Chapter 14 #2
“Sit down. She didn’t attack me. We talked, and she told me something she didn’t say before. I have holes in my memories, and someone planted new, fake ones. She thinks it happened during my testing.”
“I didn’t think that was possible.” Christina sat down but didn’t open her book.
“Let me finish up this email and we can get out of here. Then we’ll talk to Grans and Abigail.
There has to be a test somewhere that checks for something like that, and maybe something that can fix it.
” Mia shook her head. Maybe this was why she hadn’t been feeling well since the testing, and why she couldn’t see clearly enough to help Mark solve his case.
What did the flight attendants always say? Put on your own mask before helping others. Mia needed to get her mask on quickly.
At home, Mia hung out in the living room downstairs while Christina gathered the group.
Whatever was going on, it was getting worse.
Even the protective wards on the academy weren’t making her feel right.
She felt like she hadn’t eaten in days and, worse, like her head was going to explode.
She grabbed a bottle of Tylenol out of her bag and went to the bar area near the wall to get a glass of water.
She had the pills in hand when she heard footsteps.
“Don’t take that. If your memories have been tampered with, we need to see what’s going on.” Damien hurried over and took the pills out of her hand. “I should have seen the signs, but I was too focused on my need to get your grandmother to take me back.”
Mia set down the water and leaned over the bar counter. She was going to be sick. She closed her eyes and whispered, “I don’t feel well.”
When she woke, she was in her bed and in her favorite Snoopy pjs. Trent sat on the bed next to her, Cerby by his side. “What are you doing here?” Mia asked.
“Checking on you. Buddy said something was going on, but she couldn’t reach you or anyone inside the academy to find out what.” He looked worried. “What happened?”
“According to Blake, someone messed with my memories. Wait, you can’t be here. Don’t you have to stay at the house?”
“What Sonja doesn’t know won’t hurt me. Sarah and Em are keeping her busy right now, and technically I’m not here. We’re still at home. I’m dream walking, which Sonja still considers against the rules but whatever.”
“This is in my head? Can you see the missing areas like Blake did?” Mia should have read the book the library had given her, but she’d been busy.
“I’m not in your head, no. This is a dream world.
You and I are somewhere else. Oh, and Cerby.
He didn’t want to miss seeing you. Buddy’s perched outside your real window, watching you to make sure no one hurts you while we’re here.
” Trent smiled as Mia glanced at the window and saw the dragon watching her.
“A part of her is here too. I don’t know how animals do it, because Cerby’s watching my bedroom door and he’s here. It’s weird.”
“Everything is weird lately.” She reached out and stroked the little dog and felt his tongue on her hand. “Am I okay?”
“That you’re going to have to ask your grandmother. Damien did some sort of reverse spell and has been dosing you with a potion for the last few hours. Levi reached out to me as soon as he saw you. You had a lot of people worried.”
“Not my choice. When did this happen? Blake said she thought it was during my testing, but I’m not believing most of what comes out of her mouth. I thought I was protected if I stayed home.” Mia felt the connection wavering between them.
“We think it happened before we knew you were being retested. You need to look at who you met with that day and see who had access to you.” Trent shimmered. “I think you’re waking up. I love you and we’re watching out for you.”
Cerby barked his goodbye, and Mia heard Buddy chuff as well.
She opened her eyes. She was in her bedroom and in her Snoopy pjs. That much had been spot on.
Buddy’s face filled her bedroom window. She smiled and held up her hand. “I’m okay, girl. You just make sure you’re not seen.”
The response sounded like laughter. Apparently, Mia’s concern over Buddy was hilarious to the dragon.
A knock sounded on the door, and Grans stepped inside Mia’s room. “Gloria said you were awake. How are you doing?”
“I feel like a train hit me. What did you guys do?” She tried to sit up, but the nausea made her lie back down.
“Dorian said several pieces were missing. He tried reaccessing them and got a few, but your memories of the testing and the Monday before are mangled. This potion should help you get past the effects of the spell.” She held out a small cup of what smelled like strawberry jam.
“Drink this. You should be back on your feet later tonight.”
“Did Suzanne Parker do this to me?” Mia asked the one question that kept circling.
Grans sighed. “Maybe. It’s totally against coven code, but she was the only one who knew you were going to be retested. I still can’t see why someone would kill her for that. Again, unless it was one of us.”
“That doesn’t make sense at all. If someone killed her to protect me, why didn’t they tell me about the memories? Blake only mentioned them because I threatened her.” Mia drank the potion and immediately felt the world shifting a little.
“Maybe Blake did this.” Grans stroked her hair as Mr. Darcy jumped up on the bed and cuddled. “Can you trust her, really?”
“I don’t know. But if Blake did this, how did she find out I was being retested? She’s not part of coven leadership. She doesn’t trust them.” Mia felt herself sinking into the pillow.
“I’m calling Cleo. We need to find out who knew about your retesting. Once we have that list, we should be able to narrow it down,” Grans said as Mia drifted off to sleep.
In her dream, Buddy’s chuffing became words, or she spoke the language of dragons. “Be careful who you trust, Mia. They want you weak. The Goddess can only send protectors to you. She can’t protect you herself.”