I know it's a double post but I think I'll be forgiven since this is an update.
Chapter 6
A Detection
“So, is this Valley?” a soft, syrupy voice asked.
I turned to find the speaker. When I met the eyes of someone I had not seen before I knew at once that this was not an ordinary girl. She was tall and slim. She looked as if she could take control of any situation with the snap of her finger. Judging by her size and face I guessed she was about 19 or 20, older than anyone there.
The mysterious stranger wore a black silk cape that brushed the floor but the funny thing was that there was a huge hump on her back. Raising up the cape where her shoulders were, it reached at least a foot above her head. It puzzled me. What could possibly be wrong with such a person that she would have such an enormous hump on her back?
The stranger smiled at me. My guess was that this was M’stasia. The girls’ leader. Ma’am Anastasia.
M’stasia must have seen me studying the hump on her back for she took hold of the cape and through the cape back over her shoulder until it revealed the hump.
I cringed, expected some frightful object to be mounted there. But instead of some grotesque growth, on her back sprouted two black, feathery, silky, wings.
I was astonished. But it all made sense now that I thought about it. She must have been the figure in the sky that had joined Lara, Winnie, and Carly.
I heard a small giggle from over in the corner. M’stasia’s head whipped around and her eyes blazed. “What is going on?” she asked in an angered tone.
Winnie, cowering in the corner, her eyes huge with fright, said in a small voice, “I’m sorry. I just sort of thought the situation sort of awkward.”
“Come now, Stay.” I heard a voice say from the corner. It had a strange accent, as if it had come from the south in the US.
“Don’t scare the poor girl.” The voice continued. I saw a girl with brown hair and medium height come around Lara’s chair with a pitcher of hot chocolate. Her long brown hair was perfectly brushed and she was wearing a pretty outfit. She looked like someone who took time to make herself look good and it showed.
Noel, who had stayed by my side since Felicity hadn’t come out of her room, leaned over to me and whispered, “That’s Larissa. She’s almost like a mother to us. She thinks about so many things that we forget and she’s so practical. She’s from the states. North Carolina to be exact.”
I nodded to signal her that I had heard.
M’stasia’s fiery eyes calmed down a bit when she heard Larissa speak. “She had no right to laugh.”
Larissa gave Winnie a pitying look and then turned to M’stasia and said, “Oh, she’s young like you were once and I remember that you were just as bubbly as she is.”
I saw two girls come over to us from my side and one from Noel’s side. I recognized one as Marsha. But the other two I had not met yet.
Noel turned to Marsha and said, “You stay with Valley, I’m going to go find Khoria.”
Marsha nodded.
Noel then immediately disappeared and I knew she had used her power.
Marsha then turned to me and gestured to the two girls that I did not recognize.
“Valley, this is Kate.” Kate was a tall, pretty girl, with dark brown hair that was perfectly brushed and silky.
“Hi.” She said. Her voice was soft and mellow and full of kindness.
“And this is Mia.” Marsha nodded to the other girl.
Mia had strawberry blonde hair and she had a big smile on her pretty face.
“Nice to meet you.” She said. Her voice was cheery and I took an immediate liking to both of them.
A soft, light weight was laid on my shoulder just then and I whirled around.
A girl stood there. A pretty girl with dark eyes and black hair.
“I’m Emily.” The girl said.
A light went off in my head. “You’re the girl who was supposed to fix my skirt!”
Emily nodded. “Yes, and here it is.” She gently touched the weight on my shoulder. It was a skirt.
We were by a muffled yell.
“Shut up, everybody!”
A hand appeared on my shoulder.
Khoria stood there. She looked at me and then she looked at the speaker.
It was the girl who had led us to this place. Our Good Samaritan.
“What is it, Shana?” Larissa asked.
Shana pointed shakily at the door. “They’re coming!”