The man selling the chocolate recognised me, that I'm sure of now. Have been sure since I ran through the academy campus carrying Tauria. The man recognised me, and gave my friend poisoned strawberries. Poisoned by what, the medics still don't know. But this happened to her because of me. It's the nephew he was talking about. The nephew in the academy. Fifth term. I go through the conversation in my head, over and over. He targeted me through someone close to me. He knows. He knows my secret. And I have made a nameless enemy within the school.
A thought flashes through my mind, again. This happened just a day after I finally answered to the mysterious letters.
What if it's Omega?
~x~
The history lesson goes by agonizingly slow. I have no idea what professor Cole is talking about. And I don't care, to be honest. All I care is for the lesson to be over with, so I can get back to Tauria. And it seems to me the professors don't mind much. A student being poisoned is not something that happens ever, so they all know about it. And they all know it was my friend who got poisoned. So I guess they're cutting me some slack.
"... all for today," I snap back into reality as professor Cole ends the lesson and everyone starts packing. I look around, confused. Right. History lesson. History? Letter.
At the last minute I remember there is probably a letter in between the book. There is. I grab it, stuffing it in my bag.
"Mister Ferrel?" professor Cole's voice comes from behind me just as I turn to leave the room. Oh, crap, he saw me take something from between the book. I turn around.
"Yes, professor Cole?"
"Are you okay?"
I blink at his question. That was definitely not what I expected. I stumble on my thoughts, unable to say anything.
"I heard what happened to miss Chand. I'm sorry. I know you two are close."
"Yeah. It's... tough. But she'll be fine. I'm just tired."
"Just tired doesn't really cover it. Usually you're so attentive in class. I've noticed something's been bothering you this term, but now I don't think you're listening to a word I'm saying."
"Yes, I'm sorry, professor Cole," I'd add something, but can't figure out anything sensible to say. We look at each other for a moment.
"Just take care of yourself," professor Cole says, and smiles. Smiles? Yes, I think he's actually smiling at me. It's getting awkward, so I just nod.
"Thank you. I will," I say, turn around, and walk out the door.
I walk to the dining hall, grab something to take with me and head right to the medical wing. I read the letter there, sitting next to Tauria, munching on what ever it was I grabbed to take with me.
The end of he letter catches my attention. I don't know what your own stance on magic is, exactly.
He said he knew my secret. He said he knew, but he doesn't know my stance on magic. If he knows I have magic how could he not know I'm not against it? Maybe he doesn't know? Maybe he thinks I hate magic, and hate myself for having it? That I'm afraid of myself for having magic? I know magic is a wonderful thing, I've used it. I've felt it. Or maybe, as I have began to assume from the letters, he isn't a sorcerer himself. Maybe he doesn't know how it feels to actually use magic. Then again, if he really helped that girl possessed by the pixie...
The door opens, distracting me from my train of thought. It's Laelia. She stops at the door, looks at me a second, then turns her gaze to the letter I was still staring at a moment earlier. I tuck it into my bag.
"Hi," I say.
"Hi," Laelia says, sitting onto a chair on the other side of the bed.
Neither of us says anything. There doesn't seem to be anything to say.
I stumble back onto the path I was on earlier. Omega. I am afraid someone in this school is using magic for selfish and unethical purposes. It makes me so mad! It doesn't sound like he's the one who poisoned Tauria. But he might be playing me, gaining my trust. For all I know, he might be the evil genius doing all the things he claims he's mad about. But I can't figure out what his end game would be with me. And he doesn't seem bad. But I know better than most looks can be deceiving. Either way, I do need to contact him again. I need to know what he knows. About me, about what's going on in the school. I need to know.
He is right about one thing, though. I hope that you understand that it is not magic that is bad. Magic can be so wonderful. Magic can be wonderful, it can help. It can heal. I take Tauria's lifeless hand. It's warm. I hold it tight. I have to do something. I have to at least try. She's in this bed because of me. I look at her, and hope. I hope so bad. And I try.
My hand starts heating up a little, the already familiar feeling of using magic. I don't know exactly what I'm doing, but I know it's helping her. Somehow I know it is. I couldn't help the pixie girl, but I can help Tauria.
Suddenly I feel something different. Something I've never felt before. Someone else. Someone else, doing the same thing I am. Helping Tauria. I pull my face up, to look at Laelia. She seems to have felt it too, looking at me with wide eyes over the bed. We just sit there for seconds that last forever, staring at each other.
"I won't tell anyone if you won't," she whispers. I nod. She's helping. I know her. She's good. There's no need for anyone to know, just like there's no reason anyone needs to know about me. She stares at me for a moment longer. Then her lips turn up and she gives out a little laugh. The first one in days. I can feel my own lips curling into a smile. I laugh too, and we laugh together. It feels good, after days of silence, after days of grief. I'm not even sure what we're laughing at. I'm guessing it's because it feels good, knowing someone else knows, someone who you can trust. Someone who knows, who understands. Because they're just like you.
Her laughter is slowly turning into crying, and my laughter is dying out. We're still looking at each other. She smiles a little through her tears, and I smile back. She wipes her face with her hand.
"We need to help her," she says. I nod again. We take her hands, squeeze hard. I can feel my magic helping her. I can feel her magic helping her. She's getting stronger.
Her eyes flutter. Just a little. Then she lets out a small sound, and opens her eyes, slowly. She looks around, at the room, at us. She looks confused. I can't blame her.
"Who are you?" her voice is barely audible.
"Do you remember what happened?" Laelia asks her, quietly.
"I remember eating strawberries," she says weakly.
"I brought you here, after you collapsed," I say softly.
"Who are you?" Tauria asks again.
"You don't remember?" Laelia asks, "That's Knute."
"I don't..." she coughs. Not much, but enough that the look on Laelia's face turns into worry.
"I don't know who you are. Either of you," Tauria manages after she stops coughing.
"That's Laelia. She's a friend. And so am I," I say, "You don't remember anything?"
"I remember..." she says, pauses, "I remember things. I know I'm at the academy. I remember all the things," she's starting to look even more confused, "I remember all the things. I just..." the looks on her face turns to scared, "I can't remember anyone."
Me and Laelia exchange looks. Tauria's gaze jumps between us.
"I don't remember you," she says, "I don't remember anyone, not anyone at all."
She remembers the world. It's clear she does. She's not confused about where she is. But her memories of people, all the people she used to know, they're gone.
Simply missing.
__________________________________________________________________
Right, ok, so. Yeah.
Your topic for Wednesday is Brake.
~matu
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