"Some of the people who were at the bonfire that night saw something." He said.
That made me perk up. "Actually, I heard that too. One of ARia's friends said she saw someone with a lantern or something."
"I don't think that's what it was." He argued. "I think it was someone using a lure."
"What's a lure?" I pondered.
"It's a dark form of magic. It manipulates someone into following and then it entraps them. In folktales, they say it appears like a light in the mist for lonely travelers." He explained. I had goosebumps on my skin.
"Who would do that?" I asked.
"I have a theory," He said his expression hardening. I waited for him to explain what he meant. "How well do you know Kairn?"
My stomach dropped. "He didn't do anything," I said, almost yelling now.
"I said, how well do you know him," he repeated, through gritted teeth.
"I know him very well," I argued.
"Is that right?" He said drily.
"We're together," I admitted. I'd say I know a lot about him. I didn't show it, but I faltered inside. How well did I know him? Of course, he couldn't have done this, but still, there was a lot about him I didn't know.
"Where was he the night of the bonfire?" Luke asked.
Oh no. I couldn't very well tell him that Kairn was in the forest that night, exactly where he thought someone had performed dark magic. "I was with him," I said. "We were at Halewick House," I lied.
Luke nodded, accepting my explanation, but didn't back down. He said, "Esther, what if he's not the kind of guy you think he is?"
"I'm not worried about that at all," I said, feeling less confident than I sounded. I couldn't let Luke get inside my head like this. Was he mad that I was happy with someone else? No, he seemed to really care about Aria.
"Just think about it," He pleaded with me.
"Alright," I said, desperate to leave.
I headed back to class and tried to put it out of my mind, but it was harder than I imagined.
10
I hoped Lectiomancy would be a distraction, at least until I could talk to Kairn. I didn't know what I'd say, but I would think of something. I headed back up into the tower, Professor Flickwind was already writing on the board when I sat down.
I pulled out my notebook when he started talking. "Who knows what the watchers are?" He asked.
Sybelle volunteered, "Are they like demons or something?"
"Not exactly," he corrected her. "They are ancient spirits, but they are not evil as demons are. They indeed have a tendency towards trickery, but they are not deceivers. The watchers are beings that the earliest mages contacted to provide them with prophecies and hints at the future. They have the power to read what is written in the fabric of the Luminous Ether, and they can report it to the discerning mage if they so choose."
A girl named Sharita in the back raised her hand, "Will we be summoning them?" She asked.
"No, the practice has been out of fashion for some time. Some believe it is too dangerous and others just think the information they provide is not trustworthy. Without a doubt, there are consequences to knowing the future." We took notes for the rest of the class period on historical forms of divination with an essay due in several weeks on an ancient practice of our choice.
I only had one thing left for the day and that was to meet with my advisor. I hadn't seen Professor Atwood since the beginning of the semester and I was glad to be heading his way.
When I got to his office, my advisor greeted me with a hug.
"I'm so glad to see you, Esther," He said as I sat down across from his desk. "How are you doing?" He asked seriously, staring at me through his spectacles.
"I'm doing okay, all things considered. I thought this year was going to be easier, but it hasn't turned out that way so far." I complained.
"I'm sorry to hear that," he said. "Tell me, how have things been going with uncovering you're specialization."
I had completely forgotten about specializations. "I think I know what it is," I groaned, "but I'm not especially pleased about it," I told him.
"Why is that?" He asked.
"I think it might have something to do with the Liminal World," I said. I began to tell him the whole story about the conversation with Kairn and the missing clock piece that I was trying to help Sybelle with.
"Have you found the missing piece yet?" He said his eyes bright with curiosity.
"No, I mean I haven't actually tried. I've been procrastinating I think. The Liminal World scares me," I admitted.
"I think that's pretty reasonable," He acknowledged. "Considering everything you've gone through so far."
"Do you have any suggestions for me?" I asked.
"I think the only thing you can do is move forward fearlessly," He said. "Where do you feel the best, about magic?"
"I guess when I am working from inside a hallow," I admitted. Everything felt easier there.
"Well maybe that is the place to start," He suggested. "Perhaps you can reach the liminal from inside a hallow, especially if that is a place that makes you safe that you know you will be able to return to."
"That's a good idea, professor," I said. I intended to try it soon. When I walked out, I felt somewhat uplifted.
Something about his demeanor was very encouraging. I left feeling better than I had in a while.
It took me several weeks to work up the courage to try it. After several hints from Sybelle that my time was running out, I knew it was finally time to go and get the missing clock piece. My homework was light that night. I couldn't avoid it anymore. I clicked the lock in my door shut after telling everyone I was working on an assignment. My suspicious was that Sybelle knew what I was doing, but I didn't say anything. I didn't want to let her down if it didn't work after all.
What now? I thought maybe I should close my eyes and meditate first or something, but deep down it was clear I was stalling. Magic flowed through my veins. I could feel the pull of that place. I'd been avoiding it for so long, but somewhere deep inside me, it was calling. I called the hallow to my room, willing it to open up. I entered, trying to stifle the fear that I felt.
