Chapter Seventeen
As I’m getting ready the next morning, I just want to laugh and jump for joy. Word about the scene with Tricia got out, and everyone that passed me in the halls yesterday gave me a small smile and a congratulatory nod. Nobody really likes Tricia and they think it’s awesome that someone finally put her in her place.
I’m worried about the other shoe dropping, but I don’t let it bother me right now. Most of the residents have stopped calling me nasty names to my face and behind my back. Tricia’s voice was one of the loudest and besides Travis and the occasional Protector I’ve gone over twelve hours without being called anything nasty.
I’m not the only one that’s happy, though. For the first time since moving to Daray, Chloe can finally be who she really is, not what she thinks everyone wants her to be. She sings in the shower, and when she gets out, she asks me to dance around with her. Chloe looks so happy and carefree that I can’t refuse her.
So Chloe and I are spinning around our room, dancing to the latest song by a boy band Chloe loves, when someone knocks on the door. Chloe turns off the music and I open our door to find Jillian standing there. Immediately, I know something’s wrong. She’s pale and there’s a sorrowful look in her eyes.
“What’s wrong?”
“Kylie, I need you and Chloe to come with me.”
“Jillian, what’s going on?”
She runs her fingers nervously through her hair, and it’s the first time I’ve ever seen her look anything other than flawless. “Patricia Deters was found about an hour ago, just outside the fence that surrounds Daray. Her throat was slit, and her…her heart was cut…cut out.”
Chloe and I gasp at the same time, and I realize why she’s standing at our door. “You think I had something to do with it?”
“No, honey, I don’t,” she assures me. “But the rest of the mansion does. So I need to bring you down to my room so I can ask you a few questions, alright? Now, please, come with me.”
Chloe and I follow her down to the room I have my Controlling Bloodlust lessons, and the entire way there we get dirty, fearful looks. Of course people think I have something to do with it. I threatened her yesterday in the dining room! Then she shows up dead the next day? Someone’s trying to set me up.
Jillian closes the door behind us, and motions to two chairs near the front of the room. We take our seats, and I notice that there are several adults in the room with us. Jillian and Carlos are the only two I recognize, but Chloe see a familiar face.
“Jade? What are you doing here?”
Jade? Tara’s mentor?
Jade looks to be about twenty-five, maybe a few years older, and she has short dark blonde hair and wide-set gray eyes. Her nose is curved and dainty looking, but her jaw is entirely stubborn. She gives the two of us friendly smiles, confusing me.
Aren’t we supposed to be suspected murderers right now? Shouldn’t she be looking at us with suspicion and disgust?
“You don’t think we did it,” Chloe says, looking at her mentor. “You think we’re being set up.”
“Of course,” Carlos says, stepping forward. “Though I don’t agree with Kylie threatening Tricia, I understand why she did it, and so does the rest of the mansion. But, she’s a smart girl, and only an idiot would kill someone the day after threatening to teach them a lesson.”
“Besides the fact that we have an alibi.”
I look at Chloe, confused. “What are you talking about?”
She sighs. “Kylie, we spent hours last night in the chapel. Our Goddess is our witness. She knows we didn’t have anything to do with this murder, and I’m sure she’d vouch for us if necessary.”
I hadn’t actually thought about that, and I’m ashamed to say I forgot about my Goddess. It’s kind of hard to remember a Goddess that still hasn’t answered your prayers.
Jillian takes a seat across from us. “Tricia was killed around midnight. Were you in the chapel until then?”
Chloe nods. “We didn’t leave until almost two. That’s why we’re so late getting up this morning. I had a lot of forgiveness to ask for, and Kylie offered to stay and keep me company. Then we walked back to our room together.”
Jillian smiles. “I heard about your confession in the dining room yesterday morning. Congratulations on finally admitting who you really are.”
Chloe’s mouth drops open. “You knew?” she asks, staring at Jillian in disbelief.
“Of course I knew, Chloe. I went to your family to explain things to them, and they told me what kind of person you are. I figured it was an act from the moment you woke up and found out there would be other teenagers here. You took the easy route instead of the one you were meant to.”
She’s speechless, which is just as well because Carlos starts to speak again.
“Kylie, I know that this list is going to be very long, but I need the names of everyone that might try to hurt you or your reputation.”
