Page 14 of In Between Darkness
What the fuck?! I look at the photo as if it were contraband. What is she doing kissing a Moon? That is forbidden. My thoughts fight in my head, torturing my mind black and blue. The door flings open.
“Someday I’m going to be Mrs Nala Silver,” Nala sings as she enters the room, oblivious of the grave offence I have just uncovered.
In a rush, I conceal the book and illicit photograph under the sheets of my bed. The white sheets are now tainted with the murky sin they have been forced to hide.
I make an effort to plaster a smile on my face to mask my emotions.
“I’m guessing it went well with Charlie then?” I tease as she saunters across the room and perches on her bed. Her feet stamp with excitement as she throws her head into her hands, and an exhilarated squeal exits her mouth in triumph.
“It went so well. He wants to be a tamer too. We share the same interests, and he thinks I’m GORGEOUS!” she says without taking a breath. “Is it too soon to say I love him?” A gentle laugh escapes her lips.
“Saying I love you after the first few conversations? He definitely won’t think you’re a psycho,” I smirk over a sea of sarcasm.
“Ha ha, very funny!” she mimics my sarcasm. “I’m glad you’re here to keep me sane.”
I shoot her a friendly smile and reply, “At least one of us is getting some action.”
“Oh, please… I’ve seen the way the guys drool over you, Asha. You just don’t realise.” Her eyes meet mine. “Like that Influencer in the library earlier…” She tosses me an elaborate smile and raises an eyebrow.
“Who… River? Oh, that’s nothing,” I shrug my shoulders and brush this statement off.
“Oh, so he’s got a name,” Nala taunts.
“How did you even….”
She cuts me off.
“He was looking at you the whole time we were in the library. I’m surprised his eyes didn’t burn a hole through your skull.”
I can’t help but blush at this information.
“Well, River and I are just friends…” I say matter-of-factly. “Plus, he’s not really my type,” I speak out loud in an attempt to convince myself.
“You keep telling yourself that,” Nala counters. “The smoking hot third year with the dope ass Gifts is never anyone’s type.” She winks at me, still swimming in sarcasm.
I fight the urge to smile at this and change the conversation. “Did you have any more theories about that elion from earlier?”
“I didn’t, but Charlie did…” A smile plays on her lips as she says his name. “He thinks that the elion may have thought youwere someone else, someone who it had bonded with before. It would have to be a strong bond with someone who looks like you, but it is possible.”
Revelation jolts over me as my mind connects the dots. There is only one other person I can think of who looks like me. My mother. But my father would’ve told me if she were a tamer. My eyes peel away from Nala and look at the sea of lumps and bumps that my bed sheets are concealing. But then again, how much did I really know about my mother?
***
We’re sitting at third meals. I haven’t told Nala about the photograph or that my mum might have been a tamer. I want to tell her, I do. But I just can’t find the words to say. What would she think of me if she knew my mum might have had an affair with a Moon? I can’t risk my place here in Sun Sovereign. News travels fast, and my mum is not here to defend herself. Maybe I am just getting ahead of myself. Maybe it wasn’t an affair. Maybe there is more to the picture. I just need to find out what.
Nala breaks me from my thoughts. “How are you feeling about combat tomorrow?”
I pull a slice of cheesy pizza away from its base and pick off the pepperoni slices from the top, flinging them onto my plate. Nala is sitting with Charlie, her legs across his lap. They both look at me.
“I’m actually not shitting myself for once. My father made sure I was well-trained. I’m sure he wanted a boy. He’d call our sparring sessions bonding time.” I smile at the thought of my father. “I didn’t enjoy it much, but I did learn how to kick some ass.” I laugh and take a big bite out of my pizza. “What about you guys?” I wave the slice in their direction.
“My mum trained me. She always said you have to be extremely fit to become a tamer. Asha is thinking about taking the taming class too,” Nala says, looking at Charlie with excitement.
“We’ll most likely be the only ones in the class after what happened earlier,” Charlie states.
“Yeah, because we’re the only students stupid enough!” I banter.
“Cheers to stupidity!” Nala says as she thrusts her glass of apple juice into the air, waiting for us to clink back.
