AN: Yeah, I know I probably shouldn't be continuing this now but after I went and changed the first chapter, I thought (note: It's been ages since I changed the first chapter) why not? I felt like continuing this 'cause it's a bit more serious. The House of GoT sequel will be up in a while, I think.
I might have said this in the prologue but I'm saying it again just in case. This is set while Matt's being trained by Dartemis but before Neriah is captured by Marduke.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I'm not Marianne Curley. I'd be a bit worried if I was after I'd been going around doing coursework and writing fanfics. I'd think I'd finally cracked up although I probably went crazy years ago (Yep, your fault Nat!)!
Isabel
Friday! It's Friday! School's opened on a Friday! And there's actually a point to this? I was planning on spending the day with Arkarian but Matt isn't here to tell the school I'm ill so they'll phone home and mum will get all worried. So now I've got to listen to Mr Carter fending off questions from the class about his miraculously lucky escape with the space rock.
Ethan's sitting in front of me, doodling on his notebook, while Rochelle sits next to me rolling her eyes at Dillon, who is flicking rubber in her hair from behind her. Clearly, they're all finding this class as boring as I am and would probably all rather be training or something.
I sigh and follow Ethan's example with the doodling, dropping my cheek on my hand. A tingling sensation starts in my stomach and my sixth sense ignites warning bells in my head. My head starts pounding.
What if it's a vision? I've got to get out of here! This can't happen at school; people will think I'm weird or demented! Or an Order member might recognise me!
I raise my hand as high as I can, willing Mr Carter to pick me with my eyes. His eyes meet mine and he nods.
"Yes Isabel?"
My heart feels like it's in my skull, squashing my brain. "Can I go to the toilets pleas? I feel sick, sir."
I see a spark of worry in his eyes as he replies, "Yes."
I stand up to leave but he waves me back down.
"Wait," he says. "I'll send someone out there with you to make sure you're all right." He surveys the class and points to Rochelle, who is hissing at Dillon to stop throwing rubber at her. "Ms Thallimar, stop harassing Mr Sinclair (AN: Dillon's Dillon Kirby in the Named but Lorian calls him Dillon Sinclair in the Key so I've just used the last one 'cause this is set in the Key) and go with Ms Beckett to the toilets."
I silently thank Mr Carter as Rochelle and I leave the class. He's just made sure that if it is a vision, I've got a truthseer with me who can alert the other truthseers – mainly Arkarian.
My head is pounding but there's no bright light and it doesn't feel like a vision. Rochelle shoots me a sympathetic look.
"What's wrong?" she asks.
I shake my head, wincing as it makes the pounding even more intense. "I don't know," I croak. "Sixth sense. Could be a vision but it feels… different."
We just get into the toilets when the pressure in my head builds up to an unbearable level and my legs collapse underneath me. For a moment, the pressure relaxes and I open my mouth to assure Rochelle, who has dropped to her knees beside me and is babbling madly, that I'm fine, but then it contracts so quickly that the breath is sucked from me.
Instantly, the images fill my mind. They move so quickly I can barely keep up.
There's a wall engraved in a language I don't know. Then it's gone and replaced with a familiar blue haired figure asleep in a bed with the sheets untouched. It's Arkarian but younger. A small child. And a black haired man, walking away from him but still watching. His eyes show a mixture of emotions: fear, pain, love and something else, something more. It's like he regrets something. He tears his eyes away from the child and I see disgust, pure hatred.
That fades to black. Screams pierce my ears. Marduke comes into view through a stone archway as he crosses it.
"No! No! Stop! Please stop!" It's Rochelle. I can't see her but I hear her. She's sobbing.
And there I am, chained to the wall, struggling to escape. My vision zooms through the walls to Arkarian and Matt, rushing to our rescue. It goes black.
The images speed up so I don't witness a lot that will be of much use to the guard but I see a dagger dripping a black liquid mixed in with red blood and my sixth sense lurches into action. There is death in the future. Death by poison, delivered, I think, by that dagger.
The engraved wall flashes into view once more and I hear words spoken by an ancient, female voice.
"You must be ready. It is soon. You have been warned."
As I drift back into consciousness, I think I hear the same voice whisper.
"I am sorry."
AN: I know it's short but it just felt right to end it there. The next chapter will be longer.
So what did you think? I know it's a bit cryptic at first but it gets better further in.
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