Blackthorn: In the Tween
Page 17
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Throughout the day, Lin tried her best to act as though everything were normal. Unfortunately, it didn’t go so smoothly because, like Lin, no one remembered their last assignment. She was just glad they’d all taken some potion, because now, they sat with glazed over eyes and were completely obedient. Lin instructed that they read for the hours, and then she, herself, stared out of windows at the strange new world.
Although the new world looked exactly the same, the sky didn’t have its cool, glass like look; instead, it had a bright yellow haze from the sun. No longer did cool grey clouds constantly slide across the air space; now it was the clearest sky she’d ever seen. Counter to the nature of her surroundings, the trees on the mountain looked to be thriving. They were fresh, green and spry. Lin wondered if they were enchanted because, on Earth, they tended to look especially dry around the bark, when it was hot.
There was one thing that really bothered her: She still hadn’t seen nor heard from Mara. Throughout the day, she left class to look for Lucas, but he was nowhere. Lin hoped she was okay.
At the end of the day, she decided to fly to Mara’s once more and check on her. Right as she put her hand on the door, Doctor Mandel’s voice called out, “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I’m going to check on my friend.”
“Ms. Riley is outside with the students, at the moment.”
He led her to the window and they pulled back the curtain. Outside, all the students were creating a bottle neck effect at the gate.
Through the window, she heard one student ask, “How come we can’t leave?”
“We have an important announcement,” she lied.
“Well, can you hurry? I need to get home.”
She pulled out her wand and waived it across the air a few times. Red sparks flew out of the tip and landed on the crowd.
“Go home,” she said, “and act as if everything is normal. Don’t think about today’s events.”
The red sparks, then, absorbed into their skin.
“Now, go,” she said.
Ms. Riley opened the gate and the students flowed out. As soon as all the students were in the road, Ms. Riley walked back in.
“What was that about?” Lin asked.
“Well, it turns out that all the entrances have anti enchantments, which means we’ll have to go through this again tomorrow. I’m afraid we can’t go home. We need to seal up all the entrances, and then one of us will watch the front and stop everyone from entering or leaving,” said Doctor Mandel.
“We’ve drawn up a schedule,” Ms. Riley handed Lin a sheet.
“You’re to stand at the entrance from seven to midnight. I suggest you have dinner and find a book to read.”
She walked off.