Blinded By Stardust

Chapter 10: The Partner

Rose started doing some tests on the flowers after the boys left a couple hours ago. After a few failed experiments she decided to go to the library to see if she could find something that could help her.

When she opened the library door she saw Eugene and Varian asleep in the chairs. Rose quietly closed the door behind her then went over to one of the shelfs. She saw a book that might help her higher up on a shelf and climbed the ladder to get it. As she started to climb down, she slipped and fell off it. She landed on the floor with a loud thud, startling the boys awake.

"What was that?" Varian asked. Eugene looked over to see the nurse on the floor. "You okay Rose?" He asked then went over and helped her up. "Yep I'm fine, I just fell off the ladder, sorry I woke you guys up," she answered as she grabbed the book off the floor.

"It's okay, have you had any luck with the flowers?" Varian responded. "Not yet, they aren't reacting the way I thought they would," Rose answered after she sighed. "I might be able to help after the sun goes down and I can see again," Varian offered, getting a confused look from Eugene. "Except you couldn't see the flowers last night, remember?" The nurse responded.

"What are you talking about?" Eugene asked as he went back over to Varian. "Last night, on the mountain, we discovered that I can see at night," Varian answered then his head started pounding. He put his hand on his head then leaned back in the chair, closing his eyes tightly.

"You okay kid?" Eugene asked and put a hand on his shoulder. "Headache," he replied before pain shot through his chest. Varian brought his legs up to his abdomen and rested his head on his knees; a look of pain on his face. He tried to control his breathing as he began to groan.

Rose went over then Varian started coughing loudly. She fanned away the cloud of dust that had formed and felt his forehead. His fever seemed to be getting worse. When he stopped coughing Varian sat there, hugging his legs as he shivered.

"Do you think you can make it to your room Varian?" Rose asked after he stopped shivering. When he nodded, they pull him up out of the chair. Rose grabbed the book she needed, Eugene grabbed the Flynn Rider book, and the three of them went to Varian's room.

⭐

Once the girls were done doing archery, Raps wanted to show Cass some of the new paintings in her room. They talked on their way to her room.

"... And Varain's gotten some of the water heaters working, so the town now has hot, running water," Raps finished telling Cass what had been going on in Corona. "Wow, the same water heaters that blew up Old Corona years ago?" Cass responded and Raps nodded. "He's really come a long way from the boy we first met in Old Corona," Raps said happily. "Yeah, he has," her friend agreed with a small smile.

"You like him, right?" Raps blurted out, failing to resist asking. "Raps!" Cass exclaimed as her face turned red. "I just got my answer, oh that's adorable," she nearly squealed. "It's embarrassing, please don't tell him," Cass replied. "I won't but you should, incase Rose can't find the cure in time, even though I know she'll find it," the princess responded.

"But what if he doesn't like me back or thinks it weird that I like someone who's eight years younger than me?" Cass replied and Raps gave her a look. "He's not going to think it's weird, you know, he used to have a huge crush on you," she told Cass, who then sighed. "I know, who didn't? It was painfully obvious," Cass said, "he even created a new element and named it after me."

She lifted her hand up to touch the Cassandrium but didn't feel it. "My necklace! I had it when we left the seamstress, it must've fallen off!" She exclaimed as she began looking around for it. "Don't worry Cass, we'll find it," Raps told her, "I'll check outside, maybe it fell off when we were doing archery." Cass nodded then they began to retrace their steps. Once they got to the door that led outside, Raps went through it and Cass continued retracing their steps through the hallway.