.