The room was the same as always. It was like time didn't move or matter in the large domed room. It was bright as always, which was a solace because I knew the place I was going wasn't light. It was grey and empty. A shiver went up t my spine. I pulled out the map Sybelle gave me. I studied it before opening the door to the Liminal. Part of me wondered if the door would open, but the other part of me knew that it would. It seemed that inside the hallow, I could manifest almost anything. The point on the map was just as it had been before. Going there in the real world had been a good thing. I had a connection to the place now, and something to go from. Would the standing stones appear in the liminal world as well?
I opened the door easily. It felt like the fabric between the worlds was thinner here inside the hallow. The veil covering the liminal world unzipped easily, pulling away to reveal a glowing door. I couldn't see through the hazy veil, but I knew what was behind it, grey mists and uncertainty. I stilled my fear and walked through. A cool breeze fluttered against my cheeks as I passed through the door between worlds.
A familiar caw rang in my ears. It was Nox. My black raven seemed somehow larger here and more real. This was his realm. He hopped on my shoulder and I began walking through the mist. The greenish light filtered down on me and I found myself in the forest. There didn't seem to be buildings here in the Liminal World, but there were correspondences between this world and the real world. The air was still and the silence was deafening. I was glad to have Nox with me.
A path wound ahead in front of me, the same one that went into the forest behind Halewick House. My feet followed the path naturally, and I hoped it would connect with the area on the map that showed the ruins. I walked farther and began to notice something odd. The sparse foliage that was visible through the mist was covered with some substance. It was the sticky sludge from my dream
s. The trees were covered in the black film. The farther I walked the darker it got. My gut stirred with an ominous feeling.
I walked for a time that felt outside of time. I had no way of knowing how long I'd been in the liminal. I couldn't let myself think about it or I would grow scared. Finally, I reached the place that I knew was the ruins. The standing stones were taller than I'd ever known them to be in the real world. They were jagged and sharp and I realized that they formed an image that I had seen before. The crown of the Queen of Witches. This was her crown and her place. It was a monument to her.
This was where the missing clock piece was supposed to be. How odd that it was tied so intimately to me. It had to mean something. I started looking. The sludge covered the outer edge of the circle of standing stones but did not creep inward. I tried to clear the mist that clung to the ground. I waved my hands to fan the mist away and it cleared quite easily, as though assisted by magic. Something blue sparkled on the ground in the very center of the stones. I picked it up and found that it had heft. A large blue stone, of an unknown material, sat in the palm of my hand. It was multifaceted with perfect cuts on the outer faces, creating a perfect geometric object. This had to be it. I stowed it carefully in my pocket and Nox crowed happily. The sound echoing strangely through the empty world. I felt a shiver go up my spine.
As if responding to his call, I heard a strange sound. It was like a hollow echo, but it was so weak I wasn't sure if I had imagined it. Still, I was frozen in fear. I could only imagine terrible things. There was no way to know what was out here or what it could be capable of. I listened carefully. The sound came again, the ringing of a girl's voice. I shook my head. It couldn't be. I could have sworn that someone was screaming for help.
Nox cocked his head and I knew he meant for me to follow the sound. I wasn't certain that I should. What if it was a trap? Still, what if it wasn't? Could I forgive myself if I didn't find out? The sound was haunting. The scream was filled with desperation and fear. I began toward the ringing of the voice. My legs couldn't carry me fast enough. Everything in the liminal world was stagnant and slow, unmoving. I tried to run across the landscape as well as I could, but it felt like it didn't take me any faster than walking. Every mile that I gained the sludge around me grew thicker. I avoided it as well as I could, but eventually, I was unable to keep my feet from stepping in it. I willed myself through it, trying to clear my mind of every scary thing I could imagine.
There was something familiar about where I was. When I got to a natural clearing, I realized that it was the Fen. There was sludge everywhere. It was unbelievably deep and it covered every surface. The scream was muffled now, coming from deep inside the sludge. I plowed through the muck, trying my best not to get stuck. I couldn't do anything if I got mired in the sludge. I was using all of my weight to pull myself through it. It was nearly thigh deep, and it was swallowing trees whole, climbing up the trunks and spreading to the branches before dripping off. The voice cried out. Maybe she could feel through the vibrations that I was coming. I worked hard to get to her. The form of a body was starting to take shape in the middle of the fen. I could see a figure sitting curled up in the fetal position as the sludge took her down. She was completely covered in black oily slime.
I made it to her finally and prepared to dig my hands in to pull her out. She whispered something and I got closer, "Esther," She said weakly. She seemed to recognize me. I wrapped my arms around her frail body. She was so small.
"I'm getting you out of here," I said. Her face was smeared with sludge, but something about her face was recognizable. It was those eyes. Aria. What on earth was going on? Suddenly she went limp. If I had been in the real world I would have been sweating. It was hard work to wade through the deep mud and carry her at the same time. I slung her over my shoulder since she had passed out anyway. I could feel that she was still breathing, but I wasn't sure how long she had. I moved as quickly as I could. When I got out to the path, I walked until I found a clear patch of ground. I reopened the door and passed through the veil, feeling that strange breeze kissing my skin again.
