by G. Bailey
"Place your hand over my face, hovering it almost," he instructs me as he closes his eyes. I do as he instructs, waiting for more instructions, feeling his hot breath blowing against my palm. It’s almost sexy and not helping my concentration at all.
"Done," I whisper.
"Close your eyes, Sleepy," Knox tells me, and I close my eyes, sighing when I don't feel anything but stupid. I go to tell Knox this when he starts talking himself.
"Our power is found deep within our souls, next to the part of us that feels great emotions like love, hate, loss and many others. When I call my powers, I find that part of me that is always there and always has been. It's right there, Sleepy. You only have to believe and trust in yourself to find it." I run Knox's words over in my mind, thinking of so many people I care for. So many people that I know I love in a way that isn't easy to explain, even to myself. There is something else there though, just like Knox explained. I focus on the warm feeling in my chest, and just like a button is clicked, everything changes. The power feeds through my body like a cold wave of water, making sure I'm aware and awake even though my power is sleep. I hear Knox gently snoring only a second later and I open my eyes, seeing white sparkling dust softly falling from my hand over his face.
"Madi, you are incredible," I hear Noah say as I stop my power and turn to see he came into the room at some point. Noah looks at me in wonder with a proud smile as I wipe my hand of the leftover dust and stand up. I try not to blush at Noah’s compliment, but ah crap, my cheeks burn anyway.
"Will you walk me back to my room, Noah? Knox needs some sleep," I ask, and Noah only grins at me as he offers me a hand to hold.
"I'd happily walk you back, Madi," he replies. I link my hand with him, looking back once at Knox who is peacefully sleeping, before we quietly leave their bedroom.
"How long has Knox been struggling to sleep, Noah?" I ask him, waving at two girls who pass us who are Ella’s friends. I don’t know their names as I’m pretty forgetful, but they are nice. The nice girls are called... Crap, who knows?
"About seven months, since..." Noah clears his throat. Dammit, they are all keeping something big from me, and I can't even guess what it is because I haven't been here. I remember Tavvy saying something about their fiancé dying...but I know the Tale brothers wouldn't have had anything to do with that. They aren't killers, at least I don't think. Not that much could have changed in these last few years.
"Don't you trust me? I'm not going to judge you guys about whatever it is that Knox isn't sleeping over, Tobias is messed up from, Sin seems to be pretending never happened, and you...well sometimes you seem sad. I just want to know what the hell happened," I ask him, wrapping my hand around his arm to make him look at me.
"We all agreed not to speak of it. To anyone," he tells me, quickly looking away.
"And I'm just anyone to you guys?" I ask, feeling hurt from that response. They are far more than anyone to me, but perhaps it's not the same for them.
"It's complicated, Sleepy. I will talk to them about telling you, because you are right, you are not anyone," Noah promises, but it doesn't stop me from feeling hurt over this all. I nod once at him, telling him I'm thankful, before we walk silently until we get to my room. I know being upset isn’t going to help them or me. It’s pointless, and I just have to hope they will open up to me.
"Noah, will you train me to fight? Magic sleep dust is a cool power but useless unless I can protect myself," I ask him, because I briefly saw Noah and Tobias fighting, and he looked incredible.
"Yeah, I can do that. How about every Sunday, we spend the day training?" he asks, squeezing my hand once before letting it go.
"Perfect. Thank you," I say, though it still feels awkward with this unspoken thing.
"I'll see you in class tomorrow, Sleepy," Noah says and leans forward, pressing a brief kiss on my cheek. He leaves me speechless as he walks off down the corridor, and I can only watch him go.
Chapter 20
"I'm pretty sure Miss A is still pissed about the last fight class," I breathlessly groan, leaning on Knox's shoulder as Tavvy laughs. We are all drenched in water, thanks to Miss A insisting we run laps around the gym today quicker than last week. Of course, the guys are not out of breath at all, unlike Tavvy and me. If anything, they look happy and ready to take on the world. I just want to put my butt into bed and stay there for the rest of the day. If I could have Netflix and chocolate, then I’d be a happy girl. Knox smiles down at me, looking so much more relaxed and, well, healthy since I've been putting him to sleep with my dust every night this week. Tobias avoids my eye contact when I look at him, but considering he has avoided me all week, I'm not overly shocked. Noah and Sin are talking together a good distance away, laughing at something, but it makes me smile to see them so relaxed.
