Runaway (The Knight Society #1)

I woke to darkness. My chest heaved, sweat covered my body in a thick layer. The nightmare I had just woken up from still had its claws sunk into me.

Please don’t leave me.

Afraid I can’t promise you that Jackie-Boy.

The images flashed under my closed lids, a sickening loop of death and pain. Shuddering, I leapt out of bed and quickly jumped in the shower, hoping the water would wash away the last remnants of the dream. By the time I leave the bathroom most of the memories have faded away but I can’t force myself to go back to bed. Not with the nightmares still lingering under the surface. Outside the land was smothered in blackness, the only light the soft illumination of the moon.

Restless, I started trekking through the Institute's halls. Sleepless nights were something all too familiar. In the quiet of the night, I found nothing that could distract me from the memories. Images of the night Thomas was killed would appear in my mind and the emotions that followed tore at my heart.

The white walls of the Institute felt cold and lonely and I felt them closing in on me. Forcing calm, I walked through the hallways until I reached the front door. A blast of chilly air hit me but I didn’t stop, instead I kept on going, walking blindly in the darkness weaving clumsily through the trees. I reached the black gate and turned, continuing to run so I was parallel to it. More trees emerged and I moved away from the gate and rushed towards them. I walked deeper into the forest and didn’t stop till I was good and lost.

Falling to the ground, I lay on my back, the dew from the grass dampening my shirt. The fresh cool breeze filled my lungs and I closed my eyes and tried to calm the erratic beating of my heart. Eventually the stubborn organ slowed its hammering pace and I cracked open my eyes to find the night sky twinkling above me. A small patch of sky was clear through the looming shapes of the trees. Stars were sprinkled across it and for a second I was breathless for an entirely different reason. Away from all the city lights the stars illuminated the sky.

My mind was pushed back to another memory of Thomas, of the day we laid under the stars and we talked for hours about meaningless things. To anyone who was listening it might have seemed like a normal conversation, but to me it meant so much more. It was a breath of normal after years of training and fighting. The stars above me were the same ones I saw that night, it was almost like the memory was sealed in the stars themselves. Involuntarily my hand rose and stretched out above me as if it were possible to touch the stars; as if it were possible to go back to that night.

“What are you doing?” Avery’s deep voice intruded upon the peacefulness of the darkness around me.

My short lived isolation was over and I sighed. The stars shone through the cracks between my fingers and I lowered my hand, leaving my view once again unobstructed.

“Chasing a fantasy.” The words came out as a whisper and even I could hear the raw emotion in my voice.

I wanted to cry. I wanted the tears to pour down my face and for all the hurt and sorrow to leave my body with them. My eyes remained bone dry. The horrible emotions clung to me like a disease and I was sure they would continue to eat away at me till there was nothing left. I may have survived this long, but I was slowly dying on the inside. I was vaguely aware of the movement next to me and I glanced over to see Avery lying down next me, our heads level with each other. His gaze was so intently focused on the star, it seemed like he was willing them to reveal their secrets. I looked back up at the sky as well and settled into the comfortable silence. A strong wind rushed past, rustling the leaves and branches. Sounds of animal nightlife all around somehow blended into the silence and another sigh left me.

More memories of Thomas resurfaced and I had to close my eyes once again. It was as if the damn had burst and all I could do now was ride out the tidal wave. My hand went up again, stretching desperately upwards, trying to close the vast gap between us.

“You know, Thomas used to say that the further you got away from the city the more stars you could see.” I whispered. “I never really believed him….till now.”

We fell into silence once again and I was surprised I even spoke.

“You guys were close?” his deep voice was surprisingly soft and I found it strangely comforting.

“Inseparable.” An owl hooted somewhere off in the distance and I shivered at the sound.

“Did you love him?” despite the softness of his voice there was an edge to it I couldn’t place.

Love seems like such a pathetic description of what Thomas had meant to me, so instead I settle on something else.

