THE CIRCLE

Chapter 4

Amy locked her room immediately and scrambled on her bed, she removed the file from her bag and disposed it's contents on her bed, there was a ring and she realised it was her mothers, she gasped as she held it in her hands, she wondered how Tyler got his hands on this, her mother hardly ever took it off, the ring looked ancient but beautiful, her eyes wandered to the other stuffs on her bed, Tyler's pen, tears threatened to fall as the reality sunk in, her brother planned to die, she grabbed the envelope as her eyes caught it, she quickly opened it, it was a letter from Tyler, another letter, why didn't he just put in her book like he did.

"Dear Amy, I love you and I want you to remain strong as you have always been, you are brave just like our mother, but be watchful, trust no one because I don't truly know our enemies, wear the ring always, never take it off Amy, it will protect you, Go with Adrianne, he's a friend, remember I love you Amy, I'm sorry I can't stay with you, I couldn't finish it but I trust that you will, in all that you do always remember that you are a good person and the good always wins-". Amy folded the paper quickly as she heard a knock on her door.

"I'm coming" she said as she quickly put everything back in her bag, she took a deep breath, wiped the little tears at the corner of her eyes and opened the door.

"I just wanted to um make sure you were okay, you seemed distant at the church and I didn't see you after the service, where were you?" he asked, Amy stared at him for a while, he looked tired, she walked back into her room and sat on her bed. Ace followed after her. He stared at her closely.

"Ace, I got a letter from Tyler, he-" she started but didn't know what to say, Ace just stared at her stunned.

"Really Amy, that-s good, what did he say" he asked. Amy suddenly felt bad because Ace was Tyler's bestfriend but he didn't tell him anything, maybe it was hard to since Ace was human. She reached into her bag and handed him the letter out of pity, he opened it and read it, then he looked at her in awe.

"He sounds like he knew he was going to die Amy" he asked, she nodded and sighed in frustration.

Then she spilled everything to him, she told him about Adrianne, about the first letter, about how she felt she was being followed, practically everything.

"Wow, Amy that's a lot to take in" he said and he stared at her in anxiety.

"I know" she said as she looked away, Ace sat on her bed beside her and held her hands, she looked at their connected hands then looked up at his face.

"Amy, I will be there for you in all, you won't have to go through this alone, I know what it means to lose everything, your parents took me in and brought me up Amy, I would do the same for you Amy, you are family to me" he said as he squeezed her hands, she gave him a smile, his words comforted her but stung her heart in a way she couldn't place, she rested her head on his shoulders, they stayed like that for a while.

"Ace"

"Yes Amy"

"I'm hungry" she said as her stomach growled, Ace chuckled then he stood up.

"I will whip up something fast, let's go downstairs" he said, Amy smiled awkwardly, then stood and followed him.

After dinner Amy excused herself to her room, she went into the shower for a warm bath before changing to her night wear, she brought out the ring and wore it, it fit perfectly, it really reminded her of her mother, she stared at the it for a while thinking of her parents before she finally drifted off to sleep.

*****

I woke up with a groan, my body ached everywhere and I was burning up.

I wanted to stand up to call Ace but I was too weak, my back ached a lot, I let out a cry, the pain was too much, I crawled out of bed to the floor.

I felt hot everywhere, I turned off the heater and but on the air conditioner, I always left it off because I was always cold, I crawled in the bathroom.

I looked at the mirror and froze at the sight I was seeing.

My eyes were was no longer brown, they were red and glowing like fire.

I gasped.

what the hell.

Then I screamed.

After a long pause, Ace ran into the room.

"Amy where are you" I heard him say in a panicking voice.

"I'm in here, in the bathroom" I managed to talk loud, he came rushing in.

"Ace" I said with a shaky voice

"my eyes" I said with a shaky voice,

I could still feel pain all over me especially my back. I saw Ace's reflection in the mirror then he gasped in horror.

"Amy what the hell is wrong with your eyes, it's red" he said.

"Yes she can see that" we both turned around at the voice that spoke, it was Adrianne, I sighed in relief, I had been praying silently for his presence. Ace brought out his gun and pointed it at Adrianne.

"Ace no, that's Adrianne" I said quickly, he put his gun down slowly. But he was still glaring at Adrianne.

"Adrianne what's wrong with me" I asked, he moved closer to me.

"Your powers are taking over Amy, but your eyes I've seen nothing like it my whole life"

I looked at him horror.

I let out a cry as I felt pain course through my back.

"My back it aches a lot"

"Because you are resisting your powers, let it out" he said.

I screamed again as the pain increased.

"And it's out" he said clapping. I glared at him.

"Stop she's in pain" I heard Ace say.

"I know I'm trying to make her feel better" Adrianne replied with sarcasm.

"No you are not, she's still in pain, why are you even here" Ace saud

"I am more useful in this situation than you are so back off" Adrianne argued.

