Lexy woke up to knocking at her door, she sat up and looked at the door.

 “Coming.” She got dressed and then came to the door. She opened it to see Thokath, 

“We have a flight to Dallas Texas.”

Lexy raised a suspicious brow, “Why?”

This only made Thokath smirk, “You have a competition to win.”

Lexy’s jaw dropped, “REALLY!”

Thokath nodded, “What are you waiting for, let's go.”

Lexy nodded and looked at the bow on her dresser, “Should I not grab my bow?” 

Thokath shook his head, his smirk still present, “No, just come downstairs.”

Lexy raised a brow and went downstairs with him. Her eyes widened when she saw there on a table. A competition grade recurve bow with a leather quiver filled with black and red feathered arrows all set up in an open bow case.

She smiled ear to ear and hugged Thokath, “Thank you!” Tears of excitement pricked at the corners of her eyes.

Thokath chuckled while he patted her head, “The limo is at the front, get your stuff and put it in the trunk. 

Lexy nodded and grabbed her new equipment. She opened the front doors to see the limo with its trunk open and most of all it was a beautiful day outside.

Lexy smiled hear from ear and placed her bow, arrows, glove, and quiver in. She looked over to the front doors to see Thokath walk out of the building with sunglasses on. 

The driver quickly got out of the limo and opened the back door for the two. Thokath got in silently while Lexy got in and looked to the driver, “Thank you.”

The driver nodded and closed the door. Quickly he went to the driver's door, got in, and started the limo. Lexy looked to Thokath, “So, how did you know how heavy to set the string on my bow?”

Thokath took off the sunglasses his ruby gaze set on her, “The weight was listed on the trophies.”

Lexy blinked, “Oh, I forgot that and Thokath I really appreciate this.”

Thokath nodded, “Of course.” his smile wavered, “By the way, the painting you saw in the storage room. It was of your mom and your dad. A lot of the family sends original paintings of the deceased to the family mansion.”

Lexy raised a brow, “How did you know I saw that painting? Also how did you know it was my dad?”

Thokath shrugged, “I was there at the family reunion after they got married. It was painted then. We have not hosted many family reunions in a while.”

Lexy raised a brow, “Why?”

Thokath sighed, “Well, let's just say when your dad died it affected a lot of people.”

Lexy nodded and looked out the window to see they had reached the airport. She watched while they pulled into the drop off. The limo parked and the driver rushed out to open the door. Thokath was the first to get out then Lexy. 

She went to the back of the limo and the trunk popped open. She took out her bow case and now she felt ecstatic to see an airport. The two went into the building and went through the procedure of getting to their flight. Till finally reaching the plane.

Lexy and Thokath took their seats. She tightened her grip on the arm of her chair when she heard the engines of the plane rev. She felt it take off and she let the breath she was holding out. 

The flight wasn’t long, nothing important besides Lexy occasionally watching people stare at Thokath’s hair. 

The plane eventually landed, Thokath and Lexy got off the plane. Lexy grabbed her luggage and got to the drop off of the airport with Thokath to see another limo waiting for them. Lexy looked to Thokath, “You brought your limo with you?”

Thokath shook his head with a smile of amusement, “No, it’s just another limo that looks exactly the same. There's a difference.”

Lexy raised a brow, “Right.” 

The two got to the limo and the driver came to the trunk and popped it. The driver then opened the passenger seat for the two. Thokath got in silently while Lexy looked at them and was about to thank them when they spoke before she could, “No need to thank me again miss” He paused and Lexy could swear his eyes changed to slits for a second, “It’s just my job.” 

Lexy felt a shudder go down her spine and nodded, “Got it.”

She got into the car and the door closed. Thokath looked to the driver through the open window, “To 2041 South Walton Walker Blvd Dallas, TX 75211.”

The driver nodded, “Yes sir.”

Lexy felt the limo go and watched through the window with excitement when she looked at the buildings passing by. Till finally, they reached a large stadium with a huge parking lot. The parking lot was practically filled to the brim. Lexy raised a brow, “I've seen people this excited for a concert. Never this many for an archery competition.”

There were people walking around to those just lounging near cars. The limo parked and Thokath looked outside of the vehicle. He narrowed his eyes and put on his sunglasses, “Lovely.”

