Chapter 1
A/N: Got some "Constructive Criticism" which really was quite useful, so I'm going to update each chapter and change some things around to improve the overall quality of the story.
"Again," the booming voice of my instructor calls out. I grit my teeth, and try to fire again, but to no avail. "Shut up, Uncle." I hiss. Uncle Shade appears beside me. "Don't talk to your instructor like that!" He exclaims, mock offended.
"I'm the heir, I can do what I want."
Shade just smiles at me and shifts back to his post. "Again!" He calls cheerfully. I focus my mind and try to throw a blast of lightning at him, only to find all the electricity has disappeared from the room. That could only mean one thing. Damn. I was in trouble. She was coming closer and closer, cameras blinking out down the hallway.
"Uncle? I could use some help," I quietly mutter.
Shade sighs. "What did you do this time? Sneak out again?"
I nod, and slowly spin around to find Mother standing there, a look of fury in her eyes. This wasn't good. "What, exactly, do you think you were doing last night?" she seeths, glaring at me.
"Mom, chill, I was just hanging out!"
"Just hanging out? CHILL? You are the prince! You shouldn't be gallivanting around like you don't care about assassins and the like!" Shade stifles a laugh. "And you!" She yells, turning to him. "You were the one who took him there! If I could have caught you I would have given you a punishment worse than our mother ever could have done!" Wow. When she gets mad, she really gets mad. It's like, I don't know, think of a bull that's just seen a red flag. It's a timid creature compared to her.
She turns back to me and draws in a breath, but I stop her. "Mom! I'm trained!"
"Not enough!" she throws back.
"Cal used to go out all the-"
She stops me with a glare. "We do NOT talk about him in this family." Her voice, instead of yelling at me, has dropped to a cold, ominous tone that somehow is infinitely scarier than when she was screaming.
"Okay, but you used to go out!"
"I went out once. I was also raised as a Red girl, and a pickpocket. I knew those streets like the back of my hand, and I was never caught. In fact, the one time I was caught was by the prince, and look what happened to him." I shiver as I think of my uncle's execution. I mean, now Red people had higher status than they used to, but still, it was a gruesome end for the King's only brother.
"Now go to your quarters! If you weren't anatomically special- or my own blood, for that matter- then I may even have you killed!" She's exaggerating, of course, but she does mean damage- she rarely pulls up the fact that I'm a genetic anomaly. The result of powered Red genes mixed with blood from a strong Silver lineage had resulted with my blood being, well, Gold. I had developed powers, of course- not only my mother's electricity, but my father's fire as well. Just like Mother and her lightning, I could create fire out of nothing. Something not even Father could do. "Fine" I mutter. She grabbed my arm before I left. "And don't get Shade to jump you! You walk back to your room, and if you leave there will be trouble!" I shake her off and storm away, angrily cursing under my breath.
When I arrive back at my room Father is waiting on my bed. I bow to him. "Your highness" I mutter darkly. He jumps up and claps me on my back. "Don't be mad at your mother. She just wants to keep you safe" I frown. "Oh, cheer up. I'm taking you on a hunting trip!" I look up, my heart beating in excitement.
"Really? Did you talk to Mom about it?"
"Well… not at all, but I'm the King. She can't oppose me, right?"