“Soon,” he kissed the top of my head and pulled me close before letting me go completely. I knew that it was silly, but I couldn't help but feel cold and less complete without his arms around me. “Thank you Sylvia for your hospitality. I should hope we meet again soon,” he smiled genially, and Syl nodded in return. Avalon rolled his eyes and suddenly started a coughing fit, pretending to choke on Kung-Pow chicken.

“Yes, thank you for your hospitality,” Talbott echoed Kiran’s sentiment in his own version of an accent, but my aunt had yet to find her words.

The boys turned to leave and I followed them to the door.

“See you at school tomorrow,” Kiran said while Talbott opened the door and waited for Kiran to pass.

“I can hardly wait,” I groaned sarcastically. The thought of Seraphina’s hands all over the man that I loved made me nauseous, but that was the price I paid to stay out of prison.

“You know that I am always thinking of you, Love,” he enfolded me in his arms once again and tipped my chin up into the sweetest kiss. I stood there, or rather floated there for several seconds believing that what he said was true.

“And I think only of you,” I whispered when his lips finally left mine.

Kiran released his embrace and turned to leave. Talbott said nothing on his way out, but closed the door behind them. I heard the Rolls Royce start and then watched the headlights back out of my drive way.

“He’s only using you,” Avalon’s snide voice came from the kitchen doorway. He was standing their casually, holding a box of lo mien noodles and chopsticks.

“Avalon, please don’t start,” I walked in his direction, fully intending on finding my own box of noodles, as long as Avalon hadn’t eaten everything.

“You can’t blame him though. You hold the only hope of true Immortality he’ll ever have. If I were him, and destined to die so soon, and you came along believing all of my lies, I would for sure play that out,” he handed me his carton of noodles, realizing I was on a quest to look for them. I gave him a sharp look and then took them grudgingly.

“You know you’re crazy. You just don’t like him. I’m sorry brother; this is something you’re going to have to learn to live with.” I found my own pair of chopsticks and noticed Aunt Syl duck out of the room, unwilling to listen to the conversation she had heard over and over for the last few weeks.

“Eden, I hope I have to learn to live with it; because the other option is your sacrificial death all in honor of the very boyfriend you seem to love so much,” when I put my food down, unable to find my appetite, he continued, “Remember, you may be pretty, but you are much more valuable as a solution to all of their problems. He has more interest in your dead body than your live one.” Seeing that he accomplished his goal of getting to me, Avalon left me alone in the kitchen staring at a half-eaten box of lo mien noodles.

I knew with every fiber of my being that Avalon was wrong and that Kiran loved me completely without any thought of what I might mean for him. But even still, Avalon's words were hard to swallow and part of me wondered whose lies I was buying into…. Kiran’s or Avalon’s.

Chapter Five

“Eden, can I talk to you for a moment?” Talbott confronted me at the entrance to English. I had to force myself to be polite.

“Sure,” I responded casually, and assured Avalon that I would be all right via telepathy.

Avalon walked slowly past, not entirely convinced that I would be. I opened my mind, a little reluctantly, but wanting to give Avalon a sense of security. He eventually moved past the classroom door and found his seat near the back and next to mine.

“What’s up?” I asked Talbott, searching the halls for the still absent Kiran.

“I understand your feelings for Kiran are deep,” he began and then cleared his throat nervously. “I’m just worried that this relationship, or whatever this is, is going to end badly for both of you," he coughed again and I did my best not to groan out loud at what was turning out to be another "You should know better" speech. "What I’m trying to say, is that Kiran will never be able to walk away from you, not willingly; and I’m afraid of what will happen if he is forced to walk away unwillingly. Eden, you are the strong one, you are also the one with more to lose. You have to understand that he cannot hide you forever. What if you have to suddenly go on the run? Or you disappear one day? Think about him and what that would do to Kiran,” Talbott pleaded with me and I recognized real pain behind his dark, chocolate brown eyes and thick, matching eye lashes.

“Ms. Matthews, are you going to stand out there all day, or will you allow me to begin class?” I heard Mr. Lambert’s nasal reprimand from inside the classroom and stood there stunned for a moment longer. Talbott’s words had hit their mark; what about Kiran? What would happen to him if I had to leave? What would happen to me if I had to leave him?

I smiled sadly and apologetically at Talbott before entering English and finding my seat. Talbott followed behind and sat down next to me as well. Avalon in a surprise gesture put a comforting, but strong hand on my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He, thanks to the twin connection, felt every emotion that I did, whether he agreed with them or not.

“All right, let’s resume our discussion on Romeo and Juliet,” Mr. Lambert began. “This story as we know is ripe with teenage angst, something I suppose the lot of you would know plenty about. Of course, it is easy to judge young Romeo’s folly and fair Juliet’s impetuousness. But one day, maybe soon, your innocent hearts will find love. And with love comes all manner of hasty and most often selfish decisions.”

