Elementum

Part 16

Dedicated  too..... 

As we walk through camp I start to notice something. The men and the few women around slightly bow their heads as I walk by them.  Have  they  always  done  that?   Why  am  I  just  now  noticing  it. 

My eyes go wide and my spine stiffens. Heir to the Ingis Throne. A princess. This stuff doesn't happen in real life. But hey this isn't real life is it. It's Elemuntum.

"Are you alright?" Derrick asks softly.

I shake my head. No I'm not alright. So far from it. I duck into Ryland's tent. My heart squeezes. Why does it hurt so bad knowing he doesn't want anything to do with me. Why do I even care?

I fall down on one of the many fluffy pillows around the table.

"Where's my... I mean the King?" I mumble twirling the glowen leaf with my fingers.

"The tough questions first?"

I nod not looking up at Quinn. I feel betrayed by him. Hurt even with all the lies.

"The King pasted away from the Tus a month after your relocation."

I jerk my head up, looking at Quinn from the other side of the table. He takes a dough ball, maybe? I have no clue what it is but his dumps it in a small bowl full of green slush.

Gag.

"What's the Tus?"

He chews, swallows and dunks the bread ball back into the green slush.

I frown as he waves it around.

"The Tus is like a virus." Chew, swallow, "When one pair of the Electus passes on the other person in the pair can sometimes get The Tus." Dip, wave, "The Tus is like death from a broken heart is the plainness of terms."

I look at Quinn. Really. He can't be serious. Tus is a virus that cause a broken heart, then death.

"Are you for real?" My eyes narrow at him. He can't be serious.

"Yes Basil I am for real."

I roll my eyes, stretching out my legs underneath the table.

"He died from a broken heart." I scoff, my fingers tapping on the table. Ridiculous.

"Look at it like this." My eyes flick up to Derrick. I shift on the pillow my muscles going tight. The tugging becomes worse when he talks or I'm looking at him. "Imagine your heart is like a sponge and it soaks up a piece of your Electus. Now when your Electus dies that part of your heart dies with it. Some are strong enough to go on while others just can't." A sad smile covers his sinful lips. It doesn't look good on him. That sadness.

"So his heart really did breake." I mumble picking up the soft dough bread. I bring it up to my nose and sniff. It smells sweet. "How do you soak up a piece of your Electus?"

I nibble on the bread. Not bad. A little sweet for bread but still good. I look up as I feel the tension.

Quinn's looking down and Derrick is biting his lip. My gaze zeros in on it. I bet he tastes good. Gods, where did that thought come from. I don't think about boys that way. A blush heats my face.