Whispers From Below

Chapter 11

The summer passed fast, and the city was starting to make me feel like I left one small cage for a bigger one. Though luckily now I was fully healed, now and then I felt dull aches in my side and my leg but sooner or later it would go away.

Last week Ryland surprised me with new clothing from the city. Stuff that was more bold and had layers to them, just to let me blend in better.

My normal plain linen dresses that came up to my collar bones and either had short or long sleeves just were not cutting it for me. They made me look like I did in fact come right out of the Sutara. Watching the other girls over the summer I studied how they would layer their clothes and wear their hair. I had to look more like a city girl.

I would first put on a tan quarter sleeve dress, that still came up to my collar bones and down just above my ankles. Ryland respected my shyness for not wanting to show off my birthmark and me wanting to hide my eye still.

The birthmark looked as if I was struck by lightning or as if I was a glass doll that cracked. With a thin bolt like mark down the center of my chest to my belly button, and is soft pink in color.

I then layered on a navy blue smock like dress, the top part was a vest and when it got to my waist it would split into two leaving a piece of navy in the front and the back allowing the tan underdress to peek through on the sides.

I wrapped a piece of leather around my core and slipped on some booties. Then braided my hair in two, with a small piece still sticking out midway through.

Being greeted by Ryland on the couch when I got downstairs from getting ready.

"Look at you getting ready for school that you don't even want to go to"

I gave him a narrow face "I'm bored out of my mind, not like I want to go."

Rolling my eyes, heading into the kitchen I grabbed an apple then went back out to Jace now being there. I had not even heard him come in.

He looked at me up and down and smiled "ready for school?" I gave him a nervous look chewing the side of my bottom lip. "Don't worry Snowflake I go to the same place you do." Jace answered my unspoken thoughts.

I took a small bite from the fruit, juice leaked from the corners of my mouth and down my chin, "wait really?"

He nodded, Ryland interrupted with a chuckle "yeah when he isn't skipping. You both are going to school, and I'm serious Jace. Besides Dove, I think you are going to enjoy it, it's not like your other one." Grimacing at Ry, Jace started towards the door and I followed.

"Have fun you two" Ryland said with a sarcastic tone.

I mimicked him mockingly "Have. Fun. You. Two." Then closed the door behind us.

The city was bustling with morning workers and people heading to the market, trailing closely behind Jace. My palms were very sweaty, my heart started to race.

Fight or flight was kicking in, and I definitely wanted to fly. Even if it was not the same as Kardama's school, I just felt like I would be taken advantage of without having essentia or anything. Would I really be the only one?

I knew something was up with Jace. He and Ry just did not want to tell me yet, but those ice blue eyes I saw the first day of us meeting are still ingrained into my mind.

One braid was tugged a bit, I glared at the culprit touching it, Jace. "You're gonna be okay, I'm here with ya."

Nodding, that was another problem I started coming to terms with, I did not want him to have to always look over me, same goes with Ryland. I appreciated it, I really did. It was just time for me to start helping myself, needing to move forward, to be my own person.