Legacy Of Trill: Soulbound Part 1

LEGACY of TRIL Soulbound.

HEATHER BREWER.

For my daughter, Alexandriaa".

one of the strongest girls I know.

A C K N O W L E D G M E N T S.

Not many authors make it a point to thank Penguins and Minions, but without thema"my amazing team at Penguin Young Readers and my incredible Minion Hordea"I would not be where I am today. Thank you, all of you, for being so supportive and for believing in me.

There are many people who I owe huge thanks to, Penguins and Minions aside. First off, my editor, Liz Waniewski, who continues to surprise me with her brilliant insight, and my fabulous agent, Michael Bourret, who is always available with excellent advice. Iam beyond thrilled and totally honored to call you both my friends. Hereas to the future, and to many new worlds in the Heather Brewer universe.

I also need to thank my sister, Dawn Vanniman, who makes me feel normal and loved and so, so grateful that I have her in my life. And my amazing mother-in-law, Gwen Kelley, whom I want to be like when I eventually (maybe) grow up. You are the most amazing women I know.

Last, but never least, I want to thank my family. Paul, Jacob, and Alexandriaa"you guys rock my world in ways that no one else ever has. You get my weirdness. You support my innate love of the macabre. And you put up with my crazy writing schedule. I love you all so much. Thank you for everything that you do.

CHAPTER.

One.

The sharp edge of the paper sliced into my thumb and I sat up with a jerk. aFak!a Blood blossomed from the cut and I tossed my book to the ground, shoving my thumb in my mouth and sucking on it to make the bleeding stop. I should have known that Iad give myself a paper cut. Iad just picked up the book from the bookbinder this morning, so its pages were still crisp, not well worn like those in the books that lined the shelves of my bedroom.

aWhat would your mother say if she heard you cursing like that, Kaya?a As he ducked under the moss that was draping from the tree branches above and made his way along the wateras edge, my father smiled at me. In his left hand was a net full of freshly caught fish. He held it up proudly. aDinner. I hope I didnat scare you.a Shaking my head at his subtle attempt at humora"head always been able to sneak up on me without much effort, ever since I could remembera"I brushed the gra.s.s from my leggings and stood, clutching the book in my hand. aScare me? I actually heard you coming. First time for everything, I suppose.a aI made certain you did. Walk back with me? I want to talk with you about tonight.a He didnat wait for an answer. I knew he wouldnat. My father was a take-charge kind of person. Not cruel or demanding, but a natural leader. When he said something, people were meant to listen, and they did, for the most part. Maybe it was because he was a Barron, and peoplea"even the Unskilled people of Kessler who had no idea what Barrons even werea"just sensed that they were supposed to follow his lead. My mother was a Barron as well. Sometimes I wished that I was like them, but then Iad push that wish away. After all, there was no sense in wis.h.i.+ng for what one could never possibly have. My parents had been born Barrons, and IawellaI had not.

The walk back to our cabin was filled with light breezes, birdsong, and the occasional animal darting into the woods as my father and I navigated our way down the riverbank. Wet sounds of water lapping against river rock distracted me some from the conversation I knew was coming, but not even natureas song was enough to drown out the usual argument. My father slowed his steps so that I could keep pace with him, and looked at me from the corner of his eye. I always knew when he was looking at mea"especially when he was doing so in that oppressive parenting kind of way. aKaya,a he began, his tone ever so calm, ayou know your mother and I trust you completely.a Sighing heavily, I rolled my eyes. aIam not going to be out late. Besides, Iall be with Avery. You love Avery.a The corner of his mouth lifted in a small smile. aI wouldnat be doing my job as your father if I didnat lecture you at least a little before such a big night.a He pulled a large, leafy branch to the side and I stepped through, spotting our cabin right in front of me. My father had built this place when my mother was pregnant with me. They slept under the stars until it was time for me to enter the world. The night my mother went into labor was theira"oura"first night in the cabin. It was small (sometimes too small) and damp (sometimes too damp), but it was home, and I always felt a wave of comfort wash over me at the sight of it. aItas not like Iave spent every Harvest Festival out wreaking havoc. Itas the same thing every year. Avery and I will wander the festival grounds for a few hours, eating everything in sight and playing some of the games of chance. Then Avery will fall madly in love with some boy and weall end up stalking him the rest of the night, until I stumble into our cabin the next morning, bored and exhausted.a aSounds like a good time.a My mother peeked out from behind one of the wet sheets that was hanging on the clothesline beside our cabin. She was smiling, which told me that the usual events had transpired. Father had told her he was going to talk to me about how to behave at Harvest Festival, and mother told him not to bother, Iad be fine. By the look in Fatheras eyes, he knew that Mother was right, but he still worried, as fathers tend to do. He also knew head been defeated.

