Spearwood Academy Volume Eight (The Spearwood Academy Series Book 8) (3 page)

Horace places his hand on Amr's back. I smile. I'm glad he chose to help him.  It's an odd thing though, to have so many foreign magicks coursing through me at once.  Yet my own magic doesn't reject them, it only fuels me. Making it so that I don't feel like I'm pulling teeth to heal Paden. The white light shines from each of our hands following into his leg. The bones
pop
and
crunch
as they return to their original positions and meld back together.

Within minutes, we have one leg healed. It could've taken me a half an hour or longer to repair all of that just on my own. I couldn't be more thankful, or touched, that that they’re helping me.   I let out a sigh of relief. "We can do this. I say. I lean further across  Paden's body to touch his other leg.  I try not to think about the fact that he's just in his boxers.  I was never even close to Maverick in this state of undress. 

Amr has the luxury of just leaning over the other leg. The guys’ hands follow me, but move positions. Bullock's hand now rests on my lower back, Lusk stays with my hands, and Dante’s hand rests on my neck.  I take in a deep breath and let it out before I glance at Amr. "Ready?" I ask.   He gives a nod. "On three. One, two, three." The light shines from both our hands, but this time it more of the healing energy surges from us. As if excess from the shared magic has to escape somehow. His leg pops and crunches faster this time—like popcorn in a microwave after it has time to heat up a little.

Soon, his legs are perfect again and we are done. "Thank you," I say to all of them. That went faster because of your help. I just need to wake up up and we can get out of here."

I swallow hard. He'll still be brainwashed when I wake him up. I can't heal his mind too right now, that would be asking to much of my magic and my body. I'll just have to convince him I'm not the enemy. Then I can heal him once we find a safe place to lie low.

An explosion rumbles the Cabin and dirt flies through the door.

"We don't have much time!" Horace says.  

I place a hand on his forehead. "Wake up." The surge of blood rushing through my ears doesn't have as much power to it as it did before. Maybe my body has started getting used to the idea of me using other magicks. Paden gasps as he wakes up. He sits up. His hands going to his   torso and legs. His eyes look around at all of us, like some caged animal who has just been set free.

"It's okay. You're okay. We were able to heal you.  Are you hurt anywhere else?" I reach for his hand.

He scrambles off the bed, falling to the floor before he rights himself. "Get away from me, I don't need your help, I didn't want it in the first place. This won't restore our promise of marriage!"

His warped mind has made him deranged. Making me to be the source of all evil. I move across the bed and grab his hand. If I can access the guys’ memories by touching them, maybe I can share my own with them as well. "Paden, we were never engaged. That was a rouse set up by Roseman. None of your current memories are real. You didn't grow up in a mansion, and your parents have been missing for years now. Remember? You and Maverick came to live with me when you were fourteen. Let me show you." I close my eyes and focus on the memories of when we were little. Our training, us playing together, watching anime and Kdramas.

We all sat by the creek. Both Paden and Maverick cried. I'd never seen them cry this much, they always tried to be strong and never let their emotions get the better of them. But it had been two days and their parents Lyric and Melody hadn't returned home, and they weren't answering any of the contact phones they had left for them to try.

"It will be okay,” I say, rubbing each of their backs. "They'll come back eventually. They always do.  I'm sure your dad just was just tied up in some lengthy business meeting in New York and they haven't been able to find a phone to call us.

Both of them come to lean against me and I wrap my arms around them. "It will be okay," I say again. "I'll always be here with you guys." They smile, and do the whiskers marks on each of my cheeks.

"I know, Lon.  You're always one to give us hope.

Next, I show him the final day I spent with Maverick.

We look to each other. We’re almost in the clear. We just have to make it to the Cabin in one piece. “Do you need help getting on your horse? He’s bigger than your last one.”

I smile. I could probably get up on him myself, but the idea of Maverick helping is tempting. I wish we could be like a normal couple. We’re older now, we could really date, see the world . . .  if we want to. “I could use some help.” I bite my lip.

He grins. He walks over to me and places his hands on my hips. I look up into his ocean-blue eyes. Leaning over, he kisses me. Why can’t every second of the day be like this moment? I wrap my arms around his neck and deepen the kiss. He lifts me up and breaks the kiss as he places me on the horse. I turn my body and lift my leg over the saddle.

“We need to get going, so we can talk,” he says. “I could kiss you all day long and never tire of it. Just know that.”

“I feel the same way.”

He gets on his palomino horse, and we turn toward the forests on the edge of the land. “You don’t have your P.A. right?”

He shakes his head. “You?”

“Safely in my dorm.”

“Good. Want to race?”

“Of course, you know I’ll win. I always do.”

~*~*~*~

In the blink of an eye, we’re at the Cabin. We raced the entire way. Our horses seemed to enjoy it; they easily made it through the forest at top speed.

We tie up the horse and go to the Cabin’s door. Maverick stops before opening the door. Hanging on the handle is a necklace. The Gypsy necklace! He lifts it off the handle and places it around my neck. I hold onto it. I won’t have to transform tonight. Wedged between the door frame and the handle sits a rolled up piece of paper. I take it out and unravel it.

A.

I managed to get this back for you. Keep it hidden at all costs.

P.

Perlow did this. I guess he truly is on our side. I hand the note to Maverick and open the door. The Cabin hasn’t changed. It still has the same décor as the last time I was here and not in control of myself. I flop down on the couch with a sigh, as Maverick closes the door behind him.

“I wonder how he got it back.”

