Part 24 (1/2)

Youre just going to disappear from campus again like they wont miss you? You cant take such risks. What if youre caught and confined to Astra? Then who can you help?

Sip, I said, just leave me alone. I cant be the only elemental and spend all my time holed up in Astra studying and pretending like theres nothing wrong.

Sip threw up her hands. I cant believe you think thats what I want you to do. Ive been here with you every step of the way, she yelled.

Well thanks for that, I yelled back. Fat lot of good its done us.

Whats the matter with you? Sip panted. I glared at her and she held up her hands. Sorry, poor phrasing, but youve been tired and irritable and you arent dreaming. Whats going on?

You think its easy being the only elemental? I cried. My boyfriend of two years and I broke up and I cant even talk to him and you want me to walk around with a smile on my face all the time?

I stomped away, tears p.r.i.c.king my eyes.

Chapter Thirty-Four.

I went back to Astra alone. I wasnt sure if Sip came or if she went to Airlee, because I closed the door to my room and climbed under the covers. Sip and I had never fought this way until recently. The stress of the war with the demons, and Lisabelles absence, had changed things. I felt tired and sad.

Tomorrow Id have to apologize to Sip. She was only looking out for me, and I knew that. But before I did that, tonight I would dream.

It wasnt what I expected. I fell into an uneasy sleep but somehow managed to remain aware.

Sip had brought out into the open something that had bothered me all semester about my lack of dreams; I had just had so much going on that I hadnt taken the time to think very hard about it.

I thought of Keller all the time. Tonight, I wanted to dream of him.

I closed my eyes and settled back into bed, trying to relax.

But my dreams felt clouded. I kept my thoughts on blue eyes and strong comforting arms, but there was still nothing. Frustrated, I got out of bed and glared at the picture Id hung between the two big windows in my room, then pulled it down. It was a peaceful scene of a field blooming with flowers of all colors.

Behind it I had hidden the Mirror Arcane.

Grabbing the Mirror, I closed my eyes and let its power sink into me, deep down, penetrating every layer, seeping into my mind, letting the mist wrap around my own fog, giving it a brightness and a clarity it hadnt had all semester.

After a few minutes of deep meditation, I replaced the picture over the Mirror and got back into bed.

Closing my eyes, I simply tried to sleep.

I saw Keller almost instantly. Well, saw might be a stretch. I felt him. He felt the same. He felt just like I did, because we were one. I found myself smiling, and I reached for him, then frowned. He was closer, even closer than I had dared to think possible, but there was something wrong, something in the way. I reached for him again. Why was he so close, but I couldnt touch him?

Keller! I cried, trying to get his attention. The picture of him was solidifying in my mind. He was sitting at a large desk, dressed simply all in black. He looked good in black. He looked good in everything. My hands itched to touch him.

Keller! I raised my hands and waved frantically, like an idiot, but he still didnt see me.

He didnt move. I wanted to scream in frustration. When it was clear that I wasnt going to get his attention, that whatever sort of dream I was having it was not the living dream in which I could hold his hand, I forced myself to calm down. I examined the room he was in, looking for any detail that would give me a clue to where he was.

Keller was alone in a barren room. There was a red rug on the floor, extending beneath the large desk at which he was sitting. I could see light streaming in from one side, but the window was out of my vision. I still had no idea where Keller was.

I dont know how long I stayed in the dream, hoping hed recognize me. But it was a very long time.

The next morning I woke up simultaneously feeling relief and frustration. I now knew that something was blocking my dreaming and that I could fight through it if I used the strength of the Mirror Arcane. I wanted to have a living dream, but I couldnt. I hadnt all semester, even when Id dreamed of Lisabelle. But I didnt know if even the Mirror would get me that far.

Maybe Lough and Trafton were having the same problem. I wondered how Id tell Sip that the reason I couldnt dream of Lisabelle was because of me and not because of the Nocturns she was with.

I decided to meet my friends for breakfast in the dining hall instead of eating in Astra. We rarely went to the dining hall now, not with fellow students so hostile, but I thought it was important that we not act afraid.

I had just started telling Lough about Keller and my dream when the Tabble lit up. I leaned over my breakfast to read.

The known Traitor Lisabelle Verlans has been spotted, cried the latest headline in the Tabble. I threw it down, only to pick it up again, hungry for any news of my friend. Had a she really been seen?

Lisabelle Verlans, deserter of paranormals, was spotted simply taking a walk, of all the seemingly innocuous things. Some reports say she was actually holding a book, a BLACK book, obviously, probably with the names of all her future victims written out on its pages.

Obviously, when Ms. Verlans was seen there were several brave-souled paranormals who went to confront her, but she was gone before they got close.

Can anything better be expected from a gutter-dwelling traitor?

Stop reading that drivel, said Lough hotly. What theyre saying is that they ran away crying like babies when they saw her. For no reason. Shes never hurt anyone. If they really saw her they didnt stick around long enough to know what she was doing.

I quirked an eyebrow at him, surprised by the anger in his voice. Wed been dealing with dumb Tabble stories all semester.

Okay, shes hurt Faci, but who hasnt wanted to do that? Lough said.

I see your notorious friend is at it again, said Faci, stopping at our table.

Oh, Faci, I said. Speak of the devil.

Faci, you eat? Lough said. Shocking. I thought you scared food away.

Its not alive, said the vampire coldly. He tried to s.h.i.+ft away, but not before we saw that he wasnt even holding a tray.

Right, said Lough, shaking his head. What do you want?

Since you are my teammate in Tactical, it is my duty to inform you that we have practice tonight, said Faci, his dead eyes looking anywhere but at the dream giver.

Lough stared at him. What are we practicing? How to walk around campus with our eyes open?

Facis face darkened. Youll be there if you know whats good for you. I wont lose Tactical because of a stupid dream giver. And with that he stomped off and left us alone for the moment.

Practice, Lough muttered furiously. Ridiculous.

Sip joined us not long afterwards, looking hara.s.sed.

Whats wrong? I asked.

Sip shrugged. Ive been summoned to Olivas tonight. He wants to discuss my thesis. He thinks he might know a werewolf or two who can help me.

Thats good, isnt it? I asked.