by Valia Lind
"Absolutely."
Something shutters inside of me at his raw honesty. He doesn't play games, doesn't rely on gimmicks. He's so real with me, that I want to be that way with him as well.
"Me too." I barely whisper, but I know he hears me.
"What are you afraid of?" he asks, keeping his voice as gentle as possible.
"The Ancients. Their magic terrifies me. What if we don't win? What if we lose many in the battle? Those are more of 'when' questions, instead of the 'what if' if I'm being honest."
Nolan reaches over, placing one hand over my own on the table and for some reason, I calm instantly. It's like he's an anchor in a storm, and I'm finally relying on it.
"That scares me too. I'm afraid of losing people." He doesn't take his eyes off me, even as his thumb begins to make small circles against my skin.
"You come from a strong family. They stand a chance."
"I wasn't talking about my family."
There's no denying his meaning and it makes my skin tingle with intensity. He feels it too, just like I do. The connection between us, the pull that keeps sweeping us together.
I'm not sure what would've happened then, or what I would've said, when a scream shatters the quiet around us.
8
Nolan and I turn as one, zeroed in on what's making the commotion.
Two ladies are at a table by the front of the cafe, one is on the floor, convulsing, as the other screams. I jump to my feet, rushing past the tables and the customers standing up to see what's going on.
Just as I reach her, she begins to vomit. Dropping to my knees I grab her, turning her on her side so she doesn't choke on the bile. Her skin feels scorching beneath my fingertips and sticky with sweat.
"What happened?" I ask, as she begins dry heaving. Her friend just keeps staring at us, and I feel her panic like physical punches. Only years of training keep me from reacting.
"Ma'am," Nolan speaks up, stepping in front of the friend and directing her attention to him. "Could you tell us what happened?"
"She was fine." The woman speaks up, and now I feel not only panic, but horror. "She coughed and then she just started shaking and..."
"Hey, it'll be okay. Krista is medically trained. She's take care of her."
He gives me an encouraging smile over his shoulder, as he leads the lady away. The woman in my arms has stopped vomiting, but she's still shaking and sweating profusely.
"Whit," I call out to my friend, who's hovering over my shoulder. "Call my mom."
Without a word, she steps aside, reaching for her phone.
"Can you hear me?" I turn my full attention back to the sick woman. She seems to be hovering near unconsciousness, her eyes completely unfocused. I can tell she's human, but I can also feel an underlying magic, and I don't know where it's coming from. Whitney is now ushering onlookers away, and once they've moved on a little, I allow my magic to unfurl.
It moves slowly through her body, searching for the cause of the sickness. My own body grows weaker, as if it's taking the power from me and pulling it into her. The exhaustion comes next, and I try to pull back but my magic won't budge. It continues to move, spreading throughout her as if it's carried by her blood.
I hear my name being called, but I can't seem to move away from the woman. Vaguely, I feel arms wrapped around my middle, and then I'm being yanked away. I come back to myself as if a rubber band snapped back into place.
Focusing my eyes, I see my mother rushing in and falling on her knees by the woman.
"Are you okay?" Mama asks me, and I manage a nod. She turns back to her patient and I realize I'm still sprawled out on the floor, leaning against Nolan, who has his arms wrapped around my stomach. He's the one to pull me away from the woman. His presence, and the feel of his body against mine, stabilizes the storm of emotions inside of me. I let myself relax for just a moment, before I'm pushing up to a sitting position.
"Thanks," I mumble, as he helps me stand, tugging on my hands. He gives them a quick squeeze and steps behind me, a wall of encouragement at my back. I watch as my mother does her own study of the patient, but I don't feel her magic reaching out.
"Mama?"
"Nolan, I need you to help me get her back to my clinic. Krista, please pull the car around." Mama gives her orders, without taking her eyes off the woman in front of her. "Whitney, I need some cool compresses."
We spring into action without hesitation. But before I can take a few steps, there's another scream and then a man to my left goes down to the floor. He's shaking and screaming, much like the first woman and then people start running.
Pushing past us, I get spun around, before Nolan's arms reach out once more and snatch me out of the way of the herd. He holds my back against his front, his arm protecting me from the world. The moment the people are gone, I move towards the fallen man.
"Don't touch him, Krista!"
I've never heard my mother shout before, and I freeze in my tracks. She throws her arm out, and I can see a protective shield pulse around the man.
"Mama?"
"It's not a normal sickness," she says, getting up off the floor. "Nolan."
"On it."
He moves past me, without question. I stand in the middle of the cafe, completely helpless. I know how to heal, I know how to help people. But if I can't?
"Mama, what do I do?"
"Get the car, sweetheart," she says, her voice calm once again. She's in control of her emotions, while I'm freaking out. I want to be strong like her, but I feel like I'm failing.
"Krista," Nolan's voice reaches me and then I spring into action. Grabbing the keys from my mother, I race outside, pulling the car to the newly painted parking spot right in front of the doors. When I open the door to get out, Nolan is already outside with the woman in his arms.
"Mama?" The worry overtakes my body at the sight. If I'm not allowed to touch them because of the sickness, what about him?