I shake my head. “Don’t know, but I’m glad to have it. I have no idea what kind of person I am to them now, but if it’s anything like the version I remember being, then I wasn’t cursed to change at night. They were able to modify that in me somehow, but this time they couldn’t touch me because of this.” I show him the Algiz mark when he sits down next to me. He takes my wrist in his hands and traces the mark with his index finger. A shiver runs down my spine; not like the one I had with Dante. This one, I swear, shakes my soul.

His eyes look into mine, and he brushes his finger over my wrist again. Another shiver racks my body, and he grins. Heat flares in my cheeks. The fireplace in front of us roars to life as if this place knows I don’t want him to see me blush and puts a spotlight on it anyway.

“I was wondering what she did to you back there, but I didn’t get a chance to ask.”

“It was kinda hectic, wouldn’t you say?”

“Only a little bit. How are you feeling?”

“Better. My chest was tight when I first woke up, but it’s gone away now. What happened after I blacked out? I know we were captured, but what was that thing that attacked me? It looked just like—”

“You? Yeah, I was surprised too. I don’t know what it was. After you went down, even more came. They just kept coming in droves. We would take one down and five more would take their place. The last thing I remember is seeing you go down and wanting to rush to your side. Then, I got hit, and went unconscious. When I woke up, I was in my room here at Spearwood. I thought it was odd that they would put us back in our beds, and let us walk around. After what we did, the punishment should’ve been more severe. Then I found Paden and realized what they had done. He’s not acting like the Paden we know. If anything, I would call him a pretentious prick. I was worried you had been affected too, when I first saw you being affectionate with Paden, but then I saw the look in your eyes, and I knew the truth.

“Yeah, I’d say that would be right on the mark. I’ve never heard him say someone acted too civilian in his entire life. Why weren’t you affected?”

“I honestly don’t know. I just wasn’t.”

“Well, at least we have each other. We need to figure out how to fix the others. It’s not like we can run off to New York again, and I have no idea what the Sea Witch used in that broth, but it tasted like pure bile.”

“I don’t know either. We’ll find a way; we always do.”

~*~*~*~

I walk around the living room. “Mav?” I call.

“Out here!”

One of the windows near the front door stands open. I go outside and cup the mug with both hands. “What are you doing out here? It’s kinda chilly.”

“I don’t feel it. Look at how beautiful the sunrise is.”

Hues of pink and purple mingle together amongst the fluffy clouds. The clearing around the Cabin gives a perfect view of it. “Absolutely gorgeous,” I say.

I stand next to him and he wraps his arm around me and gives me a kiss on the head. I sigh. I wish we could stay here forever.

“I’m sorry about last night. I didn’t mean to ruin it.”

He sets his mug down and turns me so my back faces the Cabin. “You didn’t ruin anything. I love you and nothing could ruin that.”

“I’m so glad I admitted my feelings to you in the barn that day. I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“That was the happiest day of my life.”

He leans over and kisses my forehead, nose and lips.  I run my hand through his black hair. The white forelock hangs in front of his eyes, and I push it behind his ear. I like that he hasn’t tied it back yet for the day. “Let’s just stay here forever. No one knows we’re out here. We could just live in the forest.”

Maverick sighs. “You know we can’t do that, Lon. We have to fix my brother and yours. We can’t leave them in that state.”

He’s right. I wish he wasn’t. “Then let’s just stay here for the morning and make out. I don’t want to have to think about the rest of the world.”

He grins. “Now, I think that could be arranged.”

His warm lips meet mine in a gentle kiss, but a thump makes me pull away from him. Where did that sound come from? No one else is out here.

Maverick grunts, and I look to him. He grips at his chest and falls to his knees. A gasp escapes him.

“Mav?” Cold rushes over my body. I fall to my knees with him. “Mav, what’s wrong?”

Blood trickles down the corner of his mouth. I can’t breathe. I look over his shoulder. The end of an arrow sticks out near the left side of his back. Red feathers attached as the fletching. “Oh God!” I gasp. “I need to heal you now!”

He rips open his shirt. A black spot spreads out over his heart. He shakes his head no. “You can’t,” he gasps. “I’ve been poisoned by nightshade. There’s no cure.”

His body falls forward into me. “I have to try. My Angel powers will cure you.”

He shakes his head against my shoulder. “No. That will kill you.”

“I don’t care.”

“I do.”

A sob erupts from me. My fingers go into his long black hair. “Please don’t leave me.”

“You need to live, Lon.” His gasps are becoming shorter.

“I don’t want to live without you. This isn’t the end.”

Maverick uses my shoulders to push himself up to look at me. He kisses my forehead; his lips blue, an effect of the nightshade. “I . . .” He sways and falls forward again. His body convulses in my arms before he goes still.

“Maverick?” I can’t feel his breath on my shoulder. I lift a hand to check for a pulse. Nothing. “Maverick!”

I open my eyes only to find the image of Maverick dying fading form a sphere in front of me.  I wipe away   the hot tears that snail down the sides of my cheeks. I wasn't expecting everyone to see that. I thought he would only see it like I do in their minds. I didn't want everyone to see my last day with Maverick, but Paden needed to see it for closure. 

Paden yanks his hand from mine. He has tears in his eyes as well. "Are you part sorceress now too?"   I don't believe you! I don't believe any of it. You're trying to trick me!"   

"No!" I say. Tears start coursing down my cheek harder. "No, Den.  You're brainwashed. Try to look past the memories they placed in the front of your mind and dig deeper. "

"Where are my clothes, what did you do with them?" A new set of the Spearwood uniform appears on the bed, folded. Another explosion shakes the Cabin, even more dirt and rock fly through the door.

"We don't have time for this. We need to get out of here before they bomb the place!" Triton yells, as the noise of the battle grows louder as it gets closer.

I search my mind, for something, anything that his false memories won't be able to dissuade him from. I need physical proof.

"Look at the bottom of your right foot! I say.