Chapter 22
I wake up with the feeling of being watched.
Wes.
He's here, in my bedroom.
When he opens his mouth, dark smoke pours out of him.
“Wes?”
The smoke swirls around the room, a mix of black and dark red.
“You let them have me,” Wes says as a tear runs down his cheek. “Don’t you love me anymore?”
I reach out for him. “I love you, Wes. I’m here…please.”
My heart is being ripped in two.
“It’s too late,” Wes sighs, the saddest sound ever heard. “Far, far too late. You could have saved me, Theo.”
“I’m here now, Wes. What can I do?” I want to touch him, but it’s like my limbs are bound in place.
Wes’s face turns hard. The sadness evaporates, replaced by that cold, dead sneer I saw in the woods.
“Who are you?” he spits. “I don’t know you. Get away from me, dud.”
His image blinks in and out of focus.
A dream.
This is a dream.
Why can’t I escape it?
"This is your fault, Theo," Wes says, his face melting away into smoke. "Remember that."
Wake up, wake up, wake up.
—Wake up, Nymph—
My eyes finally open, and I look up at Ludo’s worried face.
—Nightmare?—
“Yes,” I croak.
He passes me something. A water bottle. I sit up and shiver. I’m soaked with sweat. “Thanks.” My heart is still beating like crazy, but sipping water helps.
—Want to tell me about it?—
I flop back down onto the bed, struggling to form thoughts. What a terrible dream. “Can you just hold me?” I ask.
Ludo kicks off his boots and climbs onto the narrow mattress with me. I spoon into his body, and he wraps a heavy arm around my body. Instantly, the panic the dream brought recedes.
—Go back to sleep, Nymph—
When I wake again, it’s morning. Ludo is no longer in my bed. Opening the bedroom door, I find him settled on the floor in the outer area of the basement. “You could have stayed in the bed with me,” I tell him.
—You almost rolled out. Not enough room— as he stands. —Are you rested now?—
“Yes, thanks to you. Sorry you ended up on the floor.” I give him a bleary-eyed, grateful smile.
—I’ll always watch over you—Lu takes a look around the space. —I’ll give you privacy now—
I’m still rubbing my eyes as he heads up the stairs and out. Did he get any sleep? Ludo always looks out for me; when do I get to look after him?
Catching my reflection in the mirror, I wince. I’d fallen asleep fully dressed, my hair hasn’t been washed in days, and I’m filthy with interdimensional grime.
A shower is first on the agenda. My personal shower, made for me by Ludo. Being under the hot water is blissful. I could stay here all day, but finally, reluctantly, I turn off the faucet.
Toweling off, I’m surprised by how energized my body is, given the state I was in last night.
I’m pulling on my brown socks when my phone buzzes. It’s Willow, saying she’s outside my door. I run up and pull the door open. “Gimme two minutes.”
“No rush, it’s early yet,” she replies, taking a seat. —Does she even want to hang out? Now she’s traveled to other realms—got all these guys around her—I’m just boring—
Shit, Wills.
One thing telepathy has taught me is that nearly everyone is way more insecure than they let on. I really wish I wasn’t crashing in on her thoughts right now.
Maybe it’s time to tell Willow and Dunc about my secret ‘skill’.
After all, if I can trust Cosmo Drakeward with this secret, I can definitely trust my two friends.
“How are you feeling?” Willow asks. “Did you sleep? What did I miss after I left?”
“I slept great,” I tell her, rubbing the ends of my wet hair.
Wet hair?
Wait just a minute, I might have an answer to this. “Wills?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you know the air spell girls use for hair drying?”
She nods. “Sure, but I can’t help you. The amount of air I can produce is the equivalent of a mouse blowing out a birthday candle.”
I grin at the mental image. “But you know the steps of the spell?”
“Uh-huh, it’s pretty simple.”
“Great, can we try something then?” I hold out my hand. “It seems I can amplify other people's spellwork, as long as we are physically touching.”
