Suffocate In Spirit - Shadows of the Night 4

Chapter 34

Hi,

I officially apologize for last week's cliffhanger. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) for you, I have bad news: I'm gonna keep doing it. MOUHAHA!

Okay, it's time to fasten your seatbelts for the next chapters! Here we go! :-)

Lara

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Chapter 34

My breath evened out. Just Rico. I'd take him over any of the rest. At the moment maybe even Giuliana. The youth had his hands stuffed deep into the pockets of his jeans, walking with the kind of posture that said he didn't give a damn about anyone and anything. Not even the people in his village. He approached me quietly.

I copied his stance, shoved my hands into the pockets of my jacket, and kept on walking. We were close to the edge of the forest where rays of moonlight spilled through the thinning branches of trees. Soon we'd be out in the open, back within sight of the village.

"You like it here." He said it with the kind of coolness that negated any real interest.

"It's quiet," I said slowly. "And, last time I checked this was your favorite place too."

He grunted and muttered something unintelligible. Probably an Italian curse word I hadn't learned yet.

For a long moment neither of us said anything, our steps like big sound bombs in still forest life.

"I heard them talking about you, you know," Rico finally said.

I shrugged, not turning to look at him. Chances were I'd fall on my face if I did. As much as I would have liked to see the expression that went with this serious voice, there were roots and obstacles in this forest that were meant to kill.

"So what? I'm not popular in this village," I said. "I know that."

"I wasn't talking about the villagers. And, by the way, they don't hate you," he said. "No, I was talking about the elders. Vincenzo in particular."

I tensed and turned around to face him, obstacles be damned. He kept walking, didn't even stop for a second.

"What did he say?" I said.

"Vincenzo thinks you're trouble. He's giving you two months to get a feel for all the elements, figure out how to use the magic."

I stared at Rico's back. The information I learned these past nights flashed up behind my eyes, opened up like a vertical quicksand I was in danger of sinking into – words and phrases. I remembered what I learned in the library and when I visited Giada. The name of my ancestors and the reason why my parents left the Lumenis.

"Two months," I said softly. "And what if I can't control the elements by then?"

Rico kept walking, but I saw some sort of movement between his shoulder blades.

"Rico!" I fastened my pace until I caught up with him. "Tell me what's going on."

"Where've you been, anyway?" He said.

"In it's-none-of-your-business-land," I said testily. "Ever been there?"

He stepped in front of me, got right into my face. More of that teenage attitude. "Don't get pissed at me! I'm not the one here making the rules."

He turned around, ducking under a low branch, and moved further towards the forest edge, tossing over his shoulder, "You better hurry. Vincenzo's been looking for you."