Eyera (The Eyera Series Book 1) Read online

  Father has taught me many things as a child, everything I know is from him, he wanted to make sure I can fight and protect myself, especially in a world we live in.

  I can fight. I can protect myself.

  I wouldn’t say I’m incredibly strong, but I can handle pain, I have a high tolerance for it.

  I see Father on the bars doing pull- ups, his face hardens and veins poke, and teeth gritting. His grey vest covered in sweat, he’s very muscly and in shape. I trace over his ribcage where he has a plus sign, and a minus sign in inked.

  He looks young, and Mother too, Father was in his mid-twenties, five years between them when I was born.

  I take the bars next to him, and he smiles, together we pull our bodies up. It gets to the point to see who can do the most pull-ups. I finish the last few reps and get off and begin push-ups. Father is supportive and makes sure I get to my goal. Although I always reach my goal in the end. I don’t like quitting. My body shapes into a plank, hands are pressed on the cold floor. In minutes I’m hitting fifties.

  Fifty-one. Fifty-two. Fifty-three. Fifty-four. Fifty-five.

  “Come on Acelyn, you can do this,” Father cheers.

  My stomach tightens, and sweat breaks, my limbs feel achy, but I ignore it and keep going, determined to hit one hundred. My teeth seethe, and I’m panting in short breaths; my father stands tall watching as I push myself. I’m now in the nineties with only five to go. I feel that hunger for the finish line.

  Ninety-six. Ninety-seven. Ninety-eight. Ninety-nine.

  ‘You got this Acelyn,’ I say to myself. And one hundred.

  I stand stretching my limbs for that satisfying click.

  Father hands me a bottle of water. I immediately gulp half of it. I let out small puffs, and Father watches laughing, he wants me to stay fit and healthy, overcome obstacles and be the best I can be. Not in an egotistical way. I enjoy exercising it makes me feel confident. Father has pushed me to the breaking point, most times it’s not fun, sometimes it made me despise him. Father is starting to train Hadrian and he is not going to like that, not one bit.

  “Hadrian is going to love this, Dad,” I say sarcastically.

  Although Mother does not agree with Father pushing Hadrian, she wants Hadrian to be a kid and experience life not being forced into all of this. I, on the other hand, am a different story, Mother didn’t like the way he pushed me, but she had no say whatsoever.

  At the age of five is where I started to train, he would wake me up at 5 am every morning, making me run for two hours, the weather didn’t matter. I ran in countless days of rain, hot days where I roasted, and days where the lands turned into ice, and little flakes of snow fell. Winter is my favourite time to run because snow is beautiful. I remembered I got distracted once when snow fell when I was supposed to be training. Father smacked my weapon out of my hand and took out my legs and placed his bokken to my neck, and scolded me for getting distracted. I’ve never made that mistake again.

  “Ha Hadrian would not be able to handle it, he is more brain than brawn,” he chuckles.

  It’s true, Hadrian is not good at anything physical but he is intelligent, and that is important, Hadrian has designed amazing things, mainly with technology. He wishes to advance his knowledge and ideas in the future. Hadrian finds anything he can make, one time in the city an old man gave Hadrian parts of a device to work on. I think it’s vital to have both strength and intelligence, a balance.

  Father may not see it, but Hadrian is like him, especially taking an interest in designing, I wonder why he never pushes Hadrian on that.

  “You ready to start,” Father says.

  “Yes,” I reply.

  He hands me my bokken, a polished oak wooden sword. I carved my initials near the handle followed by a nicely carved stag.

  My father takes his bokken, his weapon is much larger and is white with gold spirals on the black handle. We both stand in the middle preparing ourselves in a ready position. We take two steps closer and bow to each other; we bow because it shows that we are not above nature. His face turns hard, quick as he draws his weapon up. I bring my bokken and launch making the first attack. Father blocks my hits. I hit again, and he gradually spins and ducks down, I bring up my weapon and slice it down but he smashes my bokken out of the way, and I stumble back. I cannot recover in time as he wields his weapon which causes me to lose grip and he takes my legs out. I fall hard to the floor, and he brings up his bokken and points it to my neck.

  “Again,” he says stern.

  I pick up my bokken with my left hand and we get back into our starting position and bow.

  I hold my bokken tightly making my knuckles turn white, eager not to make the same slip-ups.

  This time it’s my father that makes the first move, he is quick and slick, crashing his bokken down, but I move on my toes twisting my body around doing a roll, and I am behind him, my father turns around quickly countering my moves as I hit him. My arms rotate and swish as my body dances across the room finding a rhythm. Father hits my bokken with a force which loosens my grip, he swishes down to finish the job, but I surprise him by sliding on my knees, arching my back, hitting him in the stomach. He grunts and tries to recover, but I kick his legs, and he gives way. I bring up my bokken and point it straight to his heart, finishing him off. Father looks up in defeat and flashes a grin, I’ve never been able to defeat him before, I have gotten close, but he’s always one step ahead.

  “Good,” he says.

  He stands and we return to our position ending the session, I put my weapon back in its sheath.

  “You’re getting better every day,” my father admits as he puts his bokken away.