The classroom door opened slowly and Mr. Lambert was forced to pause his lecture. Kiran walked slowly into the classroom with a grin on his face, having just finished a conversation before entering English. Amory, or Principal Saint during school hours, was right behind him followed by another boy I had never seen before.

“Pardon us, Charles; I have yet another new student to introduce,” Amory smiled in his benevolent way and Mr. Lambert simply shook his head, as if it was no bother at all. “My dear scholars, this is Sebastian Cartier, Mr. Kendrick’s’ cousin,” Amory placed his hand on the back of Sebastian Cartier who grinned widely in reply.

He was taller than Kiran, although they bore a striking resemblance in facial features. Sebastian’s hair however was dark brown and kept very short, his eyes were a deep hazel that sparkled when he smiled and his shoulders were just a tad bit wider than Kiran's. Other than that, they had the same distinguished nose and masculine lips. In my opinion he was nothing compared to Kiran, but altogether I was sure other girls found him attractive.

“Sebastian is from Marseilles, his mother, of course, is Princess Bianca. Please welcome him to Kingsley,” Amory squeezed his shoulder gently before leaving the classroom.

“Great, more royalty,” I heard Avalon mumble underneath his breath and I couldn't help but laugh.

Mr. Lambert directed Sebastian to a seat in the back near Kiran who continued to joke and laugh with his cousin. For some unexplainable reason I found the idea of Kiran’s family at school unsettling. The only other family member I’d even heard of was his father, whom I needed to avoid at all costs. So the fact that his cousin was attending the same school as me felt strange.

Kiran, as always, ignored me completely during the remainder of the morning. Our policy was usually to have absolutely nothing to do with each other during school. Kiran had to continue his role as most popular kid in school engaged to the prettiest girl in school act and I had to perpetuate my social outcast act.

Truthfully I enjoyed the whole outcast thing; it was the ignoring Kiran I had a problem with. While I sat alone with Avalon in most social circumstances I was forced to watch Seraphina’s ever inappropriate touching. As far as she was concerned she owned Kiran and treated him accordingly.

Today at lunch was especially irritating. Seraphina could not keep her hands to herself and while she enjoyed my boyfriend and her salad, I had lost my appetite completely. Avalon, noticing my nausea, had helped himself to my chicken-salad sandwich and chips. I held my Dr. Pepper protectively, unwilling to give that up.

“What do you make of another Kendrick joining the student body?” Avalon asked softly, before helping himself to a dill pickle off of my tray.

“I don’t know. It all seems strange to me. I suppose Amory will know more of the details, but I don’t understand why he is joining us now. And who is he really?” I struggled to keep my voice soft while my irritation flared to a new level. Seraphina had draped both arms around Kiran’s neck and was whispering, God-knows-what into his ear.

“Yeah, me too. I don’t like it, not at all. Amory probably didn’t have any warning himself, which makes me nervous. Kiran’s already here, why would they keep his cousin coming over a secret? Unless, he is their own version of surveillance, you know what I mean?” Avalon looked around conspiratorially, but was unable to locate Sebastian Cartier. I myself had been wondering where he was during lunch, and why he wasn't devotedly near his cousin's side, like the rest of our class.

“What do you mean surveillance?” I asked, suddenly nervous.

“Well, sure he heard everyone’s side of the story, but Lucan himself has not tried to look into exactly who you are. That fact has always made me nervous. You completely disrespected his court and his honor, and on top of that, you’re a spitting image of the girl who scorned him. Is he really just going to listen to a bunch of testimonies and then write you off? What if he is trying to be more discreet about finding out your true identity, more discreet than we give him credit for? Maybe he is afraid if he makes too much noise, then you’ll disappear and he’ll lose her again.”

“Our mother?” I whispered, horrified.

Avalon nodded, and looked like he was about to say something else before he was shockingly interrupted.

“May I sit here?” Avalon and I both snapped our heads up to stare, open-mouthed at Sebastian. His accent was unmistakably English, although for some reason I had been expecting it to be more French, since he was apparently from France.

“I think the Prince is over there,” Avalon found his voice first and I realized that in his mind his suspicions were confirmed, making me very nervous.

“Yes, thank you, but I was hoping to meet the Shape-shifter, the girl whom Kiran raised such a fuss over,” he smiled widely and I could see that although I refused to trust him, he had a certain charisma that would make him easy to like.

“Oh, she’s not here today,” Avalon continued.

“Not here? After all of the work Kiran went through to make sure she could be here? I hope she’s not ungrateful.” Sebastian took a seat next to me anyway, despite Avalon’s clear rejection. He set his tray down and turned to face me directly. Although his words sent a chill through my spine, his manner was so inviting and warm, that I was able to hold myself together.

“I’m Sebastian by the way,” he extended his hand to me, gazing deeply into my eyes. I reached out to take his hand politely, when Avalon clumsily spilled my Dr. Pepper all over the table. I stood up instinctively, hoping to save my uniform from the fizzing soda.