He shook his head at both of us and wagged a finger in my direction. aNo boys.a Groaning, I said, aIam not the one stalking boys. Itas Avery.a But my father was not to be deterred. aNo boys.a I shot my mother a look. aDoes he ever listen to anyone?a aNot since I can remember.a My mother chuckled.

As she moved through the cabinas back door, she threw a glance at me over her left shoulder. aAvery stopped by a while ago to let us know the festival grounds are all set up. She says itas even bigger than last year, which is believable, considering how many funds the trade brought in over the summer. The farmeras market is open now, so you girls could head over anytime.a I waited for her to say what she always said to me on the day of the Harvest Festivala"she and my father were so predictable. When she didnat continue, I couldnat help but be surprised. Maybe this year was different. Maybe this year, shead finally learned to trust that I wouldnat do something incredibly stupid and risk exposing Barrons and Healers everywhere to the Unskilled.

She threw me another glance before turning toward the stairs that led up to our sleeping quarters. aAnd Kayaadonat say anything about you-know-what, okay? Even to Avery. All it takes is for one person to overhear a word they donat understand to unravel everything weave worked for.a I knew what she was talking about, of course. The fact that they were Barrons. The fact that a whole society of Barrons and Healers existed apart from what we called the Unskilled, or normal folks like the villagers of Kessler. We lived here, sure. But none of the villagers knew that my parents were Barrons, or that I was a Healer. And I knew that if I uttered the word Barron in public that I could undo eight centuries of keeping those worlds apart. I just didnat like being reminded every time I stepped out our front door.

Plus, there was that other thing. The fact that my parents had coupled, and it was against the law for two Barrons to become romantically entangled. One Barron to one Healera"that was the law. And my parents had broken that law. I didnat much see a problem with it, but apparently the Barron-run Zettai Council did. And they were in charge of just about everything.

aIam not going to say anything. Do I ever say anything?a I could hear the distinct snap of sarcasm in my tone and immediately reeled my att.i.tude back in. The last thing I wanted was to get grounded on the night of Harvest Festival.

My father was standing behind me at the sink, working the water pump. The metal squeaked as he pressed the handle down, and a moment later, fresh spring water splashed into the basin. I could hear him rinsing his canteen, and though I knew he wasnat looking at me, I could also tell that he was very aware of my every move, like a hunter. Sometimes that aspect of both of my parents set my nerves on edge. They were fast, strong, and had heightened senses beyond anyone I knew. Iad gone hunting with him before, but only once.

I was just ten years old when my father had taken me deep into the woods to show me how to hunt. Nothing vicious, head sworn. Just a Raik or two, or maybe a Khaw. Raiks were easy to track, after all. Their furry bodies kept so low to the ground that a trail was simple to spot. And Khaws hardly ever flew away when people approached. Both were delicious, and besides, he wanted me to learn.

And learn I had. Just as wead crested a hill, my father spotted a Khaw on a nearby branch. He unsheathed his katana and whipped the blade forward, beheading the creature with skill and precision. Its blood flew through the air, speckling my cheeks.

Iad cried the entire walk home, and my father had never taken me hunting again.

After that, we stuck to fis.h.i.+ng.

