Chapter Nineteen
After the lesson, Tara and I head to lunch. About halfway through the meal, a younger girl, whose name is Sarah, bursts into the cafeteria, panting and weeping. She’s trying to catch her breath, and we all just stare at her. The front of her shirt is splattered with blood, and I know before she speaks what she’s going to say.
Slowly, she straightens, and screams. “Ashley Gamble is dead!”
The uproar is instantaneous. Girls start screaming along with her, and some of the boys are scooting closer to their girlfriends, hoping to comfort and keep them safe. Everyone looks panicked and afraid though, and I don’t blame them. One of their friends and fellow resident is going around killing people, and nobody has any way to know who’s next and who’s safe.
“Check her mind,” I whisper.
Tara nods. “I’m already on it.”
Jillian and Carlos rush into the dining hall, and I’m sure Jillian’s face pales when she sees Sarah’s bloody clothing. She looks directly at me, and I can feel Tara shaking her head.
Sarah’s innocent.
Jillian hugs Sarah tightly and addresses the others in the room. “Fledglings, starting right now, I’m declaring a mandatory lockdown. You are to return to your rooms and stay there until further notice.”
Everyone jumps from their seats and races for the door. Carlos pulls Jillian and Sarah to the side to avoid getting trampled. When he releases her, she smiles warmly at him, and I get a painful feeling in my stomach. Suddenly, I’m not thinking about killers or victims; I’m thinking of Kaven, wishing that he and I could look at each other that way, with unabashed love and adoration.
Tara nudges me. “Come on, let’s go.”
We get up and walk over to where Jillian and Carlos are still consoling a sobbing Sarah. She sees us coming, gives a startled gasp, and hurls herself out the door without so much as another glance at Jillian or Carlos. They stare after her, obviously concerned.
“Don’t worry about her; she probably just thinks I’m going to murder her here in front of you guys.”
Jillian sighs. “You still don’t have anything?”
I shake my head. “Tara searched the minds of everyone that went to the funeral service. She tried again at breakfast, too. Sarah’s innocent though, so at least we narrowed it down a little,” I say bitterly. “Only two hundred more people to go.”
Tara elbows me. “Don’t give up yet. We’ll find him, alright?”
I look at Carlos. “What happened to Ashley Gamble?”
He rubs his face tiredly. “We think she was alone in the library when the killer surprised her. She didn’t even put up a fight, so we think she felt safe enough with the killer to trust them and turn her back. Then the killer reached around and slit her throat with an extremely sharp knife, and cut her chest open, probably aiming for her heart.”
It’s so the soul can be released as payment.
“Ashley Gamble was one of Tricia’s friends, wasn’t she?”
Jillian nods. “Yes, she was.”
“Girls, I think the two of you should head back to your rooms now. The Protectors will begin taking shifts patrolling the halls from now until this killer is caught. Kylie, I know you don’t want to leave Tara, but we may need you. I want you to get some rest now, and I’ll have someone wake you for watch later,” Carlos says.
I nod. “Alright, I’ll do the watch, if Tara can sleep in my room and I can patrol the third floor. I don’t trust anyone else to protect her the way I will.”
Carlos studies me for a minute, and I worry that he’s looking for a reason to refuse my demand. The minute passes, and he nods curtly. “Of course. You are Tara’s unofficial Protector; it makes sense that you would be concerned for her wellbeing, especially considering she is the only one capable of finding the killer.”
I nod, and follow Tara from the dining hall. One last look into the room shows Carlos taking Jillian into his arms and holding her protectively. Strangely, the idea of him being her Protector never crossed my mind.
“Not only those specially gifted by Selene take Protectors. Others have been known to as well. It only makes sense that Carlos would be willing to die to protect the woman he loves.”
“Tara–”
“I wasn’t eavesdropping on your thoughts, honest. I just accidentally caught one. It’s weird; I never get stray thoughts from the others. Maybe because we’re so close that I’m more accustomed to you and how you think…”
She prattles on, but I ignore her. The only things she’d get from Morgan are thoughts about heavy metal music and witchcraft. Austin probably thinks about food and how to control his bloodlust. Chloe’s thoughts are probably about the latest book she read. I wonder what Andrea’s thoughts are like. She’s the only one I don’t know well enough to speculate on…
That bugs me for some reason, but I can’t place it. When I curl up on the floor with one of Chloe’s many pillows and a thin blanket, I’m worrying that I’m missing something. Some important piece of the puzzle. My last thoughts as I drift off are about Tara’s gift.
My sleep is nightmare free, but it is not dreamless. Before my usual dreams can start, a shadow outline begins to appear and, for a minute, I worry that whoever it is means me or Tara harm. But then I realize how stupid it is to think that someone can hurt you through your dreams.
