Balking, I didn't know why until I saw their eyes following my teacher's car off into the streets.
Oh, shit, they think...
Turning red as a cherry, I hugged the heavy book tight and hauled it across the grass towards my dorm. It hadn't occurred to me that people could get the wrong idea about me climbing out of Mr. Birch's car, not until I saw those suspicious stares.
Ugh, not what I need right now.
I felt naive, more than a little dumb, and it soured my mood. Pushing through the door into my room, I was too distracted to make sense of the sock on the knob.
Stepping inside, everything was ruined to a whole new level. Especially when Becky screeched.
She was straddling someone on her bed, someone who's face I couldn't see. Truthfully, I couldn't see much of him at all, but I didn't need to.
Becky's naked back, skin shiny in the light, was more than enough for me.
My mouth fell open, eyes stuck on the scene in front of me. With a high pitched shout, I dropped the book to the floor. “I—Becky!”
“Gale! Gale, get out!” she shouted, staring at me with wild, humiliated eyes. I caught a glimpse of her breasts, standing proud in the air.
That was my sign to go.
Turning, I slammed the door hard, chest heaving. Leaning against the hard surface, I felt the sweat sliding down my sternum.
“Oh my gosh,” I said out loud to no one, the halls around me empty. Glancing side to side, I peeled myself from the door, rubbing a hand across my face.
I'd never walked in one someone doing... anything like that before. My cheeks were so hot, I wondered if I'd given myself a fever. Turning, I started to speed-walk away. I'll just... I'll just go get some water, and read my book in the library, and...
Freezing, I hung my head with a dramatic groan. I dropped the book in the room. Dammit.
Glancing back warily, I debated returning, but quickly pushed the thought aside. I couldn't face Becky again, not so soon.
I'm scared of seeing her at all, at this point.
Mussing up my hair in exasperation, I made myself trudge out of the dorms. What a waste of my afternoon. I'm such an idiot.
Wallowing in my misery, I wandered through the commons. The breeze felt good, clearing my head enough that I ended up deciding to bide my time until Becky was done with whoever that had been.
The bell chimed in the bakery, Josef cheering at my arrival. “Gale! Good to see you! Give me a minute, let me get you some stuff.”
Nodding, I peered around, noticing how quiet the place was. Inhaling the scent of fresh bread and sweet cinnamon, my mouth watered.
I hadn't eaten all day, I couldn't wait.
Strolling to the counter, I stared hungrily at the display of baked goods inside. “Here,” Josef said, his great forearms flexing when he set a big paper bag in front of me. “Also,” he went on, before I could open my mouth and thank him, “here's a treat for you today.”
Eyeballing his movements, I looked on as he reached in the glass case, handing me over a decadent brownie. “Oh, Josef, no,” I argued, “I can't take that.” Dammit that looks so good.
Laughing, he dropped it in the bag. “Then share it with the birds, but honestly, you shouldn't worry about eating such things.”
He thinks I'm freaking out about the fact it's stuffed with sugar, not that it's free. Welling up with happiness, I took the package gingerly and held it close. “Josef, thanks. I mean it, really.”
Waving me off, he looked away with a proud grin. “It's nothing. Just leftovers from the sample batch I'm testing before the Fall festival.”
“I—the what, now?”
Staring at me, he leaned forward until I could smell the flour on his skin. “Come on now, the festival that'll be downtown in a few days. You didn't know about it?”
Glancing away, thinking about everything that had been happening lately, I bit my lip. I think Becky did mention that to me. “Sorry, guess I've been a little busy.” To put it mildly.
Chuckling deeply, Josef pulled back and folded his arms. The cords of muscle bulged with such a simple motion. “It's a huge event, great for business. Music, dancing, food and fun. I'll have a food stall there, you see? You should go, enjoy yourself like young people are supposed to!”
Hugging the bag close, the scent of the food making my head fuzzy, I sighed. “Uh, maybe. We'll see about it.”
