JOURNEY INTO THE REALM: The Spell Master (Journey into the Realm Series) (30 page)

“We have to get out of here,” I said, finally coming to terms with the situation we were facing. “I can’t bear to see her again.”

“Then let’s go,” he suggested.

I nodded and slowly rose from beneath the tree. When I tried to urge Nathan along, I noticed his eyes were wide and his mouth hung open. The look on his face was of pure horror, so grief-stricken that I felt tears rush to my eyes again.

“Nathan, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you coming?” I asked, my voice cracking with every word.

“This can’t be happening,” he replied, his voice almost a whisper.

“What are you talking about?” I asked, worry paralyzing me completely.

I followed Nathan’s gaze to where his eyes rested. I immediately understood. All sense of willpower drained from my body, and I crumpled to the ground, my knees burying into the soft dirt.

“Not again,” I whimpered.

“He’s dead,” Nathan said, almost too quiet for me to hear. “Just…like…Janie.”

His face was buried in the ground, but I could still tell who he was. His clothes were burnt and torn to reveal the burn marks and gashes along his back. He had a neck wound similar to Janie’s, but the rest of his injuries were much, much worse. I shut my eyes tightly, but I knew staring into darkness wouldn’t chase away the images already imprinted in my mind.

“Get someone,” I said, eyes still shut firmly.

Nathan wouldn’t move, so I got up and staggered over to the crowd still gathered around Janie’s body.

“Daran’s dead,” I said as the bone-chilling realization finally sunk in.
Another
friend was dead.

Everyone turned to face me, shocked at first, and then horrified.

Lord Asher came forward and stood in front of me. “Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yes. Follow me,” I told him, swallowing a lump in my throat.

He nodded and followed as I walked back to where Nathan was standing. He hadn’t moved. His eyes were still trained on Daran’s body.

Lord Asher bent down to check Daran’s pulse as he had with Janie. Once again, I knew he wouldn’t find one. Daran was dead. Two of my friends had been brutally murdered. And I knew who was responsible. I hated them for it. I despised them. I wanted to kill them, too, for everything they had done to my friends and to me.

As Lord Asher retreated into the crowd, which now consisted of most of the school, I looked back on the many times Daran had asked me out, and I had turned him down. I felt bad for every rejection, even though it had only been harmless banter between us at the time.

“Nathan, let’s go. We can’t stay here like this. You said so yourself,” I reminded him.

For the first time since discovering Daran’s body, Nathan moved by nodding his head, but he didn’t speak. I took his hand and led him from the scene. Neither of us spoke as we walked away from the school and down the dirt roads that led to the edge of the town. We didn’t saddle any horses; we just walked to Birchwood City without speaking, our feet dragging so much they made rough imprints in the grass. Complete silence filled the countryside, as if nature, too, was shocked by Janie and Daran’s deaths.

I didn’t wonder how the school would deal with these murders. I didn’t wonder if someone wanted to question us or who would carry the blame. I didn’t care. I didn’t
want
to care. All I cared about was that my friends were dead, and no matter what Nathan said, I knew it was my fault. My secret had caused this. For a while, I had considered my secret a blessing. Now it was a curse. It was lethal.

When we finally made it back to Birchwood, Nathan insisted on walking me home. I told him not to, because I wasn’t the only one grieving. Daran had been one of his best friends. Thinking of friends made me remember that we hadn’t even spoken to Tavis, Aimee, Reid, or Ellie. Did they even know what had happened? Did they know two of our friends had been viciously murdered? If not, they would soon enough.

We walked the few roads to my house and then stood silently in front of my door for many moments. Finally, I decided it was time for me to speak.

“I’m so sorry,” I told him, my lip quivering.

He lifted his head. “Why are you sorry?” he asked.

“This is my fault. No matter what you say, I know it’s true,” I said. “I’m responsible for what happened.”

Nathan shook his head fiercely. “This is
not
your fault. The only ones to blame are the Element fairies. They deserve the guilt, even though I know they don’t feel any of it. Killing Janie and Daran was nothing to them, only a way to scare you. They feel no remorse, I’m sure of it,” he said coldly.

I didn’t reply to his statement. I didn’t know how to reply to something like that.

And it really didn’t matter who had actually killed Janie and Daran. I knew that no matter what, I was the reason for their deaths. I was the true murderer. No one would ever convince me otherwise.

“I should go,” I said. “You should too.”

