My heart leapt when I read who had texted me.
I had to smile a little.
“And why didn't you do it then?”
“Believe me, if we were allowed to, we would have. But there are duties we have to fulfill before we can do what we want,” Grace laughed without really laughing. An expression I never understood why people used it, perhaps to be sarcastic?
Grace's curly hair bobbed up and down in her fury. She gathered up all the pieces of paper again and threw them on her bed.
“The dog can pee on it for all I care,” she hissed angrily. “He seems to mistake our beds for his toilet anyway.”
“Don't tell me that's what this Circle wants...”
Bayla had put the notebook down on her legs and was now wide-eyed.
I nodded in confirmation before answering Erik with warmed cheeks.
“Have you ever actually rebelled? Did you do what you wanted? I mean, they can't forbid you to lead your own lives, can they?”
I wished from the bottom of my heart that this would be possible, but unfortunately it wasn't that simple. The Circle was our top priority. Had to be our priority...
“We can't afford something like that. If you only knew how many duties I have.”
I looked up again. “Grace, I don't have any fewer duties.”
“I guess you do. I wish we could swap for a day. Then you'd know how hard it is to have to fulfill your role as part of the prophecy.”
Her words made me tremble inside, not out of disappointment at her misjudgment, but because it reminded me why I wouldn't wish anyone to have to step into my shoes. The terror in my head, all the duties and the role I had to play for Gloria and Grace. What Gloria did to us Air Quatura…
My hands got cold again, and I felt like I was drifting off.
“Don't say that,” I said in a shaky voice.
I hated that my voice broke so often.
My mind wandered painfully back to all the Quatura in my life. Margot, Vivienna, Amber, Gloria... They all reminded me that I was a failure. At least Grace should see that she had it better than me. But that wasn't going to happen.
Grace fitted into the system and I continued to keep my head above water.
“Leave it, Julie!” Her voice got louder. “I have the right to complain because it's about me! I wish it wasn't about me, but this whole prophecy is such a damn burden!”
She looked at me in anger and it hit me. She was never loud with me, never, unless it was about this ridiculous prophecy. She knew it confused me, only she'd probably forgotten that I couldn't handle that amount of emotion.
“Honestly, you could even study what you want. You're just not doing it because of Gloria, even though that woman doesn’t even care about your private life. So, stop pretending you're in exactly the same position as me!”
Her words hit me with unexpected pain, stabbing through my heart like a rough finger through a soap bubble.
But I couldn't defend myself. Something inside me was blocked. All I was able to do was my usual attempts to calm her down.
“Grace, please. You're making a big deal out of this. That damn prophecy shouldn't limit you. You don't always have to try to be perfect just to fit into this picture.”
Grace didn't seem to take my words the way I wanted them to come across. She gave me a furious glare.
“Okay, guys, relax for a second. What kind of prophecy is this all about?”
Bay seemed to have been watching our argument.
“How can you say something like that!”
Grace had to be in a rage. To the point that I couldn't even start talking because she was already turning around before disappearing through the door, which crashed into the lock.
I flinched.
“Grace!” I shouted, but my voice broke.
Grace was gone and with her my chance to explain myself better. I had never spoken out against the prophecy before, but what Grace was doing was too much. For her, for me.
“Could someone please enlighten me?”
I looked at Bay, who was still sitting in the corner, her face full of questions.
“There's this prophecy,” I sighed and flopped back into the soft pastel blue cushion. “It says that there will be a chosen one, a baby, who will change the fate of the species. Anyway, the Circle thinks Grace could be part of this prophecy because of her strong earth magic, which is why she's been preparing for this role all her life.”
“And what exactly is Grace's role?”