”Then I'll see you there,” he said, winking at me. “Now, go feed those hungry birds.”
“Sure thing,” I said softly. “I bet they're ravenous.”
I couldn't walk fast enough to the park. When I finally made it, I collapsed onto a bench and eagerly dug the brownie from the bag. Birds were gathering at my feet, but I didn't care.
Holding the chocolate delight close, I took a small bite. It spread lusciously across my tongue, smooth and thick all at once. Rich sweetness coated my taste buds. I sighed contently.
“Sounds like that's much better than stale bread.” Nethiun stood beside me, his eyes as disturbingly eggshell white as I remembered.
Jerking sideways, my bag toppled over, spilling some slices to the ground. In a flurry of feathers, the birds were on them. “You!” I gasped, fingers squishing my brownie slightly.
“Me,” he agreed, sitting down on the bench beside me.
Like the wood was made of lava, I jumped up, holding my brownie like a weapon. “Why are you here?”
Blinking, he tilted his head at me. “I thought we already covered this? I'm keeping an eye on you. Also,” he pointed, “your brownie is melting.”
Wincing, I licked my thumb, hating the idea of wasting the precious snack.
Smiling firmly, he watched me with arched brows. “Good call.”
Scowling, I popped the whole thing in my mouth, chewing it away. “Last night, you vanished again before I could finish asking you what the hell has been going on.”
“You seem a bit edgy.” Studying me intently, he made a soft sound. “Hmn. I'm guessing something happened. Maybe with your friend there, what's her name, Becky?”
“Stop acting so familiar with me,” I grumbled, blushing at the memory of my roommate and her lack of clothing. “And don't change the subject. You're here, so tell me what happened last night.”
Leaning back languidly, he motioned at the bench. “Have a seat, then, if you want to talk.”
Gritting my teeth, I looked from the bench, to his infuriatingly calm face. “If I sit, you'll answer my questions?”
“If you don't sit down,” he said softly, a hint of heat bordering on that smokey tone, “I certainly won't.”
Kicking the bag of bread away with my foot, I settled tensely across from him. Even with the arm length of space between us, I felt way too close.
“That wasn't so hard, was it?”
Blushing, I tightened my jaw. “Tell me why you were fighting that other thing last night.”
“Ah, the other twaelin?” Rubbing his chin, he looked upwards. “I was mostly trying to scare him off. He was getting too involved and dangerous.”
“He tried to kill you,” I said, baffled. “I mean, wasn't that what was going on?”
Chuckling, he folded his hands on his lap. “Oh, no. That is, he was trying to hurt me, but just because he's a bit obsessed with winning. No, he didn't try to kill me. He did, however,” he said, lowering his voice as he peered at me with a sideways smile, “try to kill you.”
The skin on the inside of my elbows felt clammy. “What? I...” Holding my forehead, I gasped. “Oh my gosh, you mean that big metal sign? He did that? It wasn't an accident?”
“Hardly. Quite intentional, really.”
Covering my mouth, I felt my stomach bubbling with nau
sea. I'd assumed the sign had been a fluke, and that Nethiun had rescued me from a freak accident. But that had been no accident.
Someone had actually tried to kill me.
“Wait,” I said suddenly, darting my wide eyes back to the blonde man. “You talk like you know who that was.”
He hardly moved, but I could sense his amusement. “I do, yes.”
“Alright,” I said, preparing myself for what felt like a big revelation. “Then, who is he?”
Rubbing his neck uncomfortably, he let out a huff of air. “Telling you that might be a bit of a mistake.”
“I—what? This guy tried to kill me! This twaelin or whatever, I have a right to know his name.”
Nethiun waved his hands side to side, as if to mollify me. “You're already having trouble swallowing everything you've been exposed to, shouldn't you want to step away from all of this? Not get involved more?”
