Unexpectations (Five Realms Series # 1 )

Chapter 1: These Last Few Days

I was sitting in a cafe with Jane, Jen, Azara, and Cressida. We were here to celebrate the last few days I could spend with the certainty of being alive by my side. I try not to think about the outcome of the competition. At the moment, all I want to do is just relax and watch a game of quick ball. It's similar to basketball, except it also involves an obstacle course, a much bigger hoop, the ability to choose a weapon of your choice, and way much more fun.

"Earth to Taryn," Jen finally got my attention, my eyes snapping to meet hers. Her eyes slid to Jane's who was looking at me with concern in her eyes.

"As I was saying, if you die, we'll all die together," said Jane. She could be pretty intense, and this was one of those times.

"Oh hell no, she's far too stubborn to die." Azara smirked.

I chuckled. "Aw, thank you." I said, mirroring her smirk before returning my attention to the game.

I chuckled and continued to watch the games. Ever since my guardian died, I lived with my brother Carter. We weren't related by blood, but we still looked alike, and we were siblings in every other way. It was then that I realized that if I didn't haul ass, then I'd be late for lunch. He would kill me. Crap.

I quickly said goodbye to my friends and heard a chorus of "I'll be watching you in the competition!" back. Chuckles from the other customers followed me on my way out of the cafe as I frantically ran outside.

Carter had already found his mate, Marlee. I still remember the day she blurted it out in front of him when he was about to go on a date with this girl I had set him up with. Everybody thought it was embarrassing for me, but I thought I deserved credit. The jury was still out for the actual couple. At least they're together now. They gave each other a reason to live.

When my guardian was still alive, she trained six people -- Marisa, Carter, Felissha, Marlee, Xavier and I. The day she died was also the day my best friend and Xavier died. It was all so sudden, and I couldn't save them. The reason I wanted to join the king's personal group of guards was to actually have a purpose for life. In this world, a woman didn't get to share much with the men in the room; hell, she was barely even allowed to be in the same room as a group of men, lest she "embarrass" herself.

Most women and men did get to share a reason to live: their mates, just like my brother and Marlee.

I, however, had no intention of telling mine that I was his mate.

I punched and kicked at the designated bag, eventually sending it flying into the door. Thankfully, nobody was going through it at that particular moment. I'd spent the better part of the evening in the men's gym. Well, it wasn't particularly the men's gym, it was a community gym, but not a lot of women ever came here.

I'd spent a year down at a ridiculous excuse for a gym before Carter asked me why I didn't just come here. I'd actually been shocked to hear that women were allowed in here, the brochure didn't say anything about us being allowed so I just assumed we weren't, and I hadn't been in the mood to start a fight on something that small.