“He was my other half.” I whispered and I know he understood what I mean.

Avery's head turned so he faced me and I instantly noticed we were only centimetres apart. At any other time I’m sure my cheeks would have been blazing red, but I was too emotionally and physically exhausted to do anything more than squirm a little. His usual sullen expression was softened and his eyes were filled with sympathy. A small smile curved his lips and I tried and failed to return the gesture. I turned my gaze back to the stars.

“I understand how you feel.” He said softly.

"How could you?"

He paused for a moment before finally breaking the silence, "When I was twelve, my parents were killed in a mongrel attack."

I gasped in shock, my head quickly turning to face him once more.

"I- I didn't know..." I said weakly.

He flashed me a pain filled smile, "How could you have known?"

"What happened?"

He sucked in a deep breath, "They were travelling to India to visit my mothers parents when a group of mongrels attacked their car. It happened out of nowhere. One moment they were driving along an empty road and the next they were swarmed. My father lost control of the car and slammed into a tree." His voice warbled as he continued, "Mum died on impact."

Tears burned behind my eyes as I watched his throat bob, struggling to contain his emotions.

"Dad could've escaped but he- he refused to let them take her body. He managed to fight them off and escape but he didn't make it too far. His injuries were too severe."

Seized by an insane urge to comfort him, I reached over and placed my hand over his.

"I'm so sorry, Avery."

His fingers slipped between my own, our hands linking together.

"Thank you."

"Does Victoria know?"

His lips tightened in a grimace, "She was too young at the time to understand what had happened. After their deaths, Ed's parents took us in. It didn't take her long to readjust. By the time she was old enough to ask questions I didn't want her knowing the details. She thinks they died in a car accident."

Something finally clicked in my mind, "That's why you're so protective of her."

"You got me," he said, flashing me a wry grin, "I don't want her to become a Knight but she's determined to follow in our parents footsteps. It makes me a little crazy sometimes."

"A little?" I raised an eyebrow.

His expression grew sheepish and I laughed. Silence settled between us once more and I was once again swept away in sombre thoughts.

“You know it wasn't your fault, right?” Avery said after a long moment.

I clamped my jaw shut. It was my fault and no amount of pretty words would change that. Thomas’ death was something that would haunt me till the day I died, but that would only make the argument continue so I kept my mouth shut.

“And I know your not very eager about the society," he continued despite my silence, "but you can stay here as long as you want.”

Not if my parents had anything to say about it.

“I wish that were true. I’ve got maybe a month tops before this mongrel thing is resolved and then I’ll be shipped off to wherever the mongrels are at their worst. An unending life of war awaits me.”

“The future isn’t set in stone.” He argued and I sighed.

“Mine is. From the moment I was born, I was trained to be fighting machine. Battle is in my blood and I mean that more literally than you could ever know.”

Frowning, he sat up and looked down at me, “What do you mean?”

I debated for a moment, spilling one of my secrets wasn’t exactly easy, but staring into his worried eyes, I decided it was time to trust at least someone else with this one. Pushing myself up, I grabbed the dagger tucked into my shoe. Avery’s eyes widened but he said nothing. Raising the knife, I made sure he was watching before I drew it over my palm in a shallow cut. Avery sucked in a breath and moved to grab the knife off me but I quickly withdrew it before he could. Blood pooled from the cut on my hand and fell onto the grass. The pain was sharp, but I ignored it. Holding up my hand, I faced the palm towards him. After a moment the tingling started.

I watched his eyes widen in shock as the cut on my palm closed and faded to nothing. He glanced up at me, then down at my palm again, mouth hanging open. I lowered my hand to wipe away the blood. With lightning fast movements, he reached forward and snatched up my hand. I stifled a shiver as he rubbed a finger over the spot where I cut myself.

“How?” he asked and I gave him a small smile.

“Like I said from the moment I was born I was trained to be a weapon against the mongrels. The training didn’t begin till I was old enough to hold a sword but even then I was only six.”

