Oppression (22 page)

21.

WILLIAM’S FRIENDS AGREED to keep things quiet and to discount any prophecy rumors that may have been traveling the halls. On my first day back at The Institute since the Human Evasion test, I noticed a difference immediately. People stared, and those who intentionally looked away walked on the opposite side of the hallway.

“Just say the word and we’re out of here,” William said, holding my hand protectively.

“It’s fine,” I answered, brushing it off. Part of me still hoped that in one of my classes I would learn of a way to save Anna without having to die in her place. If it meant tolerating a few looks, so be it.

When I walked into Abilities Defense, Helen greeted me with a smile. “You survived.”

“Barely,” I said, remembering the traumatic event. Had everyone heard about my Evasion test?

“Well, you’ve inspired my lesson for today. It should be fun.”

“I think she confuses the word fun with insane,” William whispered to me as we headed for a giant blue beanbag. “Last time we did something ‘fun’ Nics cracked her head open.”

It turned out William was right. Ms. Stanzic was crazy.

“Today we are going to play Get Out or Go Down,” she announced to the class.

William nudged me with his elbow. “Fun or insane?”

“Each person will have a chance to get out the door of the classroom. I will choose a group of three to try and stop you. Those who make it get ten points.”

“Insane,” I mouthed to William, who smiled to himself.

“I’m hoping this lesson can teach you how to get out of situations when it seems like all odds are against you.” She looked at me with a pleased smile. “Volunteers?”

Nobody jumped up willingly, but this was not an optional assignment, and in the end it was James, the boy who could throw electricity, Paul, and Stan, who’s ability to cause sleep nearly killed Nics the last time—all three of them against Rachel.

“Three boys against a girl,” Paul complained to Ms. Stanzic. “It’s not a fair match.”

She just laughed. “That’s the point of the exercise.”

“I can take them,” Rachel challenged with sass.

The entire battle took less than thirty seconds. As soon as Ms. Stanzic said go, Rachel immediately snapped into a tiny multicolored ball of light. She flitted around the room like a fairy, taunting the boys as James shot off streams of crackling electricity, and Paul chased madly after her. Light bulbs burst, and Stan’s head whipped back and forth as he tried to focus his sight on the illuminated form that zipped around faster than his eyes could move.

After she’d had her fun, the light bulleted for the door and was out before Paul had even changed directions.

“Told ya,” Rachel bragged as she re-entered the classroom in full form.

“Excellent job, Rachel,” Ms. Stanzic said.

The next match-up was a freckly brunette named Penny, who had the power of invisibility, Sam, and Nics, against Stephan, a muscular jock type that was descendant of Eris, goddess of discord.

“At least they aren’t fighting each other,” I whispered to William as we sank deeper into the blue beanbag chair.

“Yeah, we’ll see,” he said, smiling.

When Ms. Stanzic said go, I expected Stephan to make a run for it, but he stood his ground facing the three with a mischievous grin.

Sam glared at Nics. “Do something,” he demanded.

“I am,” she shouted back. “He’s blind. What else to you want from me?”

“Work together,” Ms. Stanzic advised.

Penny had disappeared. I expected her to come up behind her over-confident opponent and block his way, turn him around in the pitch-black space Nics had built around him, but instead Sam went flying backwards into the wall.

“What the hell?” he screamed at Nics.

Her face became enraged. “It wasn’t me,” she spat.

Suddenly Sam was fumbling around in his own world of darkness that Nics must have thrust upon him in retaliation. Then it was Nics who began to stumble and slur, and when they came into contact in their altered states, the two of them wrestled each other to the ground, cursing and screaming. It wasn’t until the invisible Penny began to antagonize the both of them, pulling hair, jabbing ribs, that I realized Stephan was using his ability to cause this conflict.

“This is amazing, Stephan,” Ms. Stanzic praised him as he stood in the exact spot where he started. “William, can you counteract this?”

William sat up, causing me to slouch into the giant hole he’d created in the beanbag. He lasered in on his wrestling friends, but despite his attempts to stop them, the fighting continued.

“I hate you,” Nics screeched.

“Get off of me,” Sam bellowed as they rolled across the floor. “You’re crazy.”

Penny’s invisible hand pulled Sam’s hair hard enough for his head to extend backwards.

William shook his head in frustration.

“Keep trying,” Ms. Stanzic urged. “Stephan, no need to leave the room. Don’t let up.”

It was the screaming that stopped first, then the wrestling, although Sam still had Nics trapped between himself and the floor.

“Wooo,” Paul whooped from a green foam couch across from us. “Kiss her, Sammy!”

They stared at each other—whether it was out of hate or love was the question. Sam’s face lowered slowly toward her. Their eyes closed.

Ms. Stanzic gave a nod in our direction. “All right, William. Thank you.”

Nics’s eyes snapped open as William relaxed back into the cushiony chair, setting them free of his influence.

