Orion

by Cyndi Goodgame

  Tension rounded the room. Dr. Quinn didn’t help the matter. His sour demeanor circled the room with him and made it around right to stand in front of my desk.

  “Detention! Both of you. After school!”

  We both started to protest, but eyed each other and said absolutely nothing at all, what so ever!

  Reading each other’s thoughts by the purposeful hidden smiles, we were being forced together so what was the big deal.

  That’s until…

  “Damn!”

  Dr. Quinn’s head and every other in the entire class shot up to a standing Lee covered in the green goo of our chemistry test today.

  “Detention hall seems to be gathering fame. Perhaps I’ll make it extra special today since I’m the teacher on duty.” And he smiled as if rejoiced. Not a nice smile. The one the devil gives you when you’re about to enter hell and meet your maker.

  I curled my lips into a snarl at Lee for his too obvious score on getting himself into detention. I guess he didn't get family privilege. My only concern, why he wanted to join us.

  We finished the day with all three of us sitting in detention with another boy I’d only noticed as a very advanced slingshot. We were left staring at Dr. Quinn’s unforgiving glare knowing he pondered deep, dark secrets even from his own nephew.

  He made sure to call us a few choice names that weren’t too heretical and then set us straight with extra algebraic equations for first years.

  I eyed Calum once and stifled a silenced giggle while he held up drawn images of a very distorted cartoon drawing of our evil famous leader of detention.

  Lee spiked his head up hearing me. He is Valkyrie. But it is very off that evil famous leader heard me also since he was shaking his head.

  We all settled our heads back to blah, blah, blah!

  “I expect better of you. If you want to go places one day,” he paused, “you’ll get more serious.”

  Liar! We know what your plans for us are!

  No one spoke. Time moved on. Slowly.

  The timer buzzed. No one stood.

  “Daniel, your dismissed.”

  “Lee, dismissed,” after Daniel, the other boy left.

  Lee stood, waiting for our names to be called.

  “Leave,” evil famous leader said.

  He did so very slowly. I knew he’d be waiting just outside. I presumed Quinn thought so too.

  Quinn came out from behind the desk. We were sandwiched into a “make do” closet turned into a punishment room with the classic white wall “drive them nuts” theory Maze warned me about. I’d seen enough movies to know, she’d been right.

  His click, click of the heels landed beside my chair. I looked up as Calum’s foot butted against mine.

  “You’re dismissed,” he said slowly blurring my eyes.

  He took only a step back to allow me to slide by him.

  “Be careful Miss Ro-ke-a. You wouldn’t won’t to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.” He didn’t even look at Calum, just walked out.

  I glanced back at the desk Quinn sat at for our silent “stare me down” contest. It didn’t escape my attention the fact that he’d walk in with something, a notebook and left without whatever it might be. I decided to find out.

  Calum followed my quiet observation and high-tailed it over to the desk before me.

  You are being watched. Both of you.

  Nowhere is safe!

  I’d lost my voice. A frog lodged there, I croaked out, “Why would he warn us?”

  “I don’t know if I want to know.”

  Lee was waiting outside the door, the benevolent fool, content on not leaving without answers.

  He snatched the note. “It is either a change of heart or his life has been threatened. Either way, nothing we didn’t know.”

  He handed it back, eyes drilling into me. Calum had that same sense of fear or impending danger that I just wasn’t sure what to think it might label us as yet. Either way something bad was coming, I just had that feeling.

  Lee left with no goodbyes acting more and more distant.

  Calum pulled me outside to where we felt safe talking.

  “Will you do something for me?” He moved in close.

  “Anything!” I blushed knowing I’d never said that to anyone before. “Well, almost anything!”

  “Stace!” He drew out my name with mischief in his tone.

  “Sorry. Just unaccustomed to the attention and your intentions.” Such an admission.

  Devil grin. Eyebrow up. “I didn’t realize my mere presence did that…to you.” He swallowed even though he was trying on his best bad boy face. He knew he was this gorgeous Hunter boy.

