by Sarah Kleck
Hidden from misfortune’s watchful glance, this jewel shall guard my heart, for it is yours.
Were these Merlin’s words? It was possible, since he’d made the amulet for Nimue, after all, to protect her, as Jared had said. But what misfortune was meant here? Morgana? I snorted bitterly. After everything I’d heard about this witch, it was better not to cross her path. I tried to imagine what she might look like. Wild red hair, a wart-covered, crooked nose, a pointy black hat, and a broom? But perhaps that was just a cliché like the ancient, white-bearded Merlin with his half-moon spectacles, who in reality couldn’t have been much older than twenty-five—at least, if Ruth’s assumption was correct.
I continued to look through the book excitedly, when suddenly my eyes caught a single word: Prophecy. I immediately felt hot. Jared had spoken of a Prophecy of the Nymphs of Avalon! Back in the woods. His words still resonated clearly in my thoughts. I stared for a moment at the book’s open pages without seeing anything. Then my eye caught a verse in the middle of the page that was a bit offset from the rest of the text. Was this really the Prophecy? If so, then the words I was about to read were the reason why Karen Mayflower wanted Jared to keep away from me. Not just that, but the reason she was convinced I was a danger to him. I closed my eyes for a moment, breathed in deeply, opened my eyes, and started to read.
The blind heart tormented by longing
Readily walks into darkness so far.
Deprived of its light, deprived of its might,
Only Death watches over the wight.
Even in my thoughts, these words sounded so calm and yet so urgent that they gave me goose bumps. I was unable to move for several seconds. Then I swallowed with difficulty.
What is that supposed to mean? I tried to breathe evenly while thoughts flew through my head. What was meant by darkness? The cave in which Merlin supposedly died? Or death? Why would Jared, if this prophecy really related to him, readily go into this darkness?
I read the verse again.
Deprived of its light . . . Jared’s magic was light! In my mind I saw the golden light in his hands. Deprived of its light must mean someone would steal his magic. But who? Morgana?
Deprived of its might . . . Magic was might—I had never before seen anything mightier. Or was it something else I knew nothing about?
Only Death watches over the wight . . . You didn’t have to be a Rhodes scholar to know what that meant.
I tried to concentrate. Did this mean he’d die for love? For the love of . . . me?
That was impossible! I’d never expose Jared to such danger! As I shook my head to regain my composure, the shrill ring of my phone made me flinch. Frightened and yet curious, I answered.
I said, “Hi,” sounding like a lovesick teenager despite the queasy feeling the lines I’d just read caused me. Since I didn’t have the faintest clue of how Jared would react if I brought up the Prophecy, or even if he found out I knew about it, I decided to keep it to myself for the time being.
“Hi, babe, where are you?” Jared asked with a happy tone.
“At home.”
“I’m done here. Do you still feel like doing something?”
“Sure,” I said, a little too excited. Could he hear in my voice I was trying to hide something?
Jared chuckled. “Colin asked if we’d go with him and Sally for some drinks. What do you think?”
I was torn. I’d actually hoped Jared would visit me here and we’d have a little time to ourselves. But I’d hardly seen Sally in the last few days and missed her. Also, I . . . Well, to be honest, I was terribly afraid of doing something wrong if . . . we became more intimate. Even though the thought put a smile on my face and released a wave of warmth inside me, I wasn’t sure I was ready for it.
“Of course. When?” I said.
“I’ll pick you up in fifteen, if that’s all right?”
“Certainly.” I was already rummaging through the contents of my closet in my mind.
“I can’t wait to be with you,” Jared said gently. “See ya soon.”
I reached the bathroom in three long strides and a few seconds later was already brushing my teeth. As much as I would have liked to go through the book some more, I had to put it off for another time.
Fifteen minutes later, I was walking down the stairs to open the door for Jared. My knees wobbled when he stood before me with ruffled hair and a breathtaking smile.
“Hi,” I barely got out and grinned back. But rather than returning a formulaic greeting, he came directly toward me, pulled me into his arms, and kissed me.
“I missed you,” he said.
“Oh, I missed you, too,” I said and tried to control my heartbeat—to the extent this was possible in Jared’s presence. “So, where are we going?”
“To Berry’s, I think,” he said and waited to see if I had any objections. When I nodded, he took a strand of my hair that hung over my shoulder and gently twirled it between his fingers. “I love it when you leave your hair down,” he said, kissing me again. “It’s also more convenient,” he added, lifting a black motorcycle helmet from the stairs.
“Oh,” I said, surprised when I noticed the matte black machine at the curb. “I’ve never ridden on a motorcycle.”
“No big deal. Just hold on to me tightly and lean into the curves when I do. That’s all there is to it.”
“That thing looks like Batman hunts criminals on it at night,” I said, frowning as he handed me the helmet.
Jared laughed. “The Ducati?”
