Diamond in the Sky

Chapter 23

It was hard to leave my friends. I was only going to the hotel to meet Cronus but I felt like I was saying goodbye to them forever. Our school days were coming to an end and our lives were changing.

Fallon felt vulnerable with her parents divorce and she was focusing all her energy into passing her exams and pursuing her career into the legal progression. Arizona was struggling to focus on her exams as she was feeling creative and already creating products and designing logos and name ideas for her cosmetic company.

They all thought I had no vision. Even though I didn't have any career goals and I had no idea what I wanted to do professionally, I felt I had true clarity on what was important. It was those that truly care for me that mattered. I was determined to find a way to bring my parents back, and bring my brother home. I would find a way that I could keep my friends in my life and maybe even trust someone enough to fall in love again.

When I arrived at the hotel, Callum greeted me. He took me through to a large dining room and we sat along a long rectangle table. I felt odd. I had that same strange feeling that my head was under water. Cronus was late. I felt something was wrong. I was trying to listen to what everyone around me was saying. I could see they were smiling, laughing, clinking drinks. This looked like a celebration but my mind felt fuzzy like it wasn't my own. The whooshing whirling in my ears getting louder, making it hard to hear anything else and then I heard Darcia, "He got him!"

I didn't need to know who. Goosebumps trailed up my arm. The silence after hearing her message was almost deafening. I pushed my chair back so roughly, it dropped to the floor. I got my mobile phone out of my bag.

"Are you okay?" Callum asked.

I nodded but my body was shaking. "I need to make a call." I tried to get Nate's number up as I walked out the room but my hands dropped the handset. I quickly picked it up and clicked his name. The phone rang and rang. I waited impatiently for his voice, desperate for him to answer. "Come on!" I begged but I knew it was too late. I ran out of the hotel into the gardens and shifted.

I flew to Nate's house, landing in the garden near the summer house where we had frequented. I cast my shadow and was running into the house. Banging on the back door. Fallon came to answer.

"Kya?" She asked as she opened the door, "What is it?"

"I need to see Nate."

"He's in his room."

I pushed past her and ran through her house. She was close behind me as we ran up the stairs to his room. I pushed open his door and I saw him lying on his bed, fast asleep. I breathed a sigh of relief. Perhaps I wasn't too late. "Nate," I called to him. "Nate!" I called a little louder. He didn't answer. I ran to him and began to shake his shoulder, "Nate?"

Fallon joined me calling his name too, "Nate, wake up!" She looked at me in alarm, "What's wrong with him?"

I shook my head. Fear gripped me as I feared he was dead. Fallon tipped head back and hovered her cheek by his face.

"What are you doing?" I asked,

"He is breathing!"

We both sighed.

Then Fallon kicked into a serious mood, "Fold that duvet and raise his legs!" I did as she said whilst she pulled her mobile phone from her jean pocket and dialled a number. She waited for someone to answer and then said, "Ambulance, please."

"Is it that serious?" I gasped

"He's unconscious and we don't know why." Fallon snapped. She pressed the button to put it on speaker phone and began patting Nate's body down, "Can you see anything that's restrictive?"