Chapter 1

I lay on the cold floor. A dull pain spread from my side. Warm liquid moved inside my stomach. I could not see any blood, but something was breaking apart in my body.

"Nova, you…" The accusatory tone my father was about to adopt came to an abrupt halt.The accusatory tone my father was about to adopt came to an abrupt halt; he started to move toward me to help me up, but his attention was drawn away again by my younger sister's scream.

"She did it on purpose! She wants to kill me! Get her out! Get her out!"

In the main room, Iris was curled up on the couch. Her hands pressed against her ears. She let out a sharp scream.

My mother knelt beside her. She held Iris's hands down to stop her claws from growing. "It is okay. It is okay. Mama is here. No one is going to hurt you."

I tried to push myself up, but a sharp pain went through my stomach. I fell back down. The edges of my vision started to go dark. The darkness crept in slowly.

"Mom…" My voice came out so quiet I could barely hear it myself.

My mother turned her head and looked at me. Her lips moved like she wanted to say something. Iris screamed again, louder this time, mother and father quickly gathered her up and rushed to the treatment room.

No one looked back at me again.

My vision went blurry. My mind drifted to something that happened before.

That day I ran home with the first weapon I had ever finished on my own. It was a small knife. The edge was straight enough. My mentor said I had a gift.

"Mom, I finished it." I pushed the door open. Before I could say anything else, my mother saw the knife in my hand. Her face changed. She walked over fast and said, "Put that away. Do not let your sister see it."

She paused for a second, then added in a softer voice, "You know she cannot handle things like this. Sharp things, metal sounds. They set her off."

I stood at the door with the knife still in my hand. The smile on my face had already faded.

"But Mom, this is the first weapon I ever made by myself." My voice was shaking. "My mentor said I could keep learning."

My mother touched my hair and said, "You are the one who understands." Her voice was heavy with guilt and exhaustion. "Your sister's sickness takes all of us. You are strong. You are steady. You can carry a little more than she can. Right?"

I nodded and went back to my room. I never took that knife out again.

My pain was getting worse. My breathing was fast and shallow. White lights flashed at the edges of my sight.

"Mom… I really do not feel good." I reached my hand out.

My mother looked back at me again. Something moved in her eyes, like she was thinking about coming to me. "Nova, just hold on. Your sister needs me right now. She is…" Before she could finish, Iris screamed again. My mother's attention snapped away.

My father was already holding Iris, his voice low and steady. "Dad is here. It is okay."

No one looked at me anymore. My fingers curled against the floor, but there was nothing to hold onto.