Darkness (Book 1 of The Royals Trilogy)

Chapter 19

CHAPTER 19

ANA

I was now in the cafeteria along with the other hunters. The walk there had been quiet and Blair had looked surprised when I broke all contact with my past but she hadn't said anything, I suspected she had nothing else to say sense I had ignored all her advice. "To the left you can see that most of the camp's children eat there. At the center is where the professionals and senior hunters sit. Lastly, to the right is where you can find learning hunters like us." Blair had explained before leading me towards one of those tables to the right.

The cafeteria was a large cabin filled with approximately 150 people and food was already served in each table, nevertheless, it was loud as hunters talked to themselves and I could only catch glimpses of their conversations that involved "vampires, "knife", "wolf", "filth", "blood", etc.

When we sat down at one table next to a window, everyone seated there stopped talking and stared at me with questioning and hostile looks, apparently not many humans knew about the hunters nor became one of them. "Blair, who is she?" asked a girl, who was probably two years younger than us.

"Lesley, this is a newcomer," was all Blair said and Lesley eyed me with a surprised look. I looked at Blair confused.

"Why did you introduce me as the 'newcomer'? I have a name, you know," I whispered, making sure everyone else couldn't hear.

"Oh right, I forgot to explain that part," said Blair hesitantly. "You actually don't have a name here, it's hunter tradition you see, when we are born hunters we're called what our caretaker wants to call us and when we start training at the age of 12 we have a ceremony in which we choose our names."

"But I already have a name," I said a bit harsher than I meant.

"No you don't," said Gideon as he sat down at my other side. I turned to look at him confused and a bit embarrassed since I thought I had been quiet enough so anybody other than Blair and I wouldn't be able to hear. "My mother's orders, in order for you to get used to your new life here, you have to start blank."

"What if I don't want to change my name?" I said tightly and Gideon didn't say anything as he started eating.

"Tell her, Gideon," demanded Blair as she glared at her brother. Gideon rolled his eyes and looked at me, "let's just say that it's better you choose a new name, otherwise the elders will choose it for you and you could end up with a name like: 'Star' or 'Pebble' or something just as stupid." I flinched but nodded, it looks like I don't have a choice. I began eating slowly just as the cafeteria began clearing out. Gideon and Blair finished before me and waited patiently as I finished.

"Well sis, I have to go. Nice to see you again, Star." Said Gideon as he teased me with that name. I rolled my eyes and turned to Blair. "So how about you? How did you choose your name?"

Blair shrugged, "not sure actually. I guess it had something to do with my caretaker."

"What's a caretaker? You have mentioned it a few times now, " I asked without thinking. Instantly, Blair's expression hardened, "our last assessment. Look, I can't talk about it, it's not something I like to talk about." Quickly she got up and hurried out into the dark night. I was left alone in the cafeteria feeling uncomfortable, so I got up and tried to find my way back to cabin 16.

Somehow I ended up in one of the children's cabin and when I walked in everyone stared at me. "Sorry, wrong cabin," I said embarrassed and I could feel my cheeks as they began turning red. One of the older women walked towards me and smiled warmly, "that's alright. Who are you?" she asked confused.

I opened my mouth to respond when I realized I didn't have an answer. "I-I-"

"She's the newcomer, Joan," replied another woman who looked at me skeptically as if criticizing whether I could or should become a hunter or not. I nodded, "yes, I don't have a name yet."

Joan smiled, "that's fine, I guess you got lost. Where were you heading?"

"To cabin 16." I said and Joan and her partner shared a look. "What?" I asked confused.

"Nothing dear," said Joan quickly.

"Cabin 16?" asked one of the girls in the room. She looked to be about 10. One of her front teeth was missing, her curly, wild, blonde hair was covering most of her face. "Yes, what about it?" I asked cautiously.

"Naomi, help me tuck in the children while I talk to her," Joan said and Naomi nodded as she hurried the girls to their beds.

"Come with me young one." Joan led me to a small table outside on the porch. Once we were both seated, I heard Joan sigh before she turned to me a bit stiffly. "Look child, the path to becoming a professional hunter isn't easy and not all are equipped to handle this life, not just outsiders but even some young ones born into this life can't take it. Although, that is something most camps try to hide. Most of the time, trainees who don't want to live like this choose to leave their tribe and live a more "normal" life and it's rare for an outsider to join our profession but there are a few. Anyway, at the end of every young one's training there is an assessment called: 'Caretaking'. It's an old tradition that had been around for many centuries.

