"Mom, are you kidding?" I feel like my voice is loud enough to shake the golden walls of the Terra throne room. I'm so confused that even Elang lets out an undignified squawk. "Dad, is this serious? How can you guys be considering this! What about all those conspiracies? The dangers? What if it's a trap or something?"
Especially after what I just went through. Just mentioning anything about dangers and traps give me a small headache. Heck, trying to put together the puzzle pieces of my attempted kidnapping is messing with me. It was all a blur after I watched Elang and Sey fumble through the sky, falling through the thin foliage before my eyes could no longer pick out their shapes. I was tempted to leap out the window, even though it would've made everything worse. Then I spent a good five minutes screaming—at the guards, for Elang, at the impossible thing Sey was, at myself because it was all my fault—before one of the soldiers suggested that I go tell my parents. I'd managed to fix my composure then, but I'm now on the brink of losing it.
"Pele, we can promise you that we are serious," my mom says. Her words are coming out quickly and getting more tilted as her accent starts to get heavier, something that happens when she is speaking passionately. With her fuchsia gown and dark brown skin that most Sparkbloods have, Mom looks regal but vicious like a warrior. Clavo beside her stares straight ahead, as solemn as his human partner.
"But..." I start.
"No buts," my dad booms. "I can assure you that there will be no traps or trickery while you are sent off."
Sent off, more like fed to the wolves. My mind is wheeling. Just earlier today, my dad was going on and on about how evil the rest of the other blood types are, but now he wants to send me to them?
Not exactly, a small voice from inside me says. Just the heirs and heiress. But it's still dangerous, nevermind what the sensible part of my says. The Airbloods are know for the sneakiness in their own villages and courts, what if they find a way to scheme against me? And the Wavebloods are so clever, the Sparkbloods live to fight and are brought up learning how to defend themselves. Of course, their elements are just as powerful. What use is a vine against a raging fire or giant flood or tornado?
I unconsciously reach up to my shoulder, but where soft feathers should be there's just air. "What if something happens? It won't be safe."
Mom sighs. "Pele, even if we don't want you to go, none of us have say in this. Your father, myself, and the council already agreed, and if we don't send you, suspicion will fall on us."
"Why would anyone be suspicious of us?" I ask. Is something bigger happening? Are the we being framed for something? Whatever it was, the Rosebloods have nothing to do with it.
Or do we?
"Are you hiding something?"
"No." My dad answers this time around. "But the other heirs were also attacked today, and the rulers are not..." he struggled for the right words "completely in their right minds."
If I had I drink, I would spit it out. "What? What happened? Did they catch who did it?"
"The other attackers are...well, weren't as lucky as yours." The words aren't even it of his mouth when Mom, Clavo, and Elang shoot Dad a look that clearly says stop talking.
"So they're dead?" As soon as I say it, I want to take it back. I didn't realize my tone would've sounded so blunt, but it's hard to think about how I'm talking when a clump of overwhelming dread takes over my body. Goose bumps and chills suddenly run up and down my back. Without even thinking about it, I run to the closest corner and throw up.
"Pele!"
Did the prince and princess kill their captors or was there an execution? How long did the intruders last? How long will I last?
"You can't do this," I say, my voice clear despite the mess at my feet. "You can't, please. It's not safe, what if I'm attacked there? What if their leaders are lying? What if they kill me?" No, no, no, no, no, no no no. I can't take this. I just can't. Without being dismissed, I bolt out of the throne room as fast as my legs can take me.
🍃 🍃 🍃
I don't know where else to go, so I wander back into my ruined room. The little plantings that told me how to defend myself are dead, mangled up by the vines, which are also dead. I squat down to take a closer look at them. The tips are severed, Sey must've cut them off.
"Stupid," I curse myself and make my way to my bed. I flop down on it and groan. I should be feeling angry or rebellious or even confused, but the only thing going through my mind is embarrassment. I just threw a tantrum in front of my parents, who want nothing but safety for our people. They risk their lives just by being on the throne every day, and they would sacrifice themselves in a heartbeat if they knew it would make Hortus a safer place. So why can't I even go away for a few days without acting like a big baby?
I sigh as Elang comes in through the window and lands on my stomach.
"Elang!" I scream. My poor bird doesn't even get the chance to breathe before I wrap my arms around him. As soon as the hug is over, he flaps a few good feet away. "At least you're okay." I'm happy, but then remember being ditched. "But where were you, Sourpuss?" I ask.
Sshh, he tells me.
"No, tell me," I say out loud.
No.
I give him a stinky look and give up on talking. He should at least give me a good excuse. Doing this thinking-thing, we can feel the other's emotions easier. Maybe he can get a whiff of how mixed up my feelings are right now.
It'll hurt if I tell you.
That makes me feel so much better. "Please, Elang. I want to know. Have to know." He knows that thing's aren't that serious, but I can feel his brain thinking about it. "You scared me and I could've gotten hurt," I add and make an upset face. Finally, that convinces my hawk to spill. He pecks my belly for it.
Bad birds got me.
Bad birds. Evil or an enemy of Elang? Either way, this is bad news.
"Are you okay?" I ask. "Come here."
With a huff, he makes a short flutter into my outstretched hands. After inspecting him from beak to tail, I let him in on the incident that happened in my room, then vent a little about what occurred in the throne room.
He replies with, You act like a teenager with bad hormones. And sick.
"Hey! What would you know about that? And I am not sick. Just...tired."
Thinking about exhaustion of any kind leads my mind back to my reaction earlier. It was inexcusable, but understandable. I mean, the only things I've heard about the other Bloods are negative. Bad people, bad land, bad powers. Bad, bad, bad, evil, evil, evil. That's all Dad ever talks about.
So what changed his mind?
Was there something so bad that even he had to swallow his pride? (The world is still here, so no.) Are we being threatened by the Airbloods or Sparkbloods? The Wavebloods wouldn't do such a thing, but even if they did it would make no sense to do it to their most friendliest allies. Maybe Sey was hired by someone. Or experimented on—no one could ever, ever, ever shift forms like that. But if something like that spread...If more people were changed to do those things...
It would be chaos. It would turn out terrible for everybody, especially the Rosebloods who are so peaceful. People could start an outright war for something like this. Not to mention ruining the system of Sanguis. Who will go where if there's a whole new blood type?
Mother Earth. A whole new blood type. The thought is thrilling but extremely terrifying. These people who attempted to kidnap me are smart and slick and, most importantly, undercover. And they have more than likely been around for a while, because who was going to steal the four blood heirs of Sanguis on their first meet-up? Mother Earth, am I really thinking about this?
You think too much, Elang tells me.
"You're right." But not for the reasons he thinks. "The choice is simple. My parents would definitely have done something by now, so that's what I'll do." Before my mind can change once again, I scramble out of the bed and dart back to my parents.