9

I sat on the dirt of the land as I tried to catch my breath. I had somehow lost Kana, even though he had been chasing after me. My wounds were so severe I felt faint, but I had to hurry. If I did not get back to the outer limits of the royal city, I would be killed by the hundreds of Wielders I was sure were following me.

I slowly stood and walked as nothing showed in the distance. It felt as though it took a lifetime to reach an area of the forest where I could see the outskirts of the capital. I tried to quicken my pace, but was stopped when a Wielder suddenly jumped out of a nearby tree and grabbed my arms.

She pulled them behind me with power, "So you are the one emitting such a delicious scent?"

I struggled, "Get off of me!"

She laughed as her grip tightened, "You humans just don't know your place in this world, do you?" I gasped as I felt a weapon pierce my stomach, but I didn't dare look to see what it was. "You are just prey for us stronger beings of the food chain," she whispered into my ear.

"Dancing daggers," I whispered and felt the woman's grip, around my waist and the weapon, diminish as she choked, "Don't touch me." I hissed before moving away. The woman fell dead to the ground as I started running again. If I didn't, more Wielders would catch me and I would die for sure.

I was relieved when I saw a small group of six soldiers standing at the city limits. Even better, a familiar face was leading the group.

"Meron!" I called with relief, but when he looked to me he seemed horrified. I felt another weapon pierce my stomach and I froze. A deep laugh filled the quietness that now surrounded us.

"So you are the lost lamb I have heard about?" The man asked as I looked to his red eyes, "You certainly are as beautiful as they say."

My eyes closed from the horror, "Parade of blood." I whispered and heard the Wielder holler in pain, before he fell silently to the ground.

"All of you monsters deserve a horrible death."

I looked over to see Meron running towards me but, as he reached me, I lost consciousness. The last thing I remembered was his arms grabbing me to catch me.

I woke up to hear arguing between Gonen and Prince Asher. "Eva still hasn't woken up, Prince, so please stop insisting to come in to see her!"

"I want to be at her side!" Asher hissed back.

"She made it clear before she left that she could not stay at your side anymore, Prince. So if she wakes to see you, she will be upset!"

"Gonen?" I asked in a tiny whisper but was shocked by how quickly he came back into the small room.

"Eva!" He gasped with relief, "Thank god!"

I sat up and looked around, "I'm in the medical room?"

He nodded, "Some of the soldiers found you."

I looked to the ceiling, "Meron brought me back?"

His hand took mine, "Yes, he carried you here."

When my eyes met his, he was startled. I quickly pushed his hand away and looked to my legs, "They didn't change back?"

Gonen hesitated, "What happened while you were gone, Eva?"

I put my hand on my forehead as it ached, "I talked with Kana."

Gonen pulled his chair closer to the bed, "What did he say?"

Within a moment, I was crying and trying to fight it, "I found out the truth," I whispered as I squeezed the sheets in my hand. "He explained everything to me."

"Everything?"

I looked up when the door to the room opened to see my fears put into one being. "Eva!" Kairi cheered as she quickly came to me but froze when I jumped from my bed in order to escape her touch. "What's wrong?"

I started shaking as I wrapped my arms around myself, "Stay away from me, Kairi."

Kairi's face changed to terror, "What are you saying, Eva?" She whispered, "Why are you suddenly afraid of me?"

I put my hands on the sides of my head, "I don't want to associate with a being such as you any longer!"

Kairi's eyes filled with tears as I heard others come into the room, "Why are you acting so mean, Eva? What did I do?"

I kneeled on the ground as I started crying, "I can't look at you the same way I did before!" Kairi ran out of the room crying as Gonen, Asher, and the King watched me crying.

That was the only time Kairi came to see me the two weeks it took for me to recover. When the doctor told me I was healthy enough to leave the room for a few hours, I changed into my training gear before leaving the room. When I went past the dining room, I heard the queen call for me. I quickly came into the room to see the King, the Queen, Asher, Shari, and Noah all eating breakfast, "Please join us, Eva! You should eat." The Queen insisted so I took the seat beside Noah as they all watched me.

"Thank you." I whispered as a maid put food in front of me.

"How are you feeling this morning, Eva?" The king asked. I looked at him for a brief moment before looking back to my plate.

"I am much better, sir."

"And your wounds?"

"They are nearly healed."

The king paused for a moment, "Are you sure you are alright, Eva? You have been acting strange ever since you came back."

"Yes, sir."

He sighed, "Gonen wanted me to watch over you since he is off on a mission," I nodded and he waited for more of a response. "Kairi went with him."

I was startled by her name, "I see."

"Have you two talked since you came back?" The queen asked as she watched me.

I shook my head, "Not yet."

"Are you going to talk to her when she gets back?"

"I'm not sure."

The queen sighed, "Did Kana say something about Kairi?"

My glance shot to my legs, "Yes."

"What did he say?"

I looked to the queen, "I'm sorry, my queen."

"What do you have to be sorry for?"

When my eyes met hers, she held her breath. "I think it would be best for me to tell Kairi the information I have gathered before allowing others to hear it."

The queen sighed, "I understand."

I stood from my chair and everyone watched, "If you will excuse me, I have something I would like to do."

"Eva!" The king called and I stopped halfway through leaving the room to look back to him. "Please don't fight."

I smiled slightly towards him, "There is no need to worry, my king, I have had enough fighting for some time. I am just going to play some music."

With that said, I left the room and went down to the piano room. I played songs my mother had taught me until I was tired. I thought for a while before going back to the medical room but, when I got there, I left for the bathroom with the tool I needed in hand. After a few hours of resting, I went back to play the piano.

I was interrupted shortly after when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," I whispered before watching Gonen and Kairi enter the room with riding clothes on, "Welcome back."

Both of them stared at me in shock, "Eva…" Gonen started but stopped speaking for a moment. "What happened to your hair?"

I smiled sadly towards him, "I thought it was time for a change."

"But you haven't cut your hair since we met!"

I nodded, "I can't keep living in the past, Gonen," I replied as I looked back to the keys of the piano, "My family has been dead for a long time, so I must now move on."

"Did Kana say something that upsetting to you?" When I looked up to Gonen he froze, "I guess you could say that," I replied before slowly standing up. "Kana explained a lot to me. He filled in all the blanks of my past and…" I looked sadly over to Kairi, "He explained why I feel so protective of a mere Wielder child."

Kairi stepped forward, "So Prince Kana knew who I was?"

I looked away from her and nodded, "He knows almost everything about you. Except for the fact that you have been at my side recently." I felt myself shiver, "If he had known that, he would have come for us much sooner."

"Us?!" Gonen hurried over to me, "He plans to take you away?" He asked angrily as he squeezed my arms in his hands.

I shook my head, "He plans to come for both of us, but I will not go with him."

"So you are just going to let him get away and take Kairi?"

"It is what is best."

"Why!" Kairi yelled and I looked up with horror to see her tears, "Why are you going to abandon me?"

I shoved Gonen away, "Please leave. I need to talk with Kairi alone." I watched as Gonen left and once he was gone I sat back on the piano bench before looking at Kairi. "I'm sorry, Kairi, but I do not deserve to be by your side anymore."