Dreams of Eden (Ace of Queens # 4)

CH.24 Under the stars

"Eden?" Gemma's voice spoke from the other end.

"Hey," Eden said slowly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes...." Eden said in confusion. On the other line, she heard Gemma sigh.

"Oh good, okay," Gemma laughed. "Hold on a second."

Eden sat still as she heard Gemma pass the phone to someone.

"Eden?" Alec's voice startled Eden.

"Have you gotten any of my calls?" He asked. "I need to talk to you."

"Ahh...." Eden looked around the room. "Wrong number!"

She switched the phone off and threw it onto her bed. A few seconds later it began to ring again. Upon checking the caller ID, Eden buried the phone under her mountain of pillows and blankets and went back to studying.

As if things weren't bad enough, she opened her laptop and realized she had an assignment due for Alec by midnight. With a frustrated groan, she flipped open the textbook and stared at the pages.

The old hunched back ghost lady dragged her cane over the hardwood floors outside Eden's door. Eden tapped her pencil impatiently as she waited for the woman to disappear down the stairs. But as the noise moved towards the stairs, it turned back around.

Eden marched up to her door and flung it open.

"What are you doing lady?" She asked, her voice coming out a tad bit louder then she had anticipated.

The old woman looked frightened as she pressed a hand to her chest.

"Goodness," She said.

"I'm sorry," Eden apologized. "Can you go walk somewhere else?"

"This is my house," The old woman said.

"Not anymore," Eden shook her head. "You son sold it to my stepmother. Now go back to stealing the sugar cubes."

Eden closed her door and walked back to her desk. To her misfortune, the assignment was still there. She opened her laptop and began to type away.

Stop calling me. I do not want to talk to you. I am not doing this assignment because you have emotionally hurt me and I need time to recover. And don't you dare fail me. Because if you do, you will have to deal with me again next semester.

Before she lost any ounce of her anger, Eden hit send. She watched the little wheel spin on her screen before a little green box popped up.

Submitted.

With a satisfied smile, Eden closed her laptop and got ready for bed. But with the old lady dragging her cain across the floor, sleep was hard to come by.

The next morning, when Asher offered her coffee, Eden took it without hesitation. She had pulled on a dark hoodie over her uniform and tossed her hair into a messy ponytail. Her eyes were puffy from the lack of sleep and her skin was dull from how tired she was.

"Good morning, everyone," Alec said as he came into the lecture hall.

"Ughmhhim," Eden mumbled unintelligently as she lowered her head onto the desk.

"Great work on your assignments last night. I will pass them out in a few seconds. Also I apologize, due to some urgent matter at the palace, your fieldwork will start later on. You will pick your guard on Monday."

Some of the students groaned, but Eden could care less. She kept her head down as they began to chatter. Alec called out their names as he passed around the assignment.