THE SILVEAN

CHAPTER 4

Total darkness. Absolute, like the world got swallowed. Someone screamed, metal clanged. Hands shoved me down violently then the lights, emergency torches flickering like some ancient tomb and me on my knees with ash on my palms, the necklace scalding hot.

The guards were gone just headmaster Pinehurst staring while Kael stands between us hands up like he stopped them.

- - - -

In the interrogation room with no windows, a table, a chair and me. Headmaster Pinehurst paced while Kael stood by the door not granted permission to speak but he didn't leave. 'Explain', the headmaster said 'I didn't do anything'. 'The lights went out', 'The guards were knocked out' I defended 'And you had ash on your palms' he questioned 'Its from the fireplace'. 'In the basement ?' I shut fast, the voice Don't talk.

Kael finally spoke 'She panicked, that's all'. His father stared at him 'Get out' Kael flinched but didn't move 'She's 17, she's scared you don't have to----'. 'GET OUT'. Kael looked at me once more before he left the door shut behind us.

At night they didn't expel me. Worse. I was on probation, room search, curfew and a council 'observer'. His name was Perry, he smiled too much, watched me too closely.

'Just here to make sure you're safe' he said 'And that you definitely....you know' he made a little explosion with his hands I nodded and walked to my room alone the other girls moved out that was part of my punishment, 'Don't want to die in a fire'. One shoved past me pushing me out of the way. Fair. They started in the halls right behind me,

'Did you hear ? she killed the guards with her mind'.

'She's possessed'

'Her mom sold her to the demon'

Vivian led it all of course, she'd walk past me in the hallway and bump into my shoulder then whisper 'Monster'.

I didn't answer, I couldn't, If I do the voice will too. At night the necklace grew tighter, colder and the voice louder.

'They're afraid of you. Good. Let them be'

I'd wake up with ash under my nails.

- - - -

I went back for the book the black one, it was gone.... but Perry was there reading it with his feet on the table. 'Fancy seeing you here' he said 'Looking for this ?' he held up the black book at that moment my heart dropped 'Give it to me'. 'Why ?' he flipped a page 'Its blank'. 'Its not blank' I clapped back he just looked at me, really looked at me and for the first time no smile was etched on his face. 'I know what you are', he said.

'A stone bearer just like your mom'. The room temperature suddenly dropped to a bone chilling cold. 'Don't say her name'. 'Why ? because it hurts ?' he asked then stood up and walked towards me, he held out the book. 'Take it, but know this- the council is watching and coming for you, when they do no one here will be able to help you'.

I took the book it was comforting and warm pulsing like a heartbeat, MINE the voice said, later that night I couldn't sleep with the book laid open on my desk pages filling in with writing, not just any writing. My mother's I could recognize it, by the letters she had tucked away in her bedroom, back then I was just five and stumbled into her room by accident, it was also in that room I saw my dad breakdown for the first time.

'If you're reading this baby they'll tell you the stone is cursed. It's not, it's a key and you're the door'.

The necklace tried to choke me I tore at it trying to breathe properly, the lights flickered again in my room a shadow moved in the corner. Not Perry. Not a guard. Something taller, older and eyes silver, 'Hello eira' It said with my voice. I screamed.

- - - -

Kael found me first on the floor trembling like a leaf with the book clutched to my chest and the lights shattered everywhere.

'She saw something', Perry told the headmaster 'Probably had a nightmare', headmaster Pinehurst just looked at me then at Kael glancing at Perry. 'She stays in her room' he said 'Until we figure out what she is'. Kael knelt by me 'Did you see it too ?' he whispered in a voice only I could hear and I nodded tears in my eyes 'Good' he said 'That means all of this is real', he stood up then left while Perry winked at me 'Sleep tight, Princess'. that night, no lights, no guards, no Perry just me and the book it's last pages filled with new words not my mom's.

'We see you Eira,

the council sees you

and so do I'

-K

K. Kael ? the windows cracked open as cold air gushed in and on my desk a knife with a note attached to it.

At midnight on the rooftop.

Come alone or they'll take

you tomorrow.

'GO' the voice said, outside I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. I grabbed the knife then grabbed the book before climbing out the window.