Chapter 18-The Unknown

Here it is. I got this really good inspiration for this chapter while I was sleeping on the bus so enjoy.

Max

"We have to leave today," I said to the Chief, "I'm sorry and we're really thankful that you let us stay here but we have to go."

"Alright, Your Grace, but please take my son as a guide and these," the Chief reached behind him to a small desk beside his big one and opened a drawer. The objects glowed with a light that seemed to pulse, just like their giant light. It was six small orbs made out of the rock.

"Thank you," I say and turn to leave and I hear Dylan following me out of the office. I gestured to my Flock, and they grabbed their bags. I tossed a stone to Mom, Angel, Fang, Holden, and Kate and kept one for myself, "Dylan's coming with us," I explained.

Fang scowled and so did Iggy. They exchanged a few words and I rolled my eyes. They're always so secretive about something.

Fang

"Dylan's coming with us?" Iggy whispers in shock.

"Yeah," I growl.

"When are you going to tell her?" he asks.

I give him a look, "Tell her what?"

"That you like her, of course. Don't you?"

"Yeah, but-"

Iggy interrupts, "You're going to tell her because bat boy over there is chasing her too."

"How can you tell?"

"I'm in love with your sister, remember?" he grins cheekily, "I can tell. Now tell her before it's too late."

"But I don't know how," I protested.

"You're Fang, Prince Nicholas. You've had so many women fall at your feet before. It's not like you're completely innocent," he rolled his eyes.

"But it's Max, she's a shifter. What if she says no?"

"Are you getting worried? That's a bad sign. You've got it baad."

"I do not!"

"Sure you don't." Iggy skips off to Gazzy, leaving me there frustrated.

Max

I'm standing in a dimly-lit room, the floor is carpeted in dark green velvet and the walls were paneled with sound-proofing powder stone, painted to look like teak. In the center of the room is a single desk, with neat folders all stacked in their place.

In a flurry of ravens, the human Queen appears, flashing an evil pointed smile at me.

"Did you really think that I'd let you run off with my son?" she asks, sneering. She walked a circle around me and I'm frozen where I stand so I can't fight back. Her long talons of fingers dug into my shoulder as she inspected me, "Who are you really? I understand that silly Jeb passed on the Cardinalship to you and you lead the silly band of survivors who hope to oppose me but I don't think you understand that I always win. I see everything you do. I hear every thought you have. And who are you to deserve all this? I was ready to ignore you when my dear son asked of it but now it would seem that I have no choice.

"I don't think you arrogant shifters understand. Itex rules everything. It is the god of this world, the creator," she laughs without humor, "And you are expendable. Especially you, Maximum Ride. And I will not let a stupid little shifter get in the way of me and my mission. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"Make me," I spit out.

She snarls, her lip curling, "I am the queen. The only queen! The only ruler of this world. And I can see every move everyone makes. You will not win this, Maximum Ride! And you will not have my son. You are nothing but a shifter WHORE!"

"Funny, coming from you. There's rumors how you've become queen," I smirk. That's a lie, I've heard nothing about the queen.

"You think you're so much better, well, that shows how intelligent shifters are. Shifters come from humans, NOT the other way around!"

I suck in a breath. "What do you mean?" I ask haltingly.

She smiles, thinking she's won, "You'll see. You are free to leave."

"Wha-what do you mean?" I ask, but the room is already fading.

"Another thing, my dear. Stay away from my son."

I jolt awake, my eyes searching the dark and I reach into the bag and take out a stone. When the light cast over the group, I saw Fang's face inches from mine, his eyes closed in drowsiness. I jumped back and accidentally woke him. He opened his dark eyes groggily.

"Max?" he murmured. And then he scrambled to his feet, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I tell him, brushing away my hair from my eyes.

"Did you have another dream?" he guessed.

Damn. How did he know? "No," I lied again.

"You're lying," he said again.

I look up at the cave ceiling, avoiding his dark eyes boring into my skull. And I noticed the little red dots again. What did she mean by she can see everything? And why did I dream her saying that shifters come from humans?

"Tell me, Max," he urges in his dark rumbling voice.

"Why should I?"

"Just tell me, I can help."

Remember, darling. I can see EVERYTHING.

I study his eyes. She can see everything. She can see everything. How can she see everything? How could she- except Fang. I look at him sharply, "Are you your mother's spy?"

He recoiled. He looked at a loss for words for a second, his mouth flapping open and closed, "Why would you think that?"

"She can see everything. I dreamed about her. She knows where we are and she's threatened," my voice rises a little, "How can she know that?"

"Think about it, Max," Fang says hushed, "How could I contact her from here? You're being silly."

"Am I? You're human; you grew up to hate me."

"Max, I don't hate you."

"Prove it."

He struggled with his composure for a second and then he closed the gap between us, his arm wrapping around my shoulder and he pulled me closer. His face was an inch away from mine, his breath warm against my lips and then his lips are there in its place, slightly moist as he kissed me desperately. His hands slid down to my waist, holding me against him and even though I'm stronger, I suddenly can't move. Instinctively, my lips moved with his and my arms slid around his neck. I backed up until I felt the wall of the cave behind me. My hand traced his smooth muscles of his upper arm and I sighed a little against his lips. We were pressed so tightly against each other, I gasped for breath. After what it felt like hours, we broke apart, breathing heavily.

"You understand now, Max? I don't hate you. At all. I actually rather like you," he smiles nervously.

I smiled, so happy that I couldn't say anything and his face falls. He lets me go abruptly and backs up. One of his hands goes to his hair and the other found support against the wall. I stare at his back confusedly as he walks away.

Fang's ignoring me. I don't understand why. We were great last night. He likes me. He doesn't hate me. He's not working for the Queen. But now,everything's wrong. Why?

"Hey," Gazzy said, popping up from behind me.

"Yeah?" I asked and Angel appears from nowhere to sit on my lap.

"Hi, Max," she says brightly.

"What are you two doing?" I ask suspiciously.

"Nothing," Angel says, giggling.

"Great, now I know something's up."

"No, honest," Gazzy pipes up, "Nothing's going on. We're just excited to see the tunnel. Aren't you?"

"Yeah...," I say, sighing in exhaustion, "I'm ecstatic."