Read Online King 03 - Restless by Tawdra Kandle - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tawdra Kandle
Ads: Link
You’re not in control of it, and that’s scary.”
I didn’t answer, and Rafe shifted slightly on the blanket, bringing one arm down on the blanket behind my back so that he was almost leaning over me. “Tell me what you’re doing. What is she teaching you?”
And so, hesitantly, I began to tell him the entire story, about Marica’s early days in Romania, her lost baby and her insistence that I was her dead daughter’s mystical twin, meant to take her place and be heir to the power that was passed down through the women in Marica’s family. I told him about our work last fall after the Reverend Pryce incident, when she taught me both to stretch my mind hearing ability and to block thoughts more effectively.
I finished by detailing our meeting on Monday, when we had lifted and moved the orb of glass through our joined minds.
By the time I stopped talking, darkness had fallen and there was a slight chill around us. I shivered, and Rafe wordlessly helped me with my sweater, afterwards rubbing my arms lightly as though to warm me. I stiffened automatically and with a barely suppressed sigh, he dropped his hands.
There was a loud squeal of feedback as the band took the stage and the lead singer picked up the microphone. I jumped, and Rafe smiled ruefully.
“If you want me to take you home now, I will,” he said quietly.
“Why? Because I’ve told you what you wanted to know? Or because you’re thinking I’m seriously disturbed, and you’re taking me home to tell my parents everything?”
“No. I’m not going to tell your parents. But I’ll be honest with you, Tasmyn.” His eyes met mine, and I saw the serious concern there. “I’m more worried about you now than I was before. You’re messing with something very dangerous.”
“How can you say that? With the power you have and the way that you’ve used it?”
“I grew up around this kind of thing, Tasmyn. What the King families can do—well, we all understand it. My dad taught me about it early on, and his parents did the same for him. I’ve never heard of someone trying to train an outsider to expand her powers. And I think Ms. Lacusta is kind of a lunatic.”
“You don’t even know her!” I shot back.
“Tasmyn! Listen to yourself. She’s pulling you in. She’s encouraging you to lie to your parents-”
“Oh, and suddenly you’re the poster child for honest families?” I interrupted sarcastically.
Rafe’s eyes hardened. “You don’t know a whole lot about my family, but let me tell you something. I don’t lie to my parents or to my grandparents. But that really doesn’t matter. When an adult—and a teacher—is telling you that it’s okay to keep stuff from your parents, to have some pretty intense secrets, there is something seriously wrong. You know that.”
I closed my eyes again. Rafe’s words amped up the uneasiness I’d been feeling all week. When I wasn’t with Marica, I was second-guessing everything. But when I was with her, there was only curiosity and the desire to learn more.
“I’m not ready to back away yet, Rafe,” I answered him slowly. “But I could use someone to keep me honest. Someone who knows everything, who I can trust. I need you to be my anchor, keep me from… getting too far from who I am. Will you do that for me?”
Rafe regarded me steadily, staring into my eyes as if searching for something. Finally he nodded.
“But you have to be honest with me. You have to stay close. Don’t shut me out.” His words were an echo of Michael’s, and I had to look away before I agreed.
“I promise. Thanks, Rafe. I was scared today. Those girls in the lunchroom—I was really angry, and all I could think about was how mad they were making me. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t stepped in and calmed me down.” Gratitude lowered my mind block, and I felt Rafe’s yearning as a sudden rush. Impulsively I reached up and touched his cheek. Rafe caught my hand in
I didn’t answer, and Rafe shifted slightly on the blanket, bringing one arm down on the blanket behind my back so that he was almost leaning over me. “Tell me what you’re doing. What is she teaching you?”
And so, hesitantly, I began to tell him the entire story, about Marica’s early days in Romania, her lost baby and her insistence that I was her dead daughter’s mystical twin, meant to take her place and be heir to the power that was passed down through the women in Marica’s family. I told him about our work last fall after the Reverend Pryce incident, when she taught me both to stretch my mind hearing ability and to block thoughts more effectively.
I finished by detailing our meeting on Monday, when we had lifted and moved the orb of glass through our joined minds.
By the time I stopped talking, darkness had fallen and there was a slight chill around us. I shivered, and Rafe wordlessly helped me with my sweater, afterwards rubbing my arms lightly as though to warm me. I stiffened automatically and with a barely suppressed sigh, he dropped his hands.
There was a loud squeal of feedback as the band took the stage and the lead singer picked up the microphone. I jumped, and Rafe smiled ruefully.
“If you want me to take you home now, I will,” he said quietly.
“Why? Because I’ve told you what you wanted to know? Or because you’re thinking I’m seriously disturbed, and you’re taking me home to tell my parents everything?”
“No. I’m not going to tell your parents. But I’ll be honest with you, Tasmyn.” His eyes met mine, and I saw the serious concern there. “I’m more worried about you now than I was before. You’re messing with something very dangerous.”
“How can you say that? With the power you have and the way that you’ve used it?”
“I grew up around this kind of thing, Tasmyn. What the King families can do—well, we all understand it. My dad taught me about it early on, and his parents did the same for him. I’ve never heard of someone trying to train an outsider to expand her powers. And I think Ms. Lacusta is kind of a lunatic.”
“You don’t even know her!” I shot back.
“Tasmyn! Listen to yourself. She’s pulling you in. She’s encouraging you to lie to your parents-”
“Oh, and suddenly you’re the poster child for honest families?” I interrupted sarcastically.
Rafe’s eyes hardened. “You don’t know a whole lot about my family, but let me tell you something. I don’t lie to my parents or to my grandparents. But that really doesn’t matter. When an adult—and a teacher—is telling you that it’s okay to keep stuff from your parents, to have some pretty intense secrets, there is something seriously wrong. You know that.”
I closed my eyes again. Rafe’s words amped up the uneasiness I’d been feeling all week. When I wasn’t with Marica, I was second-guessing everything. But when I was with her, there was only curiosity and the desire to learn more.
“I’m not ready to back away yet, Rafe,” I answered him slowly. “But I could use someone to keep me honest. Someone who knows everything, who I can trust. I need you to be my anchor, keep me from… getting too far from who I am. Will you do that for me?”
Rafe regarded me steadily, staring into my eyes as if searching for something. Finally he nodded.
“But you have to be honest with me. You have to stay close. Don’t shut me out.” His words were an echo of Michael’s, and I had to look away before I agreed.
“I promise. Thanks, Rafe. I was scared today. Those girls in the lunchroom—I was really angry, and all I could think about was how mad they were making me. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t stepped in and calmed me down.” Gratitude lowered my mind block, and I felt Rafe’s yearning as a sudden rush. Impulsively I reached up and touched his cheek. Rafe caught my hand in
Similar Books
