Fearless The King Series Book One - By Tawdra Kandle Page 0,85
meeting my eyes. “How do you know this stuff? It’s impossible for me.”
I smiled at her. “I moved around a lot all my life, and I haven’t made many friends. So I had a lot of free time for reading. I know it sounds weird, but I actually enjoy Shakespeare.”
Amber shook her head, amazed. “It just doesn’t make any sense to me.” She ducked her head shyly. “But I do like to read. Just not this—whatever it is. I like other kinds of books.”
“Really? What do you read?” I felt as though I was on the verge of a breakthrough here. If Amber realized that I wasn’t the monster Nell had painted me to be, maybe she’d feel more comfortable confiding in me.
“Mostly fantasy—you know, what they call science fiction, sometimes. I like the futuristic books and even some of the space ones.” Her eyes lit up, and I thought in surprise that she really was quite pretty.
“Books are easier than people, aren’t they?” I observed.
Amber frowned, and her eyes lost the glow. “Sometimes. When you don’t have anyone to talk to, you know you can always count on the characters in books to be there for you.”
“When you’re lonely, it can be a lifesaver,” I said softly.
Suddenly Amber seemed to remember who I was. “I’m not lonely, not anymore,” she retorted. “And it doesn’t look like you are, either. Not many people can come into a school and be dating the most popular boy within a week or so.” She looked at me meaningfully. “So I guess you’re not reading that much Shakespeare these days.”
“What happened when I moved here doesn’t make all the other years of being alone go away,” I returned. “I still read plenty of Shakespeare. Finding friends shouldn’t change who you are. It should make you even more of that person.”
Now her eyes blazed, and I could hardly hear her spoken words for the thoughts that were shouting from her head. “If you’re talking about Nell, you have no idea. I haven’t changed, except the parts that I should have lost long ago. Nell has helped me become stronger and more powerful than you’ll ever know—” and if she knows I’m talking to you about her, she’ll be so angry. And she always knows. Somehow she always knows. Sometimes I think she can hear me even when she’s not here. She scares me but she’s my friend, and I haven’t had a friend in so long. You could never know.
“Powerful?” I interrupted, trying hard to ignore her thoughts and only answer what she said out loud. “What do you mean? That’s an odd thing to say.”
Amber flushed. “I just mean, more sure of myself. That’s all. What else would I mean?”
The temptation to tip my hand and tell Amber what I knew was strong, but I realized that it was much too dangerous. While I didn’t think that Nell had any real power, the idea that Amber was under some sort of spell didn’t feel that far-fetched right now. Her loyalty to the girl who used to make her life miserable was perplexing.
I leaned closer to Amber and lowered my voice. “I don’t know, Amber. Why don’t you tell me? Is Nell messing with something she shouldn’t be?”
Amber jerked back. “You’re seriously deranged, you know that? I see what Nell means. Just leave us alone. You don’t have any idea about—about what all of us have together. People always make sick assumptions when girls can be friends and can be supportive to each other. You’re just jealous Nell didn’t want to be friends with you.”
Now that was actually amusing. “If that’s what you want to believe, be my guest. You’re wrong. But you should listen to me about this. You need to be careful, Amber. If something is frightening you, it probably isn’t a good idea. If you have doubts, you should take some time and think about what you’re doing.” That was as much as I could say without actually telling Amber what I’d heard. I was afraid that if she told Nell that I had warned her more specifically, it might push Nell to act earlier.
Now her mood had shifted from anger to fear. She looked at me wordlessly, her lips pressed together and her eyes wide. “I can’t,” she whispered, so quietly that I had to bend close to hear her. “She would never let me pull back now.” She sat very still, looking trapped and defeated.