He nodded and began to turn away but then turned back to face me. “You looked beautiful tonight, Ramsey.”

He withdrew into the night. Tears spilled down my cheeks. I wiped my eyes and stepped inside my house. I couldn’t think of anything else to do but sleep…

…for every part of me was sedated and vacant.

I woke up the next morning with a killer headache and my back in more pain than it had been in the last four months. I guessed my wings were trying to break through again and said a silent prayer asking for help to handle the situation well when it finally did arise. My life was already crazy enough. I tried my best to ignore the pain and got out of bed.

Janie and Daran. Janie and Daran were…dead. How could this happen? Why did this have to happen? Why?
Why?

I staggered to my wardrobe and threw on a pair of black breeches and my darkest green blouse; I didn’t have any black shirts. It was a time for mourning.

Ellie was sitting at my table, leaning over a cup of steaming tea. I wondered briefly when she had arrived. Last night or this morning? It didn’t really matter. Our friends were dead.

The sight of her made me gasp. She had deep purple bags under her eyes, and her hair was messy and snarled around her shoulders. Her face was red and blotchy. She was dressed nicely in an orange sundress, but it didn’t help her appearance one bit.

“Ellie…,” I whispered.

She looked up at me, her eyes a strange reddish color. Horrified, I had to look away.

“Ramsey,” she said in a hoarse voice that was not her own.

“Are…are you okay?” I asked.

“What do you think?”

“I…”

“They’re dead, Ramsey! They died last night. They’re gone…I’ve never experienced…that kind of…
pain
.”

“I know, Ellie. I found them. I know how you feel.”

“
You
found them?
Good
,” she said bitterly.

“What?” I cried, caught off guard by her brutal statement.

“I mean, I’m glad you knew right away. I didn’t find out until…” she couldn’t finish her statement because her tears got in the way.

I backed away. Ellie was acting strange. Not just strange. Wrong. “Ellie, you’re scaring me,” I said. My voice was shaky.

“Really? I thought finding the dead bodies of your friends would scare you more.”

“It did!” I insisted, completely stunned by her cruelty. “That’s it, Ellie; you need help.”

“I don’t want help,” she snapped. Then she groaned. “I can’t believe they’re dead. Our friends…gone. How could this have happened? Why did it have to happen?”

I went over to her and dragged her to her feet. Then I half-carried her out the door and down the street to Aaliyah’s home.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked repeatedly along the way.

“To get some help,” I told her. “I can’t take care of you all day, but I know someone who can.”

“I said I didn’t want help!” she cried out in aggravation.

“Just wait,” I told her.

I continued to drag Ellie down the street until we reached Aaliyah’s front doorstep. I knocked swiftly and waited. It took a few minutes for Aaliyah to open the door. When she did, she looked Ellie and me over with a confused look on her face.

“What’s going on?”

“Ellie needs your help,” I said frankly.

Her gaze swept over Ellie a second time and she nodded. “What’s wrong?” Aaliyah asked.

Ellie moaned softly. My grip on her arm tightened. I hoped she wouldn’t try to break away from me. “Haven’t you heard?”

“Heard what?”

I took a deep breath. “Two of our very good friends…were murdered last night,” I informed her.

Aaliyah gasped. “How? Where?” she asked.

“At our graduation party in Aubrey. Nathan and I found both of them. They appeared to be severely burned to death.”

Her face fell. “Ramsey…”

“I know,” I said, already assuming that she was about to bring up the Element fairies, “but let’s not talk about me right now. Ellie needs to be taken care of.”

“All right, bring her inside,” Aaliyah instructed.

I nodded and pulled Ellie through the front door and sat her down on the couch. Her head fell back, and I had to hold her up to keep her from falling over. She was a complete mess.

“Ellie, please sit up straight.”

“They’re dead…,” she moaned.

Aaliyah came over with a cup of hot tea. She sat down beside Ellie and lifted the cup to her lips. “Drink this and it will make you feel a little better,” Aaliyah said gently.

I saw Ellie nod slightly and sip from the cup.

“Aaliyah, is it okay if I leave? I have to talk with Nathan. I need to make sure he isn’t like this as well.”

She looked at me quizzically and then nodded. “Go ahead. We will be fine here.”

“I hope you feel better, Ellie,” I said before I walked out of the door.

