Chapter SIXTY- EIGHT: I AM NOT INVITED
The creaks from the door pulled me out of the shower. Somehow, the once perfect door has lost its ability to grip in its latch. The door stood more open than how it was earlier.
“Oh shit!”
I shoved a floor mat folded at a corner at the base of the door to keep it closed.
“This should do.” I muttered and then I heard the door open again, his huge footsteps shook so hard on the creaky floor boards that I feared it might spring open again.
What if that happened and he looked up to find me naked, wet, slippery? Oh my God, that would be so discomfiting. I wonder what he would think of me after that. I wonder what he would think of me even now that he had seen me with just my panties on. At least it would finally occur to him that I am a woman. A pretty one at that. I scoffed.
Oh God Clara, you worry too much. Maybe he actually didn’t see anything.
Kieran was settled on the sofa by the time I came out.
“You should get that door fixed,” I said.
“For some reason, it chose today to misbehave. But its all good. The palace manager would handle that by morning. Its not like you have anything to hide anyway,” he chuckled.
I turned sharply, “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.”
“Did you see anything?”
“See what? Was there anything to see?” He laughed again.
He just knew the right words to piss me off. I stormed away from him towards the window.
It was quiet again, until I heard him approach me.
“I was just kidding,” he said, “I didn’t see anything.”
I didn’t respond neither did I look away from the window. I wished I could tell him that I didn’t mind if he did because then, we would be even.
“You hungry?” He asked, “I brought us dinner.”
“You don’t eat at the dining table anymore. Why?”
“Well, I can’t possibly leave you here alone to eat.”
I faced him. He was just an admixture of personalities. Sometimes he would strike me with his piercing gaze, provoking words that came along with mock chuckles. But at times like this, he was the warmth on chilly nights covering anyone around that those around would feel deserved. And at that point that was how I felt.
“I’ll take the burger,” I said with a sly smile.
After the first bite I stared at him again.
“What?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I looked away.
“Come on, that’s not nothing.”
I exhaled forcefully.
“Just wondering.”
“About what?” I saw the curiosity in his eyes.
“Why you are protecting me,” I said, “I guess you know about it right?”
“Know about what?” His eyes were blank.
“Don’t pretend, it’s okay if that’s what you want as well. I mean, who wouldn’t want that?”
“I’m lost Clara, what are you talking about?”
“The prophecy. I am talking about the prophecy. I’m sure you have heard of it.”
He chuckled, “What prophecy?”
At that point, I just looked at him. He still had the lost look on his face. It was obvious that he had no idea what I was talking about.
“You don’t know about the prophecy?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Never mind then,” I heaved.
“Tell me about it.”
“No, it’s not important. And since you don’t know about it. It shouldn’t bother you that much.”
“Well, now that you have mentioned it, I would like to know about it.”
“I said it’s not important. Just let it be.”
“Then you wouldn’t have even talked about it in the first place. Now, I would stay the whole night thinking about this thing I never heard.”
“Fine! I’ll tell you.”
I exhaled and leaned to the chair.
“When I was still at Ryan’s place, I stumbled upon his journal. It turned out that Ryan has been working on something for a while, something that had to do with a prophecy. That was why he was keeping me.”
“What is this prophecy?”
“I don’t know much about it but from the journal, I found put that every hundred years, a child is born possessing unimaginable powers and on the night of the millennium blood moon, the chosen one can be stripped of his or her powers. Turns out I am the chosen one, or at least, Ryan thinks so.”
“Yeah, I have heard of something like that. But I didn’t connect the dots just yet. So if Ryan thinks that you are the chosen one, that means he wants to kill you.”
“Yes, that’s why I had to leave.”
“I see. Makes a lot more sense. I have always wondered why you called.”
“It is hard to believe, even I don’t believe it. I mean how can I possess such powers and up until now, I am living by the mercies of your people?”
“Things like that don’t come as easy as you think. It doesn’t just work the way that you want it to.”
“But why?”
“If you really are the chosen one, then you sure are destined for great things. And you would surely find out why.”
His words tickled me and I laughed out loud. He just stood there watching me.
“What?”
“You are funny. Destined for great things? Come on, my parents are no where to be found. I have lived like a slave for so long I forget I even have a life. There are no great things.”
“Well, like I said, if really you are the chosen one, then you’ll see.”
I rolled my eyes.
“So if you didn’t know about this, why really are you helping me? Anyone could have just thrown me out.”
“You should get some sleep,” He ignored me.
“So you are seriously not going to answer that?”
“Tomorrow is going to be a long day.”
“It is always a long day with you,” I scoffed.
…
Everyone in their fancy dresses chit-chatting with their plus one or perhaps an acquaintance. Their voices low and courteous. Kieran already explored the hall, giggling from the distance as everyone came to him. But there I was, rooted in a corner avoiding the attention of anyone.
A waitress walked passed holding a plastic tray with half-filled glasses of champagne.
“Hey, can I have some?”
“Yeah sure.” She handed me a glass.
As soon as I sighted Kieran, he waved towards me to come over. I shook my head in disapproval but he wasn’t ready to let go just yet and so was I. At first, he made me join him to a party that I was clearly not invited to. Everyone looked at me as a trespasser. Even if they said nothing directly to me, it was obvious by the way they looked at me. Kieran still relentless, walked towards me with a lady by his side.
“Hey Clara,” he said smiling, “I want you to meet someone, “This is Claudia, my cousin.”
“Hi Claudia,” I managed a smile.
“Is she the lady you talked about?” Claudia whispered to Kieran but I could still hear her.
“Yes.”
Then she turned to me with a smile.
“Clara, right?”
“Yeah.”
“It’s nice to finally meet you. You know, when Kieran talked about you I just didn’t believe it. I guess you were right after all,” she faced Kieran.
“What is she talking about?” I asked Kieran as soon as she walked on.
But Kieran seemed not to hear me as he kept waving to the people.
“Kieran,” I called out again, “what is she talking about?”
“Look Clara, I can’t talk right now. Why are you in this corner anyway?”
“I… I ehh just needed to stay off a bit. Don’t change the topic.”
“This is an event, you need to mingle and meet new people.”
“You know I can’t. Not with everyone staring at me that way.”
“Hey Kieran,” someone called from a far.
“I’ll be right back,” he whispered as he walked away.
“Hey!” I called out but he was already gone.
And as he left, it was as if I had lost the ability to speak again.
“She is the one, look closely,” one of the ladies said beside me.
“I can’t believe that he would bring her here to mingle with us,” the other said.
“She should be thrown out, or better still jailed.”
“Jailed? That’s not good enough,” the other scoffed.
There words had become unending and the memory of the dress popped into my head again.
“Fuck this!” I cussed and stormed towards Kieran.
“Kieran,” I called out pulling him out from amongst the people.
“What is Clara?”
“I need to leave.”
“Why?”
“I’m not comfortable here anymore, I can hear their voices, it is like it is all in my head.”
“Right now, I would only say that you are being paranoid. Just relax, it’s a party.”
“But I can’t. I’m not wanted here. Look, I need to leave.”
Just then, one of the guards rushed towards Kieran.
“Your highness,” He said in between his breath.Content provided by NôvelDrama.Org.
“What is it?”
“The spy has been found,” He said.