Chapter 23: Chapter 23

So far, everything was relatively back to normal. There were no attacks, and my room was in perfect shape. I had tried to convince Brielle and Emrys to let me move out so they didn’t get caught in the mess I was in but they refused and I ended up having to stay in Brielle’s room until my room was back to normal.

Ryker and I were getting closer even though he refused to acknowledge me as his friend and still wouldn’t let me see his sister or visit him. I understood that with people like him, patience was the key or you’d just get pushed away. I also had this theory that there was some connection between him, Amara, and Tobias, but they weren’t giving anything away and that was that.

Leon and I were on shaky grounds, since he was getting a little too busy trying to protect me and had very little time for us to hang out. I wasn’t mad at him but we hadn’t really been talking and I felt like that was what someone wanted. Someone was trying to drift us apart but I had no idea who or why.

Like I said, it was relatively normal when you exempt the fact that I was aware of worlds I didn’t think existed. That was until the moment I realized that the charm bracelet I’d been wearing for years since Leon bought it as my 16th birthday gift. That was when I knew something was really wrong.

Ever since he bought it for me, it was like my lucky charm. I know it’s hard to believe but whenever I didn’t have it on, something really bad happened to me like I’d fail a test or be involved in an accident or have an attack. I had to keep it with me at all times to avoid those things. It going missing totally meant that something bad was going to happen.

I literally ransacked the entire room and ran around the house like a mad person, ignoring the looks I was given, and did everything to find out where it was but I got nothing. Like there was no way I could figure out where I had kept it last especially when I knew I had slept with it on my wrist

I picked up my phone to call Leon and find out if he had seen it but he wasn’t picking up even though I called him for nearly a hundred times. I was frustrated and picked up my car keys ready to storm to the car and drive away when I tripped and fell on the floor. I wasn’t a clumsy person and it felt like someone had pushed me so ignored it and quickly ran to the car.

Getting in, I sent a text to Brielle telling her that I wasn’t at home in case she came and didn’t see me. I started the car and began driving to Leon’s house which would have been a successful mission if the car, void of problems on a regular day and filled with gas, didn’t stop in the middle of the road.

I began to hit my head on the steering wheel countless times and called for a tow truck then called Ryker to kindly pick me up from the streets after explaining my ordeal to him. He grumbled, of course, but still came to be my hero barely five minutes after I called him.

“Thank you, Ry. I swear, I owe you,” I said as I got into his car.

“If anything, I’m the one who owes you,” he said with a shrug. “Where to?” I gave him Leon’s address immediately. “Oh, I know the place.”

He drove off immediately and I sighed, leaning back in the seat. “Let’s just pray my bad luck doesn’t extend to other people.”

“I don’t know if I’m correct but I think you don’t have bad luck. It’s in your head and I’m saying that irrespective of the fact that magic is actually real.”

“How is it in my head? Do I look like some magical being who’s cursing herself?”

Ryker rolled his eyes at that. “I believe the human mind is very powerful. You see, magic isn’t necessary in this world because whatever you think, is possible. Whatever you want to do is really in your mind and I guess that’s why people say that the only limits are in your mind.

“When you focus your mind on a little thing like a bracelet and believe that it has the power to protect you from bad luck, you have given it that power to do what you desire. In the end, without it, you’ll survive. You just have to believe.”

I opened my mouth to speak but no matter how hard I tried, I realized I had nothing to say. He was right when I really thought about it. “When did you become a motivational speaker?”

“I’m not one. It’s just…we never really understand how powerful faith is. I wish I did a long time ago.”

After that, he became quiet and I knew he wasn’t going to tell me the story behind that statement. I would have pestered him but I knew very well that when it was time, he would tell me what his story was. Everyone did eventually. There’s only little you can take without someone being there every step of the way.

“You’re quiet and that’s odd,” he finally said and I smiled to myself. “You are usually this ray of sunshine who tries to butt your way into people’s lives and you’re all broody. What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing really,” I said with a shrug. “I’m very happy. I guess sometimes you might be lost in your thoughts and not realize what your mood appears to people.”

He nodded and pursed his lips. “This might sound odd and all, but I’d like to see you cry. And I’m not talking about the usual sensitive tears that happen when someone dies and you just have to mourn them. I want to really see you cry until you’re broken. So, so broken that it’s going to take a miracle to bring you out of it.”

I laughed. “It does sound odd. Why would you want that?”

“Then I’d be sure you’re still human.” I raised a brow and even though he didn’t see me, he must have sensed my confusion because he said, “Everyone has their breaking point. The act can’t be kept up for too long and you’re going to have to break so you can heal and go through changes. My guess is that you haven’t reached that point yet.”

“And you want me to reach it.”

“Exactly. I feel your whole perspective on life is based on the fact that you’ve had a near perfect life. Sure, you must have had ups and downs but you haven’t experienced something that is too hard to handle.”

I chuckled, finding it funny for some reason I couldn’t identify. “Where did all this come from?”

