Oculos by Kenzie Stone (notion reading list txt) 📖

suppose you’ve met Romulus, have you?  He’s named after the man who founded Rome, after killing his brother, Remus.”

Simone hadn’t thought that Ignacio of being affectionate or caring for something.  She looked at the cat and blinked.

Ignacio looked at Simone, wide-eyed.  “You-you did it!”

Simone tilted her head.  “What do you mean?  I didn’t do anything.”

Ignacio dug through his pocket and retrieved a mirror.  He handed it to Simone, who held it up to look at her face.  She was so shocked at her reflection that she dropped the mirror to the stone floor, where it shattered.  Her eyes… her eyes…

They were the same amber color that they usually were, but they weren’t her eyes.  Her eyes had been replaced by the eyes of a cat.

“That’s impossible!” She exclaimed.  “That-that isn’t normal!”

“Believe me, it’s very possible.  This is the first step to you fully achieving your ability.  Do you have any idea what can accomplish?” His lips twisted into a sinister smile.  “Do you have any idea what we can accomplish together?”

Simone shook her head.  “No, I have no clue. Mostly because you’ve refused to tell me anything.”

“Relax.  We shall dine together tonight, and I will explain everything to you.  But for now…” He called out, “Gala!”

Gala entered the library.  “Yes, Master Ignacio?”

“Take Simone to get something pretty to wear, and let her wash up.  Tonight, we celebrate.”

Gala nodded her head.  “Come with me, miss.”

Simone gladly followed her.  They went down a hall that she had never been in before, to a room much nicer than the one Simone had been staying in.  There was a bed, large and plush, along with a wardrobe overflowing with nice things.  Gala took out a baby blue blouse (the neckline a bit lower than Simone usually would have worn) and a long, flowing white skirt.  Simone was then led to a restroom, where she was left alone to bathe.

Strangely enough, the room was stocked with Simone’s usual brand of shampoo, conditioner, and toothpaste.  It didn’t take long for Simone to realize that Ignacio had been planning on her arrival for a while now.  He had somehow been spying on her.

Simone quickly washed, dried, and brushed her hair.  Finally, her one beauty was beautiful again.  She looked in the mirror.  Her eyes had somehow changed back.  She dressed and exited the room.  Gala was waiting for her.  ‘Supper is not for another hour, miss.  You are to wait here until I come to get you,” She said.

“Alright,” Simone nodded her head.  “Thank you, Gala.”

Gala came over and gave Simone a hug.  Simone felt the girl press something into her hand.  Gala whispered, “I wish you the best of luck.”  She then left the room.

Simone looked at the item in her hand.  It was a piece of paper, folded up and filthy.  Simone carefully unfolded the note.  The first thing that she saw was a photograph of two boys.  One boy had sandy blonde hair and a beak-like nose.  The other had red-brown hair and big brown eyes.  Simone couldn’t help but wonder who they were and why Gala had provided her with their picture.  She looked at the note in her hand.  It read:

 

Simone-

 

You are not going to join Ignacio for dinner tonight.  You will either be dead or be out of here – let’s hope for the latter!  The two boys in that picture are going to come get you.  Go with them.  I will see you soon.  You have to trust me on this, Simone.

 

-Gala

 

Simone studied the words, not believing what she had just read.  She was going to get out?  How?  Any why had Gala arranged this when she worked for Ignacio?  She must be a spy! Gala realized.

Then she sank onto the bed.  What if it was all a trick?  What if those boys would come and she would go with and it turned out they worked for Ignacio?  He would beat her bloody if that was the case.  But what had Gala said?  Simone should trust her?  Simone sighed, unsure of what she should do.  She went back into the restroom and looked at her eyes, which had not too long ago been replaced by a pair of cat eyes.  What that really her ability?  To have cat eyes?  Simone wondered if she could do it again.

She closed her eyes and began to focus.  She thought about the pair of cat eyes and focused on them.  After a few minutes, she opened her eyes.  They were still normal.  She shook her head and scolded herself.  Now, what made you think you could just randomly give yourself cat eyes?

Then she started thinking again.  What had made today so special that she could change like that?  She thought of everything unique that had happened.  When she first saw Ignacio today, he was muttering to himself.  Maybe he was using some sort of magic to focus her?  No, that’s preposterous. 

She continued thinking.  Nothing had really happened except… Yes, that must be it!  The little cat that came into the room!  Simone focused on lithe Romulus and closed her eyes.  When she opened them, they were the same amber-colored catlike eyes that she had seen earlier that morning.

She fell backwards when she realized that they were the same pair of eyes that she had seen in her nightmares.

The Secret Prisoner

Simone got up and looked in the mirror again.  Sure enough, they were the same eyes.  Simone wished desperately that they would go away.  She rubbed her eyes – no, she couldn’t believe that they were hers, the eyes.  They stayed.

She heard a crash outside the bathroom and a voice.  “Wow, this room is nicer than mine!”

Simone cracked open the bathroom door and watched.  There were two boys – the two boys from Gala’s photograph.  They both wore long trench coats and blue jeans.

“Yeah, except for the color.  I despise pink!” The brown-haired one said.

“Who cares?” The blonde questioned.

“You know, I’m sure you could easily repaint your room pink,” Replied the other.

“Shut up, Vix,” The blonde responded with.

“Where is she?”

“I have no clue.  I’m more curious about why this guy wanted her.”

