I thought about the fight for the rest of the day and throughout the night. At five a.m. I'd hauled myself out of bed and into my wheelchair. It’d been difficult. I was still tired most of the time, and using what little strength I had to pull myself into my chair was excruciatingly painful. Our cell was dark, and for once, the prison was quiet.
Charlie had stirred, but I’d managed to get into my chair quietly enough that he didn’t wake. He needed the sleep, and these days, it seemed it was only then he managed to find a semblance of peace.
Oberi watched me, ruffling her feathers. I stubbornly waved her off, insisting I didn’t need help. I could still do things by myself. Just had to find a different way.
Thankfully, the doorways in our apartment were big enough for my chair to get through, but the place was still tiny, and maneuvering around it in my chair was aggravating. I kept running into things.
I was exhausted, but the ache in my stomach clearly told me I wasn’t getting any sleep, so I went into the other room and rummaged through our stuff for two things; my mother’s compass, and my journal. I sat with both in my lap, trying to decipher what was coming next.
The compass needle did nothing but spin relentlessly when it touched the journal, twirling in a mad circle like it was overcharged. I scowled. My mother had told me that if the compass was spinning, I already had the answer. Which was absolutely infuriating.
I didn’t know how to work this thing, and I wasn’t sure what clues anyone could send me with an object that seemed unpredictable at best.
I didn’t get it. Lindsey and Miranda said they’d help me, but this compass wasn’t working. I fiddled with it for another hour, but couldn’t get the arrow to slow.
Around six, I heard a loudthumpfrom the other room. I startled as I realized Charlie must’ve fallen out of bed. “Pidge! Where are you?”
“I’m fine!” I called out. “Just in the other room.”
His voice had been frantic. His steps were quick and heavy as he came into the other room. “Don’t scare me like that. I had no idea where you went.”
“I’m right here,” I said calmly. “Just didn’t want to wake you.”
My first day of class was today, so we’d be forced to separate. I could already tell the thought made him anxious.
Me too, honestly. I didn’t feel safe spending a single moment away from my twin flame… not anymore.
“How’d you get out of bed by yourself? You shouldn’t push it,” Charlie worried.
“I just wanted to mess around with the compass,” I explained.
He made a non-committal noise, but didn’t say anything further. Oberi flew past me and settled on the back of my chair.Let’s get to it. We have a big day today.
I was dreading the thought of getting through classes, but we had to start somewhere. I was able to take down a few bites of French toast, along with a protein shake, before Charlie wheeled me off to class.
He hesitated when he dropped me off at Ancient Magical Societies. He didn’t want to leave, and I didn’t want him to go.
My gaze scanned the room, until I caught Ivy’s familiar white locks peeking out at the back of the class. My shoulders fell. Charlie wasn’t in this class, but Ivy was, so I’d be okay. My vampire friend would tear anyone apart who dared to try and hurt me.
“Ava, come sit back here,” Ivy called.
Charlie seemed less tense once he heard Ivy’s voice. He squeezed my shoulder and asked, “Are you going to be okay?”
“I’ll be fine,” I said, though my tone wavered. “We’ll meet up in an hour.”
Oberi flew ahead of Charlie, flapping her wings. She seemed the least concerned out of any of us. Her faith in me was inspiring, but I couldn't feel it in myself yet.
Ivy’s fashion choices today were glamorous. He wore glittering gold eyeshadow with flared yellow eyeliner, purple lipstick, and a million gaudy costume rings on his fingers. None of this stuff wasallowedat the Institute, but he’d wear it for as long as he could get away with it.
Ivy leaned against his desk. “How them legs working for you?”
My voice got quiet as I said, “They’re not.”
He frowned. “Well, what do doctors know, anyway?”
I shook a steadying breath. “I can learn to live with this. I can get around it, but I can’t handle this affecting the relationships with the people I love.”
Ivy’s expression slackened. “What do you mean?”
