Jeremy stared down at his hand, down at the Gardsimbl. How was he supposed to help these people in this foreign world? He bit down on his tongue until the copper taste of blood filled his mouth. How was this world real? How was he supposed to never really be able to sleep again? And that girl...Serenity. He now shared a bond with a stranger who clearly disliked him. He had never met a girl like her before. There was not a girl at his school that could compare to Serenity. She was strong and mature for her age, and only a year younger than him. When he first saw her she wore black paint or some type of makeup around her eyes making her look haunting and bit terrifying, especially in the gear she wore. Now he heard a knock on the door and she, Serenity, stepped in. The black makeup no longer around her eyes. Jeremy's eyes slightly widened. She was really beautiful. Her features were innocent, but when he looked into her eyes, those lovely gray eyes, he could almost see a hue of red hidden within her irises. Stripped of her gear, she wore a blue long sleeve loose tee shirt with black tights. Her feet were bare. On one of her hands he noticed she wore a tight black glove of thin material.

“Hello,” she said. The tone of her voice was not threatening, nor was it comforting.

The feeling of discomfort fell upon Jeremy. He tried his best to not show it, “Hey.”

She walked into the room. Her movements were graceful as she sat down on the edge of the bed Jeremy was sitting on. He swallowed. Jeremy had always been around girls. He knew what they were like. But Serenity?

“I wanted to apologize for my...earlier behavior,” the last words she said carefully, “I had not known that it was arranged for me to be Marked, especially because of my age and for other reasons. I know what you must think of me. That I am cruel and heartless. It is how others view me, except for Oliver and His Majesty. I cannot act that way towards you though. We are...bonded now. I admit, I wish this did not happen but the past cannot be altered.”

Jeremy stared at her. She seemed awkward. Was she uncomfortable around him as he was around her? He said, “I'm sorry this has happened. Believe me, I wish this was all just a dream but I know it is not. You have to deal with me now when I am not trained or skilled to fight. I've never been the one to participate in sports, well, except track, if you consider that a sport. I do not think you are cruel and heartless either. I don't know you.”

She just looked at him. The expression on her face didn't change, “I do not know you either, but that is about to change,” she stood up and walked to the doorway and then paused under the arch. Without turning around she said, “If you don't fight with the bond, it will be easier.”

Jeremy watched her leave the room, confused and unsure of what she meant by her last words.


Serenity turned down the hallway and walked away from her partner's room. She stared down at the floor, watching the cracks vanish beneath her feet with each step she took.

“It is not as bad as you think it is,” Oliver said.

Serenity stopped walking. She did not see Oliver leaning against one of the walls in the hallway.

She didn't turn to look at him when she spoke, “I don't think its bad either. Its just something I never wanted to happen. I didn't think it would ever happen because...because of my being.”

Oliver snorted. She frowned, “You are a Knight, my dear Serenity. Not just a Knight, but one that the Prince trusts the most. You wanted to be one ever since I brought you here for the first time. Being Marked is part of being a Knight. Justice has become your blood.”

Serenity wrapped her hand around the one with the glove. Right after she had been Marked she took a blade and had tried to disfigure the scar. It was impossible. The blade would not cut the whitish raised flesh but managed to cut around it, leaving her with no success.

“My blood is too dirty for Justice,” She muttered, and continued to walk down the hallway.