Ace of Blades

I'm Part of Another Cult?

“Come on, Amira!” I called. That girl can really take a long time in the bathroom. “I’m coming, I’m coming!” she shouted down from the landing, followed by dramatic pounding on the wood stairs. I sucked in my breath when she came into view. She wore a pale pink dress that hugged her curves, with diamonds wrapped around her midsection, creating a mesmerizing floral design. She had pearl earrings that matched her pearl necklace, which I guessed were from her parents. She held up the bottom of her dress so she wouldn’t trip (which she has a habit of doing), and I could see her black thigh high heels. I could see the outline of her sword. She wore her black bracelet, which wrapped around her whole arm. Only I knew that it shot tiny needles full of poison at any attacker, so I remembered not to get on her bad side.

“Whoa,” I breathed. She smirked. “I know, I look amazing,” she said, being modest like always. I rolled my eyes, trying to hide my growing feelings for her. “We’ve probably missed any taxies.” I said, changing the subject. She shrugged. “Why don’t we just call one? They come to direct locations, right?” I shook my head. “We can’t give away our location, remember?” It was her turn to roll her eyes. “Whatever,” she said. Amira never really liked the Leaders rules, and she tended to break them. I shook my head and walked out to the kitchen where Ember, Cadence, and Jackson were sitting, laughing at something. Probably Jackson. “Hey Jackson—” His head snapped up, and his eyes flashed golden, something that happened only when he was happy, or when he was about to murder someone. “Jackson is no longer my name. I shall now be alluded to as Jay.” I saw Ember snicker in the corner of my eye. His eyes flashed again. “Okay,” I said suspiciously. Amira hovered behind me, breathing down my neck. “What? What happened?” she asked, always needing to know everything that ever happens. I sighed. “Jackson—oh excuse me, Jay was just telling me he’s going to change his name.” she raised a perfectly arched brow, but didn’t comment. “Are we going now?” she whined, over Jackson’s nickname. “Patience is a virtue, little one,’” I chided. She glared at me, and click clacked down the hallway on her 8-inch heels.

***

“C’mon!” I shouted at the taxi driver, resisting the urge to hit him on the back of the head. We were almost late for the party, and all the Leaders of New York were going to be there. Being late wouldn’t be a very good impression on The Hotel, with the Senior not even liking the way we ran our system already. “Hurry up!” I shouted again. I heard the driver say something unprintable. “Sheesh,” Amira observed, looking at her perfectly manicured nails. I glowered at her, momentarily forgetting she was VERY sensitive. She widened her eyes, and I immediately softened mine, not wanting to upset her. “C’mon,” I said gently. “Let’s go inside.”

I walked up the steps of The Hotel where the party was being hosted, Amira trailing behind me. "Hurry up!" I yelled back at her, right as someone walked out the door. His eyes widened. 'Um, s-sorry, I was just calling to my--" but before I could finish, I heard a gun-shot to my left, and I whirled to see a deer lying dead, no one around to have shot it. "What the..." I muttered. Amira was beside me, and I felt her shoulder brush mine. My skin tingled under her touch. "What do you thing happened, Hearty?" she said in a soft voice. I shuddered. "I don't know."

Just then, two more people came out, a dazed look on their faces. "I love you, Miles," one of them cooed at the other. I saw them both lean in, and I cleared my throat. The couple turned around, surprised to see a couple of kids hanging over a dead deer. Actually, they couldn't see us, because we were in Disguise, they only hear us. "What did you do to him?!?" the boy, Miles apparently, shouted at me. My eyes widened on shock. "You-you can see me?" I asked in amazement. He nodded his head, looking at me like Duh. His girlfriend (apparently) looked at him with an odd look. "Miles," she said cautiously. "Who are you talking to?" he looked at her in surprise. "The two people, sitting right there," he said, gesturing over to me and Amira. She followed his hands, staring straight at us, but not exactly. Humans could see through us, meaning they just saw thin air. It wasn't like we were ghost or anything, they couldn't walk through us, but they just couldn't see us. She shook her head at him. "You're making this up." she said, finality in her tone. "Umm, no, I'm not," he said firmly, but I could hear the uncertainty in his voice. She stared at him for a minute. "I cannot believe you!" she yelled, exploding on him. "First, you don't tell me you love me back, and now you're making things up? No wonder Wren left you! You're insane!" she shoved him back, and ran down the steps.

A minute of silence passed. Miles looked at us, finally, and I could see hurt and anger flash through them. "You're not real," he muttered. I shook my head at him, looking at him with sympathy. "We are real," I said. "You’re not real," he said, raising his voice louder. It was Amira's turn to coax him into believing us. When she didn't speak, I turned to her. Her eyes looked glazed, and a faint smile was playing on her lips. "Amira?" I saw curiously. When she didn't answer, I poked her in the arm. She snapped out of her revive almost immediately. "Don't touch me," she growled. I reeled back, surprised at her response. She was usually sarcastic, sad, or happy, but never angry. Or mean. She turned to Miles. "Look, I know this is all knew, and I know this may be very confusing, but we're here to help--" "YOU'RE NOT REAL!!" He screamed at the both of us. Amira recoiled, hurt flashing over her face, but it quickly returned to normal, her expression almost bored. "Yes, we are," she said soothingly. "And I can prove it, if you just come with us." She stretched out her hand, beckoning him. His hand came out, hesitantly at first, but then her clasped it with hers. Rage unfurled in my chest. How could this hot shot come, without even knowing the first thing about Amira, and take her away from me? How could--I stopped my thought-rant, shaking my head to clear it. I can't think that anyone who touches her is in love with her. Besides,I thought, chiding myself. She’s my sister!