11
When I reentered the Hallow Aria was gone. I wracked my brain to understand what was going on. She had been in a comalike state for nearly two months. It had to be connected. I had to tell someone, but I was afraid she didn't have very much time left. I rushed out of the hallow and woke up Ligeia.
She looked confused when I roused her out of sleep. I didn't even know what time it was, but it was pitch black.
"Ligeia, I'm going to the infirmary, I think something's happened to Aria," I spoke quickly, trying to catch her up as fast as possible.
"Hold on," She said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. "I'll come with you." She slipped on a heavy coat over her pajamas and put on slippers.
I ran outside, with Ligeia chasing behind me. I didn't have time to explain everything. We reached the infirmary and I could see lights on inside. Pushing through the heavy doors, I walked in. I scanned the room for the nurse, but everyone was crowded around one of the beds. I heard moans that sounded like agony. I walked closer and a stern woman in a white cap shooed me away. I tried to explain.
"I think something's wrong," I said, trying to interject myself into the commotion. Then I saw Aria awake on the bed. She started screaming and then her head twisted and stared at me. She screamed so loud it frightened me. These were the screams of someone in desperate danger.
"It's her," She shouted and pointed at me. "She did this."
"What-" I said, cut off as one of the nurses grabbed my arm pulling me away.
"She's not well, my dear." She said as she dragged me across the room.
"That's what I'm trying to tell you," I explained, but Aria was still screaming.
Her voice was ragged and I heard her scream, "It was black magic. She cursed me."
My hands were shaking and Ligeia was standing beside me utterly confused. "Go get Professor Malus," I urged her.
She left at once. I tried to explain to the nurse, but she just kept repeating, "Oh dear," as I tried to make her understand.
I wouldn't leave, even as adults tried to remove me. I stood firm and explained the Headmistress was on her way. When she finally arrived she looked calm, but her eyes had a strange glint and I began to get nervous.
"Esther I think it's best if you wait in my office. "She said sternly. She led me back to her office and I waited in the chair across from her desk. I waited there for what seemed like hours. I was sweating and I had a bad feeling. I could only hope that Aria was okay. What I couldn't understand was why she had screamed like that. Why did she accuse me? I hadn't done anything wrong. I had pulled her out of the Liminal. Is that what made her wake up?
I waited and waited until I was sure it was going to be morning soon. I took to studying the swirling patterns in the wood grain of her desk. Professor Malus finally returned to her office seeming more exhausted than she had been before. She sat down across from me.
"Okay, Esther, I'm going to need you to explain some things to me." She said, her voice steady and hard. I was seeing the harsher side of Professor Malus.
"Is Aria okay?" I asked.
"She'll be fine," Professor Malus explained, "but how is it that you entered the infirmary at the exact moment that she awoke?"
"I can explain," I said pausing to collect myself. "I was exercising a new skill to help Sybelle with a Sacrifice for her God."
"And what skill might that be?" She asked.
"After last year, I have been able to enter the Liminal World, and I went to retrieve something," I explained. I told her the whole story, about the sludge and how I heard someone screaming. I told her how I fount Aria crumpled in the sludge, looking like she wasn't going to make it.
"Do you have any clue why she would accuse you of using black magic against her?" the headmistress asked me. I wasn't sure if she believed me, but I could only be honest.
"I mean, we haven't had a great relationship. She tried to mess
with me a lot last year." I explained. "But I swear I didn't do anything. I've talked to some people who were there the night of the bonfire and several of them reported that they saw something, like a lantern in the darkness. It could be a lure." I offered.
"Hmmm," She paused. "That would imply that somebody was performing dark magic."
"I think it's connected to the black sludge I saw. Aria got trapped in it somehow." I thought out loud.
She rubbed her temple. "I'll have to contact Alice about this. The consortium won't be pleased." She looked defeated. "Let's just keep an eye on this, okay Esther?"
"Yes, Ma'am." I agreed, relieved that I didn't seem to be in any sort of trouble.
"Get some rest, I'll excuse you from your classes today," She sighed and I saw the pink beginning to creep into the sky that told me it was almost morning.
"Thank you, professor," I said, feeling grateful.
"And Esther, thank you for bringing her back." She smiled weakly and I nodded.
I slept hard. I woke up disoriented with the bright afternoon sun streaming into my room. Nox was perched in the window and hopped on my bed to nip at my sleeve playfully. I smiled as he seemed to pull me out of bed. I was still wearing the same clothes from last night. It was odd because I hadn't really gone anywhere for most of the night until I went to the infirmary. I felt the cool weight of the stone still in my pocket. I pulled it out to examine it. How long had it been hidden away in the Liminal World? It looked pristine. Carrying it in my hand, I made my way down the hall to Sybelle's room. I would have knocked, but her door was already open.
Sybelle was hunched over her desk, red hair spilling all over her shoulders as she worked on something. She had on an old shirt that was stained with grease and I could see that she was tinkering with the clock. It was large and ancient, with all manner of strange pieces.
"I got it," I said quietly, not wanting to take her by surprise.
Unbroken: Mage's Academy II Page 6
