Hidden Colors

Mariza pulled the purple contact lens from her finger and slipped it over her black eye. The reflection in the puddle showed a stranger with dull brown hair and ordinary purple eyes. She tucked her sword deeper under her brown cloak.

"Good morning, Mariza!" called Mrs. Chen from her bakery doorway. "You're up early today."

"Just heading to the market," Mariza replied, keeping her voice steady. The sweet smell of fresh bread made her stomach growl, but she couldn't stop.

Three days. It had been three days since the shadow soldiers took her friends. Shadow, Amber, Fire, and El were somewhere dark and dangerous while she walked free through the village streets.

A group of shadow soldiers marched past, their armor clanking against the morning quiet. Mariza pressed herself against the bakery wall and held her breath. One soldier's helmet turned toward her, scanning.

"Just a village girl," he muttered to his companion.

After they passed, Mariza's hand found the hidden hilt of her sword. Tonight, she would begin her search.

The Tinker's Warning

That evening, Mariza slipped through the village market. Empty stalls stood like wooden skeletons in the moonlight. She pulled her cloak tighter and stepped into the shadows between the cheese vendor's cart and the spice merchant's table.

"Lost, little one?" a creaky voice asked.

Mariza spun around. An elderly woman sat on a wooden crate, her silver hair twisted into dozens of tiny braids. Bright purple ribbons wove through each braid, and her wrinkled hands held a strange device with spinning gears and tiny bells.

"I'm fine, thank you," Mariza whispered, backing away.

The woman's dark eyes sparkled. "That's not what your sword thinks."

Mariza's breath caught. Her weapon was completely hidden beneath her cloak.

"Who are you?"

"Call me Tinker." The woman's device chimed softly. "And you, water warrior, are in terrible danger."

The gears on Tinker's contraption spun faster. The bells rang out a warning just as heavy boots thundered into the market square.

"Shadow soldiers," Tinker hissed. "They've found you."