CANDLES

Chapter 1

How many times do I have to tell you, Wolf? Her voice sears through my brain like my mind is being cooked alive. Don’t play with the captives. Of course, that’s not what She’s really angry about. She’s angry because, once again, I have failed her in another important mission. So tell me again, Wolf, why you are my lead advisor and most trusted confidant? The nicest words She’s ever thought to me. “I told you,” I say aloud, “I did what I had to do to survive.” SURVIVE!? I wince. Do you think I send you out on missions just for you to COME BACK!? “Well,” I dare to say, “I’m not one for dying, as it happens.” I’m going to give you one last shot, Her voice echoes softly- too softly. Dangerously softly. If you fail me in this last mission, I WILL kill you. Slowly. And trust me when I say, I will enjoy it immensely. I cringe, but find the strength to stand tall. “What’s my next mission?” I ask. Anyone else in the room would think I was having a one-sided conversation with this Most Important Person, the dictator of Nation. Find and kill the fulfiller of the Prophecy.

 

Have you ever seen a hippopotamus fly while balancing two plates on one stick? No, I guess you haven’t. And neither have I. I just wanted to make sure you were paying attention. Because I’m no expert or anything, but I’m pretty sure this stuff is, like, pretty freaking important. Like me. Oh, my gosh, where are my manners? Probably with that flying hippopotamus in between Neverland and Narnia. I’m Moreland Augusta King. Yes, I am a girl, and yes, I am a ginger (and yes, I have a soul, thank you very much.) Yes, my parents hated me. No, I don’t know what they were thinking when they named me. Nice to meet you too. Now that the warm-hearted chat is over, I’m going to get back to the story, if you don’t mind. If you do mind, put this down and walk away now because you’re going to lose whatever patience you have on my wisecracks and rudeness. Sorry in advance.

I live in, like, the most perfect world you can imagine. Psych! That’s 90’s slang for not or just kidding in case you were wondering. We’re ruled by an evil-as-all-get-out dictator named Brill E. Ante. According to legend (a.k.a. the rumors I spread at school, being the most popular kid and all- no sarcasm, that’s actually true) Brill never speaks. She uses her mind to send messages- people just know what she wants them to do. She’s the number one most terrifying person in Nation. And if you say her name three times while spinning a top in the palm of your hand and eating a churro simultaneously, she’ll appear in front of you and give you three wishes. Psych again! But how cool would that be, right?

            One thing you need to know about Nation: there’s a certain group of people that were born with powers. Now don’t get freaked out. You may want to sit down for this. All of us with the powers can fly, first of all. No wings or strings, just fly. I can’t explain it…We just kinda jump up and… yeah. What were we talking about? Powers, oh yes, thanks for reminding me. I can also read minds. So don’t make me angry. It’s a pretty common power, but I guess if you’re going to put the gene for superhuman powers in an embryo, you’re just thinking about the basics, and not cool stuff like what my best friend, Travis, can do. He can fluently speak any language he wants without having to learn it. He can create food from his fingertips. I’m not kidding.

            Anyway, back to the background information. Last year, a whole species of people called the Diffs- short for Differences- disappeared. We think there was a plague and some poison involved. Anyway, the Diffs were the only people different from everyone else. They were the people with powers. No, I’m not a Diff but I do have powers. My mom was a scientist, and she experimented with chemicals in her lab while she was pregnant with me and boom freak-baby bomb! My mom died when she was giving birth to Opal, sadly. My dad is currently a doctor, in case you were wondering. I also have an adorable little sister that I literally love to death. She’s my other half, my best friend, my baby. So if you screw with her, I will kill you. Her name is Opal Lovelace. We’re big on weird names.