Lumen (15 page)

“Um. I best be going. I have this thing that I need to get to at school. So phone me,” he said, panting. He closed his eyes and turned, wanting to take one lasting look at her, but before he could blink and 
snap
 the photo, a cold explosion rendered him to his hands and knees, crawling on the floor in his dorm room.

Several loud thumps accompanied the ache in his head, and again, louder this time. “You in there?” Taner shouted from the other side of the door.

Daniel glanced up, confused about why Taner would sound angry, unless Jasper had done something to him this time. “Yeah,” Daniel replied, climbing to his feet.

“I’ve been knocking for like ten minutes,” he said.

Daniel unlocked his door and Taner stood there glaring into his eyes, his face puffed up and red.

“Are you okay?” Daniel asked.

“No. You lied, you’re Lowerlands scum!”

“Scum? Scum!” Daniel bridged the gap between them, he was a little taller than Taner, “I’m scum?” he asked, staring into Taner's eyes and clenching his hands into fists for when he'd burst and start attacking.

Taner stuttered. “Yeah.” He continued, “and a liar. You said you were rich. I bet you stole those things, didn’t ya!”

“Shut up, and go away. Who are you trying to intimidate?” Daniel asked, his fingers urging to prod Taner in his puffed out chest and then laugh at how he’d followed him around like a lost puppy. He didn’t want Taner to reply, if he did, he wouldn’t contain himself, he promised that, something touched a nerve, not only did he disapprove of Taner’s actions to the carriage staff, but he brought Lowerlands into it and they were his family.

Taner started to stutter again but before he could string any sentences together Daniel pushed passed, shutting his door. He hurried to the end of the hall, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, listening to the slow footsteps coming up from behind. Daniel found his chest tingle and his breath cold, making him shiver, he unclenched his fists and pulled both the doors to a close, summoning delicate strands of energy and tying them around the handles.

“You’re going to be late for the assembly,” Daniel laughed as Taner pushed himself up against the doors, rattling them slightly and shouting something that was now muffled behind the glass.

Daniel sat in the middle of the assembly, watching as people filled up the seats around him. He kept an eye on the door and choked on a breath when he saw Taner walking in with Jasper, Mark and Carlie. Jasper glanced right at him, a smug grin on his face and a curl to his lip. Daniel kept his eyes forward after that.

“The first week of the semester has passed, and quite frankly you’ve all passed that all important first test, so well done. Unlike previous years no students have been sent home, well there are a few who’ve asked to go home for a visit but nobody has thought of quitting altogether. Probably because this year’s 
hand-
select students are the most special by far,” Reuben said loudly, shuffling a couple of notes at the podium.

He stumbled slightly and left his post, tapping Chey on the shoulder to take it up. She glanced through the cards and wiped a hand through her hair, coughing into a fist before speaking. “As many of you know, this school also offers other lessons and activities to aide and develop current skills, such as learning about the Divides and how to use them to your own advantage. How to call on the seven Luminary presences, and even which ones you should prayer to. Perhaps you’re an altruist and want to learn about medicines to help people, or learn about plants, gardening and that stuff,” she said, glancing back at Reuben who nodded. “I don’t think there’s anything else that anyone wants to discuss. There will be several piles of leaflets in the foyer, return any slips, forms et cetera to the teacher who is offering the activity as it is first come, first serve.” She turned to leave the stand, but the assembly hall was still quiet. She grinned, “you may leave, and all first years must take their first year pin, these must be worn.”

Daniel noticed Reuben standing and taking a hard grip of his walking stick. He eyed him suspiciously, watching as he dragged his limp leg.

“Are you okay, sir?” Daniel asked, pushing through people and chairs to get to him.

“Oh, it’s nothing. Well I broke my leg a while ago and sometimes it plays up and splinters,” he replied, waving a hand.

“I bet that hurts.”

Reuben shook his head, and they stopped. “I have a favour to ask,” he said, and Daniel perked up, trying to listen properly over the stampede of feet and screeching of chairs.

“Yes. Sure.”

“There have been a few breaches from the campus to 
land 
outside Templar. Have you heard anything about it?” he asked.

Yes 
“No,” 
it was me
, Daniel said, gulping and shaking his head.

