Fearless The King Series Book One - By Tawdra Kandle Page 0,50
still learning, even when it came to Michael. “I also heard something.”
“Oh, yeah?” He was nearly finished his own lunch of pizza and fries and was eyeing the roll that came with my salad. I handed it to him without a word. “Thanks. Growing boy and all that. How did you know I wanted it? Did you hear me?”
“There are some things you just don’t have to have special gifts to know,” I informed him. “And besides, I never listen to you without asking first.”
“Never?” He brushed my cheek with his free hand and tucked my hair behind my ear. My face heated.
“You’re getting off-topic.”
“What? Oh, yeah, right, Amber and Nell and you hearing stuff. So what did you hear?”
“It was like she’s gotten involved in something bad, or something she’s afraid about. People she’s afraid of, maybe. And she’s second-guessing it. Maybe something that’s going to happen. Add that to her new togetherness with Nell, and to me it’s weird. And I didn’t mean to listen to her, by the way, but it was so loud I couldn’t miss it.”
Michael finished off my roll and gazed at me thoughtfully. “I know you didn’t listen on purpose. You don’t have to be defensive about that with me. I’ll always give you the benefit of the doubt.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that. I guess I am a little paranoid about it, especially now that I’m hearing so much more than I’d like.”
“I don’t know what’s going on with Amber. It seems really out of character, both her actions and her thoughts. You really think it has something to do with Nell?”
I considered briefly and nodded.
“Then maybe you’d get more info if you listened in on Nell, if it’s something to do with her that’s spooking Amber.”
I shuddered slightly. “Nell’s mind is not a nice place. I’ve picked up some vibes from her, and I don’t like them. She radiates darkness.”
He shrugged. “Just a thought. No pun intended.” He smirked.
I sighed. “Yeah, you’re a hoot. And you’re also right. If I want to know what’s eating Amber, I should at least check out Nell.” Glumly I poked at my salad. “She’s in my History class next period. Perfect opportunity.”
“Hey, don’t do anything that’s going to freak you out. I get that you’re worried about Amber, but I’m sure it’s nothing big.”
I didn’t answer Michael right away. I was thinking uneasily about my first day of King, my first day in Chemistry, when I heard someone thinking about a blood sacrifice. At the time, it had freaked me out, but then I’d had to deal with Nell, and then there had been Michael. . .
“Are you really that worried?” Michael’s question snapped me out of my reverie. I noticed that people were straggling out of the cafeteria and looked at my watch. Lunchtime was nearly over. I stood and pulled my hand from Michael’s grip so that I could pick up my tray. He grabbed it from the table, stacked it onto his own and took my hand again, giving me that same sweet smile. As usual, my heart fluttered, and I squeezed his hand in appreciation.
“I’m thinking… maybe it is a big deal. Maybe Nell is involved in… something even more nasty than we might think.”
Michael shrugged, but I saw something flash through his eyes and detected a skip in his thoughts. In answer to my inquiring eyes, he shot me a quick smile. “I don’t think we should jump to conclusions about Nell. Yeah, she’s not a very nice person, but still…”
“What if I told you that on my first day of school, I heard someone in Chemistry class thinking about a blood sacrifice?” I kept my voice low, as there were still some people lingering in the cafeteria as we wandered through.
I couldn’t quite describe the expression on Michael’s face. I might have said he was stricken, but it passed so quickly that I wasn’t sure. “I guess I would have to ask you, are you sure? And if you are, then do you know it was Nell thinking it?”
“I’m sure that I heard it,” I said without hesitation. “I don’t know who said it, but she seems the likeliest candidate.” We turned in the direction of his locker first.
“Sure it wasn’t the teacher?” It was no secret that Michael found Ms. Lacusta unsettling and creepy.
“No. That I know. I can’t hear her mind. When I’m near her, I just get this weird kind of… static.”