  “Right! And don’t I affect you…at all?”

  With the burning gleam in his eyes, he moved in shifting above me, “You have no idea what you your capable of, do you.”

  My head roared like a bubbly cauldron of fire yelling and screaming run away. Not right! Yes it is! Not!

  He lifted and paced back and forth in front of me sliding his hand through his hair front to back over and over.

  I hugged my arms around to my sides. Yes, he’s gorgeous. But no, he didn’t make me have smoking desire like he thinks. I just have the inner feeling that it isn’t right. I affect him though. And he thinks he affects me. But it’s the kissing. I absolutely love kissing. It’s a fabulous pastime.

  “You have no idea!” He kind of repeated.

  He slowed down and sat in the grass, me falling beside him.

  “Why does he want to help us?” I was decidedly changed the subject.

  “He doesn’t. He’s trying to backtrack, my guess. He’s figured out he’s not part of the ultimate end plan most likely. Too bad we can't just ask him.”

  I would do just that if it didn't compromise my brother's well being. I wondered how he came to the conclusion that Quinn is being double crossed if he didn’t have knowledge of two parties involved, but maybe his mind works different and caught clues I didn’t.

  “We need to go back to the warehouse. We don’t need Quinn if we find out what we have to avoid or conquer, right?” He surmised.

  “Confident, ever?” I inquired.

  “Just hope. I don’t want to lose you. I just found you.”

  I took a breath, not realizing I’d been holding it. Lee was right. He was going to get hurt.

  “Tomorrow night’s the sneak out. We’ll head to the warehouse.”

  I pondered something aloud, “We should take Lee’s car. They might look for yours to be gone.”

  His unsatisfied face was readable, “Right!”

  Chapter Twenty Four …is mightier than the sword.

  The next night, all three of us made it to the car, sailed away, and scrambled up the fire escape of the warehouse all before the group back at school could feasibly get settled down for partying. These outside parties were tolerated and never monitored well. It was very irresponsible on their part.

  Easy enough to get there a second time, the deep voice was recognizable. He was standing close to my brother, arms stretched out to him, telling him a joke about how a Hunter and Valkyrie go into a bar.

  My heart sank. My brother’s head seemed to just lull there, unresponsive. If my father okayed this, did he okay the beating?

  Deep voice finished his j-o-k-e and whirled around the other direction.

  “What is he looking at?” I whispered to Calum and Lee flanking both my sides.

  Lee had a better view of what he could be admiring. “A guy.”

  “Who? Can you tell?” I asked.

  Just then, a third voice was heard. Dr. Green, Calum’s father.

  My heart fell in pieces again for Calum. I know seeing this was harder than just discussing it over cookies.

  Dr. Green stepped closer to deep voice and pleaded, “Isn’t there a way for us to just keep them there, with me. If they never want to leave, their safe from the monarchy and the fate you’re choosing for them, or rather, taking away.”

  “Y
our son is not that freaking naive. He’ll not be pinned for long when he hears how daddy kept him locked up with Anat’s daughter and unknowing power she possesses only to be ripped apart and gone before our little powwow begins. I will take them all out before I lose what is mine. And you know I can.”

  Dr. Green looked shaken up by this. I have power? They are hiding me on purpose. They want to kill me. They want all of us suppressed. What hold do they have over such powerful men?

  “They are just children. Eliminating her isn’t needed. She’ll be hidden well at the school.”

  “Fool! She’s already friggin’ suspicious. I will pull that sword out and have her dead the second you go back on me. And your boy is right on her ‘effing heels. He’ll not be an idiot for too long.”

  A very broken Dr. Green dropped his shoulders in a classic “giving up” stance and whispered barely enough for us to hear, “Their birthday is only weeks away.”

  “And we are ready. Besides, boy twin wonder won’t last much longer than that. He’s got to go. She was supposed to show up already. Rescue the piss so I can get on with it.”

