“At last, you’ve joined me.” His voice was delicate and soft, but he didn’t turn. I was silent. “Mia.” He called, and I followed his voice. “There is something about you… your scent… or maybe just how your eyes tell stories, it scares me sometimes to know how well we can connect… I have been waiting for you...” He turned as I reached him, we faced each other. His eyes were the emerald green that I loved, and his face was flawlessly perfect.
Why have you been waiting for me?” It was a whisper too low for anyone to hear but of course he could hear me.
“I don’t know. Do you know why you’re here?” He smiled.
His cocky smile.
I blinked a few times trying to put it all together. I don’t. It’s nice though... did you do this?” I still stood facing him, he didn’t answer. Instead he held a hand out to me and bowed as I took it.
“May I?” He asked. Suddenly I heard music, slightly turned up. It was a melody that I had never heard before. We started dancing slow. I had my hand on his shoulder, while he held the other one. I felt a strong shock of something, thru me. It was powerful, I couldn’t resist it and Robert leaned into me feeling it too. But before I got overexcited, he gave me a quick kiss on my right cheek, and my stomach sank. I felt empty, but whole all at once.
“Why does it have to be like this?” I asked looking into the dim lit sky.
The music stopped and he gave me a hug, like a friend would.
“Things can only be like this. But you need to know that you’re in danger at the Dark Night Institute, not just you, the whole school is. I don’t know anything, just that some rebels are out to take down the King and Queen. They know they will soon arrive, and they’re waiting. I want you to be careful, because I’m not there to take care of you like I promised but I’m here to let you know. We can’t make any other kind of contact, and when you wake up you will still think this was just a dream but don’t be fooled.. Follow your instincts.” It was the strangest dream that I had ever had, It almost seemed real and his warning… I was confused.
I wanted to stay there with him for some unknown reason but I knew I couldn’t. “Why can’t you come back? You know what’s happening and…” I couldn’t tell him, that in a very bizarre way I missed him, “and your little sister what about her? You can’t just leave her. You should take care of her more than anyone else.” I pushed trying to make my point knowing that it probably wouldn’t work.
He smiled sadly. “Yes. I have warned her already, she’s strong. Delilah can take care of herself. You however are not experienced enough for this… you may break you down that’s why I had to meet with you. But to my surprise it seems like you have been doing a lot better since I left, that’s why I can’t come back right now, Mia. Close to when the time comes…” He started to whisper, he stepped closer and closer, he was only an inch away. “I’ll protect you… I’ll always protect you… my lady….” Before his lips could touch mine, he disappeared.
I woke up. The room was dark and it took a minute for my eyes to adjust to it. I glanced at Mereily’s clock on the wall and it was nine-thirty. I looked around the room and apparently I was alone. I found a note on the bed that said:
“Sorry, didn’t want to wake you. It’s okay to come out now. We’ll meet you in the lobby at ten.” - Mereily
I went to my room and changed clothes, I was too anxious to take my time, taking a shower. I wore regular jeans and a maroon blouse. I combed my hair and brushed my teeth and then headed downstairs.
It was only nine forty-six. I searched for my cell phone in my purse and couldn’t find it to call my friends. The lobby was empty. I took a moment to look around the hall, what Jack and Payton had said were bloody red walls appeared to now be navy blue. I wondered if their imagination made them see things that weren’t there. But then I remembered the strange dream I had. How I talked to Robert and he warned me about the school being in danger.
I ran quickly to the auditorium hoping to find the whole school in an assembly or meeting, but found nothing. I sat in the back row. It wasn’t completely dark, because of the stage light. To a normal person it would have given goose bumps. I thought about my friends lives and how little I’ve been here. I wasn’t prepared to lose it. Not after everything I had lost in my life, I had lost my parents, then my life in London, after that my hideaway with the small group of people who I shared my life with for five months now the school that finally seemed like a home to me, because I was a city away from my hometown. Tears began to well up in my eyes as I thought about each thoroughly and I glared at the stage. There was no one I could take out my frustration on or tell my problems to, it was me and the loneliness, emptiness. Of course I had my friends, but I believed they wouldn’t understand, not only was I ruining their lives but putting more stress into them as I did to my own.
Finally I thought that I could speak with Illyanne about the school being in danger as well as the King and Queen. Let her figure out what to do, and as for the safety of myself I would train harder and harder, to prepare myself for whatever I was going to face. Robert was not here to protect me anymore, no one would. Jack was my boyfriend and even he wasn’t close to finishing his training. It was up to me to come up with a plan, I was on it.
Just then a shadow out of the darkness appeared a few rows from where I sat. A man, I couldn’t make out who it was, but he was walking in my direction. I pretended to ignore him, and when he reached me he paused and sat beside me.
“Hello.” He said. I couldn’t see his face clearly, but I could tell he was charming. I had a strange good feeling. He wore sunglasses and a complete black outfit, with a hoodie over his head. He wasn’t old, about my age. “I didn’t mean to interrupt but, I saw you thinking here, all by yourself… is there something wrong?” He had a British accent. Still, his voice was sweet and I smiled like an idiot.
