A Diamond in My Pocket Read Online Free PDF

made of
extremely thin material that hugged his muscular body in all the right places
accentuating his well defined shape and making me lose even more precious air
from my lungs.
    “Clara,” his voice was like liquid
satin and musk, or maybe it was his delicious aroma filling my nose. “They
never reached their destination. I searched with the Hunter for trails or clues
but it appears they’ve simply vanished mid journey.”
    “I’ve had word the Healers are
missing three as well,” Mrs. Winter answered back quietly.
    My brain began to spin due to lack
of oxygen making my body take charge and inhale much needed air, lest I keel
over and die. My sudden intake of air pulled the attention of both of them to
me.
    Mrs. Winter realized she’d
forgotten to introduce me. “Chris, this is Calli Courtnae, Calli, Chris
Harding.”
    I reached my hand forward to shake
his in courtesy. I suppose it was out of habit from all the many business trips
I’d taken with my parents where they’d introduce me to their colleagues. Chris
wasn’t making any attempt to reach for my hand so I brought it back down to my
lap, all the while our eyes were locked on each others. His eyes were deep
blue, like … like the summer sky I used to gaze up at dreaming of all things
good and wonderful. I couldn’t look away. However, his eyes held strange
emotions that I couldn’t identify as he looked my face over. Was he confused?
Was he angry? He almost looked like he recognized me, but that couldn’t be. His
mouth parted as if he was going to say something and I waited impatiently to
hear his beautiful voice again. Instead, he closed his mouth and started to
slowly turn his head back to Clara, his eyes remained connected with mine until
the last moment when he had to look away. As he spoke again his tone was
admittedly different. I picked up on utter confusion which matched the strange
emotions in his eyes. “Why did the Healers send her ? Why not the leader?
This is a highly unusual move on their part to send Cal — um, a beginner.”
    “Chris, Calli isn’t a Healer, she’s
a Runner. This is her orientation.”
    His eyes darted over to me once
again, only this time his eyebrows were scrunched together causing a few
vertical lines between his brows. His jaw had fallen open during the short
journey from twelve to three on the imaginary overhead clock and he actually took
a step backward. I felt his immediate hatred for me, not unlike everyone else
in the compound when they first saw me. What was it about my presence that caused
such a physical reaction in everyone? Was I that out of place here?
    “Clara, may I speak with you in the
hall?” he asked through tight lips.
    I watched as they both walked to
the door. Chris held it for Mrs. Winter and exited pulling the door closed
behind him. Through the window, he stared at me with an unreadable expression. Mrs.
Winter’s back was to me but I could tell she was talking to him. I read his
perfectly formed lips as he replied back, “She’s not a Runner, she’s a Healer.”
Mrs. Winter said something else and he replied with, “I know she can’t be both,
Clara, but I know she’s a Healer … well, they were wrong. She doesn’t
belong here.” Chris looked over Mrs. Winter’s shoulder at me. His eyes were
narrowed and his jaw set in anger. Why would my presence tick him off so much? And
why does he think I’m a Healer? Is he confusing me with someone else? Before
turning and leaving my sight, he said to Mrs. Winter, “I don’t like this one
bit.”
    She reentered the room and forced a
smile back onto her face, “Alright, now where were we?”
    “What was that all about?” I tried
to sound innocent.
    “Nothing. Let’s get back to—”
    “He thinks I am a Healer. Why?”
    “I’m not sure. What I do know is you are a Runner. The Seer foresaw your powers emerging, I witnessed
your speed, and no one holds more than one cosmic power. Calli, you belong here,”
she reemphasized. I could