Rise Of Faeries Book I : Ascension

Chapter Three - The death games 🌟 (rewritten)

Thoughts of everything about her existence fought for dominance in her mind's eyes. She walked down the wet ground, trying to focus on following the path laid out in front of her.

Her parents were on the brink of divorce and she hadn't seen them since she was nine years old. She hoped her father did not blame himself for what happened to her, her aunt and uncle told her that they couldn't communicate with Kaimana from Earth. It risked too much, so her father was unaware Kairo survived the accident. But Kairo was sure her father did. Even though memories of that night eluded her.

She kicked at a pebble, feeling slight foolishness walking in a forest following its path. She still had no idea what was going on, she looked back the way she had come contemplating running back l, but to her astonishment, the trees knitted back together where she had passed. Kairo swallowed, a small seed of panic taking hold of her.

She forced herself to venture forward, picking up her pace. She looked around, only to be met with the stare of still forest trees that towered over her, it was as though they were mocking her. She stifled the urge to run and hurried down the muddied path, making sure not to trip over the protruding stones embedded in the ground.

She stopped suddenly when an icy feeling gripped her. She looked around before her eyes landed on her bracelet, but it sat cold against her wrist, not buzzing. Had she imagined it then? She was not alone in the forest. That thought alone caused the girl to abandon all care and run.

The rustling of trees alerted Kairo to being chased. She increased her pace, not daring to look around to see what was chasing her. A whistling sound ruptured through the still atmosphere, making all of Kairo's senses alert, she ducked low towards the ground and a light thud could be heard behind her. She glanced backwards and was horrified to find a dagger embedded in the tree bark. It was black with intriguing patterns on it.

She stood up slowly, fear gripping into her heart. She looked to her left, where she first heard the whistling sound and froze. A boy, not older than her by the looks of it, glared at her. His face held more surprise beneath the mask of fury on his face, his black eyes narrowed at her as he regarded her. Kairo swallowed. He looked ready to kill and if she hadn't ducked, she would be dead with a dagger on the side of her head.

"Who are you?" the boy asked. His voice was harsh and it only intensified Kairo's fear.

"Who are you?" Kairo countered, pleased her voice remained steady.

The boy frowned, his eyes drinking her in and then a slow predatory smile crept across his face. It made him look even more scarier,  deadlier somehow. "General Stormhart's daughter are you?"

Kairo was shocked. He knew who she was? How did he know?

When she didn't immediately answer, the boy took a step forward. It seemed calculated and measured. His eyes flickered towards her hair. "Your silvery hair is like a beacon," he pointed out.

Kairo cursed inwardly. She glared at the boy and with a startling realisation saw that the boy's eyes were a brilliant amber hue shaped in starry irises. She took a step backwards. She knew what those eyes represented, royalty. Elaria's royalty. And he had tried to kill her. She said nothing to him, however, her eyes darting to the laid-out path she was following before the attack.

The boy never let his eyes drop off her face. He watched her with an intensity that shook her knees, Kairo tried to watch him as well, but his face was hidden in the shadows of the tree, she couldn't even make out the colour of his hair. "What then? Are you going to try and kill me again?" she asked, trying to call up what was left of her courage.

The boy crossed her arms across his chest. "I wasn't trying to kill you. I don't miss."

Kairo bristled. The arrogance of him. But, ah, he was a royalty, although Kairo was still confused about what he wanted with her. "Then why throw a damn dagger at my head?" she hissed.