Chapter 10
‘Give... me... one... minute...’ I said in between breaths.
Ace had made it to the dynasty at the same time I did. He had driven and managed to catch up with me. My body felt tired and worn out. Even though I had stopped running, my heart was still going. My lungs were burning as I gasped in mouthfuls of oxygen. My legs were now shaking and I thought that any minute I was going to collapse. It was quite a walk away from the school. I didn’t know how to get to the dynasty without going past Ace’s house first – and I didn’t want his family to be in danger – so I had to go the long way, when, clearly, Ace knew a much faster route.
‘Are you okay?’ Ace kept asking. ‘What happened? Are you hurt? Who were they?’
‘Give me a second!’ I snapped at him, resting on my elbows, on top of my knees.
‘Ace, what’s going on?’ Sonia called, racing towards us with Ace’s family and mine on her heels.
Ashling squished me in a hug, ‘I knew you could do it!’
‘Do what, Ashling?’ Sonny questioned as Ashling released me back into the position I was originally in.
‘I saw Ryvre being chased and getting trapped. Then I saw how she was planning to escape and I knew she’d be fine!’ Ashling smiled proudly at me.
‘You should have told us, Ashling!’ Arella scolded him. ‘Ryvre, are you alright?’
‘Fine... I need water...’ I said - my throat was so dry.
‘Okay, let’s get Ryvre inside and get her some water.’ Randy suggested. ‘Then we can talk this out.’
Ace was supporting me by my waist. All I wanted to do was close my eyes. We walked inside and Rosita handed me a glass of water. I swallowed – gratefully – mouthfuls of the cool liquid. I found it ironic that I could control water and, yet, I needed to drink it so badly. Then again, maybe I needed more of it since I could control it.
We sat in one of the lounge areas. Ace wouldn’t let go of my waist and everyone sat in a semi-circle around us as I explained what had happened. As soon as I was finished and before anyone could ask any questions, Ace’s phone rang.
‘Why are you calling me?’ Ace asked me, showing me the caller ID was mine.
‘I left my bag there and my phone was in my bag.’ I told him as I took his phone from his hands. ‘Maybe someone found it and can tell me where they are handing in to.’ I pressed the talk button. ‘Hello?’
‘Oh... hello, Ryvre,’ A deep masculine voice answered, ‘I wanted to talk to your boyfriend but it’s much better if you tell him yourself.’
‘And what exactly is that?’ I asked, sceptical.
‘I have your stuff... like your school bag...’ The man’s voice rumbled in the phone.
‘Yeah... So what’s your point?’ I raised an eyebrow even though he couldn’t see it. ‘Keep it if you want.’
‘And I have your mobile phone.’ The man added, sounding smug.
‘Well, we established that, didn’t we?’ I said in a mock-polite tone. ‘Clever you: you have my school bag and phone.’
‘It’s a shame. I thought you were the clever one – especially since you pulled that stunt on the limo – but oh, well.’ The man chuckled. ‘You see, Ryvre, on your phone is mummy and daddy’s contact numbers...’ He trailed off to give me a chance to see where he was going with it.
I gasped. ‘You wouldn’t!’ I know that I didn’t like Seth and Scotia that much but I still owed them a lot as they took me in.
‘You really should believe me... Today was nothing. You see sending in muscle instead of brains was a bad idea on my part.’ I realised that he was probably the person sitting in the closed-door limo. ‘But now I’m catching up in the game.’
‘Don’t play a game that you know you can’t win.’ I threatened him even though it isn’t a game – I was trying to talk his type of jargon.
‘Look, I hate the players... but I love the game. So be prepared because we will get your family... or your boyfriend... when you least expect it.’ The man hung up.
Everyone was staring at me. I explained what the phone call had been all about – including how he had implied that I’m a player in a game that I certainly did not want to play.
Taran, clearly sensing that the mood needed lightening up, said, ‘well, if you’re the player than I’m the coach.’ He winked at me and added telepathically, I’m going to help you, Ryvre.
