Wraithsong by E. J. Squires Page A

code, now
can you?”
    “ I guess not.” Then I have
an idea. “Savannah hasn’t been as…subservient as I thought she’d
be.”
    My mom’s eyebrows rise.
“Oh?”
    “ No, I asked her to do me a
favor, and she rejected me,” I say with a huff.
    She squints her eyes. “Are
you sure you were clear in your communication with her?”
    “ Yes, crystal clear.” I’ve
been very clear with Anthony, and he still rejected
me—majorly.
    “ That does sound
suspicious. The only other beings that are immune to a Huldra are
other Huldras.”
    I feel like I’ve got my
mom on a roll now and I hope she tells me more. Well Anthony’s a
guy, so he can’t be a Huldra, but then a thought pops into my mind.
“There aren’t any guy Huldras, are there?”
    “ There
have been eleven that we have known of in the history of the world,
but five of them mysteriously vanished and the rest of them died
during wars throughout history. They’re called Huldus .”
    Is it possible that Anthony
is a Huldu? The thought seems almost too far-fetched.
    “ I’ve never met one, but my
sister has,” my mom says. “The one who went mi—” She doesn’t finish
the sentence, but her bottom lip starts trembling. She takes a deep
breath as if to compose herself and continues. “Contrary to what
myths say, Huldus are not ugly at all. Supposedly, they are as
stunningly handsome as Huldras are beautiful and even Huldras find
them irresistible.”
    That’s the only explanation
that fits so far and even though it sounds outlandish and highly
improbable, I’m going to find out if Anthony is indeed a Huldu. I
take my mom’s hand in mine and squeeze it gently. “I really hope
they find your sister…my aunt.”
     
     
     

Chapter 10
     
    On Monday, school can’t end
soon enough because I obsess all day about Anthony and the
possibility of him being a Huldu. Normally I’m a serious student,
but today, I’m not able to pay attention to the teachers in the
least. Most students seem restless and are ready for summer
vacation, so I suppose I fit in.
    I’ve convinced myself that
there’s definitely a possibility that Anthony’s a Huldu. There’s no
other explanation for him not responding to my flair and perhaps he
has even tried to get me to respond to his flair. I smirk. We could
be playing the same game, he and I, and that might be why he
invited me to his house and kissed me on the collarbone. I remember
him seeming very surprised when I didn’t submit to his request to
join him for volleyball. Maybe he acted that way because his flair
didn’t work on me. It’s a stretch, but a stretch I’m willing to
investigate further. All these things can’t just be coincidences,
can they? Now I just have to put my theory to the test.
    When the day is finally
over, I lock myself in the girl’s handicapped bathroom stall,
change my clothes, undo my hair, letting it fall down my back and
shoulders, and apply some more make-up. When I’m finished, I stare
at myself in the full-length mirror. What am I doing? This is
ridiculous—desperate, even. I’m wearing an ivory mini skirt, a teal
camisole top, that shows a little of my cleavage, and cork and
leather wedges. I never dress like this, but then I remember that I
need to do this or I may never know if Anthony is like me and it
will drive me crazy not knowing. I spray on a dash of perfume, and
I’m ready to approach Anthony. No matter what happens, I promise
myself that after today, I’ll stop this insanity and stick to the
promise I made to my mom.
    I head over to the
greenhouse, feeling self-conscious about my skimpy outfit, but
knowing I need to act confidently, if I want some answers. As I
near the glasshouse, I spot Anthony inside. My stomach turns into a
million little butterflies at the sight of him and I take a deep
breath before opening the squeaky front door. I remind myself of my
purpose and to stay focused and not get distracted by
him.
    When I enter, Anthony
immediately looks up at me,