Chapter One

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, as I stared at Abe.

"My father?" I repeated. "My father died in a
car crash." I told Abe.

There was no way he was my father. David was my father.

"David was one of your guardian." Abe told me. "His job was to keep you safe until it was time to come out from hiding."

I didn't believe him. David was more than a guardian. And why did I need to be kept hidden?

"If you were my father, then why did you abandoned us?" I questioned.

"I'll explain it later." He said. "How did you two find each other?"

I crossed my arms. "We're not giving you answers until you give us anwsers?"

I didn't tell him because I'm not entirely sure how we found each other. Abe looked at Aliyah, who was being slient beside me.

"What did you see?" He asked.

Aliyah blinked her eyes as if she was coming out of a daze and focused on Abe.

She shook her head. "I don't know. They were like....dark shadows."

"Ramadi's men." Reid said. "What else?"

"That's all. Just shadows." Aliyah said.

I straightened up when I hear the slightly sound of whispers. They sound happy but in an evil way. They're close.

"We need to leave." Hayes said. "They're coming. Millie picked up on them."

"I'm not leaving." I said. "What about Teri and the rest? And what do you mean I picked up on them?"

"No time to explain." Abe said.

"But-" I started but was cut off by the brightness of Abe's necklaces. I shield my eyes from the light.

"They found us." Abe said. "I had a feeling this was going to happen."

"They need to get separated." Reid said. "Their scent is too strong."

"No." Hayes said, looking at Reid. "We're going to keep them together. There's no point in separating them. They're going to find each other again."

Before Hayes can continue, Abe agreed. "Hayden is right. We need to go."

Abe held out his hands and Hayes grabbed me and dragged me to Abe's outstretched hand.

"What's going on?" I asked. "Who's coming?"

No reply. They ignored me and I stood there confused as Aliyah held on to Abe's other hand. Hayes grabbed my free hand and Ried grabbed Aliyah's.

Before I knew it, we're gone into the night and free falling into the air, tumbling down to the ground below us. The air passed right by us as gravity brought us down.

My screamed matched Aliyah's. Abe was a couple of feet away from me.

"I was afraid this was going to happen." He said in a calm voice. Why is he calm? We're falling hundreds of feet down. "Millian, give me your hand."

I stretch out my arm and wrapped it around Abe's. He grabbed Aliyah's before glancing at Hayes.

"I'm taking them." He said. "There's too many people. It takes up too much energy. Meet me in the forest below."

What? He's going to leave them? "We can't leave them" I said.

"They'll be fine." Abe assured me.

And just like before we're gone but this time we land on the forest's floor. I immediately looked up to search for Hayes' falling figure but I couldn't find him. I saw nothing but stars.

"Where are they?" Aliyah asked.

Abe didn't look concerned for them. Of course he didn't. He left them falling after all. He looked a little worn.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'm fine." He replied. "I usually just teleport myself and not four other people"

"Where are we?" Aliyah asked. "This doesn't look like California."

Abe shook his head. "We're not in California. We're near Nevada."

We were in another state. Well almost in another state. It took less than ten seconds to get here. To wherever we are.

I heard footsteps and turned my head in that direction. Whoever was following us couldn't have caught up to us that fast. Or maybe they could. I didn't know who they were.

But I was right, it wasn't them. Reid walked out, shaking leaves out of his dirty blond hair and Hayes looked like his was in pain.

"What happened?" I asked, concerned.

"Falling isn't a smooth ride" Hayes said before glaring at Abe."Especially if it's unexpected."

If it wasn't a serious moment, I would've laughed. But it was so I pressed my lips together.

"I can't teleport everyone to the headquarters." Abe said. "But I can get you to a plane that will get you there."

We stared at Abe with mixed feelings. I exchanged glances with Aliyah and we slowly move closer.

We grabbed hands again and we're on a runway. A jet was waiting for us and a man who looked like he could be an agent walked over to us.

And I realized that's exactly what he was. He shook Abe's hand.

"King Abraham." He greet. "What can I do for you?"

King? I looked at Aliyah. She heard him too. What was he king over? If he was the king and our supposedly father then that made us-

"Princess Millian, Princess Lillian." The agent said. "Come this way."

We follow the man into the jet and Hayes and Reid were behind us. I looked at Abe.

"You're not coming?"

He shook his head. "No. I'll see you at the headquarters."

He disappeared and the jet door closed, sealing us in for our unknown fate.

The chill air breezes by me, dragging me out of my thoughts. My eyes focus on the bare tree in front of me. The leaves falls down in a red, orange and brown swirling pattern, covering most of the huge garden.
A man in his early 50s, rakes the fallen leaves into a pile. My eyes shifts to the gates, surrounding the headquarter.

I've been here for two weeks and I haven't found out anything. I didn't see the point of staying if I couldn't get my answers.

For your safety. The voice reasons.