“Get off,” Nics said with a scowl.

“Oh relax,” Sam said, letting her up. “It wasn’t like I had a choice.” He made sure to raise his eyebrows at William disapprovingly.

“What?” William said with a shrug.

I couldn’t keep from smiling.

The class went by quickly, maybe because today everyone made it through without any injuries. As the students began to shuffle out of the classroom into the noisy hallway, I decided this was my chance to ask about Anna, possibly my last hope.

“I need to talk to Ms. Stanzic about something,” I told William as we headed for the door. “Meet you at the car?”

“Sure,” he said, before continuing his banter with Sam and Nics. I was glad he was too distracted to ask why.

I waited for the last person to leave the room.

“Hi,” I said, approaching her desk.

“Hello, Elyse,” she greeted me. “So, how was the lesson? Did you like it?”

“Yeah, it was great,” I answered honestly. “I have more of a personal question, though.”

She waved her wrist, stopping the persistent tick of the wall clock.

“Go ahead.”

“You were my mom’s best friend, right? I am assuming I can trust you.”

She smiled sweetly. “Of course you can.”

I really didn’t feel comfortable explaining my plans to anyone, but I didn’t see any other option. I sat down in front of her desk, mustering the courage to speak.

“If I want to heal someone with advanced cancer,” I began, but as I broached the subject her mouth closed tightly, and she looked away. I chose not to continue.

“You want to heal a human.” Her words were quiet but sure.

“I didn’t say that.”

“Descendants don’t get disease, Elyse,” she said apologetically. I could see she was sorry for deciphering my secret.

My eyes dropped to the floor. “Is there any way to survive?”

I forced myself to look at her again, and she stared back at me.

“You shouldn’t be asking me this.”

“
You
shouldn’t expect me to start a war without breaking rules,” I countered.

Her eyes widened, accepting my point.

“Your mom did it,” she said suddenly, “only once. You need a backup, someone to heal you when you’ve lost too much.”

I was hoping she wouldn’t say that. I needed a better option, something I could do on my own.

“There isn’t another way?”

“No.” She shook her head. “Blood out, blood in. That’s the only way. Trouble is, these days you aren’t going to find a Descendant willing to risk their life for a human they don’t know. I’m sorry I can’t help you. I have children and a family.”

I sighed, disheartened. The only person willing would be Chloe, and she was in the dark about my ability to heal. I couldn’t put her in danger with The Council. “I can’t ask somebody to do that for me, not when The Council would kill anyone that’s involved.”

“If The Council finds out, they won’t just kill your back up. They’ll kill you. They’ll kill your friend.” Her eyes were sad, communicating her worry. “It’s not worth the risk.”

I shook my head, still thinking. “No, we’re flagged.” The Council was aware of what Anna knew. I’d gone to visit her. I told her everything. Nothing had happened.

“How?” she asked in surprise. “That doesn’t make sense. Why would they protect their enemy, and a human?”

“I don’t know why she’s flagged, but she is. My whole life we’ve been friends and no one’s touched her,” I answered. “I’m flagged because I’m the new mother.”

Her lips parted in shock. “I suppose that would be a good reason, wouldn’t it?”

“If I have no other choice,” I decided, “I’ll just go through with it on my own.”

“You can’t.” She nearly yelled the words. “Don’t you realize the moment you die, she won’t be protected? She’s flagged because you’re flagged. Christoph won’t need her anymore.”

“What does he need her for now?”

“I don’t know. Maybe he’s trying to win you over by sparing her, but the minute you’re gone, she will be too.”

Her words knocked the wind out of me. How could I not see that coming? I’d spent so much time worrying about how and when I would do it, what would happen to me, and William, that I had completely looked past what would happen to Anna after she was healed. Still, I wasn’t going to let that defeat me.

“So I’ll tell her to run. I’ll have a plan. Maybe I can do it without The Council ever knowing.”

“Don’t be a martyr, Elyse,” she scolded me. “I know you obviously have grown to love whoever it is you want to heal, but think of how many people are counting on you. Think about what your mother and father gave up to keep you alive. Don’t forget that.”

How could I argue with her logic? My parents had given up their lives as Descendants to ensure I stayed safe. Killing myself in place of Anna would mean their sacrifice was made in vain. Even so, Anna was my family now, and I had to do what I could to save her.

“I can’t just watch her die,” I insisted, “not when I have the cure.”

“This is part of the process. As a Descendant and a healer, you have to learn that you can’t save everybody, Elyse. Your mother struggled with the same thing, and I’m sure the rest of your ancestors did as well, but you can’t take the weight of the world on your shoulders.”

“But it is on my shoulders. Everyone expects me to save them from The Council, and I have no idea how to do it.”

“Trust your instincts, and the prophecy will fulfill itself.”

“My instincts are telling me I need to cure her.”

She nodded, accepting my decision. “Then find someone who loves you enough to be your backup, no matter what the consequences.”