by Nika Gray
I stepped out into a cold and damp morning. Even though the sun was out I felt the chill on my back. I wore a cardigan sweater with my uniform and the robes on top, but I wished I’d brought my scarf and hat.
Kelly had come by the day before and dropped off winter gear for me, which I was very thankful for because the weather had turned colder. I was feeling it now.
I picked up my pace and took a bite out of the bagel I’d grabbed from the dining hall. The Healing Arts class was at the far end of the main quad in Craig Hall and I still had a good fifteen-minute walk. On only three hours of sleep, my feet were dragging.
I didn’t have the energy to sprint there and I would be five minutes late. At least I’d got out of bed, I thought. As I turned the corner into the main quad, I saw a familiar face in front of me.
Cole Trahern.
I hadn’t seen him since our sparring session in Battle Magic weeks ago. He’d disappeared so completely I thought he’d dropped out of school. I’d gone to his room a few times over the last three weeks and he’d never been there. I guess I would miss class, I thought. I finished the rest of my bagel and ran up to him.
“Cole Trahern, I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” I said.
He turned around and his expression made me stop where I stood.
“Can I help you?” he asked.
“Cole,” I said gently. “Where have you been?”
He didn’t respond. He just looked at me as if he didn’t recognize me. I touched his hand and let some of my red tendrils caress his skin.
He snatched his hand away. “What did you just do there?” Cole asked.
“Are you serious?” Fear gripped me. What had Leonora done to her son?
“I'm sorry. Do I know you?” he asked.
I was rooted to the spot, staring at my beautiful Cole, unsure of what to do.
“Cole? You don’t remember me?”
Cole stood in front of me with eyes devoid of any emotion. There was no recognition in them, no heat.
“I don’t know you.” He sounded annoyed.
“Sadie Bishop, Cole.”
“Very nice to meet you, Sadie Bishop,” he said.
A smile appeared, but it was cold and polite.
“You don't remember me at all? The club in New York? All our time together here?” I asked.
I already knew the answers to these questions, but I had to ask. I had to see if I could spark his memory of me, of what we’d shared.
My heart drummed in my chest as I reached to find the connection we’d had only weeks ago. My mind sought out his and collided with a wall. I was blocked from him.
I didn't want to show him my Fae fire again because he didn't know what it was. Which frightened me even more. What had happened to his own Fae fire? Or, and that's when my blood grew even more cold, what if this happened to him because of his Fae fire?
“Nice to meet you Cole Trahern,” I said.
“Same Sadie Bishop,” he said and turned away from me as if he would a stranger.
He honestly had no idea who I was. I had to go find Fergus and Declan and tell them about this. Was there a spell that could completely change somebody like this? What had his mother done to him? It was as if someone had sucked out his life force. The thing that made him Cole.
I watched him walk away from me and checked the time. Class was about to start. Should I go to class or should I go find Fergus and Declan now?
Declan was supposed to be in Healing Arts class with me, but he’d decided he needed to get some sleep instead. He’d probably gone back to his own room by now, so I’d probably still be able to find him there. I hadn’t been gone longer than half an hour.
We’d talked about what Fergus was doing with his father, but none of us really knew what Cole was up to. I’d barely seen him since the assembly, and Fergus and Declan weren’t that close to Cole. Aidan Wilkinson was Cole’s best friend and seemed to have thrown in his lot with the Magic Council. He wouldn't be of any help.
Headmaster Hotchkiss might have asked Cole to spy on his mother. Would Cole even do that? And why hadn’t he told me what was happening? He’d been so distant during the sparring session. So had I. We didn’t want anyone to see our Fae fire and kept from touching each other. I should have asked him then.
I hurried down the path back towards the dorms. I sure hoped Declan and Fergus would know what the hell we were dealing with now. I knew our ability with Fae fire was dangerous, but I hadn’t understood how dangerous. It never occurred to me you could be magicked to lose yourself.
I ran up the stairs to their room, my breath coming in short gasps and ice running through my veins. Whatever we’d been waiting for, whatever intrigue the guys had been trying to uncover and prepare for, whatever it was, it had definitely started.
The council’s plan was in motion and we needed a real plan. These three horrid weeks away from my guys had given us no results. We still hadn't figured out what the Magic Council wanted with me. Cole Trahern appeared to be magically lobotomized, his Fae fire gone. We could all be next.
I pounded on Fergus and Declan's door. No one answered. Where in the world were they?
It was only a little after eight in the morning. What if they’d already been taken? A paranoid voice in my head screamed. I kicked the door in frustration.
A door opened behind me and I turned to see Sonia and Avery leaving someone’ room. They tittered when they saw me. “God, imagine being that desperate,” Sonja said to Avery.
My cheeks flushed at the nastiness. Of course, the mean girls would show up now. It’s like they could smell weakness. Whatever, I needed to find my men.
My next step would be to check the dining hall. Maybe they’d gone to eat. As I raced back down the hall, pushing past Sonia and Avery, my anger grew at our situation.
Everyone else was doing mundane things, going about their day like nothing was wrong at all. Meanwhile, I ran around campus like a headless chicken, convinced Leonora and her goons were going to find Declan, Fergus, and me and do whatever she’d done to her own son.