"Just don't knock her out this time, babe," Knox suggests, and I grin at him as Tavvy laughs, finally getting her breath back with me.
"Good luck today, new girl. I don't fancy sleeping this class today, so learn some control," Ella sarcastically comments as she passes by me. Bitch. Tavvy sneers at her as she walks past, and Miss A chooses that moment to blow her whistle and call the class together. My hands shake as we circle around her, and Knox, like he can sense how nervous I am, slides his hand into mine.
"You got this, Sleepy, and I'm always close by. No one will hurt you," he tells me, trying to make me less nervous, but it doesn't work as Roger pushes through the crowd and comes to my other side.
"Hey, we didn't get to talk after you knocked me out, but I was impressed," he says, offering me a hand to shake. I shake his hand, actually pretty impressed he is saying anything to me about that. Usually guys don’t like to be beaten by a girl and won’t talk about it, let alone come and shake her hand. I want to say it was an accident, but I doubt that would be a good idea for me long term. I need to survive this class, no matter what.
"You nearly hurt her," Knox growls, sounding deadly. I move myself a little in front of Knox to protect poor Roger, but it does little as Knox just slides a hand around my waist and glares at Roger over my head. I’d have to jump a few times to break their eye contact and that would be pretty embarrassing. "I was inches away from breaking that pretty face of yours."
"I'm not an idiot; I wouldn't have gone too far," Roger replies, but Knox doesn't look the slightest bit impressed. Tavvy widens her eyes at me from Roger’s side, and I shake my head. Men.
"Right, you all know the rules. We are going to continue the last class with the same partners. We all shall hope that Miss Dormiens can control her powers better this time," she says, and everyone laughs. I elbow Knox in the stomach, which only makes him and the others laugh more. Mr. Newman wordlessly stands at Miss A’s side, watching me, and he isn’t laughing. I really don’t like that guy.
"I can," I feel I must add, and a few people laugh. Yeah, I should have stayed quiet.
"We all do hope so. Now get to it, class," Miss A demands, clapping her hands and making a sphere of water around her as she floats into the air.
"Come on, Madi. I will be easier on you than last time," Roger suggests, but I doubt it.
"You best be," Knox warns in a scary possessive tone before he walks away. I smile tightly at him before following Roger over to a clearing and standing on the marked areas.
"You ready for this, Madi?" Roger asks, parting his legs and placing his hands at his sides. Vines slide out of his hands, spreading to the floor as I smile and close my eyes.
"Yes." I call my power in the way that has become almost natural to me after helping Knox go to sleep. I might not be able to fight, but if anything touches me, I can use sleep to save myself. My nickname really is pretty useful. I open my eyes, feeling the warm dust on my hands that falls to the ground next to me as Roger sends a vine to slam into my stomach. I gasp as it knocks the air out of me, and I grab the vines as I fall to my knees. My dust spreads down the vines as Roger struggles to pull his vines away from my grip. In his panic, the other vin
e slams into my neck and wraps around, tightening as it lifts me into the air. I cry out in pain as my face slams into the roof of the building, the vines pressing me against the cold metal. I feel hot blood trickling down my cheek as I open my eyes, looking down at Roger who is staring right back. I know he wants me to let go, to grab the vine on my neck to save myself, but that isn't happening as more vines just replace the ones I pull off. I push past the fear and panic as I close my eyes, calling as much of my power as I can into the vines. I need to be free. I scream as power feels like it slams into every part of my body and builds up like a bomb as I keep my eyes locked on Roger’s as he starts to look fearful, and for some reason, that makes me happy.
"Let her go! You are going to kill each other!" I hear Tavvy demand from a good distance away.
