Page 79 of Shattered Heir
“I’ve never been much of a fan.” I picked up my own lunch, a burger and fries, same as Ash, and I took a bite. I glanced around, my eyes settling on the cafeteria door. There stood Shad, his hair flopped over his forehead, his clothing all wrong. I wanted to go over to him, tuck in his collard shirt, and fix his hair. Would that bring the lost boy back to me? Would I look into those gleaming eyes and see the sun? Or would his eyes always remain a starless night?
“Emma?” I heard my name and pulled my vision back to Ash, who, by her tone, had probably repeated my name a couple of times already, before I heard her.
“Oh, sorry.” I looked away from the door and down at my plate.
“Do you need me to knock some sense into the idiot prince?” she said, smiling, and the gleam in her eyes made me think that Ash was someone you didn’t want to mess with.
“I don't want him to get hurt.”
“No, of course not—I wouldn'treallyhurt him, just rough him up a bit.” She wiped her hands on her napkin as she spoke, looking to where Shad was walking to a table near the doors.
“Ash, are you sure that you were not an ancient warrior on Terra. You are kinda freaking me out.” I smiled, and she threw a fry at me.
“Ha—funny,” she fake laughed and touched the crystal dangling from her neck. “No, I am not from the kingdom of Tolston, remember? I am from Sorra.”
Sorra, I knew that name–that was where my mother and Mary were from. I needed to look at my mother’s story book to learn more about it.
I watched her as she seemed to ponder on that, her eyes staring at her soda cup, but really, I knew that wasn't what she was seeing. She seemed to be seeing, or remembering something else, and it wasn't a happy thing. I watched as her hand clutched the crystal tighter; her eyes, a purple violet, started to glow. I looked around, hoping Ryker or Glasson would walk in. I didn't know what to do in that situation. We didn't need to cause a scene at school. I texted and called Ryker and waited, wondering what to do.
“Ash?” I asked, looking at her. She didn't say a thing. “Ash are you alright?” My phone buzzed. One text from Ryker, telling me to get her away from people. I left the trays on the table and pulled Ash’s backpack onto my left shoulder, then mine on the other. I tugged on her arms, trying to get her to move, but she was stiff. I was about to attempt to pick her up when Glasson pulled her under his arm and carried her away. It looked like he had done that before, because as I followed them out of the cafeteria. It looked as if Ash was walking. I followed Glasson and Ash down the halls to the fields that were used for P.E. There he set Ash softly on the ground, then rested her head on his blackleather jacket. He positioned her head so that it leaned to the side. I pulled out a pen and paper, moving it to Glasson as he studied her.
“No, she doesn't need it this time. Thank you, though, Emma,” Glasson said, never taking his eyes off of Ash.
“Glasson, is she okay?” I asked, worried. As Glasson nodded, I felt myself relax a bit. Glasson’s movements were strategic and sure, as if he had done this a thousand times before, and I was sure he had. I watched as he pulled out a device from his pocket and set it near her hand. I watched as the stone with carvings was placed under her palm, each finger in an indentation. As he set her last little finger inside the stone, the stone started to glow, and a small screen popped up. I moved around to where Glasson stood but he moved in front of me, so I was unable to see.
“You should go, Emma.”
“I can't just leave her.”
“I am all she needs right now.”
“But—” Glasson turned to me.
“Ashlyn is well.”
“Em?” Ryker’s voice brought me out from my focus on Ash.
“Ry,” I softly spoke, not looking away from my friend. I felt warmth on my face, and my head turned to a pair of perfect blue eyes.
“Emma, let’s go. Glasson’s got this.”
“But—”
He wrapped me in his arms.
“She is in good hands. She has her knight,” he winked, and I smiled. Ryker had to half carry me to the car and then buckle me in. I was in such a daze from what had just happened. Terran things were still such a mystery to me.
“Ry, what is my ancient heir gift?”
“Haleston hasn't used an ancient heir gift in a long time. We don't know anymore.”
I folded my arms and wondered how something so important could become forgotten.
“What is Shad’s gift?”
Ryker snorted a laugh and looked at me, clearing his throat.
“There are rumors about his family, that they have all been blessed with powerful melodies, but their gifts are actually unknown.”