“No. I just needed a moment alone. Away, you know?” I pulled some hair behind my ear to get a better view of him.
Nodding he said: “ I know.” He smiled, showing his white teeth.
“Who are you? I’ve never seen you before…” I had to ask, I would have remembered him if I had seen him.
“I have some business I have to attend to. I am not a student if that’s what you mean. I just like the dark.” He looked at the stage and I studied him.
Weird I thought, “Do you have a name?”
He didn’t answer right away, he turned to look at me but I couldn’t see his eyes because of the sunglasses. “I go by.. Blake. Not my name, but I was always called that.” He thought for a moment. He had his arms crossed across his chest, he slouched on the seat and tilted his head to the ceiling, smiling. “I like to hang out here. It is peaceful when there aren't others around.” He said and turned to gaze at me.
“Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to take over… I’ll leave right now.” I got up gathering my purse and turned. But Blake was standing in front of me within a second.
He was tall. “Don’t go. I like company, don’t get company very often.” He walked around me to sit back down as I followed him. I didn’t sit right away when I looked at him and noticed something very interesting.
I looked him over trying to figure him out, then I just blurted: “You’re not the guy that broke into the school last night are you?” God I hoped not.
He laughed and then recovered. “No. I was not here when that occurred, or believe me I would have caught that person.” His tone changed to a more upset one.
“I didn’t mean to upset you.” I sat down. “It’s just that…” I didn’t know if I could confide in a stranger but for an odd reason that I couldn’t explain it felt like I could talk to a person who didn’t know me. Perhaps he would understand. “I know why they broke in. That’s why I’m in here, thinking to come up with a plan to keep the school safe.” I blurted out.
“You need help. You can’t do it all by yourself.” He straightened up.
“Why did they break in?” He asked curiously.
&
nbsp; “To kill the King and Queen Stuart,” I honestly told him.
“Where did you get this information?” He asked very seriously. That’s when I thought quickly. I couldn’t tell him who or how I was told because then I would sound like a complete loony. Instead I ignored his question.
“That’s not important. What is… is that I need a plan. Fast, before they try to attack us, like they did at Knightdale.” Okay maybe I shouldn’t have said that, but too late. I ignored the look he was giving me.
“Why don’t you tell Illyanne. I’m sure she could help.” He suggested and leaned back on his seat.
I released a breath of frustration. If only it was that easy I thought. “I am. But she probably already knows, more than I do anyway. If she does then what else can I tell her? Nothing, I need to have my own back up plans. I’m going to train harder and learn about the enemies. I need to find out what I’m dealing with here.” I was going to hyperventilate if I didn’t relax for a minute. I lay back on the chair and took a deep breath.
He looked me over again and shook his head. “It’s going to be fine, you’ll see.” He slightly smiled, from what I could see.
“I hope so.” I paused for a second. “So… Are you going to be around?” It was kind of funny the fact that here I was telling a stranger, a guy, things I wouldn’t even tell my close friends. Yet somehow that was the comforting part knowing that I could leave them out of this for their own good and having someone to talk to that wasn’t necessarily involved in this situation.
He looked around. “Here. I like the dark, it’s nice sometimes. I am not staying long, and now that you discovered me… it is going to be hard for me__”
“I’m not going to tell anyone, if that’s what you’re afraid of. If you’re allowed to be here, then it’s none of my business.”
“Really?” He asked and I nodded. “I suppose I could trust you. No one is to know I was here, but if you say you won’t say a word then I believe you.”
He stood up and stretched.
“Blake, do you mind if I see you again? I mean I don’t want to invade your personal space but sometimes I like to have company and for some odd reason I feel like I can trust you.” I admitted to him. He stared at me for a long moment. I guessed he didn’t take his sunglasses off for anything.
“Of course, I know what you mean.” He smiled crookedly.
“Do you always wear those?” I pointed at his glasses.
He looked up at the ceiling. “Um.. Yes.” He simply said. He turned to leave as I stood up.
I didn’t really know what to say but: “It was nice talking to you, see ya.” I said leaving the auditorium, when I glanced back, it was empty.
As I made my way back to the lobby I thought about the weird encounter I had with Blake. I thought about the conversation I had with him and Robert and that one thing that they both had said was what the three of us agreed on. I had to talk to Illyanne.
“Mia!” Mereily out of nowhere called me and I jumped.
“Hey.”
“We’ve been waiting for you.” I glanced behind her and saw the rest of my friends walking towards us.
Not good I thought.“ I’ve been looking for you.” I lied. She stared at me.
She knew something was up but didn’t question me. Either because she thought I didn’t want anyone to know, or because she didn’t think it was something to make a big deal out of. “Huh... We had lunch outside, you missed everything.” She said.
“I’m not hungry anyway.” I really wasn’t the thought of breakfast made my stomach twist. Ugh.
“That’s not what we mean.” Delilah said while she held hands with Payton. Jack gave me a quick hug and stood by my side.
“What do you mean?” I asked, studying each of their faces.
