by Kristen Pham
The bolt fizzled inches from his face. Zunya snarled, but he turned and swept down the hall to escape. The last thing she saw before she passed out was Oberon sending another bolt of lightning after him.
“Get away from her!” Henry’s panicked voice ripped her from the darkness.
Valerie managed to open her eyes and saw that he was glaring at Sanguina with pure loathing.
“Valerie was being attacked and you were somehow involved,” Henry said venomously.
“It’s not what you think—” Sanguina started to say.
“You don’t know what I think. Get out of here or I’ll—I’ll—kill you!” He concentrated, and Sanguina flew backward as his mind pushed her back the way he had done when Ani was attacking Kanti.
“Lydia, maybe it would be best if you left,” Midnight said quietly, using Sanguina’s name from before she had become a vampyre.
“Henry, she tried to help,” Valerie said weakly.
It was as if he didn’t hear her. “You, too! Don’t come near us!” he screamed at Oberon.
She reached out to Henry’s mind and almost recoiled at the fear and pain that was flooding him. All of the trauma Sanguina had inflicted on him was near the surface, raw, and it was enough to make her choke.
But she forced herself to stay calm and send him thoughts of what had happened—how Sanguina had helped and Oberon had saved her. His rage wavered, and his fear receded enough for him to let logic return.
“I can’t believe it,” he whispered, turning to her for the first time. He squeezed her hand. “When I saw you lying there, I thought I didn’t make it in time.”
She struggled to sit up, and he helped her. They were still in the hall. Valerie didn’t sense the danger as she had before, but she didn’t know if that was because her magic had been drained by Zunya or because they were truly safe.
“We have to get to Azra’s office,” she said.
“I’ll help,” Oberon said gruffly.
“No—that is—no thank you, sir. Please let me take care of my sister by myself,” Henry said, his voice still shaking with emotion.
“I’ll keep them safe,” Midnight promised.
“As you wish,” Oberon said, and his voice had a quality to it that she had never heard before. It almost sounded like sympathy or tenderness at Henry’s obvious distress.
“Wait,” Valerie said weakly, her eyes connecting with Oberon’s. “Thank you. I know you weren’t supposed to use your magic, and I’m sorry if you get in trouble because you were helping me.”
“It was my honor,” he replied formally, his sightless blue eyes flashing with an emotion that Valerie couldn’t place before he turned away from her, racing down the hall.
Midnight and Henry helped her to her feet, and they made their way to Azra’s office. Inside, Azra was waiting, her usually calm eyes filled with worry.
I sought to keep you from danger, but instead led you toward it.
“This means we’re on the right track—that I really can help,” Valerie said, trying to sound strong. Henry gently pushed her into a chair.
“I was by the door when you raced out, but I didn’t see what happened. Was Zunya waiting for you?” Midnight asked gently.
Valerie shook her head. “He seemed surprised to see me.”
“I saw what happened through Valerie’s mind. Maybe Zunya didn’t plan to attack her, but someone did. She didn’t fall out of that bubble by accident.”
You are right, Henry. And only the Council knew she would be there today. We must hide you both until this is resolved.
Valerie remembered how Azra had tried to hide her in Messina when Sanguina had attacked her all those months ago. It hadn’t worked—somehow Zunya had found her as he always did.
“I’m not running anymore. I’ve been looking over my shoulder my entire life, and I won’t do it ever again.” As she said the words, Valerie realized that it was the first time she had really felt this way.
Midnight gave her a brief nod of respect, but Henry just stared at her. She let him into her mind so he could feel her resolve.
“You’re right. We can’t run. We’ll face this together,” he said.
Azra’s face was weary. You are children. We should be the ones protecting you, not asking you for protection. She gently nudged first Henry, then Valerie with her nose. But it is your decision to make and I will not stop you.
Valerie and Henry were trudging back to the dorm when they heard light footsteps behind them.
“I wanted to catch you before you returned home,” Midnight said, and Valerie and Henry stopped.