  I watched my brother. He hadn’t moved the entire time we’d stood there.

  "And if she does?"

  "Then I will take that as a go for her knowing nothing. She can be a hero and stay at the Hunter den alive, ignorant of who she is for all I care. How you keep her there, I don't know."

  Dr. Green moved to go.

  “Green?” the gruff voice barked. Calum’s dad only turned halfway. “You’ll not interfere or you’ll lose everything. If you want to keep him alive, she stays put till D day. If she’s taken care of here, problem solved.”

  Green didn’t respond, only left.

  D day? Our birthday is the only possible answer. The three of us waited till Dr. Green was gone before we moved. I was dying already inside for Calum. At least I know that his dad regrets what he’s done.

  We climbed down and sped away. Back at school, we hurried ourselves to the still going party, the sound earth shatteringly loud. We found a spot alone away from anyone who might disturb us. Not one of us spoke during the ride. Thankfully, Lee was driving because Calum had no business driving.

  “Why are you so calm?” he asked me.

  “Calum, they won’t succeed. I know what is coming and when now. Why panic?”

  His face told me he thought I was n.u.t.s. “I’m worried about your father. He’s in over his head, but he’s trying to help you now.”

  “He is? How?”

  “The note.”

  He was brain-zapped.

  “From Quinn. He’s trying to give us clues. We have to play along. Figure this out. And be ready. Even Batman knows the bad guys double cross. He may say he won't hurt me, but his threat said otherwise.”

  Calum sighed heavily.

  Lee finally spoke, “Why did he call you Anat’s daughter? Your mother’s name was Amelia?”

  “I don’t know. Strange.” I’d heard it before though. More than once.

  “I was thinking,” Lee said.

  I chose not to make a joke at the moment.

  “What if your mother died for a reason?”

  I was listening.

  “And your mother,” Lee looked at me, then Calum.

  “What if the name Anat means something more than you realize,” he paused. “See. The coincidences. Both of you born on the same day, moms died that day, and…” and looked down at our midsections.

  Uncomfortable with him eyeing me I asked, “So…”

  “Soooo, what if you possess some power you are unaware of, or will gain somehow? It would make sense why they are so eager to “eliminate” you. Something’s up! They want you hidden or dead or worse for some reason and we have nothing else to go on.”

  “I’ll call Kassie.”

  Lee countered, “Are you sure she won’t leak. She told everyone when you—

  I shot my arm to his. He watched my hand. “I think I can trust Kassie.”

  Calum was lost in the conversation simply because Lee reminded all three of us how much he was a part of my past and not the façade I kept at school here with Calum. I knew he wanted to ask, but he didn’t. Kassie’s tall tale of how she herself was the one who was found flat on her back from sneaking out the second floor window. But…she told everyone it was me and I was sneaking out to see Lee. Of course, everyone believed her. And of course, he was reminding me of that fact purposefully right now.

  “Perhaps you’re right, and Anat is an important clue. In this world of crazy everything monsters and such its crazy possible. But, how does that explain Calum’s mom dying on the exact same day?”

  “Good question.”

  I scooted closer to Calum and wrapped my arm around his middle, stroking the back of his hand with the other. I ignored Lee’s stare. He’d have to get used to it. “Your middle name Rigel comes from Orion. What if we research Orion and Anat and find some kind of connection? Maybe there is some ungodly awful curse or…” my eyes lit up! I bobbed up and down a few times, “THE prophecy. What if there is more to it?”

  That was it. There is more. And we have to find out. My letter. It’s different than his. “There is. My letter. They’re different. It’s in my dad’s office.”

  Calum came out of his state of shock stupor. “How do we research? We can’t here or they’ll probably know.”

  “How about the Summerville library?” Lee was seeking my reaction.

  Never missing a beat I shot him my best smile, “That's perfect. We’ll meet there.” I thought fast. “Bring Maze. She won’t know what we’re doing. And I’ll need the girl support.” Really, I wanted Lee a little more occupied with something else besides Calum and me.

