Authors Note: *sings* Four-four-four! I didn't expect to finish this 'cause of all the wretched homework that I had to do. On top of all that, I get home at 6:30 every night due to Volleyball practice, which isn't so bad 'cause of actually being active, which didn't happen at all during the summer. But still, school sucks so much! And they're all freakin' preppies! Aaaah! (Somebody really needs to save me from this school, I swear I hate it.) BTW, this chapter some people might like 'cause of a little fluff and stuff (Hehe, I'm a poet and I didn't even know it!) and it was wicked fun to write. ^_^ But it's a necessary to read anyway. Happy reading; hope you enjoy it!
Disclaimer: Me! But I do have to give credit to Tamora Pierce because she inspired me to write this and she's the best! Now, only if she would hurry up and get Lady Knight out…then I'd be happy! (Two days and counting until that book hits Barnes & Noble!! Yes!!)
Chapter Four – Visions and Thieves
A dark room…A knife…
Clara…
Karnen…Pain flooded Kylie's head as she tossed and turned in a bed she was lying in. Images filled her mind followed by flashes of light between each one.
A fireplace burning… The tall black-haired man…She woke with a start; beads of sweat lining her forehead. "Damn it," she swore, putting a long-fingered hand on her head. She tried to sit up, but groaned and laid back down. She could feel tears, not just from the pain but also from the moment when she knew that the battle still could be going on. 'Emotions,' she thought, blinking them back. 'Can't live with them, I swear.' Her mind raced back to the night—or what she thought seemed like a few hours ago—before. She touched her lips. 'Why'd Karnen do that…?' She thought, puzzled by the idea that anyone would want to kiss her. She didn't really mind though, it wasn't bad or anything. It was just kind of—
A crash erupted from the corner of the room, interrupting her thoughts. Karnen stood there, running his fingers though his tousled hair and grinning sheepishly. "Sorry, did I wake you? I tripped—"
Kylie shook her head and tried to sit up again, but fell back down and clutched her shoulder that was burning madly. "I can't get up," she moaned, disappointed in the fact that everything she tried to do to sit up hurt horribly. "What happened?" She moved her pillows and sat despite her body's protest, wincing at her back.
He came to her side and pulled up a chair. "Well, you were brilliant," he remarked, grinning at her proudly as he sat. "I didn't know you could fight like that."
"Then why did everything go black? I'm not good if I find myself here with a feeling like I sat on pins and needles for days," she said, her voice tinted with a hint of sarcasm. "It seems I wasn't great if I'm here, and my shoulder hurts like hell."
He frowned. "Someone came from behind you and knocked you over the head with a chair. You fell on to a broken table, which cut up your skin just a bit." Kylie scowled. It didn't seem like just a bit. "As for your shoulder…" He fingered the bandages gingerly on her shoulder. "A healer fixed it, but she said there'd be a little after-pain."
"And what happened after the wonderful fighter that I am got knocked out?"
"A few mages at the ball took it into their own hands. The rogue's behaved well after they were caught."
An image of Clara burst into her mind.
"Um…Caught? All of them?"
"No. A few got away. But the remainder will be hung later this month."
Kylie shivered. Hangings always got her nervous. What also made her shiver is the fact that she just knew that Clara had escaped. Then another thought pierced her mind.
Aiden.
He would see her, no matter what. She could tell that he did have some feelings for her, and Clara seemed as though she returned his feelings. The last bit was what Kylie doubted the most. 'I have to find him, to warn him,' she thought, swinging her feet over the side of the bed despite the warning pain running through her body.
He gently pushed her towards the pillow. "No. You stay. I'm not having you out and hurting yourself again," he told her.
She hid any notion of pain in her face. "I need to go…I'll be back. I need to talk to somebody," she told him, putting her hand over his, which laid next to her.
"Then let me come with you."
Kylie opened her mouth to refuse rudely and blunt, but decided against it. There was no possible way he could come and meet the rogues she dealt with. A noble…in the dome? She couldn't picture that, let alone noble tailing along with her to Aiden's house if he couldn't be found there.
"I'll be right back," she promised, getting up. She almost tumbled over because of her back and light-headedness, but kept her ground and forced a smile.
"Kylie…" he began.
"No," she said.
Karnen shook his head. "You're hurt. I can't let you go by yourself—"
Kylie was already up and smoothing out her dress. He stood up and put a hand on her arm, causing her to look up at him.
"No," she repeated. "Don't worry anymore. I'll be right back."
"I can't let you—"
She cut him off by standing on her tiptoes and kissing him. He kissed her back, putting an arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him. They broke apart, their breaths ragged. Karnen cupped a hand around her cheek. "You're hurt. You know I won't let you."
"And you know I can take care of myself," she said. Kylie took his hand off her cheek, squeezed it tight once, and rushed out the door.
Karnen blew his hair out of his eyes and fell, exasperated, onto his bed. The only thing he could do now was wait.