“Oh, you’ve even named it?” I said, trying to keep a serious look on my face.
I awkwardly put the helmet on my head, noticing its rather pleasant scent. It must be new. Did he buy it just for me? After Jared had put on his helmet—it was also all black—he swung his right leg over the motorcycle before helping me on and putting my hands around his waist.
“Hold on tight,” he said with a grin, started the engine, and got the motorcycle going slowly so I’d adjust to its motion. Only after he’d driven to the end of the street did he signal me with a nod to hold on tighter, and then he stepped on the gas. Really stepped on it! We ran down the street at breakneck speed while I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist.
It was simply wonderful! Like riding on a roller coaster—and almost as good as swimming. Would he let me ride the Ducati alone some time?
Jared stopped right before the entrance to Berry’s, flipped the kickstand down with a practiced motion, and let the motorcycle settle. Then he slid from the saddle before helping me down.
“Your eyes are really shining,” he said when I’d taken off the helmet.
“That was fabulous,” I said enthusiastically, causing Jared to smile from ear to ear.
“What silly grins you two have!” It could only be Sally. She stood outside the entrance, holding Colin’s arm and laughing.
I rolled my eyes and bumped playfully into Sally and walked inside.
The pub had its usual cloud of typical bar odors—beer, sweat, and stuffy furnishings.
“There’s an empty table back there,” Sally yelled above the loud music, pointing to a table with four empty chairs. She really had a talent for quickly scanning a room for empty tables. We hurried behind her across the pub to grab the seats.
Sally cast a dreamy look at the pool tables.
“When we were here the last time, I fell in love with you,” Sally told Colin with a smile.
“Same,” Colin said and placed his hand behind her neck, pulled her onto his lap, and kissed her. Jared gave me an amused look and held my hand on the table. I thought back to that evening when Sally, Colin, Felix, and I had played pool and suddenly remembered something.
“Hey, were you here that evening? I thought I saw you next to Colin at the pool table, then suddenly the light went out, and you were gone.”
Ja
red nodded hesitantly, bent toward me, and whispered into my ear, “Meeting you in those weeks when I was trying to avoid you required certain . . . preparations. I had to adjust to seeing you—physically and mentally.” He paused briefly. “But when I discovered you inside completely unexpectedly, there were only two options: get away or . . .” Instead of finishing the sentence, he bent forward a little more, took my face in his hands, and kissed me with such passion that I forgot everything around me. I immediately turned hot and my breathing involuntarily quickened, which Jared acknowledged with a glowing look. He squeezed my hand a bit firmer and buried his face in my hair. I bit on my lower lip.
“Four Guinnesses,” I heard Colin suddenly say and looked up. A waitress had come to our table. I wasn’t particularly fond of beer, but since Colin had ordered for all of us . . .
“And a ginger ale,” Jared said just as the waitress turned to leave. Only then did I notice she had bright red cheeks. I could only guess which of the two guys at our table had caused her to blush. Both were exceedingly good-looking, though Colin was a bit too muscular for my taste. Jared, however, had a perfect athletic body, not to mention a flawless face and extraordinary dark-blue eyes.
I smiled at him tenderly. “Thank you,” I said. “I’m not that fond of Guinness.”
“I noticed,” Jared said with a twinkle in his eyes.
“So, what shall we toast?” Sally asked after the waitress had returned and set the glasses on the table.
“To physical love,” Colin said with a festively raised glass and a grin in Sally’s direction.
“To true love,” Sally said, giving Colin a bemused, warning look.
“To a love that outlasts death,” Jared said quietly, looking deep into my eyes.
“To Manchester United!” a drunk guy yelled at us from the table beside ours, sending the four of us into gales of laughter.
After he’d driven me home, I handed Jared the motorcycle helmet and ran my hands through his disheveled hair.
“Good night,” he gently said, took my face into his hands, and pressed his lips against mine. “Sleep well,” he added, brushing my hair before putting on his helmet again. He looked one last time at me through the opened visor with his twinkling eyes. Then he flipped it down, started the motor, popped a wheelie, and raced away, nearly vertical.
I fell asleep with a wonderful feeling. When the alarm clock finally pulled me from my vague dreams of woods, lakes, and golden light, I actually felt reasonably rested.
In the hope that Jared might be waiting for me outside, as on the previous day, I quickly got dressed, rushed down the stairs, threw open the door, and looked with a pounding heart at Jared’s wonderful face. Would it ever end? The gasping breath, the racing heart, the fluttering in the pit of my stomach?
“Good morning,” he said with a smile and enclosed me in his arms. My hands moved to the back of his neck and my mouth pressed longingly against his.
“Good morning,” I whispered, my knees wobbly, while his tender lips moved along my neck, breathing kisses against it at regular intervals.
