15 Chapter 15 (2/2)
”What?” I say. He looks from me to Wilker. ”We have plenty of time to talk on the way to the sand plains. I nod. ”Okay.” We both sit down and Wilker says, ”Jaycie, I know you are sure, but I want to ask. Are you sure you want to do this?” I nod and he leaves it at that. ”We will come pick you up in one week. Where we found Jaycie. Okay?” We both nod at the same time. In that case, off you go.” I nod and walk out with Garret.
”I need to go up to my room.” ”Why?” He asks. ”I need to change into that uniform.” ”Okay.” I run up to my room, leaving my bag with him and change. I have to move more slowly because I have the heels on this time. When I get down the stairs, Garret is there. ”You ready now?” He asks. I nod and start walking. About two seconds later, I hear someone give a wolf whistle. ”Dang Kiya. You are looking better now.” Zachery says. Garret stiffens next to me. I spin around and fix him with a glare. ”You know very well who I am.” He walks up to me and pats my head. ”Yes, you are Kiya Farsaye.”
I growl at him. ”Call me that again. I dare you.” He smiles, and zips forward. He has my hand spinning it. Since I have my heels on, I have to follow my arm, or I will twist my ankle. When I am facing away from him, He grabs my other arm and pushes it to the middle of my back, then me into the wall. He doesn't push my hard enough to hurt me, but hard enough that I can't get away. ”Kiya Farsaye.” Then I feel his jerked back. I am pulled back, but he lets go of me. I try and turn, but only end up tripping on my heels and fall onto Zachery's chest. I see Garret ready to pounce. He had pulled Zachery back, but couldn't move until I was out of the way.
Zachery smiles up at me and says, ”Kiya. I know you are falling for me, but don't make it so literal.” I hiss and stand up. ”Garret lets go. We have places to be.” I walk out the door with him. He looks mad at me. We both get into a carriage and he puts both of our bags in the back. I climb onto one bench and he takes the other. I can see the look on his face, and I have obviously done something to make him mad.
After a while of staring out the window, I look at him. ”Why are you so mad?” He looks over at me and just gives a small laugh then looks away. I want to hit him. ”What?” He turns to me again. ”You really don't know?” I shake my head. ”No.” He crosses his arms and stares at me for a while. After a second, he takes his jacket off and throws it to me. ”I can't pay attention to you when you are shaking.” I want to throw it back at him, but I am colder than I am stubborn right now. I put it on, and pull my knees to my chest, wrapping the front of it around them. ”Now, why are you mad at me?”
”What is going on in between you and Zachery. Yesterday you were alone in that office. Today you kissed in the hall. Just now you didn't let me hit him.” I smile. I can't help it. ”Are you kidding me? You think something is going on between us? He is nothing to me other than a fellow assassin.” Garret didn't seem to believe me. ”You think I could fall for him?” ”You fell for me.” Garret said. I rolled my eyes. ”I guess I am pretty crazy, aren't I?” He laughs. ”A little?” ”Hey.” I say in mock hurt. He smiled at me. Then I remembered earlier in the office.
”What did you mean I was wrong about our first kiss, but also right.” He laughs. ”You don't remember do you?” I think back. ”No. I can't remember kissing before that.” He smiles. ”It was on mission. I can't even remember the name of the one we were supposed to kill. You were dressed in the beautiful ball gown. I had to wear a suite, but at the time I thought, if it meant having you by my side, I would wear one for the rest of my life. Anyway, after we killed the targets we ran. We ditched out daggers, and I only kept one on me. When we heard the guards getting closer, we went into that study.”
He takes a breath and keeps talking. ”We heard them at the door, and without even thinking, you grabbed my shoulders, pulled me down to your level and you started kissing me. When they walked in, they dragged us apart. I remember you shaking, and adding a stutter to your words. When they found the dagger on me, you burst into tears and cowered on the other side of the room. Even got one of the guards to hug you and say you were all right. You made up some fake story about having dragged me into this room for some alone time and had been here for the last thirty minutes.”
I smiled. That night all came rushing back into my mind. ”I remember. When I tried to back away from you, the guard thought I was trying to get away. When he didn't let me go, I turned and started crying into his shirt. He was so shocked. I think that is when he decided we had nothing to do with the crime.” Garret nodded then said, ”You know, it is scary how easily you can cry. And how manipulative you can be.” I smiled at him. ”Well, those skills have saved me so many times. I just burst into tears, add the stutter and boom. Works like a charm.” We were both quiet for a while until I said, ”Wake me up when it is warmer.” He shakes his head. ”No sleeping or you won't sleep tonight.” I pout. ”But I am freezing. If I am asleep I won't feel so cold.”
He shakes his head. ”No. I am doing this for your own good.” I think for a few seconds. ”Fine, if I can't sleep, you will have to keep me warm.” I get of my bench, take the one step over, and climb onto his bench. Since his feet are laid put, I have to climb over them. Then I wedge myself in between him and the seat wall. I lean back against his chest, keeping my knees to my chest. ”What? No. This is my hard earned warmth.” I smirk up at him and shake my head. ”Not anymore.”
He pulls his arm from behind me and wraps it around my shoulder. We sat in comfortable silence. Every time I tried to shut my eyes, he shook my shoulder. He also added some sort of comment like 'No sleeping' or 'Wait until night.' I scowled every time he woke me up. Eventually it started getting warmer, so I took of the jacket. An hour after that, I took of my heels. Then the stupid face veil. Then I stretched my legs out so my body heat wasn't radiating onto me. Eventually Garret said, ”Maybe you should go to the other bench. At this rate, you aren't going to have anything on when we get there.”
I laugh when he says that. ”I don't think the guards would mind.” He let's out a small grunt of disapproval. ”I don't care what the guards mind. They don't get a say.” I smile up at him. ”Don't worry, nothing else is coming off.” I move over to the other bench and sit down. Gareth and I pass between periods o talking and staying quiet. When we are about three hours away, we switch unto another carriage, so they don't recognize ours. Then we keep on riding. Once we hit the sand, I feel myself start falling back into Xalem's version of me.
Slowly we make our way closer and closer to the city. When we get to the front gates, I shake. ”Jaycie, you all right?” I look at him. ”It was nice to meet you Avi.” He nods to me. He took my subtle hint that it was time to play our roles. I put my mystical voice in place as we booth step out of the carriage. He grabs both our bags and says, ”I will figure out where yours goes. Just go get with your group.” I smile. ”Thank you Avi, See you around.” With that, I walk towards the city, then the main building where the garden and dragon statue were. Where the reception room was. Where all the bad memories were. I just pushed everything down and focused of Kiya.
Jaycie's problems weren't here. She was Kiya, and it was time for her to figure out how to kill two major people, while still getting out alive. I make sure Kiya is in full control, then I take a step in. I am ready to take on anything they throw. ”I hope.”