"Do you read minds?" I almost screamed.
"The ones I want," she replied and winked at me.
I was ashamed, thinking about what else she had seen. You don’t want to think that your brain is full of silly thoughts or nonsense, — or worse, bad thoughts — but you certainly don’t want a stranger to come in and take a look.
“I'm really sorry. I didn’t know John was taken, "she said with a small, provocative smile, but it sounded true.
"He not…” I began.
"Thank you, Maena," John interrupted. "Just don’t do it again.”
“I won’t.”
"Great," John was serious.
"So, since when is this happening?" Maena said, pointing at both of us. "The last time I was here, you were single." She smiled. "By choice, I'm sure."
She seemed genuinely interested. And I didn’t know what to say. No one had asked about it.
"Oh, John's been in love with Liz for a long time," Isys said cheerfully.
“Isys!” John scolded her with an ugly face.
Maena smiled at John. I couldn’t help it, I was worried about being near her, wondering if she was inside my head.
"You really like her," Maena said, looking serious at John.
"Okay, can we talk without getting into anyone's head?" I asked with a forced smile.
I didn’t want to talk about it in front of anyone, and I realized that John wasn’t much of a fan either. She turned to me still, serious, and lingered for a few seconds, — and frankly, it was already starting to scare me — but soon started smiling again, nodding slowly. I still felt a little sick for the whole scene, but I tried to start a conversation.
"So, Maena, why haven’t I seen you around?"
"I was out of Heaven Valley for a few months," she replied, and seemed to forget the other matter altogether. “I was traveling.”
“That’s really cool. Have you been able to visit many places?” I tried to sound sincere.
“Yes. France, England, Spain, Brazil, among others from previous trips. Do you travel a lot?”
"No. Actually, I never left Heaven Valley.”
“That sucks. Everyone should have a good trip at least once in their life.”
"Yes. And it's ironic, since I'm not even from this world.”
She laughed. I realized I wasn’t angry at her, or at John's, but at me. Anger that despite everything that happened, I still felt something as stingy as jealousy. But if you want the good parts, you also have to accept all the bad parts. I sighed, accepting internally that it was a low price to pay, and John made me happy. And at this point in my life when so much was uncertain, I needed to be happy. I looked at him, who was still flushed, looking embarrassed and angry at the same time.
I reached out, putting an arm around his waist and leaning my head on him. I felt him sigh, letting the tension slip from his shoulders. He was clearly relieved. I smiled.
"And you're right about Eimée. I've known for centuries," Maena said, smiling.
I smiled back at her, then at John. He frowned at both of us.
"I know," I said with a genuine smile. "John is the only one who doesn’t notice.”
We spent a lot of time there, talking and getting to know each other. Maena told stories of her travels, and we all listened carefully. Zal showed up some time later and I realized that Maena's crazy stories cheered him. Some time after being in the same position, standing, I started to feel pain again. My ribs gave up and asked for a break.
"Liz, you should go take your medicine," John said, realizing that I was moving uncomfortably. I nodded and said goodbye to the girls and Zal. When I started walking, John stopped in front of me. He looked afflicted.
"Liz, I..." he started, almost in a whisper.
"You have lipstick on your lips," I interrupted him.
I took a step to the side and left the hall, going to his room quickly. I just wanted to lie down and take medicine for the pain. As soon as I entered the room, I heard the door opening and he entered as well. I went straight to the pills John brought in yesterday. I sat up in bed, sighing. John sat next to me, looking anxiously at me.
“Liz, I'm so sorry. I didn’t know she was going to do that.”
“John, I know. I'm not angry,” I said, smiling.
“You’re not? So why did you storm out like that?”
“Your worried face was funny. I thought you deserved from all the scares you gave me.”
He was now gaping, staring at me.
"You made me think you were angry because you thought my face was funny?"
"Exactly," I said, not hiding a laugh.
John couldn’t be serious and laughed too. He took my hand.
"Are you sure you're not angry?"
"Well, I wasn’t happy to see it, but it wasn’t your fault.”
“I’m sorry.”
"Actually, I was angry with myself. For feeling jealous.”
John grinned and his eyebrows arched in an expression of pure astonishment.
"And you think I'm not jealous of Liam? Or any other asshole who stares for too long?”
For some reason, that made me feel better. Knowing that I wasn’t alone made the feeling slightly less unpleasant. I smiled back and hugged him tightly.
"I'm sorry," I said.
“You don’t have to apologize. I do. If it was me I would have punched someone.”
I laughed and kissed his neck.
My first day at the hotel passed slowly. The looks followed me wherever I went. At lunchtime, most people ate in the large dining room, which now had small tables glued together, making one. John, I and Isys went to eat in one of the leisure areas, sitting on the loungers. While I ate I took the opportunity to call Grandma. She was having fun with her friend, which made me happy. It even made me forget the disturbing image of the nightmare.
I soon found out what people were saying about my attack.
"That's not right," I said, still sitting on the lounger when Isys told me. "I'm not special, it was just luck. Lucky that John showed up at the right time.”
