The Keepers of Azera ( Book 1 of the Keepers Trilogy)

Chapter 11

After lunch, I visit Astrid. She looks a bit paler than usual, but she's been that way since the last visit to the surface. I don't want to tell her about my theories. I don't want to worry her any more than she is.

She and I hang out in her dorm, me sitting in her desk chair, her on her bed. We talk about everything-our teachers, the little ones, our training. At one point, Astrid asks me, "So, what's going on between you and Masan?"

I almost fall out of the chair. "What do you mean?"

"Well, he obviously likes you," Astrid says with a grin.

"I know that," I say, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, I know you know that. Now, my question is: What do you think of him?"

Heat creeps into my face. "Well, he's a good friend."

"And?"

"And so what? He's my friend. I don't like him anymore than as a friend."

"Which is why your face is red."

"My face is red because it's an awkward question to have to answer!" I pick up a pillow and hit her in the back with it. She giggles and grabs the other pillow to hit me back. The pillow fight ends when I fall backwards out of the chair.

"But seriously," Astrid continues after I pick myself off the floor. "What's your opinion on him?"

"He is my friend," I repeat. "That's it."

"You sure?" Astrid asks, leaning towards me.

"Who do you like?" I ask, trying to steer the conversation away.

She frowns. "I don't know, really. I haven't been seeing many people, and I'm never feeling well, and besides, no one here really appeals to me anyways."

"Pffft. You know every guy has his eye on you."

"Except Masan. Oh, guess what...actually, no, I'll keep it a surprise."

"What?" I ask, but she grins mischievously. "Ask James."

"Tell me!" I lean over her. "Come on, Astrid, tell me."

She shakes her head. "Nope. It's a surprise, unless James tells you."

"Okay, I guess I'll just pressure him into telling. Jerk."

"I love you, too."

I stick my tongue at her. "What does it have to do with?"

"Something," she says evasively.

"No fair. Tell me!"

She shakes her head, so I stand up. "Okay. I guess I'll go and bother James."

"Have fun," she calls to my retreating back.

James isn't there when I arrive at the dorm. So I go searching for him. I find him standing at the roped-off section. "Hi," I say quietly.

He jumps. "Hey. What...what are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," I say, leaning against the wall. "I wanna ask you something."

"Okay, um...why don't you go back to your dorm and I'll meet you there in a mo'?"

I look at his face. "Are you okay?"

He nods and turns his face away. "Yeah, I'm...I'm okay. I just... I don't know why. I just felt like coming here."

I frown. He didn't turn his face quick enough to prevent me from seeing the tears. "Why would you if it's gonna make you cry?"

He looks at me, and I flush. I can tell by the look in his eyes that I've said something insensitive. "It's like visiting a grave. I do it to be close to her. Even if it's upsetting. Even if she's not here anymore."

I stare at a spot on the wall, not sure what to say. Finally, James breaks the silence. "Go back to the dorm and wait for me, okay?"

I nod and leave quickly. I hate seeing James cry. He's always so much more sensitive than any other guy I know. Heck, most of the girls I know are less sensitive than him. It takes a bad memory to resurface and he's upset.

I wait for James almost fifteen minutes. After a couple minutes, I pull up my shirt a little and look at myself in the mirror. I don't get why Masan's attracted to me. I'm okay looking, but I eat like a horse and look like a skeleton. Astrid may call me petite, but I know otherwise. I pull down my shirt and wander around the dorm room.

When James arrives, his face is quite calm, though I still see a tint of red around his eyes. "What did you want to ask?"

"Oh yeah. Um, Astrid mentioned something to me that she said she wanted to keep a surprise, but if I really wanted to know, I should ask you."

James frowns in confusion for a second, then he nods. "Oh yeah. You'll like this."

"So, what is it?" I ask, sitting up from where I was sprawled on the couch.

"We're gonna have a visitor," he says.

"Henri?"

He nods, a grin spreading across his face. "Really?" I squeal. "When he's coming? How come I'm hearing about this now?"

He shrugs. "I forgot to tell you."

"So tell me! When he's coming?"

"That I don't know. But he is coming sometime this month."

I hug James tight. "Oh, that's so exciting! I'm so excited!"

"You don't say?" he says, but I ignore him. Henri is amazing. He lives in the capitol, and pretty much spoils us because he's got more money than he needs, so he contacts the Guardians and finds out the Keeper's interests, and he gets them a gift. It's gonna be so much fun watching the younger group meet this enigmatic stranger, especially since he hasn't visited in five years-which is before they were even born-and because he's so different from the normal here. The little ones are used to skinny-ish (we get enough to eat, but because of our powers, we burn through food quicker than others), plain looking kids and adults in plain tunics or robes. Henri likes being extravagant. He got some procedure done to make his hair permanently blue-and I mean his hair will be blue until the day he dies. It's pretty wild-looking, too. He comes in these fancy suits with long tails in the back-and it must be colorful.

"Is he bringing gifts?" I ask.

"I think so. He did send a message yesterday asking what each Keepers like, which is a pretty good sign that he's bringing stuff," James says. "With the war going on, it's nice to know that he still thinks of you guys."

I nod. "What did you tell him?"

He puts a finger to his lips. "It's a secret."

"Come on, James. What did you tell him?"

"I can't tell you; it'll ruin the surprise."

"You and Astrid both like keeping secrets from me," I say.

"No, no, honey, it's a surprise. There's a difference."

"Don't call me 'honey'," I say. Being called stuff like that is one of my pet peeves. James just has a tendency to forget it. 

"Sorry, darling."

"I hate you," I say, leaning back on the couch.

"No, you don't. You love me with all your heart."

"Didn't realize I was that heartless," I say. James snorts and fondly tousles my hair.