THE NEXT DAY CAME. I sat tucked in a corner of the room, my eyes flitting between Ophelia, who was lying on a rug, and Mamori and Lucy, who were huddled at the breakfast table. They both have an uncanny similarity, though. It wasn't just their shared ability to heal with a touch; it was something deeper. I heard them laugh, and I saw Lucy teaching Mamori her ability. It was as though their souls were cut from the same ethereal cloth. Watching them, I felt like an outsider peering into a secret world, one where I was both awed and unnerved.
Unable to bear the intensity of my own thoughts, my gaze slid towards Bryce, who was still cocooned in his slumber, his blissful ignorance written across his peaceful face. His chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm that was hypnotic, his dark lashes fanning out against his cheek, and for a moment, I envied him his peace. It was a world away from the vortex of confusion that was swirling within me.
The memory of Giusseppi's warning about Miss Alice echoed in the back of my mind. A shiver of unease feathered down my spine as I recalled his face and the seriousness in his voice. Now, with the revelation that Augustus and Leo were both Lucy's sons, my world tilted further from its axis. A tangled web of connections and secrets was slowly unfurling, and I was caught in the middle of it, my mind a whirlpool of questions with no answers in sight.
The cabin was filled with the rustling whispers of the morning—the soft crunch of toast, the gentle clink of cutlery, the muted hum of conversation. It was a symphony of normalcy against the backdrop of my spiraling thoughts. I picked at the hem of my shirt, and I started connecting the dots. Or at least try to attempt to.
As the morning matured, Mamori and Lucy continued talking. I didn't pay attention to any of them. I wrestled with my thoughts, yet amidst all the confusion, one thing became clearer with each passing second: I was on the precipice of something. The world within my mind obscured the outside world, rendering me oblivious to my surroundings.
It's been hours since I sat in front of Bryce, trying to find a conclusion to my questions. In the midst of my moment, I noticed Bryce suddenly begin to stir. His brown hair, disheveled from hours of uneasy rest, shifted subtly as he moved. His eyelashes, dark strokes against his pale skin, fluttered open, revealing his hazelnut eyes. He was weak. Yet they were clouded with confusion and pain, a clear difference from their usual nonchalance.
Lucy and Mamori noticed him as they both rushed to his side. Their faces were now painted with concern and anxiety. Mamori's voice then broke the silence, her question hanging heavy in the air.
"Bryce, you are awake," she said. "How are you?"
As he attempted to respond, a wince distorted his handsome features. A hand flew to his forehead, fingers splayed across his skin as if trying to soothe the pain away. His voice, a low rumble, filled the room. "My head still hurts, but otherwise, I'm... okay."
Despite his reassuring words, the grimace that remained etched on his face told a different story. His gaze, clouded with remnants of a bad dream, met Mamori's. The room, once filled with quiet tension, now seemed to echo with his chilling words.
"What happened, by the way? "Mamori asked. "Before you became unconscious."
Bryce stood up from the couch, wincing. I assisted him as he groaned in pain. Sure, he did lie just to cover his pain. But he's an awful liar.
"I tried using my gift to locate Primrose because something told me that she's nearby when we were out both in the forest, you know. The attack from the man in black who ambushed us along the way didn't make me slip from my consciousness. However, the moment I was able to locate Prim, I sensed a weird energy emanating from her. Around her, I guess? I don't know. And then something—or someone—entered my mind right after Primrose saw us both. I tried resisting it, but that entity won. In the process, I lost. Everything went black, and I feel this intense pain coursing through me," he recalled.
I looked at Mamori and then Lucy. They both seemed to be so confused as to what Bryce was saying. I mean, maybe there was another gift? Or maybe Bryce wasn't able to control his power? Whatever it was, I'm just relieved to see him recovering.
"I also had a dream while I was sleeping," Bryce added, his voice barely more than a whisper. "I saw Primrose talking to a strange man. I saw him take her away. And she's... upset. I don't know why. Primrose left Miss Alice's home, leaving us behind. And I see it in her face. I see pain, suffering, and confusion. I know it was just a dream, but it felt real. It felt so real."
His words hung in the air like a chilling fog. The mere thought of me leaving filled me with a sense of dread I couldn't begin to comprehend. As if on cue, my feet moved in his direction, the wooden floor cooling beneath my bare soles.
