Haze of Dusk (A trilogy) (24 page)

“Wh
y is that girl captive?” I gasp. Reality strikes me on the top of my head. 
She purposely shot me!
“I’m sorry. I did not know she wanted to kill her. I have nothing to do with it. Margin asked me to convince Judyala to sit with us, but we did not know… please don’t punish us.” The girl who was kicked out of the team confesses in tears as she and the other girls are suspicious. They are taken to the arena by the guards. I scoff.
So much for being friendly
.

“Out of the way everybody
, out of the way!!” I recognize that exaggerating shout anywhere. Ramuso shuns the people and manages to find me. With him, I see the others. They appear to be anxious. I miserably smile, Corr runs to me. He takes me by my shoulder. “Are you well?” I rush a nod.

“I’m fine…it hit Ramuso’s pendant. I’m sorry
Ramuso, it broke,” he beautifully grins. “Ah, don’t worry, I gave it to you. I'm just glad it saved you. See…it is lucky!” he yells at Onnet, who rolls his eyes at him.

“Can you t
ake her to rest? She needs rest.” Vaniele begs Corr. He pushes a nod.

“I’m fin
e. I don’t need rest.” I assure her. It's not as if the arrow pierced me. Yes, the pressure bruised me, but that’s all.

“I will be in your chamber to check on you and heal—”

“Vaniele, I’m fine, really,” I cut in.  But she still anxiously shakes her head.

“Don’t worry Priestess Vaniele. I will take this impulsive young lady to her
chamber immediately.” Corr takes my hand. Our fingers interlock. I blush. The closeness makes the scenario senseless. “Please do, thank you so much, Young Corr,” Vaniele gazes at the perpetrator. “I have to take care of some matter, pardon me,” she says and walks to Jameson’s sister, who now faces the deadliest of them all, the headmistress. “What are they going to do to her?” I ask.

“Nothing pretty,
but do not worry. Let’s take you to your room.”

“But I’m fine…really,” he takes my shoulder. “And we are all gl
ad you are. You gave us a scare…again…” I bow down my head. “Listen to Priestess Vaniele and rest, what do you say?”

“But I…”

“That’s it,” he picks me up and takes me on his arms. I gasp, blushing by his freshness. “Corr, put me down,” I whisper, humiliated by the many eyes that watch us. Corr disobeys me and walks me through the crowd. I have no choice but to accept his kindness. Flush, I wrap my arms around him and look directly to the crowd. From afar, a dark, motionless figure watches me. His dark vibe shivers my spine. I can’t distinguish him with the constant motion, but the obscurity releases, and I identify him. In the end, Khysso found me after all.

Corr takes me to my room. He doesn’t drop a sweat or is exhausted by the long walk, and long stairs. Well, those muscles aren’t there just for looks. He lays me on my bed, and draws a quick look at our surrounding. I can tell he’s startled by the size and well decoration. “Thank you, you’re a good friend.” He removes a string of hair that dives
into my eyes. “Anything for you.” I press my lips together and shyly look down at my silky-sheets. He sits next to me, and stares admirably. “I’m sad you are hurt. I was going to ask you to watch something with me,” he says. I gulp for air.

“Watch what?”

“Every few years the moon comes close. I heard by some nature elves that tonight is the night when the moon looks bigger than any other day, and the dark sky brings out millions of stars. I was hoping to invite you but with your injury—”

“
I’m good!” I cut in. “Really Corr, I am. I can go. Can I still go?” He knows I love stars and moon gazing. We did it many times when I was in Jorsay’s body.

“Only if
you feel well, meet me at the swan garden, before midnight? We can watch it together.” My heart skips a beat. Did I hear correctly? Did he say to meet him at the swan garden? Can this mean … Corr wants to kiss me?

I finis
h ordering my dishevel hair. I’m ready for star watching with Corr. “How do I look?” I ask Azania, who’ll sleep in my room. Azania came to see me the moment Vaniele cared for me, once I told Vaniele she was a friend Vaniele begged her to sleep over, in case of any side effect due to the pressure of the arrow striking my heart.  Azania rapidly agreed, therefore, I had no choice but to tell her about my meeting with Corr, which agitated her.

