I wake when I feel something ice cold on my shoulder. I yelp and pull back from Bea as she massages a lotion into my shoulder.
"Calm down, hon. Almost done." She soothes.
I then notice that Xavier is in the room, chuckling at my discomfort.
"When did you get here?"
"Earlier, Leo had to go back to his tent, so I came here to check on you."
I nod as Bea finishes, giving me a warm smile before leaving.
After some silence, Xavier says, "Your sister comes back today."
"Don't remind me." I groan. My sister, Reyna, and I used to be very close when we were little. I feel nostalgic remembering when we used to play as little girls by the lake. But then one day she cut me out completely. She left for a trip and came back a different person. Ever since then she's treated me and everyone else like a jerk. Except for Xavier, now that's an interesting story. Once she came back from her trip, she took a sudden interest in him. I always thought it was disgusting, liking your guardian? But she did, and with her short, black hair, bright blue eyes, and slim yet curvy body she got him. They've been dating for a little over a year now.
"Well wouldn't you be happy?" I spit at him. I know it's not his fault she shut me out, but I can't help but feel a little jealous. Sisters stick together right? Apparently not.
"Kira, you know I'm sorry right? I really am. I don't know what it would feel like go suddenly get shut out by the one family member you have." He says, offering me his hand and gently pulling me up.
"Yeah, well she ruined the word 'family' for me a while ago. Now, the only family I have is you and Leo." I say, trying to change the topic to protect my fragile feelings for Reyna.
"Thanks," he says, walking outside the Medical Treatment tent. "But I wanted to talk to you about somethings. First, the Elxi, he's in prison and we are still deciding what to do with him." His looks darkens as he talks about him, but then lightens a little more as he continues. "And our Scouters found someone new today!"
"Really?" I say surprised. Scouters have rarely been finding people now a days, thanks to the Elxi's high security measures.
"Yeah," Xavier sighs and runs a hand through his hair. "He's young, about 19, and I want you to show him around. Maybe get to know him." He winks at me.
"Shut up." I grumble.
He laughs and leads me towards our new Shifter.
We duck into the main tent, and everyone stands. The tent is big and in the center of town. This is were we hold all our meeting with the council leaders. I walk to the front seat on the right edge and sit down on the little stools. On my left is Reyna's empty seat and next to her, Xavier, in the middle.
"Friends," Xavier starts, his voice quickly silencing everyone. "These last few days have been difficult for us. Having an Elxi in the camp, threatening one of our young and shooting Kira." All eyes turn to me as I feel the bullet holes' dull throbbing in my shoulder return. "But we also found a fellow Shifter. Friends, this is Brady Peterson."
My head snaps up as I see a young man entering the middle of the circle. He does look young, 19 seems right. His wind-swepped blonde hair comes up to his chin, but it's his eyes that startle me. Grey. A deep shade of grey, that grows darker around the edges, and then his tall, muscular body with...
What the hell? Snap out of it Kira!
"Brady was found earlier today and has already master Water Shifting and Air Shifting." Xavier says. I raise my eyebrows. 2 Elements? Talented... Most of us have mastered at least one, and some have done two, including me: Water Shifting and Dirt Shifting.
"Brady, this is Kira." Xavier motions for me to stand. I walk towards Brady and put out my hand.
"Nice to meet you." I say.
He grins at me before taking it and shaking it. "Pleasure."
"She'll be showing you around the next few days." Xavier says. We take our seats as he continues. "Now for the Elxi we have-" he's cut off when a young woman rushes into the tent, showing her arms around him and kissing him passionately. He quickly pushes her off, and regains his composure.
"Xavier!" Reyna purrs. "Miss me?"
"Reyna! You're back! Did you have a safe trip?"
"I did." She says before coming to sit by me.
"Reyna." I say, trying to acknowledging her like a civil person.
She completely ignores me as she chats with someone next to her. Even though I'm mad, I can't help the small feeling of sadness that take over me as she ignores me.
"Who is she?" Brady whispers from next to me.
"My sister, Reyna Blanchard." I say.
"Sister..." Realization dawns on him as he asks, "What happened between you two?"
"That's a story for a different time and place." I sigh and turn my head back to Xavier.
"Mhm..." He says, eyeing her. "If it makes you feel better, I like you better." He says, after looking back and forth between us.
Wait what?
I stare at him with an expression of shock, confusion and embarrassment. No one has ever said that bluntly to me. She's always been the prettier one. I mean, short black hair with ocean blue eyes, a good body, smart, faster, and a better Shifter. That doesn't exactly compare to long haired, brown eyed, average, me.
"Thanks." I say, grinning slightly at him.
KIRA BLANCHARD! What are you doing? Opening up already to him? I scold myself for being to ready to trust, something I rarely do. But then again, Brady seems trustworthy...
I space out for the rest of the meeting and end up thinking about Reyna and Brady. Once the meeting ends, I get up, telling him to follow me. I glance at Xavier, who is trying to talk to the council without getting kissed by Reyna. He shoots me an apologetic glance, before I leave the tent.
Brady struggles to keep up as the dust circles around me like a tornado.
"You ok there?" Brady signals to the dust tornado.
Aw crap. Not now.