His tone was far warmer than Iad expected it to be, considering how snotty Iad just been to my mother. aWe just want to make sure you donat forget, Kaya. Youare seventeen now, and a Healer, which means the Zettai Councilas likely been searching for you for five years. They donat take Soulbound announcements lightly, even if your parents are fugitives. If they find you, you know what that means for our family.a Of course I knew what it would mean. How could I ever forget something so horrible? aIt means Iall be shuffled off to some life I never wanted, and you and Mom will be punished for your crime.a aKilled, Kaya.a His eyes snapped to me then, and mine to his, his dark eyes burning with a sincerity that he needed to drive home. aNot just punished. Weall be killed for falling in love. So you see how important it is that you never slip up and say anything to anyone about Barrons and Healers, yes?a aOf course I do.a The word killed rang through my mind over and over again. I dropped my attention to a knot in the wood floor, worried that my father might not understand why I hated the pressure they put on me to keep theira"oura"secret. aI just donat understand why you donat trust me not to say anything.a aWe do trust you. Your mother just worries. Plus, sheas feeling a little out of sorts lately. Her seventeenth year was the year her Soulbound Healer was killed. I think your birthday has reminded her of what it felt like to experience that loss.a Head dropped his tone to a near-whisper, perhaps not wanting my mother to overhear our conversation. I couldnat blame him. My mother hardly spoke of her Soulbound Healer. I wasnat even entirely sure if her Healer had been a man or a woman. aShe was heartbroken. Soulbroken. Nothing can truly heal someone after a loss like that.a Soulbrokena"that sounded awful. I couldnat imagine what it must feel like to lose a part of yourself in that way. My parents had explained to me years before that I had a Soulbound Barron, but I couldnat imagine it hurting to lose someone Iad never met before, and likely never would. aWhat about you? You lost your Healer in the Battle at Woodas Cross, right? Donat you miss her?a Something in his eyes s.h.i.+fted then, revealing a haunted, broken man behind the usual strong facade. Seeing this weakness frightened me far more than the precision head used to kill during our hunting session when I was a child. My father never showed weakness. Largely because he didnat contain any. Iad thought so, anyway, until now. aDeeply. I miss Sharyn deeply. But I know shead be happy that your mother and I fell in love. Shead want this life for me. Minus the threat of the Zettai Council, that is.a My heart welled up so big that it felt like it was choking me. This was a side of my father that I had not seen. Head mentioned his Healer before, but only in pa.s.sing, and only in the lightest of tones. Stepping closer, I hugged him, and whispered the only words that came to mind. aIam so sorry you lost her. It must have been awful.a He squeezed me, just a little too tightly, and then held me at armas length and forced a smile. aIt was. It still is, and always will be. But today isnat a day for sadness and regret. Itas a day of grat.i.tude for all that we have.a A hard knock on the front door stole the moment away, and I was strangely grateful for it. It was unsettling to view my father as a person with real feelings, real weaknesses. He was the glue that held my universe together. The last thing I needed was for that glue to comeawellaunglued.

Her impatience getting the best of her, Avery opened the door and poked her head inside. aKaya? Come on! Weare missing everything.a By everything, I could only a.s.sume, based on past experience, that she was referring to the freshly baked waffle bowls filled with mounds of fresh berries and dusted with powdered sugar, and the promise of harmless flirtation with one of the Bowery boys, who happened to belong to the most gorgeous gene pool imaginable in all of Tril. As much as I was dreading witnessing yet another failed harvest romance on Averyas part, I was certainly looking forward to a berry bowl or two, and the celebratory atmosphere that the Harvest Festival brought with it every year. I hurried out the door, a grin on my face, and echoing after me was my fatheras stern reminder, aNo boys, Kaya!a Avery and I raced all the way to the crossroads, where traffica"both on foot and in wagons of various sizes and stylesa"had picked up considerably. My lungs burning, I steadied myself with my hand on Averyas shoulder and slowed my breathing, watching the people as they poured into Kessleras main street, which wasnat a street so much as it was a wide, dirt road down the center of the village. Iad never thought much about how ill constructed our village was until my father had taken me to Howe, where the streets, while dirt, were smooth and even, the structures solid, the roofs freshly thatched. I was still proud to call Kessler my home after that, but traveling definitely helped to point out its flaws. Still, I loved it here.

Once we crested the small hill, to a full view of the Harvest Festival, I heard Avery suck in her breath. The dirt street was lined with tall, lit torches, which were wrapped in elaborate corn-husk bows. Lining the crowded street were carts filled with all manner of food and drink, and at the far end of the street, in what we referred to as the town center, were the various games of chance that had attracted people from three villages over. Averyas favorite was always the axe-throwing booth. But not because she was particularly gifted at throwing axes.

Grinning and squinting into the setting sun, she tugged my sleeve, pulling me forward down the street. aHeas here.a I rolled my eyes, but let myself be pulled toward the town center. Standing at the axe-throwing booth was a tall boy, lean and very tan. His disheveled blond hair stuck up this way and that, and when he saw us cominga"or rather, when he saw Averya"his lips split into the happiest of grins. He waved, and Avery waved back with an enthusiasm that I envied. So far, no boy had ever made me that excited to see him. And every year since we were seven, Micah had come to work the Harvest Festival from the other side of the continent of Kokoro, and every time, head made Avery smile as if she were looking at the stars.