Jack was the one that spoke up. “Goddess Illyanne told us that our school was going to be surrounded by guards, gods and goddesses by tonight. The King and Queen have delayed their flight here until they catch whoever is trying to hurt us. It was just paint that was on the walls last night, not blood they already painted over it, that’s why there wasn’t anything this morning. That’s all we know.” This was not good.
CHAPTER 17
A few days passed, and nothing had happened since the incident. The campus was crawling with creepy guards. Our Gods and Goddesses followed the students around like we were their puppets, it was irritating. Finally, Illyanne announced that we were safe enough to not need the escorts. Today, we didn’t have classes but we were having the elections. Anna and I had been talking more, and more. Basically we were friends, though she would kill me if I said it out loud.
We were having a group discussion, “What are you wearing?” Delilah asked. For once, the guys didn’t join us. It was just me, Delilah, Mereily, Anna, and Sophie.
“Something formal…” Mereily suggested.
“No,” she paused, “how about black?” Anna said flatly.
Sophie rolled her eyes. “Always black with you….” Sophie murmured and Anna giggled. “It’s like you’re in mourning.” Anna didn’t even smile at that instead she ignored it.
“Seriously? How about we wear our school uniform, the nicest one we have.” Mereily said, as she looked through a Seventeen magazine, then threw it on the bed.
“That makes sense. It is a school election.” Delilah agreed. She was looking through a Cosmopolitan magazine. While, Mereily and Sophie searched their closets. Anna and I were doing some homework.
“So? We all agree?” I asked. They all replied with a, “Yeah” and nods.
… It was Thursday in the mid sixty‘s. Sort of breezy and it felt nice. The election was held outside this time. I was standing in a line by Delilah, Mereily, Anna, Genevieve, Payton, Marcus, Jack, and Jordan. Abi spoke while I looked around at the garden filled with students.
“The student who will represent our school is..” She was about to say who won the election, when her face went blank. Students broke the silence and started to get restless because Abi was not speaking. She only stared at the piece of paper that she held in her hand. Her eyes were wide and her face, paler than ever. Payton, who was standing closest to her asked her what was wrong. When she didn’t respond, he took the paper from her hand and looked at it himself. His face was just like hers, I didn’t know what was going on, but I was going to find out.
I walked over to them, while the students started talking to one another, and some Elders were walking towards us. “What happened?” I asked. The rest of my opponents surrounded Abi, Payton and me. Payton handed me the card slowly. It was not what I expected to see.
I was holding a picture of two people standing side by side. Both had their faces scribbled with what looked like a red sharpie marker. I could tell one of them was a women and the other a man. The woman was wearing a long navy blue dress. One hand was on her side while the other was around the man’s waist. Her skin was as white as snow. I could also see her long dark brown hair that was straight down her right side. The man had one hand around her shoulders holding her close to him. He wore a tuxedo that was all black. His skin was also pale snow white. At the bottom of the picture in the same red sharpie there was a word written in capital letters: KILL.
I looked around the others, and decided not to show the picture to anyone else but Illyanne. Everyone that was standing around me was trying to get to me so they could see the card I held close to me. I spotted Illyanne walking towards me and I sprinted to her.
I warned her. “This is not pretty.” I slowly gave her the card that had the picture. Her face was expressionless, she was in shock just like Abi, and Payton had been. After a few seconds she looked at me and then the picture.
“Did anyone else see it?” She asked upset.
“No. I didn’t want them to.”
“Good.” She whispered as we heard the audience of students grow even more restless and conversations that were loud enough for me to hear. All speculating what this was about: “…it’s probably a nude picture
of Gene or something…“. My friends were only a few feet away when Illyanne signaled them to stop where they were. Past her, in the back wall, I saw a person dressed completely in black with a hoodie over and sunglasses on. It was Blake.
“It’s the King and Queen, isn’t it?” I asked knowing the answer.
“Yes…” Was all she said and she folded the picture in half and held on to it, then dismissed me. I walked back to my friends who were asking me questions that I ignored until Illyanne spoke, “Students can I have your attention please.” She waited until everyone quieted down, “the election will continue and I will announce the winner in five minutes.” She said walking towards Abi. Abi’s face color returned but she still looked like she saw a ghost. I was shocked and surprised just like she was, but what I wanted to know was who would do it and why? I glanced back at the wall, seeing nothing. Blake wasn’t standing there anymore.
Delilah interrupted my thoughts. “Mia, what happened?”
“Uh... It was just a sick joke. Trust me it’s better if you don’t know.” She didn’t bother me. Neither did the rest of my friends. Genevieve was talking to Payton and she was in tears. Apparently he had told her who was in the picture, her parents. Mereily was calming her down as I was talking to Jack who I was paying no attention to.
Then out of nowhere Genevieve was trying to attack me. She came at me from behind, luckily Jack moved me before she could touch me and he stood in between us.
“What the hell is the matter with you!?!” I yelled at her. Her eyes filled with rage and tears still streaming down her face. Mereily was trying to pull her away, while everyone else stared in confusion at Genevieve’s reaction.
“You Bitch! You had no right to take that picture! They’re my parents, not yours!” She yelled through tears.
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