THE KEEPERS ( THE ORBS OF UTAH )

CHAPTER ONE

KENDUREN

I was running through the woods near the kingdom. It was what I did religiously at the crack of dawn and at sundown to help get my emotions under control. I was addicted to the rush it gave me and it helped that I had a companion as competitive as me and that was Mirra, my Feran.

She was sprinting ahead of me and occasionally she'd look over her shoulder at me with smugly. It was like she was mocking me, egging me to just give up. And that pretty much fuelled me up to keep going. The faster I ran the more my powers started bursting out making me run faster than the eye could see.

I caught up to her and relished rushing passed her and that was it. By the deep growl that grew faint with every passing nanosecond it was clear I'd won and Mirra was frustrated by that.

I limited my speed until I was jogging, steadily nearing the end of the woods. I shifted into tul form then began wearing the articles of clothing I had had safely hidden under a blanket of leaves behind a tree. I then walked out of the forest and headed to the boulder cloaked with moss nestled a few feet from the first line of trees of the forest.

Mirra joined me a few minutes later. She was growling at me her fangs bared threateningly. If anything the action gained a hearty laughter from me.

" Better luck next time," I said snarkily.

She snorted. " How about you stop using your powers. See how you win without them." Her voice was like a whisper in my mind.

" They are a part of me, Mirra. You are just angry that I won ... Again. And to make it up to you I'll give you extra meat tonight, " I smirked. She just narrowed her piercing green orbs at me.

" Whatever you say Princess," she muttered.

We were silent for a while just taking in the view of the kingdom in the distance.

And then I saw it.

One of the palace carriages nearing where we sat. If there was one thing I hated was the lack of freedom I had. But in a way it was understandable. I was the only heir to the throne of Kenduren.

I was the only light to my father after mother passed. He was overly protective of me. The fact that I was one of the Keepers was close to giving him a heart attack. If he had his way I'd be the normal Princess who wouldn't make his hair grow grey with worry. I was his little trouble maker. A title I have gained through my years of causing mayhem throughout the kingdom.

The carriage stopped on the side of the path that led out of the kingdom right through the woods. Mirra and I just stared at it with no intention of moving from our spot.

A lady came out wearing an immaculate navy blue coat with gold buttons, bell sleeves and gold embellishments . Under the coat she had on a gold flared dress that fell just above her knees and navy lace up boots.

She looked like she was going to some royal event while I looked like I was going hunting. What with the leggings, woolly tunic and leather coat and boots. No one would recognize me. Hell they would even mistake her for me.

I couldn't very well race Mirra in a dress. Dresses were not meant for the woods and I'd sure look foolish in one.

" The King has asked for you," she said.

Looking at her one would think she was some high born brat but she was not. She was actually the most gifted lass in the kingdom and she was my trainer.

Even though she was not a keeper she still proved time and time again that I still had a long way to go.

The Orbs of Utah were magical objects of immense power. I've been trained all my life to control my powers. One little slip could cause great destruction of any place I occupied that very instant and a lot of deaths, or so I was told.