Secrets in the woods - Sophie Gibson (ebook smartphone .TXT) 📗

Prologue
It was springtime. Why was that so important? The smell of spring in the air was so strong it choked me. I needed to remember, and I needed to remember fast. Something was getting closer. The barriers were breaking down. Whispers. Those who go by the name Wild would know. Shadows clung to my ankles, they were gaining power. Whispers. I had to run. Trapped in darkness, the moon was gone. No, the shadows were all around me. How? They can only take the Changelings. This is impossible. But not in the springtime. I don’t think I thought that myself, the shadows were in my head. Whispers. I needed to run. How did they fight this for so long? I can’t feel my body. I can’t even open my mouth to scream. Whispers…
(Alaya)
I sat in the window looking up at the moon, I shivered. It was almost full, tomorrow it would be. I pulled back my sleeve and traced the half-moon marked on my wrist. The dark blue mark looked like a tattoo, but it wasn’t. The Chosen would come for me tomorrow; my life was destined for danger. For the rest of my time I’ll be running with the Chosen, the Wild. Known by many names and only spoken by in whispers.
I can’t say I’m surprised. Out of my three sisters I was the most… different. I loved the night. I fit the description. I had true black hair that fell in waves down to my hips, my skin was clear but as pale as moonlight no matter what the season, I was tall and slim but with strength that would surprise anyone who was unlucky enough to aggravate my quick temper. The thing that most people notice is my eyes, a pure purple that changes in shade.

The last day
When I woke up I got dressed and left to walk in the woods. The air was cold and mist clung to my coat as I weaved in and out of trees. I kept moving until I was deeper into the woods and I sat myself down on a long fallen tree in a small clearing. A space I chose every time I ventured this far into the woods.
I had been sitting for a while before I heard someone moving around. I could tell that they were close. I could hear their heartbeat (something new that started last full moon). Standing up slowly, I backed away from the noise and then broke into a run when I heard them enter the clearing.
(Ash)
I heard someone in the woods. I knew it was one on the Chosen. My lips curled back slightly and I was about to chase when I noticed something about the scent. She was an unchanged chosen. I straightened up, there would be no pride in bringing her back now, I’ll wait until after she changes and then I’ll kill her.
This whole clearing was bathed in her scent. Sweet and slightly honey like, it twisted of in clear tails I could almost see, but there was another. It wasn’t as sweet as hers, it was deeper. Someone else was hunting her. Anger burned through me. This was my prize, I need to get rid of the other hunter.
(Alaya)
I got out of the woods quickly and ran back into the house closing the door behind me. “Where’ve you been Alaya?” My eldest sister Rachel was leaning against the banister. “I’m sure our parents will be happy about you sneaking out into the woods every morning. Who’re you meeting then? Or are you off chasing one of your fairy tales, like the Chosen.” She laughed at the idea. I thought about pulling up my sleeve and showing her the half-moon. I’d love to see that smirk wiped off her face. “What’s it matter to you, Rachel?” I stepped closer to her, despite the fact she’s over a year older than me, I was much taller than her. She and Ella had a much shorter and slightly stockier shape. “Y’know, we could’ve got on if you weren’t such a bitch” I sighed dramatically, watching her turn back down the corridor.
After she disappeared out of sight, I went to look for my younger sister. I headed to Rosie’s room first. She was only twelve years old and seemed to be totally ignored by my parents. She fitted in much better than me with the rest of the family; she had the same blue eyes and blonde hair as my sisters, although it was slightly darker, and my mother although she was starting to grow taller and slimmer like me. The thought made me smile, Rosie would be more beautiful than Rachel in less than a year. “Alaya?” she poked her head round the door and pulled me in. We both sat down slowly. “Can you keep a secret?” I asked her and didn’t wait for an answer before pulling up the sleeve on my left arm. She touched the half-moon on my wrist as if that might make it disappear. “They’re real.” That was all she said. No questions. No babbling. She just took it all in. Sometimes it was hard to forget she was young, she acted more mature than my other sisters all together. “Tonight’s a full moon.” I told her. She knew what that meant and hugged me once before I left. And that was our goodbye.
I went back to my own room after that. It felt different to me now. When I was younger I saw it as a place to go and hide or somewhere safe. Now it felt like a trap. I wanted to be outside. I forced myself to sit on the bed and wait. I picked up a photo of my family and looked at it properly for the first time. In a sea of blonde hair and blue eyes I stood out a mile with my black hair, violet eyes and a pale but clear face. I noticed Rachel scowling in the back. She hated me, even though she was the favourite of our parents. She always behaved perfectly in public, she knew how to act with their ‘upper class’ friends. Rachel could sing, and my second youngest sister, Ella, could dance. But I think my father was slightly disappointed in their looks. They were average, and it would take longer to get them married. And according to my father, the only thing a daughter can bring to the family is a husband. That’s part of the reason I was happy to be Chosen.
I looked out the window and how late it was surprised me. The full moon was starting to rise. It took me three minutes to be out of the house and deep in the woods. Not long after that I was surrounded in shadows. They didn’t frighten me though, I could smell their sweet scent and being this close to them reminded me of family. “Alaya, do you accept the change to join us or do you wish to remain a Changeling?” I shuddered slightly, those who stay a Changeling but never change get lost in shadow. “I accept the change.” As soon as I agreed, a blast of air surged through the woods. It spiralled around me and I felt it start to change me. I seem to gain much more space in my head, I felt my hearing gain even more accuracy and the night seemed so much lighter. And then the wind dropped. I forced myself to stay quiet when there was a piercing pain in my mouth. “She is Chosen.” The voice that had spoken before was the last thing I heard before I blacked out.