"But they desperately need something good to hold on to," John said. "You're the perfect person for that.”
"And I know you must’ve fought, Liz. You wouldn’t have survived if you hadn’t, "Isys said.
“But...”
"And you really were the only one who was attacked by the hunter and lived to tell the story. It doesn’t matter if you think you were lucky, "John said, making it clear what he thought of it.
I nodded, but still didn’t agree. I spent the rest of the day talking to as many people as I could; John scolding them with every question or insinuation about the attack. When it was late, we went upstairs to the bedroom. I went into the bathroom to change there. I didn’t want to make John uncomfortable again. I washed my face and brushed my teeth quickly. John was taking off his jacket when I left the bathroom. I thought about finally talking to him about a subject that was in my head all day.
“John...”
“Yes?” He asked, taking off his shirt and throwing it on the bed.
Slowly I stopped talking, automatically lowering my eyes. It was physically impossible not to do that. His muscles were defined, both in the arms and abdomen. The outline of each muscle was visible.
“Liz?” He asked, looking at me with a frown.
“Hmm?” I said, looking back at his face.
"You were going to say something," he said, smiling, ignoring my little fit.
"Yes," I said, beginning to blush with embarrassment. “I want to learn how to fight.”
“What?”
John soon stopped what he was doing, coming to sit next to me.
"I want Zal or anyone who really knows how to fight to teach me. I know you say you're here to keep me safe but John, I don’t want to feel useless anymore.”
"Please, you're not useless, Liz.
"But that's exactly how I feel." I took his hand. "If I have to defend myself again, whether I'm a Chosen One or not, I'd lik
e to be more prepared. I want to feel that I can defend myself, without needing anyone. Or luck.”
"Liz, you can get hurt. Seriously.”
“More than I already am?”
John delayed, pacing the room — quietly, frowning, then thoughtful — but ended up agreeing.
"I can train you. All the Chosen Ones are well trained. They begin to train as soon as they gain the powers.”’
"No. I want it to be Zal. Or Isys, or, God help me, Maena.”
"And why not me?" He looked hurt.
"Because I know you'd take it easy on me,” I said, smiling, and he didn’t bother denying, because he knew it was true. "I don’t want special treatment."
"Zal can hurt you. He's too strong. Isys...”
"I'm sure he has enough self-control not to hurt me. Don’t worry.”
“Fine. If that's what you want. But I will be with you at all times.”
"I didn’t expect anything less."
"And you're only going to start training when your wounds heal."
"All right," I said, smiling and kissing his lips.
"I'll talk to Zal tomorrow," he said.
John got up, took a towel, and went to the bathroom. I grabbed myphone and called Emma,telling her I wouldn’t be home, and that she should call my cell phone. As expected, her curiosity was still excessive, but I managed to mislead her using the same excuse of a rat infestation. I got the feeling she didn’t believe me. As soon as I hung up, John got out of the shower. His hair was wet and he was wearing only a towel. I tried not to look as blatantly as before.
"I’ll leave so you can get dressed," I said, putting my feet up off the bed.
"You don’t have to. I'll change in the bathroom.”
"I'm not going to make you change into the bathroom in your own room."
I was standing with my hand on the doorknob.
"You change in the bathroom." He was standing there, smiling, his hands on his hips.
"Yes, but is your room. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable again.”
"Uncomfortable?"
John had one of those charming smiles on his face, beginning to walk up to me. The drops of water dripped from his hair to his waist. He put his wet hair back with one hand.
"Sometimes you look weird, looking uncomfortable.”
He smiled, approaching me. I felt my face warm.
"I turn my face so you don’t get uncomfortable. I don’t want to be a bad host.”
It never occurred to me that he was just being polite. I smiled at him as he grabbed my waist.
"Why should I be?" I asked, swallowing hard. "It's just skin, no big deal.”
"Good to know," he whispered in my ear.
He pulled me close and kissed me. I ran my hands over his wet, bare back. John set me against the door, holding me by the waist. His lips were urgent against mine and I felt his warm tongue in my mouth. He kissed my jaw, slowly coming down to my neck. I felt my whole body warm and I started to push him away.
"I'll wait outside," I said, panting and trying to balance myself.
“I thought it was just skin.” He smiled, also panting.
"Very funny," I said.
I left, closed the door behind me, and leaned against it. I was hoping no one would show up in the hallway, since I was just wearing a white shirt that went up just above my knees. The hallway had lights on every door, so you could see if anyone was approaching. I heard a door open and I looked both ways. I didn’t see anyone. I heard another noise and looked again, this time seeing only a head out of a door at the end of the corridor of John's room.
When they saw me, they entered the room quickly. I started to walk to the door, which was now closed. It was the last room in the hall. I paused at the door, my hand on the air, deciding whether to knock. I concluded that it was crazy, that the person wasn’t even looking at me and started back to John's room. I paused again, and on an impulse of curiosity, I returned and knocked on the door. Only silence.
I knocked on the door again.
“Hello?” I asked.
