Stuck With You

Part 16

Chapter 16

Standing in her upstairs living room, Aidirian heard her bedroom door open and close.  Daryn had left it moments earlier saying that he would meet them downstairs, but Aidirian decided to wait on Celeste.  There was something he needed to give her.  Shoving what he had in his pocket, he turned towards her with a smile.  She frowned at him, shifting uneasily as if she had something she wanted to say. 

“What is it?” he asked, wondering what could put her on edge.

Her eyes connected with his, and he saw the deep worry in them.  Whatever it was on her mind, it was really bothering her.  “Last night,” she started, but didn’t continue as her hand came up around her necklace.  Aidirian saw the movement as what it was, a defense mechanism.  She was trying to defend herself from something.  Maybe his answer? 

He opened his mouth, ready to tell her, but the necklace in her hand caught his attention.  Taking a step towards her, he pointed at her neck.  “Where did you get that one?”

Her hand tightened on it.  “Aidirian…”

“Tell me, Celeste.  Just tell me where you got it from.”

She let go of her necklace, letting him see the jewel that was now dead center.  It was darker than the others were, and as he looked closer to it, he noticed that it was swirled with black.  The red was there and more prominent than the others, but the black that flickered through the jewel was unmistakable.  This wasn’t something that Celeste had gotten from her friends here.  This was more powerful.

He walked towards her, but she didn’t say another word.  Stopping in front of her, he reached out, ready to grab the necklace, but her hand stopped his movement.  “No,” she whispered.  “It might hurt you.”

“Unless a Jinni gave you the damned thing,” he mumbled, “it won’t do anything to me.”

His hand covered it before she could say another word.   He felt it pulse under his hand, warning him to let go, but he didn’t.  Just as he thought, the jewels did nothing to him; they didn’t harm him.  If it wasn’t Jinn that gave her the jewel, it had to be another powerful force.  “Did your father give this to you?”

But even as he asked the question, he knew that the answer would be no.  If her father gave her this, it wouldn’t be swirled with black. 

“No,” she answered.

“Tell me.”

She shook her head at him.  “Tell me where you were last night.”

Aidirian stared at her for a moment, studying the expression on her face.  Was she worried that he would find out who gave her the new protection jewel, or was there something else?  Understanding dawned, making him let out a harsh chuckle.  “You don’t trust me.”

Her eyes widened.  “That isn’t it.  I just-”

“If you trusted me, you wouldn’t be so worried about my answer,” he said with a smile on his face.  When she winced, he knew the smile wasn’t one he was used to.  This smile was the one he preserved for those that were against him. 

“Aidirian,” she started, but he shook his head at her, making her snap her mouth closed.

“Save it for someone who doesn’t know you, Celeste.  I don’t mind you asking where I went, but the fact that you don’t trust me hurts.  I thought we were at least friends by now.”  Reaching into his pocket, his fingers curled around the object that he had placed there moments earlier.  He drew his hand out while taking a step away from her.  As he turned his back on her, he could hear her let out a sigh.