As I neared him, his gaze shifted, landing on me. His once cloudy eyes now held a hint of recognition—a spark that seemed to ignite the room. His lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out. Instead, his eyes spoke volumes, creating a silent conversation between us.
The atmosphere in the room had shifted once again, leaving us enveloped in a silence that seemed to scream out our uncertainties. And yes, I know that I shouldn't bother, but for some reason, I comforted him.
As the words left my lips, a sense of relief washed over me. "Bryce," I said, my voice barely more than a whisper, "you don't need to worry. I'm safe."
I watched as the tension seemed to drain away from his broad shoulders. His eyes, a captivating mix of hazelnut brown and gold, softened, and a sigh of relief escaped him. His lips curled into a smile that was both gentle and sincere, instantly making the dim cabin we were in feel warmer.
He turned his gaze to Mamori, a question forming on his lips. "Where are we?" he asked, his voice echoing off the wooden walls. Lucy, who had been standing quietly by the corner, inched closer, handing him a glass of water. As she stepped closer, the dim light of the cabin caught on her silver hair, making it gleam like the moonlight.
With a slight nod from Mamori, the old woman was introduced. "Bryce, this is Lucy," Mamori began. She gestured toward the cabin around us. "She's the one who helped us. She lets us stay here in her cabin until you can fully recover."
Lucy was a slight woman, with a face weathered by time. But despite her frail appearance, there was an air of strength about her—an unyielding resilience that was both palpable and inspiring. Mamori leaned closer to Bryce, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "She's a gifted being like us."
Bryce smiled upon hearing Mamori, his eyes reflecting his intrigue. "It's nice meeting you, Lucy," he said, his voice warm and inviting. He then asked her, his gaze sweeping over the simple furnishings of the cabin, "Do you live here all by yourself?"
At his question, Lucy's eyes softened, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "I live with my son," she began, her voice tinged with pride. "However, he is out in town. He works as a public enforcer. But he'll be home soon."
Bryce nodded, a look of approval crossing his features.
His gaze drifted back towards me, his eyes meeting mine. There was a depth in his gaze that made my heart flutter. "Hey," he called, his voice soft and full of relief. "I'm just glad to see you're safe." His words filled the cabin, wrapping around me like a comforting blanket. I watched him, my heart pounding in my chest, as the reality of our situation began to sink in.
We were safe for now. The dangers we had fled from seemed to be at bay, hidden behind the darkness outside Lucy's cabin. But in the glow of the cabin's light, with Bryce's relieved smile and Lucy's comforting presence, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of hope. We were not alone. We were not helpless. However, there was something about the revelations that seemed to tangle me in a web of confusion.
***
Later that afternoon, I found myself lost in a labyrinth of thoughts. I was perplexed, torn between the desire to respect Mamori's privacy and the need to understand the mysteries that seemed to cloud our friendship. I knew she was hiding something, but the depth and extent of it seemed like a chasm that yawned between us, threatening to swallow our bond.
The air was thick with the scent of roast and spices as I sat cross-legged on the worn-out rug of Lucy's cabin, my mind far away from the merry chatter and clinking of cutlery inside. Mamori's laughter echoed through the wooden walls, ringing hollow in my ears as I pondered why she dismissed noticing Lucy's surname and the uncanny resemblance between Augustus and Leo. I found myself questioning everything—if Mamori was just acting blindly or if she hid something from me.
As I was engulfed by my own thoughts, I sensed a presence approaching me. I looked around and saw Bryce walking in my direction. He sat right next to me as I looked away, thinking deeply about the stuff I learned and realized over the past few days.
"Hey," he said. I looked at him and just gave him a simple smile as a response.
"Yeah, I just wanted to check in on you. You know, make sure you're alright after everything," he said.
"I'm fine. Totally fine," I replied. "Just a little shaken up, you know? But overall, I'm good."
"Yeah, I get that," he said. And then, silence. It was awkward.
I looked at him and saw that he was also staring at me. He looked away, and I noticed his eyes darting away from me. I wanted to say, Hey, don't worry, okay? But I just decided to remain silent.
"Prim? "He called. I looked at him and replied, Hmm? before he closed his mouth and frowned. "It's just... there was this strange energy around you before everything happened. I couldn't quite figure it out, but it had me on edge."
"Look!" I said. "You shouldn't worry about your dream, okay? It was just a dream. I assure you, I'm fine, and everything's okay."
"Yeah," he said awkwardly.
