Secrets - Chapters 16 and 17

Chapter 16

Grayson's POV
I watched as Lily's wings unfolded. They were the silver of the Hawthorne Guardians, but the ends...had been clipped. Gasps went all up around the room, but Katherine's gasp was the one that reached my ears and my head snapped up to look at her. Her dark eyes were wide in disbelief as she looked at the ghastly sight. I felt Lily's back start shaking as she looked at Katherine. Clipped wings were a sentence for a serious crime. Even though my curiosity was peeked, it was not the time.
"Let her through." I said to the guards who were waiting for my orders. They immediately obeyed, opening the doors.
I told Lily she could retract her wings. Tears were now streaming down her face, from pain or the fact that everybody now knew what happened to her, I didn't know. Looking at Katherine, I saw she was bracing herself against a wall. My instincts were to go to her and make sure she was okay, but the fact that she'd gone against my orders and Lily was giving birth, pushed me forward, helping Lily to the birthing room.
"Eliza!" I called and she quickly appeared beside me as we continued walking down the hall and I heard the doors close again.
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Katherine's POV
My head was reeling from what I had seen and I was feeling like I would faint any minute. Who could be so vicious to clip her wings? The sick feeling in the pit of my stomach wouldn't go away and stayed there like a weight as I thought of not being able to fly. The wall didn't even feel strong enough to hold me up. I looked around me and I knew I needed to pull it together before the people would notice. Gathering all my strength, I tried to push the image away and I stood up straight and made my face relax. I began to walk towards the doors getting ready to follow them, then stopped. I couldn't let all of these people see my wings. Before they could notice, I walked over by the guards as if to oversee the process. If I could managed it, I would be the last one to exit.
Harrison appeared next to me not saying a word, just a comforting presence. As I looked up at him, I saw his eyes were rimmed red.
" I am terribly sorry Harrison." I whispered.
"His ceremony shall be held tomorrow at dusk and Evelyn and I want you to know that you are welcome to come." His voiced crack as he rushed through the sentence and my sympathy went out to him.
"Thank you." I whispered again. As he moved away through the crowd, I spotted Evelyn watching me. She didn't narrow her eyes or look at me in disgust, instead she simply tilted her head to study me before she turned and walked to meet Harrison.
* * *
The number of people in the room slowly dwindled down and I stayed where I was, pretending to observe. Suddenly a boy was pushed forward from the crowd.
"Test him!" Was shouted by the people and I immediately recognized the thin, scraggily boy, his cloths too big for his frame. Peter Scray. Guards grabbed either of his arms and demanded he show his wings. Scared, he did just stood there.
"No!" I yelled, pushing my way through the crowd. Shocked faces stared at me. "Release him." I demanded as I reached the guards. They looked at me. "He is not sixteen yet, he cannot release his wings or have you people forgotten that. Now, I told you to release him." I said icidly. Peter was looking at up me, but I didn't look at him.
They didn't move not trusting my authority. "If you do not do as I say I will discuss your actions with my husband." I said each word slowly and cold.
"Your wings?" The guard on my right said. My head snapped toward him and I glared. He seemed to shrink back.
"As you wish." Releasing my wings, they slid through the hidden slits in the back of my dress easily.
The guards looked at each other before letting go of their hold on Peter and opening the doors. Before they could have a second chance to think, I grabbed Peter's arm and walked us out of there, still holding my composure, I waited until the doors close before I turned to Peter. He was looking up at me with big eyes. Dark eyes. His hair, was...a light blond. Of course he was a Hunter, he had the coloring of one.
"How old are you again Peter?"
"Ten years." He replied quickly.
I nodded. "How long have you been here?"
"One year."
"Who watches over you?"
"A woman named Prudence. I sleep in a room with a couple other boys."
I nodded. I didn't want to get to deep in his history. This was a situation Grayson would prefer to handle. I continued to walk.
"Where are we going?" He asked.
"We are going to find Grayson, so he can ask you some questions too."
Peter stopped walking. I stopped and looked back at him.
"I won't let anything happen to you." I said, "I promise." He didn't have a lot of reason to trust me, I don't know if it was because I took him from the guards, but he nodded and continued to walk with me.
I didn't know where Grayson would be for sure and I only realized this after a couple of minutes of aimless walking. My thoughts turned towards Lily. I wondered how the birthing was going. She had kept a big secret from me, but I still did not know the reason behind it. Before I could change my mind, I was walking towards the birthing room. As we arrived at the door, I pressed my ear to it, and heard Lily struggling and Eliza comforting her. I didn't hear Grayson. I wanted to go in and help Lily. My hand was on the door knob, but something made me turn and walk away quickly.
"Where are we going?" Peter asked again.
"I don't know." I sighed and I didn't know. I wanted to talk to Grayson, but I had no idea where he could be in this place. I also had Peter on my hands and I didn't know what to do with him.
"Is your real named Peter?"
"Yes." He said quietly. I didn't know if I believed him or not, but I let it go. Suddenly his stomach grumbled and I almost smiled. Just like last time.
"I know where we'll go." I said quickly making way to the staircase.