Lexy was the first person to get out and she shuddered when the whole parking lot fell silent. People froze and set their gaze on her even if they were over ten cars away. Interest was keen in their haunting orange eyes. Lexy’s spine went cold, she was about to go back into the limo when Thokath opened his door.

Thokath got out of the limo and their eyes widened. Those who were close gave out cries of distress and began to run. Until they got to a certain distance as if they couldn't stand to be too close.

Lexy raised a brow, “What the heck?”

Thokath put a hand on her shoulder, “Come on, head in the game. It’s competition time.”

Lexy nodded, “Got it!”

She went to the trunk and popped it, she pulled out her bow case. The two walked to the front of the stadium where other archers were checking in. Lexy noted how none of these people had haunting orange eyes. She looked to Thokath who seemed to have his gaze on them as well. But yet no one else noticed these masses of people. It was as if they weren't there for others. Lexy shrugged it off; it was best to focus on the competition.

It didn't take too long to get checked in, once Lexy entered the grassy null of the field she shook off any distractions and focused on archery. 

Thokath watched her set up at her post and adjusted her bow. The driver came over and sat next to him. Thokath looked at him, “How many.”

The driver blinked as he looked to the other side of the stadium where there were those with haunting orange eyes gazing at them. Like a hoard of beasts lurking in the dark. “I'd say at least a battalion of the apostles' forces. They knew she was going to be here. It's no wonder why she sent Lexy to you and didn't let her come here.”

Thokath nodded, “At Least there wise enough to keep their distance.”

The driver chuckled, “They probably didn't expect you or they would have sent their whole army.”

The two changed their attention back to Lexy as they watched the competition begin. Lexy let out a deep breath, she let her muscles relax as she took her stance, loaded her bow and took aim then fired. She zoned out the fact that she was in a competition. Her only focus was to rady, aim and fire.

There was no stress, just one arrow at a time. Each three arrows hit their mark. She lowered her bow to see how she did. All three looked to hit near the center. It was hard to tell from her distance.

She waited patiently till the next round, when it was time to shoot she repeated her process. Till the final round she flinched when she heard her last arrow hit. It didn't have that satisfying thunk. No, there was a crunch and a thunk. She looked at her target with wide eyes, she had heard that sound very few times. That was the sound of a carbon arrow breaking another arrow.

She could see the broken half on the grass. The bright red sticking out like a sore thumb. She’s never had this happen before. Tension filled her, what if she gets docked points for breaking an arrow like that?

Lexy shuddered, she would be fine with winning anything at this point. She hung her head low as she watched the officials tally up the points. It wasn't long in reality but it felt like an eternity.

Later, finally, they were announcing the results. First, they announced the cash prizes, then they announced the scholarships. She hadn’t heard her name yet til, “And the lucky archer who receives the grand prize scholarship. Is archer number twenty-eight. We will be sending all scholarships and cash prizes via mail.”

Lexy looked at her number and excitement filled her. It was number twenty eight! People began to leave as fast as they got there. She felt her hair go on end and looked to the other side of the stadium where there were a bunch of people watching her. They gazed at every movement and breath.

She flinched when she felt a hand land on her shoulder. Lexy looked up to see Thokath, his gaze was not on her, however. She followed his gaze to see he was staring at a woman with light green hair and a black dress. Her gaze met Lexy’s and the woman smirked.

Thokath looked to Lexy, “Let’s go. You did well.”

Lexy smiled brightly as she looked to Thokath, “Only because you brought me here.”

Thokath nodded, “And I'm glad I did. You just won a thirty-five thousand dollar scholarship.”

The woman with green hair watched them leave and clenched her fists in anger, “How the hell did that wench convince HIM of all people to look after her child!?” 

One of the men near her raised their hands in defense, “We don't know! Our intel was solid! It was supposed to be the child and her mother not.”  He paused and shuddered, “Not him.”

She huffed, “Well then if he’s looking after the child. We need to rethink EVERYTHING.”

The man nodded, “Yes, Elvira.”

****

Lexy noticed how once they left the stadium and went to the airport there were none of those people with orange eyes. She isn't sure if that's good or bad. The trip back was relaxing, more people stared at Thokath’s hair on the flight. She doesn't blame them, it’s eye-catching.

On the drive to the mansion, she fell asleep. She vaguely remembers Thokath saying something. But that was it.