Roseblood

🍃Two🍃

"Mom, are you kidding?" I feel like my voice is loud enough to shake the golden walls of the Terra throne room. I'm so confused that even Elang lets out an undignified squawk. "Dad, is this serious? How can you guys be considering this! What about all those conspiracies? The dangers? What if it's a trap or something?"

Especially after what I just went through. Just mentioning anything about dangers and traps give me a small headache. Heck, trying to put together the puzzle pieces of my attempted kidnapping is messing with me. It was all a blur after I watched Elang and Sey fumble through the sky, falling through the thin foliage before my eyes could no longer pick out their shapes. I was tempted to leap out the window, even though it would've made everything worse. Then I spent a good five minutes screaming—at the guards, for Elang, at the impossible thing Sey was, at myself because it was all my fault—before one of the soldiers suggested that I go tell my parents. I'd managed to fix my composure then, but I'm now on the brink of losing it.

"Pele, we can promise you that we are serious," my mom says. Her words are coming out quickly and getting more tilted as her accent starts to get heavier, something that happens when she is speaking passionately. With her fuchsia gown and dark brown skin that most Sparkbloods have, Mom looks regal but vicious like a warrior. Clavo beside her stares straight ahead, as solemn as his human partner.

"But..." I start.

"No buts," my dad booms. "I can assure you that there will be no traps or trickery while you are sent off."

Sent off, more like fed to the wolves. My mind is wheeling. Just earlier today, my dad was going on and on about how evil the rest of the other blood types are, but now he wants to send me to them?

Not exactly, a small voice from inside me says. Just the heirs and heiress. But it's still dangerous, nevermind what the sensible part of my says. The Airbloods are know for the sneakiness in their own villages and courts, what if they find a way to scheme against me? And the Wavebloods are so clever, the Sparkbloods live to fight and are brought up learning how to defend themselves. Of course, their elements are just as powerful. What use is a vine against a raging fire or giant flood or tornado?

I unconsciously reach up to my shoulder, but where soft feathers should be there's just air. "What if something happens? It won't be safe."

Mom sighs. "Pele, even if we don't want you to go, none of us have say in this. Your father, myself, and the council already agreed, and if we don't send you, suspicion will fall on us."

"Why would anyone be suspicious of us?" I ask. Is something bigger happening? Are the we being framed for something? Whatever it was, the Rosebloods have nothing to do with it.

Or do we?

"Are you hiding something?"

"No." My dad answers this time around. "But the other heirs were also attacked today, and the rulers are not..." he struggled for the right words "completely in their right minds."

If I had I drink, I would spit it out. "What? What happened? Did they catch who did it?"

"The other attackers are...well, weren't as lucky as yours." The words aren't even it of his mouth when Mom, Clavo, and Elang shoot Dad a look that clearly says stop talking.

"So they're dead?" As soon as I say it, I want to take it back. I didn't realize my tone would've sounded so blunt, but it's hard to think about how I'm talking when a clump of overwhelming dread takes over my body. Goose bumps and chills suddenly run up and down my back. Without even thinking about it, I run to the closest corner and throw up.