The Sun's Shadow

Chapter Twelve

Directly after shaking her head to the offer of cliff diving, she turned her chin up to the skies and watched the birds fly by instead. The other girl who ventured out into the humidity and drizzle to watch the pursuits of boys didn't bother with Ele the entire time. It could be said that Ele didn't approach her either, but with good reason.

Glares filled with hidden promises of maliciousness weren't entirely inviting...

Nevertheless, the clouds were inviting. And Ele wanted nothing more than to soar high above their dense cover and bask in the sun, chase it to the horizons, and then swoop back around to the East to meet it the next day. The lack of wings made her daydreams impossible. That, and the invisible chain tethering her to the Prince's side.

Pet.

That word ricocheted in her head daily since the day the Queen uttered it. To even think or insinuate a person's life is no more greater than that of a house pet was uncommon in today's age. Even slaves were a fading novelty to royal families across all species. Now it was far more common to have hired, paid help on castle grounds. As they should be.

For her family to see her now; following a vampire around like a stray, they'd certainly disown her. As if they hadn't already...

Boisterous shouts and cheers snapped her out of the melancholy haze she seemed hell bent on allowing consume her. The boys chanted as Kaanan backed all the way up against a tree, crouched into a sprinter stance with his back heel against the trunk, then used that leverage to push against and spring forward. His legs carried him faster and faster and-

Ele shot up from her perched spot. Her heart beating and creating an ache in her throat from how hard it pounded. The Prince leapt further than the other boys she'd witnessed thus far and, from where she sat, she could have sworn he was going to hit a large rock formation jutting out in the middle of the wide gorge. He fell just short of it, too close for her liking.

When he bobbed to the surface with an immense grin displayed, she smiled back. No other boy had even come remotely close to hitting that stack, and he seemed proud to have gotten so far out. Foolish though it may be.

His dark eyes found hers and she smiled brighter down the cliff side at him. From where he was, he had to swim around the corner where there was a platform he could pull himself onto and hike back up the side of the gorge. It'd take him a few minutes, so she decided to meet him where she'd seen all the others come back up from.

On the way, she had to pass some of his friends but thought nothing of it.

Until one reached out to grab her arm.

His fingers brushed against the skin of her bicep and the tips of them were cold, causing her to jolt her arm away fast enough before his fingers curled around it. It wasn't one of the brothers. This was someone new who hadn't taken the time earlier to introduce himself. Not like she could remember all these names. Faces, on the other hand, were etched into Ele's memory. 

Always good to remember a friendly face... Or an unfriendly one.

The stranger leaned in, trapping her momentarily. There was a certain boldness in the way he moved as if he had her right where he wanted her. His wavy hair that touched the bottom of his earlobes swayed with every calculated step. The color hinted at an earthy blend of browns, a wild contrast to the smoothness of the well-kept mane. 

"So you're mute." The whispered insult stung more than it should have. He imagined it to be a crippling disability. He went on in a low tone, "How mute? Like, can you still scream?"

What an awful question. Ele stiffened on the spot and wanted nothing more than to shout profanities at him in the only way should could– By signing. Without a translator, her insults would fall silent on the ears of someone crude and egotistical.