“If you hear anything about it, then come and tell me. I’m on the board for island safety, and part of my responsibility is to keep all 
threats
 detained.”

“Threats?”

Reuben smiled. “Not to us, but to the people on the outside. People have started families off the island and all of them have been killed within moments of us knowing about it. This is serious, and I trust you, Lowerlands like you never lie. So if you hear anything, just knock on my door, I’m always happy to listen to their 
pathetic
 excuses,” he snarled.

Daniel forced a dazed smile and then nodded. When he blinked back to realisation, Reuben had gone and in his hands, Daniel held his first year pin with the golden letters ‘year one’ engraved on it. He sighed and fell against a wall. He brought a hand to his neck and felt his pulse kick from beneath his skin and throb inside his ears. He closed his eyes and started to take deep breaths before he popped a blood vessel. A rush hit him as he fought to teleport back to his room.

That’s going to come in handy. Being able to go wherever I want and not being caught by Jasper
, he thought, falling back on his bed.

He moved around the room to the window. The sun was high in the sky, and to think that not so long ago he was watching that same sun as it set, it just sounded bizarre, like thinking, or knowing that he was the one breaching the law.
Maybe I should plead my case? It can’t be that pathetic; a girl, if she wanted she could learn, right? But then there was that man, he had a family off the island. And they were slaughtered.
 He pressed the palms of his hands against his forehead and pushed.

“I’m glad I didn’t kiss her, in fact she’s probably being hunted down. My fault. All my fault,” he forced out from beneath his gritted teeth. “It’s gotta be easier than just – trying to force it all away. Can I even make it right? They’ll figure out soon enough!”

He began picking his clothes up from the floor and making a small pile of dirty clothes. He looked at his alarm clock; it was 
16:00
. He just wanted to get away again. He stayed in his room and after making his bed, he undressed and climbed inside.

Chapter Eighteen

“Hah. You found me? Well she’s really pretty,” he said, and before Daniel’s eyes, the same black platform that he’d seen before.

“Who?”

“Who?” he mimicked with a grin, “Mia Crosgrove, 16, originally from London, but moved to New York when her father found a higher paying job. You know this girl right? Brown hair, turquoise eyes and some freckles across her nose.”

“Of course you know her, you’re part of me,” Daniel sniggered to himself.

“Oh, kid, you might just be part of me.”

“I don’t know you! Who are you?” Daniel shouted, it echoed in the slick black fields around them.

“Karsar Hanley, but of course you already knew, you’re in 
my 
dream tonight,” he said, glaring into Daniel’s eyes, grinning.

Daniel closed his eyes and for the first time the darkness was comforting. He felt the air in his face, and at that point he had the need to open his eyes, but he wished he’d kept them closed. He was standing on the ledge of the hotel where Mia lived. He gasped and panicked, rocking over the edge. Karsar grabbed his arm and steadied him.

“You wouldn’t die anyway, probably just be in a lot of pain when you woke up,” he said letting go of Daniel.

“Of course, it’s a dream,” Daniel chuckled, stepping down from the ledge.

“You could’ve put some clothes on, but it’s fine. We’re going indoors anyway. Let’s see who it is you adore so much. Heck, I feel like one of those ghosts from A Christmas Carol,” he grinned.

“What’s that?” Daniel hunched his shoulders and pulled at his t-shirt.

“A book, it’s also a film.”

“Never read it, and I watched television once when I was little when they came out, that’s about it though.”

Karsar stared. “Not living like a king at all then. Besides, we’re going to take a look at Mia, I’ve already studied where she sleeps,” he winked.

“Eugh.”

“I’m looking out for you,” he said and walked away into a flicker.

Daniel shook his head. “C’mon Karsar,” he said. And again, the surroundings started to change, everything was unusual except one thing; Mia, she was asleep in bed.

“I told you this was my dream tonight, I don’t want you to know too much about dreams or you could make me your bitch,” he snickered, and then started to snoop around her room.

“Oi. What are you doing?”

“I’m not allowed to look? Although we can interact with out surrounding, nothing will really move. And you’re not
breaching
 any rules,” he grinned.

“How’d you -,” Karsar lifted his hand to pause Daniel. “So what is it you wanted to show me so much?”