The figure finally comes into focus, and I’m left staring at the most beautiful young woman I’ve ever seen. Even Jillian isn’t as beautiful, and she looks like an actual angel come to Earth.
This mysterious beautiful woman is a couple of inches shorter than me, with luminescent blue eyes that seem to glow. Her hair is so long and dark that it billows around her beautiful heart-shaped face like a halo of shadows, and she stands straight and proud, almost like an ancient princess.
She smiles at me, and I feel myself relaxing in her presence. “Hello, my sister.”
Sister?
“You don’t recognize me? We share the same wise, powerful, loving mother. She has chosen you to act as a vessel on her behalf, and I am destined to help you along your chosen path.”
Selene has a daughter. What’s her name though?
She giggles, sounding oddly childish, instead of like a daughter of the gods. “My name is Pandia, my dearest Kylie, and I am here to help you. My mother told you to look to your dreams if you were ever in need of a friend, and here I am, with words of advice for you.”
“What words of advice?” I ask, worried that I should be bowing or something.
Pandia takes my right hand, turns it over, and gently kisses the underside of my wrist. It begins to burn, and a faint silver light shines out from under my skin. I yank my hand away from her grasp and hold it close, waiting for my flesh to start bubbling or peeling off.
As soon as it started, the burning stops, and the silver light disappears. In its place is a small silver crescent-shaped moon the size of an acorn. The sight of the silvery moon comforts me, and I feel instantly at ease.
It glows and pulses a few times, before fading abruptly, leaving me disturbed. “What the hell was that?”
Pandia smiles. “That, Kylie, is a gift from the gods. As a Protector, it should come in handy. If ever you or Tara are in danger, that silver crescent moon will appear, warning you. Use this gift well, and remember to always trust your instincts. They’ll never lead you wrong in the end.”
She fades from sight, leaving me alone in my own dreams with a wrist that still burns slightly.
Someone shakes my shoulder, and I groan and shove them away. They sigh, and I recognize it as the sound Tara makes when she’s exasperated and ready to give up. “Kylie!”
I open my eyes and find Tara watching me in the near total darkness of our room. One look at the alarm clock on Chloe’s bedside dresser tells me that it’s a little after ten o’clock at night and it’s probably time for me to get ready for my hallway patrol duties.
“I’m up, I’m up.”
“Good, because Carlos
just stopped by. He says that it’s time for you to wander the halls looking for any sign of the killer. He says that you’ll be patrolling with Kaven, since he’s the only other Protector he trusts not to try and hurt you while you’re alone together.”
What!? Carlos wants me to patrol with Kaven?
“He can’t!”
She shushes me. “Chloe’s still sleeping. Listen, he says that with what the other Protectors have done and said to you, he doesn’t want to leave you alone with them. Kaven’s the only one he trusts not to hurt you. Now go.”
I sigh, and fumble around in the dark for my sneakers. When I’m ready, I make sure to close the door as quietly as possible behind me, and almost smack into Kaven. He’s standing directly behind me, and he steadies me with his strong, warm hands.
I step away from him automatically, and for a second he looks hurt. Then he crosses his arms over his chest, and his face turns into the arrogant cocky one that he wears around his friends. I’ve only seen it a few times, and I hate it with a burning passion. It doesn’t seem fair that someone can be two such drastically different people: sweet, honest and funny VS arrogant, rude, and indifferent.
And I fell for both of them.
He looks me over, careful to keep his face perfectly blank. “Well, let’s get started. These halls aren’t going to watch themselves.”
“What are we supposed to do? It’s just one hallway. I can see the end of it from here, and we’re the only two people standing around. It’s not like someone’s gonna be able to sneak past us.”
“Morgan could. She could go anywhere she wanted without being seen, right?”
I look at him, surprised. I haven’t even thought of that. Morgan can make herself invisible. She could sneak into the library and back out without being seen. But she’s not a killer…
“Morgan’s not a killer, Kaven. She’s a good, caring, and honest person that’s just a little bit misunderstood.”
“I know what that feels like,” he mutters, looking at the doors as we walk by.
I ignore him, and focus on the empty hallway. I’m not sure what we’re supposed to be doing since there isn’t anyone on this floor of the mansion, and it sounds like everyone is in their rooms asleep, waiting for this nightmare to be over.
I want to be back in my room, taking care of Tara, but I need to do this. I need to help keep others safe, even if what I’m doing right now feels like nothing. Even if what I’m doing right now makes my heart hurt.
Kaven’s busy trying not to look at me, and when we get a few doors away from mine, I notice my wrist is tingling. I remember Pandia’s warning, and try to discreetly glance at the underside of my right wrist without attracting Kaven’s attention.
