by G. Bailey
"Knox, what are you doing? We are all waiting outside for you to come back and play football," I breathlessly say after running around their big house to look for him. It's rare we come to their house, but their nanny made us food, and my parents said it was okay to come over. Knox is sitting in the kitchen, on a stool, but he doesn't look up at me. His hair is long, messy as it covers his face, but I hear the slight sob that escapes his lips. I run over, wrapping my arms around him. I've never hugged Knox before, not in the eight years we have known each other. He freezes for a second before hugging me back just as tightly, and he doesn't let go. Knox smells like peaches and chocolate, much like the ice creams his nanny gave us to eat.
"No one ever hugs me...not even the new nanny because she says she is here temporarily, and hugs are for people who are permanent," he tells me.
"Is that why you're upset?" I ask, not letting go and hugging him tighter.
"No and yes. Everyone is temporary, and my parents aren't even our real parents. Last night, I found a letter that said Oisin and I are adopted," he tells me, and I had suspected something just because all the brothers are so close in age. Also Knox and Oisin don’t look like Noah and Tobias’s parents.
"No matter who your parents are, we are your family. Me, your brothers and Quin," I tell him, knowing it is true but slightly shocked from the knowledge. It doesn't matter though, they are all brothers even if they aren't blood-related. Knox looks up, still holding me closely, and smiles even though his lips are wet from tears.
"You won't leave me, will you, Madi?" he asks.
"Nope," I say and hug him once more, knowing I mean it. The Tale brothers and I are forever.
"That's correct. Now I want you all to continue to read your history books in your spare time, but the class is over," Mr. Newman states, and everyone swiftly grabs their things before starting to make their way out of class. I watch Tobias as he pushes through people to escape the class—or me. Either way, he is moving quickly enough that I’m going to struggle to catch up with him. I shove my book into my bag.
“Hey! I’m not just a book, I’m a person you know!” Lane complains as I do my bag up.
“It wasn’t that bad,” I mutter to him before sliding my bag onto my back.
"Where are you off to in a hurry?" Ella asks, and Tavvy simply blocks her view of me as I get out the door. Tavvy is pretty awesome, and I really need to tell her that more often. I look around, searching for Tobias until I see him walking up the stairs. As quickly as I can, I slide past people and run up the stairs, following him as he goes to his own staircase and continues to walk up. I keep a good distance away as I follow him down the long corridor, well past his room, but he doesn't notice me either way. It soon becomes clear he is heading for the roof.
I wait for him to walk up the creaky stairs and open the door before running up them myself and catching the door just before it closes. I peek out to see Tobias standing near the edge of the roof, looking at the sun as it slowly sets in the sky. I peek my head out the gap further when he pulls something out of his pocket, a small black pouch. He picks out a glowing black rock, puts it into his mouth, then shivers before falling back onto his ass on the roof. It doesn't take an idiot to realise he just took some kind of drug; I just don't know what it is. I walk out, and Tobias looks my way, his eyes widening in shock.
"This is your secret then?" I say, walking over and sitting next to him. He looks pale, shaky and frankly a mess. “You are getting high on whatever that shit is?”
"What of it? We aren't kids anymore, Madi. I can do whatever the fuck I like," he tells me. “I don’t need your judgement.”
"And I'm not going to let you speak to me like that, you asshat. Our past doesn't mean you get to treat me like shit. If you want to spiral out of control and be fucking high all the time, I will leave you alone to do just that." I go to stand up, but he grabs my arm, and I look at him, seeing regret in his eyes, and it’s enough to make me stop.
"Don't go," he asks me. "I'm sorry. I push everyone away, and I shouldn’t do that with you. You are too close to me, too much for me to take in. You always were. If you will stay, I will tell you one secret."
"Just one?" I say, raising an eyebrow at him. He has me there, and he knows it.
"Don't be cheeky, Madi. Just one, and my brothers will kill me for telling you anything," he replies.
"I guess I could stay for a little bit," I say, grinning before sitting down next to him. He smells funny, like charcoal, and I quickly realise it must be the drugs. He can’t focus on me as he looks my way, and all I want to do is slap the idiot for taking that shit.
"Thank you, Madi," he says and raises his bushy eyebrows, waiting for my question.