Willow’s eyebrows raise so high they almost disappear into her hairline. “That's…wild. But if this is just an excuse to hold my hand, know that my heart still belongs to Naomi.” We link fingers. “Here we go,” she says, beginning to wave her fingers and recite the cast.
I’m watching, making a mental note of the process, as a powerful blast bursts from the fingertips of her right hand. It sends all the clothes on my hat stand flying. “What the!” she yelps. “Turn me down! Turn me down!”
I start getting the giggles, but manage to concentrate enough to reduce my power a notch. “Oops.”
Willow grins. “I want to make an inappropriate joke about finger-blasting, but I’m going to refrain.” She turns her hairdryer hand in my direction. Within a minute, I’ve got a full blowout. My hair is huge, kind of ridiculous, but silky and dry.
“Thanks, babe,” I say, releasing her hand and giving her a side hug.
“Um, you’re welcome? That was the craziest magic experience of my life. The surge of my spark was wild.” —Really wish my spark always felt like that—
Huh. Could there be a way for me to help grow Willow’s spark? There is so much I don’t know about my new abilities.
She looks at her phone as it beeps. “Dunc’s waiting for us.
I pick up my bag. “We’d better hurry then, can’t make our little guy late for his pancakes.”
As we start up my little flight of stairs, Willow clears her throat.
“What’s up?” I ask.
She gives a somewhat fake laugh. “Think your super-powers can convince Naomi to be my date for the All Hallows Ball? Ha ha, that would be funny.”
I look back at her and see how red her cheeks have turned. “Willow, babe. Just ask her. Super-powers are completely unnecessary with an amazing catch like you."
“Yeah, right.” Her brow creases into a frown, and I hate to see it.
“I’m serious!”
“What are you serious about?” asks Duncan, as we enter the Defectivum lobby.
I open my mouth, but Willow nudges me. “Pancakes,” she says.
Duncan nods. “Oh, that makes total sense.”
◆◆◆
For the first time, I’m not afraid to go to my Restricted Studies class. In fact, with so many things to learn, I’m looking forward to it.
Professor Gimble’s eyebrows raise as I enter the class.
Hmm, I realize that I’ve walked in with a very un-Theo-like confident swagger. Need to nip that in the bud. I quickly look down at the floor and shuffle to my seat.
“I heard you had the flu, Wilson,” the professor says. “I don’t want you in here if you’re still contagious.”
“Doesn’t matter to me, Ma’am,” Klein sneers. “Simple viruses only plague the poor and powerless.” Kayla leans over and kisses stupid Klein on his cheek. “Exactly, our families can all afford proper healers.”
The professor dips her head in the double-K’s direction. “Very true, very true. But why waste a cent on healing when we don’t need to?”
“Um, thanks for the concern, but I’m perfectly healthy now,” I mutter.
The professor eyes me for a moment, then, turning around, she starts writing on the whiteboard.
“Today, we are going to be talking about the manipulation of subjective feelings.” She writes the words "Emotion Twisting.
" “These are a masterful set of spells designed to control the emotional energy of another witch. There are separate casts for each potential cognitive response to a situation.”
Several people shuffle in their seats. This is strictly governed spellwork.
Professor Gimble gives a smile that reaches nowhere near her eyes. “An expert in this realm can twist a feeling of joy into one of anguish with a mere flick of the fingers,” she says. “Though that kind of excellence will undoubtedly be forever beyond your reach.”
My blood runs cold.
Twisting joy into anguish. Love into hate.
Is that what happened to Wes?
Did someone twist him?
I look down at my notes, my hand trembling. If this magic exists, then maybe—just maybe—it can be untwisted.
Gods.
“And a reminder,” Gimble adds, “I have special dispensation to teach these spells in this class, but they cannot be performed anywhere else.”
That’s something, I suppose.
I watch as the students around me start to note down the many steps it takes to create this spell. Even though it makes me sick to my stomach, I follow their lead. You just never know.
As I study the complicated cast, a sensation runs through my body. The magic beneath my skin tells me I could do this spell.
I hope I never have to.
