“Thanks, Luke,” I said.
“S ’okay. I like Davidus, too,” he said sadly.
“It’s not fair! He wasn’t doing anything wrong!”
Luke shrugged, a strangely ancient look passed over his face.
“It doesn’t always matter what we do. It matters who we are,” he said. Somehow that statement just seemed so…wrong.
Erix came over and wrapped his arm around me.
“C’mon, bro. You better finish your studies before the instructor comes back,” he said.
“Maalik’s just going to keep harassing me,” I said.
“Hmph.” Erix growled. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”
Erix gathered his papers and quill and sat back down in his normal place, glaring pointedly at Maalik until he looked away.
“You’ll get in trouble,” I said.
Erix shrugged.
“I doubt if old Asus will even notice I moved,” he said, sending a small smile my way.
Erix was right. By the time Asus returned the temperature in the room had shot back up, drying the rain Davidus had apparently caused. Asus didn’t even comment on Erix’s move.
That night, after completing our chores and eating a scant dinner, Erix sat next to me in the abandoned storeroom we had claimed. He had been unusually quiet all evening.
“Elex,” he said. “We need to talk.”
“What?” I asked, unfolding one of the threadbare blankets we had stolen at some point. The yellow diamonds were long gone, used to purchase food, clothing, and other necessities. I was tired. It had been a long day, and my heart was still hurting at the loss of Davidus.
“Today… when Asus Suppressed Davidus…” he said. “I…I felt it.”
“What?” I asked dumbly.
Erix tapped his head.
“Here. It hurt,” he said, his face a little pale.
“No,” I insisted. “No! You can’t be—we can’t be…” my voice trailed off.
“Did you feel something?” he asked me, his voice strangely hopeful.
I shook my head. Suddenly I remembered the twinge in my head when Asus has acted, but surely that wasn’t because… because… No. It was the rock Maalik had thrown. It had to be.
“We need to leave,” Erix said. “It’s time to run.”
“What if it’s a mistake, Er? It could just be a headache. You could be coming down with something, not…not…” my voice trailed off. I couldn’t even bring myself to say it.
Erix held his hand up and an intense look of concentration came over him. Suddenly a small flame appeared in the air over his hand.
I froze. Fire. He was a Fire Mageia.
“Erix…” I whispered.
“You haven’t noticed anything… different?” he asked. I shook my head and he looked disappointed.
