by G. Bailey
“I’m bad for you. For everyone. I mean it, Madi, don’t call me again…because I can’t stop myself from answering. Be safe. Keep the Tale brothers close, and always remember I love you,” he says, and then the phone beeps, signalling he hung up. I let the phone drop from my hand in my confusion and shock.
“He knows, Sin. I think he knows everything, but how?” I ask Oisin, who looks as shocked as I do, as he must have heard that conversation just like me.
“I don’t know, that was strange. How could Quin know we are with you?” Sin asks, picking up the phone and turning it off before handing it back to me.
“I miss him,” I admit.
“Do you love him that much? Enough to let him go?” Sin asks me, and I rest my head on his shoulder, looking at the sun rising high in the sky. I don’t have an answer.
“Maybe.”
“Is there room for more than one person in your heart, Madi? Because you are not alone. We will figure it all out if you will let us help you,” Sin assures me. I tilt my head up, seeing that he is looking down at me. I don’t know why I do it, but I move closer and brush my lips across his. Sin makes this content noise at the back of his throat as he slides a hand into my hair and kisses me back. I don’t know how long we are on the roof, but I do know one thing. I’m not alone at Lost Time Academy, even if my heart feels lost. Time will tell what happens, but as I kiss Sin, I know it can’t be that bad, no matter what happens. After all, I have the Tale brothers.
Chapter 18
"This way, Miss Dormiens," Miss Ona instructs after I knocked on her office door and she came out a few moments later. I was told to come here to claim my prize after dinner, before bed. It is a call to my parents which I desperately need after that talk with Quinton yesterday and the kiss with Sin. Thankfully, Sin hasn't bought it up this morning, and I'm not sure I really want him to. Maybe we both can just understand that we equally needed comfort. I'm not emotionally ready to be in any kind of relationship, I know that. I still need to find my feet here in my new life, and the Tale brothers are keeping a million secrets from me that I want to know. I think they are in trouble, but I don't know much of the new world I’ve found myself in to ask the right questions to get the answers I want. I spent all night going over and over whether I should just call Quinton back and demand he tell me what I want to know—like how the hell he knows I’m with the Tale brothers. It doesn’t make sense. Humans aren’t meant to know anything about us, and the fact Quin might makes me scared for him. Even if we can’t be together, I want—no need—to know Quin has a good, safe life.
"Do you know the Tale brothers’ parents, Miss Ona?" I ask her as she leads me down the corridor, and I eye her carefully. I’m extremely curious what these teachers have for powers and what fairy tale they are from. Miss Ona is the nicer one of the sisters, but I doubt she would tell me if I just flat out asked her. She almost pauses in her step at my question but continues on down the corridor and around the stairs. I have fleeting memories of the brothers’ parents, because they were never around or at least not enough to be considered real parents. The brothers had a nanny who did everything for them, and their parents were always travelling. They would come back for the brothers’ birthdays and sit silently in the room as they had their parties and opened their presents. I asked my mom about them once, and she simply told me some people are not meant to be parents. That they don't have the maternal side to them that parenting needs. Though now I know they are Tale descendants, I'm wondering if there is a lot more to the story. Maybe I judged them too quickly.
"The brothers’ parents are on the Masters’ council, along with two other powerful families. Ella is another descendant with a parent on the Masters’ council. I do not know them, not many do, but I am aware that they have a difficult job keeping us safe. We are at war, and in this academy lies the most precious treasure at stake in the war," she tells me, glancing back at my face for a second.
"Which is?" I ask.
"The young descendants. Young minds with incredible powers and all that is left to breed the next generation of their enemies. The dark tales’ leader is cruel, heartless and childless. He has made it clear he wants the academy and the students many times. We must keep you safe, do you understand?" she asks me, stopping to make sure she gets my answer.
"Yes," is all I can find myself saying. Why would he want us though? Surely he wants us dead, to kill off the competition more. We walk in silence until we get to the end of the corridor, where it is dustier than the usual places of the academy.
