Her Amber Eyes: The Failure. (Discontinued.)

Chapter 12: Don't you want some fun?

I opened my eyes to an endless void of darkness so deep, I momentarily thought I was dreaming. It was as if I was underwater, but it was midnight and the moon's gentle light was blocked out by the clouds. Then, I remembered the events that occurred in the white room.

I looked around at my surroundings, noting that I wore a simple white nightgown with thin straps that grazed against my collarbone, and gasped softly when I realized that it almost brushed against the floor, which was non-existent to my surprise. As I picked up my dress from the floor, I raised my eyebrows at the sight of my bare feet against air, and yet I could feel the floor beneath my feet, feel and scarcely see the thin layer of water that covered where I stood. My hair was done in a simple braid that trailed down my back, and as I brought forward so that it rested against my shoulder, I saw tiny violets embedded in it, and I laughed at the sight of them.

"What a strange place I am in." I thought out loud, and suddenly murmured, "I wonder where the Tertos has gone? She is responsible for bringing me here."

I knew that the saliva of Tertos' was infused with a toxin, but I had not read anything about what the people experienced while passed out, which usually lasted between one to two hours, and I thanked Mother Vasilissa that the toxin wasn't venomous.

I jumped, however, at the sound of an elegant voice behind me, which responded, "Actually, I'd prefer it if you called me Lavender instead of, 'the Tertos', all the time."

I whipped around to see a woman, who seemed to be in her late twenties, standing behind me. She had long pale purple hair, most likely where she got her name from, which drifted all around her body like seaweed in the water. Her skin was only a couple of shades darker than mine, presumably tanned by the sun, yet covered in scars and bruises. She wore a dress that was exactly like mine, and it swayed around her just like her hair.

"You... You are the Tertos I fought in the arena?" I breathed, and she laughed.

"You didn't exactly 'fight' me. I could've killed you when I had you pinned." She brushed a strand of hair that had flown in front of her face, and I tilted my head, confused.

"Why did you not kill me, then? If you had the chance, why did you let it slip by?" I questioned, and she laughed again.

"Has anyone ever told you you speak like a princess? You realize that using words like, 'didn't' and 'why'd' isn't a crime."

My face flushed with embarrassment, and I nodded, trying not to let her see it.

"I have been told I speak like a princess, and I realize that using those words is not a crime, it is just my preference. Would you prefer if I spoke like you?"

She shrugged, "Sure, it'd make our conversation go faster, since we don't have a lot of time."

She turned and began to walk in a seemingly random direction, and I jogged to keep up with her. She was, like most people are, several inches taller than me, and so she walked faster.

Once I caught up with her, she asked, "Right, first things first, are you a Shifter?"

"Yes."

"Really? Then, how come you didn't recognize me in my Stitched form?"

My step faltered for a second, but I quickly recovered and replied, "What do you mean? What is- What's Stitched form?"

It was hard to remember to use contractions, but if we did not have a lot of time, I would have to learn how to use them.

She looked at me like I had asked if we were indeed going to slaughter an orphanage later tonight, her face a mixture of confusion and horror.

"What... How do you not know what Stitched form is? Every Shifter Stitches themselves by the time they are ten!"