Chapter Thirty-Five
Iremained in my bed for twenty minutes, just staring at the ceiling. I texted Ash, asking if we could talk about Terran stuff at lunch. She agreed to it.
I had never seen anything like what happened to Ash. The way her eyes became so bright and how she was twitching; it was all very frightening. I had so many questions. Glasson said that Ash was having a vision.
Ash had visions? It must be an ancient gift? Was her kingdom filled with people who know about the future? Could she tell me about Shad and me in the future? Will he be okay someday? Will I actually be able to save him? And what was that vision? Where was I? Why was I in a battle?
I sat up, stood, and shuffled to the bathroom, getting ready for the day.
My mind was reeling as I brushed my teeth and tried to tame my hair.
I walked downstairs, and surprisingly, the house was empty, no Mary and no Ryker waiting for me.
I opened the fridge, got the milk out, and started to make a bowl of cereal.
As I sat in the kitchen and ate, I thought about all the ways I had failed everyone.
I wasn't a good Haleson princess. I couldn't save Shad.
Cade was as annoying as ever, and I didnt even know what was going on with Ash.
I took my last bite of food and rinsed out my bowl.
The walk to school was cold, and I was grateful that I had remembered to bring a jacket. I walked as quickly as I could, more anxious than ever to see Ash and talk to her. I went to her locker, and there she was, standing in front of it with a worried Glasson beside her.
“I just don't know why you are here. I don't need a babysitter.”
“The visions are coming more frequently, and you need help, Ashlyn.” She rolled her eyes and huffed. I walked closer, and that was when Ash noticed me.
“Hey, Emma,” she smiled as I reached them. “Glass has decided to be a senior at Oak High,” she glared at him.
“Ah, welcome?” I looked at Glasson who carried a black backpack over his shoulder.
“Thank you, Princess Emma.” He did a little head bow, and I looked down the hall to make sure no one was watching us. Luckily, Ash and I usually met early, before many arrived.
“Ah, you don't need such formalities here. Just call me Emma.”
He nodded.
“So about yesterday—” I started.
“I am a seeker, Emma. That means I get visions of the future, and there is no telling when I will get them. It was the ancient gift that my family was given, and it's a pain.” She leaned against the locker as if in defeat.
“It is a blessed gift and an important one, at that, to our world,” Glasson said, looking at Ash.
“I know, I know,” she rolled her eyes again, and I couldn't help but laugh as I saw Glasson’s glare.
“Well, I am sorry if I did anything—”
“No, you didn’t. They, seriously, just happen. It isn't triggered by anything. I am surprised it didn't happen sooner when I was with you.” Ash placed her hand on my shoulder.
“That's good, then.” We stood there, talking, and Glasson pulled out his schedule to ask us about his classes.
Ash was annoyed because they had two classes together.
I couldn't help but smile. I knew Ash didn't like Glasson all that much, or that was what she often told herself, but Glasson was a good guy.
Intimidating and scary, yes, but good. I was glad he was going to be around more to make sure that she was safe.
I watched as Ash dipped her fry in mustard, and I met her eyes with a question.
“What? Mustard is the best.” She bit into the fry and smiled.
“I’ve never been much of a fan.” I picked up my own lunch, a burger and fries, same as Ash, and I took a bite.
I glanced around, my eyes settling on the cafeteria door.
There stood Shad, his hair flopped over his forehead, his clothing all wrong.
I wanted to go over to him, tuck in his collard shirt, and fix his hair.
Would that bring the lost boy back to me?
Would I look into those gleaming eyes and see the sun?
Or would his eyes always remain a starless night?
“Emma?” I heard my name and pulled my vision back to Ash, who, by her tone, had probably repeated my name a couple of times already, before I heard her.
“Oh, sorry.” I looked away from the door and down at my plate.
“Do you need me to knock some sense into the idiot prince?” she said, smiling, and the gleam in her eyes made me think that Ash was someone you didn’t want to mess with.
“I don't want him to get hurt.”
“No, of course not—I wouldn't really hurt him, just rough him up a bit.” She wiped her hands on her napkin as she spoke, looking to where Shad was walking to a table near the doors.
“Ash, are you sure that you were not an ancient warrior on Terra. You are kinda freaking me out.” I smiled, and she threw a fry at me.
