Jiwa

Chapter Eighteen

When I woke up, I sat up and rubbed my eyes. I sat up and stretched, watching Kelly sleep peacefully. I reached for the nightstand-

I was back in my bed at the inn. But that was normal, right? Then why did I feel so bad...

I rolled over and spied Devi asleep on the bed, and Kelly passed out on the couch. I sat up and clutched my pounding head. I stumbled out of bed and managed to make it to the bathroom before keeling over and puking. Fifteen minutes later, I was recovering in a chair when I heard someone stirring. I looked up and saw Devi, sitting up slowly.

"Fee...Fiona?" she asked sleepily. I nodded, and said, "Yes, it's me,"

Devi laughed out loud. "Fiona, when you were gone, we were so worried!"

"What do you mean, when I was gone? I only went to sleep for a day...I think. All I remember was us at the restaurant. I was tired from warping, I guess! Did you miss me that much?" I said teasingly. My smile faded when I saw the stricken expression on Devis' face.

"Devi...whats' wrong?" Devi gripped me by the shoulders and looked into my eyes. When she saw I wasn't lying, she started hyperventilating and she turned around.

"Kelly! Kells, up, now!" With a sputter, Kelly jumped up and rolled off the couch. She jumped back up immediately, and upon seeing me, shrieked, "Fee! Ohmigosh!" She ran over to hug me.

I laughed nervously. "Guys, I haven't been gone..." Kelly gasped and exchanged a look with Devi. I groaned and collapsed back onto my bed. Kelly and Devi came to stand over me, and they raised their hands.

"Guys, what are you-"

"Don't worry, Fiona," said Devi soothingly. "You'll be fine; lie still."

I sighed and lay still, and felt my jiwa being manipulated by Devi and Kelly. I closed my eyes and heard their spell being chanted. I panicked when I realized what the spell was.

Terbalik. Reverse. Terbalik. Reverse. Terbalik.

In my mind, I saw a flash - two men, with blond hair and dark eyes.

Terbalik.

Two names; Dan and Jerry.

Terbalik.

Gagged and dragged on the body of a horse.

Terbalik.

'That Mexie, she said-"

"Aaaaaah!' I screamed, sitting bolt upright in the bed. It all came back in a rush - the kidnapping, the conversation by the campfire, the conversation I overheard, being drugged and returned to Braie.

"Devs, I...I remembered something that they told me..." I turned to look at her. Devi looked troubled but tried to smile pleasantly.

"Who told you? Dan and Jerry?" she asked. I stared at her open-mouthed.

"I never told you their names, Devi," I said, slack-jawed. Devi paled. "I never told you their...so they were right! You did hire them to kidnap me!"

Kelly looked as shocked as I felt. She and I turned to stare at Devi accusingly. She stuttered and held up her hands.

"No, wait please, let me explain!" Tears were running down my face now. I felt so betrayed and hurt. Had she sold me out to them? To deliver me to an assassin overlord? Was all that stuff she had told me about protecting me a lie?

"Fiona, please! Fee, Kells, listen to me!" I shivered and looked at her. Kelly went and locked the door.

"You have one minute to explain, Devi," I said coldly. I could feel water collecting on my palms. The feelings of hurt and anger had subsided into something cold and hard in the pit of my stomach, and in the palms of my hands.

"Well, remember the fortune teller?" I nodded, remembering the teller Devi had met at the school carnival, telling her she would have to be my guardian. Lies.

"Well, when you got sick, I thought I had failed you, failed to protect you from the illness. But then, when the Headmaster told us about the extremists, I realized I hadn't failed; it was going to be my job to protect you from them. So, I followed the news and found out they call themselves the Scarlet Snakes. They are led by this crime boss named Peni-Puh. I decided I couldn't protect you alone from such an elite threat-"

"So you hired Dan and Jerry to help you to protect me," I finished. Devi nodded. I sighed with relief and threw my arms around her, my icy hands melting. "Oh Devs, I'm so glad you're still on my side!"

She laughed with relief as Kelly joined the hug.

"One thing I still don't understand though," I said, my attention on Kelly, "You acted that I had been gone for a while. Why?" Kelly sucked in a breath through her nose, and said,

"Fiona, you were missing for the entire Midterm break."

I gasped. The entire break!? But that was-

"A whole week," Kelly confirmed, sensing my thoughts. I held my head and sat back down. I felt like I might throw up again.

"So Fiona, we need to get back to the APA. Classes start-"

"Tomorrow," I said hollowly. I gazed up at the two of them with wide eyes. Thoughts flashed through my mind like lightning.

I was drugged and kidnapped.

Devi hired assassins.

Did they really worry?

Wait, why did they worry if Devi had hired them?

I've ruined my friend's Midterm Break.

I was gone for a week.

I don't remember what I ate last.

My life was almost taken.

I remembered nothing.

What the-

Through the panic, though, one thought pushed its way to the front, loud and clear.

"What are we going to tell the Headmaster?"