“I don’t know why,” The brown-haired one shrugged his shoulders.  “She must be important, though.  We need to get her out of here.”

“Do you think she’s… one of us?”

“Who knows?  We’ll find out soon enough.”

Simone slipped on the tile floor and came tumbling into the bedroom.  She looked at them, frightened, with her cat eyes.  “Oh,” The brown-haired boy said, only a little surprised.  “That’s why he wanted you.”

Simone blushed.  “Yes, go ahead and stare.  I’m a freak.  So what?”

“No, no, it isn’t strange at all,” The brown-haired boy held out a hand to help her up.  She didn’t take it.

“Who are you?” She inquired.”

“Why, can’t you tell?” Said the blonde boy.  “I am your knight in shining armor, come to save you from this dungeon.  Don’t I get a kiss?”

“Shut up, Corinth!  Can’t you see she’s scared?” The other boy scolded.

“Sorry, just trying to have a bit of fun,” The boy called Corinth shrugged his shoulders apologetically.

Simone wasn’t amused.  She was trapped, starving, thirsty, and freezing, yet these boys had the nerve to joke around?  Didn’t they realize the danger that they were in?  Ignacio was absolutely crazy, possibly, evil!  Shouldn’t they have been trying to escape?

“Come on, little cat, come with us,” Corinth told her, grinning.

“Will you quit teasing me?  At least I’m attractive, unlike you,” Simone snapped.

The brown-haired boy chuckled.  “Quit laughing, Vixo,” Corinth muttered, blushing slightly.

“C’mon, Miss…” Vixo looked at her.

“Simone,” She whispered.

“Well, Simone, if you want to get out of here, then you’re going to have to want to come with us,” Vixo smiled kindly.  “I promise we won’t hurt you.”

Corinth rolled his eyes.  “Speak for yourself, Vix.  You leave me alone with a girl, especially a pretty one… Well, you never know what I might do,” He said with a wink.

“Corinth!” Vixo exclaimed, “Look, you’re only frightening her.” He turned to Simone.  “Don’t worry, I won’t do anything to hurt you, and neither will Corinth.”

Corinth didn’t say anything, which wasn’t very reassuring.  He just took off his trench coat and handed it to Simone.  ‘We’ll be walking for a while.  I can’t have you freeze.”

“Is Gala coming with us?” Simone blurted, which seemed to take them by surprise.

“Of course Gala is coming with us,” Corinth said, as if it should have been obvious.  “Ignacio would torture her if she disappeared.  I can’t let that happen to her.”

Simone smirked.  “Why?  Is she your girlfriend?”

Vixo laughed, “No, no, she’s his sister.  I suppose she could be his girlfriend, but Corinth isn’t the type to make a commitment.  Perhaps he’s just invited her to bed.  That sounds like Corinth.”

Corinth hit Vixo, but Simone noticed he was blushing a bit redder.  She put on the trench coat.  “Okay, let’s go.”

Vixo smiled as Corinth led her out the door.  “I need to go find Gala,” Corinth said before turning and leaving quickly.

Vixo and Simone were left alone.  “Don’t mind Corinth.  It isn’t often that we rescue pretty girls.  There are only four girls where we come from.  Two of them are his sisters and a third is twelve.”

“What about the fourth?” Simone inquired.

“Kyrie?” Vixo grinned.  “I think he tired of her a while ago, and she never liked him much.”

“Oh,” Simone couldn’t think of a way to respond.  “So he’s quite flirtatious?”

Vixo grinned, “You could say that.”

They were interrupted by a loud groan.  Vixo stopped to listen.  The noise had come from one of the rooms.  Vixo slowly opened and door and Simone joined him to look at who – or what – was inside.

She nearly fainted when she saw Jasper.

He was lying in the middle of the floor, unconscious.  His head was surrounded by a very scary puddle of blood.  “Who is this?” Vixo whispered.

“Jasper,” Simone choked out.  “This is Jasper.”

“You know him?” Vixo tilted his head.

“He’s been my best friends since fourth grade,” Simone sounded like she was in a daze.  “He was with me when Ignacio took me.”

Vixo glanced back at the boy.  “He’s normal?”

“What do you mean by that?” Simone snapped.  “Of course he’s normal?  If he was… like me, Ignacio would have been trying to get him to use his… ability, too, wouldn’t he?”

“Yes, of course.” Vixo nodded his head.

Simone flew to Jasper’s side and kneeled on the cold stone floor.  “Jasper?” She whispered, touching his shoulder.

He groaned again.  “Jasper, please!” She begged.  “It’s me, Simone.  I’m here.”

He cracked his eyes open.  “Simone?” He murmured.

She smiled, relieved.  “Yes, yes, it’s me.”

“You need to get out of here,” Jasper whispered urgently.  “That man – he’s crazy.”

“I’m not leaving without you,” Simone told him.

Vixo entered the room.  “Help me untie him.”

They began working on the knots binding his wrists.  The ropes were tough and the knots were well-tied.  Simone’s fingers were bloody by the time she was done, though not all the blood was hers.  Jasper was free.  Vixo tried to help him up, but Jasper couldn’t stand.

“Oh, no,” Simone whispered.  They were running out of time, and there was no way they could escape while carrying Jasper.

Vixo sighed, “I think it’s about time I showed you something.”

Vixo closed his eyes and whispered something.  At first, nothing happened.  Then, there was a flash of