How could everybody look so normal, I thought, as I raced through the quad and up the dining hall steps. Students lounged on the grass. Others were inside eating their breakfast or getting it to go. Everyone was chatting and casual, like the world wasn’t ending.
I ran up and down the aisles between the long tables, searching every face for Fergus and Declan. Neither of them was there.
I fought back the urge to scream. I couldn’t run around campus like this all day looking for them. Should I just go to class and wait for them? Hang out in the quad and watch as everybody came and went? That would drive me insane and I would do it if I could find them.
I felt like I was having a panic attack. I couldn't breathe and my hands tingled. How can I do this, I thought as I slowed down my pace. I could see where Fergus' dad was. Fergus had been sticking to his dad like glue and had breakfast and lunch with him every day. Problem was, I didn’t know where Gregory Mathonwy was staying.
Relief flooded over me as I saw Kelly Hotchkiss walking across the quad with her boyfriend, Marcus. They snuggled and kissed as they headed for the dining hall.
“Kelly, hi,” I said as I rushed up to them. “Sorry to interrupt. I need your help.”
She grinned when she saw me. “Sadie. Aren’t you supposed to be in class right now?”
She knew my schedule because she’d helped Declan synchronize his schedule with mine.
“I need to find Fergus and Declan. Have you seen either of them?” I asked.
Both Kelly and Marcus shook their heads no. Marcus whispered something to her and Kelly blushed. He kissed her on the cheek. They were in their own romantic little world.
“Fergus is probably with his dad,” Kelly said.
“Do you know where his dad is?” I asked.
“He’s in the village. He always has his breakfast at home before he starts classes.”
“Do you know which cottage is his?”
/> “I’m not sure.” Kelly shook her head.
I bit my lip thinking back to my conversation with Professor Tremaine. She had mentioned that she had to move because of the magic council.
“Where did Professor Tremaine used to live?” I asked.
“At the end of the main lane in the village. It's a pinkish purple house. You can't miss it,” Kelly said.
“Thank you so much,” I said as I sprinted off again.
“Is everything okay, Sadie?” Kelly asked, finally noticing my crazed demeanor.
I didn’t know what to say and didn’t have time to explain so I just waved and sprinted off into the direction of the village.
The next fifteen minutes were painful. I got stitches in both my sides. I could barely breathe, and I had so much adrenaline in my system I felt like I was jumping out of my skin.
I covered the distance between the west campus and the professor’s village in record time. As Kelly had said, Professor Tremaine's old home was unforgettable. It was a Victorian house straight out of a storybook with white latticework and mauve clapboards with purple trim. The home reminded me of a birthday cake.
I ran up to the door and tried to pull myself together, so I didn't look as crazed as I felt. I slowly took a few breaths before I gently knocked on the door.
Fergus opened the door. It took everything for me not to jump on him.
“Sadie, what are you doing here?”
“Thank God I found you. Is there someplace we can talk?” I asked in a rush.
“Not right here,” Fergus said, looking back towards the hall.
“Meet me in the woods beyond the main gate. Five minutes?”
“Is everything okay?” he asked.
“Absolutely not. Please be there,” I said.
Fergus nodded and went back inside. I heard him talking to his dad as I walked as calmly as I could back the way I came. I left the little village and took a right into a dense clump of birches that flanked the village on one side. I went far enough inside that I could see the entrance and not be seen. Fergus showed up about ten minutes later. I hoped he’d understood it was urgent, but he was taking his damn time.
“Fergus,” I shout whispered to him. “Over here.”
“Sadie, what is going on?” he asked. “You know it's not safe for you to be anywhere near the Magic Council.”
His scolding me was almost laughable considering what was happening.
“Whatever the Magic Council was planning has already begun,” I said.
“Start from the beginning,” he said. “What’s already begun?”
“You know how we haven't seen Cole in weeks?” I asked.
“He's been doing a lot of grunt work for his mother,” he said.
“Do you know what he was doing with her? I know he can’t stand her. What was he up too?” I asked.
“I'm not that kind of friend with him. I have no idea. I thought you’d spoken to him.”
“That's the thing. I haven't seen him since we sparred in Battle Magic class. I've gone to his room a few times, but he was never there. I've looked out for him in classes and he stopped going. Until today.”
“Okay so what’s this have to do with the Magic Council putting its plan into motion? Did you see Cole today?”
“Yes, and something’s happened to him,” I said. “Something bad. Have you heard anything new?”
“From everything I've been able to glean they’re getting ready to arrest you for attacking the Alexis thing. They haven’t found any actual witnesses, but I heard hey have some candidates willing to lie. They want to bring you in for questioning.”
“It's bigger than that,” I said.
“You’re being very cryptic, Sadie.”
“I saw Cole this morning on campus,” I explained. “Fergus, he didn't know me at all. When I touched him and let some fire tendrils caress his palm, his blue fire didn’t respond. His eyes stayed the same color. It was like he’d been lobotomized. He didn't recognize me. He didn't know who I was.” My words came out in a breathless rush.