Still nothing. I put my hand on the doorknob and turned it slowly. Except for the moonlight streaming through the window, the room was completely dark. I focused on the window, which had a heap beneath it. I quickly realized that it was a person, sitting with their hands on their knees. I walked slowly.
“Are you alright?”
The person kept their head on their knees, swinging slowly back and forth. I started thinking about going back, but now I just wanted to know if the person was okay.
“Are you hurt? Do you need help?”
She lifted her head and stared into my eyes. It was a girl, who should be pretty behind the dark circles and wild hair. Her hair was brown and had huge curls. Her blue eyes seemed too large for her thin face.
"Elizabeth," she said in her hoarse voice.
“Yes. But you can call me Liz, "I said, smiling and sitting on the floor next to her. “Are you alright?”
“I saw you. I saw you hurt.”
“Runne?”
It could only be the Chosen One John was talking about. It certainly matched the description of a person who barely leaves the room.
“It’s you. Elizabeth.”
"Yes," I said, smiling. "Thank you for telling John that I was in danger. He saved my life because of you.”
“He likes you.”
“John?” I asked with a silly grin on my face.
“The one that kills people. He likes you.”
I felt a heavy weight in my stomach. She could only be talking about one person. And though she was beside herself, she seemed to know what she was talking about.
"Well, he tried to kill me. People who like us don’t usually do that,” I tried to keep a calm tone. "And how do you know?"
"I saw you," she pointed at me slowly.
"Yes," I said, sighing.
I realized that I wouldn’t get anything else out of her. Unless it was luck. She really needed to sleep.
"Come on, I'll put you to bed."
I stood up and reached out for her, and she gripped her reluctantly. She stood and stared at me. She looked weak, as if she hadn’t eaten or slept in days.
"Come on," I said, pointing to the bed.
"No, not the bed.”
"Why not?"
"Bad things happen there.”
"You mean your visions?"
She nodded.
"You don’t need to sleep. You just have to get off the ground. Is cold here.”
I put her on the bed, sitting next to her. She looked frightened. I stared at her, wondering how it must be. See things that don’t belong to your mind. Scary things. Things that literally can mean life or death. She certainly wasn’t doing well.
“There you go. I'll leave you alone.”
"He'll be afraid of you someday. You’ll be powerful.”
I looked at her, now wondering if her fragile mind could be trusted.
“What does that mean?” I asked.
"He didn’t want to kill you."
"Do you know who he is?"
I thought about asking the most obvious question, even though it was a shot in the dark.
“I never saw him. Sometimes I feel things, other times I hear voices. Like someone’s talking in my ear.”
"Did you see anything else that might help us?"
"I like you, Elizabeth.”
She changed her expression quickly. I wasn’t going to ask anything anymore. Clearly it made her agitated.
"I like you too, Runne," I said, smiling. “I’m going to leave now.”
"But I don’t want to sleep."
“It's all right.”
I thought about what I could do to help her — besides a sleeping pill.
"Runne, what do you like to do?"
“I don’t understand.”
"John told me you spend most of your time here. You must have a hobby, or you couldn’t stand to be locked up here all day.”
“I like painting. I d
on’t see things in my head when I'm painting, "she said, putting a crooked smile on her face.
"Good," I said, happy that I was being able to calm her down. "And what do you like to paint?"
"Torim once described the Guard Tower in Pacem. They say it's the tallest tower in our world. Trees grow along with it, but none are so tall.”
"That sounds incredible. Would you rather be really there or be painting it?”
“Painting.”
Runne was involved in the conversation, becoming calmer. I smiled and nodded, encouraging her to talk more.
"Then imagine yourself in front of a large blank wall. You have all the paint you want. You just have to paint. Imagine the brush sliding, the sound it makes when leaving the paint on the wall.”
She let out a thin laugh. Now her eyes were closed. Her hands wandered through the air, holding an invisible brush.
"The horizon is orange, the sun is setting. It's beautiful, Elizabeth.”
"I know," I said, smiling.
Suddenly I heard heavy footsteps down the aisle from all sides.
“Liz!” I heard the voice call me.
I didn’t have to leave the room to know who it was. I heard John calling me again, sounding desperate. I looked at Runne; she was still painting in the air with a smile on her face. I wrapped her in a sheet and got up slowly so as not to disturb her. I walked as quietly as I could to the door, closing it as I passed.
John was almost near the stairs, at the beginning of the hall. He still had no shirt, but he wore cotton pants. He had a hand on the back of his neck, moving it non-stop. He walked to the top of the stairs, looked down, and called me again.
“John!”
He turned to me, an expression of fear on his face. I started to walk to him, and John did the same, but soon disappeared and reappeared in front of me, making me stop quickly.
"Liz, don’t do that anymore," he said in a hard tone. "I thought something had happened to you."
“I’m fine.”
He was breathless, holding my face intensely.
“Nothing happened. I was with Runne.”
"When I opened the door and you weren’t there, it was like you were lying on the floor, bleeding, all over again.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to worry you.”
He hugged me tightly, running his hands through my hair. I looked into his eyes, that still looked frightened.
The Chosen Ones: Red Smoke Page 12