“Her. She’s asleep. They’ve not taken her or imprisoned her or hung her.”

“What?”

“You overwhelmed me. You induced yourself into a nightmare, your worst nightmare apparently,” Karsar said, rolling his eyes. “I had this 
dream 
of yours without even yawning or needing sleep, in fact I fell down like a narcoleptic in a bar somewhere, and your head is still god damn clear.”

Daniel yawned. "I’m sorry.”

“Now can you leave, I need to wake up.”

“But I have more questions now.”

Karsar raised an eyebrow and grinned. “Not my problem,” he hissed, and then swung his arm around and punched Daniel square in the face. Daniel shuffled back on his feet and then fell, disappearing in a flash of light.

He woke coughing, with one hand on his chest and another blotting the pain on his face. He groaned, and turned in his bed. Opening his eyes he saw Carlie, lying on her side at his side with a hand on her hip, and the other playing with her hair.

She started to stroke his torso, and he didn’t try and wriggle out of her touch, at first; he didn’t understand where he was or what was going on. He’d locked his door, he was sure of this; he’d tied a knot of energy to keep it bolted. He glanced over, and it was still intact.

“Carlie?” he said, trying to blink away the sleep from the corner of his eyes.

“Shush,” she said softly, and then kissed him on his lips.

He pushed her back, but she didn’t budge. He shuffled out of his duvet and off his bed, staring down at her. She brought herself up to her knees, and they were at the same height. She kissed him on the lips again, pushing her head against his.

“Go away,” he said, holding his hands up to protest.

“You don’t say stop. Nobody ever says stop,” she giggled and pursed her lips.

“I don’t want you here, and you’re the reason that Jasper’s been at my throat!”

“No, he just hates you. Besides, he doesn’t even know, 
yet
. You’re all anyone needs,” she said puffing her chest out and biting her bottom lip.

Three bangs shook the bedroom door from its foundations. Daniel eyed Carlie and she grinned, she stood and then skipped over to the door. She flipped the lock and broke the seal of energy over it, letting the door roll open. She stood in front of it, confronted by Jasper.

“I’m so glad you’re here. He tried to kiss me,” she said, pretending to cry into her hands and then she flung herself into his arms.

He gently pushed her out of his arms and she rushed off down the hall whimpering. Jasper glared, the colour of his eyes glazed yellow and rivets of fur broke out on his skin.

“I didn’t. She was in here when I woke up!” Daniel said.

“To be honest I don’t care. This was going to happen anyway, and there’s no teacher here!” he roared and pounced at Daniel, shifting into his full lion form.

Daniel dodged the attacked, jumping to his bed and off at the other side. Jasper growled and snapped his jaw at Daniel. He climbed up on the bed with two of his paws and let out another almighty roar.

Daniel held himself back, trying to push around the room to the door. Jasper clawed at his duvet, tearing it open and leapt in front of him. Daniel stopped, he was shaking, he tried to shift, he tried to teleport, but neither could be processed from the pounding inside his head.

“I want you dead!” Jasper shouted.

“Why?” Daniel shouted back.

His golden mane straightened as he forced himself forward for Daniel. He made fists of his hands, ready to whack Jasper, and he did. He swung and the lion collided with his fist, but that didn’t stop Jasper from ending on top, digging his claws into Daniel and piercing his skin with three fresh cuts down his arm. Jasper lifted his paw to take another hit, but he couldn’t force it back down. Daniel turned under him and grabbed his arms tightly, his grip slipped as he pulled fur from the lion. Jasper fell on him; his fur molting and littering Daniel with dark blond clumps, until all that was left was Jasper, slumped on top of him.

Daniel heaved himself from under Jasper. “You weigh a ton!” he said pushing him, “get up!” He nudged him with his foot, realising that Jasper wasn’t going to.

Daniel looked at his arm. There were only faint marks of where he’d been cut. He rubbed his fingers over it and the dry blood crumbled beneath them. It looked as though the cuts had never been there.

Jasper mumbled something and started to push himself up. “Think—think again! You should never. Ever!” he shouted, rushing out of the door. Daniel watched him and let the door slam as he left. It was empowering, in fact, he couldn’t care less now.