AMBER'S POV
At breakfast, Patricia doesn't seem like herself. She doesn't eat anything. She just stares at her plate with wide eyes like it's going to attack her. Her hair is frazzled and mussed up and she's rocking slowly back and forth in her chair.
In the kitchen, I ask Joy what's going on with Patricia.
"Something happened last night after school," she says. "I wouldn't ask her about it yet if I were you."
"Well, what happened?"
Joy breathes deeply. "Something with Eddie."
No. It couldn't be.
"They broke up?!"
"I wish that was as bad as it got."
"What?"
"What happened is much worse than a breakup."
"HUH! Was he cheating on her?"
"No! Amber, listen."
I cocked my head and waited patiently for Joy. What could be worse than a boy cheating on his girlfriend?"
"His… Osirian powers… they sort of, um, 'acted up' yesterday evening."
"What does that mean?"
"All I know is that Jerome and I heard a scream and when we ran upstairs we saw a crying, screaming Patricia lying on top of Eddie. Eddie was lying in this weird contorted position with eyes wide open and he was foaming at the mouth. His entire body was shaking and fidgeting. It - it was terrifying." Joy can barely get the words out before tears start to stream down her face.
"How does this have to with the Osirian?"
"Well, Victor-"
"YOU GOT VICTOR INVOLVED?" I shout angrily.
"Shh! Amber! Look, Victor said that Eddie was having some sort of vision. Some thing of pure evil was getting inside his mind and making him go crazy and feel pain. Victor said it was an evil worse than any we've ever faced before."
My jaw drops. I can't help but think about Patricia, about Joy, about what they saw. The way Joy described it made it sound as if they'd witnessed a death or something fatal. At least Eddie was alive. I assumed. Actually, Joy didn't specify.
I guess there is something worse than cheating.
"So how is Eddie?"
Joy shrugged. "I haven't seen him yet. Fabian's been watching him in their room all night. Patricia insisted on spending the night in there with Eddie once the shaking and foaming had stopped. Eddie was unconscious and Patricia apparently stayed awake next to him the entire night. Fabian's in there now watching him."
"Well that explains just about everything - except whatever in the world Alfie is doing right now."
I glance over and see Alfie pacing back and forth with a mirror making disturbing facial expressions.
"Alfie, what ever are you doing?"
Alfie instinctively shoves the mirror up his shirt and pretends it was never there. His face flushes red with embarrassment.
"Uh, certainly not working on my facial expressions for some male modeling auditions if that's what you're implying… well, duh."
Joy and I stare at each other. We laugh haughtily.
"C'mon, Amber, we've got to get to school," Joy says. As she extends her arm to hand me my bag, she accidentally knocks a shocked Esmay's bag out of her hand.
"Oh, sorry," Joy says as she bends down to assist Esmay. "I can be a real klutz someti- Oh my God!"
"Joy, what is it?" I demand.
"Look."
Within the pile of contents from the spilled bag lies a very familiar necklace.
Joy and I lock eyes.
"Nina."