by D. D. Larsen
The cold tiles feel good on my warm cheek. Voices echo around me. The pain in my stomach increases as the nausea grows. I hate feeling weak, so I try to push it back. I need to get to my room and then I can fall apart where nobody is watching. As I try to move, my stomach rebels.
My throat burns as I empty my stomach on the entry room floor. Someone pulls my hair back and rubs my back.
There is yelling and feet pounding. I’m dizzy, floating.
A cup is shoved in my face. They want me to drink something, but I don’t think my stomach will be able to keep it down. I struggle, not wanting to drink it.
My mouth is forced open. Cool liquid pours down my throat and hits my turbulent stomach. The soothing starts to happen slowly as the world around me comes back into focus.
Blinking a few times, I look around. A large crowd has gathered. Wren is holding me, and Edward is squatting down next to him with a bottle in his hand.
I look at them and ask, “What happened?”
Edward reaches forward and brushes hair out of my eyes. I know he is my father, but up until now, he has been trying to keep his distance. He looks at me with eyes that match mine and says, “Jamie, you were poisoned.”
“Poisoned? But I was with Liam at Roberta’s coffee shop all afternoon. How could I have been poisoned? Will Liam be okay?”
I reach for my phone. I need to call him and make sure he is okay.
Edward looks at me and asks, “How well do you know this Liam guy?”
Is he implying that Liam did this to me? He basically asked me to marry him today. Why would he try to kill me?
I frown at him. “Very well. He was my boss for three years and now he is my boyfriend.” There are a few gasps from the crowd still circling us.
I get it, I slept with my boss. Why is that such a huge deal?
Behind me I feel Wren stiffen. And then it hits me. They don’t care that he was my boss. It was the second part that shocked everyone. They all think I am with Wren. I will admit we have been acting like a couple since we got here, but why is there so much shock?
Edward breaks the awkward silence. “Well it is known that you frequent the shop, so someone may have added it when you weren’t looking.” He turns and barks at a few people in the crowd. “Tell everyone to stay away from the shop and inform Roberta what happened.” Turning to another he says, “Start making more of the antidote just in case. If he got his hands on Moon Dust, we need to be prepared.”
Moon dust? I feel lost.
If it was in what we were drinking, then that means Liam was poisoned, too. I try to stand up, but Wren holds onto me. I wrestle from his grip. “I need to go check on Liam. He could have been poisoned, too!”
I know he doesn’t like the guy, but does he really want him to die?
Wren looks at me and says, “He is fine. Unless he is a wolf, the Moon Dust will have no effect on him. I’ve mentioned it before, Jamie, but you are in danger. The Eldest Brother is trying to kill you and he is running out of time, so his attempts are becoming bolder.”
I’m too tired and confused to argue. “Okay, but I’m exhausted. Could you help me up to my room?”
As he helps me to my feet, I look down at the vomit that is on the floor. It’s blood. I was vomiting blood.
Maybe it is time I started listening to Wren and accept that I am in danger.
Chapter 33:
Tired, sick, and lying in bed. Again. I stare up at the ceiling. This is getting old. I was finally starting to feel better and now I feel like I have to start all over again. Wren says that I got the antidote early enough, so it should pass quickly.
Why is the Eldest Brother trying to kill me?
I know there are things I am not being told and it is about time I figure them out. Today I will rest, but tomorrow I will hunt down answers. My plan is to start with Andre. He seems like he knows stuff and is young enough to bribe with candy.
My phone dings. Liam Thanks for getting coffee with me, love you
The love in the sign off hits me hard. He mentioned it in passing when I got into the car, but he never repeated it. Does he really love me or is this just a sign off?
Before I can reply, another text comes in. Liam When can I see you again?
A very good question, Liam. I have a feeling he would not be welcome, and not just by Wren. Everyone in this building expects me to be with Wren. We are destined, why wouldn’t we be together? Or at least that is what everyone here seems to think.
Hello, it’s the twenty-first century and females have choices!
Why does everyone else have to be involved in my love life? Isn’t finding out I have the wolf spirit enough for a girl for the week? Before I can venture any farther down the self-pity path, there’s a knock on the door.
It’s open, and I really don’t feel like getting up, so I yell for them to come in.
Edward enters, taking me by surprise.
After our first interaction, when he told me he was my biological father, he has been keeping his distance.
He walks over and sits on the corner of the bed as I pull myself up to sit.
Looking at me, he asks, “How are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. My body was still not one hundred percent after the infection so it hit me hard, but I’m starting to feel better.”
“That’s good to hear. When I saw you crumple to the floor, I was worried we were too late. Moon Dust is like poison to us. It comes from the petals of a flower found deep in the forest and is very rare. Luckily, we always keep some antidote on hand just in case.” He pauses and then continues. “One thing this did was confirm that you have the wolf spirit inside of you. If you didn’t, it wouldn’t have affected you. Why you haven’t transformed, nobody seems to know.”
I’m not sure how to talk to Edward. He is my father, but he is also a stranger. “Edward, I have no doubt that I have the wolf spirit in me. I can feel her inside of me. I always have, I just didn’t realize what it was.”
