FURIES - Shannon Burton (graded readers .txt) 📗

walk alone.There is a great rogue uprising coming and many will perish if you do not come into full bloom.You can not be burdened down with emotions and that is why you do not have a mate.You must train hard and become a warrior.At the end of it all,you will have sacrificed so much that there might not be anything left inside of you.I don't see anything after that is in your future.I am so sorry that you were chosen for such a terrible fate." Rayon whispered.

 

I took this all in and couldn't feel a thing.I would be more alone than I thought I would be but I knew that I couldn't back down from this.It would find me no matter what.

 

"Is there no hope for me in the end?"

 

"I did not say there wasn't hope.I said that I couldn't see that far.You could have done something to make it unknown." Rayon said.

 

Her words gave me hope and a greater purpose in life.I would not wither away and pine over the loss of Damien.I was stronger than that.

 

"Who should I ask to train me?"

 

"Go to Mikael but tell him nothing about the future.He is one of the best fighters and soon you will be also.Come to me when ever you need help or advice and please avoid Damien at all cost." She disappeared back into the water.

 

I stood up and looked around me.Everything was so much clearer but I felt oddly empty inside.The loneliness settled inside of me and filled me to the brim but it didn't hurt.Instead it left me with a numbness that I welcomed.I walked back to the house and was met with stares.Everyone had accepted me and seemed to greatly respect me.I walked through the crowd to my room and decided to take a shower.When I passed the mirror I saw something I had never seen in my eyes before.They were always such a warm deep green but now they held a coldness in them that made them lighter.They looked calculating and hard and that worried me.I was always the pretty girl that radiated kindness but now here I was, looking into a mirror and assessing who in the hell I had just become.

 

The shower calmed me and once I was through I walked to my bed and sneered at the skylight dome.It was a reminder of him and I didn't need that.I glided to the door and across the hall, in search of Talon.I ended up knocking on Damiens door and he answered it in just pajama bottoms.I didn't feel anything.No reaction to him being half naked and it surprised me.

 

"Sorry, I was looking for Talon."

 

"Its cool and Zhara I really wanted to talk to you.Do you have a minute.?"

 

"No." I said before I went to the next door and knocked.

 

Talon answered the door on the second knock.

 

"Hey Zhara.What's going on?"

 

"I need a new room." I stated simply.

 

Talon woke up fully from his groggy state and truly looked at me.

 

"Zhara what happened to you?"

 

"I don't know what your talking about." I said in the same monotone voice.

 

"Zhara seriously.Quit kidding." Talon said shakily.

 

"I need a new room.So either you find one or I will." Even to my own ears I sounded cold.

 

I turned back to my room and began packing some clothes.Damien came into my room behind Talon and they both looked worried.

 

"Zhara why do you need a new room?" Damien asked.

 

"Does it fucking matter?" I growled.

 

Mikael came into the room and looked taken aback.

 

"Zhara?" Mikael asked.

 

"I just want a new room!" I ground out through clenched teeth.

 

"Ok calm down.I will personally find you a new room." He said as if he was talking to a cornered animal.

 

I continued packing my stuff and they walked outside of the room so that I couldn't hear them talking about me.Once I was finished I grabbed my things and dragged them into the hall.They looked up at me and Mikael walked over to help me carry my bags.

 

"Come on.It's late and we need to get some sleep." Mikael said.

 

I nodded my head but kept silent. I didn't want to start a conversation with him just to have it end with me yelling again.

 

"What happened when everyone left Falling Creek?" He questioned.

 

He led me up a spiral set of stairs to the third floor and I found that it was strangely quiet.

 

"Zhara?" I realized that I still hadn't answered his question.

 

"It's not something I can tell you about." I looked down the long stretch of hall and saw only four doors.

 

"I figured that but if you ever need to talk I am here Zhara.I understand your hurt but it's not right to take it out on everyone." He whispered softly.

 

I could see that he didn't want to upset me further but what he really meant was that he wouldn't allow me to lash out at everyone.I still had a moral compass and I knew that he was right.

 

"I am sorry about being so angry but I really don't want that room."

 

"I know.And Damien had started courting her before you came along."

 

Mikael was talking about that girl Damien was with.I could honestly say that I didn't care anymore about Damien and his girlfriend.Fate was turning me cold and I was okay with that.I was more focused than ever and I felt lethal.

 

"Here's your room.Did you need anything else?" Mikael stopped in front of the second door on the right side of the hall.

 

"Yes.Can I go clothes shopping tomorrow? I'm intersted in getting some work out clothes."

 

"Yea of course.I will show you around our shops tomorrow.Anything else?"

 

"I want you to train me in hand-to-hand combat." I blurted out.

 

Mikaels' face hardened and it was a look I had never seen on his handsome face before.I was finally seeing the leader everyone feared and respected.

 

"Why do you wanna know how to fight Zhara?" He ground out.

 

"I'm just curious." I said cryptically.

