A friend at last

Reina

As soon as I got to the Shifter Castle I realized two other contestants had beaten me there. At least I had made it in the required time. Under twenty minutes. Jumping up and down, I spotted the boys stare. I looked away and thought of the next ordeal. One could only hope the next test would be as much fun.

Mother was furious that I was chosen for tryouts. Somehow I knew she would be proud of me when she realized I got a spot on the Royal Guard so I pressed on. The rest of the contestants arrived shortly before the bell rung.

We were then each assigned a partner for the physical and royal ability combat session. I was surprised to end up with the blue eyed telepath who had defended me. His stare was unsettling, like he could read my thoughts. As a telepath and lighter I had been forced to grow up first. I had no friends because mother got tired of healing wounded children and complaining parents. Even without all that no sane child could be my friend because I was weird and odd. The girls played with dolls, braided their hair, giggled a lot and played other games I had no idea about. I would have loved to play with them but their thoughts distracted me. I got a headache every time and I lashed out hurting them. All that ended my childhood.

At five I was a force to be reckoned with and fearless. I was smarter than most and unabashed about my gifts.

One of the King's scouts and advisors had seen me imprison a grown male shifter in a light prism and here I was. In an arena with a tall handsome blue eyed boy. He seemed nice but arrogant and confident and...

A loud whistle halted my thoughts. He stared at me as if I was too small to be a worthy opponent. He was three years older than me after all. Ocean blue eyes never left my green ones as he sent out his power in waves. As it touched my body, I fell to my knees immobilized. His power was the replica of a constrictor suffocating my limbs. My eyes turned golden sending my light towards his constricting power. The arena was buzzing with noise as other contestants battled their opponents but the place quieted as they observed my light wind around Blue eyes' power.

"My name is Eric Princess!",a voice boomed in my head.

"Get out of my head", I screamed and he immediately shut his eyes as my light momentarily blinded him. I took advantage of that and ran towards him. My hands

touched his chest and he fell back onto the ground groaning as my light burned his insides. For this session he had been given a diamond to shield him from extreme effects of my power. Eric only felt a fraction of what he would feel without the diamond. I waited for his power to blast out but it didn't. He stayed down in a fetal position. Panicked, thinking he didn't have the diamond, I reached out to touch his chest and I saw the smirk. He grabbed my wrists and bound them with blue electric current. I whimpered as the current ravaged my body. The energy in his power was beyond anything I had ever felt. Tears ran down my cheeks as I tried to make it stop.

I sought the light in his electric current and pulled. The electric chains broke and I played with them making them golden not blue then I sent them in his direction. I was angry he tricked me and I gave him everything I got. He just avoided every blast of my light and I screamed out loud...

"Fight me Eric. I can beat you..."

"No you can't even if you are the powerful lighter of this generation", he smiled.

Angered I tried seizing his mind but his shields were electric... I clutched my head and screamed.

The commander tried to stop the match but a man next to him raised his hand.

Eric lifted me into the air with his current until I was his height. My eyes blazed out, I grabbed his shoulders and bound him in a prism.

Every one went still as they stared. He tried freeing himself but then I kept reinforcing the light blocks. The kingly tall man started clapping and smiling. The commanders stopped the session. I breathed again.

I was in pain,nose bleeding and before I could rationalize what was happening I saw black stars.

Eric

Before she could hit the ground I rushed to her side and held her in my arms. For one so little she was a force of nature. Unbound and fearless. Hopelessly embarrassed, I looked up at my father, a subtle curve of his mouth indicating his amusement. He would have a lot to say about the tryouts later on. For now the beautiful little lighter was in my arms unconscious and smiling? Her mind brushed against mine. she breathed,

"Eric..."

"Hmm"

"I beat you"

"You can always try Princess"

Stirring she whispered, "Will I be on the Guard?"

"On my Guard you mean?"

She giggled, a sound so sweet it made me smile.

"You're not king yet..."

"I will be"

"When you are, then you can call it your Guard."

She got onto her knees and kissed my cheek.

"Thank you for making this day easier. Maybe just maybe I have a friend at last."

She got onto her feet wobbly at first but she made it to Commander Zane.

For the first time in eight years, I realized that there was a part of me that could recognize emotion. It was asleep but there. My little lighter liked me.

The commander stared at her and smiled. "Your journey with the Guard begins.Congratulations."

She put her hands together trying not to jump and then she looked at me and my whole world changed. A glowing three corded strand lit up inside me. I knew then that Reina was going to be a big problem for me...