Dreams of Eden (Ace of Queens # 4)

CH.9 Vessel

Chapter 9

Don't look at them, don't look at them, don't look at them.....

Eden chanted over and over in her head as she sat beside Gemma. She could hardly bend her fingers or take a breath without feeling the ice in her veins. Every inch of her body and soul was aware of the figures floating around the room, weaving in and out through the bodies of the living.

"Eden?" Gemma's voice focused the girl's eyes.

"Huh?" Eden snapped back.

"I asked what your specialty was," Gemma smiled.

"Oh, um...." Eden had thought about this moment for as long as she could remember. But now that it was finally happening, she couldn't focus due to the unhealthy amount of spirits in the palace. It was all maddening.

"I'm afraid I'm not really good at anything in particular," Eden pushed her fingers under the thighs and sat on them.

"There must be some type of magic you excel at naturally," Gemma said. "Every witch has one."

"Yeah, our local covenant once said I might be defected," Eden shrugged. "But of course that was after I accidently turned three of their faces green.....permanently."

"How did you manage to do that?" Gemma laughed.

"I messed up a floating spell."

"Ah...." Gemma nodded. "Did you say moid instead of moib in Roopcian?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"Moid is green and moib is air."

"Forgie language has never really been by thing," Eden smiled. She felt Alec's eyes on her face as the unsettling tingles ran up the back of her neck. Her cold numb hand shot out and grabbed the base of her neck.

It was a queer feeling. There was nothing on the surface to scratch at or pick at....it was under her skin. No matter how much her nails scratched her skin, she couldn't get rid of the tingles.

"Are you alright?" Gemma asked after a moment with concern.

"Yeah," Eden nodded. "I forgot to take the tag off my blouse."

"Would you like for me to take it off?"

"No!" Eden moved back on the sofa.

Everyone suddenly turned to her in the room. Both the living and the nonliving.

"I.....I like my tags," Eden suddenly said without thinking as she panicked.

"Okay...." Gemma moved back.

Jackson hesitated slightly before he turned back to join the conversation with his wife and Owen. He watched as Eden pulled at her skirt. Her eyes stayed low as she blinked rapidly. When she finally felt his gaze, her brown eyes looked up at him.

Across the room, Eden knew what her father was wondering. She gave him a half smile and nodded her head. He was also so worried about her. And not being able to help her made him even upset.

"Eden!" Ivan's voice rang out from the hall.

Oh no.....Eden groaned. She was doing so well. He was going to mess everything up. Stupid Russian and his big mouth.

"Here she comes!" Ivan marched into the room with a grin like Santa on Christmas Eve.

Eden kept her head low and pretended she didn't hear his loud hollering. Her heart pounded so fast in her heart she couldn't hardly hear Gemma's voice as she spoke to her daughters.