A few more steps down the hall and the tingling quickly turns to burning. How long was it tingling before I noticed it? I glance down at my wrist again, and notice the silver crescent that’s silver and startlingly bright against my pale skin.
If ever you or Tara are in danger, that silver crescent moon will appear, warning you…
Did Pandia know that I would need this extra special warning gift? If only the gift came with a name. What is it I’m supposed to be in danger from? I look sideway at Kaven, who’s still avoiding looking at me, and frown. Is this warning telling me that I’m in danger from him?
Or is Tara back in danger in my room? Chloe isn’t dangerous, I know that, but could someone have snuck into my room and surprised them? It wasn’t possible, because they would have had to get around the two of us.
So that means that I’m the one in danger, not Tara. I look at Kaven again, and he frowns. “Why do you keep looking at me like that? I’m not gonna hurt you.”
I look away, and focus on my surroundings. We’ve just passed Tara’s bedroom door, and for just a second, I consider ducking inside and running from Kaven. But something stops me, and I know what it is. It’s a gut feeling I have…my instincts are telling me that Kaven’s not a threat.
Even though I want to run away, I have to trust that Pandia knows what she was talking about. I’m supposed to follow my instincts and trust my gut, because they’ll never lead me wrong. But if Kaven’s not the threat and Tara’s not in danger, what’s the warning about?
The door opens, and Andrea pokes her head out. “I thought I heard voices out here. What are you two doing? Sneaking off for some alone time?”
Kaven stiffens, and his eyes narrow at her. “It’s none of your business what we’re doing.”
I elbow him, and turn to Andrea. “Are you alone in there?” I ask, trying to peek around her shoulder. It can’t be a coincidence that this is the room where the burning started. If someone’s in there with her…
“You should know I am, since my roommate’s staying in your room for the second night in a row. How come Tara gets to sleep in a friend’s room, but nobody else is allowed to?”
I shrug. “I guess Jillian just likes us better than everyone else.” Andrea narrows her eyes at me, and I grin. “Come on, Andrea, I’m just teasing. I don’t know why she let us sleep together.”
Andrea smiles, but it’s far from nice. “Is that what you two are doing? Sleeping together?”
“You know I didn’t mean it like that.”
Her attitude is really starting to bother me. “Really?” She asks. “You’ll have sex with a random boy like Kaven. What’s to keep me from thinking that you’re also sleeping with Tara? I mean, you two do have a weirdly intimate relationship, don’t you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, though I’m sure I do. “Tara and I are just friends.”
She snorts. “Have you two ever seen the way you act around one another? She leans into you, and you’re always right there to hold her. When she feels upset, you’re the one putting a comforting hand on her, and she’s always eager to hug you so tight. You can’t tell me that you honestly don’t see it.”
I think about what she’s saying, and part of me realizes that she’s right. Tara and I do have a strange relationship that’s not like normal ones. We’re too touchy and comforting with one another to be just friends. Does Tara see it too?
Andrea smiles again. “Oh, so you do see it? Maybe you two should sit down and have a nice long heart-to-heart conversation. You might just find that you were made for each other.”
“Tara doesn’t have feelings for me.”
She laughs. “But you have feelings for her, don’t you? God, it’s so obvious. I mean, why else would you agree to be her Protector? This way, you get her all to yourself, don’t you?”
“I’m not her Protector so I can have sex with her. I’m her Protector because she’s my best friend and I don’t trust anyone else to be willing to die for her!”
Andrea frowns. “You honestly expect me to believe that you’d be willing to sacrifice yourself?”
“I would do anything for her.”
“That’s kind of pathetic. You’re so obviously in love with her, and you’re willing to give your life for hers, and I bet she wouldn’t even consider doing the same thing, would she?”
“She’s important; she doesn’t have to.”
Andrea laughs. “That’s kind of a lame answer. If she was truly your best friend, she would be willing to do the same for you. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. She obviously doesn’t care about you as much as you do her.”
“Why are you trying to get me to doubt Tara?” I ask, stepping closer. “You don’t have a problem with our friendship, do you? Are you jealous that I showed up here and kept you two from becoming besties? I mean, I don’t see you hanging around with anyone other than Austin and Tara, so you can’t have too many friends, right?”
She glares at me. “It’s not my fault I don’t have friends, its Tricia’s!” she hisses. “My first day here she cornered me in the library and humiliated me in front of all her stupid friends. The next day everyone made fun of me because Tricia and her friends did. I became a laughing stock.”
“Andrea, I’m sorry–”
“I don’t want your sympathy. It’s not like I have to worry about being teased anymore.”
She slams the door in my face, leaving Kaven and I standing there in shock.