Forbidden Rule (An Alien Love #2)

Chapter Eleven

Skyler's POV

I slammed my shoulder into the portals' doorjamb as I was unable to completely control my motor movements. My face flamed. Again, another hiccup escaped my chest, and I righted myself as best I could as I continued into the directed third door to the...what had they said? Right or left? Shit. I peered into the rooms, as much to scope as to support myself from falling over. I moved slowly, as if the air were molasses rather than gas. My palms sweat. My thunderous heartbeat throbbed at the base of my throat and wrists. It was a nervous haze I saw through, more so than the first screening, as if the pulpai made it worse.

"Skidie?"

I froze mid step, causing me to bounce off the wall for the hundredth time. A breath I was taking in rasped loudly as I turned my head. Hemlock stood at the end of the hall where I had come from, an uncertain curtain hanging over his features. I had just seen him a few minutes ago when he came to greet us. He had done so platonically, as if we were distant acquaintances. Which we were, I reminded myself. I had been sure to show a small amount of tipsy giggliness so that it wouldn't surprise anyone when I went in for my screening. Apparently it had drawn his attention in the wrong way. 

"Yes?" I slurred. The flask I had drunk the last bit of pulpai from slipped from my sleeve and went crashing to the marbled hallway floor. Instead of breaking, it rolled noisily until it stopped at the wall. My face  lit with fire.

"What's wrong with you?" he muttered, brows drawing closer together. "Are you intoxicated again?" He took a couple steps closer. 

I shrugged. "Maybe. I just need..." I hiccuped. "To get to the screening room." I gestured clumsily around the marbled tomb surrounding us. The edges jumped and spun in my head. "It's kind of hard to navigate stone."

"I see. This way." His face fell into an impassive mask as he offered an arm. I hesitated.

"You clearly cannot walk five feet on your own without crashing around," he droned. He didn't meet my eyes. 

I sighed, feeling as if the breath inflated my chest like a hot air balloon. I was about to burst with heat and buzzing nerves, not helped by the numbness in my fingers and toes. Maybe that's where the air would escape. I glanced at them with worry before accepting his supporting arm.

We began a slow descent into the darker half of the hall, torches flickering around like demons. I had the passing thought that eyes the texture and color of flame would be great. In fact, they kind of reminded me of Jaric's, and his power was flame or heat or whatever...

"Why did you drink before coming to an important screening, Sidariea?" he murmured, glancing at me. Then glanced back, eyes catching on mine, but not in a good way. His narrowed, then we stopped walking.

"Shit, not again!" I cried, slapping my free hand on my thigh. "What now?"

He scowled. My eyes focused only on how the flames caught his hair like gilt, a small prairie fire right on his head. i giggled. 

"Your eyes are no longer purple, but glowing orange," he stated matter-of-factly. "Is that normal for you?"

I leaned on the wall behind me, assuming we were close to the screening room. It was cool and hard, perfect for my warm and doughy muscles. "Yes, totally," I said sarcastically.

"Is it really?" he asked, amazement in his tone. Oh right, Morfilians weren't big on sarcasm.

I shook my head. "No, I was being sarcastic. Must I teach you too?" I sighed, blowing a piece of hair from my forehead. "Wait a sec."