What's wrong with them, they are acting like brats, I couldn't take it as they continued arguing like kids.

"Stop it! Both of you Stop!" I screamed.

They gasped in horror, I glared at them.

Then I smelled it, I looked around, my towel was burning, what the hell.

"Amy you almost burnt down this place" Adrianne said, I looked up at him.

"What does that mean" I asked in horror

"Your a flame girl" he said with sarcasm.

"Enough you two, let's put out the fire, Ace came up to help me stand, he winced in pain as he touched me.

"s**t, what the hell" he said as he stared at his hands, they were kind of burnt, I crawled away from the fire.

"Don't worry it would heal, let's first put out the fire" Adrianne said and Ace glared at him.

The fire started to spread and the curtains were getting burnt.

They both started pouring water into the fire till it died down, luckily for me. My whole bathroom didn't get burnt but it reeked of ashes.

Adrianne helped me get into the tub and ran the water cold, luckily for him, he didn't get burnt.

The tub thing didn't really work because the water kept getting hot, to them the room was cold so they left the room.

After a while, I was finally cooling down but my eyes were still red, I packed my brunette hair up and washed up finally, I let my hair down and combed through the nest. Then I went downstairs.

Tyler and Ace turned to look at me as I moved closer to them, assholes, they were watching TV while I was suffering in pain.

"Are you okay now" Ace asked.

"Like you care" I replied rolling my eyes.

"Common Amy, your room was like a cold room" he said and I agreed with him because I sort of felt the cold before I came downstairs.

"But your eyes, it's still red, you might want to wear contacts" he added. I nodded.

"Amy we have to leave" Adrianne said, there was a long silence, I know Tyler told me to follow him but I wasn't ready for another life yet.

"To where" I asked.

"To the castle to see the councils, I know you are not ready yet, but you are not safe here too" he said.

"The councils"

"They are the oldest leaders and most powerful members of the circle, they want to officially meet us seven, we have been waiting for you"

"I thought you said the others were already there, how come they have not met the council's yet"

"We are secluded from them, they reside in another part of the castle that is sealed with magic, no one can enter except they are part of the council"

"When you arrive, they will feel our bond, and will summon us to seal our bond"

"How many days will it take to travel to the castle" I asked and he laughed.

"We won't be walking or driving, we will go in realms, I was sent so I could take you through the portal" he said.

I looked at him not really understanding what he meant.

"My power is to open portals to realms, to places Amy"

I stared at him not believing, he sighed in frustration.

"Are you ready to leave right now" he asked.

"I have to pack, or can't you just move my house instead" I said with hope, I was too lazy to pack. He rolled his eyes at me.

"No I can't Amy, get your ass upstairs and pack your things, we need to leave now"

Ace cleared his throat, I looked up at him, I could definitely see the hurt in his eyes, I forgot he was here.

"I can't leave you Amy, I would die of worry, I want to go with you" he said and I stared at him, there was a long pause.

"You can follow us if you want" Adrianne stated and I looked at him. He shrugged.

"The castle is big, he can get a room, no one will complain, he can work too, and he might not even have time to see you"

"He already has a job and a life here, he cant-"

"I will come with you, Amy I told you I'm not leaving you, I would do whatever I need to" Ace stated and I let out a deep breath.

"Ace-"

"Amy, I'm coming with you" he said cutting me off. Adrianne looked at the both of us confusedly before turning back to watch TV.

Ace stood up and walked past me probably to pack, he was damn serious about this, I sighed in defeat and went upstairs to pack.

I packed all my the clothes I had, my favourite book DEBT PAYMENT by J.A, I packed my accessories and make up even if I knew I might not have time for them, I packed toiletries, I packed some of Tyler's important things and my parents too, then my grandmother's blank journal just to keep their memories alive even if I knew that would never die.

"Amy we have waiting for you for an hour now, are you packing the whole house" Adrianne shouted from downstairs. I rolled my eyes and wheeled my box out, Ace came to help me carry the box down the stairs.

Adrianne stared at us with wide eyes, I glared at him.

"You didn't have to pack this much, the castle has it all, your room has been set already"

"They are important stuffs too"

"Ok, whatever, let's just go, once the portal is open, walk in immediately, and you might want to close your eyes" he said

"Why"

"Because you can be swapped to another realm, an evil one" he replied and I tensed hard, Ace noticed and squeezed my hands, Adrianne gave us a slight frown, then he walked to the front door and stood in front of it, we followed behind him closely, he started drawing something on the door with his hand, then he opened the door, the wind was so strong and it was pushing us back, Adrianne turned around and looked at us.

"Now" he shouted, he stepped in and we rushed in after him, closing our eyes, the wind enveloped us, my head was spinning, the twirling decreased with time, then finally stopped.