I roll my eyes at that thought. Abe brought me here for his own selfish reasons. My life was completely fine before he showed up.
Two weeks ago, I found out he was my father. At first I was in denial but over past couple of weeks there was no denying it anymore. I look exactly like him, with my dark hair and similar eye colors.

I kind of wished I inherit my mother's traits. She had blond hair and amber eyes. She was beautiful. And for what I heard, she was an amazing person. It was impossible for people to not to adore her. She was that nice and kind. The same question burns through out my head. If she was a lovely as everyone made her seem, then who wanted her dead?

My mind couldn't wrap around any situation that would make Allison end up dead. My thoughts of Allison disappears when I see Hayes walk through the side door, with his hands in his pockets.

His face gives nothing away as he nods to one of Abe's guardians. The only way I could tell the difference between guardians, is the way they dressed.

The rookies wore dark blue and black. They're the ones who goes on small missions after high school. Abe's guardians wore ruby red and black. They do whatever Abe say. Hence the name Abe's guardians. The agents, the one who works for secret governments, such as ours, wore black and white. They made sure no humans knew about us. And Reid and Hayes, they wore strictly black, the code for protecting the princesses.

There's other guardians but they don't fall under none of the categories above.

They help the rest of our Arysian people. They protect them from our enemies who followed us to Earth and are lerking in the darkest shadows.

My eyes follows Hayes to the steel gates. He greets the newcomers. He's heading back to the quarter, when his grey eyes lands on me.

My heart stops for a second because that's as long as he looks at me. Over the past two weeks, he's kept his distance from me. And I don't know what happened. One day we're okay then the next he's goes cold on me.

The first night we've been here, he told me we're over. No explaination, whatsoever. I want to ask why but he doesn't go out his way to answer me if it has nothing to do with his job.

His exact cold words were: I'm here to protect you. Nothing else.

"Millie?"

I look up above me to see Lily sticking her head out the window.

"It's time to get ready." She tells me before pulling her head back inside.

I get up from the stone bench and head inside. I walk up the marble stairs and into my room.

Lou, one of my stylist, smiles when she sees me. "Princess Millian"

I gave up on trying to correct her the second night here.

"You're going to be absolutely gorgeous tonight."

I didn't doubt her for a second. Lou was my head stylist back in Arsyn. She made me everything I wanted and things I didn't need.

I head to the bathroom to take a quick shower and when I walk out, I'm wearing a silk lavender rope, wrapped tightly against my body. I sit down on the black chair and the four stylist got to work.

Lou dries my hair, Star starts on my toes while Lissa does my nail and Cam paints my face. Once Lou is done with my hair, she brings out a black bag carrying the dress I'm wearing tonight.

She unzips it and inside is a strapless, floor length gold dress. It is amazing.

"Don't you think you went overboard for one night?" I ask still staring at the dress.

Lou waves me off. "Please. This is nothing"

"She's right" Star agrees. "It could've been worse."

"Beside" Lou says. "I haven't made you a dress in-"

"Thirteen years. She knows, Lou" Lissa interrupts her.

Lou rolls her eyes and walks over to me. I step inside the dress and Lou pulls it up. It fits tights around my waist before flaring out to the ground. I face the full body length mirror.

My dark hair is pinned up in a fancy/sexy bun and my eyes matched my dressed. I look amazing. Actually I look like a princess, no pun intended.

A knock on the door makes our head turn. One of Abe's guardians walks in.

"Princess Millian are you ready?"

I nod my head. "Yes."

"Okay, come with me. Your limo is waiting." He informs me.

Of course Abe got us a limo. Why couldn't we ride in a normal car? Oh that's right. We're not normal.

I follow the guard outside and just like he said, my limo is waiting for me. But that's not what got my attention.

Hayes is standing beside the limo with his hands in front of him as he waits for me to descent the stone stairs.

He nods once at me as he opens the door.

I step in and he follows. I arch an eyebrow. "You're riding with me?"

"I'm your protector. I have to ride with you." He says in like if he was force to ride with a person he disliked.

It's a thirty minute drive to Arsyn High. Thirty minutes stuck with Hayes alone for the first time in two weeks. This is probably my only chance to ask him. It's now or never.

I glance up at him and he's staring out the window, watching the tree pass by. He has a tux on and it looks incredible on it.

Everything looks incredible on him. It shows of his lean attractive body.

His eyes shifts away from the trees to me. "What?" He asks, coldly.

"Why?" I ask. "Why did you made me fall in love with you?"

It takes him a minute to answer. "It was just a fling. Nothing more."

Rage shoots through me. "I know what a fling is and that wasn't a fling"

He shrugs. "Believe what you want."

"I don't believe you." I say. "I know you feel something for me."

"I felt something for you" He corrects me. "Those feelings passed."

I shake my head, not wanting to believe him. "No they didn't Hayes. A love like ours is rare."

His eyes goes emotionless. "Drop it. We're over, Millie."