  “I am proud, Acelyn.”

  His words brings a huge smile on to my face, hearing those words from my father is very rewarding.

  “We must finish our session,” he says.

  This means we sit in silence for ten minutes silencing the mind, finding our inner peace.

  Father pulls out two blue mats and places them on the floor, sitting on his knees and hands on his thighs, I take a different approach and sit down with my back postured high. We both close our eyes taking steady breaths. He told me this teaches self-control and patience which is something I lack, but I am learning. Father has managed to master this skill, although he says he hasn’t, I feel like he has. This is one of the things I find difficult, to silence my mind, my mind is hectic I am constantly thinking of things I wish I didn’t think of. The only time where I can silence my mind is at the river; I feel like I can find inner peace there.

  After ten minutes my father and I open our eyes.

  “You have done very well today, the session is now over,” he says dismissing me.

  CHAPTER seven

  I put on my purple jacket, and head outside needing fresh air and to cool myself down. I sit on the decking playing with my necklace which is a small key and a padlock.

  The wind blows softly carrying dust from one side to the other, a man walks with a bucket full of water splashing on his feet. A few people wash their clothes ready to put on the line. I like the people in Siver, they have kind hearts, and we look out for one another, we might not have much, but we know how to show kindness.

  I think about this world a lot, imagining what it would be like if it was kind, where children can play on the streets without worry, people can dine and afford things they wish, a day out with family enjoying each other’s company, if humanity exists. Explore Elspeth and travel across the lands, oh, I would die to have that. Each day this world grows, fear grows too, it has become a huge part of this world, and it will always exist no matter what because if fear does not exist, we will fall. Become the greater good, the greater world, that is what it’s supposed to be. Rebirth. Rebirth into a world that reeks of fear and that is the world we live in today. I know there are some people in Elspeth City and the sections still hold onto a possible outcome, they still hold onto hope, love and positivity, because if they don’t have that th
en how can they survive? Honestly, if I don’t hold onto those things I know for sure I wouldn’t be able to survive.

  I play scenarios in my head creating a better future for everyone where they can have fun, laugh and explore the four sections that hold us together. People allowed to go beyond the wires and hills. I like to think that there is more to this world than what the Director is saying, maybe there are other cities like ours, perhaps nicer or worse, or the same. I don’t know. The thing is if people come as one and stand together and fight back it might be a different story, but that will never happen because everyone is afraid to do so, afraid to speak up because Eyera can wipe anyone out if they wish too and that makes me afraid to fight. I cannot leave my family behind like that or leave Hunter. What kind of person would that make me?

  I get too lost in my dark thoughts, and the deeper I get, the more damage it does, suffocating till I can no longer breathe.

  At the break of dawn is where I can release these thoughts and problems, so when the sun rises all my problems will rise too which means I can start holding onto new problems. I hate holding onto things; it’s so toxic, but I’m not able to get out of that cycle.

  I take a deep breath and relax my face in my cold hands, thinking about how our food is getting low, and if we keep it at this rate we are going to starve for the rest of the month.

  I take another breath and begin to release a bit of me, I stand up as the sun rises and I let my worries fly high, today is a new day, and now I can think of more ways to worry myself sick.

  I head back inside taking off my boots putting them on the shoe rack. I see mother sleeping in the chair doing the odd twitches; she must have been up all night sewing clothes. I can’t help but admire how beautiful she is, silky brown hair ripples down her shoulders and fringe braided back showing off her delicate complexion, her face is slender revealing sharp cheekbones and plumped lips.

  I remember a dark time for us, Mother nearly broke a couple of years ago because she thought she had lost my father, I don’t know what happened as they never spoke of it, they dismissed it every time I brought it up. If she lost him, she would neglect everything and horrible as it is for me to say, I am sure she would neglect us, and that would break Hadrian. I wouldn’t be able to tell him why Mother stopped loving us.

  I am more of a daddy’s girl than a mummy’s girl growing up, mainly because I spent a lot of time with him, Mother wanted me to be this perfect version of something, I don’t know what. But I hated that there were certain things she didn’t want me to do. I had other interests such as sketching and exploring. I love sketching, I’m not as exquisite as my father though. Although I was like my mother when she was a child, free-spirited and saw the world differently, I don’t know why she wanted me to be someone else.

  I look at Mother’s lap seeing her finished piece of knitting that she has been working on for a few days. I lean closer to see an owl with unusual marking on his forehead, a letter C surrounded by four lines either side, never seen it before. Probably something to look elegant. I notice my mother shiver, and I grab a blanket and place it on her, and she snuggles deeper into the soft fabric.

  I walk into the kitchen to see how much food we have left, a few slices of bread, cans of beans, fruit and some vegetables, lately we have problems with growing food. I sigh and think of a way to get more, going to Elspeth City and begging will do nothing, the guards will laugh and probably hit me for scavenging. Maybe I can trade or sell my items … but I don’t exactly have anything worthy. I drum my fingers on the bench, stressing out, as long as Hadrian eats I’m okay.

  Hadrian comes up from the gym red-faced and sweaty, he puffs loudly, and I can see stress and tears he has shed.