***

My new phone (courtesy of Margo) buzzed in my back pocket. I dug it out, checking the message. "New message from: Hartley Libman (a.k.a. Hearty). I clicked it, my eyes squinting to read the tiny print.

Found new Seeker @ party. Coming now. Prepare to meet someone new!

I sighed. "Jay! Cades! Come downstairs!" I yelled up the oak stairs, my voice echoing through the walls. When no one answered, I screamed: “GET YOUR BUTTS DOWN HERE NOW!” followed by doors opening and grumbling. I smiled. The scream never failed to get them down. “What do you want?” Cades said, glaring at me. “I wanted some company,” I whined. I laughed inwardly at the expressions. They spun around and stomped up the stairs. “And someone found another Seeker!” They whirled around with shocked face. “What?” they both said in unison. I nodded my head. “You heard me. They found—” I started, but Cades interrupted. “But, we just got you,” she said. “And we're running out of rooms to spare!" I rolled my eyes at her. She just hadto have her ownspace. God forbid he and her best friend share a room so Jay could use his 'own' bathroom. "Girl or boy?" Jay asked. Cades stared at him in shock. "I can’t believe you’re not worried about losing your room!" She said in amazement. I could almost feel Jays dramatic eye roll behind me as I turned door. Bang, bang, bang. I rushed forward, unlocking it. "Hey, Ember," Hartley said, clearly not interested in me, but still being polite. I stood on my tiptoes, trying to look over her shoulder at the newcomer. Hearty pushed me aside, gently but firmly. I stumbled backwards, running into a wall. "Hey, falling for me much?" an unmistakably Jay voice said. I turned around, my face morphing into a glare. Guess that wasn’t a wall after all "Sorry," I mumbled, stepping away from him, putting about 5 feet between us. He shook his head, smirking. "What?" I asked, genuinely wanting to know the answer. He shook his head again and moved to see who the person was.

"I still don't believe you," Miles said for the hundredth time. I sighed. "Seriously, Miles. Come on. We've been at this for hours! I know you're confused, but can't we just go over this in the morning? I'm reallytired. He shook his head. "I am not sleeping here. I mean, what about my parents? What are they going to think about all this?" He asked. I grimaced, and looked at Cades for some support, but she shook her head slightly as if telling me, You're on your own for this one, Ems. Great help,I thought back to her, even though she couldn't hear or read my thoughts. I turned back to him. "Your parents, they, um, will be eliminated." Miles stared back at me, unblinking. "What," he said in a dangerously low, dangerously calm voice. Cades kicked my leg. Hard. I winced. She leaned down and hissed in my ear: “Great choice of words, champ." Miles eyes were trained on me, and I felt an overwhelming sense to avert my eyes, look at something else, anything else. "What do you mean?" he said in the same dangerous tone. I cleared my throat, searching for the right words. "What I meant to say is, your parents won't know about this." I swallowed. Here comes the hard part. "They-they will have to be taken away." He stared at me, registering my words. He jumped up suddenly, pacing the small sitting room. "So, what you're telling me is I have to become one of you people, a Seeker or whatever, and I don't get any cool superpowers, and my parents have to be taken away?" I felt Cades nodded her head. "Yep, pretty much." There’s Cades, being candor as always. Now it was my turn to kick her. "We'll always be here to help, whenever you need it," I said soothingly, mustering every ounce of welcoming-ness in my voice as one could. He had stopped pacing now, and was facing the opposite wall from me and Cades. I could see him shaking slightly, and I instantly felt sympathy for him, remembering when I first came. "If you need time, we'll give you time. All we ask is you can't tell anyone. If anyone, and I mean anyone finds out you're a Seeker, or where Seekers live, you could put us all in grave, grave danger," Cades said, laying it on thick. He nodded his head, not saying anything. An awkward silence settled between us. I cleared my throat, standing up. "I'm going to get some dinner," I said, grabbing Cades hand. She started to protest, saying something about how she wasn't hunger, but I shot her a death glare, shutting her up. "Come out when you're ready." I added before closing the door.

I practically dragged Cades into the kitchen. "Let's go!" I shouted at her. "I'm hungry!" She stopped abruptly and stared at me. "Are you PMSing?" she asked, and I could tell she wasn't joking by her expression. I shook my head angrily. "No, I'm just hangry. Now, let’s go!" She followed without another word.

"What’s PMSing?" a voice said behind me as I grabbed an apple. I froze, hand fully reached out, getting ready to grab the apple. Silence followed Jays question. "What's PMSing?" he repeated, louder this time. I saw Cades snicker out of the corner of my eyes. I cleared my throat, looking for the right words. "It's um, when, um--" I was spared from a response when Amira came in, giggling at something Miles said. Good,I thought he's out of the sitting room. Hearty came trailing in after them, glowering at something. "What’s wrong, Hearty?" I asked her. She looked up, her face surprised, as if she didn't expect anyone to notice. "Nothing," she said casually. Jay turned, putting his hands on her shoulders. He looked her square in the eyes. "Hartley Fair Libman," he said with a serious expression. "Are you PMSing?" She stared at him for a second, then burst out laughing, joining me and Cadence.