Stunned by his reaction, I leaned backwards. “Do you really think knowing his name will somehow pull me more into this?”
He sighed like he'd been defeated. “At this point, there's a chance everyone involved could walk away and leave you be, certainly. Slim, but it's there.”
“And me knowing who the guy was that cut the string of the dagger over my head makes me unable to back out?”
The way he looked at me, his brows drawn low over his opal eyes, it sent a shiver into the base of my skull. “It's the path that leads to knowing something far bigger, someone pulling strings even higher. That person, that's the one that will not allow for retreat, my dear Gale.”
Is he serious, someone else is involved too? So, if I don't pry further, this weird stuff might all just... go away after all?
And if I push forward, that's it?
“Nethiun,” I said quietly, choosing my words precisely, “give me a straight answer here. You told me you're watching me, and that someone tried to kill me... but why try and kill me? I'm not anyone important.”
His snicker was dark as coal. “Perhaps not. But at least one other person thinks there is something about you worth keeping an eye on. At this stage, I'm rather sure myself there might be more to you than it seems.”
Looking down, I watched the birds fluttering into the paper bag. It occurred to me, if I closed it on them, they would be trapped unless I let them free.
Is that me right now?
Reaching down, I trembled at how easy it would be to catch the animals inside. Instead, I tapped the bag, scaring the birds out in a flutter of chirps and wings.
My mind wandered to the book Mr. Birch had loaned me, how it was sitting on the floor of my room. Maybe, without anyone knowing, I could find out what I need to know in there still.
Standing, I dusted off my jeans. Nethiun watched me, not blinking once. “You're leaving?”
Glancing upwards, I noticed how quickly evening was rolling in. “You just told me if I pried too far, I'd lose my chance at walking away.” Peeking over my shoulder, I leveled a serious stare at him. “I'm not ready to go all in, not just yet.”
Smiling easily, he rose in one smooth motion. “Perhaps a wise decision.”
He was incredibly close, it made me notice how the top of my head only came to his collar bone. Bending down, his hair shading his eyes, Nethiun reached out to me.
It was so sudden, I just went stiff. I didn't know how to react, or what he was about to do.
One thin finger brushed against the corner of my lips. Smirking, he straightened up, sticking his digit in his mouth briefly. “You had a bit of chocolate there.”
Blood rushed to my face, my hand scrubbing at my skin in disbelief. I couldn't even speak, I just didn't know what to do.
Luckily, I was spared having to say a single word. With a casual wave of one agile hand, Nethiun vanished away in a ripple of fading grey.
Long after he was gone, freeing me from his precise movements, those hard eyes of his, I stood there in the park.
I stood there, not knowing what to think at all.
Chapter 6.
Nethiun
I was beginning to get too much delight in the reactions I could elicit in Gale Everette.
Remembering the bloom of shock across her cheeks, the hot release of her confusion when I darted my fingers so close to her lips, it thrilled me.
There was something to be said about the wild, blatant release of emotions humans so helplessly gave.
It tasted extravagant.
Flickering through the air, blending from one plane to the next, I finally arrived in the stormy darkness of my Mistress's chambers.
Bending to the ground, my forehead almost brushing the shining onyx, I shut my eyes and waited. Waiting was what I had become so used to over the years.
Now, with everything happening suddenly, it was difficult to remain so patient. So stoic.
And she noticed.
“Why are you so amused?” she purred, stretching out on her throne with a sigh.
Her cool, flat words sent a shard of ice deep into my chest. “Forgive me, Mistress. I was only watching the human, as you instructed.”
“I know what you were doing,” she murmured, sitting up and crossing her bare legs. “I always know what you're doing. Don't become more involved than I told you to, Nethiun. You're to observe, not to mingle beyond that.”
Flinching, I touched my forehead to the ground. “Of course, Mistress.”
Tapping her nails on the hard throne, her words were more dangerous than any who didn't know her would guess.
But I knew her, I knew her well.