A sudden movement caught the corner of my eye as Bryce and I continued sitting on Lucy's porch. An owl was perching majestically atop an old oak tree outside the cabin. Its yellow eyes, a pair of glowing moons against the dark sky, seemed to hold me in their gaze. Its hoot was a whisper in the wind, a soft melody in the rustling leaves, and I couldn't help but feel as though it was trying to communicate with me, its gaze holding a wisdom much older than my own.
It was a call, a beckoning, that I couldn't resist. I rose, my hands instinctively brushing off the dust from my white dress. Bryce also noticed the owl, but he remained on the porch. I could feel the pulsating heartbeat of the cabin behind me, the warmth of the conversations inside, and the affinity that seemed a world away.
With a last lingering look, I stepped out away from the porch, the wooden floor creaking behind me with a soft thud, cutting me off from the scene inside Lucy's home. The door of Lucy's cabin shut behind me with a soft, comforting thud, echoing the finality of my departure. But before I approached the tree, Ophelia trotted out at my heels, purring softly as she twined around my ankles, her stygian fur brushing against my legs. I paused, a small smile playing on my lips as I scratched behind her ears, her body arching into my touch as if to draw more of the affectionate contact.
I then lifted my gaze skyward, the vibrant hues of a setting sun staining the horizon in a breathtaking blend of oranges and purples. It was a canvas painted by the masterful hand of nature, a spectacle so beautiful it almost felt surreal. Perched atop the gnarled branches of the ancient oak tree, the owl continued watching me. Its large, round eyes, like twin moons, were fixed on me, and its head cocked in a manner that was both curious and disconcerting.
Then, with a majestic flutter of its wings, the owl descended, landing on the dew-kissed grass with a muted thud. Its eyes never left mine; the intensity of its gaze made my heart flutter in my chest.
What happened next was something straight out of a fantasy movie. The owl began to transform. Its feathers receded, disappearing into its body, leaving behind a smooth, alabaster skin that shimmered in the dying light of the day. The wings folded into its back, morphing into a sleek, black tailcoat, the fabric so fine and crisp it could have been woven by the hands of the Fates themselves. Its talons morphed into polished black shoes; the transformation was so seamless that it was as if reality itself were bending to the will of this creature. But the most startling transformation was its torso. What was once the short, rounded body of an owl elongated, broadening at the shoulders and tapering at the hips. It was like watching a sculptor mold clay, creating a masterpiece from a shapeless lump. The creature's form became distinctly humanoid, its posture akin to a royal butler, upright and dignified.
Yet, the owl's head remained. Its large, unblinking eyes swiveled to observe its surroundings; the sharp beak now seemed more like a mask of an ancient deity than a part of a live creature. A bow tie appeared at the base of its neck, the fabric as black as a raven's wing, adding an air of sophistication to its already imposing figure.
I watched in silent wonder as the surreal spectacle unfolded before me, leaving me spellbound. Ophelia, however, seemed unbothered by the transformation. She sat on her haunches, her tail wrapped around her paws, her eyes half-closed as if this were an everyday occurrence.
Once the transformation was complete, Sebastian's gaze never left mine. It was an act of deference, one that was as eerie as it was fascinating. I felt as if I had stepped into a different world, a realm where the impossible was the norm and reality was as malleable as clay. Bryce, Mamori, and Lucy then emerged behind me as Sebastian walked in my direction, their silhouettes distinct against the warm glow of the setting sun. Their shadows stretched out before them, long and wavering, as they approached me, their eyes reflecting the dimming light of the day.
Bryce, with his clear face, well-shaped figure, and tousled hair, looked at Sebastian. Mamori, looking at me with a stare that I couldn't decipher, also shifted her gaze towards Sebastian. The butler then bowed in front of us, and after that, he looked at Lucy, who was also surprised by what had happened.
"A pleasant afternoon," Sebastian said in his usual British accent, his voice a low rumble that vibrated with depth I couldn't describe. "I'm glad to see you three safe."
Bryce's brows furrowed, the lines on his face deepening. "Is everything okay in the academy?" His voice, usually so steady, wavered slightly. The concern in his eyes mirrored Mamori's worried look.
Sebastian exhaled, his breath clouding in the cool evening air. "The headmistress and the others fought bravely before you and Mamori entered the woods," he began, his voice thick with admiration. "More men in black came like vultures drawn to the scene of a kill. However, we were not helpless," Sebastian continued, a spark of pride lighting up his face. "The headmistress arrived just in time. Billy and Aria joined her, as did Eli's inventions, and together they were able to defeat the rest of the enemies. Then, the headmistress made the dome much more secure and obscured from the outside world. She's afraid that more men in black will come and attack."