 

I could see my answer irritated him because his jaw clenched so hard I could hear his teeth grind together.The great thing was, I was nowhere near intimidated and I let him see that.In seconds he relaxed and unclenched his jaw.

 

"Fine." He said.

 

"Anything else I can get you?" He growled.

 

"Nope." I popped the p and went inside my new room.It had the same set up as the other room but it didn't have the skylight.I immediately loved it.The whole room was decorated in white and red and the fire was going strong.I unpacked my things in the closet and stared down at the clothes.I observed that I no longer liked any of these colors.

 

They didn't fit my personality at all and I began to sort through them trying to find something I actually liked.I came across a black V-neck that showed quite a bit of midriff and some black skinnies.I had always shied away from dark colored clothes because I thought they made me look harsh but now I felt differently.I decided to wear these out to the shops tomorrow.

 

I threw away all of the clothes I didn't like, which turned out to be the whole closet.Once I finished that task I walked back into the room and threw off my clothes and climbed into the warm waiting bed and drifted off into a deep sleep.I dreamed that night, but not of a black haired boy with beautiful eyes.I dreamed of my future.I saw it exactly the way Rayon said it would be.I was respected entirely by the Acaiden and Furie race.I fought great battles and I protected.I was a warrior.

 

The next morning I rose at 5am sharp and went for a run.I was antsy and needed to burn off some energy.I had never been so hyper in all my life but I needed the fresh air.I pulled on some sweatpants and a sweater and headed out into the early morning.When I got outside I took off in a leggy run.It felt amazing!

 

The whole town slept while I breathed in life.I came to a stop when I saw the horses grazing in a lush green field.All the way in the back of the herd was Campion.She ate alone.All of the horses stood in clusters but none stoody by my dear Campion.I observed that she was more like me than I ever could have known.I left her to her grazing and took off in a sprint.Everything flew by in a blur and I stopped to find I had gone at least 3 miles from the town but I wasn't tired.

 

A figure came up the road and I grew worried.Maybe I shouldn't have come this far but my feet wouldn't allow me to move.I stood there in what could be described as a defensive position.The figure drew closer and I let out a breath.Mikael.

 

"Hey what are you doing up so early?" He asked when he reached me.

 

"Same thing your doing up so early." I said back.

 

"Hold on a minute.You mean to tell me that you got up to go running?" He asked incredously.

 

"Ummm yea."

 

"Well okay then.I'm heading back.Did you want to run with me?" He challenged.

 

"Race you back?" I said before I took off in the direction of home.

 

"You are a damn cheater Zhara!" He yelled out.

 

I howled back but continued my pace.Mikael caught up easily because he had the blood of an Acaiden flowing through his veins.It was exhilirating running with him.He gave me a challenge and soon we both reached the town at 7am. Everyone was up and about when we got back.When we ran into the house everyone stopped and looked at us as if we had lost our minds.

 

We were bent over laughing and pushing each other.It looked like two little kids were running from some trouble they had created.

 

"Well you two look like you were out having fun."

 

We both looked up to see Adaline.The princes' mom.

 

"Mom when did you get back?" Mikael asked.

 

"About an hour ago." Ada walked over to Mikael and gave her son a tight hug.

 

"And hello Zhara.It is truly lovely seeing you again.How are you getting along in this world?"

 

She had a concerned look on her face and I knew she could see the change in my eyes.

 

"It has had its ups and downs." I said as we walked into the livingroom.

 

A bunch of people were in there, including Damien,his girlfriend,Talon, and Tera. 

 

Adas' eyes narrowed at my answer and she looked to Mikael for some type of understanding.He sent her a blank expression and that set her off.

 

"What in the hell has happened while I was away?" She turned to look at Damien and saw his arm wrapped around the girls waist.She easily put two and two together and her face fell but she knew that couldn't be all.

 

"Honey I am so sorry.I thought..." Her words trailed off and I put up a hand to halt her words.

 

"I don't mind Ada.I have greater things to focus on."

 

"What is that supposed to mean?" She looked around and tried to find an answer.

 

Mikael put a hand on his moms shoulder to calm her down.

 

"When we did the judgement Rayon had said things about Zhara.She accepted her entirely and ever since that she has been changing." He whispered quietly.

 

Ada looked at me again and studied me hard.She gave a brief nod as if she understood something no one else could.Ada regained her composure and faced all of the Acaidens in the room.

 

"Alright then.Lets eat!"

 

I ran upstairs and took a quick shower.I through on my black shirt and skinnies with some black boots.My hair got pulled back into a braid and I left a few stray hairs to frame my face.I ran back downstairs and found everyone taking there seats.When I entered the archway everyone looked my way.I knew what they could see.I didn't look like the happy-go-lucky self I normally was.I looked like a bad ass.

 

I walked with a sexy confidence to my seat and shot Mikael a glare.

 

"Are we still going to the shops after breakfast?" I asked.

 

"Yes Zhara! I never go back on my word."

 

We all sat down in the same seats that we sat in the day before.Damien was tense