“Ha—funny,” she fake laughed and touched the crystal dangling from her neck. “No, I am not from the kingdom of Tolston, remember? I am from Sorra.”
Sorra, I knew that name–that was where my mother and Mary were from. I needed to look at my mother’s story book to learn more about it.
I watched her as she seemed to ponder on that, her eyes staring at her soda cup, but really, I knew that wasn't what she was seeing.
She seemed to be seeing, or remembering something else, and it wasn't a happy thing.
I watched as her hand clutched the crystal tighter; her eyes, a purple violet, started to glow.
I looked around, hoping Ryker or Glasson would walk in.
I didn't know what to do in that situation.
We didn't need to cause a scene at school.
I texted and called Ryker and waited, wondering what to do.
“Ash?” I asked, looking at her. She didn't say a thing. “Ash are you alright?” My phone buzzed. One text from Ryker, telling me to get her away from people. I left the trays on the table and pulled Ash’s backpack onto my left shoulder, then mine on the other.
I tugged on her arms, trying to get her to move, but she was stiff.
I was about to attempt to pick her up when Glasson pulled her under his arm and carried her away.
It looked like he had done that before, because as I followed them out of the cafeteria.
It looked as if Ash was walking. I followed Glasson and Ash down the halls to the fields that were used for P.E.
There he set Ash softly on the ground, then rested her head on his black leather jacket.
He positioned her head so that it leaned to the side.
I pulled out a pen and paper, moving it to Glasson as he studied her.
“No, she doesn't need it this time. Thank you, though, Emma,” Glasson said, never taking his eyes off of Ash.
“Glasson, is she okay?” I asked, worried.
As Glasson nodded, I felt myself relax a bit.
Glasson’s movements were strategic and sure, as if he had done this a thousand times before, and I was sure he had.
I watched as he pulled out a device from his pocket and set it near her hand.
I watched as the stone with carvings was placed under her palm, each finger in an indentation.
As he set her last little finger inside the stone, the stone started to glow, and a small screen popped up.
I moved around to where Glasson stood but he moved in front of me, so I was unable to see.
“You should go, Emma.”
“I can't just leave her.”
“I am all she needs right now.”
“But—” Glasson turned to me.
“Ashlyn is well.”
“Em?” Ryker’s voice brought me out from my focus on Ash.
“Ry,” I softly spoke, not looking away from my friend. I felt warmth on my face, and my head turned to a pair of perfect blue eyes.
“Emma, let’s go. Glasson’s got this.”
“But—”
He wrapped me in his arms.
“She is in good hands. She has her knight,” he winked, and I smiled. Ryker had to half carry me to the car and then buckle me in. I was in such a daze from what had just happened. Terran things were still such a mystery to me.
“Ry, what is my ancient heir gift?”
“Haleston hasn't used an ancient heir gift in a long time. We don't know anymore.”
I folded my arms and wondered how something so important could become forgotten.
“What is Shad’s gift?”
Ryker snorted a laugh and looked at me, clearing his throat.
“There are rumors about his family, that they have all been blessed with powerful melodies, but their gifts are actually unknown.”
“How could two entire kingdoms forget their ancient gifts?”
“Well, a few kingdoms did not have obvious gifts, like the rest of them, so they kept them to the nobility, but maybe your grandparents knew and would have told Lamont when he became king. I, unfortunately, know a lot, Emma, but I still don't know everything. Your father never knew his gift.”
It seemed weird that something so important had been lost. I couldn't help but wonder how careless that was.
“I think that it is time you told me about this prophecy, already.”
I watched as Ryker ruffled his hair.
“Ah, I thought you forgot about that,” he smirked at me sheepishly.
“I did until just a moment ago when Ash was having another vision. You guys said that there was a prophecy about me.”
“We assume it's about you. We're not sure. It was made hundreds of years ago.”
“What is it?” I asked.
Ryker pulled into my driveway as his phone rang. He said ‘hello,’ and then answered with as few words as possible; then he hung up.
“I am sorry, Emma, can we talk later? I need to go.”
I opened the car door and slammed it in irritation.
“Emma!” Ryker called out to me as I walked to the door. I ignored him and slammed the front door, standing just behind it as I heard the sound of his car leaving the driveway.
He was still keeping secrets from me, it seemed. No matter what I did, I would continue to know little, next to nothing, about my life.