As we pa.s.sed the food carts, my stomach rumbled, but it practically screamed when we were next to the cart with sugar-coated fried breadcake. I tried to tell Avery that I was going to stop and grab a bite, but she was so focused on Micah that she hurried ahead, leaving me to my own devices. Camra, whoad taught my mother how to sew when I was a baby and had since been a regular visitor to our cabin, was working the breadcake cart. I flashed her a smile and dug in my pocket for three trinksa"my father had given me plenty of coins the night beforea"but Camra shook her head. aYour moneyas no good here, Kaya girl.a Louis Bowery whined from behind me, aWhat about my money, Camra?a Camra handed me a large breadcake and shook her head at Louis. aYour moneyas just fine. Thatall be three trinks, if youare hungry.a Camra didnat much care for Louisa"not many of the townsfolk did. He and his brothers were known to be troublemakers of the worst kind, the kind that wouldnat confess to anything that theyad done, no matter how small. I didnat much enjoy his or his brothersa company either, but Avery had a mild crush on both Decker and Vadin Bowery, so I went along with her just to keep her from getting in too much trouble. With a nod of thanks and a polite shrug at Louis, I turned away from the corner and bit into the soft, warm breadcake and relished the sweetness as the sugar melted on my tongue. After my second bite, I sensed something in the revelry around me change. Then I heard it, high-pitched and in the distance. Someone was screaming.

CHAPTER.

Two.

There is a stark difference between a scream of joy and a scream of terror. Something in its pitch shakes you to the core when you hear a terrified scream, and my core was trembling. Who was screaming? What was happening? I turned around, trying to locate the source of panic, but was nearly knocked over by Louis. His face was white and drawn, and just as I opened my mouth to ask him what had frightened him, he mumbled something unintelligible through trembling lips and took off toward the north woods.

Someone screamed again, this time so loud that it hurt my ears. The crowd pushed toward me as people rushed to flee whatever it was that was causing such fear, but I fought against the tide of running feet, pressing my way against them, toward whatever had instilled such terror in my neighbors. Bodies slammed up against me. I was surrounded by wide, frightened eyes. It was as if no one could see anyone else, just different routes of escape from whatever was behind them. Friends climbed over friends. Fathers ran ahead, leaving their children behind. And through it all, my heart slammed against my ribs in a terrified rhythm. But I pushed forward anyway, determined to see the source of all this fear with my own eyes, and help stop it if I could.

The crowdas movement was dizzying, and after a moment, I lost my direction. People were running everywhere, and I was spinning around, uncertain where to turn. My foot slipped on something slick, and I steadied myself, regaining my balance. Then I looked down.

The toe of my shoe was tipped in burgundy. The ground beneath it held a puddle of something wet and dark. I inhaled slowly, forcing air into my reluctant lungs. Blood. There was blood on my shoe, on the ground. Which meant that someone or something was hurt.

The puddle at my feet branched out and I followed the b.l.o.o.d.y trail through the crowd, my heart racing, my nerves so ramped up that I was shaking. I pushed past a woman dressed all in blue, who was sobbing uncontrollably, and stopped dead in my tracks.

Avery was lying on the ground, covered in blood. The moment I saw her, my heart stopped completely.

It took me a second to notice Micah lying over her, b.l.o.o.d.y and limp, his eyes staring lifelessly into the crowd. Avery cradled his head against her chest, tears drawing lines down her dirty cheeks. A large, mouth-shaped wound had left Micahas neck mutilated. Something had attacked and killed him. But it hadnat been able to take more than a bite. On the ground beside Avery lay a large, bloodied rock. Avery had apparently bashed the thing over the head a few times to stop it from eating Micah completely.

I ran over to her, shoving my way past the thinning crowd, and dropped to my knees beside her in shock. aOh, Avery, Iam so sorry. What happened? Whatawhat did this?a Averyas sobs grew louder, but they were drowned out by a terrible screeching noise. I stared up into the treetops, where the noise was coming from, but couldnat make out anything in the darkness. The torches that lined the street cast a warm glow over the village, but outside of the flamesa range, the darkness was intensified. It was as if the darkness itself was crying out and hungry for nothing but the villagers of Kessler.

Then something large and heavy dropped down from the treetops, landing with surprising grace just feet in front of me. It stood on all fours, but towered over me, its black, soulless eyes staring me down. Its skin was blue and scaly, as if the creature had been born with its own defensive armor. And its breath smelled foul, like rotten meat and blood, metallic and sour. The smell of it, even at a distance, sent the threat of vomit to the back of my throat. Snorting, it turned its head slightly, peering around me to Avery.

A word flitted through my mind, and chasing after it was denial. Iad heard rumors, fairy tales that no one really believed, about monsters that lurked in the treetops up in the mountains where the villagers didnat dare travel. And my parents had told me stories about the beastsa"stories that insisted that these monsters were real. But I didnat believe them. I thought my father was teasing me, or that maybe they were just trying to keep me from climbing the mountains unguarded. But standing directly in front of me, growling, a long strand of spittle hanging from the corner of its mouth, was a Graplar.