And just like that, he managed to rip my heart out, once again. And the drive to Arsyn High doesn't seem as short as I thought.

When we arrive, Abe is introducing Lily to a woman in her late 50s wearing a strict pencil shirt and her greying hair in a tight bun.

Hayes steps out the limo and doesn't bother to help me out.

"There she is" Abe says when he sees me. "Millian this is Selena Kovok"

"Nice to see you again" She tells me, shaking my hand. "I was just telling, Lillian how grown up you two have gotten. You two have grown to be such beautiful young ladies."

She turns to Abe. "Maybe if the students know the princesses were going to school here, they'll be more respectful."

Abe laughs. "I doubt it."

I frown. "Wait. We're going to school?"

"I figured you would want to finish high school." Selena says.

"We do but won't we put the other students in danger?" I ask.

Abe said our scent is stronger when we're together. It makes finding us easier.

Selena shakes her head. "No. I'll explain later but we have to go. The ceremony is about to begin."

We follow her inside and into a gym that was decorated to fit the occasion. We stand behind the stage and I take in Lily's appearance.

Her straight hair is curled and pinned up. She wears a deep purple dress and she looks scared.

I learned that Lily isn't the type of girl who likes to be the center of attention. Unfortunately for her she goes before me.

"Are you nervous?" I ask.

She gives me a look. "Of course. I have to stand in front of no telling how many people and smile like there's no tomorrow."

"It could be worse" I tell her. "You could be saying a speech."

"I hope not." She changes the subject. "Is Hayes still not talking to you?"

My face fell and I shake my head, sadly. "No. He said we're over."

I know she wanted to say something but Selena choose that time to begin the ceremony.

"Tonight we gather here to welcome back our princesses that was separated from us, thirteen years ago. Tonight we celebrated them."

More talking later, she gets to the introducing. I give Lily an encouraging smile.

"Please welcome Princess Lillian"

Lily walks up the mental stairs and through the thick royal blue curtains where the crowd cheered for her.

"Now welcomed your first born princess, Princess Millian."

I hear them before I can see them. My eyes adjust to the bright stage light and stare out to the huge crowd.

After they got done cheering for us, Selena says something and everyone made a line to greet us. I don't know how many hands I shook but I do know my cheeks were hurting from smiling and my feet were killing me.

When I shake the last person's hand, I made my way to a table and sat down. My feet cries out a thank you. I watch as Lily dances to an upbeat song with the rest of the students.

A guy with brown hair and blue eyes sits beside me. He smiles. "Still not a fan of dancing, aren't you?"

"No" I tell him.

"But you sing."

I eye him. Abe said no one knows about Lily and I. The only person who has that information was Selena and of course, Reid and Hayes.

"Do I know you?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "No. Not really. We hung out once but your father got scared and sent his guards looking for you."

I don't remember much from my childhood and Abe told us, people would use advantage of it. But I believe him.

"What did we do?" I ask, curious about my childhood.

"We sang."

I get curious about his voice. "Can I hear you sing?"

He smirks. "You're gonna have to wait until tomorrow."

I frown. "Why tomorrow?"

"Because there's no telling what Mr. Dean has in plan for us."

I'm not too fond of this place but if they have a music class, I'm all for it.

"Oh, by the way, I'm Lucas Carter."

***

We walk in dead silence to the dorms. Hayes didn't say anything and I didn't either. I had so many questions to ask but kept quiet. There's no point of asking them. It'll be a waste of breath. But I believe, we aren't over. Not yet

When we walk inside the dorm building, a strict, follow the rules, woman greets us.

She narrows her eyes at Hayes. "What are you doing here?" She asks. "We have a boy and girl-"

Hayes holds up his hand, stopping her from explaining the rule. "I'm dropping the princess off."

Her cold eyes moves away from him to me. "Princess Millian." She greets me. "I didn't know you were coming tonight." She walks to her circular desk and opens a draw and produces a key. "Everything should be ready but if it's not let me know." I nod my head. "Welcome back princess." She glares at Hayes. "Make it fast."

I grab the key from her and we head up the stairs. I see Lily walk through the doors with Reid following her. I wave at her.

"Get to your rooms, girls!" The woman orders at group of lingering girls.

We arrived at my room and I expect it to be a normal dorm room. Twin beds pushed against the walls on opposite sides and maybe a place to study. But instead I flicked the lights and walked into a fancy hotel room. A queen sized bed is in the center of the room, a dark dressers beside the door I just entered and French doors leading to a balcony. There's two doors one leading to a grand bathroom and the other to a closet.

"This is overrated" I say to no one in particular.

"Don't think you're getting special treatment." Hayes says. "Every room is like this. Just without the balcony and the Queen bed."

He scans the room before leaving.

"Well goodnight to you, too." I mutter as I shut the door.

It locks on its own. I strip out the dress and throws on some pajamas before jumping onto the comfortable bed.

Sleep has no trouble of finding me and I welcome it with open arms.