Prologue

Gwenn was awake a long time before she opened her eyes. Normal dreams clouded her memory until she remembered everything that'd just happened. She bolted into a sitting position - which was a terrible idea - the pain that coursed through her whole body screaming at her for sitting up. She couldn't lay back down though since the pain was settling itself in her current position. Without warning, someone pushed her back on the bed, reawakening the pain again. She winced, letting it settle again and decided to focus her attention on her surroundings instead of sitting up. 

She was in a small room, its walls and floor made of . . . pure tree bark. There was a doorway to her right - a curtain instead of a door. She searched the room for whoever had rudely shoved her back. Her eyes fell onto Kihwek, who was standing beside her. 

"W-why did you push me so hard!?"

He laughed, a sound that anyone in earshot couldn't help but smile too.

"You suck the life out of a great oak tree to heal the enemy of centaurs and humans alike that almost killed you and the first thing you ask is why I pushed you?"

He laughed again - she'd cracked him up. He shook his head, a wide grin on his face. She hadn't noticed them before, but she realized he had long, pointed ears. When he looked up at her, his eyes were bright blue - they reminded her of an icy sea or a pale blue sky.

"Where are we?"

Okay, this is actually chapter one now

Gwenn, a sixteen-year-old girl with mysteriously colorful brown eyes and red curly hair that reached her waist, was walking home from school. The streets of New York were filled with people today - especially beggars and musicians. Gwenn had passed this particular spot for three years, but she still hadn't managed to talk to the regular-attending musicians that sat on the ground just outside of a coffee shop. When she was feeling really confident, she'd give them a small smile. Today she was going to step far out of her comfort zone and tell them what she'd been thinking for the last three years. She always recited it in her head, By the way, I love your music! And then hand them a few dollars. 

She pulled in a deep breath as she started getting close to their usual spot. She clutched a couple of dollars in her sweaty hand. Come on Gwenn, pull it together. Today is going to be different. Her heart pounded in her ears as she bit her lip - her nervous habit. The three musicians sat on the ground playing instruments of various sizes. They were nice people, always giving a smile to the New Yorkers that walked by. There was no reason for her to be afraid. She turned on her heels when she reached them. The group was only a few feet away now. Her heart was pounding so hard it almost hurt.

Even though she was too far away, she started reaching her hand out with the money inside. The words were forming on her lips. Then one of them noticed her, giving her a big smile. Her hand shook as she held it out. She was about to take another step forward but her anxious thoughts stopped her and she turned around and walked with the crowd - guilty and embarrassed as ever.

When she got to her apartment, her mother was in the kitchen, cooking them some dinner. Gwenn let her backpack fall to the floor with a heavy thump before flopping onto their small couch.

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"Hey, Gwenn! How was school, honey?"

Gwenn - her face buried in the couch cushions - shook her head in despair. Her mom put on her pity face, wiping her hands on her apron and walking over to the couch.

"That bad?"

Gwenn sat up, her hair messed around now.

"It wasn't the school that was hard. It was the painful moment I wasted trying to give the musicians."

Her mom rubbed her back, letting out a sigh.

Something important to know about Gwenn's family. She had an older sister named Thalia - who was adopted - and her dad had left the three of them a long time ago.

After dinner, Gwenn worked on her homework in her room, happily forgetting about everything wrong with her day.

The next morning, Gwenn decided not to worry about communicating with people and left in a cheerful mood. She took the long way to school, purposely avoiding the coffee shop and its troubles. 

At school, there was a new student. She had short black hair and pale green eyes. Her skin was fair but when the principal announced her arrival, her whole face was bright pink. After hurrying away from everyone's attention, Gwenn noticed her looking for a place to sit in the large cafeteria. Gwenn sat in the darkest, most lonely spot so that no one would try to talk to her. The girl - whose name was Freya - held her plate, her head darting around the place.

Gwenn bit her lip. Please don't come this way. She willed the girl to go anywhere else. Freya walked over and sat across from Gwenn, who was tempted to get up and leave but was too nice to do so.

"I'm Freya."

"Gwenn."

"How long have you been at this school for?"

Gwenn shrugged. Her heart was starting to pick up the pace. Freya was quiet for the rest of the time, not bothering to speak anymore.

After school was out, Gwenn walked solemnly down the streets, her head down. She'd had too much social interaction for one day. Out of nowhere, Freya was suddenly there, making her heart explode in its place. She bit her lip, stuck in her place.

"Hi!"

She nodded her hello.

"Thanks for letting me sit with you today."

Another silent nod.

Freya, quickly realizing that Gwenn wasn't talkative, started walking away. But just as Gwenn took a step, Freya spun around.

"By the way, Central Park is beautiful this time of year."

"Thanks," Gwenn continued on her way back home, stopped all of the sudden as the comment sunk in. Why not go to the park? The place was so big she wouldn't have to talk to anyone and could just hang out with the animals. She spun on her heels, a smile on her face now. Central Park, here I come.

The park was really beautiful. Gwenn had always been one for nature, and the park was just the place. Vibrantly colored birds sang and chattered in the treetops, fluttering around looking for food and whatnot. Gwenn inhaled fresh air - well as fresh as Manhatten air could get. There was a gentle breeze that blew her hair back, broadening her smile. All her worries were forgotten at the moment, as people laughed and animals jumped around and the green grass underneath her feet shivered in the breeze. After a long walk, she ended up in a bushel of trees and bushes, hidden from the rest of the park. 

She hummed a gentle tune as she studied the leaves and their interesting shapes. As she was taking another deep breath, it was suddenly cut short the moment everything around her started swirling. She clapped her hands over her ears, squeezing her eyes shut. A strong wind pressed against her on all sides. What in the world is happening!? Without warning, there was a loud pop and everything calmed. She opened her eyes, her whole body shaking. Did I just  . . . imagine that? Her heart jumped into her throat when she noticed the body in front of her. 

A boy in chainmail and armor, with a brilliant red cape, brown boots, and a sword lay on the ground in front of her. She was standing to bolt until a strange feeling surprised her with its presence. For some reason, she suddenly felt very curious, so much so - in fact - that she crouched beside him, peering over his face. He had fair skin and wavy dark hair that covered almost half of his forehead. He reminded her of some kind of person she'd seen in an old painting. As she studied him, she realized it'd taken her way too long to notice the little cuts and bruises that decorated him. 

He needs help, She whipped her phone out and - with a shaky hand - hailed an ambulance.

Even though she hadn't technically even met him, she knew this teenaged knight had changed her life forever.