"Anyway," Sebastian said, his voice as smooth as polished stone. "The headmistress is worried sick." He addressed the three of us, his tone carrying a note of urgency. His words hung in the air like a specter, casting a shadow over the otherwise serene evening.
Mamori, her face awash with concern, glanced towards Lucy. There was silent communication between them. Lucy's eyes twinkled upon hearing Sebastian's words. The slight curl of her lips and the sparkle in her eyes suggested anticipation, a sense of excitement that was almost infectious.
"Prim," Lucy turned towards me, the silver strands of her hair catching the last rays of the sun. "Is there a foster home for gifted beings?"
Her question hung in the air, but I nodded hesitantly, uncertain about what lay ahead.
"I see," she simply said. "It's like the one I used to live with my sons."
Lucy's smile upon hearing my affirmation was like the first rays of the sun breaking through the dark night. It was a smile of hope. Whatever her thoughts are at the moment, I have no idea.
As I stood beside Lucy, draped in the golden aura of the setting sun, Mamori approached her. The air was heavy with the scent of pine and the faintest hint of the ocean, carried on the breeze from miles away. I took Ophelia, who was on the ground, and I nestled her into the crook of my arm, her purrs continuing softly as she observed the events unfold. The air then became thick with unease as Mamori approached Lucy. Her silken voice drifted to my ears, a proffered lifeline of safety in these uncertain times. "You must come with us," she implored at Lucy, her almond eyes wide and seeking.
Lucy, however, shook her head, smiling. She stood, a solitary figure against the backdrop of encroaching danger. A soft but unyielding smile curled her lips as she declined Mamori's offer. "I'll be fine, Mamori," she said, her voice infused with a calm I admired.
I knew, of course, that she was waiting for Leo. The name remained unspoken, a silent promise hanging in the air between us. Lucy's gaze remained steadfastly on the horizon, the setting sun casting an orange glow on her face, painting her with an ethereal light. She hugged Mamori, a tender moment of understanding passing between them.
Sebastian, on the other hand, broke the silence. His voice was a low rumble, reminding us of the impending night. "We should go. The sun is setting, and the headmistress' home isn't close." He gestured toward the west, where beyond the undulating hills, the sun was a fiery orb, sinking slowly into a bed of crimson and violet streaks.
I glanced at Mamori, Bryce, and Sebastian, a silent agreement passing between us. Although I felt a pang of worry,.
Mamori's farewell to Lucy was heartfelt, a silent promise of safety etched in their lingering hug. Bryce, who had been healed by Lucy's deft hands yesterday, approached her next. Gratitude was evident in his eyes, his words resonating in the quiet forest.
"Thank you," Bryce said, smiling at her, as Lucy hugged him.
Then, I moved towards Lucy, Ophelia shifting in my arms to peer at the woman with curious, emerald eyes. As I approached, Lucy's gaze met mine, her eyes holding a depth of wisdom that seemed to stretch beyond her years. Her hand, warm and slightly calloused from years of living off the land, took mine in a gentle clasp. She leaned in, her voice barely a whisper in the wind.
"Keep safe, young one."
Her words sent a shiver down my spine, her cryptic message wrapping around me like a sudden gust of wind. Her gaze never wavered, as if she were trying to communicate something more, something hidden beneath the layers of her words.
"I sense a strong power in you," she said, her voice carrying a hint of apprehension and curiosity. "I sense a strong power in you, the kind that I sensed in him years ago."
Him? Who is she referring to? I thought.
Before I could respond, she let go of my hand and stepped back, her gaze softening. She watched as Sebastian took the lead, his tall figure cutting against the twilight sky. Bryce and Mamori followed him, their silhouettes gradually merging with the dimming light.
As I followed suit, I turned back one last time to see Lucy waving us off, her figure bathed in the last rays of the setting sun. The image of her standing there, strong and unyielding, was etched into my memory.
The journey was long, the path filled with the eerie whispers of the night, but Lucy's words echoed in my mind, fueling me with a strange sense of purpose. A power, she had said, but what that meant, I do not know. All I know is that I'm just a human being. I'm not like any of them. I'm just an oddity lost in this web of things. But the real question is, what is the truth behind Miss Alice's home?