Every time I get extremely mad, tornadoes form around me. It drains my energy if I do it for too long, but with my wound it drains it immediately. I can feel it happen as my vision becomes fuzzy and my shoulder starts burning again. This is where Xavier left off training me: controlling your emotions.
I try to take a step forward but end up stumbling, almost landing face first in the ground except Brady catches me.
"Woah there. I gotcha." His hand is on the small of my back, stabilizing me.
"Thanks" I shift slightly so that his hand falls off of me. "Come on, let's get you situated in a tent."
"Lead the way."
Once I regain my energy, I grab the two wooden beams and stick them into the ground. Twigs and weeds quickly sprout up, covering the ends and keeping them in place. Then, we put the fabrics around the beams, creating a semicircle. Brady grabs his sleeping bags and backpack as he puts his stuff into the tent, which somehow ended up next to mine.
"And the feast is served." I say, handing him trays with food.
He hungrily takes the plate and starts eating. Laughing, I grab my own plate do the same.
"So," he says in between bites, "What's your story?"
"My story?" Hmmm. "Well my parents died when I was young, leaving me and Reyna to fend for ourselves. I was 6 and the time, Reyna 10. We found Xavier, who was about 14, and he took us to Camp Streyas. His parents took us in as their own, and when they died a few years later, he was old enough to become Chief. So he moved Camp and created Camp Aeras. I've been living here since then, usually making runs to Athanatos. The Elxi have been wanting me since 2 years ago, but I'm always a step ahead of them. A few weeks ago, Xavier asked me to take care of Leo, which I did, and since then he has become a younger brother to me. And then you came. And this wonderful bullet." I say, dramatically gesturing to my wound. "What's your story?"
He laughs and thinks for a bit, his grey eyes becoming darker. "Like you, my parents died. Except I'm an only child, so I had to fend for myself. I was 13 at the time, so I wandered around, occasionally having to run from thieves and guards who left Athanatos. Got caught a few times, escaped all the time, few girls here and there, most of which turned me in somewhere."
At this I snort. First rule of surviving on your own: Trust no one.
"And then your Scouter Mac found me. And then I had the pleasure of meeting you." He winks at me.
"Ok ok." I say laughing.
We stay like this for the rest of the day. He helps me forget about Reyna, my throbbing shoulder, and the Elxi underground in our prison. I like Brady. He's nice, funny, and unlike the case with other people, words come easy to me.
Kira. Watch it. Don't immediately trust him. First rule: Trust no one. Second rule: Secrets are secrets. Tell no one. Ever.
Once it's dark, I say goodnight to Brady and walk into my tent. A few minutes later though, he pokes his head into my tent and whispers, "Um should I be worried if Reyna just walked into my tent?"
"She what?" I ask, dumbfounded. Why would she go in Brady's tent?
"Yeah, she's, and I quote 'making herself feel at home because she's the Chief's soon-to-be wife.'"
I nearly choke. "Wife?"
"Yeah... At least that's what she told me." Brady looks uncomfortable, and then I remember my crazy sister is in his tent.
Ok Kira. Enough avoiding. Third rule: Face your problems head on.
"Reyna!" I call, getting out of my tent and throwing the curtain back to Brady's . "Get out. It's not your tent. Go back to your boyfriend." I say hotly.
"Ah. It's the witch, Kira. How are you dear sister? And haven't you heard? It's 'go back to your fiancé.' We are betrothed." She answers, a sick grin making its way across her face.
"Out. Reyna. Now." I say, poison dripping with each word. It's not the fact that she's in Brady's tent that bothers me, it's mostly about making my point: I'm not 6 anymore and I don't need her.
"Oh fine! Your no fun." She humphs. Getting out, she kicks the ground and dirt balls fly up and hits me in the chest and my shoulder. I cry out in pain as Brady appears behind me, grabbing me and thrusting his hand out in front of him. Water flies in front of me, making a wall around us. I smirk as she stares bewildered. People are now out of their tents, looking at the commotion. Brady pulls me up, his hand on shoulders, gently holding me in place.
"Are you ok?" He asks, his voice genuinely concerned. It's been a while since some besides Xavier and Leo asked me something like that, I think.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." I say grinning. "That was awesome. I owe you."
"Yes you do." He answers smirking.
"What's going on here?" Xavier asks, walking over to me. He sees Brady steadying me and Reyna's confused look and raises his eyebrows in confusion.
"Kira and her boyfriend attacked me!" Reyna screeches.
"He's not my boyfriend and I didn't attack you." I say at the same time Brady says,
"I'm not her boyfriend and she didn't do anything wrong."
"Yes you did!"
"Just get out of his tent, Reyna." I am trying to stay calm and it is evident with the dust swirling at my feet.
"Reyna, why were you in his tent?" Xavier asks, surprised.
"Um, I wanted to get to know him." She circles Xavier, kissing his neck and running her hands up his chest.
"You. Are. In. Public." I spit at them. "Chief," Xavier pushes Reyna off, and looks at me in disbelief. He knows that I only call him Chief when I'm pissed at him. "Excuse us."
"Reyna come on. Kira, Brady, I'm sorry for any inconvenience." He says, trying to get my attention, but I'm already walking back into my tent, Brady following into his own tent.
Sighing, I sink onto the ground, rubbing my sore shoulder and wondering one question:
What the hell did I do to her?