Azania observes me, a hand on her chin. She’s on my bed, sitting on top of the many color sheets she brought from her room for comfort. “Can’t you wear a nice dress instead?” I roll my eyes at her. Just because she wears princess gowns even as her sleepwear, it doesn’t mean I have to do so too. “I’m good like this, anyways, my tunic is long. It can appear to be a dress.” I joke, but she doesn’t laugh. She stares wildly tense. “What’s wrong with you?” I grimace. 

“What happens if he kisses you?” I frown. Her words sour my mouth. Do I want him to kiss me? The thought sickens me, makes me feel unwell, especially from my
stomach.  I don’t know what I seek after.  I need to know what’s going on with my sentiments, since my arrival, Corr was the only man I thought of, now I am absolutely confused. “I don’t know…” I whisper pulling down my tunic.

“Isn’t Corr
the man who's driving you love-mad? Is he not your dream boat?” she speaks dreamily, probably wanting him for herself. I exhale. The hourglass is running down. The closer I’m to the hour, the weaker I’m feeling. “I don’t know…” I repeat in a daze. She gasps. She crawls to the edge of the bed with her fluffy sheets wrap around her. She stumbles, foolishly ensnare by her own blankets.

“There is another man isn’t there? Who is it? Tell! Tell! Tell!” her acceleration freaks me out. I laugh at her silliness and leave her alone in her torment.

I walk the hallways, laughing at Azania’s curiosity.  She can be a snoopy little girl, but I have to admit her company is nice, maybe nicer than the boys. I can never ask Ramuso how I look, he will instantly say, “hot” or “wear something sexier.” I swear I think boys have mind communication. They all decide to be jerks at the same time. I press my aching stomach firmly. I’m almost there, about to meet with him.

“Judyala…” I hear a
hum in my ear. I halt, and gaze around. My heart drops to find a familiar-man leaning against a wall, his hands across his chest. He stands a few feet ahead of me. He has a leg on the wall. His damp hair falls on his face, for the first time in a while there is no coat on him. He wears brown trousers and a sleeveless pale-tunic that shows his well-built biceps. I’ve never seen him this fresh before. He hasn’t seen me, yet, it’s his voice I heard— so much for avoiding him. Now, no matter what, I have to pass by him to get to the garden. His head lifts and he sees me. He’s not surprise, but stares at me sluggishly. I press my lips together. My heart races with his appearance. I hide my shaking hands. It’s amazing how his appearance makes me wobbly. I dislike the feeling. I hate the fact we encountered, although something tells me it’s not by chance. Could it be he knew? Is he following me?

I strain a smile and walk pass by him, but his hands boost to me, and he clutches my wrist, almost aggressive.  “Where are you going? You should be resting.” I jerk my hand away from him.
My sudden annoyance shocking him, he glowers.

“I’m fine…I’m meeting a friend,” why should I reply. I don’t go asking him of his doing, or why was he in
the swan garden with her. It’s the seventh day of the week, he has no right to question me. We’re allowed to do anything but leave the castle on our free days.

“You’re meeting that chap, aren’t you?” I grimace, his tone is very spiteful.

“That’s none of your business,”
I shun him and stride away from him but Khysso hurries to me. He seizes my arm and strongly shoves me to the wall. I hit the back of my head.
“Ouch, what’s wrong with you?” I hiss at him. By the flames within him I know something is awfully wrong. Khysso’s green eyes darken. His façade is consumed with a malicious obscurity. “What is wrong with you? What do you think you’re doing?” I argue rubbing the back of my head.

“I
do not want you to see him. I want you away from that chap,” he commands in anger. I grimace. I shake my head in dismay. Am I hearing things correctly? Did he just ask me to stay away from Corr? Who does he think he is? Do I go around asking him to stop seeing his bitch?
“What! You are mad if you think—” he slams both his hands on the wall, locking me in between. I’m like a miniature person between his arms— a small helpless child. My heart races unconditionally. The pounding on my chest is like the drums of death. His head moves forward. His harsh breath prickles the skin between my neck and cheek. The closeness linking around us increases and decreases my upper body with such speed, I worry for my life. But it’s the damn heat I consume that deranges my body. It rushes through my veins— tingling the hairs in my skin and making of me something I hate becoming, an unspoken, pathetic weakling. The heat that takes over me becomes an aching pain that makes me want to drop in his arms, but I’m not giving in for that’s what he wants. He wants for me to become his puppet, and for me to demonstrate my need for his touch.

