Hall of Psychics

by Alicia Fabel

  “No,” Elion drawled. “He was the Time Legend eons ago. I will never be famous enough for my own moniker. But if I were, I think I’d go with Lord Time.” Elion laughed but Annessa was too blown away.

  “And the other Legends?”

  Elion pointed out the panels. “Sandman, Mother Nature, St. Nicholas, Cupid, Bogeyman, Man in the Moon, Grim Reaper, and Lady Justice.”

  “You’re saying those legendary figures were real?”

  “Not precisely how they are depicted in storybooks, but yeah. Those are the most famous Legends—the ones who came closest to destroying Legend powers for good.”

  “Why destroy them?”

  “First, because these guys had the stories with the happiest endings, and they were still horror-story worthy. But the darkest tales? The Legends who weren’t so fortunate? Those would make your skin crawl. And second, we can’t risk a titan uprising.”

  “And the only way to ensure that never happens is to get rid of the power,” Annessa finished for him.

  “You got it,” Elion said.

  “It must not be an easy task if none of the Legends have accomplished it yet.” She looked at the Legends on the walls. They were known worldwide. And they’d failed.

  “To destroy the Legends, all nine powers have to be mastered and then returned to the clutch at the same time,” Elion nodded at the fountain with its egg-shaped adornments. “Finding all of the Legends and keeping them alive long enough to master their powers, without falling victim to those powers, is the challenge of lifetimes. But now, it seems the Phyton have figured out how to get past the door, across the water to the fountain, and to release one of the chalices from the clutch.”

  Elion moved to the fountain. Annessa’s stomach dropped. She was afraid she already knew which one was missing. She’d dreamed this was going to happen, but she hadn’t understood what it meant. And she hadn’t been able to stop it, just like she hadn’t been able to stop what happened to Sam. Elion ran a finger over the indentation where the ocean egg should have been.

  “We have to get it back,” Annessa said. “It belongs to us.”

  “We will.”

  Annessa shivered. “Can we go now? I’m cold.” She couldn’t shake the intense feeling of loss as she stared at the bare spot where her egg should be.

  “I’m not good at art,” Annessa protested when Mr. Marks pointed out the course on her schedule. Apparently, all students were required to have at least one art course each semester.

  “We are a school of the arts,” Mr. Marks said. “Plus, having a creative outlet is a great way to express yourself and get to know who you are.”

  “That’s fine, I’m just not artistic.”

  “You can always choose chorus or theater,” Mr. Marks suggested.

  He had to be kidding. “I’ll stick with the drawing class.”

  “Excellent. Now, where would you like to be assigned for work-study?”

  “Do I have to have work-study? Does it go toward my tuition or something?”

  “Tuition for all students is paid for through guild funds. Working to enhance the functionality of the Academy is not optional, however. It nurtures a sense of community, builds character, and provides useful skills, blah, blah, blah.” Mr. Marks winked.

  Annessa sighed. “What are my choices?”

  “There are openings with the landscape crew, cleaning crew, or kitchen crew.”

  “Can I work in the library?” A girl could hope.

  “That placement, along with the health center and animal recovery barns, are reserved for upperclassmen.”

  Annessa debated her choices. She’d seen Wilfred directing his landscape crew like a drill sergeant and didn’t want any part of that. She’d also had her fill of cleaning up after people. Food was always good, though. “Kitchen?”

  “Wonderful. They have an opening for the breakfast crew, three days a week.”

  “I guess I’ll take it.”

  “Then here is the key to your new room. You are assigned to Gazer Hall, of course. It also opens your postbox on the lower level. I’d send for someone to show you around, but I think you have plenty of people underfoot already.”

  “Yeah, I’m good,” Annessa agreed.

  “You do seem content with your decision to be here,” Mr. Marks remarked as his eyes scanned the space around her.

  “I am.” Although the reminder about that morning made her face warm.

  “I’m glad to see it,” Mr. Marks said without a word about her sudden spike of embarrassment. “With you and Elion working as a team, maybe we can accomplish the improbable.”