***
Kylie excited the palace and ran off into the city as fast as she could with her present state, murmuring words to make her freckles disappear, her hair and eyes to change, and her skin to become a bit lighter from their normal tan. Luckily, she had time to run to her room and change into her normal breeches and shirt before she would come. That cloak wouldn't be useful if she had to move around quickly. Kylie walked to the dome and threw open the door. Faces stared at her as if she was an alien, then they returned to their card games, conversation and hourly threats. Kylie made her way through, and then stepped through the doors to the kitchen. Clara was waiting for her there, playing with her belt-knife.
"Nice of you to visit. Looking for Aiden?" She balanced the hilt of the knife on one finger and jumped off the counter she was sitting on.
"Get out of my way," Kylie growled, clenching her fists behind her back where the tall girl couldn't see them.
"He's not here, stop your shouting Kye. I didn't do a thing to you."
Kylie made a face at her. 'At least she doesn't know that I'm the person she tried to kill last night.' She thought for a second. 'I think.'
"Then where is he?" she spat. Talking nice wasn't going to help her at a time like this.
"What's the hurry? Kye, we didn't get off on the right foot." Clara flashed her a huge smile. Kylie growled. 'Why does she keep using my name?' she thought, annoyed. "I mean it! Why can't we just get along?"
"'Cause. Now where's Aiden?!"
"Why does it matter? What do you have to tell him that can't wait?" Kylie saw a smirk appear at the corner of her lips. "Gonna tell on me for last night?"
Kylie held back the temptation to smack her right across her grinning face and crossed her arms in front of her. She winced as she moved her unwilling shoulder. "Maybe."
"I wouldn't say that, Kye. I wouldn't say that at all."
"I can say whatever I want to say," Kylie turned on her heels and started to walk out. 'It's as simple as that.'
Before she could disappear out the door, she felt something hard hit her shoulder. It was unbearable. Kylie groaned and dropped to the floor, her bandages under her cloak starting to come unwrapped. "Cheater," she whispered, too weak to yell it out. "Real fighters wouldn't come at me from behind."
"What'd you say, scum?" asked Clara, picking her up by her shirt.
Kylie winced. "Coward," she said louder, following by spitting at her in the face.
"I wouldn't say that." Clara kneed her in the stomach. Kylie gasped out for air, plainly trying to say something. Her fingers groped for Clara's to do anything to make her let go. Before she could reach them, Clara dropped her. Kylie cursed, panting for breath as she tried to get up from the hard floor. "Bitch," Clara sneered, picking up the knife off the ground. Kylie could see that she had thrown the hilt of it at her injury before, why else would it be on the floor? "The only useful reason of you, Kylie, is those visions you have."
Kylie's jaw dropped. "—What?" she gasped.
"The only reason you have them is because my lord accidentally gave them to you. You think you're suddenly special now that you have them?" she quipped, kneeling down beside her.
'Visions?!' Kylie thought frantically. 'That's what she wants? Those cursed dreams?!' Kylie mustered some moister in her dry mouth and spat at her feet.
"My, my. I thought you were quite a lady back there at the ball."
Kylie cursed again. She came up with every last bit of energy she had and kicked across the floor at Clara's feet. Clara fell with a yell. Kylie then kicked over a near by table which landed on top of her, then muttered a few more words. She disappeared before Clara could get up.
***
Kylie appeared in front of Aiden's house, shivering from coldness and weakness at the door. She rapped her knuckles on it and clutched her shoulder.
Kylie tightened the hold on her throbbing shoulder and looked around the small house that was in a hidden part of town that not very many people visited. She rapped on the door again. Kylie's magical appearance then started to fade, revealing her true identity—but it didn't matter since it was safe to look like herself here.
Aiden opened the door and pulled her in, closing the door behind her. "What are you doing? You not using the disguising spell!"
"I know, but it's not like anyone would see me anyway," she said quietly, wincing and clutching her shoulder. "I can't use anymore of my magic either.
"And you're hurt!" He pushed her over to a couch and set her down gently. "What happened? You look like you got trampled on by a horse, a stampede for that matter!"
"That's not the point."
"Yes it is! Did you see the healer?"
"Yes! Well…earlier…but that's not why I'm here!"
"I'm serious Kylie, what happened?"
"I'll explain in a minute," she snapped, clearly not in the mood to converse about her injuries.
"And…" she looked at her feet, knowing that she hated doing what she had to do next. "I had to say something." Aiden gave her a quizzical look. "I'm—" she started, pausing. She cleared her throat and wet suddenly dry lips. "Sorry. I didn't mean to blow up at you like that. I just got a bit sick that night and couldn't come…I'll explain that later." The words brought the horrible visions back to mind.
Aiden looked at her, surprised. Finally a slow grin spread across his face. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her, but let her go just as suddenly as he had started as she groaned from the pain. "I'm surprised. I don't believe I've ever heard you say that," he remarked.
Kylie made a face. "Oh be quiet." She remembered why she was there. "Oh!" she gasped, "Yesterday! There was a ball…and…" she stopped herself. She couldn't just blurt out about Clara, why didn't she see that before?
Aiden raised one eyebrow, a gift only Kylie and him could do. "And?"
Kylie swallowed hard. "Can you sit for a minute? There's something else."
He nodded and sat down next to her.
"There was a ball last night, and obviously I went… and there was an attack."