That is how I found myself sitting in the kitchen while the cooks bustled around, watching Peter eat as much food as he could get his hands on and how Grayson found me. I also discovered that Peter can be very talkative. Between bites he was always talking. I noticed that Peter wasn't ask skinny as he had once been. He'd filled out a little bit, but his clothes were still much too big. I listened and smiled, my eyes wandering every once and a while. Until they landed on Grayson. I didn't know how long he'd been leaning against the doorway, but when he saw me finally see him, he stood up and I couldn't help but admire his build.
I knew that he still wasn't happy with me though. Peter realized that I wasn't paying attention to him anymore and looked up. He froze and slowly put his food down. I stood up and Peter did too. Walking closer to Grayson I looked down at Peter, then back to Grayson. He looked at my coolly and I wanted to say how sorry I was but I couldn't, this was not the right time.
"Peter, don't be afraid. Grayson just wants to ask you some questions. I promise nothing will happen to you." I said to him, looking at Grayson on the last part to see if he understood, which of course he did.
Grayson put his arm out and Peter walked forward. Grayson put his hand on Peter's back and guided him out of the kitchen. I wanted him to turn around and look at me but he didn't, making my guilt feel like a brick was in my stomach. Feeling defeated, I began to walk back to my room. The click of my heels echoing off the walls. As I kept walking, the temperature seemed to drop, and before I knew it I could see my breath, then the familiar coldness settled in my bones, the warmth retreated, leaving them feeling brittle. Then my lungs filled up with the ice-cold liquid and I could feel myself chocking as I bent over gasping for air. A numbness took over my body then it was gone as fast as it happened. I fell onto the ground coughing as air filled my lungs again.
Opening my eyes I saw that it was pitch black. I couldn't see anything. I heard a person walking quickly behind me. Standing up, I gasped as they walked through me and I stuck to them as if I was their spirit. Whoever this was, they were scared and on the run. Their muscle memory told me they'd traveled this tunnel (according to them it was a dirt packed tunnel hidden away underneath where they lived ) numerous times. I lost track of time in the darkness until they got down on their hands and knees and crawled through a tiny hole. The cool air hit their face in a welcome relief. The moon light was shining down on them, without it, it would be impossible to see more than a foot in front of them. Turning back to the hole, they brushed the weeds back down over it, then took off in a sprint, weaving through the forest with ease. The sound of dogs barking broke through the silence. They glanced back and saw the huge dogs chasing after them. The forest opened up and I saw the edge of a cliff and smelt the salt from the sea. They didn't stop running. The closer they got the more their heart sped up. When their foot clutched onto the edge as they jumped I realized that something was wrong with their wings and their only chance to escape was to swim. Their stomach dropped and then they hit the water. The water immediately surround them, pulling them lower and lower towards it. Quickly, they began to swim, fighting against the currants wanting to drag them under. They were a strong swimmer, but not strong enough against the powerful sea. They quickly tired and could feel the ocean begin to pull them under. As they kept trying to fight it, they felt their energy slipping away. They wondered how their life could ever end like this. As they closed their eyes holding onto every happy memory they'd had, they felt a hand grab their arm, dragging them to the surface. They sputtered for air as they felt arms wrap around their ribs. Struggling to open their eyes, they saw that they were being lifted from the water and they knew that their savior was flying.
"Keep your eyes open. Don't you dare fall asleep on me." I heard the masculine voice demand.
I felt the person start to drift farther away, sleep overcoming them even as they tried to keep their eyes open.
The Guardian landed on a beach and quickly set the person down and started pushing on their chest. "Open your eyes!" He yelled. Their eyes flew open as they rolled over on their side spitting out water.
My eyes widened. The Guardian looked exactly like Grayson. The same hair, lips, nose.
"What are you doing?" The figure whispered, it was a female, her voice scratchy from the water.
"What does it look like, I'm saving you." He said looking down at the figure.
The person rolled over and sat up, then struggled to her feet. He stood up as well, towering over here. She was determined not to be affected by him and took a shaky step in the opposite direction from him.
He was quickly in front of her. "Where are you going?"
"Away from here." She snapped.
"And where would you go? The city isn't going to take in a young woman with no money and no husband to be heard of that is with child."
She looked down at her feet and then back up at him, regaining her composure. "What choice do I have Bryon! They were going to kill me and the baby and your people would never accept me, and you just used me like they knew you would." So this was Bryon Blackwell. The person's body I'm in must be the woman in his journal.
He slowly studied her. "What did they do?" He asked.
She turned her face away. "It's not up for discussion."
His fingers came up to her chin and turned her face towards him. "What. Did. They. Do?"
She refused to tell him though. Instead she crossed her arms over her stomach. She was so stupid for putting her child's life in danger like that, but what other option did she have? If she had stayed behind worse things could have happened and her baby would not have been allowed to live. "I'm sorry." She thought to her child in her beginning to round stomach.
"So help me, if you do not tell me what they did!" He said, his voice rising.
"They clipped my wings!" She yelled without thinking about what she was saying.
I saw his body tense up. "That is why you didn't fly? Why you put our child's life in danger?"
"Yes." She whispered, looking up into his eyes. He even had the same eyes as Grayson.
"I can help you fix them."
"It is not possible. And if you could give me back my ability to fly, what would it cost me?"
He looked down at her stomach. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to say anything, I felt the woman stiffen. "My baby?"
He nodded. "The babe would be safe with me. My people can protect it. I would also provide you with enough money to last you until you die and clothes to get you in a good place in society. You would be a widowed woman who's husband passed away from influenza. And you would have your wings back."
"When would you fix my wings and how would I know you would keep you part of the bargain?" She asked.
"On the first full moon after the birth of our child. And I never break my word."
The woman looked down and bit her lip, putting her hand on her stomach. She wouldn't make it in society without money and a story of why she didn't have a husband and had a child. He had her trapped and he knew it. She slowly nodded her head. Then felt a tear slip from her eye.
I gasped as I was suddenly back in the hallway, sitting on the floor. A pounding headache struck me with such force that I grasped my head and clenched my teeth, bringing my knees to my chin. I now knew how Bryon Blackwell's journal ended. Slowly getting up, I made it back to my room and quickly sat on the bed before I collapsed onto it.
The coldness took over me again, but this time I was in the castle, in the corner of a room. Bryon Blackwell was bent over the side of a bed, whispering to the woman from his journal that held a baby swathed in a blanket. As he moved back I saw that she was crying as she looked down at the baby.
Then, I was back on the beach, Bryon and the woman in front of me. It was a full moon. Her wings were extended fully out. They were the beautiful silver of the Hawthorne guardians, just like Lily's. Bryon careful touched one of the feathers. I watched in amazement as it healed. This way how Lily could be healed!