Once outside, I traveled quickly down the roads leading to Nathan’s home. I was anxious as I walked because of the state Ellie was in and the state Nathan
could
be in. I wondered briefly why I was handling things so well. I think it was because I was so preoccupied with taking care of my friends. I wanted the ones who were still alive to be all right, especially since this whole thing was my fault.

The day was cold, bitter cold, as if the whole Realm was frozen, mourning the deaths of Janie and Daran.

I hugged my arms to my chest and braced the oncoming wind as I walked. I realized on the way that I wasn’t dressed appropriately, but when I had left the house my only concern had been Ellie.

When I knocked on the door, no one answered. I knocked again and still no answer. Where could he be? Was he all right? I shook my head in frustration and walked away from the house. Then a thought occurred to me; Nathan was probably at the tree.

Sure enough, when I walked up to the tree, I saw him perched on his favorite branch. I climbed up and sat across from him. “I thought you would be here,” I said.

“Thanks for thinking of me,” he replied in a gruff voice, hoarse from crying, I presumed.

I swallowed, trying to keep myself from tearing up. “I was worried. You should see Ellie…I was so scared for her. I took her to Aaliyah’s so she could get the right help. Then I thought about how you were last night….”

Nathan looked down and nodded. “I’m happy that you came. Things aren’t…going too well right now,” he told me.

His eyes were still the beautiful ones that I loved, but now they were filled with despair. I hated seeing him like this. I hated knowing he felt like this. It was heartbreaking.

“I feel the same,” I agreed.

“I just…”

“Don’t understand why?” I guessed.

“Yeah.”

“Same here,” I agreed once again.

There was silence for a long time after that.

“Stellan is coming today,” I remembered aloud. “I won’t be able to hang out with you for a few days…”

“Why not?”

I clasped my hands nervously. Why was I suddenly so anxious around him? “I suppose it wouldn’t be too bad to introduce you…if you wanted. You could come over for dinner tonight.”

“Seriously?”

“Only if you want to,” I said quickly, making sure not to put any pressure on him. “I think I would like Stellan to meet one of my best friends. Ellie will be there as well, so I don’t think it will be too awkward. And the three of us should stick together right now after all that has happened, you know?”

He thought about it for a moment and then nodded. “Okay, I’ll come.”

“Good. Have you heard from any of our other friends yet?” I asked.

“Aimee is with Tavis and his brothers at his house. My mother stopped by to make sure they were doing all right. I haven’t heard from Reid, though, and neither have Aimee or Tavis, but I doubt that he is taking this very well. He and Janie were close, from what I take it.”

“Yeah, they were. This whole situation is messed up. I haven’t even spoken to them yet. I feel horrible.”

“You shouldn’t,” he disagreed.

“I know,” I said, not wanting to start an argument, “but I still do.”

“I wish you wouldn’t. I feel bad enough for the two of us,” Nathan said.

“Why? You didn’t do anything.”

“Because of what I was thinking about last night while two of our friends were murdered. It was petty and selfish….”

“What were you thinking?” I asked.

“Never mind,” he said.

I had an idea of what he was referring to, so I didn’t ask about it again. I knew it had something to do with me and the truth spell, and everything we had discussed about our feelings last night.

“I have to go. I can’t miss Stellan’s arrival. Could you come over at around seven tonight?” I asked.

“I don’t know if I should really come. I mean, he is just coming home from war. You two should probably be alone….”

“Ellie and Aaliyah will be there. It will be fine. I…I want you to be there,” I assured him.

For some reason, I was afraid he would refuse. I really wanted him there. I didn’t know why, but I wanted him to be close.

“If you say so,” he said quietly.

“I
do
say so. Now I have to get going. See you tonight.”

“See you,” he replied.

I climbed down the tree, waved, and walked away when he didn’t wave back. Feeling unsettled and lost, I headed home. I hoped Nathan would be able to get through this. Maybe a dinner with friends could help. Still, I was worried about Stellan’s reaction to Nathan. What if he wouldn’t accept my best friend? What if he acted like Zora?

I couldn’t think about all this right now. My head was fuzzy, and I felt an aching numbness in my chest. I couldn’t stop the guilt from creeping up again. I was responsible for the deaths of my friends.

I walked back into my empty house and flopped down onto my bed. The dragons were gone – probably hunting – so I was left to occupy myself. I lay my head down and closed my eyes, not motivated to do anything else.

Images of Janie and Daran kept flitting through my mind. They floated before my closed eyes, the burn marks etched into my brain. Would they ever stop haunting me?

I didn’t think so.