Chapter Fifteen ( Blood Seal)

Chapter: 15(Blood Seal)

 

Sitting in Hunter’s Creed instruction thirty minutes later, I thought about Addison. He was strong and charismatic. Girls everywhere swooned over his looks. He was essentially everything a hero was supposed to be. I could see him being a prince in shining armor. Who was I? Just the twin sister of the hero? The wallflower? I could never become anything like him. People trusted him without even knowing why. They let him have the playing field and I was still sitting on the sidelines. Did I even want to play the game?

            Being here was perfect for Addison. You could just tell he belonged here. He was a Hunter. I couldn’t see my place in all of this. I couldn’t see myself fitting in like he did. I couldn’t see myself out smarting or out fighting four guys with weapons. Was I jealous? Sure, but not in a bad way. I understood my abilities and I understood his. Addison was just always going to be the Golden boy. I was just going to be the twin sister standing in his shadow. I sighed as I listened to the man in front of the class speak.

            “The relationship between a Hunter and a Guardian is one that can never be broken. The connection is not just an oath it is a magical bond that is forever etched into your entire being. If a Hunter is to die, the Guardian cannot live once the connection is broken.”

            “Can a Hunter live if their Guardian dies?” a girl in front of me asked.

            “Yes actually. A hunter can have more then one Guardian if need be. It is rare but it does happen.”

            “But why can a Hunter survive the break of the connection but a Guardian can’t?” The girl asked a bit more sternly this time. I had a feeling that she might be a Guardian herself. I couldn’t even begin to imagine one day putting my life down for someone else, especially knowing that I was the only one making the sacrifice.

            “Well, a guardian makes his oath to the Hunter he or she has chosen to protect. Where as a Hunter gives his oath to the Guild.” The instructor spoke to the girl.

            I thought back to Jackson’s parents. Did they have that kind of connection with my parents? Were they friends or were they just doing their duty? What about Jackson? I couldn’t think of him in any other way then our best friend but what if everything he had ever done for us was just out of some magical oath that he couldn’t live without, literally.

            I decided then and there that I would find out about his relationship with Addison and me. How? I had no idea but I would find out someway.

            I heard a far off bell toll and it brought me out of my own thought.

            “Okay everyone. That means you are free for the rest of the day. We will finish this conversation when everyone is back here on Monday. Enjoy your free time.” The instructor spoke to the class smiling. I enjoyed this class much better then the one Ms. Floridian was now in charge of. As I gathered up my few belongings, I had taken to the class I thought about everything I had learned in the short amount of time I had spent here. I was a little bit sad that I had missed out on so many years of the Guild. Why had my parents not wanted us to come here? I mentally added asking Jackson that very question to my growing list of things to do.

            “Maddy!” I heard someone stage whisper my name behind me. I turned around and saw Jackson standing behind me in the doorway. Well that was going to make this a bit easier. I smiled and walked up to Jackson.

            “Hey, how was your first full day as a Guild trainee?” He asked as he put his arm around my shoulders and led me out of the room and into the quickly emptying hallway.

            “It was interesting to say the least.” I spoke lightly as he led me down the hallway. “I actually wanted to talk with you about something. If its okay?” I had never been shy around Jackson but there is something about finding out if a person is your friend or magical slave that can put a girl on edge.

            “Shoot.” Jackson said smiling. “But try to hurry because we have a meeting with the council in twenty.”

            “What about my last class? Weapon tactics?” I asked as he walked me down the now deserted hallways.

            “Well, I would guess this is a little bit more important then you hurting yourself shooting a bow and arrow or losing a finger playing with a sword.” He laughed at his own joke.

            I grumbled and elbowed him in the gut. I didn’t want to admit it but I was worried about the same thing.

            “So about this talk?”  He asked as we pushed through the giant doors of the building to go outside into the fresh air. He quickly led me across the courtyard and to a small stone bench across the grassy area in front of the building.

            “Is it about how darn charming I am? Or about how beautiful my hair is? I know. You want to find out what conditioner I use.” He joked with me. I just shook my head at him and began to chew on my pinky nail.

            The sweet air ruffled through my hair and clothes and I took a deep breath and exhaled. I had to ask now or I might lose my nerve.

            “What is it Madison? You seem upset about something. Talk to me.” Jackson said as he pushed a strand of my hair out of my face. He always had a special way of calming me down just like he did with Addison. Though I doubted he was as sweet with Addison as he was with me. I took a deep breath and decided to start out with the easier of the two subjects that I needed to talk with him about.

            “Jackson, why did our parents leave here? Why weren’t we allowed to know about the Guild? Why did they lie to us?” I spoke in a flurry of questions.

            Jackson looked over to me. His eyebrows scrunched up into a tight knot on his forehead.

            “They did all of that for your brother and you.” He spoke softly. “They wanted to give you both a normal life. Not endless training and seclusion.”

            I thought back to my conversation with Nicholas. He had never had the normal things most teenagers got growing up. I thought about the sad look on his face as he spoke about how much he envied my living outside of the Guild and it all made sense. My parents had grown up just as Nicholas had and they wanted differently for their own kids. I took a deep breath and readied myself so the hard part.

            “So what about your parents? Did they want the same things for you or did they just go along with it because of the Oath they had made to my parents?” I asked no longer biting my nails but looking Jackson directly in the eye. Looking for any hint about how he felt of being controlled by some great oath and a Hunter. If I had been expecting to see a glimmer of hatred within his eyes I did not get any.

            “My parents grew up here within the Guild just like yours did. They were classmates and great friends. Just like me and you and Addison are. My father made the personal decision to become Forza’s Guardian at the age of eighteen. The same year that your father started to date your mother. A few years later, my mom and dad were inseperatable and that means that my mom and your mother became close friends as well. Soon after that she made the oath to your mother.” He spoke in a far off voice as if he was remembering a distant memory.

            “They all were very close and shared the same morals in life. What I am trying to say Madison is that my parents agreed with yours about leaving the Guild. They were not forced. The only difference is when my parents told the Council their plans they insisted on my being trained, for yours and Addison’s protection. So I did just that. Every summer I would come to the Guild and train and I understood your parent’s wishes to shield you from this life and I never told you about any of it. Not until it became completely necessary.”

            I sat there for a long moment ingesting what he had said. How did he do it? Have so much weight on his shoulders and listen to me and Addison wine about every day life. About quizzes and rugby tryouts. How did he keep such a monumental secret from us and so much responsibility?

            Jackson looked down at his watch and stood up. “Come on we are late for the meeting with the Council. We were supposed to be there five minutes ago.”

            I stood up and walked beside him towards the building. He gave my shoulder a light bump with his.

            “And don’t worry so much.” He grinned down at me. I smiled up at him in return.