"In here is a phone, and your parents’ number is written down on paper next to it," she instructs, pointing a hand towards the door, then she lowers her hand, turning her head to the side as she looks at me. I’m glad the number is written down, because who knows phone numbers now? "You might be the most powerful student we have ever had, and your line is very much hidden in clouds, so we are unsure how strong you will be. It is important you focus on training and conditioning yourself for war, because it is close. Love and relationships must take a back seat in what is to come. Love cannot protect you from death at the hands of the dark tales, Miss Dormiens."
With those solemn words, she walks away down the corridor, leaving me holding the straps to my bag as I watch her go. I shake my head, pushing her words to the back of my mind to get them out of the way before going to talk to my parents. I know Miss Ona is warning me to stay away from the brothers, to not let love cloud my training and take over. Only, I think the Tale brothers might actually be able to help me. I need knowledge on how to fight on my own, something my parents never taught me growing up.
I make a mental note to ask one of them to teach me, as I open the door and walk into the small classroom. The room is empty now, covered in dust and cobwebs except for the one table with a phone and a piece of paper on it, in the middle of the cleared out room. I let the door swing closed behind me as I go to the chair, sitting down and picking up the paper. The phone is old school with big clunky numbers and an actual dial tone. After I finish putting the numbers in, the phone starts ringing, and I sit back in my seat, praying that someone answers. After a few rings, the phone is picked up.
"Hello, who is it?" my mum says in the same way she always answers the phone. It’s not a nice, welcoming answer, but it’s because mum says her real friends text her, and only scammers call her. It always made me smile to hear her telling off a scam caller as she made herself a cup of tea. I can't help but smile wide enough that my mouth hurts at hearing her voice.
"It's me, mum," I tell her, and she squeals down the phone before shouting for my dad.
"I'm so happy to hear from you. Are you allowed phone calls there then?" she asks, sounding surprised, and the tone changes, making me aware she has me on speaker now.
"No, I had to win fight class to get one phone call to you guys," I say, and I hear my mum’s joyful shout and my dad’s loud, proud laugh.
"You won fight class? But how?" she sputters after calming down. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine. My power is to create sleep dust, and I knocked out the entire room, including my teacher. I am going to learn to control it, but it's a good start," I explain to them. It’s weird to know I have this power now, and I can actually protect myself, even though I’ve not exactly mastered controlling it yet.
"I am so proud of you," my dad says in the background, as I'm clearly on speaker phone. "My girl, knocking out a whole class in her first week." I can't help but laugh at his proud and happy voice. It’s not something every dad is happy about, but we aren’t normal. Honestly, we never were, and I love that.
"Hey, dad," I say.
"Hey, darling. We miss you, and we are so proud you are settling in well," he replies to me, and I take a nervous deep breath before asking a question I need to know.
"D-did Quinton come asking for me? Is he okay?" I ask after a moment, knowing I need the answer no matter how nervous I am to ask. Quin still makes my heart pound, my mouth feel dry, and everything so m
uch more. The Tale brothers do it to me as well, they always have done. When we were all together, it was perfect.
"The boy didn't come here, and being your dad, I went to his house to check he was alright. He moved out, both him and his mother," he tells me, making me more nervous than ever before. What the hell is going on with Quin? He wouldn’t move out, he couldn’t. They lived in a trailer on some rent free land, and it was the best they could afford. His mum wouldn’t move them out, because she lived rent free, and the rent money would go to buying fags and booze. Quin wouldn’t give up his job either, or his school, because that was his entire future.
"What?" I finally whisper when my thoughts finally let me breathe. This doesn't make me feel any better about any of this.
