Keepers of the Moon

Chapter 8. The light in our hearts (2)

Indigo

I saw the young boy who came in with King Einar strengthening his hair and trying to hide a large stain on his shirt. I caught him staring at me. Like I wouldn’t notice this.

He was somewhat stumbling, trying to look like he was just coincidentally passing by. I looked away when he looked up. The fear that his eyes would look like his father’s was too much to bear. Though he didn’t look like him except for his light hair.

He put two glasses of wine on the table and knocked one of them over. He was trying so hard! It was almost pathetic but also slightly cute. I could barely hold in my laugh, Einar’s eyes glanced toward us. Better not to laugh at his son.

The notion that he was looking at us, gave me goosebumps and fear coursed through my body. Though for now he merely looked curious and his eyes were drawn away from us by a scarcely dressed woman who seemed to fancy King Einar. She was completely intoxicated and could barely stand on her feet.

I heard the boy next to me coughing. My eyes followed Abi’s trail through the crowd, she was completely unaware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing within the mass of people. I wished I could be so free of fear.

The boy coughed again.

‘Are you alright?’ I wanted to sound annoyed, though I could barely hold in my laugh. It was funny that he tried so hard to look tough, but he was just way too clumsy for that. If he would just act normal, things would run a whole lot smoother. He clearly wasn’t from the streets, there was no confidence whatsoever in his veins.

He answered with a squeaky voice, though when I looked at him I could see his thoughts wander and his mouth dropping. I wanted to look behind me, but I was captivated by his eyes. They were as blue as the sky on a hot spring day or the turquoise waters in Nova Bay. They looked at me, tried to unravel all my secrets and question why I was here. I felt sincerely uncomfortable and sad. I’d never thought someone would look at me like this. And it was sad that of all the people it had to be him. The son of my enemy, with a pure heart and innocent eyes. No hint of his father’s madness inside.

‘You are staring.’ It sounded so annoyed and he didn’t deserve that.

He didn’t even react to my words. My queasiness grew, he needed to stop lingering on me. I could feel his presence so near to me, but I would never let him in. I couldn’t, he shouldn’t dwell on me. Because I could and would never give him wat he wanted from me. No matter what happened, my secrets could never be revealed. And he deserved the truth, the truth that I couldn’t give him. It would never work.

‘Sorry?’ Please stop staring, go away and leave me alone. I don’t deserve your kindness.

‘Sorry.’ It sounded insecure and I could feel his uneasiness growing also. This was better, though it hurt so much. I didn’t want him to feel like this. What was happening to me?

‘Lost in thought.’ I blew out air from my nose while tearing my eyes away from him toward the crowd. Three heavyset man in all black were watching us. King Einar’s henchmen, just for protection. Yet I couldn’t shake the fact that these men were also part of the crew that started the purge. I avoided their eyes, afraid that they might recognise me. Even though I was sure that none of these men had been in Nova when it all started. Why I knew this was beyond me, but I was sure of it as if they had sworn it to me.

I looked over at the boy as if I could find the answer there.

‘How’s living here?’ The question caught me off guard, I hadn’t expected it anymore.

‘So good so far, quite new here.’ It wasn’t a lie, though I felt like I had already given him too much information. He was the son of the enemy, he couldn’t know! Why was he penetrating my shield so easily? What was happening to me? I squeezed the tablecloth behind me to bring me back to reality, but it was barely working.

‘How do you like it here?’ This question was easier to answer, though I still wanted to keep as much information from him as possible. He was so innocent! Why didn’t he just go?

‘Wet and cold.’ I laughed, it was the first that crossed my mind. But more words didn’t come. I wanted to tell him everything, about my home and I wanted to run as far away from here as I possibly could. I wanted to keep him and I wanted to throw him out the window. He was safe and yet so dangerous. For the first time in my life I was completely speechless. His unease was growing, but I couldn’t take it away from him. It was safer this way.

He eventually handed me the glass of wine and I stared at it. In the innocent red fluid I saw Mere’s eyes and her crooked smile. I let the drink pass. Better to stay sober with so many enemies around. I looked away uncomfortably. Abigail was still dancing with the same boy she had been dancing with the entire night. Her hairs were flying uncontrollably into the air, which resulted in endearing looks. Her tiara was holding on for dear life, they really secured it tightly. The three security men were still staring at us, though less tense as before. They just wanted to make sure their Prince was safe. The Prince who turned my world upside down at the very first time we met. 

He put the wine back on the table with a frustrated sigh. I’m sorry lad.

It was the boy who eventually took my arm, I was frightened for a moment and whipped around. Too fast, I stumbled and almost fell into him.

‘Wanna dance?’ He never even waited for my answer and dragged me onto the dancefloor where Mo Bhean shared an amused look with me. She had taken back the violin and was reeling again. She set in a particularly uptempo song and then disappeared into the crowd. I heard Erin’s voice inside my head: ‘You need to lighten up!’