Larkspur | ONC 2023

Chapter 14

“Who is this Fogfeather and why should we believe any stupid bullshit she says?” Hemlock slams down his fist angrily on the table. The librarian startles out of her book and looks at us. I shoot an apologetic glance at her.

“She’s a famous historian.” I shrug. “What’s there to not believe? We don’t have any other source of knowledge on what I am.”

“Maybe we can ask Tempest.” His eyes lighten up.

“I’d kill myself before I go to that woman for help.”

“She practically raised us and sheltered us.”

“She made us a killer.”

“Cordelia then?” The face of Cordelia with her flaming red hair and soft smile floated in my vision. Cordelia taught me how to use and channel the magic in me and use it productively. As sweet as she was, she was the strictest teacher too, but it was fun learning from her. She used to bring me treats after every nightly practice session. 

“Cordelia it is.” I nod, whipping out my phone and scrolling through my contacts. “Later!” 

“Hmm.” Hemlock doesn’t even look up from the book.

“Staring at the book won’t erase the writing.” He doesn’t respond. So I leave him to absorb the information. In fact, it should have been me pouring over that book. It’s scary to think how I’m kind of relieved by knowing my fate while I should be tense. I reach my room and close the door firmly. Then I reach under my mattress and fish out the tiny black keypad mobile. Then I dial up Cordelia. One can never be too careful.

“Chef C, speaking!” Cordelia’s excited voice rings out from the other end. I almost sigh in relief. She was the only mother figure in my life when I was a scared and confused teenager.

“Hello C! Purple this way. I was wondering if I can order a special delivery please.” I pause.

“Listening.” Her voice changes slightly.

“The usual order with fairy dust,” I say softly. Fairy dust was our code for urgent and it has stayed the same ever since.

“I see and where would you like to take the order please?” 

“Room 104, B-wing please at 10 am tomorrow, Sundale University campus.”

“I’m afraid the place is under lockdown.” There’s a warning in her tone. Damn! Cordelia is a fairy blessed with the best teleportation skills so moving in and out of the gate is a child’s play. But with the campus on lockdown, it might be warded off from all kinds of teleportation magic.

“Oh, I’m sorry. The order can wait then.” I am never going to endanger her just because I need information.

“No, it can’t. We ensure the best customer service. We’ll be there with the order.”

“No, please.”

“I insist!” There is a touch of motherly reprimand in her voice. Shit! She’ll walk in through the door now, just because I am so fucking selfish. I fist my hair tightly and let out a silent scream. I need to clear my head.

I put on my hoodie and slip out into the corridors, heading straight for the C wing. The C wing is forbidden for all the students because it is believed that the building is cursed. A solar and a lunar fairy got into a duel in the same building and their combined magic created a force field that incinerated the whole third floor. Since then nobody dares cross over to the C wing, except for me obviously.

I look around quickly and click my fingers. The lock opens itself. Slowly I open the gate and slip inside, snapping my fingers again and the gate locks behind me. The signs of the fire are still fresh on the soot-covered walls as if it happened yesterday. If the amalgamation of two powers could incinerate a building, I wonder what the six powers inside me could do to their full potential. I walk through the creaking floors to the stairs on the other side of the dark hallway. Making my way through the creaking spiral stairs, I reach the top of the building from where a small door emerges in the wall. I push it open and breathe in the welcoming night air. I’m now on top of one of the four towers on the four sides of the castle-like university building. 

The night sky is studded with stars. The sky here is dusky grey, quite different from the deep midnight black of the woods. The city lights from the human civilization blink in the distance. Breathing in the night air, I can’t help but feel a sense of complete detachment from everything around me. In this place, I’ve become one with the night. I flop down on the cold stone floor. From this position, I can watch the stars and block out the sound of the world around me.