HENRY
Everything was harder back then. I was young and naive, and I didn't get along well with the other children my age. I remembered the day when everything changed, even though it was years ago nothing could make me forget. The day had started like any other. There was morning work to do on my family's patch of land but by the time the afternoon sun was burning up her head, I'd slipped into the woods. Often, I tried to find a hollow or a stream to explore on my own, just to avoid the others, but the peace never lasted long.
I was not favored among the small group of my peers. I was the smallest of the boys, and therefore I was usually the one most picked on. Francis had a flair for creating games that often ended in me being humiliated for the other's enjoyment. And everyone had always had a good laugh. Except for Mary. She was nicer and would try to defend me when she could.
But that day was different. Most of the others had trave
EZRA I stepped out onto the deserted street, looking both ways. Plowed snow had been pushed aside into small mountains on the edge of the sidewalks. Steam rose from manhole covers, a car rolled past at the end of the street. I'd never been to New York City before, and even with all my traveling between the worlds, I'd never seen a city like this. Vasco shifted his weight on my shoulder, and let out a soft caw. "It's alright," I said, reaching up to steady him. The crow-like demon had nearly doubled his size since I'd first found him weeks ago. Now, he was nearly the same as a full-grown raven. I hoped he didn't get too much larger, or carrying him around on my shoulder was going to be a problem in a number of different ways. "Settle." Taking a deep breath of the cold air, I focused on the last of my missing family, turned, and started walking. I'd wanted to do this weeks ago. I needed to have it done months ago. But things kept getting in the way. I turned a corner, pulling my jac
I let out a breath of relief and set my pen down. That wasn't nearly as bad as I had feared it would be. I glanced around the auditorium at the other students taking the same Calculus exam. There was already a few finished exams on Professor Redding's table down in the front of the room. I was always afraid of being the first one finished. It usually was a bad sign for my grades. I checked to make sure my name was on my exam, and stood gathering my things before heading down the stairs to turn in my final. "Have a good holiday, Mr. Stanwood," Professor Redding said as I added my papers to the stack. He looked up at me over the nearly destroyed copy of a romance novel. It was the same one he'd read during all of our exams this semester. "You too, Professor. See you next year." He arched an eyebrow up at me, and returned to his book as I left. My roommate was waiting for me out in the hallway. John was a tall lanky kid and always
The orange glow of dawn peaked over the trees as I pulled my car up the long drive way. I'd driven through the night, only stopping briefly in the town closest to my family's house, to get gas and a bite to eat, but that was hours ago. I was so ready to crawl into bed. I forced my eyes wide as I turned the last corner of the drive, and the house finally came into view. It was nestled among the trees, perched almost precariously on the side of the mountain that overlooked the valley and river below. No matter how often I thought that I didn't belong here, it still called to me. This was home. There were two cars with out-of-state tags parked in front of the house. I didn't recognize them, but I had a sinking feeling that something was wrong. We never had visitors, especially ones from out of town. I parked and gathered Poe into my arms before climbing out of the car. The kitchen door on the side of the house opened before I'd taken even two steps towards it.
My father's study was too small to hold all of the adults and the 'kids', so they'd moved to the living room. Avery released my hand before turning the corner, as if she were afraid of their judgment. I couldn't blame her. The Families tended to look down on interfering with each other's affairs, and unmarried relations even more so. Arranged marriages were a completely different story, though, since they were a way to ensure that children continued to be born with necromantic talent. The Heads of the Families had to keep meticulous genealogy records to make sure we kept enough distance between the Families lines, and enough fresh blood to keep our Families strong. Avery left my side to go stand by her mother and sister, who sat on the far couch with my mother. My father stood near the fireplace mantle with my older brother, Liam, and Lyssa, the Head of the Amerson family, only a short step behind him. "Ezra," Nathan said, his voice flat and cold. He stood on the opp
I reached into the backseat of my car and pulled my bag from the floorboard. The early morning sun had been hidden by dark, snow-heavy clouds, and the air was growing colder by the minute. "You can't do this, Ezra. It's suicide!" Avery's voice was near hysterical. I shut the door and turned to her. I didn't know what to say. How could I tell her everything that I'd kept so buried in myself that I'd only just realized what it meant? How could I tell her that I was doing this for her, because I loved her? I dropped the bag at my feet and I took her hands into my own. They trembled a little as I watched her take a deep breath. "Ezra, I just lost my father, I..." she hesitated, gripping my hands hard. "I can't lose you, too." She started crying again. I hugged her tight, wrapping my arms around her like at I had earlier this morning. It was funny. I'd spent years sending letters to her, thinking of one day holding her like this and now, I feared t
I went back up to my room, climbing the stairs as quickly as I could without dislodging Poe from my shoulder and found my father waiting for me. "Shut the door. We need to talk," he said from his seat on the end of my bed, his tone of voice that quiet harshness that parents get when before they really lay into you. I dropped my bag and did as he asked, already dreading whatever it was he wanted to talk about. Poe let out a soft call, rustling his wings as I transfered him gently to his perch by my desk. "Ezra, come sit down." I picked up my bag instead, setting it on my desk and unzipping it open. "I'd rather go ahead and unpack," I said, tossing a bundle of dirty laundry into my hamper. "I might not get a chance to later." "Erza, you can't go through with this. You can't take the test." The desperation in my father's voice made me turn around to look at him. "Why not? Because I don't have Talent?" I felt anger boil up in me all over a
Liam woke me late in the afternoon, as the sun sank below the tree line on the mountain. He set a plate of food and a bottle of water down on my desk and left as quietly as he'd come in.After letting Poe out my little window to find some food for himself, I ate dinner alone in my room, hardly tasting the food. I forced it down knowing I would need the strength later. Sleeping the little I did had helped, but my mind still spun with the story that Dad had told me. If I really wasn't a Stanwood, then why was I found in the Vault? Why would the Great Ones bring me to my mother and father?I closed my eyes trying to force the never ending stream of questions out of my mind. I needed to focus on the test. Dad was right. If I wasn't a Stanwood, I really shouldn't take it. What if we went up there and the Vault refused to open for me? Or worse, it opened but nothing happened.It was eight in the evening when I finally went downstairs. Everyone sat in the living room,
My heart pounded in my ears as my eyes fought to see anything in the darkness. What was supposed to happen next? I turned in a circle, feeling as if the darkness was closing in on me. Poe shifted on my shoulder again, letting out a soft caw."Hello?" I called out. My previous thought of the test not trigging came flying back to my mind. I'm Talentless, I'm not even technically a Stanwood. What if I wasn't supposed to be here?I tried to slow my hectic breathing as the blackness around me closed in. If I couldn't take the test, the door to the vault wouldn't open until it was time for the next test, or the next member in my family died.I spun around, trying to feel around for anything, a wall, the door.Pain shattered my panic, forcing me to concentrate on the sharp, sudden bite on my earlobe. Poe squawked loudly.Reaching up, I felt for his feathers, gently laying a hand on him. "Thanks partner." Poe had cleared my mind enough for logic to take ov