"We must see the winner," Miss A replies loudly, and my eyes crawl across to the left to see a wall of water all around us, blocking anyone from interfering. I pull my gaze to Roger just as my dust travels from the vines and hits his body. In an instant, his eyes close, and his body slumps to the floor. I fall quickly, almost in the blink of an eye, with the vines that are still tightly wrapped around my neck. I know nothing can catch me, and I was too high up. Tavvy was right, we are going to kill each other, but me first. My head hits the floor before my body does, my stretched arms grazing the floor as pain slams into my skull. Before I know it or can prevent it, the world blacks out into a dream that feels like a story I can’t escape.
The dream comes on so quickly that I can't tell what is real as I pick myself up off the cold, frost-covered grass. I was in the gym, on the cold floor and not grass…wasn’t I? Ravens quickly fly around me. They squawk loudly, the awful noise mixing with the harsh beating noise of their wings. I can't smell or hear anything else, I can't feel the cold weather that I can see around me. Thick snow starts to fall from the sky, dropping onto my bare shoulders as I see a person on the other side of the ravens. They part for him as he steps through, and my heart feels frozen as I stare at Quinton. My Quin. Though he doesn't look like my Quin at all. He looks almost dead with pale skin, his black hair is longer and out of control, and he doesn't smile at me like my Quin always does.
"Quinton?" I whisper, my breath coming out in puffs as the air must be cold, but I don't feel it.
"Danger. Danger. Danger," the ravens repeat again and again until I can only hold my hands to my ears as I fall to my knees, begging them to stop, but my voice is soundless.
"Madi..." I hear Quin say through the ravens, but soon he is lost, and there is nothing but cold, dead grass and screaming ravens as blackness takes over.
Chapter 21
Quin shouts my name, again and again as ravens rush around me, squawking and screaming. The sound is so painful, so never ending and all I want is for it to stop. It never does…
"Come on, Sleepy, you need to wake up now," I hear Sin whisper to me as his fingers slide through my hair and skim against my cheek. “Come back to me, baby.”
"I'm going to get the healers again. She isn't waking up as they promised, and I’m concerned," Tobias shouts, and the slamming of a door makes me snap my eyes open in a rush, a deep gasp escaping my lips before I start coughing. Pain shoots down the one side of my head, reminding me in a rush of everything that happened. I glance at the white walls of the unfamiliar room, and the small bed I’m in with white sheets. There are curtains at each side of my bed which are pushed back, and they make me realise this must be a hospital of some sorts. I can feel my arms are wrapped up in bandages, and something is wrapped around my head. I’m sure I look a mess.
"Quin," I whisper as the dreams rush into my mind, even as I'm looking up at Sin who is leaning over me. He looks hurt for a second, but then it quickly changes to worry as he helps me sit up. Tavvy is sitting at the end of the bed, a relieved grin spreading across her face. Knox and Noah are in the room, sitting in chairs, and they quickly rush over as I sit up.
"Did I win?" I ask, needing to know if it was all worth it.
"Roger passed out first, so yes, but you weren't the last one standing in class to win the prize though," Sin answers me, and the others just smile at me.
"Who won?" I ask, curious, but it doesn’t matter. I wanted to prove to everyone and myself that I could beat Roger, even if I need to work on my falling game.
"I did," Tavvy says with a big smile, and I grin at her. "The brothers refused to fight and went with you to the medic bay, leaving only Ella and me as the strongest left. I beat her, so I finally won fight class!"
"You seem pretty happy I knocked myself out," I remark, though I am happy for her.
"Well...I was worried about you, but Miss A wouldn’t let me leave class, so I made the most of it. At least one good thing came from it—I am going shopping, and I will get you a ballgown dress," she says happily.
"A ballgown dress for what?" I ask as Sin offers me a glass of water to drink since my voice is pretty croaky.
"The Lost Time Academy Ball, of course," Tavvy tells me. "I'm sure you can find yourself a date. It's in three months’ time," she says very excitedly, and I can't help but smile at her, even though I’m not a fan of balls. I prefer secret parties and drinking, which I doubt this ball will have. I frown when my head hurts as I move to sit up more and place my hand on the lump covered by a bandage.
"How are you feeling?" Noah asks, gently picking up my other hand and holding it. He lifts my hand and kisses the back as he locks eyes with me. He doesn’t seem to care that Knox and Sin are watching, and I can’t even look at them to see their reactions.