“Is something wrong?” Valerie asked, her earlier tension returning.
Midnight’s face softened into a smile. “No, this is welcome news, I hope. Azra told me you need a home, and I wanted to invite you both to live with me. I thought you might like to stay together, and my home is very empty.”
Valerie became a little choked up at Midnight’s generous offer. Her first instinct was not to impose, but she knew she didn’t have much of a choice. She’d stayed too long at the Imaginary Friends dorm as it was. “We wouldn’t be in the way, I promise.”
“I actually really miss doing chores, like my dad always made me do on the weekends,” Henry added eagerly. “We could cook breakfast, weed your garden, wash your car.”
Midnight laughed, and it was the first time Valerie had heard the full, rich sound. “No need for payment. You will both do my heart good. I have been alone too long.”
Midnight’s expression was wistful, and Valerie had a flash of insight. Midnight was as lonely as she herself had once been.
Valerie released a relieved, grateful breath that she’d been holding since she’d first learned that she had to find a new home. She glanced at Henry for confirmation that he agreed. “Thank you. We would love to live with you.”
Chapter 18
The meeting with Gabriel was rescheduled for the next day, and Henry and Valerie insisted on joining and meeting the Council. Azra agreed, on the condition that Valerie’s magic returned and that they did something fun that night instead of worrying.
“We should ask Cyrus,” Henry said. “He always has good ideas. I love that guy.”
“Right back atcha,” Cyrus said, joining them at the entrance to their dorm. He slapped Henry on the back.
“We need a distraction,” she explained. “Any ideas?”
“I do have one. I want to show Cara that magic can be a force for good, so she stops thinking she’s tainted.”
“That’s a tall order.” Valerie bit her lip, considering, as they all went inside to the cafeteria. “What if we introduced her to the boy that Darling helped, Emin?”
“That’s perfect!” Cyrus exclaimed. “I bet he lives with the clan of the People of the Woods on the border of Arden. I have a friend, Cerulean, who left them to join the Society of Imaginary Friends a few years back. His parents were super mad—we kinda bonded over it.” Cyrus’s parents had also been furious when he moved to Arden and embraced magic, so Valerie could see how their friendship made sense.
“Let’s hope he’s forgiven by now, for Cara’s sake,” Henry said.
“I’ll find out,” Cyrus said. He crossed the crowded cafeteria to talk to a tall boy with dark hair that had glints of gold in it. He nodded thoughtfully as Cyrus talked to him.
“What’s he up to?” Cara asked suspiciously. She put a tray loaded with goodies down at Henry and Valerie’s table.
“An adventure for you,” Henry said.
“It’s the last one, then. After tonight, I’m going home.”
Cyrus approached the table with his friend. “Everyone, this is Ceru. He’s agreed to take us to his village tonight.”
“I was planning a trip home today, as it happens,” Ceru said in a voice that was nearly a whisper. “Tonight is the Festival of a Thousand Wishes.”
“What’s that?” Cara asked, intrigued in spite of herself.
“You’ll see,” he said with a smile.
“And his cousin, Emin, will be there, too,” Cyrus added with a wink when Cara wasn’t looking.
After dinner, Ceru led the group out of the winding streets of Silva and into the woods beyond. There was a buzz of energy that seemed to rustle through the leaves. The jolt of magic made Valerie feel awake, like something exciting was about to happen.
They reached a clearing that was filled with a hundred People of the Woods. It was a perfect circle, and the only light came from thousands and thousands of fireflies. The effect was otherworldly.
“What happens next?” Cara whispered breathlessly to Ceru.
“Listen,” he said.
The high, sweet voice of a young boy singing in a strange language filled the air. Valerie was surprised to see a familiar face behind the unearthly voice. Emin was breathing out music in the form of a pinkish light that wound through the group like fog. Everyone it touched joined in the song, and when she breathed it in, she found that she, too, knew the words and the tune.