I snort. “You’re joking, right? Let’s see. There’s Travis and all of the other Protectors, and not to mention all of Tricia’s cronies. That makes it about a hundred people, I think.”
“Did you ever find out who all attacked Kylie in the locker room? My guess would be one of them. But Travis would be my best bet.”
Carlos hesitates. “I’m not so sure, Miss Olson. Protectors take a very serious oath concerning honor, duty, and pride. It connects us to our Goddess, and she decides whether or not someone is good enough to protect her chosen children. He took the oath, and while I think he’s reluctant about change, I don’t think he’s a killer.”
“If they dragged Kylie into the locker room and chopped off all of her hair before beating her, they obviously don’t take that oath very seriously, do they? I think Travis is a viable suspect.”
“Chloe–” I begin.
She interrupts me. “Kylie, I know you wanna believe that Protectors are all inherently good or whatever, but it’s just not true. The only Protector I think we can count out is Kaven, because he’s the only one that accepted you.”
“But he was sleeping with Tricia.”
Jillian raises an eyebrow in surprise. “Really? Are you sure they were involved?”
I nod. “Yeah. They weren’t as serious as she thought, but they were definitely sleeping together.”
I can’t bring myself to admit that they were little more than booty calls for Kaven, because I was almost one of those booty calls. And unfortunately, that makes me a suspect, again.
“But people are gonna think that’s one of the reasons for Tricia’s death.”
“Oh, right, because Kaven tried to get you to have sex with him. I forgot about that,” Chloe says, ignoring the stares of the mentors around us.
Carlos clears his throat, and I sigh. “Yeah, Kaven tried to get me to sleep with him during the dance. People are probably gonna think that I was jealous of Tricia or something and wanted to get her out of the way.”
“But, you turned Kaven down, and slapped him in front of an entire gym full of people.”
“It won’t matter. People are stupid sometimes. They’re gonna think what they wanna think.”
Jillian clears her throat. “Girls, I think we need to discuss things a little bit. I hate to keep you from breakfast but you’ll have time to eat later. Lessons are being cancelled today, and the chapel will be open to anybody that wants to pray for Tricia.”
I head up to Tara’s room the second Jillian lets us go. Chloe tells me that she’s going to the chapel to pray for Tricia, and I wave. Tara’s already heard the news, and she knows I’m innocent, and she’s willing to listen to me rant about how everyone in Daray goes from hating me, to liking me, and back to hating me within twenty-four hours.
“It’s not fair, Tara. All I want is to be accepted and treated like everyone else. And all this stuff keeps happening, and it doesn’t happen to anyone but me. I mean, you don’t see male Protectors getting harassed by one another, and I don’t see anybody else being framed for murder, do
you?”
“Kylie, I’m sorry. You know, if you quit training, people might treat you better.”
I turn to face her, surprised she would even consider saying that. “Tara, this is what I was made for. I’ve known it since the moment Jillian explained things to me. I just know deep inside that this is why Selene chose me. To be your Protector. I wasn’t sure earlier, but I am now. It’s the only thing that makes any sense.”
“I would never suggest you quit; I just wanted to see if you thought it was best.”
I shake my head. “You don’t need to test me, Tara. If I was going to quit, I would have done it after being attacked. Nothing’s gonna keep me from doing this, not now.”
“Glad to hear it. Do you think we should head down to the chapel and pray for Tricia?”
“I don’t think that would be a good idea. People think I killed her, remember?” I ask, hating the way my voice sounds. It’s like I’m angry and helpless at the same time, two things I’m not used to. “Showing up while her friends are there is probably going to incite a panic.”
“Well, I still think you should go. It might look strange if you didn’t.”
“If I do go it’ll make me look guilty, like I have something to atone for. No thanks, I’ll stay here and wait for you.”
“My daughters…”
Tara and I both stop in our tracks, and look around. “Did you hear that?” she asks. She peeks in her bathroom, “Is someone here?”
“I am everywhere and nowhere at the same time.”
It takes me a second to realize that the voice isn’t actually here; it’s echoing around in my head. It sounds female, and the voice is sad, and hauntingly beautiful. She sounds wise, ancient and young at the same time. I can feel the adoration she has for me, and I know instantly who she is.