“Whoa,” Fergus said, finally understanding why I was so upset.
“Do you know of a spell that can do that?” I asked.
He shook his head no.
“Can you ask your dad what happened to Cole?”
“No.” Fergus shook his head. “It’s not safe. How could I ask him something like that without sparking his suspicions?”
“You could say you saw him on the quad, and he seemed really strange. Do you think you could do that without your father thinking something was up?”
“My father hasn’t mentioned Cole at all so I don't know how he's going to respond to that, but maybe I could ask,” he said.
His mind was clearly on something else.
“You know, I remember some rumors after the Fae war ended about a powerful spell. One of the resistance guys was talking about it with his dad. It really impacted people. Took their magic away.”
“Could the Magic Council be planning something like that?” I asked. “They must know I’m Fae. They had me in that lab for god knows how long.”
“Cole Trahern is Leonora son. Would she really do that to him?”
“Well from everything I saw at the assembly it didn't look like he and his mother have a stellar relationship. Maybe she finally caught wind of whatever he was up to?”
“That makes more sense.” Fergus nodded.
“That could also change the timeline of what they were planning,” I agreed.
“Good point. Find Declan and stick to him while I go figure out what happened to Cole. My father might trust me enough to tell me that whatever is in play,” he said.
I jumped on him and gave him the biggest hug. “I can't lose any of you. I can't do this alone. Seeing him like that really freaked me out. If I lose this connection with you and Declan too, I don't know what will happen to me,” I said.
“That’s not gonna happen,” Fergus assured me. He smoothed his hand over my hair and golden tendrils of his Fae fire lingered around my face.
“This connection is too strong. Take a deep breath and find Declan. He's probably in the woods running. If you keep by the lake, you should be able to find him,” he said.
“I'll go look for him and you be careful,” I said.
Fergus gave me a soft kiss on the mouth. “I promise. Let's rendezvous tonight at our dorm room. Okay?”
I nodded and watched him go. I waited another fifteen minutes before I stepped out of the birch grove on the lake side and headed towards the forest. I had no idea how I was supposed to find Declan, but I would find him no matter what.
I hadn't gotten far before I saw Headmaster Hotchkiss on the path.
“Headmaster Hotchkiss,” I began. “I don't know if I should tell you this.”
I knew Hotchkiss was part of the resistance and he’d kept me safe here since the beginning, but I hadn't talked to him since the assembly. Was he compromised by the council?
“Sadie, what's wrong?”
“It's about Cole Trahern,” I said.
“Come with me, please.” He motioned me off the path and into the woods.
I hoped I wasn’t walking into something bad. I took a deep breath and followed him. We walked about five minutes off the path before we spoke again.
“What happened to Cole?” he asked.
“He doesn't know who I am,” I said and to my horror, felt warm tears stream down my cheeks. “He doesn't have the Fae fire anymore. I saw him on the quad, and he didn't know who I was. When I touched him, it was like he was blocked. Nothing happened.”
Headmaster Hotchkiss paled. “I thought he’d be safe. He wasn’t convinced and he was right.”
“Do you know what happened?” I asked.
“He found Alexis and brought her back to us. She’d been held captive at a laboratory.”
“A lab?”
“Probably the same one where they have you. She’s safe. I just came from there. Cole was staying with Professor Tre
maine. His mother must have found him somehow.”
“Have you ever heard of a spell that does that?” I asked.
“Unfortunately, yes.” Hotchkiss shook his head. “I know that spell. I've never heard of an antidote for it.”
My heart shattered at this news. “There has to be a way. There's always a way,” I begged.
“Ever since it came into existence twenty-five years ago, I've never heard of it being reversed. I could be wrong. I’m not that familiar with it.”
“What is the spell?”
“Its name has always been kept secret. It sucks the magic out of you. The council used it on the half-breeds, the half-Fae folk.”
“But we have to do something,” I said. “How can I find out more about this spell?”
“It’s one of the council’s biggest secrets,” Headmaster Hotchkiss said. “Will you be okay? I need to make sure Alexis is safe. I'm going to have to move her.”
“What about Cole?”
“Sadie,” the headmaster said gently. “If what you say is true, I’m afraid Cole is lost to us.”
My heart pounded in my chest at his words. No. I couldn’t accept that.
“What are you doing with Alexis?” I asked.
“We’re trying to beat the council to the punch. Alexis says she’ll go public with what the council and her parents made her do.”
“When is she going public?”
“We need to ensure she has a safe exit first. We’re working on that now.”
I wasn’t sure how I felt about Alexis, but I understood the need for her to speak out.
“I’m supposed to find Declan and tell him what’s happening,” I said.
“Yes, you do that.” Headmaster Hotchkiss nodded. “Be careful about who sees you together.”
I nodded and we said our goodbyes.
He hurried back towards the path. I leaned against a tree with a sob. The spell had to be reversible.
There must be a way to reverse this, I thought. What was the point of all this power if you couldn't protect the ones you loved the most?
14
Fergus
I walked back to my father's temporary residence with my heart thrashing against my rib cage. If Cole's mother had taken away his power and his memory, Gregory could and would do the same if he felt he needed to.