The Unexplained

Chapter 10

-Jack-

I sigh as I quietly shut the door to my room, locking away the secrets that lie there. It's been two days since we returned here, and my father has been furious.

"You neglected the duties that you had been assigned to, Jack." I stand at the base of my father's throne as he says this, dragging a frustrated hand down his face. "I told you to be back after a quick visit to those...friends...of yours, and I come to find out you stayed much longer than you were told to!" He stands and begins to pace.

I stare down at my feet, hanging my head. "Yes, father."

He sighs and walks down the few steps that separate the platform the throne sits and the ground. "What am I ever going to do with you?" He stops in front of me and looks at me disapprovingly.

The only look I get from him anymore. I stay silent, allowing him the time to blow off steam.

"And!" He begins. "You brought them back here?! As if the werewolf boy wasn't enough." He frowns at me. "And you brought two strangers-"

"They're not strangers! They're other friends-"

He holds up a hand, silencing me. "I will not hear it, Jack. I've stretched my limits for far too long, especially with allowing that werewolf boy to stay. If the four are not gone within a week, I will have to terminate them. I don't care who their parents could be."

I purse my lips and I nod solemnly. "Yes, father..." I mumble.

"I cannot hear you when you mumble, Jack."

"Yes father," I say louder, raising my head to look him in the eyes. He places a hand on my shoulder and smiles, in his own way. His mouth is always set in a straight line, and when he smiles, it looks like he's scowling.

I bow as he waves a hand in dismissal and I walk out, not looking back.

I walk briskly down the hallway, passed the quiet and deserted living room and out the two large oak doors that lead you to my section of the palace. The six guards that stand at attention bow to me, and I nod back. As it's the only entrance to where I reside, my father likes to have it heavily guarded, no matter how much I argue.

At four in the morning, the sun is just starting to peak over The Ekeham Mountains in the west, the only part of this realm not made of forest. The tall and rocky peaks stretch across the back of our city, protecting that sector, leaving the forest to the front.

The mountains are one of the main reasons we are so powerful, so protected. It would be suicide to attack from there, every elf who's studied history could tell you this.

The large curtains are still drawn shut, but a bit of sunlight peeps through here and there, casting large openings in the shadows and illuminating the detailed floors and walls of this corridor. Most of the castle looks exactly the same, pure white floors made of tile, cream walls, and the ceiling is often too high to see. However, when I was younger, I would climb the curtains, sometimes fall, and see that the ceiling reflects the floor.

A waste of time at five years old, now that I look back on it.

But then again...that was before everything in my life crumbled to ash.

"Status update, Damien." I address the leader of this city's defense as I walk into the circular room looking over all of Zaltavia, this city.

A man of about thirty turns in his chair and stands at attention. I wave my hand and he relaxes. "All is calm, my prince. Nothing has been bothering our walls or borders in the forest."