  “Saving the world,” Annessa interpreted.

  “You got it.” Mr. Marks slid papers into a file. “Classes begin on Monday for you. Now, why don’t you go see Samara. I heard she was asking for you this morning.”

  Annessa took her key and the slip of paper with her schedule. When she walked out of Mr. Marks’s office, she came face to face with Quinn. It almost seemed like the girl was waiting for something, but then she changed her mind and started to leave when she saw Annessa.

  “Quinn? Are you okay?” Annessa called.

  “Fine.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Quinn blew out a breath and asked, “Have you seen Ian?”

  “Not since lunch yesterday. Why?”

  “I just have a bad feeling,” Quinn admitted.

  “A bad feeling or you gazed something?”

  “Just a bad feeling but no reason for it.” Quinn pushed her glasses higher on her nose. “I feel like I’m losing my mind a little, honestly. And I’m extra tired because Ian thinks it’s hilarious to screw with my dreams regularly.”

  “Your dreams?”

  “Yeah. It’s one of his more annoying qualities. But the last few days, he hasn’t even been doing that. So I’m worried.”

  “Did you go see him?”

  “To his room?” Quinn asked like that was a preposterous idea. “No. That’s not my place.”

  “If you want, I can check on him,” Annessa offered.

  “You can if you want, but you don’t have to.”

  “It’s okay. I need to ask him something anyway.”

  “Okay, if you’re going already that’s fine.” Quinn actually seemed to relax a little.

  “Do you want me to tell him you were looking for him?”

  “No,” Quinn protested. “I just hadn’t seen him and wanted to let someone know because it’s the right thing to do.” With that, Quinn sped away.

  Annessa felt like she’d just had a conversation with a spin cycle and wasn’t exactly sure what was up and what was down. But something Quinn had said had made her curious. If Ian was some sort of dream expert, maybe he could explain how she’d gazed Legend Hall in her dreams.

  When she got to his room, he didn’t answer. Then again, he almost never answered. Since the door was ajar, Annessa let herself in. Ian wasn’t there. His bed was messy like always, but his jacket caught her attention. He never left the building without it. So he’d probably just gone to the restroom or something. While she waited for him, she noticed for the first time how sparse his room was. There were no pictures or mementos, just a haphazard pile of books, papers on the desk, and the silly leather jacket.

  Annessa ran a finger over the leather and then felt inside the pocket for his lucky coin. Only her fingers wrapped around something with sharp edges and she had the strangest sense of déjà vu. When she pulled it out, it wasn’t a coin, but rather a wisp cube. And it wasn’t empty. Annessa turned the cube over in her hand. The spot behind her sternum wrenched. Turns out, a person could recognize their own shadow when they held it. Even if it was trapped inside a glass cube.

  The door swung open. Ian stopped for a heartbeat before walking into the room and shutting the door behind him.

  “What did you find?” he asked.

  Annessa blinked and then yawned. The cube in her hand blurred. She jumped up from the bed, shaking her head to get rid of the s
udden sleepiness.

  “Knock it off, Ian.” Her heart sped as she recalled being sleepy like that before. When she’d stood at Ian’s side in front of three Phyton. She’d assumed it was because Zoom had left her. But…

  “I’m not going to be able to trick your mind this time, am I? Not now that you know me so well.”

  “Why do you have this?” Annessa held up her shadow inside the cube.

  “Because I paid someone to take it from you,” he answered. “And now you’re messing up our well-laid plans once again.”

  “You’re working with the Phyton.” Annessa’s stomach churned.

  “I’m doing what I have to,” Ian said.

  “Like trying to kill me?”

  “You were never supposed to be in any real danger. If those Phyton hadn’t gone stupid, everything would’ve worked out fine. But they were idiots.” Ian sighed. “If I’d been there and been conscious when Axton’s wisp had to chose him over you, I would’ve given your shadow back to save you… Although, you have to admit, things worked out pretty well for you in the end.”

  “You’re not going to get away with it,” Annessa told him, except she couldn’t move. She told her legs to get going, but Ian told them to ignore her. And they listened to him.

