Awakening (Born From Shadows #1)

Riley collapsed into his sister’s arms, both seeking each other for comfort as Tatianna stood by, looking at the bloody mess in front of her. “We need to leave,” she said. She knew the others needed time to grieve, but this was not the place. “When the maid’s come in they will see this and report it. I will most likely be executed, and the two of you imprisoned.”

Riley looked at her and stood up. “Where will we go?” Riley inquired.

Tatianna’s eyes swept to each of the teenagers before her, “I know the street’s better than the back of my hand, trust the girl you just met and follow me.”

The siblings pondered for a moment, debating whether they should run and leave everything they knew behind or suffer the consequences of their father’s insanity.

“We’ll follow you,” Freya confirmed in a whisper, her eyes were trapped glued onto her mother’s body. Tatianna could tell by the tone of her voice this was something that would haunt the girl for years to come.

“I know how ridiculous this sounds, but you’re our only hope. We have no parents which means no money. Our house is covered in blood and there will soon be a troop of soldiers coming our way who are no doubt going to arrest us when they see the...bodies,” Riley reasoned, choking on his last word unable to believe how easily his family fell apart.

It still amazed Tatianna how quickly death could come and rip away everything from you as if it was never there in the first place. She managed a smile towards the people in front of her. They could not be trusted but she felt sorry for them. She was the reason their father went insane, revealed the true person he was. Also, she had no idea if they could even stay in the city and leaving this place alone could be very dangerous for her.

“We can’t stay in the city,” Riley also realised. “As soon as someone spots you the Hunt will upon you. You will die.”

“What’s the Hunt?” she asked curiously not understanding.

“After the war, despite the treaties or trust and unity between all races some groups of humans still hunt fae and mainly elves. The Elven King and Queen tried to put a stop to it, but if someone as stubborn as a human is committed to a goal, it is very difficult to stop them. The human government placed multiple laws against it to no prevail. All those found guilty of this are swiftly chucked into one of the three jail camps across Crénia’s inner desert. The King and Queen of the Elves both know of this but do not attack the human governors, instead of being calm and only verbal about it, trying to not cause another war. Although I believe the Fae are a bit less lenient. Although they don’t venture very far from their home,” Riley explained to her as they headed out of the mansion.

The groups headed through the doors of the mansion, Freya stopping to take one last glance. “I can’t believe that I’m leaving,” she mumbled in disbelief. “I can’t believe...” Freya couldn’t muster the strength to admit the morning’s events.

“Well believe it because it’s happening, now move it sis before someone arrives,” Riley said pushing her from behind as he left the building. Tatianna looked at the boy, he was doing the same thing she did whenever she was on the verge of crying. Denying it.

Tatianna looked back at the mansion, from the outside it looked like nothing had happened. That everything was fine. Yet inside it held the pieces of a broken family. She realised at that moment; her blue blanket was left behind in her room. That it was burnt. It was a part of her yet it was gone like so many other things.

She still wore her cloak and had her Dagger strapped to the side of her aqua dress from the night before when she did not change clothes. The people on the street looked at her with judging glances, staring intently at her face that she tried to cover with the hood of her cloak. Was that how she looked at so many? She suddenly felt bad for judging so many faces in her years on the street. They had dark secrets too, they could have been suffering too yet she judged them.

“So...are you guys up for a trip to Lyracris?” She asked her travel companions.

“It’s a long journey,” Riley stated, “but yeah, it’s the only safe place.”

“Why did you think we grabbed these?” Freya said holding up the bag of apples they took. Tatianna smiled at her.

“Is that an elf?” A voice called out to them. Suddenly they had the attention of everyone that was on the street.

The people started to panic, some dashing away others cursing the foulest insults she had ever heard. But one voice was clear.

“Call the Hunt! Kill it!”

That’s when Tatianna started to run.