Page 46 of Shattered Heir
He took the bracelet and put it on my wrist.
“A knight, huh?”
“I told you, Em. Knights are the best. Now, what movie do you want to watch?” he asked as he held up the remote.
I smiled at him and said: “I love it. Thank you, Ry.”
“You’re welcome, Em.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Iwas laying in the grass out in front of my school, holding up the key that Mary had given me with my fingers when I heard my name called.
“Emma!” I heard the panting as if someone was running, and as the voice shouted my name again and came closer, I realized that it was Ash. I smiled, happy that she was at school and that I wouldn't be as alone as I had felt the day before, but I wondered why she hadn't been at school on my birthday.
As I walked to school that morning, I contemplated my evening spent with Ryker and Mary. I smiled. Ryker and I ended up watching a couple different movies, and we both fell asleep in the living room, and for a few hours, I felt like the girl I could have been if I hadn't been from another world, and it felt nice. As I walked into school, I knew that Shad would be there, andI would have to act like he wasn't the love of my life, and Cade would be there, as pestering and irritating as ever. I thought about turning around and telling Keil that I needed more lessons in soul-shielding and that school wasn't for me. As I walked past the edge of the parking lot and up the sidewalk and onto the school campus, I tried to give myself a pep talk.
You can do this, Emma,I told myself.Is a pep talk completely useless if I know that I am lying to myself?I passed by the familiar oak tree, which I passed every day on my way onto campus, and instead of going to the lockers to meet up with Ash, if she was even at school, I decided to lay down in the grass and stare up at the clouded sky. Yes, I was probably going crazy, or my classmates probably thought I had gone crazy. Who just lays down outside of school in the grass, staring at the sky?I will tell you who: Me, the crazy girl, who is also a magical girl. Maybe that gives me a pass? I don’t know.All I did know was that my life wassocomplicated,sooverwhelming that I needed a break before I went through that gate and onto campus. I felt defeated. I didn't know how I was supposed to handle everything.Could these Ancients, or gods, please spread their love around me and stop giving me all these trials? Please?
I breathed in the cool, crisp air, trying to focus on nothing. Honestly, I was trying to prolong the inevitable: seeing Cade. I also wanted to see Shad, but was afraid to see him. Our most recent interaction wasn’t horrible. I mean, he did give me a rose, but the one before that was not so good. I couldn't shake the memory of Shad’s words when Cade arrived and tricked me. “How could you think that was me? All you do is lie and manipulate me.”I tried to let the tears stay trapped in my eyes, but the look on Shad’s face that day broke something inside of me.
I didn't say anything when Ash found me in the grass. She cast a shadow over my face and moved her head over mine.
“Hey,” I finally said, trying to look past her and back into the sky to avoid whatever conversation she wanted to have.
“Sorry I missed your birthday, Emma. I was sick yesterday.” She paused, still looking down at me. “Emma, are you okay?” she asked, moving her head to the side as if she could get a better look at me from that angle.
“Oh, it's fine. I’m Fine,” I said quickly, and we both knew at least one of those things was a lie.
She sighed and lay down beside me.
“I don't like birthdays.”
“What are we looking at?” she asked, a few inches away from me, laying on her back just as I was, and we both looked at the clouded morning sky, like crazy people.
“The sky.”
“Ah, yes, very grey today,” she said, trying not to laugh; I could tell by the sound of her voice. “Emma, talk to me,” she whispered.
“I thought Cade was Shad, and I feel like an idiot. Yesterday was my birthday, and Shad gave me a rose, but afterwards, he seemed to be mad at me. Mary gave me a picture of my mom on the day I was born, and it made me cry. Ryker gave me this,” I said, holding up my arm. “Are you okay? I was worried about you, when you didn't come to school yesterday.”
“That, wow, okay; that is a lot. I’m sorry I wasn't here yesterday. I should have texted you,” she said softly.
“I missed you yesterday,” I whispered.
“I am so sorry, Emma.” She paused. “I heard about Cade, and I didn't know yesterday was your birthday until this morning. I am such a bad friend.”
“I don't care about my birthday. I mean, it just reminds me of my parents and what I lost. I would rather it all be forgotten, actually,” I said, looking at her beside me. We exchanged glances; then we both stared up at the sky, silent for a time. Iknew that she had lost both of her parents, too, so she had to understand a little.
“I don't like my birthdays either, Emma. Glass always buys me a cupcake and makes me blow out a candle, but my birthdays do remind me of home and all that I have lost, too. I understand.” I felt Ash’s hand squeeze my fingers and then let go.
“I just can't believe that I thought Cade was Shad. You should have seen the look on Shad's face.” I covered my eyes with my hands.
“Emma, he has Shad’s soul, and from what I hear, they look very much alike now. Ryker told me that Cade fixed his horrible nose.”
I laughed at that through a few tears. “It was horrible; he so deserved that broken, ugly nose, though,” I said, wiping tears away.
“I don't blame you for confusing them. I don't think anyone does—”
