She throws her hands up in the air. "Boom Beoytch!" Laughing with her this way, like we always do makes some of myanxiety melt away. I believe our relationship really will survive. The world around us may change, but our friendship never will. That's a comfort not easily afforded to anyone.Merrie-Beth starts tracing the floral design on my new comforter with her finger. "I have so much to say. I'm just not sure where to begin. This is so..."
I shrug my shoulders and give her a tired smile. "This is so weird." I finish the sentence for her. I'm not offended because it’s hard to believe I am The Chosen of anything.?
She smiles back at me but shakes her head in disagreement. "I’m not using weird in the same context that you are. It's not that way because you're special, Arabella. The weirdness stems from us being a part of something even more classified than we realized. We’re a part of a freaking prophecy.”
I rub my temples, because my head is starting to feel like a jackhammer is jabbing me in the skull. Grabbing Merrie-Beth's hand, I squeeze it. "Please, promise me that you won't ever treat me differently. I don't know what the hell is about to happen, but at least we get to take this journey together."
She pinches my arm with her other hand. Classic Merrie-Beth. "You know that I won't, oh, Chosen One. I'll do as you wish." She starts bowing her head and waving her arms up and down while she chants, "I'm not worthy."
I laugh, grabbing her arms to make her stop. "Don't make The Chosen angry."
Merrie-Beth laughs and hops off my bed. "I've got to go make the salve and bring you that strawberry concoction. Mama says that will help you to heal more quickly. See you in about ten, Slut."
I throw one of my pillows at her as she walks out of the door. Maybe the salve and the drink will help make my headNOTfeel like death. I lay down on the one pillow still on my bed, and it’s just not comfortable. Sitting back up, my gaze hits the pillow on the floor. Ten measly feet away. I'm torn between my need to be lazy and my need for comfort.Groaning loudly, I make my choice. Black dots line my vision as I bend down to pick up the pillow. With the motion, my attention lands on my jewelry box that fell to the floor earlier, making me growl, I feel like a teenage grandma.
I usually wouldn't be so careless with my most coveted possession, but my mind had been on finding out about not only my past but my future. Uncle Jo’s words about me being changed forever come back to haunt me. This day has been too long, and I just want to sleep.
My pulse races as I notice the heart on the left side of my box has fallen off, I should’ve been more careful. "Shit!" Suddenly, my sadness turns to curiosity when I notice a small latch where the heart was. My heart rate hits a catastrophic level. As I pull open the secret compartment a piece of paper falls lazily to the floor.Quickly unfolding the paper, I watch in astonishment as magic hidden within lifts it out of my hand. A light so bright fills the room, I have to shield my eyes. After a moment, I take a peek through my eyelashes, but the brightness has only lightened a fraction. The piece of paper is lying flat in the air. Reluctantly, I wave my hand above and below the article. Nothing happens, but I can feel warmth coming from the luminescent light. Nothing about this damn day has been normal.
My next line of defense is to grab the paper to examine the contents. I tug it lightly, and nothing happens. Using a little more force, I tug it again careful not to rip it. Thankfully, it doesn't tear, but it doesn’t move at all either. It’s a letter that’saddressed to me, and no matter what I do, it won’t budge. Which is annoying.
Biting the side of my mouth, I contemplate my next move. Looking down at my birthmark, I wonder if it’s literally the key to everything right now. Closing my eyes, I place my birthmarked wrist above the paper. An explosion of light permeates throughout the room with such force I am thrown back against my bed. Sitting back up, I catch the paper as it slowly glides toward the bed.
There’s a blur of letters but because of unshed tears I can’t read the words. I'm scared to read this letter. If I cry, my already aching head may explode right off my body, but the tears gather anyway. Swallowing the lump in my throat, I take a deep breath and steal myself for a letter that I know could possibly break me, but I hope it helps me also.
My dearest Arabella,
The happiest day of my life was the day you were born. You have given us so much joy these past four years. If you are reading this, then we are no longer with you. I asked my dear friend Eleanor to hide this letter in the secret compartment your father built if anything should happen to us. I'm so sorry, my dearest one. Each of us has a calling that is full of danger. But take heart, and never forget you are never alone. my precious Arabella. All that is to come to pass is for the greater good. We must stand for what is right, no matter the cost.?
Take this note and throw it into Lake Luminous on a night when the moon is full, and the hour is midnight. It is there you will reunite with my dearest friend, Eleanor. Fear not, for she has been my most trusted friend and confidant these past ten years. In her hands will be a gift that will help you in the darkest times of your journey. Our Chosen One, what adifficult burden you will have to bear. Always remember when the shadows of darkness begin to fall; where there is shadow, there is also light. The night will never be able to defeat the day because when it’s the morning the darkness must flee. We will love you, forever, our beautiful, amazing girl. Until our next meeting.
With all my love, your mother,
Isabella Grace St. James
I wipe the tears that have flown freely. “Oh, Mama." My agonizing cry bounces off the walls.?
Merrie-Beth opens my door and barges in without knocking. Worriedly, she runs to my side when she sees the tears. As I show her the note, she holds me while my body shakes with grief.
It takes a while for my anguished soul to will the tears to stop. Merrie-Beth dries my eyes with a cloth and places the salve on my cuts. It burns, only intensifying my emotional state. Merrie-Beth walks to the window and looks out. She gives me a syrup that tastes a lot worse than the strawberry coke from before. “Arabella, you realize tonight is a full moon, don't you?"
Getting up, I walk to the window. "Heck no, I hadn't. What time is it?"?
She looks at her watch and smiles. "Exactly 11:51, are you going?"
I nod. "I have to, Mer, and the parental units won’t allow me to go on my own. I need to do this by myself."
She nods in agreement. "Okay, so how can you get there? We don’t know our way around the palace yet, it’s too massive.”
I open the window to inspect how far down it is. We are at least four stories high, so jumping would be impossible. Asmile forms on my face because on the right side of my window there’s a trellis. I look at Merrie-Beth, who is staring at me wide-eyed.?She pulls me back as I start to climb out of the window. "You have got to be out of your flipping mind, Arabella. Nope. There has to be another way!”
Merrie-Beth has never been a fan of heights, so I understand her reaction, but we don’t have time to argue. Time is quickly ticking away. "You don’t have to like it, Mer, but this is the quickest way. I'll still have a three-minute run once I reach the ground."
She sighs. "Please, be careful. If you're not back in one hour, I'm telling your aunt and uncle. You have ONE hour… so, you better leave now." She helps me out the window and accidentally looks down for a split second. Her knees buckle, and she falls with a thud. Merrie-Beth doesn't look well at all. Her skin has turned kind of green. "Don't mind me. Since I'm already down here on my knees, I'll start saying a prayer that you don't die," she whispers.
That makes me giggle. I feel kind of bad leaving her in this present state, but meeting with Eleanor, takes precedence over puking best friends. As I climb down the trellis itbegins to shake, but thankfully it doesn’t break. After what seems like forever, my feet finally touch solid ground. I break out into a run, as my mind races—full of a thousand thoughts. This meeting has to happen tonight, because who knows where I'll be when the next full moon comes.
Chapter 8
