‘He wasn’t like that at home?’ she asks curiously, pulling her legs up onto my bed and getting comfortable.
‘Nope. He was always kind and helpful. He never bragged about his success at ValAc. In fact, it was alwaysmetrying to pry information out ofhim. Even when he trained me, he never once made me feel like I was slow or stupid, even though he could beat me with his eyes closed.’
Lillian hums in thought, looking off into the distance. I can’t help but wonder what she’s thinking, if she’s trying to piece my version of him with hers. If she remembers the good or if it’s been tainted by the picture everyone painted of him when he died.
‘Lillian.’ My voice shakes. I know I shouldn’t ask her this question, but I’ve been dying to ask one of them. I just haven’t ever felt like the time was right. Ineedto know and for some reason I feel like it’s now or never.
Her dark eyes find mine once more, pulled away from her thoughts and back to where we sit, on my bed.
‘Where did it happen?’ I fist the blanket with both hands to stop them from trembling. ‘Lukas … where did he die?’
A sombre expression takes over her face. It hurts to look at it, but I force myself to maintain eye contact. To show her that this is important to me. She owes me no favours, I don’t even know if we’re truly friends, but she knew my brother, she knew parts of him that I didn’t, as much as I hate to admit that. But if she knows anything about this, and I’m certain she does, I feel like it’s only right for me to know as well.
‘Nocthare, I don’t—’
‘Please,’ I beg, reaching out to grab her hand. She looks down at it, where my fingers intertwine with hers. I squeeze her hand, pulling her gaze back to mine and whisper, ‘Please, I need to know.’
It takes a while, but she eventually squeezes my hand back. ‘It happened in the Grand Hall.’
It feels strange standing before the dais as it sits empty. I look up at the platform and try to picture Lukas up there, covered in other people’s blood, but I can’t. There is no version of him in my memories, or even the depths of my imagination, who could commit such a gruesome, violent act like the one Lillian vaguely described to me.
Apparently, Lukas was found right in the middle of the dais, with a handful of his fellow students laying around him. One from each unit. He was on his knees, covered in blood.Theirblood.
It had happened in the middle of the night and by morning Headmaster Zain and the other professors had already cleaned up the mess, taken the students’ bodies to the infirmary where their families would collect them, and Lukas was out in the forest, being burn t at the stake.
To break the news, Headmaster Zain had held an emergency gathering in the Grand Hall and announced to the student body what had happened while they all slept.
I didn’t ask what her reaction was or how she felt. I don’t think I would have been able to sit there and listen to her tell me how she oranyof them believed it or if they left that gathering with bitter tastes on their tongues.
It all just makes no sense to me. Why would he do it? What purpose would he have to kill them and why did he take their hearts? What was so important that their hearts had to be ripped out and why did he need one heart from each unit? It’s black magic. I know that. But there are no texts on black magic anywhere. I know because when Tilly, Xavier and I walked through the library, I was secretly looking for it. Anything that even alluded to it. There was nothing. As if it had all been cleaned out … hell, maybe it has. Maybe after what happened they were confiscated.
The thought gives me an idea. I spin on my heels and almost run out of the Grand Hall, bumping into someone’s shoulder as I push through the double doors. I mutter a quick apology, set my pace and head for my Sympathetic Magic class that I’m sure will be starting any minute.
Xavier. I need to talk to Xavier.
THIRTY-THREE
Professor Kroff finds me before class starts, which turns out to be a good thing, but is also a hindrance to the itching urge I have to push past him and slide into my seat beside Xavier who is now looking at me questioningly. One of his brows rises as Kroff guides me just outside the door by the elbow.
‘Is everything all right, professor?’ I ask.
‘Everything is fine, Miss Nocthare. I just wanted to let you know I thought a lot about your request, and I’ve decided I think it’s a good idea.’
‘My request?’
‘For you and Mr Davis,’ he adds, looking at me like I’m an idiot. ‘The crystals you asked for.’
Right! I almost forgot about that.
‘Yes! Of course. When can we collect them?’
He chuckles. ‘You’re mistaken. I’m not handing over crystals like those to two first years. I have placed them with your Elemental professor. She will let you handle them during class hours, and you are to return them back to her at the end of each lesson.’
My excitement deflates. I was hoping to get unlimited access to them, that way we could practise anytime we wanted.
I try to hide my disappointment with a tight-lipped smile. ‘Thank you. I appreciate the help, professor.’
When I eventually make it back into the classroom and slide in beside Xavier, I tell him the news about the crystals first. He’s excited at the prospect of seeing if they can help bring out his element. I know he’s been practising a lot with a few students from his unit. I’m glad he has other friends to help him; he deserves it after what he’s been through, that’s for sure.