“Very good, Kylie. You recognize the voice of your Goddess.”
Selene? Our Goddess is speaking to me at this very moment? What am I supposed to do? Get down on my knees and bow my head? Or do I just speak as respectfully as possible?
“My daughters, I come to you in this most dangerous of times.” Tara’s mouth is open wide in shock and finally recognition. She immediately drops to her knees and looks at the floor.
“Selene, what is it you need from us?” Tara asks, sounding oddly formal and respectful. I can tell she’s completely awed by our Goddess’ presence, and I have the strangest urge to join her on my knees.
“Daray Hall is a sacred place to me, and last night its grounds were desecrated with a sacrificial murder.”
Tara seems incapable of speaking again, so I take over. “What do you mean a sacrificial murder?”
“Someone praying to another Goddess murdered her in that Goddess’ name. She killed a chosen child of mine, and offered her soul up as payment. This is horrible enough, but it is only the beginning. There will be two more murders by the next full moon.”
Tara looks worriedly at me. “The next full moon is in two days.”
“On the night of the full moon, the third and final sacrifice must be made, and the person performing this ritual must cut themselves and bleed their own essence into the earth. This will allow the other Goddess access to your world. Once here, she will destroy everything in her path, until she is feared and as worshipped as I.”
“What do you want us to do about this?” I ask, searching around for someone or something to talk to. “We’re just two kids who’ve only been your chosen for a short while. Why not go to Jillian or Carlos?”
“They do not have the gifts necessary for this. I have gifted Tara with the ability to peer into the minds of others, and this gift will be invaluable in finding the murderer. However, you must use it wisely.”
“So you want me to snoop around in other people’s private thoughts to see if they’re a killer?” Tara asks, already sounding uncomfortable at the thought of it. “I don’t think its right to use my gift that way.”
“My daughter, you must. It’s the only way to find the killer and stop the destruction of Daray Hall. I would do the searching myself, but this other Goddess is being careful, and has shielded her vessel from my view. I cannot find either of them, so I trust the two of you to act in my place.”
“You can’t be serious,” I say.
“Kylie! Don’t argue with her.”
“Look, all I’m saying is that nobody is going to believe us. I’m the most hated person at Daray right now, because they think I’m a killer, a dyke, and a freak. What am I supposed to do?”
“Protect your heart.”
Instinctively I know she’s not talking about my actual heart and my gaze slips over to Tara. She’s still on her knees and isn’t looking at me, but her shoulders are tense and I think she gets it. Is that why Selene chose me? Because she knew that as a Protector I would do anything in my power to keep Tara safe?
Are my feelings for Tara what will make me a great Protector?
When Selene speaks again, I can almost feel her smile. “Love is important, remember that. Even if you think you have nothing left in the world, you’ll always have love. My love. People may judge you now, Kylie, but the time will come when you’ll finally realize that nothing they say matters. It’s only what you think that does.”
I let her words sink in and, even though it doesn’t change anything yet, I know that what she’s saying is true. Someday their words and actions won’t affect me, and I’ll finally be happy about who I am and what I’ve chosen to do with my life.
“Now, I must go. Speaking through the Immortal Realms is not easy. Before I go, I have one last word of advice for you, Kylie. If ever you are in need of a friend, look to your dreams.”
I can feel the Goddess leaving the room. The room feels so empty and bare without her loving and powerful presence. For a minute, Tara and I just sit in her room, unsure of what to do.
“What that real?”
I nod my head. “Yeah, I think it was.”
“Did our Goddess just ask us to find a killer before he kills two more people?”
“Or she. But yes.”
“What do we do first?”
“I think we should find Jillian and talk to her about this. She’s gonna want to know that this isn’t just a one time thing. Someone at Daray right now is planning two more murders, and apparently it’s our job to stop them.”
Tara sighs. “I can’t believe we just heard the Goddess’ voice. She spoke to us! Can you believe it? Out of all of her children, she chose us to do this. Don’t you feel special?”
“Not really. She chose you for this job. I’m just the bodyguard.”
“No, you’re not. You’re my best friend, and you’re gonna help me, because I know I can’t do this by myself.”
I nod. “You’re right. Now, let’s go find Jillian. The sooner she hears about this the better.”