“Well, this librarian bun won’t do,” Blair muttered and the next thing I knew, she grabbed my bun and held it, shaking it lightly in her bare hand.
Pain lanced along my spine as I cried out and threw myself forward into the grass and out of Blair’s touch. My skin felt like I’d suddenly been lit on fire. It pulsed with agony, coming in waves as the torture lingered even though she was no longer touching me. Sweat broke out on my forehead as I panted in the grass, trying to assess how bad this was. Would I lose consciousness? Did I need a cool bath? It was a full contact touch but it didn’t last very long.
I looked up to reassure Eden I was okay when I saw Ariyon and Ayden standing a few feet away, watching me in horror. Eden stood before Blair with her palms open at her sides and murder in her gaze.
“You did that onpurpose,” Eden growled and her palms ignited into flickering orange flames, Yanric perched on her shoulder looking ready to take flight at a moment’s notice.
‘Stand down,’I warned Yanric through the pain.
‘Never,’he replied and I groaned.
Blair ran from her place behind me and right up to Ariyon, slipping behind him as if seeking protection. “I didn’t! I didn’t think her hair was… I didn’t,” she mumbled, but there was some guilt there. Like maybe she wondered, she may have thought my hair could be touched but she wasn’t sure. She was curious and she’d gotten the show she wanted and now hopefully regretted.
Another jolt of pain washed over my skin and I twitched, causing even more onlookers to gather around.
“Calm down, Eden.” Ariyon approached my friend and Eden looked at him now with her vicious gaze, the flames in her palms growing bigger.
“Calm down?” she growled and he winced.
“Just take a breath. Blair said she didn’t mean to and I can heal Fallon, okay? Just…take a breather.” He put both hands out in a calming gesture and then approached me.
No.This was the last thing I wanted.
I sat up immediately and then trembled again as a remnant of the pain slid over my body. Great, it was going to be one of these: not enough to knock me unconscious but enough to have me twitching all day.
“I’m fine,” I told him, hugging my arms.
‘I could take one of her eyes. Make her never forget this,’Yanric taunted atop Eden’s shoulder.
‘No. We will get kicked out of school. I’m fine,’I said and he flew from Eden to my shoulder, staring Ariyon down.
The prince stopped his advance towards me and his jaw clenched at the sight of my familiar. A crowd had amassed now, everyone leaving the lunchroom to come and watch the cursed freak convulse in pain.
“I don’t need a heal—” I cried out as another wave hit me.
Okay, it was going to be a bad day. Probably an hour of this before I felt normal again; she’d held on for too long.
Ayden approached his brother and me, concerned etched all over his face. “Let’s go talk in private.” He motioned to a building behind us and picked up my backpack.
Ever the sweet boy, Ayden, thinking of my everlasting embarrassment.
Light bless him.
I hobbled weakly to the building, and Ayden opened the door to a storage room filled with books, exercise mats, and office supplies.
Ariyon and Eden stepped into the room after us and closed the door as the lights flicked on overhead.
“I wanted to light her on fire. Are you okay?” Eden ran for me and then gingerly reached for my gloved hand, squeezing hard. Hug hard.
I had to bite back tears because it hurt my raw skin, but nodded. “I’ll be fine. If people touch too much of my body or for too long, it lasts quite a while. It will just be—” I shook again with another zap of agony. It was hot and sharp but luckily fleeting.
Ariyon peered at me with his brows knotted together, sweat on his upper lip as he swallowed hard. The bell rang for class and he glanced at his twin brother and Eden. “Why don’t you guys get to class? I’ll take care of Fallon. You know I work better with less energy around.”
Ayden looked worriedly at me but nodded and I gave Eden a fake smile. “I’m fine,” I repeated, hoping another zap of pain wouldn’t hit me while she was still here.
“Okay, check in with me later.” She left with Ayden, and Ariyon glared at Yanric.
“I need him to wait in the corner, his energy is mingling with yours and I can’t get a good read.”