  “Hey champ, how’s it going?” I say hoping to lift spirits.

  He strops to the chair.

  “I hate it,” he pouts.

  Father has pushed him to his limit. Just he waits when father wakes him early in the morning to run.

  I don’t like seeing Hadrian being pushed like that, though, I know how hard our father can be, if only he saw Hadrian’s potential. He is very bright, and I think Father should let him do what he loves. I know why he is training Hadrian now because Mother is asleep and when she wakes up finding Hadrian has been pushed, she is going to be mad.

  I throw Hadrian an apple and he catches it chomping quickly. Father comes out of the gym looking cool but secretly stressed. He takes a glass from the cupboard and makes himself a drink, he looks into the sink and thinks to himself, he tries hard to provide for us, but he thinks it’s not sufficient, he hates seeing us not being able to eat some days and it tears him apart. I want to say how low on food we are, but he already knows that there is no point in reminding him.

  “I’ll be going into the city tomorrow to trade or sell some of my crafts, see if we can get food,” Father says as he sits down looking at both of us.

  “We will eat,” he promises, mainly to Hadrian.

  “Now Hay, we still got a bit to do.”

  Which makes Hadrian’s face drops, he looks at me trying to get help.

  “Dad, maybe take it easy on him I know you ca—,”

  “He will train, and that is final,” he snaps, walking off to the gym. Hadrian looks at me, and I hold my hands in defeat. Hadrian sticks out his tongue and stomps back to the gym.

  I walk to my room feeling beat, needing an hour or two of sleep. I get to my room, and a dark figure stands in the middle back towards me, I jump into defence mode pulling my bokken from its sheath and tiptoe, hands itching and I swing but the figure turns around covering its face.

  “Wait, stop, it’s me Acelyn.”

  I immediately stop recognising his voice.

  “Hunter … what the hell are you doing? And why the hell are you wearing a hoodie?” I shout.

  He brings his hands down and looks at me.

  “I wanted to see you, and I was cold,” he says.

  I place the bokken on my bed.

  “Why don’t you do what normal people do and knock on the front door?” I stress lying flat.

  “Because your dad scares me, he is very overprotective with you,” Hunter says taking my bokken and swishing it around.

  My father does like Hunter, but he loves messing with him, he finds it amusing seeing Hunter stutter, not knowing what to say, even I find it amusing, so I let father continue to do it. Like father, like daughter.

  “What are you really doing here?” I ask sitting up.

  I too can read Hunter like a book. I know what he’s feeling, he doesn’t like it when people see him vulnerable. He hides from the world when he is upset and comes out when he is ready. Everyone has their way to deal with pain.

  “To come to the city with me. We have no food at home, so I’m going to trade this for food,” he says.

  Hunter pulls out a gold ring and places it in my hand, I play with the ring putting it on my finger holding it up in the light.

  “It’s beautiful,” I say.

  “It’s my mother’s ring,” Hunter says gloomily.

  I take it off in for respect as he lost his mother when he was fourteen years old, he locked himself away not talking to anyone, and I thought I lost him. Hunter doesn’t like talking about her. I don’t know what happened to her but my guess it has to do with Eyera.

  “You can’t trade this, there must be something else,” I say, but he shakes his head, this is the only thing worth trading or selling.

  “Shall we go?” he asks, clearly hoping I say yes.

  I put the ring in his hand and close his fingers.

  “Yeah let me quickly get something,” I say as I head out of my room, I wait for Hunter to follow but he climbs out of the window.

  I make my way to the coat rack, grabbing the free pass from my father’s jacket, to find one is missing, maybe Father has his pass, he did talk about going to the city again. And I head outside.

  CHAPTER eight

  Hunter and I patiently wait for the bus.

&nb
sp; “You got money?” Hunter asks.

  I flash the free pass and his eyes light up.

  “You got free passes, how?”

  “My father crafted for one of the bus driver’s wives and in return, we get free travel, it’s handy,” I say.

  “Free travel, how sweet,” Hunter smiles.

  The bus stops and we both show our free passes, the driver narrows his eyes and proceeds to let us through.

  Hunter and I sit at the back in silence, well apart from Hunter drumming his fingers on the bar.

  I hope I don’t see anything bad in the city, like someone getting hurt or death, Eyera doesn’t kill people all the time, but if they do they enjoy seeing people suffer first, killing sends a message to the citizens, of course, no one wants to die.

  I rest my head on the window waiting for the broken road to turn smooth.

  “What if you can’t sell the ring?” I ask.

  “There is always a way,” Hunter says thinking of another positive outcome.

  I look at the window to see a girl that looks my age, maybe a year older, caked in mud. Her brown hair knotted with twigs and clothes torn, her skin marked with bruises and she is shouting, waving her hands signalling for the bus to stop, but the bus continues. I get up pressing my cheek to the window and our eyes meet. I see her running after the bus distraught and helpless.

  “Acelyn what’s wrong?” he asks concerned.

  “Did you not see that girl?” I say.

  “What no?”

  “She was screaming for help, Hunter.” I say.

  Hunter leans forward, pressing his face on the window.