Free The Key by Marianne Curley Page B

father’s,’ she says.
    Her words surprise me. From what I understand, she has lived in isolation and in hiding from her father since she was a small child. ‘So you know him, then. Your father, I mean?’
    â€˜Of course,’ she says, looking straight at me. ‘He is the most evil man in all the realms.’
    She knows more than any of us realise. I wonder what else she’s aware of. ‘Are you a Truthseer?’
    â€˜No. But you are. I can tell by your wariness. I think Truthseers know too much. The hearts and minds of people must be an uncomfortable burden at times.’
    She’s not wrong there! Especially lately, now I’m having trouble shutting them out.
    â€˜I’ve been trained to screen my thoughts from a young age,’ she continues. ‘It was necessary because my father is a Truthseer, and we never knew when he might find us, or be near enough to hear our thoughts and discover our identities.’
    I decide to be honest, as she is being with me. ‘I was under the impression that you didn’t know anything about us.’
    â€˜Do you mean the Guard?’
    I nod.
    â€˜If it wasn’t for the Guard, and the protection theyoffer us, I would be under my father’s control right now, and my mother would be dead. But I have lived in hiding and now I have to take my place among the Named and fulfil my duties to the Prophecy. I’m the last,’ she adds, and pauses. ‘When I’m Initiated, the Named will be complete.’ A shiver passes through her, and her whole body shakes with it.
    â€˜Are you afraid?’
    â€˜No. I’m looking forward to being a Guard. To being part of a team. It’s been … lonely, growing up on my own. It’s just, I believe that my joining and completing of the Named will act as a trigger, a catalyst, you might say, that will bring forward the deciding battle.’
    What a horrid thought! She’s probably right, though. I try to think of something to say to lighten the atmosphere. ‘Do you know that Ethan is going to be your Trainer?’
    It works. She smiles. It makes her look very young. ‘That’s great! He seems nice.’
    I can only nod at her words. ‘Nice’ is an understatement. He’s everything I could ever want.
    â€˜But I wish …’ Her dreamy look snares my curiosity.
    â€˜You wish what? Or should I say
who
?’ I prod when she stops.
    She glances down to the floor and doesn’t tell me. When she lifts her head her eyes meet mine and I’m overwhelmed by a sense of loyalty, courage and calm emanating from her. Neriah is more than she appears. Much more.
    â€˜Whoever he is, he would be lucky to have you,’ I say.
    She giggles and we talk for a while about the boys she’s met since starting at the school, and I tell her what I think of them. We talk about a lot of things, and shetells me of her concerns that her father will find them and exact revenge on her mother, as he has sworn to do. ‘He wants to punish her for taking me away from him.’
    â€˜Arkarian won’t let that happen,’ I try to reassure her.
    The door opens and Neriah’s dogs come bounding in ahead of her mother. Neriah introduces them. ‘This one with the droopy ear is Aysher.’ She tugs his ear playfully, then nudges her face against his. The other dog clambers half on top of her, trying to get his mistress’s attention. She laughs at his playful, attention-seeking antics. ‘And this is Silos, not known for his patience.’
    â€˜They’re beautiful. Are they really dogs? I mean, they changed into leopards earlier.’
    After patting them both, she tells them to sit and they do so immediately, keeping their intelligent eyes on her every move. ‘It’s something they do when they sense danger.’ She looks up at her mother. ‘Did they find anything lurking in the yard?’
    â€˜Nothing.’ Aneliese