Living a Secret Life

The Chance Meetings

Song for the chapter: Victorious by Panic! at the Disco

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The shadows behind me keep close together, stealthily staying quiet and unnoticeable. I pull my bandana up over the lower half of my face and hide my hair and ears beneath a cap. Tonight we are going for our biggest target yet, the royal castle.

I'm the leader of a community of thieves, even if i am only twenty one. Despite my young age, they respect me. They chose me because of my speed, stealth, and cunning, as well as my compassion. I've kept the children fed, and helped get all the medicine for the sick, all without killing innocents.

My crew and I reach a fork in the tunnels that run under the town.

"Alpha team, with me to the castle. Beta, head to the market and keep the ways clear. Delta, head to the hideout near the citizens and open the door. Wait only 30 minutes, then close the doors, no matter what. If you see me running up at the 30 minute mark, just go. I won't let them find the hub." I whisper. Murmurs of acceptance ripple through, and we separate.

Taking the path straight ahead, my team sprints to the other end, making sure our feet hit the ground lightly. We reach the end and make a left hand turn, following the path. A small opening is above us, the secret way into the castle. Juniper and Gale give me a boost and I quickly pull out my lock pick, and open the hatch. Pulling myself up, I retrieve a small rope ladder from my bag and lower it. Viper stays behind to block the path. That leaves four of us to grab everything and run.

Pivoting around, I see we arrived at the food storage of the castle kitchens.

"Grab some for the kids at home, Juniper. We need it." I mutter, and the last of us exit the room and peek into the kitchens. Empty as a ghost town. Gale, our best scout, takes out his dagger and goes out into the great hall. I wait in silence for five seconds and then enter the room after him. His honey colored eyes meet mine and convey his worry. Putting my hand on his shoulder, I give a light squeeze to comfort him and then we grab the displayed amulets.

"Who are you?!" Someone cries out. I whirl around and a see a boy, around my age, at the end of the staircase.

"Gale, get the door open. Aster, get Juniper and go back the way we came." I issue my orders and they quickly escape.

"My name is Prince Calem. Who are you, and why are you here?" He questions again.

"I am Raven. Leader of the thieves. See you around." I smirk underneath my bandanna and sprint into the throne room and hop from the throne to the window.

"Wait!" He stands at the front of the room. I turn to him curiously.

"Your eyes....I've never seen eyes that color before in a human." He calls. My turquoise eyes widen in shock and I shake my head, another smirk hidden.

"That's the fun part. I'm not human." I respond, and then open the window and leap the distance to the town wall.

"Hey! You!" I look to my right and see guards racing towards me, and I take off to my left,following the walls and see my fellow thieves below, scattering. A group of guards cuts me off and I dive to the ground below, landing softly on my feet. For any human, that jump would've crippled or even killed them. Rounding the corner I enter the residential section of the town and see Zephyr at the entrance to the hideout. Suddenly she turns and goes inside and I see the door start closing.