I can't remember where this was taken! It was taken by my mum and is a nice picture.
My plans to go to the city today are stopped by the arrival of the High Queen who summoned all the royals and high families to meet her. So we all stand in the hall, watching as she descends the stairs with elegance. Her soft yellow dress flows around her and her pale blonde hair hangs perfectly straight down her back. The crown sits delicately on her head, glowing in the light.
"As you know, the choosing ceremony is five months away, meaning that soon the five of you will be leaders of Shadow. It is very important that in these next few months, you are kept up to date about everything that is going on," she explains. We all nod our heads.
"I have a few spies currently residing on NightShade," she goes on to explain and our eyebrows raise. "This information is not to leave this room." We all nod our heads. "King Harrison, though powerful, does have a weakness. He doesn't understand how our magic works. His spell works on blocking our connection to our animals so we can't shift. He doesn't realise, however, that if we are already shifted it blocks the connection to the human form."
"So are you saying that all your spies are in plain sight as animals?" I ask. The queen nods her head.
"Birds, cats, dogs. All sorts," she informs us. "They have been telling as much as they can about what is happening over there. It is a very dark place. They inform me that his magic is getting stronger. They also see that many ships have been coming to his ports carrying cages covered in cloth so what's inside can't be seen. They believe that it may be humans or vampires, stolen from their lands and being magically experimented on to create new warriors, though we can't be sure." She sighs softly. "We have also had some information that one of his warriors has smuggled his way into our lands." At that statement, she looks at me. "We believe that it is his right-hand man and warrior leader. He is just known as the Kings Assassin. Somehow, he has got through the protection of our borders and is now hunting Isla."
"Why Isla?" Iona asks with a frown.
"Because she is being crowned queen of her lands this week, which will make all of the Dragoheirs stronger," Lady Indira explains.
"Other information that is very important, is that the NightShades have developed a new weapon. After realising that the Element Curse no longer has an effect on the Dragoheirs, they've created something with black magic. This is called Blackroot. It is woven into all their weapons and is very dangerous. In the form of a thick black goo, it is almost alive. It stops any connection to our animals and powers and is extremely poisonous. If in your system too long, it will kill you. Slowly and painfully. If even cut with a small bit, it will grow and root it's self into your body so it is harder and harder to remove." She stops and the room is silent as everyone takes everything in. "Not only does it block your magic, it also tears your insides apart. It is evil stuff."
"Security around Shadow is being tightened and Isla, I suggest you don't go anywhere alone. Omar is coming to the school to lead all the security here," I smile, excited to see Omar again.
We talk for a while as the Queen gets us up to date on all we need to know and informs us she will be staying in the capital for the next week. When we are dismissed, we are finally allowed to make our way down to the city.
"Isla, why didn't you tell us you were being hunted?" Serenity asks. I sigh. I hadn't wanted them to know, but I suppose they really need too.
"I just didn't want you to worry," I sigh. "I wanted you just to just have this time where you can grow and have fun with your friends without having to worry about death and danger," I tell them.
"Well that wasn't your choice to make, Isla," Tanya snaps angrily. "We are your family, you don't hide something like that from us. If one of us has a problem, we work together to solve it. It is the four of us, against the rest of the world! All we have is each other and we need to protect each other." Tanya stomps away angrily. Serenity rushes after her leaving myself and Toryn.
"I'm sorry Toryn," I sigh. He wraps his arm around me and pulls me into him.
"You should have told us Isla, but I can understand why you didn't," he tells me. I frown.
"That isn't what you were saying at the palace the other week," I remind him of our fight. He chuckles.
"I shouldn't have done that or said those things, I know you are just trying to do your best to protect us. I'm sorry," he smiles softly. "I was just really worried," he tells me. I smile and give him a hug.
"Tanya is right, we only have each other and we need to work together always. You may have thought it was your responsibility and burden to bear, but it isn't Isla. If you're in danger then we'd rather you'd tell us so we can help keep you safe. Us having a semi-normal teenage life isn't important if one of us is in danger," he tells me and I realise what a big mistake I've made by keeping my siblings in the dark.
"No more secrets," I say to him.