In my last assessment I was assigned a young child like the ones you just saw, I was supposed to teach the child how to survive and expose it to the dangers of our life. I called her, Marina. As a caretaker you decide what the child's name will be until they turn 12.

Marina was... different, she had distinct ideas. She didn't believe in violence or eliminating a species, no matter how dangerous it was to keep them alive because she believed we all have a purpose and are part of the balance of life. I always knew what she thought but I made sure she never said anything to the other children or hunters. When she was about to turn 12 I suggested she leave the camp and build a life as human as possible and I explained to her that the ways of the hunters weren't going to change anytime soon and her ideas would only cause her trouble."

"And did she?" I interrupted without a second thought.

Joan huffed and shook her head, "she tried to but the elders didn't let her. Six years later she was about to graduate from training and she was about to complete her assessment and then-." Joan stopped talking and I fidgeted.

"I'm sorry, but what does this have to do with Cabin 16?" I asked in a hushed whisper.

The older hunter looked at me with expressionless eyes, "everything, young one. Marina ordered the elders to build her Cabin 16 because she refused to share a cabin with anyone else since they didn't let her leave camp. On her last test, Marina was assigned, you could say, the most precious child because she was the best trainee of her generation."

A sudden thought crossed my mind. But, it couldn't be, or could it? "Blair?" The woman nodded and continued, "Blair was a very difficult child, very rebellious and being the leader's child she was always in constant danger. Their bond formed into something special, usually a caretaker becomes the adviser of the trainee because they become who they trust the most but in this case, Marina and Blair grew to love each other like sisters and they were constantly together, more than a caretaker should be. One day, the camp was invaded by creatures of all species, vampires, shifters, mutts, demons and so on. Marina and Blair were out in the forest when that happened.

Marina fought bravely to protect Blair but one of the demons managed to strike at her. The venom intoxicated her body and that's when leader Elda led a group of hunters to fight the rest off. Blair, at the age of 11, was seated next to Marina and I in front of her. Marina knew what had to be done, she pulled out her knife and handed it to me to finish the job but I refused. Elda saw what was happening and she handed the knife to Blair. I was shocked when she ordered the child to kill her own caretaker.

Blair refused, cried, yelled and tried to run back to camp but Elda had all paths blocked and Blair was forced to kill her caretaker. After that, there were no more attacks and Blair, after her ceremony, she claimed Marina's cabin and she forbade anyone from trying to be her roommate and Blair continued her life as a trainee . But now it looks like she has looked past her grief," she said referring to me being Blair's roommate.

I nodded silently not wanting to say Elda had assigned me to that cabin. With what purpose? I exhaled loudly and got up. "Thank you for telling me this Huntress Joan." Joan smiled, "just call me Joan, child. I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other very soon." I nodded one last time before heading out of there and towards the other side of camp before finding Cabin 16.

I walked in silently. The lights were off, making me think either Blair wasn't there or she was asleep. I was about to lay down on my bed when... "Where were you?" Blair asked in the dark.

I jumped and yelped. My heart was beating loudly and I was gasping for air, "why did you do that?"

"Do what?" she asked what seemed like calm but I could some humor in her words.

"Please don't scare me like that again," I said after turning on the lights. Blair had a faint smile on her face as she rolled her eyes and the two of us stayed quiet.

"I'm sorry," I heard her say. My eyes widened, "what?"

"I'm sorry," she repeated, "for leaving you alone and for making you think I didn't want you here in the camp."

"It's fine," I said before hesitating, "oh and Blair..."

"What?" she asked with her eyes closed as she laid on her bed in her training clothes.

"I know about Marina," I said in a soft, cautious voice. I saw as Blair's body stiffened and her eyes opened, reveling hurt before the it changed into pure coldness.

"How?" she asked tightly. I gulped, "I accidentally ended up in the children's cabin and Joan told me everything."

Blair got up and crossed her arms in front of her chest. She raised an eyebrow, "did she now?"

"Yes, but only because I insisted," I said, trying to protect the kind woman who took care of the children here in the camp.

"What did she tell you?" she asked, her eyes fiery and filled with pain. In that moment I repeated all Joan had told you and after I was finished Blair huffed while turning away and laughing sarcastically.

"That's not even half of the story," she said once she was seated on her bed.

"There's more?" I asked and she nodded.