Valerie began to sing, and she was drawn out of herself. It was as if she could sense every creature in the woods around them, all listening to this song of thanks, of a thousand wishes that they, too, would prosper as the People of the Woods did, and live in peace, unharmed. The trees around the clearing rustled, and she could see the eyes of hundreds of animals watching them.
The last notes of the song died out, and silence fell. Then, from nowhere, plates of fruit appeared and sprightly, happy music filled the air. Everyone seemed to shake off the spell of the song and began to mingle.
“Ceru, thank you, that was beautiful,” Valerie said.
“I think I’m going to be a vegetarian from now on,” Henry added. Valerie giggled.
“All the food in Arden is vegetarian,” Cyrus assured him. Henry’s eyes bugged out.
“But it tastes so good!”
“Cara, what did you think?” Ceru asked her softly.
Cara’s eyes were a little misty. She cleared her throat. “I’ll never forget it as long as I live.”
“I promised you would meet Emin, but as you can see, it won’t be easy,” Ceru gestured to his cousin, who was surrounded by a small crowd. But Emin’s eyes connected with Valerie’s. His face lit up and he raced toward the group.
“You’re here!” he chirped excitedly. “How’d you find me?”
Ceru placed his hand on Emin’s head. “I brought them.”
“Would you would tell my sister, Cara, about Darling?” Cyrus asked.
“He’s the best!” Emin bubbled. “He healed me when I was sick. And even better, he’s so funny. He does this summersault trick, lemme try to show you.”
“That’s enough, Emin,” a tall woman appeared at his side.
Ceru stepped forward. “Aunt Cerise, this is—”
“I neither know nor care. They don’t belong here, and shame on you for bringing their plague among us.”
“But Valerie and Cyrus visited me when I was sick!” Emin pleaded.
Her eyes flashed fire. “We could have healed you. That Healers’ Guild had no right to take you in. They should have brought you to us.”
“I’m sure they were only trying to help,” Ceru said gently.
“They didn’t! Darling helped my boy,” she said, and her face softened. “Darling could have found him here just as easily. And now what is Darling’s reward? He is missing. Probably taken by a Conjuror for some evil purpose.”
“Missing! How do you know?” Valerie asked, alarmed.
Cerise sniffed in disdain. “We can sense all of the creatures on the planet on this night, and I was sending a special thanks to him. But I couldn’t sense him anywhere.”
“Maybe he’s visiting someone on Earth,” Henry suggested.
“I would know,” Ceru’s aunt insisted, but she didn’t sound as sure.
Even though Henry’s explanation made sense, Valerie was troubled. Something wasn’t quite right.
“Come away, my friends,” Ceru said. “My aunt is not the only one who may object to your presence. I had hoped we might begin to bring my two worlds together tonight, but perhaps it isn’t the time yet.”
He led them back toward Silva. Cara kept looking back over her shoulder longingly.
“Well, sis, did Emin’s story change your opinion of magic?” Cyrus asked hopefully.
Cara shook her head and his face fell. “I don’t even know who this Darling person is. But something did change my opinion of magic tonight. The People of the Woods. They care about all the animals in the whole world and used all that magic just to say thank you. If you ask me, that’s how it should be used.”
“Whatever you say,” Cyrus replied, with a bounce in his step.
“So are you going to stay?” Valerie asked her.
She glanced at Ceru before answering. “Maybe not forever. But for a little while longer.”
“And then all these animals were staring at us, listening. It was amazing,” Valerie said to Thai that night, recounting her recent adventure for him. Chisisi had told her to be positive with him, so she didn’t tell him about her concern about Darling.
“You’ll have to take me there next time they have the festival,” he said, his voice a little raspy.
“According to Ceru, it’s once every hundred years, so that might not happen. But apparently the People of the Woods have a ton of festivals. Ceru says they’ve had too many millennia to come up with new ideas to party, and now there’s some ancient ritual everyone’s expected to attend every other week.”
Thai laughed. It was good to hear the sound. “Now tell me what’s bothering you.”
