Aegis (Book Three)

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

I put the stone in my sneaker for now and try to forget that it exists. I clean the entire apartment and start preparing dinner. I turn on T's old radio and find a station to listen to as I continue to chop up vegetables. A slower song comes on and I listen to it half-heartedly. My mind keeps flashing back to the crystal I created in my sleep along with straining to remember the dream that caused it. A feel as if a fog is circling my brain and it's very frustrating.

"I'm home, Zana!" T calls out happily before walking into the kitchen.

"How are you feeling?" T asks me and I mumble that I'm fine.

T rests a hand on my shoulder, causing me to look up from my work. The concern she is feeling is so strong in her eyes that I am immediately stricken with guilt. Glancing away from her and back at the food in front of me, tears blur my vision and I put the knife down.

"Zana, what is wrong?" T asks me again.

Before I can respond, a sob cuts through me and my body starts to tremor. Emotion fills my chest making it harder to breathe and my throat aches from the internal pain. T pulls me close as I continue to cry.

I was always thankful that T continually let me stay at the shelter because it eased the burden of wondering where I was going to sleep every night, and where I would get my next meal from. When T asked me to move in with her with, I don't think that I understood what it would mean for me. I'm not used to having to share such a confined space with someone or having to 'report' to someone all the time. I was such a no-mad for three years that living with another human being in such a personal setting has become strange.

"I'm sorry for everything," I mumble into her shirt.

"Zana, you didn't do anything wrong?" T says softly but I can hear the question in her voice.

"I haven't been very good at keeping you in the loop and as my legal guardian and sister I should be making a better effort to talk to you about things," I say pulling away.

"Zana, I know it isn't easy for you to let people in, you lived alone for a long time. Now can you tell me what's going on?" T asks softly.

"Well do you want to start with the normal thing or the supernatural part?"

"Ease me into it," she says sitting down at the table.

"I applied to a culinary school," I say.

"Okay, and?" She asks me confused.

"It's a really expensive school and its currently my favorite," I say leaning against the counter.

"Well if it's still on your mind obviously this is important if it isn't completely out of the question in terms of budget," T says.

"I need to cover about ten thousand more with all of the supplies and tuition costs. I just applied for a performance scholarship; it was more of a cooking test. That scholarship could potentially cover the whole thing but that would have required me to blow the judges out of the water which I don't think I did," I say.

"Well we will just have to wait and see what they thought and evaluate the decision later on," T says seriously.

"I want to go to culinary school," I say seriously.

"I wish you could have figured out that earlier, but you can always take a gap year and work," T says. It is too late to apply to schools anymore.

"That might not be a bad idea..."

"Now what supernatural nonsense have you gotten yourself involved in?"

"Follow me," I say walking into the living room.