“Why were you arguing with Noah on that first day we saw each other again?” I ask him, knowing it’s one of many questions I wish I could ask, but I only get one for now.
“I guess I promised to answer,” he says and rubs his face with his shaky hands. “We came to the academy roughly a year ago, and within three days, our parents and the other Masters decided we would be engaged to marry Sophia Hedgeworth. She was a descendant of an old riddle, and she could sing anyone into doing anything. We all liked her, sort of. She was pretty and kind, but we all missed someone else too much to even let Sophia close. Knox let her closer than anyone else did, and it fucking haunts him.”
I don’t say anything because a deep part of me is jealous and another part of me is flattered. It’s a funny feeling, and Tobias is too lost in his story to notice. “We agreed to at least be friends publicly, and we would deal with everything else later on. One night, we went to a party in the academy, and Sophia wanted to try moon rocks. I told her no, but she didn’t listen and stole some anyway. I’m the only one who can take a high dosage of the stuff, and even a tiny amount of the rock would knock someone out. It killed her, and no matter what we tried, we couldn’t save her. Noah blames me—hell, I blame me—and yet I can’t fucking stop coming up here and getting more of this shit. I know I’m addicted to it, and it killed her...I’m a piece of trash for doing this.”
“You’re addicted to it, to your powers and this high you get from it. You need to stop, you know that, right?” I ask him, feeling sorry for them all. No wonder my Tale brothers are so messed up. I have to fix them or be there for them somehow.
“Yeah, I know it, Sleepy. It’s like you stopping sleep though...” he tries to explain it to me. I reach up and brush away the black dust at the corner of his lip I can see, and he catches my hand. Very slowly, he slides my finger into his mouth and sucks off the dust. It shouldn’t be sexy, and I should tell him no, but holy god, I’m going to hell as I don’t stop him.
“Sleep doesn’t kill me though, Tob,” I gently remind him after clearing my throat and moving my hand away. “Or other people.”
“I will try to stop,” he tells me, but I don’t believe him. Addicts always say that in movies, and they never stop. I know this isn’t a movie, but I can’t just let him do this alone.
“Let me help you. You don’t have to go through this all alone, you know,” I say, placing my hand on his shoulder. Tobias meets my eyes, as much as he can focus anyway with how high he is, and oh I want to believe him. Help him. I love Tobias, I always have done, and he knows it. I don’t know how he feels about me though.
“Sleepy, my brothers tried to help and failed. What makes you think you could help me?” he asks. As much as the comment is a bit of an insult, I realise he is just pointing out a fact and trying to push me away again. He pushes everyone away.
“I’m far more stubborn than they are,” I remind him, chuckling a little with him. The wind blows against us for a second, reminding us of where we are and how damn cold it is. I snuggle up to him, looking up at the cloudy sky. I wonder if it will snow soon, because it is cold enough to.
“I missed having you around. I forgot what it was like to be around you,” he admits to me, resting his head over mine.
“I’m sure you’
ve forgotten what it’s like not to be high as a kite on moon rocks too. I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you. I want my guitar-playing Tobias back,” I say, remembering how he used to sing songs to me as he played. I always told him that, one day, he will be playing on a stage because he is that good. Though I doubt that now.
“I haven’t played since we left you and moved here. My dad smashed my guitar when I tried to play it instead of practice fighting,” he explains to me. “I can’t even sing anymore because my powers mix in with my voice, and it’s not easy to control.”
“I never liked that asshat,” I admit, not knowing what else to say about the singing. I don’t know his powers and what he can do.
“No one does,” he replies with a tight smile.
“I’m going to help you, you know that, right?” I ask, resting my head on his shoulder. “No more running away and avoiding me, Tob.”
“You might be running from me instead,” he warns. “I’m not safe for you.”
“I never liked the safe boys.”
Chapter 23
"Lane, if you are playing a joke on me again, I'm going to find scissors and start cutting some pages out," I warn him, because if I've learnt anything about Lane since we met, it’s that he is a master prankster. In science class, we have to use our books to work out recipes and make crystals that we can later use to defend ourselves. I cringe as I remember my last few weeks that I spent working on a smoke crystal only for Lane to give me the wrong ingredient name, and it blew up in my face. "I spent days getting the black dust out of my hair last time you were sure adding that herb would work."