Edward, who is still looking uncomfortable says, “As soon as you are feeling better, we will help you figure out how to transform.”
“Okay.” Do I even want to transform?
Edward stands. “Jamie, I know you have no reason to listen to me, but I feel like I need to say this. How much do you know about Liam? From what Wren told me, the attacks started right before he came to town and have increased since he has been around. We know the description of the Eldest Brother from the legend, but nobody has seen him and knows what he actually looks like.” He pauses as concern flashes across his face. “Maybe I am just getting ahead of myself, but it may be a good time to distance yourself from him.”
I almost laugh at the insinuation. Liam. My normal option. Liam is the most normal person I know. Edward’s wrong. Making something from nothing.
Sitting up a little straighter, I say, “I know you are just trying to watch out for me, but I am pretty good at doing it for myself. I have known Liam for over three years. He may not fit in here, but he isn’t a wolf. He is my boyfriend, and I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interrogate him. I will talk to him, see if I get anything from him hinting that he knows anything. He is the only normal I have left in my life. Don’t ruin that.”
I can tell he wants to say more but he stops himself. He walks toward the door, turning around right before he leaves. “Jamie, coming from your father and as the head minister of this school, you are not to leave these walls without a guard. It doesn’t have to be Wren, but I don’t want you going out alone. Not until you learn how to protect yourself.”
Feeling like a scolded little girl, I send back a glare.
I hate being told what to do.
It’s morning. I feel better and I am on a mission. Wren came in late, crawling into bed without a word. I know I should tell him we should sleep in separate beds, but I don’t want to. I will soon, but for now I need the comfort.
He left before I woke up. I know he is upset. The moody Wren I first met has returned. I’ll de
al with him later. For now, I need answers.
With Wren being moody, I don’t want to ask him. He has also been evading my questions. I can tell he is hiding something from me; my question is why?
Showered and dressed, I go in search of Andre. He may not know everything but it’s a place to start. As I leave the room, I debate where to begin looking for him. It’s too late for breakfast so the dining hall is out. The wing that classes take place in seems like the next best option.
The Academy is still very new to me, so if anyone asks what I am doing it will be easy to tell them I’m lost or that I’m just trying to get more acquainted with the building.
As I enter the wing, I find a room of older students. From what’s on the board, it looks like they are learning some type of math. I always seem to forget that this is actually a school.
A little farther on, I hear grunting, people fighting. I hurry my pace to see if I can help. The wolf spirit seems to increase aggression in individuals, so fights are not an uncommon occurrence at The Academy.
As I round the corner, I find a gymnasium, where people are wrestling on mats.
My eyes zero in on Wren. He is fighting with one of the older students. His shirt is off, and he is glistening with sweat. And he’s good, really good. I can tell he is holding back, but he is still clearly winning the fight.
A voice next to me snaps me out of my staring. “Sexy, isn’t he?”
I look over to find the girl, Chloe, who I met before. I nod, mesmerized. I knew he could fight as a wolf, but it surprises me that they are training in human form.
Wren catches my eye and puts a pause to the fight. He grabs a shirt, wiping off his forehead before pulling it over his head. “Hey Jamie, how are you feeling?”
I blush, still thinking about how his ripped chest looked as he fought. “Better, like yesterday never happened.”
“That’s good to hear.”
He looks over my shoulder and says in a warning tone, “Chloe, aren’t you supposed to be in pre-calc right now?”
She mumbles something and scurries out of the room. Wren turns his attention back to me as I say, “She has a crush on you.”
He smirks. “I know. She isn’t exactly subtle about hiding it. I seem to be really good at attracting the ones I don’t want and scaring away the ones I do.”
Well, shit.
Thankfully, he changes the subject. “When are you going to join us? In the mornings, we train in human form and in the afternoon, we train in wolf form outside.”
“Why do you train in human form? If you have claws, why would you not pull them out in a fight?”
He motions for me to follow him as he heads over to grab water. “It is important to be able to defend yourself at any time. I have experience so I can change very fast, but most can’t, and it can put you in a precarious spot. Also, it’s not always the best idea to change into a wolf. If you are in a place where people can see you, it’s forbidden.
“But I am serious, Jamie, as soon as you are feeling up to it, I would like you to start training. And we need to see if we can get you to change. I would feel so much better if you were able to protect yourself. I can’t always be there.”
I do want to learn how to protect myself. I felt so helpless when that wolf was bounding towards me, and I hate that feeling.
I take the water Wren offers me and reply, “I would like that. This afternoon, I could come down. I don’t know how long I will last, but I would like to start.” Even if I never transform, I should at least know how to defend myself.
Wren heads back to the mats as I turn to leave. As I look over my shoulder, I see that his shirt is off again, and he is talking with the guys he was fighting with.
He put it on for me. He respects my decision and isn’t trying to push me. Why can’t he just be a jerk? This would all be easier if he was.
I push the door open to go in search of Andre. The Academy isn’t that big, he must be here somewhere.