"He's fine, Krista. Trust me," she says, holding the door open. He places the woman gently in the seat, before rushing back inside to help the man. They get him inside the vehicle, as I step back and out of the way.
"Mama, I want to help."
My mother stops beside me, running her hand over my hair. I can't read any of her emotions, she's keeping them more guarded than I've ever seen.
"I know, sweetheart. But not like this. I've seen this before, I know how to protect myself from it. You don't. Go to the library. Asked Myla for the White Plague papers. I'll be at the clinic."
"Mama..."
"No arguments, Krista. Go."
She doesn't wait for a response, getting in the car and driving away. Nolan comes to stand beside me, and when he reaches for my hand, I hold onto it tightly.
"What is happening to my town?" I ask, my voice barely audible. But I feel like I'm broadcasting my emotions as neon signs above my head.
"Hey," Nolan pulls on the hand he's holding, turning me to face him. "We'll figure it out. Let's go back to the library and see what the White Plague is all about."
I study him carefully, still a blank page where his emotions should be. But so much concern in his eyes that I can't seem to look away. He's a pillar of strength, and I am ready to lean on him if need be.
"Let's go."
I have so many questions, I'm not even sure where to start.
Mama knew exactly the type of sickness that overtook the two customers at the cafe, but how could she? I felt the magic draining out of me the moment I went searching for the decease, but how is that possible? And what is the White Plague?
"Here you go," Miss Myla places an old book in front of me, her face crestfallen.
"Do you know about the White Plague?" I ask, before she can move away. She inhales sharply, placing a hand over her heart, as her eyes fill up with tears.
"All the information we have is in that book," she replies, "But what I do know is the devastation the sickness brings."
With that, she turns and leaves Nolan and m
e sitting at the table, looking after here.
"Why won't she tell us more?" Nolan asks, turning back to face me.
"I'm not sure," I reply, "It's something that's always been the case. She can bring us books, but the information she can actually tell us is very limited."
But it doesn't diminish the fact that she's distraught and that is evident. Nolan and I haven't talked about what happened at the cafe, and I honestly don't know where to start. Every day we seem to be met with new challenges. I'm not sure how much of it I can actually handle.
"Hey," Nolan is once again there to break through my self-deprecating thoughts, turning my attention back to him. "Let's see what we can learn."
He points to the book in front of me and I'm grateful for his calm presence, now more than ever. He's done this since the moment I met him. I give him a quick smile, before reaching for the book. The moment my fingers touch the leather a rush of magic courses through me, starting at my fingertips.
"You okay?" Nolan asks, leaning closer to peer at my face.
"There's magic here. Old magic." I reply, before I flip open the book. The feeling intensifies, mesmerizing me as I stare at the elegant script on the page.
"Whose handwriting is that?" Nolan asks, as I leaf through the entries. There is a lot of information here. It speaks about the history of the town, and the medical history of its residents. Records that date back for centuries. There are diagrams and tables, and sketches. It's like an encyclopedia of all the diseases our town has ever known.
"I think it's my great great grandmother," I whisper, running my finger over the handwriting. I can feel my family's magic calling out to me from the pages. This is my heritage.
"That's amazing," Nolan's voice has taken on the same tone of reverence that I'm feeling. Sure, I've read old texts before. But nothing that belonged to my blood. Not like this.
"I've never seen it before. I didn't even know it existed."
Why haven't Mama ever shown this to me? I've been training to take her place since I was fifteen years old. Even before then, my sister and I have always known our roles and we've been preparing for them. But since the Ancients began waking up, it's like they're bringing not only their evil creatures to light, but all the hidden secrets of Hawthorne.
"Why wouldn't I've been told about this?" I ask, looking up at Nolan. He can't answer that of course, being the new guy in town. But the frustration that courses through me is almost a tangible thing between us.
"There must've been a reason," Nolan replies after a full minute of silence. Tentatively, almost if he's not sure of his reception, he reaches over, placing his hand over mine. I surprise us both when I don't hesitate to flip my hand and entwine my fingers with his. There is something simply beautiful in holding someone's hand. Such small contact, but such a great connection.
I think I can sit here, with our skin touching for an eternity.
But now is not the time. I can't allow my mind to become clouded by these feelings. No matter how much I long to explore everything Nolan can be, I have much bigger issues to take care of.
"Let's see what we can find about the White Plague."
When I let go of Nolan's hand, my heart speeds up with anxiety once more. He calms me in a way I didn't know was possible. Or in a way that I needed. Focus, Krista. I'm at the point where I have to give myself stern commands apparently. For a moment, I think Nolan can tell what I'm thinking, but that might just be his shifter superpowers. I need to get these hormones under control before I make a fool out of myself.
Leafing through the pages, I scan for any mention of the disease. There is a lot of information to go through. Much of which I've never even heard of before. Pulling on my magic, I try to see if I can pinpoint the location, but my magic doesn't work like that. Shaking my head, I try again, this time focusing on the fear I felt when I was standing in that cafe, watching the two human writhe in pain.