Unfortunately, thanks to a long lecture about the intricate sub-components of this enchantment, Restricted Studies runs over.
I’m too late for lunch and have to rush straight to Nurture Your Spark. “You OK?” Willow whispers as I drag a yoga mat next to her.
“I guess so, but Professor Gimble’s class is so fucked up,” I tell her. “Honestly, the shit we learn is a perversion of magic, with a capital P.”
—Speaking of capital P… I think I’m getting my period. Heck, and I’m wearing my fave undies too, darn it. Wait, Theo said she’s learning perverted magic?—
That’s it.
I’m definitely going to confess my telepathy. Willow is my bestie and needs to know I have a window into her thoughts. It’s just not fair to keep that from her. “Wills, I need to talk to you and Dunc about something asap. It’s important.”
Rubbing her belly, she raises an eyebrow. “Important enough that we should ditch this class? Because I’d be happy to do so.”
It only takes me a second to nod my agreement. “As soon as Octobus heads out, we’ll split.”
“Via the snack stand, please, I need chocolate.”
“Perfect. I can grab a sandwich, then we’ll head back to my place?”
“No offence to your room, Theo, but why don’t we hang in mine instead?”
“Deal. Can you let Dunc know the plan?”
She rolls over and whispers in his ear, then Duncan holds a thumb up for me to see.
The second Professor Octobus leaves the room, the three of us sneak to the door, our yoga mats abandoned, and the curious stares of our classmates ignored. The halls are empty as we head for the snack kiosk, but Willow freezes as we turn the corner.
Naomi Watson is there, laughing with a group of other Ordinarii girls.
As my best friend clutches my arm, her inner voice bounces loudly into my head.
—Oh Gods, I look such a mess. Chin zit—Heck, why am I even worrying? She’s not into me anyway—
After I ‘fess up about hearing her thoughts, I’m going to work on my mental shielding. Maybe the Lumina could help with that.
Suddenly, Naomi’s innermost thoughts broadcast crystal clear into my brain.
—Why do I always crush on the sweet straight girls? Shit, she’s perfectly happy with her boyfriend, I’ve got to stop thinking about her—
Huh? Is she…does she..?
I’m pretty sure that Naomi is thinking about Willow. A little strangled noise escapes my throat.
Naomi turns, and her deep brown eyes study me with curiosity. “Hey, you’re Theodora, right?”
“Yep, that’s me,” I answer, trying to keep a bland expression on my face, considering what I’d just ‘heard’. “And you know my bestie Willow, don’t you?”
Willow stands next to me, blushing a pretty shade of strawberry. I gesture past Willow to Dunc. “And this guy is our other bestie, Duncan Links.” Dunc looks up, gives a small wave, then drops his face back down to his phone.
Naomi gives an awkward laugh, which is so totally at odds with her sophisticated appearance. “Hey, Duncan. And sure, er, I know Willow, or at least we’ve met before.” Naomi’s mind is racing —Duncan is their bestie? Are they in a polycule? Doesn’t seem like it, but maybe?—
One of Naomi’s group tugs at her blazer. “We’ve gotta split, class is starting.”
As her friend drags her away, Naomi looks over her shoulder, eyes soft on Willow. “Er, bye, I guess.”
I pick up a sandwich and hold back a grin. Willow’s crush is not one-sided. Can’t wait to tell her that tidbit—once I’ve spilled the big secret that is.
Though... I hesitate, the sandwich halfway to my mouth.
Is sharing someone’s secret thoughts unethical? I basically just stole a page from Naomi's mental diary. If I tell Willow, I'm outing Naomi without her permission.
But if I don't, Willow stays sad.
And what about Dunc and Wills? Once they know I can hear thoughts, will they ever relax around me again? Or will they start editing themselves, terrified that I’m snooping in their brains?
Gods, I’ve never had to worry about this kind of thing before. Being a "dud" was painful, but at least it was simple.
This?
This is a moral minefield.
I'll just have to play it by ear.
My priority is keeping Willow and Duncan as my friends.
Please, Gods, don’t let this turn them away from me.