Grayson's POV
By the time I got back to the room, it was well past midnight. Peter had been terrified just by my sight, but with a little coaxing, I got everything that I wanted out of him, and in return, he was allowed to stay here, but could have no contact at all with anybody outside the castle. I'd informed him of the consequences and he'd nodded, his face solemn. I knew he was a Hunter, but he was smart enough to follow my conditions.
I stopped when I saw that Katherine was curled up in a ball still in her day clothes. Walking slowly up to the bed I stopped and leaned over her, pressing the back of my hand to her cheek. She was freezing. She had traveled to the past again. Sitting down, I took one of Katherine's shoes and began to unlace it. Her steady breathing filled my ears.
When I had finally realized she wasn't in the room anymore, my heart had stopped. My head was racing with bad thoughts of what could have happened to her and I had specifically told her to stay in the room. Suddenly I felt bad for not having talked to her and ignored her. I should take every moment cherish her. I should take every moment and grasp onto it.
My concern to protect her was growing greater. The Keepers had been informed that figures had been seen flying low through the trees near the castle lately and we all knew something was being planned.
Setting her shoes down by the bed, I began to take the pins out of her hair, running my fingers through the thick, dark locks. Her hair had come out of its up-do and was now spread around her face. I took off her dress and unlaced the corset before slipping a nightgown on her. She had an amazing body and it took all my will to not let my hunger get the better of me. Gently settling her down on the bed, I slipped out to the balcony, letting the cool air roll over my face. She meant so much to me and she didn't know it.
I new she was standing behind me when her smell filled my nose but I didn't turn back for fear my emotion would be written all over my face.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. Her sweet voice carried my ears. I closed my eyes. "Grayson?" She moved up closer, but still cautious. "I know I shouldn't have run off, but I"she paused,"...I was so afraid of them seeing my wings." She was lying. Why was she lying to me? Suddenly I wasn't so sorry again.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly let it out. "Why are you lying to me Katherine?" I looked up at the moon. Three days until the full moon.
She didn't say anything. I knew she wanted to, I could feel it rolling off her body. "Grayson, look at me." She said softly. And I did. Her beautiful face was looking up at me, her eyes begging me to understand. My eyes wandered all over her. I could smell the rose water that she used. I clenched my jaw and blinked. She wasn't ready and I was going to respect that. She must have seen the emotion in my eyes.
Gently, she placed her hand on my chest where my heart was, splaying her fingers. My muscles tightened under her touch. She smiled sweetly. "You are the best man that I have ever met."
"I'm the only man you've met." I said grinning at her.
"I have met men!" She retorted before gaining her composure and playing along. "Just none as fine as you my dear husband." She countered.
"Touche." I said grinning again. "I cannot argue with that."
She smiled as she moved her hand up to my neck, then stood on her toes as she pulled me down for a kiss. Her lips were soft. I took hold of her face in my hands and kissed her passionately. She responded immediately putting her arms around my neck. Her tongue slid along my lips and I couldn't help to smile. She was being brave. Her lips smiled against mine as my tongue delved into her sweet mouth. She pulled herself closer to me as my hands tangled in her hair. I slowly walked us to the bed and gently set her down. She pulled me by my shirt on top of her. I don't know what had gotten into her but I deffinately didn't mind. I moved from her mouth to her neck gently suckling before I moved to her shoulder and placed a light kiss on it.
"I love you." Katherine whispered. I stopped and looked at up at her, her eyes were shining with emotion. My heart swelled.
"I love you too." I said, my voice husky.
She pulled me back down to kiss her. Her hands began to pull my shirt out of the breeches and before I knew it they were running up my chest. Shivering I looked at her. She looked back at me and took a deep breath. "I'm ready." She whispered
"What?" I said taken aback.
"I'm ready." She whispered again.
"Are you sure?" I whispered back to her, cupping her face. I knew she hadn't been with another man before and her first time would hurt. "I don't want to hurt you."
She bit her lip and nodded quickly. "Yes."

