Elfblood by Kyra Dune

Author:Kyra Dune [Dune, Kyra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Shadow Portal Books
Published: 2015-08-22T23:00:00+00:00

Charlie opened his eyes and watched Margo march toward them. “You stop right there,” she said, fixing the man with a glare. “You want to knock heads with one of these guys over here, fine, but nobody beats up on any kids under my watch.”

The man, who stood a full head taller and was at least fifteen years younger than the stocky brunette, stepped back. “He’s only an elf. Besides, he hit me first.”

“He’s a kid and you started it. Now get back over there before I have your sorry ass hauled off by the guards.”

The man, grumbling under his breath, rejoined his friends. Margo turned to Charlie. “Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Charlie said through gritted teeth. Once again, everybody was staring at him, some with a touch of fear. He pushed himself to his feet and dusted off his jeans. Without looking back, Charlie stalked off toward the tents. He wanted to lie down and be asleep before the other kids joined him and started in with the questions, or worse, the whispers.

Anger and shame fought for dominance as he walked. So what, he thought to himself, so what did he care what they thought, any of them? He wasn’t one of them. He’d be better off with his own kind. Only he didn’t have a kind, did he? Not human, not elf, part of both but belonging to neither.

“Charlie?”

He kept walking. “Go away.”

“Charlie, wait a minute. Let’s talk.”

“I don’t want to talk.”

Miranda caught up to him and grabbed hold of his arm. “Stop, please. Talk to me.”

He shook her hand away. “Don’t, all right? It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

“But how did you...I mean that guy was so big, so how--?”

“I don’t know, okay? I just don’t know.” His shoulders sagged. “Something came over me, that’s all. I don’t know what it was.”

“Has it happened before?”

“A couple of times,” he muttered. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“But what is it?”

“I said I don’t want to talk about it.” He whirled toward her, his hands curled into fists. This anger was of a more normal kind, not like the anger that came with that detached feeling. This was anger born mostly of shame and confusion. “Just drop it.”

“Okay,” she said, looking slightly hurt. “I’m sorry.”

Charlie sighed, unclenching his fists with effort. He wasn’t angry at her. “No, I’m the one who should be sorry. That was...embarrassing.”

“Why?” Miranda looked genuinely puzzled. “That guy was the one acting like a jerk, not you. What do you have to be embarrassed about?”

“I...well because...” He frowned. “I don’t know, but everyone was looking at me.”

“So?”

Charlie made an exasperated sound. “So...wouldn’t you have been embarrassed?”

She grinned. “People were staring at me too. Do I look embarrassed?”

“Well...no. But you’re...you’re ...”

“Weird?”

“Yeah, maybe, a little. I don’t know.” Charlie ran a hand through his hair. “I’ve had a bad day.”

“So I noticed. Come on,” she reached out and took his hand, “let’s go back to the tent. I think you’ll feel better after you sleep.”

Charlie felt better already, holding her hand as they walked under the stars to the tent.

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