Memories of the years of training flooded me and my hand tightened over the daggers hilt reflexively.

“A few years into the training we noticed something unusual happening. At that point, I was getting about one or two injections of H-toxin every day to heal broken bones, cuts, stab wounds and such. I was in the middle of sparring, when I got a bad cut across the arm. My parents told me I had to finish the fight before I got a H-toxin dose, so I continued fighting. By the time it was over, the H-toxin wasn't needed. The cut was gone.”

He stared at me in amazement.

“It seems I developed some kind of boosted healing or something. I can heal minor things like cuts. Stab wounds are usually gone within a couple of hours but major things like broken bones require a shot to heal. How did you think I survived all those years out in the world by myself?”

“That’s incredible!” He said and I flashed a twisted smile.

“Pretty superhero-esque, huh?” I joked trying to lighten the mood after such a serious story.

“Yeah, no kidding.” He paused for moment, looking thoughtful and then asked. “Who else knows?”

“Just my mother and father.”

“Not your Uncle?”

“I was forbidden from telling him.” I said bitterly.

“Well I promise I’ll keep your secret.” He replied and I looked up to find him smiling at me. I started to smile but realised he was still holding my hand. Blushing I tugged until he let go and lied back down on the grass.

“Thanks,” I mumbled and he chuckled softly before joining me on the ground once more.

We lay there for a while longer, enjoying each other’s company in peaceful silence. My back was soaked through from the grass and stones dug uncomfortably into my skull. I shifted around trying to get comfortable until Avery heaved a loud sigh.

“Are you as uncomfortable as me right now?” He said into the silence.

I laughed softly and sat up brushing the dirt from my hair, “I think my back is completely soaked.”

Pushing himself to his feet, Avery gave himself a quick brush off and then offered me a hand. Reaching out I took it and he hauled me to my feet. For a moment we paused and I realised how close we were to each other. Darting to the side, I moved around him and started to make my way back to the Institute. Once I was sure my heated cheeks were under control, I glanced back over my shoulder to see him standing there, watching me with an almost predatory gleam in his eye. Faking nonchalance, I grinned back at him.

“Coming?” I asked and then turned back around, focusing on the trees in front of me.

He quickly caught up and we slowly picked our way through the trees. By the time we reached the Institute, I could feel sleep trying to pull me down again. Covering a yawn, I glanced at Avery and saw his eyelids drooping from fatigue. We trudged to my room in silence and upon reaching the door a question suddenly popped into my head.

“How did you know where I was?” I asked and sleepy grin curved his lips.

“I was on my way to grab a late night snack, when I saw you sneaking out of the Institute. I figured I may as well follow in case you were trying to run away again.”

My brow furrowed and I stared up at him curiously, “Why were you up so late?”

He answered by giving me a mysterious smile and a small shrug. I opened my mouth to ask more but he suddenly leaned forward, close enough that his breath fanned across my cheek. Frozen, I could only stare over his shoulder as his lips lightly pressed against my cheek. He held the contact for a moment more before pulling back slightly, so our noses were almost touching.

“Good night, Jack.” He whispered and I was too shocked to do anything but stare at him wide-eyed. Chuckling, he pulled away and flashed me a wicked grin. “Try to stay in your room this time.”

With that he turned and retreated into the Institute's halls. For a moment all I could do was watch his retreating figure, until I finally snapped myself out of it. Scurrying into my room, I closed the door with a decisive click. Kicking off my shoes, I quickly changed into clean clothes, before diving onto the bed.

Lying on my back, I stared up at the ceiling and focused on slowing my breathing. My hand crept up and pressed against my cheek, brushing againdy the same spot as his lips before I force it back down. Closing my eyes, I tried to push the thoughts away and it worked... for a moment. With a groan, I turned and curled up into a ball; knowing, thanks to Avery, sleep was well beyond my reach.