Prologue

The stars burned in the sky like thousands of tiny candle flames. Above the castle hung the full moon, it illuminated the stone walls in a ghostly hue. Every shadow possessed a sinister air that night. Trying to grab any poor soul that got too close, but this had been the night he’d  chosen to escape. The king’s power became weakened during a full moon, not much, but by enough. He worked in darkness, and tonight the darkness hid from the moons white light. The man placed his hand on the wall, despite it being late summer the nights often got chilly in the city of Ske. He sunk down to the ground, and brushed back his red hair. How did I get mixed up in this?  He thought back to the very beginning. It had been so innocent, the king told me it could never happen. He looked down at the bundle that laid in his arms, swaddled in a blanket.  He told me, you were impossible.

     He unwrapped part of the blanket, inside a three month old baby slept soundlessly. A small tuft of red hair protruded from the top of her head. Her little ears tapered into delicate points, and her eyes were slightly slanted. She wiggled against the blanket and yawned, exposing razor sharp teeth. Lilium, had told him that those teeth would soon fall out and be replaced by her normal baby teeth. He stared at the baby. You look so much like Lilium, little one. He removed the baby from the blanket, she didn’t like being confined. As he did so, her tiny orange tail wrapped around his arm. It astonished him how dominate the animas’ traits were.

      He pushed himself closer to the castle wall, he had to find a way out, and before they noticed his absence. He cradled the baby in his left arm, and a small flame appeared in the other. Quickly he walked, careful to stay out of the shadow’s reach.  He couldn’t alert the king.

     “Maxe-mum!” a tiny voice yelled. His heart stopped, and he turned. The young prince and princess came running up to him. The two year old twins looked up at him with awe in their eyes. The young prince, Red, grabed at his pants leg. While the princess, Blue, looked up at the baby in his arms.

     “Can I see Pyrro?” she asked timidly. She stood on her tiptoes to get a better look.

     “Who told you her name?” Maximum asked quickly. He needed to leave, but ever since Pyrro had been born he’d grown soft for these children.

     “Father told me, may I see her?” she asked again. Maximum knelt down so the tiny princess could get a better look. “She is so tiny, and her ears look funny.” She reached out and carefully felt the baby’s ears.

     “Where is your father?” he inquired. 

     “In his study, like always.” Red said as he approached.

     “Where is your mother? The queen would not be happy if she knew you were out here alone.”

     “She is over there.” Blue pointed to the large hedge that hid the royal courtyard.

     “It has been a pleasure seeing you both, but I must be going.” He said with a smile. Before the children could say farewell, he vanished from their sight.

     Maximum slipped through the garden, quiet as a snake. Though compared the way Lilium moved, he seemed loud as a bull. The animas were naturally light of foot and silent. She had so often poked fun at him for being so loud when they would sneak away to be alone.

     Suddenly he heard footsteps on the grass behind him. Quickly he dodged behind a bush, as three soldiers ran by, armed to the teeth. S**t, they have already discovered us missing. He searched desperately for another way out. He couldn’t slip through the back gate anymore, the front had never been an option. We’re trapped. There is nowhere left to turn. Maybe if I return inside, I can say I just wanted to be alone with my child. Pyrro struggled in his arms and stated to whimper, as if protesting his thought. She’s right, we cannot stay here. The king lied to me for a reason. He wants my child for something, but I will not allow him to have her.

      His eyes locked on a small opening that allowed the small creek to flow out of the castle walls. The opening had iron bars in front of it, but if he were to remove them, they could easily fit through. As he approached, fear started to set in. despite the moons bight light, the gate remained in darkness. If he entered it for even a second, the king would know exactly where he hid.

     A risk he had to take.

     Quickly he entered the creek, the water felt cool as it soaked though his fine leather boots. He made his way into the darkness and grabbed hold of the iron bar. As he heated it, his mind started to fog, the king had found him. He pulled at the now malleable bar and it gave way. He reached for the next and started to heat it.

                Maximum, why do you run? A voice inside his head asked. Have I not provided you with everything you have ever asked for?

                  He shook his head trying to dislodge the hold the king had on him. “You killed her!” he screamed. Pyrro wiggled in his arms and started to cry.

                She killed herself, Max. You both knew that interracial breeding is one of the highest laws you can break.

                “You told me it was impossible! You said a child of Skei could not live and grow inside an animas’ womb! You lied to me!”

                Please Max, come back into the castle. Pyrro will be safer here than anywhere you can take her.

                “My name is Maximum, and I am taking her away from you!” the second bar finally gave way. “You lied to me for a reason, you wanted Pyrro to be born. I refuse to let you have her.”

                There is nowhere you can hide that I won’t find you. Go ahead run, but I will find both of you one day.