"Madi are the Tale boys there? Did they remember you?" mum asks. Ah, they knew the brothers where here and where they went when they left. Of course they did. My parents watched me cry for weeks when they disappeared, and they couldn’t tell me the truth. I want to be mad at them for that, but I get it. Telling me the truth then was illegal to the tales descendants, and they had to let me suffer. Quin was there though, and now he is going through what I did but much worse. We were each other’s first time, first date, and well, most things except for first kiss…and now he is alone. I feel so guilty, even though it isn’t my fault. I can’t go back to him.
"They aren't boys anymore, mum, and yeah, they did. We are friends again, just like no time passed at all," I tell her, and I can hear her smile through the phone, even without seeing it. Dad grumbles about something, but I just miss it. The phone starts loudly beeping, and I quickly realise I don't have long left.
"You have to go, don't you, darling?" dad asks me, sounding sad. I’m not used to hearing my dad sound anything but cheeky and happy.
"Yeah, seems so. I miss you guys. I really do. How long do I have to stay here again?" I ask, as I’ve forgotten.
"Oh Madi, we miss you more than anything in the world, and we are proud of you. It can't be that bad there," mum replies, and I sigh.
"It's not that bad here, I just miss home," I reply and leave out Quinton's name in that. I can't help but worry about him more now than I was before, and there is nothing I can do about it. Quinton asked me not to call him again, and I really should respect his decision because it is his to make. Maybe he just moved away for a new start, and his mum buggered off. At least I want to try and convince myself that is true, even if I don’t believe it.
"We love you," mum replies, and then the dial tone rings, ending the call. I drop the phone back into the holder, staring at it like it's going to ring and give me the closure I need. It can’t. I look out the window in the room, seeing the dark sky, the millions of stars littering it, before I yawn. I could really do with a night of long, deep sleep. Hopefully, my dreams will not be creepy and give me more closure than being awake does. I climb out the seat, walk to the door and pull it open only to find Knox leaning against the wall on the other side of the corridor.
"Hey, you alright?" I ask, because hell, he doesn't look it. Knox seems, well, tired. I yawn after he does because yawns are super contagious. I’m sure of it.
"I need a favour. One only you can help me with," Knox tells me, pushing up off the wall. The dim light shines against his face more now, and his eyes lock with mine.
I don't even think twice before answering. I'd do anything to help the brothers. "Anything."
Chapter 19
Knox offers me a hand rather than telling me what the favour is, and even though it's been years since Knox and I held hands, my hand slides into his like no time has passed. That's the thing I'm noticing with the brothers, it feels natural and safe like it always has. We aren't kids anymore, and yes, things about us all have seriously changed, but in so many ways, it hasn't at all. Knox stares down at me for just a moment, letting me see the dark shadows under his eyes which make the dark silver colour of them that much darker. It doesn't suit his blond hair, which is darker than his brother’s now and longer, falling across his forehead. Knox looks stressed and tired, but even like this, there is something so attractive about him. That is one thing that changed between us all: the tension. It was there a little bit before, but now it’s always there. In a matter of seconds, he turns away and gently tugs on my hand to lead me back down the corridor.
"How was your chat with your parents?" he asks me, making me fully aware that the Tale brothers are seriously keeping an eye on my butt. I knew they were taking turns watching me, because there is nowhere I can go without a Tale brother nearby, and they told me as much. I want to tell them to chill, but I'm clueless about this world, and everything I'm learning isn't making me trust it any more.
"Good. It helped, but I still miss them," I admit to him, keeping my voice low as I don’t want anyone else hearing that. Though the corridor is quiet, and I can hear people talking nearby and in the classrooms we pass.
"You were always close to your parents; it's normal to feel that way," he states, trying to make me feel better.
"Do you miss yours?" I ask, almost predicting the answer straightaway he gives me.
"No. We get letters from them weekly, so it is hard to miss them when they are still so involved in controlling our lives," he coldly replies, though that tone is and always has been there whenever he speaks of his parents. They never talked much of them growing up, and I don’t blame them. It was my mum or their nanny who gave them hugs and loved them. Money and a big house don’t make a happy home.