“God, how wonderful you smell,” he said and deeply inhaled so I felt his breath on my skin, which immediately formed sensitive goose bumps under his touch. An indefinable sound escaped me at his next kiss. As if in a trance, I pulled him closer, breathing heavily. Jared paused, then kissed me passionately until he abruptly stopped. “Damn it, what are you doing to me?” he asked as if he were frightened of himself and stepped back. “Seriously, Evelyn, you’ve got to be careful with me,” he said, still wrestling for air. “I lose control when I’m near you, and if we don’t want lightning to strike us or something strange to happen, we need to be more careful.”
“Oh . . . okay.” I nodded numbly while still trying to slow my heartbeat to its normal speed.
Jared scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. “It’s all very new to me, you know? I’ve never . . . met someone like you. You’re so . . .” He seemed to lack words and looked at me, shaking his head. “You’re driving me crazy,” he said, when I pressed back into his arms. “What are you doing to me?” he repeated gently into my ear, while swaying with me side to side.
“I thought the question was what are you doing to me? Because you’re driving me crazy, too.”
Jared held his breath for a moment, then continued. “Maybe we should leave now before I’m unable to let you go,” he said, his voice trembling.
As soon as we got to the College, we had to separate. I’d only see Jared again during lunch. However, at least Colin would keep me company through my first lecture, with the bitter knowledge that Aiden, too, would be there. Colin sat down beside me with a stunning smile. If I hadn’t already been in love with Jared with every fiber of my being, I might have swooned at his sight. It made perfect sense why Sally was crazy about him.
“Well, everything in order with you?” he asked with a grin.
“More than that,” I said, beaming.
“And, that . . . I mean, are you fine with . . . ,” he fumbled. There were far too many eavesdroppers in the lecture hall to discuss myth, magic, and bloodlines.
“Being such a good swimmer?” He nodded gratefully. “I don’t quite know,” I said after briefly thinking about it, “but so far nothing has changed for me because of it, and I don’t think it will. It’s not a big deal. It does feel a little strange, but as long as I’m myself . . . ,” I said and shrugged.
“That’s the way I see it,” Colin said. “It’s pretty much the same with me.”
A moment later our conversation was suddenly interrupted when Aiden dropped into the chair next to Colin and looked me over with disdain. When Colin noticed the look, he elbowed Aiden so hard in the ribs that he made a wheezing noise. I turned away with a malicious grin—but it quickly went away.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. I’d almost forgotten him, but there he stood in front of me in the flesh—Felix.
“Hi, Evelyn,” he said with lowered eyes, “I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am. It . . . was all a terrible misunderstanding. I never wanted to . . .”
“That’s enough. Beat it,” Colin said. “And you’d better stick to our agreement, is that understood?”
“Yes,” Felix said, daring to look at me for the first time. He seemed in bad shape. Really bad shape. His nose was hidden behind a splint, dark-red bruises surrounded his eyes, and it appeared as if he was missing an incisor.
“I just want you to know how sorry I am,” he repeated with moist eyes and turned to find a seat at the furthest corner of the lecture hall.
“Everything okay?” I heard Colin ask a moment later.
“Yes . . . I think so.” I shook my head in shock. “That was a real surprise. I didn’t expect to see him—to be honest, I’d almost forgotten him.” I looked at Felix. He sat in his seat like a little lump of misery and stared at the top of the desk in front of him. I almost caught myself feeling something like pity in my heart. But a second later, I remembered how he threw himself on me, thought of the fear, panic, desperation, and helplessness, saw Sally lie in her bed close to death . . . No! I would not pity him. Never! The only thing left was to decide whether to go to the police or not. He’d lose his scholarship, be expelled from the College, and probably wind up in jail. The important question was: Had he already suffered enough? Right now it looked that way.
“What kind of agreement is Felix supposed to stick to?” I asked Colin.
He breathed in deeply. “I’d prefer to spare you the details, but should he ever again get too close to you, Sally, or any other girl . . .” Colin shrugged and left the rest to my imagination.
I shuddered. “How would you keep track of that?”
“He’s under constant observation,” Colin said, and our conversation was over for the moment as the lecture started. So I attempted to focus on nothing but Psychology of Memory for the next hour.
&n
bsp; I forgot all about Felix when I saw Jared waiting outside the hall after my last lecture in the afternoon.
“Would you like to go out?” Jared asked after giving me a tender kiss.
“Actually, I wanted to write my assignment for Professor Bronsen today,” I said. “I have to hand it in early next week and don’t think he’ll give me an extension.” I’d delayed this assignment too long. If I didn’t deal with it in a hurry, I’d never get it done on time. However, next to the idea of spending the evening with Jared, the idea of spending the next few hours in drudgery, writing about female narcissism, made me feel downright depressed. How would Bronsen react if I begged him for an extension? I snorted internally. That guy probably wouldn’t think twice about failing me. Especially since I’d drawn unfavorable attention to myself in the lecture hall on the first day.