"I have apologised many a time for that little mistake," Lane remarks, but he is laughing, so it doesn't sound the least bit apologetic as I eye him. Why did I get stuck with the most unhelpful book in history? I walk through the tables, slowing down when I see Noah and his perfect potion that he is picking crystals out of. His book is called Lady, which figures, and she is extremely helpful to all the brothers.
"Have you made yours yet?" Noah asks with a cheeky grin. "Would you like some help?" I stick my tongue out at him just as the classroom door is pushed open and Mr. Newman walks in, his eyes aiming straight at me.
"Miss Dormiens, you are called to meet the Masters," Mr. Newman explains, waving a hand at the open door. "Please come with me."
"What?" Noah exclaims, standing up. "Are my parents here?"
"Yes, but you are not called to see them, Mr. Tale," Mr. Newman responds. I pat Noah's shoulder as I pass him by and shake my head.
"I will be alright on my own, and I will tell you everything later," I whisper to Noah, but it doesn't make him look any less concerned as I grab my book, shutting it with a smile at Lane and placing it in my bag as he grumbles. I chuck my bag over my shoulder before walking out the room, with Mr. Newman quick to catch up to my side as we head down the corridor towards the entrance hall.
"Where are we meeting the Masters then?" I ask Mr. Newman as we dodge a few students running to their classes.
"In the private meeting room which is only opened for Masters’ visits. It is behind the dining room. This way," Mr. Newman instructs, never pausing in his large strides that I struggle to keep up with. We walk across the quiet entrance hall as I try to think of any reasons the Masters might want to meet with me, but I really have no clue. If I'm honest with myself, I'm nervous to see the brothers’ parents again. It's been a long time.
"Why do they want to see me?" I ask Mr. Newman, because it is worth a shot, even if I don't like or trust him.
"You will soon see," he solemnly replies before we stop outside the dining room doors, and he pushes them open. I follow him in, and we walk through the space between the tables until we get to the back of the dining room where there are three doors. I've seen the cooks come in and out of the two doors on the right, but the left door I've never once seen opened. Mr. Newman knocks three times before pushing the door open and holding it for me to walk in. "If you don't already know, you must bow for a Master. Good luck."
I nod once at Mr. Newman before heading into the room, which is deadly silent other than two hooded figures sat on the only chairs in the room. There’s a circle pattern on the ground, and inside it has the cat tattoo thing, but this time the words "Lost Time Academy" are in English. Latin class isn't going well for me—or anyone in it, I suspect—so I'm happy to see some English around here. Both hooded figures lower their cloaks at the same time, revealing their stern expressions and familiar features that remind me of their sons. Mrs. and Mr. Tale. Mrs. Tale is the one in charge; you can see it in the way Mr. Tale looks to her for guidance and for her to speak first. The years have made her stern expression highlighted in wrinkles, and her hair is nearly all grey, the tips still slightly brown like her sons’. She lifts her head higher, a notion I can't help but notice. She thinks she is better than me, than anyone else, I suspect.
"Madilynn Dormiens, the last time we saw you, you were twelve years old and following my sons around like a lost puppy," she informs me, and I smile back at her as I reply.
"I like to think they followed me, not the other way around, Mrs. Tale," I tell her, and she frowns.
"Did they not tell you to bow in the presence of a Master? You are facing two of them," she says, somehow lifting her head higher and making her nose look bigger. I glance at Mr. Tale, who is completely grey-haired now and covered in stress wrinkles that gather a lot on his forehead. He doesn’t look my way, instead he is focused on his hands like they hold all the answers in the world. The Tale brothers didn’t get their love for breaking the rules from him, that’s for sure. I’m actually hard pressed to see any similarities. When I pull my eyes back to Mrs. Tale, she looks extremely pissed. Well, I’ve already annoyed her, I might as well continue on this path. We were never going to be friends anyway.
"I learnt you only bow for a queen, king or goddess. That is what my parents told me...are you any of those too?" I say, regretting it a little when she slides off her chair and storms over to me. She harshly slaps me around the face the moment she can, so hard that I trip a little but manage to hold myself up all the same. Mrs. Tale goes back to her seat, clearing her throat as I place my hand on my cheek, feeling hot blood dripping from the corner of my mouth. I wipe a thumb across it before steeling my back and meeting her gaze.