For the next two hours, I wander around The Academy. On the bright side I have a much better understanding of the layout, but all the walking has tired me out and I told Wren I would join him for training this afternoon.
Just as I am heading back to the room, I round a corner and find Andre. He is alone. Perfect.
I say his name and his head pops up. “Hello, Ms. Jamie, you are looking really nice today.” Such a little charmer.
“Thanks, Andre, I was actually just looking for you. Have you eaten lunch yet?”
Hopefully my intuition will be right and he knows more than he should. I need answers.
Chapter 34:
What is the best way to get a young boy to talk about something he isn’t supposed to talk about?
I know I can’t just come out and ask. If it was that easy then I would have been able to just ask anyone and get the information, but they’ve all been evasive.
After we get food, we sit down at a table. It is still early so there aren’t many people around, but I pick a table that is farther away in hopes that nobody will hear us.
All right Jamie, young boy, what do I talk about? “Hey Andre, so do you have any action figures?”
He gives me a look and then says, “Jamie, I’m ten. I don’t have action figures. Those are for babies.”
Well great, good job, Jamie. Now what do I say?
Luckily, he starts talking so I don’t have to come up with something else.
“Video games and comics are my favorite. I love reading about superheroes. We are basically superheroes with the wolf spirit so it’s cool. I’m not old enough to change yet, but I can feel him inside of me. Why haven’t you changed yet? Everyone is talking about how you are different because you’re a girl, but why should that matter?”
I shrug. “Andre, I wish I knew. All this is so new to me, I feel like a fish out of water. I’m finally feeling better, so we are hoping to work on me changing soon.” If I decide to change. I haven’t decided if I actually want to go down that road. This world seems so complicated, I want as little to do with it as possible.
“Well, I’ve heard adults talking; I can be very sneaky. Please don’t tell on me,” he says and I nod confirming his secret is safe with me. “If you don’t change soon, it may mess everything up. There is supposed to be some ceremony during the spring solstice to bind you and Wren. And if it doesn’t happen, we all die.”
His words hit hard. Bound to Wren. Must change. Die.
Andre goes on about one of the comics he is reading while eating his pizza. I don’t really hear what he is saying, and my appetite has disappeared.
Don’t panic Jamie, this is coming from a ten-year-old. Not the world’s most reliable source.
I knew they were hiding stuff, but if what Andre says is true, any chance at a regular life is lost. Isn’t it?
Excusing myself, I walk out the balcony to call Liam. My normal.
It rings once and he picks up. “Hey beautiful, how are you doing this morning?”
Terrible. Horrible. Confused. “Fine, what about you?”
“Good! It’s been very productive. The last few weeks in general have been productive. It’s amazing how much work you can get done when you are trying to distract yourself.”
His words sink in. I know I have been putting him through a lot. I should let him go. But he is my normal and I don’t want to lose that. “Well, I guess there is a bright side to any situation!”
My voice is a little too forced and he must be able to hear it, because he says, “Jamie, how are you really? You know you can talk to me about anything, right?”
Unfortunately, that is not true, unless I want you running for the hills.
Ignoring his question, I ask my own. “What are you up to? Want to do something?”
I hear some papers shuffle, then he answers, “Yeah, what did you have in mind? I can have my assistant move everything else for the day so we can spend it together.”
I need a distraction. I don’t care what we do as long as I am not
here.
I ask, “How does lunch sound, and then we can go from there?”
“Sounds great. Are you ready now?”
“Yes. Perfect. Pick me up at The Academy?”
“Sounds good. Be there in ten.”
With that, he hangs up and I hurry towards the front entrance. The sooner I leave this place behind, the better.
I run out and jump into Liam’s car the second he pulls up, hoping to get out of here before anyone can stop me. I need space, room to breathe, and the walls of The Academy feel as if they are closing in on me.
Seeing my haste, Liam pulls out quickly. He waits until we are a little way down the road before pulling over to the side, cutting the engine, and turning to me.
“Jamie, what’s up? You are starting to scare me. You need to give me something.”
I can’t give him everything, but he deserves an explanation. “Okay, but it is going to sound crazy. Bear with me until I am done.”
Trying to decide what to say, I pause a moment. It would be really nice to have some outside perspective on this. I take a deep breath.
“So last week, when I disappeared, I was very sick. It turns out I have this weird genetic thing that caused me to get fevers and sleep for a long time. That is why I was at The Academy, not the hospital. It’s because they know how to deal with it. I kept trying to ignore it, but it is becoming more and more difficult.
“I just want to have a simple and traditional life, but the more I learn, the less I think that will be possible. Also, to top it all off, I just learned my mom had an affair with the headmaster of The Academy. So, my dad is not my biological dad.
“I really care about you, but I can’t seem to fully trust you yet. You have been great since you reached out, but I can’t help but wonder what caused your change in attitude. Nothing is simple and I feel like I just can’t handle much more.”
After I say the last words, I pull my knees into my chest and begin to cry. I hate crying, especially in front of other people. But I can’t hold it in any longer. Why did this have to happen to me? Why does this have to be my destiny?