"No secrets between the four of us," he agrees. "Don't worry about Tanya, she'll calm down. She's just scared, we all are." I nod.
"Dark times are coming," I whisper as we get to the stables ready to go into the city.
"Let's just hang out together this afternoon," I say to Toryn. "It has been a long time since the two of us have spent time together properly," I smile at my twin. River whinnies as I reach his pen, his black fur glistening in the light.
"My thoughts exactly," he replies as we walk through the stable doors.
"Last one to the city is a dragon fart!" he shouts as his horse rears and races out the door. I laugh and urge River on after him. River is a huge horse with powerful muscles, as is Toryns horse. We are neck and neck most of the way, crossing into the city at the same time.
"I don't want to shop today," I say, as we walk through the busy market.
"Let's just ride in the woods," Toryn suggests. "Iona told me there are lots of interesting trails around the mountains.
We spend many hours riding in the woodland together, getting really deep into the forest. Toryn and I talk and race, jumping over fallen trees and galloping through streams. The feeling of the wind rushing through my hair as River gallops is exhilarating. We come to a large opening in the woodland. A large field of grass stretches before us. Wildflowers cover the field with colour and a stream runs through the middle. It is tranquil and beautiful. We slow and look around then stop completely as a feeling of unease washes over me.
"Do you sense that?" he asks. I nod my head. It darkens around us as thick clouds cover the sun. The birds stop singing and the wind stops brushing the grass. My hand brushes against my daggers that I had strapped to my legs. River whinnies uneasily. A snapping sound echoes around us and an unusual smell fills the air.
"We shouldn't have come so far," Toryn snaps. "Especially after the High Queen's warning." I nod in agreement. We stay quiet for a few seconds, looking around wearily.
I look at the entrance to the forest at the edge of the field which gets darker and darker. I narrow my eyes and zoom into the woodland. I can feel my eyes changing as I zoom to the eyes of the dragon. Shadows dance around the trees and my eyes widen. Suddenly what must be about one-hundred figures swarm out of the woodland. Their black robes surround them and the silver skeletal masks wrap around their faces. River rears and I manage to stay on his back. I look at Toryn and snarl, nodding my head. He nods his head back as a silent message passes between us. We slide off our horses and send them racing into the forest whilst we watch the NightShades race toward us.
"Like how we practised," I say, looking up at my brother. He grins dangerously as fire roars to life in his palms and water appears in mine. We run toward them, dodging their spells which explode beside us, sending parts of the ground flying up around us. Toryn roars as a wall of scorching fire rises in front of us. The water in my palms turns to ice which splits and grows until there are lots of ice spears floating around the two of us. With a snarl, I flick my hands. The spears fly through the scorching fire and plough into attackers unscathed from the heat of the flames. The shards of ice took out many of them, but not enough. They break through the wall of fire, but it isn't enough to stop my brother and myself. The two of us dance around the field, dodging the spells and their attacks. My ice and water works in perfect harmony with Toryns flames, dancing around the field and taking out all the attackers. More come out of the forest and I look up at Toryn. He takes hold of my hand as we look back on. Together, we draw on our powers yet again. Water and fire rise up to form a huge wall in front of us, both of them swirling around each other in perfect harmony. It is a spectacular sight. At the same time, the two of us attack with our elements. Water and Fire working together, dancing with each other and the enemies are injured or killed so quickly that they don't have enough time to even cast a spell. Toryn's fire surrounds them, burning their skin as my water enters their bodies and turns to ice before forcing it's way out again. We don't move as we concentrate on our powers. It is an awesome sight to behold and it isn't long before they are all dead. The once beautiful field of wildflowers in now a burnt mess with disfigured, burned and bloody bodies. It is messy. Smoke rises high around us. Thick and black. It is from the smoke a dark figure walks toward us. A figure wearing a black skeletal mask over his face. He stops at the end of the field and looks around at the mess of the NightShade warriors we had just killed. Toryn summons fire as I stare at him. Using our powers so much has made us tired but we can still fight if we need to.
"Relax boy, I will not be attacking," he says behind the mask. Toryn doesn't relax. The man walks to one of the NightShade warriors who isn't quite dead yet.
