Part 10 (2/2)

Hey, I said, this is my best friend were talking about. Sh.e.l.l always be on our side.

Cale shrugged. I dont mean to say anything bad about your friend, he said, but she willingly went to darkness. Arguably they never could have gotten her unless she was willing.

She did it to save Sip, I said, throwing up my hands. Thats hardly willing.

Either way, shes now taken all her power to the Nocturns, and we have to fight her. Its a fight that we all know we cant win.

If it comes to that, I said. But it wont.

Light was starting to burst over the tree tops as the sun came up. The rain had stopped long ago, leaving the world drenched in bright colors. It promised to be another beautiful summer day.

Cale, I asked tiredly, how exactly does the Paranormal Police Academy train you?

They optimize our natural abilities, Cale explained. The Academy doesnt try to teach us to do anything we werent already learning. We learn to use what we have.

So you were about to use your pixie dust to . . . what? I asked.

It reacts with darkness, he said. Theyre Nocturns, and all the power around them is dark. My pixie dust would have created little b.a.l.l.s of fire.

When it touched them?

Yeah, or their magic, said Cale. I just didnt get the chance, because you control the sky.

I smiled. Im surprised they didnt hear the story from Golden Falls about what happened when the demons attacked us.

They may not have believed it, said Cale. I didnt. Anyway, the real reason I came here is that Caid called a Conclave. All paranormals - except a skeleton force a.s.signed to protect vital paranormal interests, like Ricky - are required to attend.

At first I didnt understand what he was saying, but when he continued to look at me it finally sank in. Im leaving? I asked.

Cale nodded. Summers over.

Chapter Fifteen.

I left Ricky a note. I felt sick about it, but I didnt know what else to do. Cale had planned to tell me earlier, but when he realized that Nick and Nicole were darkness mages he hadnt had a chance. I demanded to know why he hadnt shared that little bit of information with me, and he said that he had wanted to deal with it on his own. I told him that was entirely unacceptable.

He shrugged. I was starting to wonder if the Police Academy was really a good thing or not. But either way, I had to leave for the Conclave immediately.

Most paranormals, including the unusual and rare Strange, were being required to attend. Mound would be there. Sips parents, Loughs parents. Probably not Lisabelles parents, because no one was sure where they were. Sip had also sent me a message to say that she was on her way. The thought that we would finally be together again was inexpressibly comforting. I couldnt wait.

Typically a paranormal Conclave would have taken place at Vampire Locke, but since that was now impossible, we were meeting in Sips parents town, in the middle of nowhere in New Hamps.h.i.+re. I thought of the barren fields and Sips house and wondered where exactly all of us would stay.

Instead of flying I took a human route: I hopped on a bus. Sip would have thought I was crazy, but as I explained to her later, the less attention I drew to myself the fewer problems we would have.

I reached Sips home town in early afternoon. Several times Id tried to sleep on the bus without success, so I was tired. Since Sip was already there, she was able to meet me at the bus station. We hugged, but we didnt say a word to each other until we were safely at Sips parents home.

Where are Hyder and Helen? I asked.

Theyre out to dinner with a few other senior paranormals, Sip explained. My brothers are with them.

Sip was the youngest of six. She had five older brothers. Poor girl.

I think they wanted to give us come privacy since we havent seen each other all summer, she said. I was relieved that she sounded just as bitter as I felt.

Any news of Lisabelle? I asked.

Sip shook her head. Caid told my parents hes been getting reports of a very strong darkness mage fighting with paranormals, pixies mostly. He thinks its Lisabelle.

Theyre setting her up to be blamed, I said, fear gripping my heart.

Yup, said Sip, nodding grimly. They sure are.

I didnt want to think about what that meant. Obviously Lisabelle would never go over to darkness; she was only there because she had to be. We knew that, but no one else seemed to believe it.

You know, said Sip thoughtfully, Lisabelle once said that the only way she could live with me was because I was more pleasant when I was sleeping. She gave me a half-hearted smile.

That sounds like Lisabelle, I said softly. Sip nodded, her eyes bright.

We both let a few minutes of silence pa.s.s. Then, knowing it was better to get our minds off our friend, I started talking again. Anything to forget, if only temporarily.

What about the secret messages youve been putting in Tabble? I asked. Any response from that?

Sip shook her head again. Sadness was like a weight on her shoulders. No, she whispered. I keep hoping. I keep signing them neon, but theres nothing. She might not be able to write. She paused, then brightened a little. Have you dreamed her?

Not since that first night, I said. I wondered if the darkness premier or Malle might have figured out what was happening.

Its possible, said Sip. But come on. Lets go outside. Lough said hed be arriving with Bartholem soon.

Hes bringing the cat? I asked, startled. Sip grinned.

He tried to leave him, but I guess Bartholem had a fit and Lough had to bring him along after all.

Sounds about right, I said, grinning back.

It was now early evening, and Sip and I had a ton of catching up to do. For one thing, I wanted to talk to her about Keller, because I couldnt not talk about Keller. And that was only the first topic on a long list. In true Sip form, she prepared us a pot of tea, sliced some cheese and put it on a plate with crackers, and grabbed a blanket. We went outside and spread the blanket on her front lawn, sitting on the gra.s.s to wait for Lough.

At least well be on our way back to Public soon, I said, biting into a slice of cheddar.

Everything feels better when were there, said Sip. It wasnt the same this summer without the other students.

Hows the research coming? I asked. Sip had spent the summer researching ways to get Lisabelle back, even if that isnt what she told Oliva.

Not well, said Sip grimly. Lisabelle probably had to sign a Blood Kept, a type of agreement thats almost impossible to break.

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