“You've already gotten the attention of Valenforth, now he's wondering why I'm having you follow the girl around.” Her sigh was long. “I wonder why I'm having you do it, as well.”
Lifting my eyes, I stared from her feet, up to her face. Those thick-rimmed eyes weren't looking my way. “Have you not recalled the meaning of your dream, still, then?”
Lazily, she rolled her gaze to me. “Just keep following her. Whatever the reason for Gale Everette appearing in my dreams, for that sense of graveness, it should reveal itself in time. I want to make sure I understand before I decide how to handle it.”
Crouched there, I awaited for her next sentence. When it didn't come, I steeled my nerves, dancing around the edge of what I was sure was a dangerous line of thought. “And, if Ethlyn attacks again?”
“He won't attack again. He only did that to get you to prove I was involved. Really, you should have let the girl get crushed, if it was going to happen. Perhaps that would have ended this thread of fate that ties her to me somehow.”
Inside, I felt a twist of guilt. Yes, perhaps I should have, but... but I didn't.
I'm still not positive why.
Brushing away my needling thoughts, I lifted my voice again. “Mistress, if he does attack again—”
“If the foolish servant steps in, do what you must, Nethiun. I'd prefer we not have Valenforth at our door because you took out one of his own, so unless it's truly needed, don't get too serious.”
Bowing my head once more, I smiled in the shadows surrounding me.
That was all I had wanted to hear.
“Yes, Mistress.”
With that, I was gone.
Chapter 7.
Gale Everette
Returning to my dorm was no easy feat. Pacing outside the hall, I finally got the courage to knock on the door.
No sound came.
Frowning, I moved to knock again, but the door was tugged open so fast the resulting wind tossed my hair. Becky stood there, her stance wide like she was ready to take me down in a wrestling move.
“Becky!” I blurted, eyes bulging. “Uh—I—look—um—”
“Get in he
re,” she growled, yanking me by the front of my jacket. Wincing, I stumbled onto my bed, turning in time to see her slam the door. The sharp sound made me flinch, one eye squinting shut.
Lifting my arms to guard me, I began to babble nervously. “Becky! Please! I'm sorry, I swear, it was an accident!”
“Did you not SEE the sock on the door!?” Lifting her arms, she gestured with them in wide swathes. “Don't you know the god damn CODE for hello don't come in?”
I was doing a very good impression of a fish gasping for air. “Uh.”
Grinding her teeth, she dropped down on her bed and hung her head. “Ugh. I can't believe you walked in on that.”
Biting my cheek, I looked to the side, then back at her hunched figure. “So, well. I mean.” Glancing away again, I drew out my next word. “Who...?”
“Just a guy I met,” she muttered, propping her head on her hand, glaring at me.
“Right. Just some guy.” I couldn't keep the biting implication from my tone.
Scoffing, she pointed at me fiercely. “We weren't having sex, don't get the wrong idea. Just some making out, that's it.”
Remembering how I'd witnessed her rather bare chest, I turned red from chin to scalp. “Mmhmm. Yup.”
“Gale, next time, just knock. Better yet, turn around and go do something else for awhile.” Pouting, she flopped back on the mattress, glaring at the ceiling. It felt good to not be on the other end anymore.
Poking dejectedly at my thigh, I watched her from the corner of my eye. “I am really sorry.”
Inhaling audibly, she breathed out, sitting up with a weak smile. “Eh, whatever. Sorry you walked in on it. It could have been worse.”
I didn't want to imagine how.
“Oh!” she said, standing and digging under her bed. “Here, think this is yours. I kicked it out of the way when Ethan left.”
“Who?”
“Ethan,” she said, crawling backwards. Lifting my thick book proudly, she offered it to me like a peace treaty. “This is huge, by the way.”
Grinning, I took it, feeling comfort in the weight. “I know, right?”
Maybe Fate: A Novel (New Adult Paranormal Romance) Page 6