Chapter 25
They landed, waving a little white flag. We hesitated, sharing a glance with one another. Our staffs were pointed at them as weapons to show that we were prepared to defend ourselves.
"The Maddox's" The young woman breathed. The man and woman couldn't have been more than five years older than me.
My mother and I tensed at our name.
"We don't want to fight you." The younger man jumped in. "I'm really glad we're the ones who found you." Yeah, so you can get the reward.
"We need your help." Our eyes were still giving cold glares, but I could sense my mother's shock.
"The Council's army is advancing. We need your experience and knowledge to defeat them." The woman said.
"Mother," I whispered, "What are they talking about?" I asked.
"We don't want to take part in your revolution." My mother said. A revolution, against the Council of Ten? Who was crazy enough to do that?
"Please, we're begging you." The older woman one said. I gritted my teeth.
"Mother, they need help." I whispered so they wouldn't hear. Her eyes narrowing at them, she said, "We do not have a death wish. And if you hope to stay alive, you will not challenge the council and their army."
"Cassandra." The younger one whispered. "They say your reading as a baby stated that you were very kind hearted and fiercely loyal. Help us, please."
"My reading?" I asked my mother.
"You were too young to remember. We took you to a clairvoyant, like every bender family does with their children." She explained.
"I'm sorry," I told them, "But my loyalties do not lie with you." I said; ready to kill them when my mother gave the signal.
"Wait!" The young one shouted. "Cartel."
"What?" I asked. I had heard that name before. The boy name Cartel was the first death I had witnessed.
"Cartel. They said to mention my dead brother if you didn't agree. Do you know him?" He asked.
"Yeah," I said, "I watched him die."
"We named the revolution after him. We call ourselves The Cartel."
"What's the point of this revolution?" I asked. My mother sent me a warning glance, telling me that I shouldn't have been expressing interest.
"The Council of Ten has gone mad." My mother grimaced; my father was on that council. "Anyone who owes debt had gone into slavery for the people they owe it for."
"Mother, slavery." I whispered to her, but her cold gaze didn't falter.
"No one is allowed to bend anymore. They bend only when they train for the army. People are being executed for breaking unimportant laws, like vandalizing, and accidentally tripping a noble."
"Mother, we need to help." I said.
"Why us?" My mother asked.
"We had heard of Cassandra's power. We figured you had to be even stronger to train her. The Council members don't marry for just looks. Plus, the fact that the council has a grudge against you means they won't decline. With just two of you, they would think they'd win." The older woman explained.
"What's in this revolution for you?" My mother asked.
"Vengeance." My mother considered this. The Council had killed their brother, but that was so long ago.
"What of your father?" I asked.
"Our parents are in slavery. We were sent into the army. Our military unit was sent to Seattle when the vampire infestation was at its peak, that's why we are here."
"The vampires have been taken care of." I told them.
"What are your names?" My mother asked.
"I'm Maia," The older said, "And that's Colton." She pointed to the younger one, they were siblings. They bowed.
"No one's bowed to me in a long time." I told my mother. Crossing the space between us, I held out my hand. "I'm Cassie."
"Cassie." Colton smiled. "Is it true what they say? Did you make up a specialty?"
"Classified." My mother interrupted.
"I've heard a lot about you." Maia appraised my mother. "They say you've found a way to harness magic." I snorted.
"There's nothing magical about it." She snapped.
"I hear you two have mastered all of the specialties." Colton said. I smiled at him, and nodded.
"Sweet, you think you could teach us?" Colton asked. I laughed.
"It takes years." I told them.
"Yeah, but not for you." I smiled. It was about time someone recognized my hard work.
"We haven't even discussed the most important matter." Maia said.
"Which would be?" I asked. They looked at my mother.
"When we win, which we will if we have you, we want you to lead us." Maia said. That was the first time in my life I had ever seen my mother taken off guard.
I wasn't sure it was a great idea either. My mother wasn't very emotionally stable. She was actually kind of crazy, literally. That's the main reason we were still alive. Do you have any idea how hard it is to track an insane woman? Pretty hard. I guess her husband banishing her and her child had side effects.
My mother was barely stable enough to raise me, and everyone sees what a great job she did there. But, she was stable enough to marry a human. Wait, that's working against her.
"The sun is rising. We must leave now." My mother said. "If I find that either of you have betrayed us, I will personally hunt you down and make you eat your own insides." She grabbed her glider and took off. I smiled at my fellow benders.
"Don't worry, she's not as bad as she seems. Years of running from a full army has its drawback. I believe you're good. Besides, if she's right, I'll try to make it a quick death."
Wahoo! Benders!
Okay, so, some of you may be a bit confused as to what's going on. Don't worry, it's all answered next chapter.
So, can we get up to 40 reviews? Probably not, so how about 35? Sounds about right. 35 reviews, and you get a new chapter!
Comment questions!
Who's on the Council?
What does the Council do?
Are Maia and Colton good or bad?
Where the heck are the Cullens and how will they react?
Happy (insert cliché holiday here!)