"I will ignore your impudence this one time, due to the mere fact you were a good friend to my sons. When we come face to face again, you will bow, Miss Dormiens, or I will break your back to make sure you do. Do you understand?" she asks, and I don't doubt her words. She would have to break me if she thinks I’m going to bow for her.
"I understand perfectly," I bite out, tasting blood on my lip that is feeling more swollen by the minute.
"Now, I called you here because we have fantastic news. The Masters’ council has decided that you will be married," she says, a big smile on her red painted lips. Mrs. Tale feels like a snake in pretty clothing.
"To whom?" I immediately ask, feeling frightened for the first time since I came in here as her words register. Mrs. Tale knows it too, from the smile she is wearing.
"Mr. Roger Stalk. I believe you know of him," she replies, and my heart sinks almost instantly. Roger Stalk is not who I want to be with. Not now or ever. I’d rather throw myself off one of the large cliffs of this island than be forced into a marriage with someone I don’t love. This isn’t the middle ages, and she has to be crazy to expect me to just agree. Her sons won’t agree, or at least I hope they wouldn’t.
"What?" I whisper.
"Who else did you expect?" she asks and smiles before she laughs, because she knows the answer I won’t admit to myself. "My sons? No, no. They will be engaged to Ella Wateredge who is a Master’s child and only heir. They will make such lovely children with her, don't you think?" she says, pleased so much that it's a wonder her teeth don't pop out her mouth as she grins. I glance down at the tiled floor, seeing nothing but smooth, perfect flooring without a single crack.
It’s perfect, just like how Mrs. Tale expects her life to be. The Masters want complete silence and for us all to do what they want. Knox told me they are losing the war, and yet instead of defending us, they are spending their time planning arranged marriages by the sounds of it.
"No." The one word leaves my lips before I raise my head to meet Mrs. Tale’s eyes that look so much like her sons’. This is risky of me, I’m too smart not to realise that, but I won’t live a life where I’m commanded in everything I do. Mrs. Tale wants to take me away from the Tale brothers…and that isn’t happening again. Ever. I’ve lost Quin, and I will not lose them too.
"No? I do hope you mean they wouldn't make lovely children and not that you protest about your engagement?" she asks, needing me to make it clearer, even though we both know what I mean.
"I won't marry Roger or anyone that I don't choose myself," I slowly explain to her, making sure she understands me.
"Then you will be sent to the Masters’ army, beaten until there is no personality left in you, and then you will die as a dark tale takes your pathetic life in the war," she replies, waving a hand.
"No wonder your sons always called you cruel and heartless. I feel sorry for Mr. Tale; at least your sons can escape you at times," I remark, and to my surprise Mr. Tale chuckles as Mrs. Tale goes a strange shade of red.
"Get out! Now!" she screams at me, and I smile tightly before pulling the door open and walking out. Even though I got to walk away, she still won the battle. I'm engaged...how do I tell the Tale brothers that?
Chapter 24
I quickly run up the stairs after Mr. Newman congratulated me on my engagement and I couldn't say a word in response to him. He looked very happy, too smug, and I was inches from wanting to punch him for that look. I don’t look around or at anyone; I just run. I head straight for the only space I feel remotely safe in this place and the single place not all eyes are on me. The moment I step out into the cold air on the roof, I feel like I can finally breathe out the sob caught in the back of my throat. My cheek throbs and blood drips from where my teeth caught my lip when she hit me, but it's not the physical pain that makes me feel like I can't breathe. It's the dread and fear in my chest, the knowledge that I have no control over my life any longer. I was living a fairy tale, thinking that I'd be matched with the brothers and at least they would treat me right. I don't know Roger, nor do I like him from the time he spends kicking my ass in fight class. I wonder if Miss A knew all along we would be pushed together, so that's why for two months now, I've only fought him. At least I know I can put him to sleep easy if he pisses me off in our marriage. God, marriage. I'm seventeen, still in love with a human who haunts my dreams, falling for four brothers I was brought up with, and now engaged to another guy. What kind of fucked fairy tale is that?