The Girl with the Violet Eyes Page 19

  Chapter 19

  “Can I ask you something, Ali? It's a very important favor, and if it's to much then you don't have to do it.”, He whispers. He looks over at me pleadingly with his deep golden eyes. I look back into his eyes, mesmerized by their deep brown rings and the golden flecks of light gleaming against the setting sun. He gets closer to me and I can feel his hot breath against my cheek. I close my eyes and breathe his skin in. He smells wonderful like the earth right after a rainstorm and I get lost in his big golden eyes. They start to shimmer and change becoming lighter and lighter with excitement. I start to feel insecure, completely unsure of myself. I know he wants to kiss me, but what if I don't do it right and I make a fool of myself. The only other boy I've kissed was Theo, and that didn't quite work out the way I had planned. I stop looking into his eyes and stare down at my hands.

  “What was the favor?” I ask, transfixed looking at my pale hands. I look up at Riley and he looks back flabbergasted. I know exactly what he is thinking without having to read his mind, we just had a moment. We should be kissing right now. Why did she break our connection? I can see the hurt in his eyes. He clears his voice and tries to ignore the awkward thing that just happened between us.

  “I need you to come home with me.” he says looking at me seriously.

  “Home? With you?” I ask astonished.

  “Yes. You see my oldest sister is getting married shortly after your brother and I really need someone to go with me. I would appreciate it if you would accompany me.”, he says shyly. His cheeks turn a bright red and he looks so adorable that I can't say no to him. His tan skin and his flushed cheeks make him look so vulnerable. “It doesn't have to be a date. We could just go as friends.” he adds quickly.

  “I would like that, Riley.” I say amused. He quickly raises his fist in the air victoriously bringing it down. I give him a smile, and try not to laugh at his quirkiness.

  “Awesome. Thanks Ali!” He shouts, jumping from his seat and tossing the chair to the ground. He races out of my room joyfully. My heart flutters and I feel lightheaded. My stomach has a giant knot taking over half of my body and making it hard to breathe. I feel excited about our non-date, and I can't wait until I can see Riley again. I smile looking down happily.

  There's a loud knock at my door. Thinking that it's Riley again, I leap up from my chair almost tumbling through my doorway into the bedroom but I quickly catch my balance. I throw the door open, and place a big smile on my face.

  “Hi.”, I say breathlessly.

  “Hello.”, my mother answers.

  “Mom I thought you were someone else.”, I say looking down in disappointment.

  “Well please don't seem so enthusiastic about seeing me.” she says giggling, her wild red hair bouncing like hot flames around her shoulders playfully. “Anyways, I just stopped by to tell you good night and to tell you to get some sleep. You begin your training tomorrow.”

  “I do?” I ask excitedly. “I can't wait.” I cheerfully dance around the room. My mother grabs hold of me in an embrace surprising me.

  “I'm glad you're excited. I also heard some wonderful news.” she says grinning sheepishly.

  “What?” I ask curiously.

  “I heard you have a date with Riley.” she answers.

  “Oh. It's not a date. I'm just going with him to his sister's wedding.” I reply.

  “Sure. That's not what he thinks, he has been going around the palace shouting about his date with the princess.” she says smiling at me.

  “Great. Now I have to explain to everyone that it's not a date.” I say blowing my bangs out of my face in frustration. “He is so childish.”

  “Give him a break, Ali. He's just excited.” she explains. “He really is a great guy and he has a big heart.”

  “Why does everyone keep saying that?” I ask.

  “I don't know probably because it's the truth.” she answers. “Anyways, I'm tired being a queen is hard work so I'm going to bed. Goodnight darling.”

  “Goodnight, Mom.” I say. I watch my mother bounce down the hallway, cheerfully humming a tune and I close the door. Someone is breathing down my neck. It's a familiar smell, and I turn around to a hulking giant. He's furious and who could blame him?

  “What the hell is your problem, Ali?” He shouts, slamming his hand against my wall. I try to scream but nothing escapes my lungs. I'm paralyzed. Help me, I think loudly in my head. Please someone help me. Theo lunges at me, and I get out of the way just in time as he crashes into my vanity. The glass shatters and I use the opportunity to escape my bedroom. The door squeaks loudly and I sprint down the hallway still unable to speak or scream. Someone or something comes sprinting quickly from the opposite end of the hallway. It's moving so quickly that it's a blur. As it whizzes by me, all I can see is a huge mass of fur. It stops short of my doorway and growls, ferociously pawing at the ground. I rush towards it, afraid that it may hurt Theo.

  “Wait. Please don't hurt him!” I squeal and sprint towards the wolf, but it's too late it's already in attack mode. It jumps up in the air and I reach my bedroom in time to see the wolf tear into Theo's leg. He screams in agony and the wolf stops biting him. The animal drops down next to Theo, and makes a whimpering sound. I don't know which is worse, the blood gushing from Theo's leg or the overgrown, sad looking wolf in my bedroom. The room fills with mist and it becomes impossible to see. The effects make me feel faint and dizzy so I grab onto the doorway for help. When the mist finally clears I see Riley lying with just a pair of polka-dot boxers on the floor and Theo lying lifelessly by his side.