One thing raced across my thoughts as I stood there staring at it, shaking with fear.

Graplars eat people.

In a moment of panic, certain that the beast was about to lurch forward and attack Avery, I waved my arms and shouted, hoping to distract it. Just as my shouts left my throat, I heard my father shout as well, only his was a word, and the word was No!

The creature lunged at me, opening its mouth wide. As it snapped its jaw closed, I jumped back. Its teeth closed over the fabric of my s.h.i.+rt and I yanked away, scrambling backward, hoping that Avery had the good sense to run while the thing was distracted. As it threw its head forward again, gnas.h.i.+ng its teeth at me, I stumbled, tripping over Micahas corpse. Avery had wiggled herself free and stood. Our eyes met for a brief moment before she turned toward the woods and took off in a sprint. It was then that I heard my father calling out again, his voice full of warning. aDonat run! Donat move! It attracts them!a The beast leaped over me, charging after Avery, and seconds later, my father was jumping over me as well, chasing it down, katana in hand. I hurried to stand, and ignoring the blood and dirt that was sticking my clothes to my skin, I ran after him, after Avery, after the monster that had attacked our small town. In the distance, beyond the edge of the firelight, I heard rustling, then grunting, then a heavy, meaty thump. As I reached the edge of the light, I saw my father emerge from the darkness, the front of his s.h.i.+rt spattered with blood, dragging the Graplaras head behind him. He dropped it to the ground, shaking his head, his brow troubled. As he returned his katana to the sheath on his back, I breathed a sigh of relief. My muscles relaxed. My father had saved us, all but the boy. We were so fortunate. I wondered how far Avery had gotten, or whether she was still running away from the beast. Hugging my father tightly, I said, aThank you. Thank you for killing it. Iam sorry I didnat believe you. Iad better go get Avery and tell her itas dead.a As I stepped forward to move past him, my father put his hand out, gripping my shoulder. He looked down at the stains on his s.h.i.+rt before his dark, troubled eyes found mine. After a moment of confusion, my heart shattered into a million pieces. He didnat have to say the words for me to understand what had happened. The monster had gotten to Avery before he could. It was Averyas blood on his s.h.i.+rta"an image that would forever haunt me. My best friend was dead, and all because I hadnat known how to stop the creature from attacking her.

As tears welled in my eyes, my world swirled around me in the muted colors of night. Sounds blended until all I heard was silence. I was certain I was falling, but the last thing I remembered was my fatheras arms lifting me from the ground and carrying me away from the monster that had killed my friend. Then everything went black.

aLet her rest, Patrick. Sheas been through a lot.a My parentsa voices drifted through the cabin in hushed tonesa"ones not quiet enough for me to fully ignore. I lay in bed, still stunned, still feeling numb. The moon was casting shadows of trees on my wall. I stared at the dancing branch shadows, not thinking anything, trying not to feel, most certainly not letting the image of Averyas blood into my haunted thoughts.

My fatheras voice broke in then, full of warm determination. aAnd sheas about to be faced with worse, Ellen. We have to get her up, get her moving around, and prepare her for whatas coming.a aHow do we prepare her for that, exactly? We donat really know whatas in store for her.a aWe know this much. She has no idea what to expect right now, and delaying that information isnat helping her.a There was a long silence before my mother replied. aOkay. Wake her. But be gentle.a Heavy footfalls approached my door. As each one sounded out into the night, my heart beat heavy and solid in my chest. Finally the door to my bedroom swung open and my father spoke, the warmth that had been in his tone just a moment before replaced by something I very much neededa"strength. aKaya. Come downstairs. Your mother and I need to talk to you.a He was right, and I knew it, but still it took me a moment to sit up and swing my legs over the edge of my bed. It took me a moment longer to stand. Every movement I made felt like I was swimming through murky waters. Slowly, I made my way downstairs to the dining room, where my parents were waiting with looks of trepidation on their faces. I looked back and forth between them. aSomethingas happened. What is it?a Sitting in front of my mother on the table was a stack of folded rice papers. Clinging to the outer paper was the burgundy ribbon and broken wax seal that had held them all together. aThis was delivered by messenger late yesterday. Itas for you. Youall have to pardon us for reading it. When we saw who it was from, we couldnat resist.a After a momenta"one where the air grew heavy between usa"she slid the small stack across the table to me. On the outside sheet was scribbled my name and address. In the upper left-hand corner was a swirling script which simply read Zettai Council. My heart stopped at seeing those words. Mostly, because hearing from the Zettai Council when your parents were fugitives was probably the worst thing that could ever happen, next to losing your best friend to a horrible monsteras insatiable appet.i.te. I hesitated with the letter in my hand, not wanting to unfold the paper, hoping that avoiding doing so might erase the words within its well-worn creases. As if sensing my hesitancy, my mother closed her hand over mine and met my eyes with a teary smile. Shead likely intended for her actions to comfort me, but seeing my strong Barron mother brought to tears by the presence of a letter from the Zettai Council had the opposite effect. It meant that we all knew what was about to happen. It meant that everything was about to change: for me, for my parents, for our family. And nothing would be the same ever again.

