Changing Prudence (EDITING - ON HOLD)

Chapter 21

Regan raced out of the back entrance and sprinted down the roads to Rue’s dorm. It was a matter of getting there before her brother, who she knew full well had the power of speed. She just hoped Rue was enough to slow him down. She beat them there and the task of influencing her annoying roommate was just too easy. The Crystal was lying right on top of Rue’s dresser just waiting to be taken. Regan laughed quietly to herself and hid herself snugly behind a door so she had an easy escape when her hunters came after her seconds later.

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Beck wasted no time talking; he hoisted Rue over his shoulders and got moving. He knew Rue would slow him down but had high hopes that he would get to the crystal before Regan.

There was no sign of forced entry when he stopped in front of the door so let Rue hop off his back to unlock the door. They searched the whole room and ended up turning most of Rue’s side upside down. Lavender was sat at her desk with a dazed expression staring at her empty wall. Rue straightened, and poked a frustrated Beck in the ribs.

‘You got it?’ he asked breathless.

‘No it’s not here, now look.’ She nodded over to Lavender’s still body. ‘Has Regan got any powers that can...’ she searched for the right word, ‘put people into stupors?’

Beck bolted out of the room and searched the corridors. Regan couldn’t be far, it was all his fault he should have left rue with Keilyn.

Rue was pacing around in her room. ‘What‘s going to happen with Lavender? Will she be okay?’ She was more concerned about the crystal but she knew she would never forgive herself if she left Lavender without the help she needed.

‘No it’s fine the effects will wear off soon. It doesn’t last too long, though she will be a little disorientated for a few hours.’ Becks voice came out in a crackle; this was probably the most important thing he knew about. He had completely messed things up. Rue would never forgive him for this.

‘She is your sister, why does she want the crystal so much. What will she do with it?’ Rue started thinking out loud.

‘I don’t have a clue, I knew she was out of control, but I didn’t know things where his bad, she has gone completely crazy and it is all my fault.’ Beck broke down in tears and raced out of the door, determined to set things right.

Rue let out the scream she had been holding in. Beck must be working with Regan. For Regan to get here first especially since one of Beck’s powers was speed. He must be working with her. Why else would Regan have got to the crystal first? Rue couldn’t trust Beck. After all his sister is a crazy psychopath who put Lavender into a stupor and was probably controlling Cole too. How did she not see this coming?

Rue fell back onto her bed and tears streamed down her face. She had let her granddad down after he put so much trust in her. She had failed him. She was not worthy of being a Great.

Rue stayed in the corner of her bed for hours on end staring into nothingness. Not even Lavender’s groggy awakening and confusion could bring her back to reality. All of those hours spent punishing herself for being so trusting and stupid, until eventually her phone stared vibrating in her pocket. She looked at the screen, if it was who she thought it was, there was no way she was answering the phone. Unfortunately she had no luck, this was the one person she couldn’t avoid, yet she really didn’t want to talk to him right now. She stroked her finger across the screen to accept the call. ‘Hi granddad.’ She said, her voice reflecting how deflated she felt.

‘What’s up hun? You haven’t sounded this bad since you were told you needed braces in high school.’ He laughed at his memory of Rue sulking around for weeks after she was told she needed braces, and yet they were one of the best things that had ever happened to Rue. Since she had them taken off even she had to admit her teeth looked amazing with a capital A.

Rue debated whether she should tell him about the crystal, she knew he would be extremely disappointed, and it probably wouldn’t do his stress levels any good. No, she would make it seem like everything was alright. ‘Oh nothing, you just woke me from a nap, still a bit groggy.’ She lied.

Luckily her granddad didn’t push any further. ‘So have you met anyone nice? Or more importantly, have you been training?’

‘Yeah, I’ve met some really great people, and my roommate is lovely.’ She tried to sound enthusiastic but was pretty sure she failed to sound remotely interested in the subject. ‘I went to the foundation you wrote about, Keilyn is really nice, her son is a bit of a jerk though. She brought in a specialist for me to train so I went to my first session today. It was pretty cool really, though I was scared I was going to really hurt her all the way through.’

‘It looks like you’re settling in just fine then. Look, I’ve got to dash...’ there was a slight pause and Rue realised his voice seemed a little strained, as if he was in pain, ‘I think I am being rang for, looks like your grandma has found yet another job for me. Speak to you soon bye.’ He hung the phone up in a rush and Rue was left feeling dubious about the state her granddad was in.

She scrolled through her phone until she came to her mum’s number. It took a couple of long rings for her to pick up. ‘Hey mum, no time to dilly dally, but I am not so sure granddad is his usual self, have you talked to him recently? I really think you should go check if he is okay.’

‘Okay, I will go round now.’ Her mum seemed a little worried as she spoke, so Rue said goodbye and hung up. It made Rue realise that she should be doing something to get the crystal back onto good hands. If there was anyone she could trust, it would be Keilyn, after all her Granddad seemed to think she could trust the foundation.