Ipushed through the throng of Kinetic bodies. Everyone was overjoyed to witness yet another branding ceremony for our legendary hero, Chrome. After chasing him through the reveling crowd and weaving past the king and his two lackeys, I managed to spot his back in the distant hallway. Chrome never hung back to enjoy the revels that celebrated his accomplishments, so he was already off. I needed to catch him.
I jogged, hoping to stop him before I lost access once he went home. “Chrome.”
My cousin’s shoulders jolted as he spun around to face me, eyes wide. “Slate? What’s up?” he asked.
I assessed him, noting his tense shoulders, rigid back, hardened blue eyes, and the bandage on his arm. “You good?”
Chrome narrowed his eyes. “You know I am.”
“Are you really, though?” I asked, not buying his façade.
“I’m a legend,” he said with a forced shrug and transparent smirk. “I’ll always be okay, cousin.”
I held his stare, seeing through the front he put on. There was something more than the pain of the branding in his eyes. “What’s wrong?”
Chrome began sweeping his gaze around the hallway, his nostrils flaring. “It’s her. She’s scared.”
I scanned the hallway as if she’d manifest out of nowhere. “Chrome—”
“I need to get to her, Slate,” he gritted out through clenched teeth.
“Chrome.” My voice dropped lower, shaking my head. “You can’t—”
“Fuck.” His breathing picked up, pinching the bridge of his nose as he closed his eyes.
“What do you need, man? What can I do?”
“I need…” He compelled himself to slow his breaths as his face contorted from restraint. “I need you to get close to her. Protect her.” It was a plea.
I nodded, wholeheartedly willing to help him. The guy may be the best Warrior in our history, but we were just teenagers. I knew he got harsh punishments for stepping out of line. It was all kept secret, of course, and Chrome never talked about it openly, but there were heavy implications that he received punishments that were more sinister, going beyond mental and physical. Having grown up and trained together, I’d learned his tells really well. So, anything to prevent him from further punishment, I was down for. “Yeah, of course. I can do that.”
Chrome sighed. “If they’d let me near her…”
“I know, man. It’s fine. I’ll talk to Hazel and figure out if she knows anything that can help me get to her,” I assured him. “It’s going to be fine. She’s going to be fine. I got you.”
My knuckles rapped on the smooth, polished white door. I stood, waiting for a response, as I pondered over Chrome’s state regarding the princess only an hour ago.
I watched the gold currents race up my forearms, still in awe of my light magic. Even though it wasn’t meant to be an offensive power, it wasmine. And having the power of light moving through my veins was special to me. I knew how to wield it in ways that worked best for me in a fight. It kept me and others alive. That’s all that mattered in the end.
The door creaked open, exposing my younger sister in the small gap. “What’s up?” her voice, soft and high in tone, greeted me.
“Hi, Hazy. You got a minute?” I asked, shoving my hands into the front pockets of my black jeans.
Hazel pretended to ponder my question for a few seconds, pouting her lips as she looked up at the ceiling. Several quiet seconds passed as I waited needlessly. I knew she’d let me in her room, but I wouldn’t come in without her permission, and she knew it.
At last, after seemingly coming to a decision, she eyed me. With a smile and a quick shrug, she said, “Sure!” before turning, heading to her unmade bed, and plopping on the edge. She tucked her leg on top of her lavender bedspread that matched the various shades of purple throughout the room, including the floor-length curtains.
Hazel’s room was exactly what you’d expect of a teenage girl’s room. She basically honored her bookcase filled with young adult romances and fantasies that overflowed it. On the shelves, she had a Kinetic dagger used for display as well as other ornaments. For her, she’d rather experience the battlefield through books, which was fair. She wasn’t a fighter, and I was glad for it because I knew she’d always be kept safe.
“So what’s up, Slate?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Well, I was wondering if you knew anything about the princess by chance? Y’all are the same age and in the same grade, right?” I suddenly felt awkward asking her about this. It wasn’t like I was trying to get with the princess, but I could only imagine how my sister would perceive it.
“What?” A look of confusion morphed her dainty features, the baby fat on her cheeks making her look so young.
I sighed, running my fingers through my hair as I figured out how to best explain this. “Chrome needs me to help him with the princess. He says she’s in danger, but he’s not allowed near her. So”—I paused—“he asked me to protect her instead.”
“Okay…” she dragged out, waiting for me to continue. “But first, how and why is she in danger?”