“D
amn you, Judyala…why? ” He mumbles, his lips brushing my temple. I want to place my hands on his chest and push him far from me, but something powerful stops me from parting from him, something that adores him. Khysso compresses his chest with my body.  The beating of his heart is unusual, almost not human. He moves a hand to my neck. I gulp. The heat grows stronger, hurting my thoughts, ripping my innocence. Helpless and out of control by his touch I finally comprehend the waves of the heat is controlled by him. He brings it upon me. Khysso is enchanting me with spells, and I’m falling for it.

“Why te
ase me? Why lead me to think?" He wheezes closely, moving his head forward, his lips near mine, his aura, and his smell hunting me. I open my mouth. I want to scream for help, but his glare petrifies me, I feel he reads me. There’s no way of defending myself from what’s coming…

“What…are you doing to me?
Why are you doing this?” I ask breathless. My mouth is completely dry. Khysso’s eyes meet mine—stillness overcomes, and in a jiffy his obscurity fades. He stares into my eyes degraded, almost shocked. He yanks his head down, and strongly punches the wall beside me. The thrusting noise startles me so I shut my eyes firmly. 

“Judyala,” h
e hides his face on my shoulder. Should I embrace him? I pick up my hands, but before handling him, Khysso jostles away leaving me utterly confuse. I don’t understand anything. I'm bewildered by his approach. But something I do comprehend is the fear I have. It's not fear of him, but fear of the queer sensation that burned my inside when his lips almost met mine.

Corr smiles at me, his hands
in his back. I walk towards him. My cheeks still burning because of my encounter with Khysso. Since of that occurrence, I no longer care about star-watching. I want to be alone, and recall how his fiery eyes hunt me. I seek to know why he'd act such a way with me. Why make me think he desires me, when his heart belongs to someone else? Corr tugs his arms from behind. He takes out a pile of beautiful roses.

“Thank you,” I
say warily. I obtain the roses from him and gently breathe in its aura. The fresh-nature scent takes my breath away. He slides a hand of his and seizes mine. I’m shy to his touch, and calm by it. There are no insane sentiments. His touch is peaceful unlike Khysso, who disturbs my emotions. We walk down to an alleyway with many roses, and fireflies, the garden of love. “Look,” he points at the sky. I gasp taken aback. The full-moon is outsized. The immensity makes the dents on it noticeable, shifting the shadows that shade the radiance. The sky is brilliant, there are countless stars, so many, that they create nighttime rainbow, making it seem as if the small fleck animatedly rotate. But it’s the beauty of the sky that confuses our viewpoint.

“It’s beautiful… I’ve never seen it like this.”

The night is dark.
But the light the brilliant moon exposes gives us an illumination that can carelessly give our expressions away. I can feel his eyes on me, burning my cheeks, my heart races. I fear a confession.

“How are you feeling?”

“I’m great, as if nothing ever happened?” Corr stares at me deeply. I can’t help but notice how handsome he looks. I bite my lower lip. “You know. You are beautiful…” my eyes widen to hear his words.

“Ah…Thank you…” I
say awkwardly. I bow down my head, not wanting to approach him. My heart beat sounds in my ears. Corr takes my chin and lifts my head up. My eyes conjoin with his. He moves nearer, not removing his sight from mine.
This is it, he’s going to kiss me.
I think of yanking away, but that awful memory of Khysso with Casandree embarks in my mind. Thus, I remain at still and I let Corr’s warm lips meet mine. What I have longed since the first day I met him has finally occurred, except, his lips are bitter. The kiss is not right. My heart hurts, and my eyes water, for the uncertainty within me falls into place. In my mind, in my soul…in my heart is another man—the thought makes me sick.  I haul away. I don’t want to confront the truth that screams in me. He groans.

He places a hand on my burning cheek
. “You’re alright?” He whispers. I slightly nod. I can't receive a second kiss.
Say something Judyala, but what?
A loud howling startles us, immediately changing our moods. “Did you hear that?” I say panicky. Corr is alarm by the strange howling. He nods, “sounds near…similar to the howl of an arclaw… it can be a wolf. I’ll inform the guards. I think we should go back inside.” He insists. By his trouble behavior, I know the strange howling can mean something hazardous.