  I cry out rushing to Theo's side. I can't speak because everything has happened so quickly that my brain needs time to respond. Riley looks up at me in astonishment when the white light protrudes from my fingers, I gently touch Theo's leg, and caress his open wound. It begins healing instantly, but the pain that it delivers to me is unbearable. I clench down grinding my teeth and trying not to cry. Riley whimpers next to me and I try to focus on Theo's wound. Theo begins to move around again and the pain in my body subsides. I let go of his leg and put my hands at my sides.

  “I'm so sorry Ali.” Riley whispers. “I just had to save you, I saw what he wanted to do to you and it scared me so my emotions made me transform.” he says looking down bitterly at his shaking hands.

  “Thank you, Riley.” I whisper. I lean in and kiss him on the cheek. He looks up in surprise. My cheeks are wet and hot from the tears. Theo groans from the other side of us.

  “What happened?” he asks blankly.

  “You just tried to kill Ali! You bastard!” Riley shouts.

  “I, what? I would never do that!” Theo retaliates.

  “You wanted to. I saw what the future would be if I didn't intervene!” Riley yells furiously.

  “Well, wolf boy maybe you need to get your brain re-calibrated because I would never hurt Ali!” Theo answers defensively. “Really, what just happened?”

  “Theo. You just tried to kill me.” I say bravely. “I don't know what happened exactly but you yelled at me before lunging at me.”

  “I did?” He asks astonished.

  “Yeah. Do you know what happened?” I ask.

  “I don't know. I remember talking to Blair about you and how you were angry with me. I wanted her to tell you that it was her idea for me to kiss her not mine. I wanted to win you back so I came up to your room and then it got really hot. My tattoos started to burn and then I blacked out.” He says cautiously.

  “Can you lift up your shirt? I have a theory that just might prove to be right. If you're embarrassed, you don't have to.” I add.

  “Great. Thanks, Ali. He tries to kill you and you still want to see him naked.” Riley whines.

  “No. I need to test something.” I answer. Theo lifts up his dark shirt revealing his fit body. I try not to stare at the sweat trickling down his well-formed abs. I lick my lips trying to focus on my plan.

  “Riley. You can
read the future, right?” I ask. “Can you touch something and know what will happen?”

  “Yeah, I can touch anyone and know what they will become. I will know their gifts, their profession, their love, and their end, but remember being a Seer does not always mean that that will be your definite future. Why?” he asks curiously.

  “I need you to touch Theo and tell me what happens.” I say.

  Theo tries to wriggle free but Riley grabs him quickly. He closes his eyes and his face turns emotionless for a few seconds. He opens his eyes and stares incredulously at Theo. “Who are you?” Riley asks.

  “What are you talking about?” Theo asks bewildered. “I'm Theo Veltri. I'm the king's advisor and the princess's protector.

  “It's the strangest thing, but when I touched you something went wrong. You didn't have a future. Everything was a complete blank. That has never happened before.” Riley cautions.

  “Maybe it was a mistake.” I chime in.

  “No. It was very strange but whenever I touched him I could feel someone shouting at me to stop. Someone kept repeating let go of him, and my hands started burning. It really creeped me out.” Riley hesitates. We stare at Theo and Theo stares back at us. He looks frightened and alone. I want to give him a hug, but I decide against it.

  “I think we should all get some sleep. Maybe we could discuss it in the morning. I can tell that Theo doesn't want to talk about it and Riley it looks like you just saw a ghost.”, I say getting up and leading the boys out of my bedroom. “Goodnight boys. I'll see you in the morning. Maybe we can discuss this serious matter over a delicious breakfast.”

  I watch them as they head off in opposite directions with their heads hanging low in a thoughtful manner. I close the door, and then crawl into my large, comfortable bed anxiously awaiting sleep but a thousand thoughts fill my brain keeping my mind occupied and without sleep. I look up at the ceiling, and the time reads 3:10 am. There's a soft rustling noise outside of my bedroom door so I quietly creep towards it and try to listen from the other side. I cup my hands placing them around my ear and against the door. I can hear two people in the hallway whispering quietly.

  “What are we going to do?” one voice asks. It's unrecognizable and I have never heard this voice before.

  “I don't know. She has to find out soon enough what he is.”, the other unknown woman's voice whispers.

  “Do you think that if she finds out that he isn't who he says he is, she will still love him?” the first voice asks.

  “We will have to wait and see, our master gave us strict orders not to communicate with each other. The royalties will suspect something is wrong if they see us together at these odd hours.” the second voice answers and silence follows except for their distant footsteps echoing through the hallways.

  I want to see who the mysterious women are and know who they were discussing, but unfortunately I can't see through thick wooden doors, turn invisible, or read minds. This healing gift is getting pretty boring, compared to all the other useful gifts out there that I could have had. I return to my bed feeling particularly annoyed about not knowing anything that happens around the castle.

  I hear another noise outside on my balcony as something crashes down onto the concrete behind the table. I pull the blankets over my eyes as frightened as a child is of the monster under their bed. The thing outside groans in pain and then all is quiet, I remove the blanket and peek outside. There is only the moonlight shining onto the patio so it's impossible to make out the large figure standing behind my glass. His back is turned towards me, and he is wearing a dark cloak made out of some kind of shimmering material. He turns around and I squeal when I see that it's Riley. I race to the door unlatching the lock and allowing him to come into my room.

  “Riley? What are you doing awake and how did you get up to my room?” I ask stunned. He puts his hands to my lips and quiets me. He leans towards me, and puts his lips onto my ear as I shudder.

  Danger