  “Actually, I’m going to walk away, and no one will even remember me. I’ll be like a dream they know is there but cannot reach,” he said. “Well, not you. You’ll remember it all. Nothing I can do about that at this point.”

  “Because I know you too well?” She quoted him.

  “Essentially.” Ian’s lips quirked with amusement. “Since I really do like you, I’ll warn you that talking about me might make people worry about your sanity. See, people aren’t willing to accept the possibility that some nightmares are real.”

  “You’re the Sandman,” she realized.

  “Ah, you’ve finally learned about the Legends.” He seemed to approve. “And yes, that’s me, I suppose.”

  “You made me dream about Legend Hall, didn’t you?”

  “No.” Ian shook his head. “I mean, I could’ve made you dream that, but I didn’t. Instead, I had you walk down the stairs and into the chamber. You were wide awake the whole time.”

  Things fell into place. He’d used her to steal the chalice and sent a Phyton to retrieve it from wherever she’d hidden it. Like he’d said, she’d known what had happened all along. She just wanted it to stay a bad dream. Otherwise, she’d have to face what she’d done. And acknowledge that Sam had almost died because of her.

  “That Phyton wasn’t supposed to hurt anyone,” Ian said in response to her thoughts. “I gave you both the idea for a girls’ night so you wouldn’t be near the mansion.”

  “Oh, so you’re a good asshole?”

  “I wouldn’t go that far.” He took his leather jacket from her and slipped it on. “But I didn’t mean for either of you to get hurt. I’m not even supposed to still be here. I stayed to make sure Sam pulled through okay. And I wanted to make sure you’re okay too.”

  “I am far from okay.”

  “I wish it didn’t have to be like this,” Ian told her. “If the situation was different, you and I would be great friends. Actually, you got me in some trouble because I started to think about becoming a diamond with you.”

  “How can you do this?”

  “Because I see the big picture that you don’t.”

  “I hope you rot in hell,” she sneered.

  “I’m sure I will some day, but until then, I’ll do my duty.” Ian pulled a key from his pocket. “I want you to keep my bike.”

  “You can’t be serious.”

  “I am. You can keep your shadow too—I really would’ve given it back that day. But at least this way, you can know once and for all if you truly want to stay here at the Academy. You won’t have to wonder what you would’ve done if you’d had another choice.”

  The knowledge that she had her shadow back wrapped itself in a heavy shroud. Courtesy of the Sandman. “In case you want to keep that tidbit to yourself…” Ian moved to the door. “Once I’m away from the Academy, you’ll be able to move again. If you chose to keep your new shadow, you should make sure your old one is somewhere safe.” The door closed but Ian wasn’t finished. And watch your back. I’m not the only one around here who isn’t what I seem.

  It felt like hours before Annessa’s muscles started listening to her again. At first, it was like moving through honey. Sweat beaded her brow and trickled down the back of her neck. By the time she reached the front doors to Tapper Hall, though, she was moving at a steady pace. Annessa beelined for the quad. It was already lunchtime.

  “Whoa,” Sam startled when she spotted Annessa.

  Elion followed her gaze and then jumped up to meet her. “What’s wrong?” His eyes scanned her, like they did when she took a hard fall in training.

  “It’s Ian. He’s working with the Phyton—the bad ones.”

  Elion’s brow pinched. Why was he looking at her like that? And why wasn’t he shouting orders for someone to hunt Ian down or something? “What’s this Ian look like?” he asked.

  Annessa stilled. “What do you mean, what does he look like? It’s Ian. The guy who drives you all insane.”

  “I don’t know any Ians.” Elion turned toward the table of their friends. “Neither do any of them.”

  They all shook their heads and watched Annessa warily. Like they were assessing a bomb.

  Elion reached out and took her hand and said gently, “Because Ian isn’t real. He’s just someone in your nightmares.”

  Tightness gripped Annessa’s chest. Like the night she’d found out Aunt Jess was gone, she couldn’t seem to pull in enough air. The clock tower chimed the hour and Elion blinked. Then he saw her and blinked again.