With a breath so deep it made my lungs ache, I unfolded the paper and smoothed out its creases, taking my time to do so. At last, I read the thickly scripted words at the top of the page.

By Order of the n.o.ble and Honorable Zettai Council Below that, in smaller and thinner letters, were two paragraphs. My eyes scanned them at first, hoping to find a word like apardoneda or aexcused,a but nothing lay on that page but my deepest fears. The first paragraph was written as part of the order, but the second seemed to be a personal note. As I read the first paragraph, my vision blurred with tears.

It is with our deepest pride and pleasure to announce that Kaya Os.h.i.+ro has been granted admission to Shadow Academy, to join in the grand position of studying alongside some of Trilas greatest Healers. As pursuant to Article 9 of the Loyalty Act, Kaya Os.h.i.+ro must report to the Academy within three daysa time of receiving this official notification. If Kaya fails to report in the time allotted, please know that proper measures will be taken to ensure her attendance at this prestigious educational inst.i.tution. Congratulations to Kaya and her family on what we know will be the beginnings of a fruitful future.

As upsetting as the first paragraph had been to read, it was nothing compared to the second, which was written in an elegant, swirling script.

Dear Kaya, We at Shadow Academy look forward to you joining our ranks as a student Healer. It is with deepest regrets that I must inform you that the Barron to whom you were Soulbound has perished. A new Barron has been selected for you, however, and you will be Bound to him shortly after your arrival. Please give my regards to your parentsa"indeed, it has been many years since their presence has graced Skilled society. It would be a shame if anything were to happen to them. I look forward to meeting you in three daysa time.

Sincerely, Osamu Quill Headmaster, Shadow Academy I read the paragraph over again before setting the letter on the table. My mother had given up on dabbing her eyes with her sleeve and buried her face in my fatheras shoulder. The headmasteras letter had sounded every bit as proper and polite as it needed to pa.s.s for something dignified to the untrained eye, but my parents and I knew to read between the lines. They knew where we were now. And if I didnat join the cause and learn my part in this unending war, the Zettai Council would send someone to murder my parents, for committing the crime of coupling and abandoning their stations.

And my Barron. My Barron had died. The fact hit me in the chest like a thousand stones, paining me to my core.

I hadnat known the Barron I was Soulbound to. How could I? My parents had eloped to Kessler before I was born, leaving everything about Skilled society behind. But somewhere in Tril, the very moment that I had been born, another child had been born. We took our first breath together. Our hearts had beaten together for the first time. Our first cries echoed out into the world at the same exact moment. We were Soulbound, as all Healers and Barrons are when they are born. But now my Barron was dead, and though I never knew hima"and it was a him, a boy, I donat know how I knew that, but I dida"my soul ached to know that he was gone, before Iad ever had the chance to look him in the eye.

Before I could stand, my father grabbed my hand and spoke, his voice burning with fury over the entire situation. aWe can run, Kaya. You donat have to go. We can leave everything behind tonight and run for our lives.a Gently, I pulled my hand from his and met his gaze, shaking my head slowly. I loved him for saying what he had, but I knew that any choice wead had had been erased, and any chance wead had of remaining out of the watchful eye of the Zettai Council had been stolen away the moment that the rumors of the Graplar attack on Kessler reached the council chambers. Because an Unskilled wouldnat know to behead the beast, and certainly wouldnat have done so with a katanaa"such weapons were only ever used by Barrons, and every single one of them capable of taking down a Graplar in a single swipe, like the one my father possessed, was forged at Starlight Academy. There was no doubt in their minds. They had found my parentsa"had found mea"and if I didnat attend Shadow Academy, my parents lives were forfeited. Really, as twisted as it seemed, the Zettai Council had been lenient by allowing my parents to live at all. They could have simply smashed in the door, killed my Barron parents, and taken me away, kicking and screaming. But they hadnat. Maybe because they knew that my parents were some of the best trained fighters of their day and it wouldnat be an easy task. Or maybe it was because theyad rather catch flies with honey than with a.s.s-kicking vinegar. Wead likely never know. But I did know one thing. Avery had died because I didnat know how to stop the Graplar from attacking. And as sweet as my father was to spar with me in the clearing behind our cabin, I knew that head been playacting, and would never really teach me how to fight. The only way I was going to learn to protect anyone from those horrid beasts was to train at length. And Shadow Academy was going to provide me with just that. I didnat want to go. I needed to goa"to protect my parents, and to protect myself.

