Chapter Seven
1363 Words
I was standing in an arena. Rain.
The ground was mud and slippery.
Across from me a boy stood.
Tall. Lean. Dark hair that added a dangerous glow to a face that seemed particularly lethal. He could not be more than nineteen but the height was impressive. He was like an athlete chiseled to near perfection. My feet bobbled slightly and my mouth was dry. But the boy did not look at me. He was smoking in the rain, the drizzling water making his black shirt stay glued to his slender frame.
We stood like this for some time. Me admiring him like a portrait. Him smoking quietly with that look of boredom.
When he finally turned to stare at me, his shirt was unbuttoned a bit and I could see a crown tattoo at his powerful throat. The tattoo glittered, bleeding red across his pale skin.
Like an unhealed wound.
A red crown on pale flesh. I struggled to move. To run. My feet stayed glued on the muddy ground. The boy moved with lightening quickness and was suddenly by my side, my mouth opened but no sound came.
"Hello, little seer" He laughed, showing a row of perfectly white spotless dentistry, the tattoo glittered closely in my eyes. "About to run away from me? " His hand went to my neck, claws sprouted out and slashed across my neck .
I woke up choking.
Nosebleed. My heart hammered loudly.
Solene was standing over me, boredom crested on her face and a towel wrapped around her head. The shock was enough to make me shiver.
"Bloody moon !" I exclaimed "Were you trying to smother me in my sleep?"
"I wish " She rolled her eyes, glaring down at me disdainfully "You know, for someone who's pretty much the sick cowardly mummy's pet, nightmares seems to be pretty much your forte."
"f**k off, Sol" I snapped at her, sitting up and feeling my head pounding like I had been struck with a hammer.
Solene went on "Or did the hideous sight of that old crone frighten you off?"
I closed my eyes. God. How did she know about our last night visit to Vera Wavelength. I dreaded what was to come out of her mouth next.
Seeming to guess my thoughts, Solene laughed. It was not a pleasant sound "Yes, mother told me. I am afterall your twin sister, am I not" She went on sweetly "And I wonder what the school would think of your scheduled weekly visits to Dr. Sullivan. Better to let them know it's all for your dormant absent howls, than to let them think madness runs in the family." Her piercing voice grated my ears.
"You wouldn't dare" I stared daggers at her.
She clicked her tongue. "Try me"
I threw my pillow.
She sidestepped it effortlessly.
"Violent this morning, aren't we?" she mused. "Maybe the therapy should start sooner."
"Get out."
"You wish " She rolled her eyes wistfully.
I hugged my face, trying not to feel like my life had reached the end of the tunnel , my hands dropped to my neck and I nearly screamed. I was bleeding.
"Did you just scratch me, Sol" My voice was high, heated and almost on the verge of bringing the house down. My mom appeared hurriedly at the doorway.
"Sia, what is it?" Her eyes were laced with concern and she stood halted as if afraid to enter the room without my permission.
I walked to the dressing mirror on the table. Ignoring the terrible mess my hair was in, I stared at my neck. Claw marks. Exactly on the spot where that boy in my dream had slashed me. Fear crept through me like a plaque.
"Did you scratch me, Sol?" I repeated the question quietly this time, praying she replied in the affirmative. It would be better if Solene had clawed me than some nightmare apparition. I was slowly beginning to think my sanity was disappearing.
Solene scoffed "I wouldn't waste my claws on some wolfless s**t who can't fight back". She took a good look at my neck and then laughed "Well whoever did it should have dug in deeper to sniff the life outta you ".
My mother rushed in , and cradled my face , bending to examine my neck. "Claw marks" She whispered "Baby, did you do it to yourself? "
"Yes" I lied, pulling away "It's nothing. I must have scratched it in my sleep."
My mother kissed my forehead "No worries, baby. Solene, get the salves. "
Solene snorted loudly "I won't. Sia should go get it herself " She clicked her tongue and added slyly "Tyleen Ash resumes today. Try not to embarrass yourself with your hopeless helplessness."
She disappeared out through the door. Crimson blurred the edges of my face.
My mother sighed. "I'll get the salve."
"Don't bother." I caught her wrist before she could leave. "It doesn't even hurt anymore."
Which was the strangest part.
It should have hurt.
Instead...
It burned.
Deep beneath the skin.
Like hot embers buried under flesh.
Mother studied me for another moment before reluctantly adding "Breakfast in ten minutes."
The door clicked shut behind her.
I looked back at my reflection.
Three crimson claw marks curved along the left side of my neck.
They weren't bleeding anymore.
They almost looked...
Glowing.
"It's just a nightmare," I whispered to the empty room.
Saying it aloud somehow made it less convincing.
The shower did little to calm me.
I stood beneath the steaming water until the bathroom mirror fogged over completely.
I scrubbed at my neck twice.
Then a third time.
Nothing changed.
The marks remained.
Angry.
Crimson.
Beautiful in a disturbing sort of way.
"Fantastic," I muttered.
Maybe it would fade off before the end of the day. Yes. It ought to .
I brushed my teeth with more force than necessary, rinsed, splashed cold water across my face and forced myself to breathe.
Today was supposed to be exciting.
Tyleen Ash was finally returning.
Every girl in Belcaris Academy had probably spent an hour deciding what hairstyle to wear.
And here I was...
Trying to convince myself I hadn't been attacked by a stranger inside my own dream.
I towel-dried my hair before pulling on my academy uniform.
The blue-striped shirt.
The knee length navy blue well pressed skirt.
The ridiculous gold badge that declared OUR ALPHA IN CHIEF as though saying it often enough would magically produce a wolf.
My eyes drifted back to the mirror.
The claw marks peeked over my collar.
I opened my wardrobe again.
My fingers landed on a charcoal-grey scarf.
Mother always insisted I carried one during the rainy season.
I wrapped it loosely around my neck.
Once.
Then again.
The marks disappeared beneath the fabric..
Better.
I stared at myself one last time. "It means nothing."
The girl in the mirror looked unconvinced.
I grabbed my schoolbag anyway.
Whatever today had planned for me, it could wait.
I already had enough to survive.
Bullies.
Solene.
A therapist I didn't want.
And the return of the most talked-about boy in Belcaris.
I only hoped the mysterious boy from my dream stayed exactly where he belonged.
In my dreams.
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