“How can you tell?”
“The two little lines on your forehead between your eyes. You’ve been worrying,” Thai said gently.
There was a laundry list to choose from, but Valerie didn’t want to overwhelm him, so she picked something safe. “Henry and I are meeting the Council today. And I may have made a bad first impression with Gabriel when Cyrus called him to test his light message for Leo. It’s kinda nerve-wracking.”
“You fought a vampyre and almost went over Victoria Falls. This will be a cake walk,” Thai said confidently.
“For you, maybe. People automatically like you. They can’t help it,” Valerie said.
“That’s because I don’t care if they like me. I don’t know why, but it always makes people want to win me over. Of course, only one girl ever succeeded,” he said with a bit of his old charm.
But before she could flirt back, his eyes flashed gold and she quickly left before Tan appeared. She didn’t want to make him angry. Hopefully this arrangement wasn’t going to be for much longer, because aside from desperately missing Thai’s company, she also missed his advice. And there were so many things at loose ends right now that she would love to get his take on.
The next morning, Valerie quickly packed her few belongings in a callbox Kanti had given her.
“I can’t believe they’re kicking you out!” Kanti said for the hundredth time. “I’m going to give Rastelli a piece of my mind!”
“No you’re not,” Valerie said wearily, shoving her toothbrush into the box. “I’ll still be here all the time. And this way, Henry and I won’t be separated. We’re really lucky that Midnight’s taking us in.”
She didn’t take the clothes and bedding Dulcea had made for her, since technically they were the property of the Society of Imaginary Friends. A couple changes of clothes and some items of her own, like the scroll from her first prophecy, barely filled the box.
“I’m really going to miss you,” Kanti said, all her earlier anger gone. She gripped Valerie in a tight hug and then went into the bathroom, probably so that Valerie wouldn’t see her tears.
Valerie sheathed Pathos and considered the room. She knew she’d be back to visit Kanti, but it would never be home again.
A knock on her door made her jump. She opened it, and Henry burst through the door wearing a backpack. He dropped it in Valerie’s callbox and met he
r eyes. Another new home, but they would be together. They would both move into Midnight’s house after their meeting.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to make the Council wait,” Henry said. He sounded more nervous than she did. When she opened the door, he searched her eyes. “You’re magic’s completely back, right?”
“Yes, Henry, relax. Zunya barely touched me so I’m fine. Besides, I don’t think whoever the spy is will attack today. They have to regroup.”
The tension in Henry’s face didn’t leave as they went to Azra’s office.
“Are we going to the Hotel Aquatic?” Valerie asked Azra when they arrived.
There is a pool here in the Capitol for our Illyrian visitors. Gabriel will meet us there.
“What will he tell us?” Henry asked curiously.
We meet with him every so often to learn of any items of significance in the Akashic Records that he believes we should know. But this time, I am particularly hopeful that there will be news of Reaper and the rise of the Fractus.
Valerie shuddered. “It’s really true then; they are rising.”
Azra nodded and flicked her tail. Watch the Council members carefully if Gabriel shares anything of importance. You have an outsider’s objectivity, and maybe you will have a sense of who we should not trust.
“Don’t you?” Henry asked.
My magic has not sensed a true threat, so I suspect someone is purposely blocking it.
Azra led them to a door down the hall that opened to a huge room filled with an enormous pool. The sides were tiled in green and blue, and the water was crystal clear, so it was possible to see the sandy bottom that was covered with shells, coral and starfish. Even a couple of brightly colored schools of fish darted around.
“Like having the beach in your backyard,” Valerie said.
Valerie saw a tunnel in the bottom of one corner of the pool, which must connect with the underground aquifers. The Council members trickled in, each nodding hello to each other. Midnight and Chern warmly welcomed Valerie and Henry.
Skye from the Relations Guild was a tall and imposing centaur who was all professionalism. “An honor to meet you both,” he said, shaking each of their hands in turn.