"A what?"
She stared down at her lap, going over what she had to say. What had happened to her where she started actually thinking before she spoke? It wasn't natural! She leaned her head back. This took too much energy, especially when her magic was just about drained.
"Attack…sort of. There were men," she remembered Clara, "and women who came in and started fighting. It was strange—"
"Recognize anybody?" he asked, his face showing his worry for her.
"Yeah…that's what I was getting to."
"And?"
"Clara!" she blurted out, sitting bolt upright despite her body's protest. "She was there—she tried to kill me! And when I went looking for you, she tried to again!"
"What?!"
"She did!" Suddenly Kylie felt as though she was five years old, and pointing an accusing finger at another child for biting.
Aiden put a hand to his forehead. "I don't understand. What exactly happened?"
Kylie explained everything about that battle—that is, everything except what happened between her and Karnen.
Aiden had another question though. "Why were you at the ball in the first place? I know you hate those, and you don't have to attend every one of them."
Kylie's face reddened. "Um—" she started, tugging at one of her earlobes.
"Oh, come out with it. I know you do this," he imitated her pulling at her ears," when you're embarrassed."
Kylie blew her hair out of her eyes. "Alright, fine. I was asked to go with somebody."
Aiden looked at her strangely. "A noble," he said with disgust.
"Yeah…I know! But he's…different!" she stuttered, failing to look him in the eyes.
"That doesn't sound like you."
She looked up at him, and instead of the disgust and look he had in his eyes when protective, she saw a small flash of sadness and longing. Kylie's heart skipped a beat, and then he blinked and it was gone. Kylie closed her eyes for a minute. Her shoulder wasn't getting any better, and the confusion of her feeling as though she missed something important didn't help one bit.
"Here," he said, reaching a hand towards her shoulder. His fingertips glowed with blue magic.
She pushed it away. "No," she murmured. "It drains you when you heal."
"Think I give a damn?!"
She shook her head. "No, but I don't care anyway." Suddenly, she felt the same pain she felt earlier, when the visions came. She cursed and put her hands to her throbbing forehead.
"What's wrong?" she heard Aiden ask franticly, although it sounded to her as though he was miles away due to her heartbeat throbbing in her ears.
The same room as before flashed in front of her eyes. She could see the black-haired man just as before. Kylie gasped and slid off the couch and onto her knees, clutching her head in her trembling fingertips. Karnen flashed in front of her…the next picture came, but more quickly disappeared than the rest.
Clara held a knife to his throat, and slit it.
The vision was over and Kylie found herself in Aiden's arms, him shaking her.
"Kylie! Kylie!" he shouted, shaking her even more. "Com'mon! Don't do this!" He cursed, but then stared at her wide-eyed as she stirred.
"We have to go," she whispered. "To the palace." The place where it was suddenly was pictured in her mind, as if someone told her previously.
"You're weak," he said. "You're not in the condition to leave." Kylie had to smile. He sounded just like Karnen before she left.
"Please…Something's going to happen! I had…a vision. Just hear me out for a second!" she moaned, her shoulder sending jolts of pain up her neck and down through her stomach and arms. She felt a cooling touch glide over her, as she saw Aiden concentrating on her shoulder, magic pumping through his fingers. Kylie pulled his hand away. "Stop. I feel better now," she promised, the feeling of his magic slightly bring her some strength and her voice sounding stronger.
He nodded. "If you say so, I trust you."
Kylie grinned. "I was hoping you would. Get your weapons."
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Awwww…. *sniffs* Only two reviews for poor me to respond to! That's okay, I love the readers that I do have and that review 'cause they're so nice! Thanks guys!
punkpixie87: I love the Irish music too, but I didn't put them down 'cause I didn't know their name or anything (I rarely know the names of the bands, I just listen to the song and go, "Wow! Great song!"). And oh yes I know, it has been forever since I posted!! I'm going to try to get one out a week, since it's hard to on weekdays because of school. I still like Clara even though she's evil (although I don't like that her and Aiden, who is being a poor lost soul I might add, are together), but I'm going to have to do something with her, Kylie, Karnen and Aiden. That'll be fun to do! Plus, I'm dying to tell you who Kylie's gonna end up with, but I'm not going to spoil it yet. Aaaaaah! I wanna tell everyone!
Ooh and also, I love making readers go crazy with plots! It's so much fun! Mawahahaha! *laughs evilly*
Larzdinn: Yay! A new reviewer! I'm so happy! And thanks for coming across this story, I'm happy people are seeing it and reading it even though the summary isn't the best! And thanks soo much (So many times I gotta say thank you, I love all the people who review!! ^_^), I'm trying to keep the story exciting. And sorry about the cliffie! I couldn't resist doing a story without at least one! (BTW: I absolutely know what you mean about school. I think my teachers are seriously trying to kill us students by boring us or something. The anguish!)
-Your wonderful and simply talented (Haha! I wish!) writer-
The Punkish Princess
The Last Author's Note (I promise!):
***See that little button right below? The little blueish-gray button? Yeah, that one that says, "Click here to submit review." Click that! If you do, I'll give you my undying love and devotion! ^_^; Please?***