"As you have probably guessed, being born into this life, it's difficult from the start. As an infant, you are separated from your parents. Sires, is what most of us call our parents because that's all they are, we don't share a bond or love. So when I was separated from Elda, I was treated differently because I was the leader's daughter. I was very spoiled and mean and because of that, I was constantly alone and didn't have any friends.

When a trainee is ready for their last assessment, they are assigned a child to look after until they turn 12. I was assigned to Marina.

When I first met her, I hated her and she couldn't stand me, she said I was too spoiled for my own good and that I would never become a huntress with my attitude. In some ways that's what I wanted, to annoy Elda and, in some ways, as a 10 year old, all I wanted was her attention, she barely visited me whereas she had visited Gideon more times than I could count.

Anyway, back to Marin, as time passed, I changed, I grew to enjoy her presence and she became more tolerant and understanding. Marina became my best friend, we thought alike and she told me her story about why she had been denied separation from the camp. Of course, at that time I was too little to understand completely but it all made sense as I grew up. We had made a plan to leave the camp. Marina was going to leave when she graduated and the elders didn't have any control over her and she was going to build a life in the city while she waited until I graduated and joined her.

She also gave me my name, Blair. She said I had a certain brightness, a fire, a spark inside of me that burnt bright. Marina was everything I hoped to be: independent, strong, kind, passionate and fearless.

Elda, on the other hand, hated that I spent most of my time with my caretaker. She even tried to forbid me from seeing her but the elder's refused to grant her her wish. She had to accept it and at that time I actually thought we could share a bond like she and Gideon share but I was wrong.

Once, before I turned 12, I was walking towards her office when I heard her speaking to someone on the phone. She said something about a raid, although I didn't understand what it meant. When I walked in, she freaked out and kicked me out while screaming at me. She asked me what was I thinking coming into her cabin without telling her beforehand. I was hurt and scared and I ran to Marina who was close by.

Elda saw this and frowned before walking back into her cabin and slamming the door. I followed Marina into our favorite spot in the woods, close to the borders, not knowing that would be our last day together."

Blair stopped talking and tears streamed down her face and I managed to hear soft sobs as she cried. Quickly, I was at her side, hugging her tightly, trying to sooth her even though it still felt a bit uncomfortable. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Blair, you don't have to tell me more if you don't want to."

Blair sniffled, "no, you have to hear it, it's the reason why I despise my mother."

My eyes widened, "what are you talking about?"

Blair's eyes hardened and light up dangerously, "while Marina and I were in the woods, creatures from all species attacked us. Marina tried getting me to safety as she killed the creatures that tried to come close. I was screaming for help but no one came.

My eyes were filled with tears and when Marina turned to me, to tell me to run, a demon struck her with its tail. Marina screamed and fell to the ground. It was in that moment when help decided to come, my mother was with them and Joan.

Joan looked heartbroken as she saw her trainee, her friend on the ground, my mother looked calm and for a painful second, she looked satisfied. That's when she ordered me to kill my best friend, the only person I loved.

After that, I confronted Elda, I demanded she told me the truth whether or not she had planned that attack. She didn't deny it, she told me what had happened had been a warning to all hunters that our life is to kill those who harm us. In that moment I knew she was behind Marina's death, it had always been planned to kill her."

"But why her?" I interrupted hesitantly.

Blair shrugged, "at that time Marina was planning a rebellion against the elders, my mother loathed and envied her, I think, so it only made sense. She could kill her as an excuse to end rebellion and keep me in check at the same time. After that, I never trusted her and I despise her since that, that is why I told you she only does things with another motive."

Both of us stayed quiet when a sudden knock startled us. Gideon popped in his head with messy hair and a wide grin on his face. "There you girls are. I just came to tell you, Ana's ceremony will be held tomorrow morning and after that we get the day off. Your lessons will begin the day after that and you'll have a lot of catching up to do to graduate with Blair and her generation, I think you will be assigned a tutor."

"What about you?" I asked, referring to his graduation.

"I already graduated last year. I only went to human high school to keep an eye on my sister," he said calmly while Blair glared at him. I nodded in understanding and Gideon continued, "well, you should get some sleep, the ceremony will be at dawn, so be punctual please, that is something the elder hunters values greatly."

I nodded once again as I took my pajamas to the bathroom to change. When I returned to the room, Gideon was gone and Blair was lying down on her bed. "Aren't you going to change?" I asked and she chuckled.

"You still have a lot to learn, newbie."