Golden Wings

Chapter 9~ Present Day, The Blue

I stand before the door of my grandfathers office. My hand hovers above the handle, as I try to banish thoughts of the past week from my mind. Just go in. There's nothing worse that he can tell you.

I shudder as that thought crosses my mind, as I know that it's right. Nothing's worse than..... Nothing could be worse. With that lovely thought in mind, I push open the door.  My grandfather looks up at me, startled, with a small smile he says, "Clarisa! I..."

"Didn't expect me to come?" I say, with a weak attempt at sarcasm.

He opens his mouth and closes it. Then with a sigh he says, "Clarisa, why don't you have a seat? I have someone I'd like you to meet." I stare at the chair that I usually sit in with a knot growing in my stomach.

"I think I'm good..." I say quietly. "Who do you want me to meet?"

"Clarisa, this is Edward." He gestures to a boy I hadn't noticed earlier sitting in the chair that John Maddsen usually sits in. "He... He's come to visit us from Eagleais"

Eagleais was the city near the northern border. There were 5 main cities in the void; Phoena, the Royal city, Eagleais, in the north, Memian, to the south, Cerberis, to the east, and Centaurus, to the west. I'd never been out of Phoena, but I knew that each city was as beautiful as the next.

And then, there's the fabled realm of Gehenna. Cast down to live in this cursed realm, Dark Angels quarry amongst themselves, with no definite ruler and no outlined rules. Then again, it's also a myth. No proof has been found to show it exists, much like the Dark Angels themselves.

Edward stood and made his way over to me.  He was tall, with dark hair and colourless eyes. "Edward Teach." He said, extending his hand, and bowing low.

"Clarisa James." I said, shaking his hand quickly. I didn't like the way he made me feel. His colourless eyes felt limitless, and I could feel myself getting lost in them.  I backed away from Edward, deciding it was better to sit than to Rick standing closer and getting closer to Edward. "So..." I said awkwardly, "What brings you from Eagleias?"

"Oh,  I had heard that the Royal city was absolutely gorgeous, and decided to pay a visit." Edward says while staring at me. Something  about the way he says it makes it sound like there's more of a meaning to the city being gorgeous. Just as I'm about to inquire more, I catch a glimpse of Grandfather, who is sitting behind his large desk, hands clasped in front of him, barely concealing a grin.

That's when it everything clicks together.

"You invited him here." I say accusingly to Grandfather.  He opens his mouth but I cut him off. "You invited him here for me- No, because of me."

"Clarisa, what you-" He begins, before I cut him off again.

"No! You invited him here to get me out of my room! To get me out my griefing!"

"Now that's just unfair." He says, standing.

"You can't tell me that's unfair when you're inviting someone to the city to get me to forget my best friend!" I shout at him, going behind his desk, "You can't tell me that's unfair when you're trying to get me to forget Kyle! You can't just try to set me up!"

"Clarisa!" Grandfather says, trying to stay calm. "That's not what this is!"

"Oh, sure! Sure it's not!" I say sarcastically. "Sure you're not trying to set me up!"

"Clarisa," Edward interjects, "I assure you that I was not invited here under the premise that I was to distract you from... Kyle,"

"Don't say his name!" I snarl at him. "Don't you ever say him name!"  I've backed out to the balcony now, feeling like a caged animal.

"Clarisa, can we just calm down and talk about this?" Grandfather says, raising his hands as if in surrender. "Just let me explain."

"There's nothing to explain. I understand this perfectly well." I say coldy, turning and diving off the balcony, letting my wings unfurl and carry me towards the clouds and away from his office.