Beyond the Crimson (The Crimson Cycle) Read Online Free Page A
Author: Danielle Martin Williams
smiles like that while going into battle? Or maybe he was just as crazy as Mr. Riley and me. I chuckled quietly at the thought as the mirror slowly steamed up, covering the certifiably insane girl from my view.
*****
Stacey sauntered into the kitchen, just as I spooned the last bite of apple-cinnamon oatmeal into my mouth. She looked lovely as ever. Her long soft brown curls bounced flawlessly as she walked. She was always polished to perfection, never a hair out of place or a smudge in her perfectly applied make-up. Yep, if we lived in Brendelon’s time, she would definitely be of nobility, where as I would probably be a peasant of some sort. I frowned as I washed my dish out in the sink and placed it carefully in the dishwasher.
“So are you planning on seeing Steven?” I asked to distract myself from my delusional thoughts, grabbing the pot of coffee and pouring it into a metal travel mug with a red Maridon University logo on the front.
She grinned. “Yes, we’re going to lunch.” I smiled back, grabbing my black book bag from the counter. “You know… I could see if he has a friend. We could double date!” she practically squealed.
“Uh, I don’t think so.” I gave a short laugh. “I don’t have time for dates.”
She frowned . “You need to live a little, Katarina,” she scolded, pulling her bagel out of the toaster. “You’re only eighteen after all.”
“I’m almost nineteen,” I joked. “P lus dating is not high on my priority list right now.”
“You’re so lost in your own world , you don’t even see how many guys are drooling over you,” she said, grabbing cream cheese from the refrigerator.
I shook my head. I didn’t believe her and even if it were true, I wouldn’t be interested in the guys I went to school with; they were all still living off of their parents’ checking accounts with their only concern being where the next big party was. They had no clue about the harsh realities of life, and the last thing I wanted to do was put hooks in the ground.
“I’m serious,” she said looking up at me with big brown eyes , under thick perfect eyelashes. “You hardly wear any makeup and you still look gorgeous, imagine if you dolled yourself up.” Her eyes lit up, and I could imagine that she was suddenly intrigued with the idea of making me her own personal project. I had better make my escape before she got too far in her ideas.
“Maybe some other time , I better hurry before I’m late. See ya later, Stace,” I called heading for the door quickly, ignoring her sudden frown. She took a big bite of her bagel and mumbled a sloppy goodbye. Okay, so maybe she wasn’t always so glamorous, and despite myself I laughed at the sight of it.
*****
I only had English Composition and College-Algebra, but they both were long classes and the seconds seemed to creep extra slow. I shifted uncomfortably in the small plastic chair as I tried to concentrate on last bit of information the professor was giving out before the final exams, but of course I couldn’t stop thinking about the knight. I slowly doodled circles and hearts on my notebook paper, thinking of Mr. Riley’s words. He said it was a long story, but I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. The book had information on King Arthur and his knights; did that mean he was one of them? But I had never heard of him in any of the legends or myths. Surely, a knight like that would have been talked about. Deep down I hoped he wasn’t because there was something about the portrait that made me want to believe he had been real, not some fictional character without thoughts of his own. There was too much life in those indomitable eyes and charismatic grin, but why would he be in the book? It didn’t quite make sense, and Mr. Riley seemed hesitant to discuss it, which only had me more suspicious.
Dark, menacing eyes flashed through my mind. Could it be possible that he was a dark knight? Maybe he wasn’t
*****
Stacey sauntered into the kitchen, just as I spooned the last bite of apple-cinnamon oatmeal into my mouth. She looked lovely as ever. Her long soft brown curls bounced flawlessly as she walked. She was always polished to perfection, never a hair out of place or a smudge in her perfectly applied make-up. Yep, if we lived in Brendelon’s time, she would definitely be of nobility, where as I would probably be a peasant of some sort. I frowned as I washed my dish out in the sink and placed it carefully in the dishwasher.
“So are you planning on seeing Steven?” I asked to distract myself from my delusional thoughts, grabbing the pot of coffee and pouring it into a metal travel mug with a red Maridon University logo on the front.
She grinned. “Yes, we’re going to lunch.” I smiled back, grabbing my black book bag from the counter. “You know… I could see if he has a friend. We could double date!” she practically squealed.
“Uh, I don’t think so.” I gave a short laugh. “I don’t have time for dates.”
She frowned . “You need to live a little, Katarina,” she scolded, pulling her bagel out of the toaster. “You’re only eighteen after all.”
“I’m almost nineteen,” I joked. “P lus dating is not high on my priority list right now.”
“You’re so lost in your own world , you don’t even see how many guys are drooling over you,” she said, grabbing cream cheese from the refrigerator.
I shook my head. I didn’t believe her and even if it were true, I wouldn’t be interested in the guys I went to school with; they were all still living off of their parents’ checking accounts with their only concern being where the next big party was. They had no clue about the harsh realities of life, and the last thing I wanted to do was put hooks in the ground.
“I’m serious,” she said looking up at me with big brown eyes , under thick perfect eyelashes. “You hardly wear any makeup and you still look gorgeous, imagine if you dolled yourself up.” Her eyes lit up, and I could imagine that she was suddenly intrigued with the idea of making me her own personal project. I had better make my escape before she got too far in her ideas.
“Maybe some other time , I better hurry before I’m late. See ya later, Stace,” I called heading for the door quickly, ignoring her sudden frown. She took a big bite of her bagel and mumbled a sloppy goodbye. Okay, so maybe she wasn’t always so glamorous, and despite myself I laughed at the sight of it.
*****
I only had English Composition and College-Algebra, but they both were long classes and the seconds seemed to creep extra slow. I shifted uncomfortably in the small plastic chair as I tried to concentrate on last bit of information the professor was giving out before the final exams, but of course I couldn’t stop thinking about the knight. I slowly doodled circles and hearts on my notebook paper, thinking of Mr. Riley’s words. He said it was a long story, but I wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing. The book had information on King Arthur and his knights; did that mean he was one of them? But I had never heard of him in any of the legends or myths. Surely, a knight like that would have been talked about. Deep down I hoped he wasn’t because there was something about the portrait that made me want to believe he had been real, not some fictional character without thoughts of his own. There was too much life in those indomitable eyes and charismatic grin, but why would he be in the book? It didn’t quite make sense, and Mr. Riley seemed hesitant to discuss it, which only had me more suspicious.
Dark, menacing eyes flashed through my mind. Could it be possible that he was a dark knight? Maybe he wasn’t
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