Chapter 24
Gemini’s POV
I woke up to a loud torturing sound, my head banging from the unexpected noise.
I checked my phone to realise that it was just past five in the morning. “Fuck!” I cried, holding onto my head.
The noise persisted, causing me to go from annoyed to scared. What if we were under an attack, my thoughts sent shivers down my barely clothed body?
I immediately made my way to the window, eager to see what was going on.
Poking my head slightly out of the window, I caught sight of over a hundred hefty men jugging across the King’s palace. The highlight was that they weren’t just hefty, they were without shirts or pants, just underwear.
I swallowed hard at the interesting sight, almost unable to peel my eyes off them. I soon caught sight of King Asher, Alan and another face I wasn’t familiar with. They were the only clothed men amongst so many.
As I stood there, mouth agape, my mind began to wander. Despite the fact that King Asher was cheating on me with Becca, I was unable to prevent myself from fantasizing about him. I imagined him standing amidst the sea of half–naked men, his perfectly moulded physique on full display. My heart skipped a beat as I pictured him in nothing but his underwear, his piercing blue eyes seeming to bore into my soul.
Just as I was getting lost in my fantasy, King Asher’s eyes suddenly snapped up, his gaze locking onto my window. I bent down quickly, my heart racing as I hid behind the windowsill. I held my breath, hoping that he hadn’t seen me.
I peeked through the window, watching as King Asher’s eyes narrowed slightly. He seemed to be staring right at my window as if he knew I was hiding there. I felt a flush rise to my cheeks as I quickly ducked back down, my heart pounding in my chest.
What
was I doing? I was supposed to be angry with him, not fantasizing about him like some kind of lovesick fool. I took a deep breath, trying to shake it all off my mind.
I couldn’t get myself to sleep from that time till it was time for breakfast. I freshened up and hurried to have dinner after which I made my way to the Library.
I had been frequently here for some days digging my head into those big tech books I couldn’t find online,
I looked back at the wallpaper of my laptop, it was my graduation picture. Before I could know what was happening to me, tears filled my eyes as reflections of what my life was and where it was headed filled my mind.
I had promised myself that I was going to be one of the biggest tech ladies in the whole of Northern California. It was a promise I made not just to myself, but also to Alpha Harvey, but here I was, living an unexpected life at an unexpected time.
Sometimes I wish I never returned. I wouldn’t have been caught up in all this drama if I had remained in Canada.
Despite my situation, I never stopped checking if the companies I had applied for internships had replied to my mail. I honestly had no idea how I was going to do my internship whilst being trapped here, but I wasn’t giving up either.
I switched on my other phone, the one that had everything concerning my school. It included my colleague’s numbers, my school groups and then all of my school memories. The phone had been shut since I returned from Canada, but it remained in my laptop bag.
I was reliving the moments with tears in my eyes when my phone chimed with a message. I immediately checked it, hoping it was a message from my counsellor, informing me that I had been shortlisted for an internship or probably an email from the company directly. The same mail I had been refreshing for more than an hour on my system.
But as soon as I picked up my phone. I froze, my hand over my mouth.
Three hundred and twelve unread WhatsApp messages from Estella–
And even voicemails…..
Oh my!
I dialled her number ASAP.
I held my breath as the phone rang, each second stretching into eternity. My palms grew clamuny, and my heart raced. Finally, a familiar voice filled the silence.
“Gemini!” Estella’s voice cracked, with relief which soon escalated into anger. “Oh my God, is that really you? Do you have any idea how worried
1/2
8:01 PM d
Chapter 24
I’ve been?”
I winced at her tone but managed a weak, “Hey, Estella. I’m sorry—”
“Sorry?” she interrupted, her voice rising. “I thought something horrible had happened to you! You just disappeared. No calls, no texts, nothing! I didn’t even know if you were alive!”
Tears welled in my eyes again. “Estella, I didn’t mean to scare you. Things just… got really complicated back here.”
“Complicated?!” she snapped, then softened. “What’s too complicated that you can’t share with your favourite roomie, Gem?” Her voice broke, and I could hear her sniffle. “I sent messages, voicemails, emails—everything! I went to the school for your mom’s number but the number wasn’t going through.”
Guilt filled me instantly, knowing that I had intentionally given the school the wrong number so they wouldn’t bother my mom with anything while I was in school.
I bit down on my lip, “I’m really sorry, girl. I should’ve reached out.”
She breathed a heavy sigh before finally saying. “I’m just glad you are fine.”
I wish I was fine for real, but I wasn’t going to bother her with my problems, After all, she wouldn’t understand any of it. Humans like herself would get lost trying to understand the shape–shifters and our dynamics.
Unexpectedly, the lights in the Library began to twitch. Soon, it was a complete blackout. That was when I realised that it was already evening cause everywhere went dark instantly.
The surprised and disappointed gasps of the students filled the atmosphere.
“Este, I will call you back later,” I said dismissing the call.
I switched on my phone torch, heading forward to see what was going on.
I made my way through the dimly lit hall, the narrow beam of my phone’s flashlight cutting through the darkness. My pulse quickened, eerie sounds reached my ears–low growls and the sound of something heavy scraping against the floor.
“What the hell is that?” I whispered to myself, clutching my phone tightly.
Ahead, I spotted a group of students huddied in the middle of the hall. Their faces were pale, their whispers frantic. Some held onto each other, while others clutched makeshift weapons–heavy books, chair legs, anything they could grab in the chaos.
Fear and a mix of curiosity propelled me forward. “Hey,” I called out, trying to steady my voice. “What’s going on here?”
A girl with wide, tear–filled eyes turned to me. “We don’t know,” she stammered. “The lights went out, and then we started hearing.. things.”
“Things?” I pressed, my stomach twisting.
The library doors burst open with a loud crash, and the Librarian stormed in, her face full of panic and her hands gripping a long, rusted sword that looked like it belonged in a museum.
“Everyone, listen!” she shouted, her voice commanding and urgent. “We think the library is under attack. Protect yourselves–stay together and find something to defend yourselves with!”
AD
