Page 16 of In Between Darkness

As I make my way through the forest, wading around each staggered tree, I tread lightly in an attempt not to alert the Moons that there is a trespasser in their midst. I really need to get a handle on this sleep situation. No sooner than I think that than I feel the ground slip out from under me, and the side of my face slaps into the side of a tree. I flinch at the impact and try to push away, but a hand is pinning my cheek against the rough bark.

“Who are you?” a deep voice asks, pressing me harder into the rough grooves of the tree. The lanterns clank as the tree shakes with his force.

“I-I’m no one,” I mutter between winces, my voice shaking with fear.

“I said,Who are you!?” He pushes my head harder into the rough bark, and I scramble my brain for a correct way to answer. Nothing good can come from a Moon knowing my name.

“Just let me go, and I’ll be on my way,” I stutter again, resisting his grip. He doesn’t reply straight away but keeps his hands firmly on me.

“Let’s try something else then.” He leans in and whispers in my ear, “What are you doing spying on the Moons?” The tone of his voice instils fear in me, and the words fall out of my mouth before I can even think.

“I’m not a spy. I-I don’t know how I got here.” My cheek grows sore from the pressure.

“You really expect me to believe that?” He scoffs, and a sinister chuckle escapes his mouth. My heart thumps ferociously against the wood.

“I-it’s true. I swear it.” I catch my breath. “I have these dreams. A-And now I apparently sleepwalk. Youhaveto believe me!” I plead, and his grip loosens up a little. I take this chance topush his arm away from my cheek and spin it around behind his back before pushing him away with all my strength. He stumbles a little and then realigns himself. I watch as confusion lines furrow on his brow at my attempt to fight back.

“Nicely done… But you’re going to have to try harder than that.” He smirks before locking eyes with me and striding in closer.

I back up slowly, trying to control my heart rate. His tall frame towers over me. It’s the blindfolded one.

“You’re that girl from the other night. You’ve been getting in my head!” His eyes narrow in on me as he continues his strides. I retreat slowly until I find myself backed up against another tree.

“What do you mea-”

“Who are you really?” he cuts me off. His voice sends shivers down my spine as he stretches out his arm and smacks his palm on the tree beside me, making me jump. I gulp as I watch the inky veins travel up and down his arm, and suddenly I’m mute. He leans in, and my heartbeat quickens as the obsidian in his eyes renders me paralysed.

“Didn’t Mummy and Daddy tell you not to mess with the Moonkind?” His warm breath torments my eardrums.

“Didn’t yours teach you how to treat a lady?” I counter, trying to keep the fear from seeping through the cracks in my words. His jaw tenses, and I know I have hit a nerve.

“Watch yourself, you’re coming dangerously close to pissing me the fuck off,” he speaks through gritted teeth, and I scrunch my eyes closed.

“Oh, and we wouldn’t want to do that,” I bite back, sarcasm lacing my words.

“Don’t you forget that you are on Moon territory right now,” he points at me. “One signal from me and I can have the rest of the school out here to help me decide what to do with you.”

I gulp.

“Something tells me they won’t be so kind.”

Kind? Did he really think he was being kind? Well, I suppose he hasn’t killed me yet.

“Why? I haven’t done anything. I haven’t been getting in your head, and I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about,” I confess, hoping his anger subsides. “Just let me go.”

I go to walk past him, but he blocks my way and walks me closer to the tree again.

“I saw you last night.” He clenches his jaw, pointing his finger at me. “Those eyes, I’d remember you anywhere.” His hand reaches out to touch my face, but I slap it away before he can get too close.

“Don’t touch me!” I grit my teeth.

“Or what?” he says, his face serious. I saw him in battle. There’s no way I would stand a chance. He grips my wrist, and I let him. “You’re feisty, I’ll give you that… For a Sun,” he mocks, and I roll my eyes, turning my head away with them.

“I don’t know how I did it. I saw you in my dream… I didn’t know you saw me too. How is that even possible?” The last bit was more of a whisper to myself.

“It’s not,” he says, scanning every detail of my face as if looking for more answers. “And you clearly haven’t got your Gifts yet, otherwise you would’ve used them on me already,” he thinks out loud. “And even if you could, Sun people don’t possess the power to manipulate minds.”

He kisses his teeth and furrows his brow. “Something does not add up.”