* * * *

Later that night as I held her in my arms I knew that if I lost her I would never be able to really truly live again even if she did drive me crazy. I stayed up for hours gently brushed her cheek and playing with her hair.
"Why my dear Katherine are you hiding?" I gently whispered into her ear before I closed my eyes.

Chapter 17
A possible way to fix Lily's wings?

Katherine's POV

The next morning when I woke up, I smiled as I rolled over. Instead of a warm chest, I rolled into a cold empty spot. Grayson was gone. My heart dropped but I opened my eyes saw a rose with a note attached on his pillow. Reaching over, I read the note explaining that he had to go to a Keepers meeting that was non-negotiable. Then I read the sweet words he put and I felt myself blushing all over again as I remembered last night. His touches had been so sweet and gentle that it had made the pain bearable.

Servants came in not that much longer and bathed me and helped me get dressed. Afterwards I took to wondering the halls, Grayson being the only thing on my mind. But then I paused, there was nobody around and this was a prefect time for me to talk to Grayson's Mother again.
By the time I got past the guards without being seen I was out of breath and shaking from my nerves. Quickly slipping in, I saw Elaine look up from where she was sitting.
"You are still here." I stated taking in her cleaned-up appearance.
She nodded. "My duty is not finished yet." Then she paused and smiled taking in my appearance. "I am so happy that you and my son have found each other."
I paused, could she tell that we'd made love? Did I look different? That's impossible, but sweat began to break out of my hands under her cool gaze. "Why are Lily's wings clipped?" My voice cracked on her name from my nerves.

"Lily was taken by the Hunters as soon as you left the school. Her parents were devastated of course because they could do absolutely nothing to get her back. Xavier threatened to kill her if they came after her. She was taken because the Hunters saw her as an opening to spy on you. They married her to Gabriel. I could never tell if he truly loved her, they both seemed cold and stiff when they were in public. She tried to run one day out of the blue. She almost made it, until Xavier captured her. He was so furious with her running from his son that he clipped her wings without a trial or judgment. By the time Gabriel found them it was too late." I blinked. "You should go talk to her. She needs you more now than anything." I looked up at Elaine. "She needs someone that truly loves her."

