Hidden Heirs and Fallen Crowns (Complete)

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Are you coming or not?" Jasmine called up the stairs ten minutes later.  

"One minute!" I answered shakily. I really didn't want to go any more. The thought of going outside again after having spent the whole month inside made my insides into jelly. "Er, Jasmine?" 

"Yeah?"  

"Maybe we should cancel it for today. I mean, we could always go tomorrow!"  

"What? I can't hear you, Suzanne! Just get ready and come down to tell me!" 

I sighed, not answering. Then I went to the end of the corridor, where I knew Zed was watching a bit of TV. There was no chance of it being the news again, but I checked just in case. Nope.  

"Zed?" 

"Yeah?" he answered, still fixing the TV.  

"Maybe we should leave it for tomorrow," I pleaded.  

He looked up, frowning. "Rubbish! Why should we?" 

"Well..." I started uncertainly.  

His expression change. He grinned. "Don't tell me you're becoming like those mad scientists that can't even leave their houses anymore," he taunted.  

"Shut up!" I snapped. "Of course I'm coming."  

"Of course. Hurry up, you've got one minute." 

In a no better mood, I stalked back to my room.  

I stared accusingly at the wardrobe, as if it was its fault that I had to go out. What did you wear to the park again? 

Oh, God, I thought. This is just too much - I can't even remember what you wear to a park! 

I clenched my fists, gritted my teeth, and determinedly pulled out a pair of black joggings with two white strips going down the side and a white sport top, along with a black and white sport jacket. I didn't care what I wore as long as I got out there and took some deep breaths - I really needed it.  

In a moment, I was dressed and was putting my trainers on. After a thought, I smiled and concentrated on the shoelaces. What energy source would I take from this time? I looked around and, not wanting to experiment with things I didn't know, I switched the lamp on again. I had to transfer light energy to gravitational potential energy, was that it? Yes, that's what Zed had told me. To lift, you needed gravitational potential, and to move, you needed kinetic. Simple. But to get those you needed to make whatever type of energy you're using into the gravitational or kinetic energy. That was the hard part.  

Of course it's not hard, I thought. Energy transferring happens everywhere all the time.  

It was only hard when you actually wanted to do it.  

I frowned, staring into space for an answer to my original question, and gave up, deciding I would ask Zed for the answer. He would know. I smiled as I noted to myself that it was weird how he knew so much about Earth when he was from billions of miles away - and I knew so little.  

It's been more than a minute, pointed out a reproachful Zed. I really wanted to answer him, but in the end I just ignored his comment. I ran downstairs and thrust the door open, breathing in the fresh air.  

It slammed shut straight away.  

"Are you crazy?" Zed hissed, coming up behind me. "I haven't made you invisible yet!" 

"So-rry," I said.  

He glared at me.  

"In my defence, I've been cooped up in here for thirty days straight," I responded. "It's kind of understandable, isn't it?"