  “Hey Ness,” he said. “We were starting to wonder where you were. Are you ready to eat?”

  Annessa felt like she’d tumbled down a rabbit hole. She glanced behind Elion. Sam waved with a few fries. It was as if they hadn’t just been evaluating her, wondering if she was cracking up—like they didn’t remember anything Annessa had said about Ian.

  She swallowed hard. “Did I tell you that I dreamed about Ian?”

  “Ah, no wonder you look upset.” Elion cupped a hand to her cheek. “I wish I could make those nightmares go away.”

  Annessa blinked back tears. That’s what Ian had been telling her. If she talked about him like he was real, everyone would think she was mental. Not that it mattered much. Because apparently, thoughts of Ian didn’t stick around for long. Annessa had a feeling that it wasn’t just her friends either. If Ian could make half a country forget about two teenagers who went missing for days, he could make one campus forget about him.

  Elion spotted her glassy eyes and folded her against his chest. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m here.”

  But he wouldn’t be there for long if Ian had his way. That whole set up with the Phyton had been a way to lure Elion away from the Academy, and Annessa couldn’t even warn them. She was now the only one standing between Ian and the man who held her heart. Annessa straightened, swiping the moisture from her cheeks. “I’m okay. I just need a walk to clear my head.”

  “Want me to come with?” Elion offered.

  “No, you finish lunch. I’m not hungry anyways.” Annessa summoned what she hoped was a convincing smile. “I’ll meet you guys after class on the athletic field.”

  “You sure you’re okay?” Elion persisted. “I will figure out a way into your dreams and kill that Ian character if you want.”

  Annessa knew he was teasing, trying to make her feel better, but it worked. She might not be able to tell him the truth about Ian, but he’d do anything for her. She’d been wrong about being alone. Her friends would face off against a nightmare if she asked them too. And that wasn’t nothing. This time Annessa’s smile wasn’t forced.

  “I will be.” She kissed him sweetly and then turned toward Cinnamon Grove.

  Once she was deep in the s
hade of the canopy, Annessa planted a hand against the trunk of a tree to steady herself. She slipped a hand into her pocket and pulled out her shadow. A few weeks back, it was the only thing she’d wanted. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since then. And now she was fighting for a community she’d once wanted nothing to do with.

  “So you are finally awake,” crooned the feline gargoi from its perch above, surprising Annessa.

  Annessa squinted up at the creature. “Have I been asleep?”

  “The Dream Legend made sure you were all asleep,” the gargoi rumbled. “Awake and asleep at the same time.”

  “You knew what he was up to,” Annessa said. “Why didn’t you warn someone?”

  “Because he put the piercers to sleep first. Those are humans who listen to my kind. Did you think humans actually avoided the Dream Legend simply out of fear that he’d read their private thoughts?”

  Yes, she had actually thought that.

  The gargoi snorted. “He repelled minds—made the humans go the other way rather than notice him. And those who did take notice, he did to their minds what he did to your friends. Made the memory of himself so slippery they could not hold on to it. So we were in the same position you are now. We couldn’t warn anyone.” The gargoi cocked its head. “Did you never notice that my brothers and sisters wouldn’t come near you when the Dream Legend was around? We cannot tell anyone about him, but we know to stay far from his reach.”

  “You all remember him?” Annessa asked. “Why didn’t he wipe your thoughts?”

  “The Dream Legend’s abilities only work on those who dream,” explained the gargoi. “But he doesn’t need to use his art to stone my kind. He could end our lives and then make it so no one ever missed us.”

  Annessa’s heart ached for the campus creatures who had no one to protect them. “What about the revenants. Do they remember Ian?”

  “He wore a ward against revenants around his neck. To them, he was invisible.”

  Of course. Ian knew exactly what he was doing. “Well, I’m awake now. And I’m going to figure out a way to wake everyone else up too.”

  “I’m glad I didn’t eviscerate you when you first came to this place,” remarked the gargoi.