"General," the NightShade breaths heavily, "Help me, get my wand and I can heal myself then we can finish off the water bitch toge..." he stops talking as the man pulls out his evil sword.
"What are you doing General?" he coughs with confusion, "I am the Kings right-hand man, you can't kill me you son of a bitch," he spits as Toryn and I watch in shock.
"You disobeyed my orders. Now you will be punished."
"The King will kill you. Don't you dare you bas..." He is cut off by the man's sword plunging into his chest. Blood splatters from his mouth and a gurgling sound fills the air. He puts his sword away and looks back at us. Toryn is about to attack with fire before I tough his arm and stop him.
"You killed your own man," I whisper with a confused frown.
"He disobeyed my orders," his voice remains monotone.
"What orders were those?" I ask, my voice a little braver.
"Not to attack you," he replies. Why is he telling me this?
"Why?" I ask.
"I knew that they couldn't win, but I will admit it was quite the show."
"So you just watched as your men died?" I ask in disgust.
"I ordered them not to attack, but the followed his orders instead of mine, I was not going to save them," he explains as he looks down at the man he'd just slaughtered.
"Why are you telling me this?" I ask.
"So I can give you a message," he tells me darkly. I scream as Toryn is suddenly thrown away from me and the man is in front of me in a flash. He looks down at me behind the skeletal mask and I try to make myself feel taller, try to make it look like I'm not scared.
"I'm not going to kill you now, though I could."
"Not without a fight," I spit up at him. He chuckles darkly.
"Oh, I know, which is why I'm not ending it now. The hunt is on little dragon girl."
"You won't win," I say. I'm too tired to fight him now, but I am getting stronger day by day, my family are.
"Maybe, maybe not, that's what makes it so exciting."
"What about your orders, from the King? He obviously wants me and my siblings dead," I ask.
"He does, but he lets me have my fun." I snarl and wipe my tongue along my sharpened teeth. My hand moves in a flash, slamming across his face. It takes him by surprise and the force sends him flying and rolling across the ground. I walk toward him, looking down on him as he try's to stand.
"I may not be strong enough to fight you now, but I grow every day," I tell him with a dangerous snarl and I know my eyes will be white with the diamond dragon pupil. "I'd leave these lands and go back to NightShade if I were you because you're not the only one who likes to hunt. If you stay, I will hunt you down and end you." He is up and in front of me again in an instant but I don't back down.
"I can't wait," he snarls before a roar fills the air. He looks up.
"It looks like your back's here," he says.
"We'll meet again soon," he promise's and I look up at the terrifying black skeletal mask that covers his face. Serenity and Tanya land behind me and roar but he's already disappeared into the forest. I turn and find Toryn standing up slowly. I look around at the bodies again, thinking back to what we had been discussing the other day. How training with stuffed targets was so different from the real thing. It is different, taking lives. But they were going to kill us, we had to defend ourselves. Yet it shouldn't have been that easy. To kill, to burn or freeze. But it was. I didn't even think about it or what I was doing. I didn't even think about the fact that I was killing them. I gulp and look down to see my hand shaking.
"Burn all the bodies," I tell Toryn with a soft voice. He nods his head and the field erupts into flames as I walk over to my sisters who prepare to go after him.
"Leave him," I order.
"Why Isla? He wants to hunt and kill you," Toryn pleads. "We should go after him, he's probably helping the NightShades get into our lands, if we get him he can't do that."
"No, they already know a way in without him," I tell him as I jump onto Serenity's back.
"I'll play his game," I say to them. "Then, he'll lead me to where they are hiding."
"What will you do if that plan actually works?" Toryn asks climbing onto Tanya's back.
"I'll kill them all," I snarl trying to make it sound like it was an easy thing to do. I had to do it. I have to kill to protect those I love. Toryn huffs as we take off and head back to the academy.
What he doesn't know is that a small part of me looks forward to the hunting of that warrior, much like when we lived in the forest. The fights at the school aren't enough to quench my thirst for a good hunt but this is. The skeleton man was right, this is going to be fun. Though the hunt is only fun whilst it is a game. I dare not think about what is going to happen once the game is over.