"Just sore. I had a weird dream that felt so real," I explain to him. “The dream felt more than real. It was scarier than that fall from the ceiling.”
"Another nightmare?" Tavvy asks, looking concerned.
"Nightmares?" Knox asks, and I remember that I haven't told them about my dreams yet.
"Yes, but this was different in a way I can't explain," I answer Tavvy and glance at Knox. “I have dreams and have done for a long time.
"Tell us about it, Sleepy," Sin lightly suggests.
"Every dream, there are crows, hundreds of them that circle me and squawk so loudly my ears hurt. The ground is always cold, but this time it was freezing, and snow was falling from the sky. That's not the strange thing though; this time, Quin was there. Quin walked through the crows that parted out of the way for him like he commanded them to do so. He didn't look like Quin though, he almost looked..." I drift off because I’m not sure how to even explain how he looked.
"Looked like what?" Sin asks.
"Dead. His skin was so pale that it had a tinge of blue to it. I'm scared for him, guys," I say, needing them to understand everything, because as much as I can tell them about the dream, I can’t explain how worried and panicked it makes me feel. I can’t explain how it felt to see Quin like that and not be able to just run to him, hold him close to me.
"We could ask our parents to look into how Quin is doing, if it would make you feel better," Knox suggests, but he is looking at Sin, who nods in agreement.
"Do you think the dreams could be real?" I ask them all. There is silence until Noah decides to answer me.
"Your power is sleep, and anytime you have dreams or nightmares, we should not ignore them," Noah says. "We never ignore our powers, it isn't right to do so. Our powers are there to protect us, and your dreams are likely warnings."
"Why would they warn me of Quin?" I ask, not understanding that.
"He knew you were with us, Sleepy. Remember?" Sin says, placing his hand on my shoulder. "I think there is more going on than we know about."
"Quin wouldn't ever hurt me. You all know that, you grew up with him as well!" I say, getting frustrated by their tone. Before any of them can say anything, Tobias walks into the room with a woman right behind him. The woman is dressed in a long white cloak that matches the rest of the room, and there is a white circle in the middle of her forehead.
"Now, now, all of you have class. As you can see,
Miss Dormiens is awake, and I will let you know if she needs you all. Your teachers are waiting," the woman states, squaring up to them.
"We aren't leaving," Sin remarks.
"Go. I'm tired. I'm just going to rest anyway," I tell them, knowing I need some space and time alone to think about all of this and Quinton. I rest back, not looking at any of them as they leave the room, but Tavvy stays.
"You as well, little fairy," the healer demands. I feel Tavvy's hand on my shoulder a moment later, and I look up at her.
"They only tell the truth, but your dreams don't mean Quin is bad. They simply mean Quin is clearly not just in your past," she tells me before she leaves the room. Quin isn't bad, he never was, and he never could be. The Tale brothers know this, and I just have to hope they don't find anything that says something different.
Chapter 22
"Now, Miss Dormiens, which Master set up Lost Time Academy?" Mr. Newman, the professor of this class, decides to ask me as I doodle on my notepad, drawing a raven. For some reason, he always singles me out for questions, and over the last few weeks, I've noticed it more and more. Tobias, Tavvy and even Ella are in this class and would be much better to answer this, but oh no, he has to ask me. This class completely sucks in every way, and I don't have the answer, of course. I haven’t gotten that far in the text book, even though I’m a hundred and fifty pages in. I’m sure Mr. Newman knows that, from the arsehole smile he is wearing.
"I know, sir," Ella states, holding her hand up in the air. Of course she does.
"Go on then, Miss Wateredge," Mr. Newman says, flashing a disappointed look my way as he talks.
"Master Tale, the very first of the Tale line, set up Lost Time Academy," Ella answers, and I quickly realise that must have been Tobias and Noah's ancestor. Even though Sin and Knox took the Tale name as children, they had other parents and different names before. They just never speak about it to anyone, and I'm not sure they even know much of their parents. A memory flashes into my mind as I look down at my book in front of me.