"They are on the Masters’ council...and you will be one day, I presume?" I ask, starting to understand how this all works a little bit. For the last week, I’ve been staying up late at night to read as much as I can to understand the world I’m now a part of. It’s pretty simple from what I have figured out. The Masters rule, their children take over, and then they rule. It’s been that way for a long time, and all the laws are from the Masters.
"One day, and maybe we might stand a chance at keeping us all alive. Right now, as it stands, they are going to get us all killed," he remarks, sounding angry and cryptic at the same time.
"Why?" I whisper as we pass a group of students and start climbing the stairs. Knox tugs me closer at the top of the stairs, keeping his voice low. My body presses against his, and my hand somehow finds its way to rest on his flat stomach, his thin jumper doing little to hide how firm he feels. Knox doesn’t seem to notice the effect he has on me, he just keeps talking as I try to hide my feelings.
"The dark tales have a new leader who isn't attacking us anymore, and he has pulled his army back. My parents and the others believe that they have given up, and they are hoping for peace. Yet, it isn't logical. I believe the leader is gathering his army and making a plan. God help us all if he is, because my parents and the whole tales community isn't ready for an attack," he whispers to me. “We are weaker than ever, too lost in the old ways.”
"If that doesn't frighten you, then I don't know what else would," I say, because that scares me and makes me want to run away, hide in the human world with my family, and pretend I’m nothing but human. I’ve not even met a dark tale yet, but they sound terrifying.
"You don't need to be frightened, Sleepy. I would die before letting a dark tale anywhere near you," he fiercely tells me. We both pause at the end of the staircase to the guys’ room level, staring at each other as I believe every single one of his words. In this moment, I forget how my heart still hurts for Quin, how I’m confused about my feelings for Knox’s brothers and everything other than how much I want to know what it is like to kiss Knox. Not the brief first kiss we had at eleven, no, I want to know what it would be like to really be with Knox. The moment is broken when a guy clears his throat from behind us, and we quickly move out of the way as I instantly feel guilty. Damn, this is all confusing. Knox tugs my hand with a cautious smile before leading me up the stairs and to his room. Knox pushes the door open with one hand, letting go of my hand so he can turn a lamp on which is near the door. The room is e
mpty, though a little messy, but then four guys live in here, so that could be expected. It doesn't smell bad; that's a small bonus.
"What is the favour then, Knox?" I ask him as I shut the door, and he clears his throat, looking awkward as he turns to answer me.
"I need you to put me to sleep. With your powers," he requests, and I really didn’t expect that. He does look tired, but putting him to sleep is dangerous for me. I have no control. I could accidently put the whole school to sleep.
"Why?" I ask.
"Let's just say I have bad dreams, and I can't sleep well since..." he drifts off, clearly not wanting to tell me what haunts him. "I haven't slept more than an hour in a long time. I'm exhausted, getting paranoid, and I can't take this much longer. Though when you used your powers, I finally slept well and peacefully. I can't forget it. Please, Sleepy. I need you."
"Knox, maybe talking about what happened will help too," I say, wanting to help him more than just put him to sleep. There is also the problem that I have zero idea how to use my powers. What I did in the fight class was pure instinct.
"I c-can’t," Knox tells me, and I try not to feel hurt that he is keeping something from me, but when I look into his eyes, I know it's something that is bad. So bad that he is trying to protect me from it.
"Okay, but I eventually want the truth. The only problem left is that I don't know how to control my powers," I say, knowing this all could go wrong, but there is no way I will walk away from Knox when he needs my help. Maybe if he could sleep for a while, he might tell me what is haunting him.
"I will guide you through it," Knox says with a relieved smile. I might not know what is going on with my Tale brothers, but I am damn sure going to find out. Knox goes and lies down on his bed, placing his hands behind his head as I follow him over. I sit on the edge of the bed, my back pressed against the side of his chest as he looks up at me.