“Why are you in Atham City? I want the truth.” “To find love.”

“That’s the answer to your question,” he said like it explained everything. My brow shot up again. “I still don’t get it.”

He sighed. “You are stuck in a fantasy world and you need to come out of it. You believe that love is so easy to find. You think you’re in a movie and that’s why you literally left your perfect life behind to chase love the way you imagine. You need a reality check and that is why you need to be broken.”

“You literally said to me some minutes ago that the only limit is in your mind.”

“Way to use my words against me,” he said laughing for the first time since I’d met him and it was an awkward sound but somewhat refreshing. “The only limit is in your mind, yes, but that doesn’t mean you should be stupid.”

I crossed my arms. “I’m not stupid.”

“Really?” I nodded. “Tell me what about everything you’ve done so far sounds sensible. To even show how far away you are from reality, you can’t even be shocked or taken away by things that are abnormal. You easily accept them because to you, life is a playground.”

“What more do I need? You make it sound like there’s something missing in my life that I need to find so, you tell me, what that thing is.”

He smiled like he had some secret I wasn’t aware of and he wasn’t going to tell me about anytime soon. “We’re already at Leon’s house so I’d suggest you leave now. Linn is expecting me to pick her up from school.”

“What? This conversation isn’t over,” I all but shouted.

He had the audacity to yawn. “It is for me.” I glared at him with all my might hoping that he would combust. “Are you leaving or do I have to carry you out myself?”

I shot one final glare at him. “I hate this side of you.”

He didn’t even say anything and unlocked the car doors probably finding an effective way to kick me out. I huffed and got out of the car deciding that I would get back at him when I had my lucky charm bracelet with me. He gave me a little wave and drove off.

That bastard!

I sighed and walked up to Leon’s door then straightened my clothes before ringing the doorbell. After about three rings, an unfamiliar man opened the door and gave me a rude one- over before letting me in. I made sure to glare at him before I walked in.

“Where is Leon?”

“In his study.” The man had this odd accent that I couldn’t place. He sounded so formal and I assumed he was probably from Leon’s kingdom…whatever the name was.

I crossed my arms. “Well, where is it?”

He did this weird eye roll before replying, “He doesn’t wish to be disturbed.”

“Where is it?” I asked through gritted teeth. He didn’t reply. “You know what, I’ll find it myself. I think I can do that instead of wasting time talking to a rude minion like you.”

He huffed and walked away after looking at me like I was the dirt out of his shoe. I would have given him a piece of my mind but I was more focused on finding Leon.

Good riddance.

I walked upstairs because I assumed it would be there and found myself walking through doors hoping to find Leon even though I didn’t. I wondered why Leon would buy such a house when he wasn’t even going to be staying for a long time. I made sure to call him out on his extravagant spending when I found him.

After looking through what seemed like the hundredth door, I found the study and saw Leon reading a book, his favorite pastime. I shut the door but didn’t expect it to make a loud bang so I shrieked and faceplanted the floor.

Leon didn’t even look up from his book to help me and I groaned. I stood up and crossed my arms knowing that he would never help me because once Leon started reading, he never looked up unless it was urgent.

Good thing this is urgent, then.

“Leon,” I called and he didn’t answer. I forgot he was also deaf. “Leon, I need to talk to you. It’s urgent.” He didn’t look up so I took the book from his hand and dropped it on the table. “Can you talk to me now?”

He picked it up almost immediately. “You interrupt my reading once more and this book will become a lethal weapon.”

“Geez, sorry. No need to get all defensive.”

“I had to get defensive the moment you interrupt my reading especially when they were just about to find the criminal. Do you know how badly I want to know who it is?”

I rolled my arms and crossed my arms again. “I’m here for something urgent so you can wait to find out. You’ve already waited for this long.”

He sighed and placed the book on the desk. “You’ve already destroyed the concentration that was so hard to get. Whatever reason you have better be good or I will kill you.”

“I lost the bracelet you gave me.”

“Really? That’s it?” I nodded. “You disrupted my reading for that?”

“It is important to me, Leon. You know that. I can’t find it and I’m afraid something bad will happen to me. Worse, to us.”

He raked his hands through his hair. “It is taking a lot in me to not strangle you right now.” I frowned. “What do you want me to do? It’s not like I’ll start searching every nook and cranny of my house to find it.” I gave him my famous puppy dog eyes. “Are you kidding me? If you didn’t notice, I was already busy before you walked in.”

“Come on, it’s important.” “You’ll survive without it.” “I can’t.”

“I’ll buy you a new one.”

I groaned. “You need to take me seriously. This is an urgent situation. It means something. I swear that it does.”

“I…”

I didn’t let him continue because my phone was ringing. I looked and saw that it was Brielle. I wondered why she was calling me since I had sent a text about where I was. I thought of declining it but realized it must have been important to I picked up.

“Hey, what’s up?” I said and looked to see that Leon was still reading.

Just great.

“Emrys is missing.”

I knew the bad luck thing wasn’t a joke.