  He wasn’t stupid. “Sounds great!” He even smiled.

  “Done! This Saturday! And laser tag to start off the night. I want to kick some butt!”

  “And I’ll think on the going to my court part to get the letter.”

  Lee left us then to go find Maze. Maybe he was giving us alone time, or maybe he was something else. I don’t care.

  “Lee knows everything about you, doesn’t he?” Calum asked carefully.

  I knew it was coming. “No, he doesn’t know this.” I pointed to the school building. “And he only lived there two years. He and I studied together for eight hours a day for two years.” Absolutely, positively wrong thing to say.

  He broke hands with me.

  “Calum, we were just friends. I was very sheltered.” I didn’t want to say this, but…

  “I spent every day with Dyer…LEE! I didn’t have even the remotest like for him in any way other than friends until right before he left and didn’t even know he did until the day he left. And it wasn’t like that anyway. Not like us in any way. We were fourteen. I didn’t have any idea how to talk to a boy other than in my studies and Lee only just showed any other type of interest at the end. He also knows my father picks the bride or groom in every marriage in our court. I couldn’t have liked him if I wanted too.”

  He wasn’t convinced yet. “He took me off in the woods a few days before he left. We stayed there for hours. I never disobeyed my father before, EVER! I was so enamored by the “adventure” I didn’t realize how he felt. And I, a naive young girl who’d never been allowed with a boy alone, wasn’t easy to impress.”

  Calum’s face hadn’t changed yet.

  “So nothing. That’s it. He taught me how to sneak. I went on my first mission two weeks later other than the disaster mission I went on at twelve for an intro to injury.”

  He still wasn’t moved.

  “What is it Calum?”

  His eyebrow rose. “Did he kiss you?”

  “What? No! You were the first person I kissed.” I shied away.

  That was it! What he’d stressed about. His whole body let go of every ounce of tension and fear inside.

  And he kissed me then. A lot! I did not know how to tell him that sometimes he overwhelmed me, but that was only because I’d ne
ver been given this much adoration before. I still get butterflies in my stomach when he gets close to me, but I’m starting to realize that just simply being given so much attention by the opposite sex seems to be such a thrilling new experience. I wondered if the same butterflies happen to any male I encounter. I wondered if this boy is meant for me or is it the prophecy pulling us together. I wondered if there is one out there meant for just me that could affect me so much that I can’t even think straight. The way Lee seems to act around me, but I can’t seem to return. So devoted that he cannot see outside of himself. The idea of soul mates hit me. I wanted mine.

  Calum’s face pinched up.

  “What is it?”

  “Are you really part of an arranged marriage?”

  “Supposed to. But I am thinking of changing daddy’s rules. Things are a changing around here and so am I.”

  He jumped to the wrong conclusions mentioning this subject. I freaked. “Oh, I’m nowhere near marriage. I’ve got years. Life to live.”

  He frowned, but I left it alone for now.

  Chapter Twenty Five Keep your friends close…

  The next day proved better than ever. Calum’s new knowledge of claim over me seemed to puff his chest out a bit more even if it was one big show for me now. Lee had asked Maze to come hang out with us at the library. She was very reluctant muttering things like, “Why are we going to the library for fun?”

  I’d always got a thrill out of the library. I could delve into a little bit of Elizabeth’s world in P and P and walk right beside Pip in Great Expectations. Annabelle Lee was my best friend. And the road not taken was my greatest mystery. Who could discount the idea of not hanging out with the greatest heroes and heroines this world could offer? A world where monsters could be the hero. And I’m one of those monsters.

  In a crazy world like this, it’s easy to feel alone. Pat, my superhero rock star, said that. It’s ultimately, very true.

  Another note appeared on the detention desk when Calum and I both got detention in weapons class for supposed “horseplay” in the ring. True enough.

  Keep your eyes open. Find out who you are!