I knew what it meant, leaving home and entering the Academy. My parents had told me all about the hundred-year-old war, and how once you entered a school for training, the war became your way of life. I also realized that by returning to that lifestyle, I was virtually undoing everything my parents had fought for to give me a normal, peaceful existence. But I couldnat, in good conscience, let anyone else lose a friend to the insatiable hunger of a Graplar. Avery would want me to go. Avery would tell me it was the right thing to do.

As I pressed my lips to my fatheras brow in a kiss, my motheras tears turned into body-racking sobs. I kissed her forehead too, suppressing my own tearsa"after all, there would be another time to cry, maybe one when I was alone, away from my parents, and my tears would cause them no further griefa"and went upstairs to my room to pack.

CHAPTER.

Three.

If I ever found Maddox, I was going to kill him.

Granted, all I knew of him was his name and the fact that he was supposed to pick me up from the trailhead three hours ago, but that was enough to place blame on him for the predicament I was in. After waiting for what seemed like forever, Iad gripped the note from the headmaster in my hand and trudged up the hill, dragging my trunk behind me. After all, how hard could locating Shadow Academy possibly be? It was supposed to be this giant school with an enormous wall around it. Should be fairly easy to spot, considering there were no other buildings arounda"just miles and miles of forest. Little did I know that an hour later, the beaten path I was on would abruptly end, and Iad be dragging my trunk through the p.r.i.c.kly underbrush, over roots, dead leaves, rocks, and every insect known to man. I hadnat broken down and crieda"I prided myself on thata"not even when a rogue branch had slapped me across the face, sc.r.a.ping my cheek. But my stomach was rumbling and my muscles had just about enough of wandering through the woods as the sun began its descent. It was time to eat, time to rest, time to find Shadow Academy already and just be done walking for about a billion years.

And kill Maddox. Canat forget that.

Shadow Academy was certainly living up to its name, as I couldnat see it anywhere, despite the crudely drawn map on the headmasteras letter. My father had checked and double-checked the map, a.s.suring me that if I stayed true to the dotted line, I couldnat go wrong. aWait at the trailhead,a head told me. aYour guard will collect you there. Donat get impatient and start wandering the woods alone.a But my father hadnat been counting on my guard forgetting all about me, leaving me alone in near-dark with no food.

It hadnat occurred to me that it was an odd thing for the headmaster to give me a map when he was sending a guard to meet me at the trailhead where the wagon had dropped me off. Not until Maddox had forgotten me. Then it all made sense, and I was starting to think that maybe this was the norm for Maddox. But then, my mind needed something to think about, someone to blame, while I made my way up the pathless hill. Might as well be that.

I leaned forward, digging my shoes into the soft earth as I climbed. For the hundredth time, my trunk got caught on an exposed root and I had to wrench it free. My shoulder screamed with pain, but I pulled harder. With a loud snap the root gave way, sending me flying. I landed hard right in the middle of a mud puddle.

Slowly, I thought to myself. Thatas how Maddox would die. Slowly.

Standing and wiping the mud from my face, I opened and closed my hand to stretch the muscles and get the blood flowing and then rested for a few minutes on top of my trunk. The woods around me were thick with roughthorn trees, and the forest floor was covered with leaves. There werenat many p.r.i.c.kly bushes and weeds, but what were there had found me with ease. It was going to take hours to remove all the woody thorns from my legs. A slight breeze rustled the treetops and several leaves showered down on me. The woods smelled crisp, like fall, even though summer had just begun to fade. It wasnat entirely unpleasant. But I was tired and, as my stomach insisted on reminding me with its gurgles and grumbles, I hadnat eaten anything since lunch, almost seven hours ago.

A sound reached my ears, one that sent a chill through me. Had it been a screech, like the one Iad heard the night that Iad lost my best friend to a monsteras hunger? Or was I imagining things? Exhaustion did funny things to a personas imagination, so I wasnat at all certain that I could trust my senses. I listened for a moment longer, but when I heard nothing but the usual forest noises, I reached down, gripping the trunkas handle, and turned to continue my trek up the hill. But then I froze in place, unable to even unleash the scream that was building in my throat. I couldnat breathe, couldnat move, couldnat even blink, taken over by instant terror.

