The Black Necromancer-Book 4

Chapter 26

                For a moment, she warred with herself, hating her feelings. After all, the pendants had been given to her and Benjamin, to link them even when they were apart. That was their job. But she was feeling selfish; she wanted to keep them to herself. Finally she sighed and reached for the two pendants, before stretching her hand out slowly with them in her open palm. Almost against her will, she held out her hand to Troy and Dahlia.

                “I think, Troy,” she said finally, each word taking what felt like eternity to come out. “You should have someone know where you are at all times since you are a subject of the prophecy. “

                Kayla slowly held out one of her twin necklaces to her half-brother. He stared at it in awe, knowing full well how much it meant to her.

                “But it’s yours,” he protested. “I can’t take it from you. I know how much it means to you.”

                Kayla shook her head. “It’s time it had a new owner. Besides, I’m not going to be the one keeping tabs on you. Dahlia will.”

                She held out the other pendant to Dahlia who gasped and back away from Kayla, almost as if she was radioactive.

                “I can’t take that, Kayla,” Dahlia stammered, shaking her head.

                Kayla took the other girl’s hand in her own. “Consider it a gift,” she said, putting the pendant in her hand and curling her fingers over the infinitely precious gift. “That’s part of the magic of these; once I give it away, you guys are the new owners. It won’t work for me as well as it works for you anymore. It’s yours.”

                “Kayla…” Troy’s voice trailed away. “What can I say?”

                “Thank you would suffice,” Kayla said innocently.

                Dahlia giggled, a welcome sound after all her tears and worries over the last twenty-four hours. “Did you just make a joke, Kayla? I don’t believe you’ve ever made a joke before.”

                Kayla rolled her eyes. “Just put them on. Once you wear them, only you guys can take them off. I think. Theoretically. I’ve never tried it before.”

                Troy slipped the chain around his neck, sleep-deprived fingers fumbling on the small clasp. Dahlia’s soft fingers stopped him.

                “Let me,” she whispered.

                Troy removed his hands, letting her control the clasp. She hooked them into one single chain, her fingers gentle on the back of his neck. Once she was done, he turned her around and did the same for her, brushing her long ponytail out of the way.

                The second the pendant was clasped, a faint gold glow gleamed against her neck. A matching shine could be seen on Troy’s neck as the twin pendants shared their connection.

                “It’s working,” Kayla said, satisfaction replacing the jealousy of their relationship.

                “Now get some rest,” Arulan scolded. “Dahlia, Kayla, my room is yours. Troy, Romulus, the couches are for you.”

                It was strange to see anything else of Arulan’s chambers. Before, Kayla had only seen the exterior living area where they always had their meetings. But she and Dahlia walked into Arulan’s bedroom. There was a single four-poster bed in the middle of the room made out of black velvet. And that was the only thing in the plain brown room.

                It figured. Arulan had styled the room to himself; it was plain and outlined just like him. Too tired to talk, they staggered to the bed and collapsed in it, more than half asleep already.

                “Kayla?” Dahlia’s voice was sleepy and curious.

                “What is it?” Kayla asked, pulling the pillow over her head.

                “I’m sorry that I doubted you,” she muttered. “I should have known that you wouldn’t betray us… And thank you for trusting us with your story.”

                Kayla stifled a yawn that was masked by the pillow. “It was worth it. Both of you deserved the truth… After so many months of deception.”

                Dahlia grimaced, pulling the comforter over her. Kayla’s many layers had been chipped that night; her many barriers were slowly peeling away. Maybe the next day, it wouldn’t be as easy to talk to her, but for now, Dahlia knew that Troy had appreciated the truth as did she.

                “We all lie sometimes, Kayla,” she said sleepily.

                Kayla rolled over. “Yeah,” she said drowsily. “Good night.”

                As Kayla drifted off to sleep, she remembered that although she had confessed a lot to both of them that day, there was still one secret that she was keeping from them. She closed her eyes, trying not to feel guilty but two faces kept flickering through her subconscious: Benjamin and Jenna.