Why would you help me? I asked.
I get to kick some butt! Taran smirked and then added quietly, and because you’re family now... and my friend.
I smiled, taken aback, at him. Thank you, Taran. That was really sweet of you-
Repeat it and it won’t just be that bonehead on the phone that gets a walloping-
Taran! Ace scowled at his younger brother. Back off!
Ace, he’s only joking. I said warmly, smiling at Taran. Taran, I think you should cool it for a little bit. I glanced at Ace.
‘Taran this isn’t a game.’ Randy said firmly. ‘Ryvre’s parents could be in serious danger.’
‘Nah, it’s cool, Randy,’ I said sitting back into the settee, ‘they can handle themselves.’
‘But they don’t know about angels then-’ Sonia started to say.
I cut her off. ‘Oh, they know about angels. They are angels.’ I smiled, snuggling into Ace’s arms.
‘Really, I’ve never known any angel that has adopted,’ Arella said, ‘it’s unsafe for the children who aren’t angels.’
‘Well, if I’m adopted, there could be more of us.’ I shrugged. ‘People get things wrong.’
‘What’s their power?’ Sonny asked, leaning forward on his knees. I still couldn’t feel comfortable to call him dad just yet.
‘I, err... I don’t know.’ I couldn’t raise my gaze to meet theirs. ‘They never told me and... When I asked, they would avoid the question.’
‘That’s... strange.’ Hugh frowned. ‘That’s suspicious, even.’
‘We need a plan.’ Rosita interposed. ‘When; where and how: is what we need to sort out.’
‘Let’s meet them this Saturday night at Little Missy’s bar.’ Electra suggested.
‘That’s sounds like a bad mafia movie.’ Aura, who I just noticed wasn’t with us, joined us and slumped into a seat next to Taran.
‘Have some imagination.’ Electra shot a bored look at Aura and then asked the rest of us, ‘what time?’
‘Shall we say... seven?’ Rosita proposed. Electra nodded in response but I had other ideas.
‘Wait,’ I said throwing up my hands, ‘why do we need a plan? They don’t want to meet up – and they haven’t told us their demands – yet.’
‘We want to “meet up” with them and “discuss”-’ Electra used quote marks in the air to make her point – ‘what demands they want.’
‘But, really,’ Rosita added, ‘we’re going to catch them in the act – to stop them and to see who’s trying to threaten you.’ They made it sound easy.
‘We’ll make the plans,’ Arella said, ‘and in the meantime, Ace, why don’t you and Ryvre visit her old bedroom? It might help jog some memories.’ Arella was smiling at me – encouraging me to go see my old room. I couldn’t exactly (be rude and) say “no”.
‘Sure, why not?’ I shrugged, hiding how uncomfortable I was feeling at the idea of seeing my old bedroom; considering I haven’t slept in it for twelve years.
Ace pulled me up off of the settee as Arella said, ‘second floor, turn right and it’s the last door.’ I could see how happy it was making her and Sonny. I looked at Rosita and Ashling; they were smiling away at me. Aura was sending daggers with her eyes my way.
When we were in the hallway and standing just in front of the bottom step, Ace pulled me close to him and placed his lips next to my ear. I could feel his warm breath as prepared to whisper in my ear.
‘Take the first step,’ Ace whispered, barely audible, in my ear, ‘you can’t live until you do.’ He then released me and took step back.
Sucking in a deep breath, I looked at the first wooden step by my feet and then I placed a foot on it, and stepped up on to it. I anxiously made my way up the stairs – with Ace behind me, supporting me in more ways than one – to the second floor; turned right and walked to the last door at the end of the hallway.
Knowing that once I walked through that door that there’d be no turning back – no running – and that I’d be accepting my real family, the angel world (forever) and that I would have to learn how to open up and accept everyone’s love, I placed my hand on the cool, silver handle; twisted it until I heard the click and pushed open the door.