I slowly walked to the door, then paused and stopped. The fact that Grayson had a Keepers meeting and Elaine's appearance was cleaned up. "You went in front of the Keepers of the Guardians today didn't you?"
She nodded. "Yes."
"Does Grayson know that you are his Mother yet?"
She took a deep breath, her face becoming sad. "No. The whole time, Lucias stared me down, wanting me to feel guilty, but I don't have to feel it. I live it every single day of my life. Knowing that my son has been without a Mother for so long in his life, to know that he doesn't even know that I am his real Mother. I know that I have no right to ask this of you, but please do not tell him. I want to be the one to tell him, to face what I left behind."

"I...I cannot promise that Elaine. Grayson is my husband and I hate lying to him. He already knows that I am lying and I know that hurts him." I paused. "What was the verdict for you?"
"I am to be hanged for 'attacking' you."
I stared at her shocked. "When?"
"In two days at dusk."
"I suppose this is the last time I will be seeing you then? Your daughter will come now won't she?"
She nodded then smiled. "I have enjoyed getting to know you Katherine. You are good for my son."
"Thank you Elaine. You are a good woman."

I stood outside Lily's door, my hand resting on the doorknob. The cool metal daring me to turn it. Taking a deep breath I pushed it open. She was sleeping. Her head turned to the side, worry free from her face. I let off a breath of relief.

Walking slowly, I sat on the window seat next to her bed and waited. My body got cold and before I could blink the cold took me and I was sitting in the same spot in the same room, except now, Grayson burst in the room carrying Lily, Eliza following close behind. She was yelling something to maid servants while getting Lily on the bed who was crying and screaming. My heart dropped to my stomach. I watched as Eliza helped Lily give birth. As the baby came out, Eliza's face fell and she quickly took the baby and turned around. Lily began screaming at Eliza, asking her what was wrong. When Eliza turned around, the baby was covered in a white cloth, and she quickly handed it to a maid servant who ran out the door. Lily began to cry. Then as quickly as it happened I was back in the present. I blinked my eyes and met Lily's.
"You're here." She whispered. Her voice croaking.
I could only nod.

"I...I'm sorry!" She said before bursting into tears. "I wanted to tell you so much but I couldn't! I was afraid of what they would do to me!..And n-now that the b-baby is de-ead... Gabriel is going to be so mad." By the time she finished her sentence, her shoulders were heaving and tears were pouring out of her eyes. Without a word, I slipped from my seat and pulled her into a hug, gently rocking her until she could only sniffle, not caring that my dress was soaked with her tears.
"It's okay. Shhhhh." I soothed, rocking her back and forth. We sat there for hours, just holding each other. "I should have been there for you Lily...I should have been there." I whispered.

"You couldn't have stopped it even if you had wanted to."
My breath caught in my throat. "I promise that I will fix this Lily."
She laughed as tears welled up in her eyes again. "This cannot be fixed Katherine. My wings are clipped. You cannot reverse clipped wings."
"Lily, do not doubt the magic of the guardians. I'm sure that clipped wings are not permanent. I will find a way."
***
I ran into my room, took off my shoes, and then walked to the balcony doors. I opened then and walked to the railing. Stepping onto the smooth, cool stone, I felt my wings release from my back and stretch to their full length. Sighing, I slowly willed them to move back and forth. Then, I stepped off.
The air caught my wings and then it felt like I was in a trance. I flew for a long time until I landed in a clearing. Then, my wings went into my back and I was on a beach. It was the beach from my flashback. I'd never been here before, but somehow I just knew this was the right spot. My toes dug into the warm sand as I walked to the middle of the beach, then sat down. If my theory was right, this would work perfectly.
I waited patiently, just staring at the waves that slowly lapped the sand. Then, so slowly I almost didn't notice it, I began to get a chill. It worked its way from my fingers and toes up to my nose. The air became so cold then when I breathed my lungs burned and I could no longer move. My vision tinted blue. I closed my eyes and when I opened them again, it was night.

Bryon Blackwell and the beautiful blond woman stood directly in front of me, the full moon washing over them. She was looking down and I could tell silent tears were falling from her eyes.
"It is time." Bryon said. "Extend your wings."
The blond woman did as he said. Her wings were the gray of the Hawthorne.
Bryon Blackwell's hands began to glow as he took one feather on the woman's wings and held it between them. When he released it, I was amazed to see that it had grown back. It was an amazing sight to see Bryon Blackwell heal each and every single feather.