(Ash)
I waited till they had gone before searching properly. When I stepped on the ground where she had stood I could feel her magic. It was so strong yet wild still, it would be a grand prize to kill her and keep her sole. I thought about it dreamily, I’d keep it in a big decorated glass keeper and make it dance forever. I wander what she looks like. I hadn’t yet seen her properly, only caught glimpses and long black hair darting though the trees. It was darker than I’d seen before, even on any of the other Chosen. True black, only reflecting moonlight. Back in the time when the Chosen and the Hunters lived as one she herself would’ve been a prize. I stopped myself in mid thought. I couldn’t think like that. I was just remembering silly stories about times when we only hunted the Shadow walkers, but now we hunt everyone I would remember that. Thinking of the Shadow walker, I remembered the deep scent of one that was hunting my prize. I followed what was left of it swiftly.

(Alaya)
I woke up to the smell of burning wood. I could feel the heat from the fire warming my side. “Awaken, Alaya Faith. You slept for a day and half a night. Most sleep for three to six, and even I slept for over two nights.” I sat up groggily and looked at the woman who’d just spoken. She had light blue eyes and pale skin (not as pale as mine, just the sort of pale you’d get if you only went outside at night) that reflected the glow from the fire. Her hair was black, but in the light moonlight I could see that it was actually slightly brown. “Are you the Protector of the chosen?” I asked, trying to remember all the things I’ve read about them, I searched for a name but my mind was still cloudy. I thought of some of the things I hoped were false, but judging by the ache in my mouth, not all of it was. She smiled and nodded slightly. “So you know I should already be gone.” By the time I’d sat up, she had disappeared.
I looked up at the sky. The moon was waning now, but not quite down to half yet. The night seemed almost as bright as the day, the moon and stars lit up where I was.
A girl who looked about sixteen came and sat next to me. Her dark brown eyes reflected the stars brightly, a small friendly smile was on her lips as she shook my hand. “I’m Annabel.” She said as she shook her short brown hair out her eyes. “I was told to show you around.” She pulled me up and led me through a small cluster of trees into an opening. In the middle there was a big campfire built, a girl smiled at me as we walked by, but most were busy putting out some sort of equipment. “I’ll show you the sleeping areas.” Just past the clearing were five different small cabins. “I’m in the second one, since it’s my first year.” “Shouldn’t you be in the first on then?” I asked whilst trying to look at them more closely. She shook her head. “No, you stay in the same one for all five years here. Otherwise every year we’d have to move everyone along one,” she shrugged, “And there’s no point going to all that trouble.” She led me in to the second one and inside. It was bigger than it looked. There were five separate bedroom areas and one space for everyone. The walls were all a plain white apart from where people had put up pictures or signs on doors. “There’s always twenty-five people here at one time, you’re the last one for this year,” she took me to a door at the far end, “This is your room,