The book jerks, surprising both of us and I pull my hand back in time for the pages to turn on their own. In mere seconds, the book falls open, and Nolan and I both lean forward to read the entry.
The White Plague.
"It says here Hawthorne experienced a wave of it almost...forty years ago," I read, pulling the book closer to us. "The White Plague comes with no symptoms, hitting the body's temperature, before moving through the whole system like a virus. Depending on the individual, the White Plague affects eyesight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste differently." I skim down a few more lines. "It always begins with human hosts, as they are more open to the magical effects of the disease. The White Plague feeds on magic and therefore must be guarded against at all times."
I stop reading, understanding falling over me at once.
"That's why I felt drained," I say, looking up at Nolan. "The magic I was using to try and pinpoint the problem was feeding the sickness. I didn't know..."
"Of course you didn't," Nolan interrupts before full panic can set in. "You did what you thought was right."
"And I probably made it worse for that woman."
"You can't blame yourself for that."
"Maybe. Maybe not." I turn back to the book, looking for some kind of an answer about the source. "It doesn't say anything about the root of the sickness. It just says it comes out of nowhere, and stays until the 'appetite has been fed'? What does that even mean?"
The frustration is back, heating up my skin as a physical manifestation. I really need to keep my emotions more guarded than this. I can't allow myself to lose control. There is so much at stake.
"My mother knew about this," I speak up again, my eyes still on the book. "If this is to be believed, it's going to get much worse before it gets better. I don't see anything that gives us an answer on how to stop it."
Nolan doesn't say anything, but I can see the concern in his eyes. I don't have to read him to know he's feeling it too. As if something is coming and we have no way of stopping it.
9
We stay until the sun has gone down.
I've read over all the information I could find on the White Plague, but nothing tells me on how to stop it. I called Mama earlier, asking for an update, and all she said is the council is handling it and not to worry. How I'm supposed to do that is beyond me.
"Come on, scholar. We need to get going." Nolan leans over my shoulder, reaching for my pen. Because I'm so tired, I let him take it, before he scoots the chair around so I'm facing him. "You need rest. You've been at this all day."
"So have you," I reply, smiling. He shakes his head a little, before reaching for my hands and pulling me up to a standing position. The movement brings us ridiculously close together and I inhale his sent unashamed. He chuckles, not missing a thing, but doesn't step back.
"Thank you for being here," I say, looking up into his handsome face. Since we met, we've been all over the place. He's made me angry and he's made me frustrated, but today, he made me feel safe. Just by standing by my side.
"Always," Nolan replies, looking down into my eyes.
When we leave the library, the sun has gone down and the streets are filled with tourists.
It's easy to distinguish the shifters and witches from the rest of the crowd. Their eyes are more focused, more watchful. We look like we're at the brink of a war, and we are.
I haven't heard from Harper or Leah all day, but a part of me is not worried. Both of them are with their loves, and if anyone can keep each other safe, it's those couples. I sneak a peek at Nolan, walking quietly beside me. He's matching his steps to mine, staying close.
This connection between us is thrilling and terrifying at the same time. I would love to let myself explore all the avenues, but a part of me is still cautious. I can't read him and I don't feel like I can ask him about that just yet. For someone who feels everyone's emotions, I am scared to feel my own.
"We should grab some dinner and take it back to your house," Nolan breaks the comfortable silence, turning my attention back to him. "We can check and see if your mom n
eeds anything."
He knows exactly what I want before I even realize it. Because the thought of checking on her was just forming in my mind.
"Let's go check on her first and then we can grab something."
"Sounds good."
He moves closer as a group of people walk by us, stepping into my space. There's a comfort to his nearness that I'm learning to enjoy more and more. So before he can move back, I reach out and loop my arm through the crook of his. He jerks in surprise, but pulls me closer, and just like that, I feel like I'm exactly where I belong.
We've only taken a few steps when my phone buzzes in my back pocket. Reaching for it with my free hand I see that I have a text from Harper.
Heard what happened. You ok?
I exhale a sigh of relief. Nolan stops walking, noticing the change in me.
"It's Harper." He nods, as I text.
I'm okay. How are things on your end?
Hectic. The magic here is powerful. It's scary.
I can feel her fear through the phone. I want to offer words of encouragement, but how does one push through their own fear? We're in such uncharted waters here, I'm not sure my words would even work.
I feel Nolan move closer, as if he can tell I'm freaking out on the inside. Glancing up at him, I meet his eye and the constant encouragement I find there. Just like that, I know what to say.
I'm scared too, Har. But we are not alone. We'll get through this.
As I type the words, I find them to be true. It takes only a few seconds and then I get a reply.
You always know what to say <3 gtg love you
Love you too
Just like that, we both feel better. Now I just wish my sister would get back to me. I open up her messages, in case I missed one, but nothing. I would know if anything happened to her, and Jay is there to help her, but it would be nice if she would contact me and let me know herself. This is what Harper must feel like thinking of her sisters. I definitely don't like it.
"Everything okay?" Nolan asks, glancing between me and the phone.