"When they clipped your wings, they still left you the ability to glide, you wings could have grown back but it would have taken years. I simply just sped up the process." He said looking down at her.
The woman looked up at Bryon as she flexed her wings. I saw two emotions cross her face. One was happiness and the other, betrayal. He'd made her give up her baby in order to fix her wings when they could have grown back themselves even if it would have taken years, she wouldn't have minded. Before the woman could say anything, Bryon gently reached behind her neck, cupping her head and leaned down to kiss her one last time. As he pulled away, she retracted her wings into her back.
"The carriage and money?" She asked, her voice strong and cold, making it clear to him that his kiss hadn't effected her.
"The carriage is beyond that cliff." Bryon said pointing north and then he reached into his jacket and pulled out a sack. "As for the money, here it is. All gold coins."
* * *
Groaning, my vision slowly came back to me. After traveling to the past I had passed out and now my head was spinning. I saw the sun was setting fast. Panic began to set in. What was Grayson thinking right now? Had he noticed I wasn't in the castle? Slowly, I got to my feet, trying not to stumble and stretched out my wings. When my vision became clear, I shot up into the sky. It wasn't until then that I had no idea where to go. Closing my eyes, I began to drift and hoped that I would fly in the right direction.

My neck suddenly prickled before something hard came down on top of me. Screaming, I felt my wings collapse as arms wrapped around my chest and I knew it was another Guardian. We were dropping fast, the trees coming closer and closer. I wriggled, but the person was not letting go. Summoning my strength, I thrust my shoulder to the right and we did a 180. The assailant would not let go however. I struggled and fought, but their hold was stronger and the panic was high. They didn't try to fly, they kept falling towards the ground.
"Let me go!" I screamed, almost hysteric, the ground feet away.

Then, the Guardian opened their wings and turned me to face their chest as we landed in soft grass and rolled. As we came to a stop I pulled away and felt my eyes widen as I saw it was Grayson.
"Grayson what in the world was that?" I asked, my voice going high. He gave me a lazy smile as I laid on top of him. "Don't smile at me like that! You scared me!"
"And you scared me my dear Katherine when you were no longer in the castle." He said rolling over so he was above me, then brushed a piece of hair from my face, so tenderly that I had to clear my throat before I replied.
"I had another flashback." I said, trying to explain.
"And you had to come all the way out here to have it?"
"It...was more of a forced flashback." I whispered, looking into his eyes. "I thought that if maybe I went to the place that an important event occurred and thought about it, that it would come to me...and it did."

A smile spread across his beautiful face as he leaned down to kiss me. "You never cease to amaze me."
"You can heal Lily, Grayson! I would do it but it has to be a healer. Although, I don't know why you would need to do it on a full moon."
"Our powers are strongest during a full moon." Grayson replied simply as he kissed my jaw.
"Will you heal her Grayson?" I whispered, looking at him.
"I will do anything for you." He replied without a second thought. Then he stood up and pulled me with him. "We must get back to the castle. There is an important event that we are required to go to."

Grayson's wings stretched out of his back and I followed his lead. We ran a few feet and flew into the sky and I did the same. I hadn't realized we'd flown until my wings started to ache. They weren't use to flying this far for this long. When we finally came in sight of the castle, Grayson fell back to my side. As he was about to say something a huge explosion came from the castle, blasting a hole into it. I gasped as Grayson stopped moving, deciding what to do.

"Follow me and stay low Katherine, I do not want you getting hurt." I did as I was told and followed Grayson flying low in between the trees, my heart racing the whole time. As we came to the boundaries of the land, we saw soldier Guardians flying everywhere and shouting.
"Find her!" Was said again and again.
Grayosn stopped and landed behind a tree, when I landed next to him, he took me by my waist and pulled me to him. He motioned to one of the moving figures and they flew over.
"What is going on?" He demanded.

"The Guardian that tried to hurt Katherine has escaped."
He suddenly thrust me forward. "Take her into the castle and keep her safe. If anything happens to her you will regret it."
I looked at him bewildered as the soldier pulled me by my arm away towards the castle. As the soldier pulled me towards the castle, I looked towards the trees and my heart stopped. In the trees were Elaine and ...Scarlet?
*****************
I've gone back and rewritten the past chapters. The Whickershams are no longer in the story. The Whickershams are now the Hunters. I'll try explain it more in the further chapters or you can go back and re-read them!