All I saw were teeth. Hundreds of large, sharp, glistening teetha"row after row after row of thema"attached to an enormous, animalistic mouth. Just inches from my face and terrifyingly familiar.

aDonat move. Donat make a sound any louder than a whisper.a A manas voice to my lefta"confident, commanding. I was enormously relieved to hear his voicea"at least I wouldnat die alone. It was easy to follow his instructions, as my muscles had forgotten the basic concept of movement and, at the moment, I wasnat sure that I had ever possessed the power of speech. Besides, he sounded like he knew what he was talking abouta"he was giving advice that mirrored my fatheras, after all.

I hoped he did, anyway. For both our sakes.

I swallowed my screams and was careful not to move, though my body shook against my will. So much for priding myself on bravery. I wondered if Avery had seen the beastas teeth closing in on her, or if shead been attacked from behind, ripped away from life without so much as a warning. She must have been terrified. Keeping my voice a breath on the wind, I said, aIave seen one of these before. Itas aa"a The name escaped me momentarily, largely because a long strand of drool had begun stretching from the creatureas mouth to the forest floor.

His voice was just as soft, his breathing calm and even. aItas a Graplar, and only half as dumb as it looks.a The beast growled under its breath, as if it couldnat quite understand what head said, but knew it was insulting.

A Graplar. Of course.

I inhaled and at once I was. .h.i.t by the rancid, foul breath of the beast before me. It was all I could do not to gag. I had to close my eyes for a moment to stop seeing those horrible teeth, so Iad stop imagining what it must have been like for Avery in her final moments. A s.h.i.+ver crawled up my spine and I resisted the urge to bolt. Something deep inside of me said that he was absolutely right, and that moving right now would be a huge mistake.

Opening my eyes again, I hoped against hope that the thing would be gone. But it wasnat. I squeaked, aWhy hasnat it attacked us?a aGraplars thrive on movement. They love the hunt. Itas waiting for us to run.a His voice was stern, but calm, like head faced these things a hundred times before. Oddly, there was a modic.u.m of respect for the beast in his tone.

My heart was beating in a crazy panic, but I willed it to steady, to slow. Freaking out would not help at a time like this. In a hopeful, trembling whisper, I asked, aIf we stay still, will it go away?a aNo. Itall just kill us slower to punish us for not running.a It was twisted, but I was pretty sure I heard a smile in his statement. Bemus.e.m.e.nt. Maybe he thought facing hideous creatures like Graplars every day was just business as usual, but I didnat find it even remotely entertaining.

aSo what do we do?a I knew what my father would have done. He would have grabbed his katana and chased after the beast, not coming back until his clothes were sticky with its blood. And when he did return, his eyes would be alight with a strange firea"one that would simultaneously terrify me and make me very proud. But I wasnat my father.

aIf you want to live, I suggest you do exactly what I tell you, without question. Understand?a I nodded slowly, wis.h.i.+ng I could turn my head even slightly so that I could glimpse the man Iad just agreed to take orders from. The Graplar emitted a low growl, as if chastising me for even thinking about moving any farther.

aOn my signal, run north, toward Shadow Academy.a I was still noddinga"as slowly as I could managea"when I said, aQuestion.a aI thought I said no questions.a aThis oneas kind of important.a He released an irritated sigh, which elicited a grunt from the monster that was eyeballing me. aFine. What is it?a aWhich wayas north?a aTo your right. Past that big tree and straight up the hill.a He paused, letting his instructions sink in. aAre you ready?a My mouth went horribly dry as I slowly shoved the headmasteras letter in my pocket and braced myself to run. Then I blinked and whispered frantically, aWaitaI thought you said running was bad!a aGO!a A split second before I could move, the man started to run in the opposite direction head told me to go. I guessed he was trying to lure the creature away long enough for me to escape. So I dropped my trunk and took off as fast as I could, slipping on the leaves under my feet. Once I had solid ground under my shoes, I bolted up the hill, leaving both the man and the monster behind.

The Graplar didnat follow him for long.

The ground behind me pounded as the monster made chase after me, the horrible, hungry sound of its breath panting on my heels. My heart was beating so fast I thought it might explode right out of my chest, but I picked up the pace, running faster than I ever had before. Fear gripped me, driving me forward, but I knew it was just a matter of time before the beast got me, that I was just delaying the inevitable. Once it tired of the chase, or if I slowed down even a little bit, that Graplar was going to grab me by the ankle and drag me off to wherever it preferred to chew its dinner. Or maybe it wouldnat drag me anywhere. Maybe itad gnaw the meat from my bones right here.