“But they definitely are the badguys? I mean the royal family?” I didn’t really need to ask the question, Iknew the answer; but I was having a hard time accepting it.

“Of course they are!” Avalon nearlyexploded. “They are the reason we are dying, they are the reason we live infear, and they are the reason your friend Lilly is in jail!”

“Lilly?” I asked in a small voice.

“Yes, Lilly.” Principal Saintreplied with more control than Avalon. “When Derrick took the throne, he exiledall Shape-Shifters. He made their very existence illegal. If they were found inhiding, they were lucky to only get a prison sentence. After Lucan took thethrone, their circumstances worsened extremely. They can barely call theirexistence living. Lilly was not hiding; she was very much out in the open. Andto add circumstance to conviction she was not only attending the same school asthe Crown Prince, but happened to be nearly alone with him in the middle of theforest, isolated. Thankfully for Avalon, the King currently blames her for theattack on Kiran’s life. They have not even tried to look further for moredetails. In his mind, she was the traitor and the orchestrator of the attack.”

“Thankfully for Avalon, but whatabout her?” it was my turn to get fired up and I stood up out of my stool,knocking it over behind me. My face flushed red and I turned humbly to retrieveit before sitting back down to listen to the answer.

“I don’t know, my dear. I have beencalled to testify, but I’m sure my testimony will only feed the jury moreevidence of her crimes, since I genuinely had no idea of her true identityeither,” Principal Saint looked truly distraught.

“But why? She fought againstAvalon, she tried to help Kiran! It doesn’t make sense that they would blamethe attack on her. Kiran and Talbott were both there, I was there, can’t wetestify?” I struggled to understand what was so difficult about this. Lillyhadn’t done anything wrong.

“I know that and you know that. Butmy standing in the community is very precarious; I have to be careful of thebattles I choose. And you Eden, are absolutely forbidden to go anywhere nearthat trial. You’re very fortunate Lucan hasn’t discovered you yet. I can’t saymuch for Kiran, but he seems to want to keep you a secret just as much as wedo. I am afraid of his motives however,” Principal Saint looked down at thecounter he was leaning up against and said his last few sentences quietly, asif he were talking to himself and not to us.

“Why? Why can’t I go?” I askedstubbornly.

“The simple answer,” PrincipalSaint looked up from the counter straight into my eyes and said simply, “Theywould kill you without hesitation,” I swallowed loudly, afraid to ask hisreasons. By the look on Principal Saint’s face, and the tone of his voice, Iunderstood without any doubt that he was serious.

“Amory….” Aunt Syl rejoined theconversation and gave him a concerned glare. “She’s just a child. There’s noneed to frighten her,” as soon as she finished her sentence, Aunt Syl’s cellphone buzzed and she flipped it open to read a text message. I watch herexpression turn from concerned to disappointed. “They need me at the hospital.Avalon, make yourself comfortable, there are clean linens on the bed and I laidout fresh towels in the bathroom. Keep her safe,” she winked in Avalon’sdirection and gave Principal Saint a kiss on the cheek before exiting thekitchen. I cringed a little at the familiarity between Aunt Syl and PrincipalSaint, not only because he was my principal and she was my aunt, but there hadto be like a huge age difference.

“Well Ok, but what about Kiran andTalbott?” I stood up and began to put the leftover Chinese food back into theirrespective containers.

“Talbott is not allowed to testifybecause of his position in the Royal Guard. By law, Titans must remain loyal tothe Crown under every circumstance. Since Lucan already has charged Lilly,Talbott’s testimony would be in direct opposition to Lucan’s charges, thereforemaking Talbott a traitor to the Crown. And Kiran has no backbone, no sense ofresponsibility; the last thing he would do, is to stand up to his father,”Principal Saint accused Kiran like he was heartless and foolish. I flinched alittle, refusing to believe the accusations were true.

“It’s not like he would stand up tohim anyway,” Avalon yawned in the middle of his tirade. “There’s no way in hellthe Crown Prince is going to stand up for a Shape-Shifter like Lilly Mason.Trust me on that,” Avalon slammed his hand on the kitchen counter to make hispoint.

“But why? Why do they hate the Shape-Shiftersso much?” I asked out of ignorance.

“Lucan, like all of the royalfamily and much of the Kingdom, believe they are manipulative anduntrustworthy. But even more, Lucan is extremely paranoid. He truly believesthey are after his crown, and after his life. I don’t think he’s wrong tobelieve that now; but they weren’t always. After Derrick outlawed them, he hadhundreds of them executed in the worst ways to prove his point. Things settleddown for a while, but during Lucan’s reign they have escalated almost to thepoint of extinction. During the first several years he was on the throne, hismain goal was to hunt every last one of them down. I don’t think he would havestopped killing them either, if it weren’t that….”  Principal Saint suddenly cut off his sentenceand shut his mouth as if he had said something he hadn’t intended to.

“If it weren’t what?” I askedhoping to glean more information.

“If he hadn’t found the one Shape-Shifterhe was looking for,” Principal Saint coughed into his hand and walked over tothe sink to work on the dishes. I gave Avalon a curious glance, but he shookhis head as if he was just as confused as me.

“Well, you two, there is schooltomorrow, so why don’t you head off to bed. I’ll finish cleaning up thekitchen,” Principal Saint moved around Aunt Syl’s chef’s kitchen as if he knewexactly where everything was. He must have been using his magic.

“Goodnight,” Avalon yawned again,raising his hands far above his head to stretch. He turned to leave andsomething finally dawned on me.

“You’re staying here?” I blurtedout, suddenly putting the random suitcases and Aunt Syl’s instructions together.

“Yep,” Avalon barely acknowledgedme before making his exit. I heard him on the stairs and then into the guestbedroom where he slammed the door shut behind him.

“We thought it best if someonestayed here with you Eden. I think it’s best that you have some protection,”Principal Saint turned to look at me, and I found it strange that we are alonein the kitchen together.

“Why? Now that I know it was Avalonbehind all of those attacks I’m not afraid anymore,” I crossed my arms andfought back my own yawn.

“Yes, I know. But you should beafraid. Kiran could be very dangerous; you don’t really know him, do you?” Iheld back a snotty response, realizing that they were the ones who didn’treally know him. “It’s just a precaution anyways,” Principal Saint waved it offas if it was no big deal, “Besides wouldn’t you like to get to know your twinbrother a little more? I’m sure the two of you have a lot to catch up on,” hegave me a genuine smile and I relaxed. After all of the information I justreceived I had almost forgotten that Avalon and I were twins…. actual twins….actually related.

“I guess you’re right PrincipalSaint,” I conceded, sending him my own version of a genuine smile.

“Amory, please,” he implored. “I’mso much more than your high school principal.”

“Amory…?” I tried his first name abit uneasily, “My first question never got answered. So what is the exactpurpose of the Resistance?”

“Ah,” Amory, took a moment to lookout the window that sat above our kitchen sink. “Well, it has many purposes,such as to completely wipe out the royal line so that the Titans may have theirfreedom back. Also, to protect as many Shape-Shifters as possible so once we dohave freedom again, our magic will not be missing anything and can be restoredto its full glory. And then finally I suppose, to protect you my dear,” hesmiled at me gently, but also a little sadly. I took his reference to me as ageneral idea to protect the Immortal population as a whole.