Silver Shadow (Maven x Mare)

Chapter 30: MARE

During the days, we've come to gather other newbloods that we got to before Maven. The endless play has been making my head hurt, and at night I wake up sweating, from nightmares about seeing the dead ones we were too late to save.

I remember the first body, Wolliver Galt, his corpse hanged lifeless on a statue. I never got to know what his ability was.

It makes me afraid of Maven. All the times he was with me, how can he think that leaving a bloody trail of innocent people will lead me to him? Who was the Maven I was with in the cave, who promised me the world? Who was the Maven hunting us down in this search? It makes me angry, desperate, because he knows he doesn't even have to lure me out- he always seem to find us wherever we hide. I am confused- cursing myself for the tiny doubt lingering in me, still holding hopes for the boy King.

He hasn't come back for a visit. I make myself ready in case he does, keeping my wrath as a dangerous weapon. But when I face him, what will it be? Will I strike him down to death, or will I listen? Will he even explain? Or were the bodies explanation enough? We had been moving, going where we could find others, narrowing by either our resources or connections. Farley has been trying to align with her contacts, although has been our best strategy to just keep with what we have. I am not only being hunted by Silvers, but by Reds.

The tactic has been predictable. Members or dear ones taken from Reds who hold enough place to aid our cause for hostage, along with the hefty sum on our heads. I cannot blame them, but it sure is bitter to be betrayed so many times. I trust no one, not even myself.

"We need to head out for supplies," Farley says, letting me out of my trance. I stand up from under the large oak I am sitting on, just a few meters away from our campsite.

I brush away dirt from my body. "How will we do that? Move on to stealing?" As much as I hate to admit, it is the only option we are seeing. Farley eyes me, arms folded together, daring me to imply my morals. We are fugitives, I've always been a thief, so why hesitate now?

"We need to feed people, now that we are recruiting," she says. "You know that what we hunt isn't enough, and we need other tools too. The jet needs repairs."

Good point. Our daily portions of whatever we can dig up or kill is not contributing to our strengths, just making us survive. I guess that is still something, but since we always have to be on guard to fight, I know we need more.

"Okay, I come with you?" I say, more of a question. It is not advisable and Farley knows this, not with every hound tracking me.

"We'll take some of the new ones. They can put their trainings to use," Farley replies, and I nod. As much as I know they are unprepared, we need them to keep up. It is their lives on the stake. We have been training them in ways we can, discovering their fascinating abilities the Silvers do not even possess. We are the stain in the society's usual balance between Silver and Red; outcasts.

Being a newblood is a curse as much as the power with it a blessing.

"I'll take Kilorn.. Shade needs to recover, he's the one of us exhausted too much for taking us all around, I think we can manage without his skills. I need to be with them to watch out for other who will turn us over to the crown," her voice comes out as a sneer,

Together, we walk back to the campsite, where others were going on with our created routine, preparing for what we will be facing next.