Spell Broken

16 - Fields and A Figure

Saturday, a week before arrest

We left shortly after.

All of us were exhausted. By the reveal of how Madam Mara died, who had killed her, finding the last magic-user and our own sadness and anger.

Me and Mia got back to my house, made it up to our beds and then proceeded to pass out.

The dreams were torture.

Neo, or more like Niko, standing over Madam Mara. He looked right at me. "You caused this," he said as the knife was driven through Madam Mara over, and over, and over again. Then he would loom over me. Malice in his eyes, his sneer looked like it could kill me. It was so sharp. "You're next," he'd whisper, before bringing the knife up and slitting my throat.

Somehow I slept.

But it was like a ship in the middle of the storm. Being tossed around, unsure of when or if I would reach safety.

Now I stand in the kitchen making pancakes while Mia sits at the island with a cup of coffee. "How can you drink that stuff?" I ask.

She shrugs. "I don't drink it often. Only when I need to pull all-nighters or when I don't get a lot of sleep. But... last night..." She doesn't finish the sentence. She doesn't need to.

I sigh as I look down at my sad uncooked batter.

Last night was a lot.

"Do you... still want to hurt him?" I ask, not looking up.

She sighs. "I want to help him. Neo. But... I also really want to hurt... what was his name?"

"Niko?"

"Yeah. I want to hurt him. He killed her! We can't just let him get away with that!"

"I know," I say through gritted teeth. I flip the pancake. "But we can't hurt him without hurting Neo."

"Then we get them separated! Or reverse the spell!"

I slam the spatula on the counter and spin on Mia. "Don't you think Madam Mara tried?! She did and I watched her fail! If she couldn't do it then we can't!"

"You don't know that!" Mia slams her fist on the counter. "You saw his dream, not the past! It's different!"

"But if she tried Niko wouldn't be here and she would be! She failed!"

"Is that what you're mad about? Her failing?"

I run my hands through my hair. "I- I don't know!"

Mia sighs and slumps back onto the stool. "We just need to focus on the now and figuring out how to save Neo."

I turn back to the stove.

Who put her in charge?

"There's no we," I whisper.

"What?"

"Nothing," I mumble. "Here." I slide her a plate of pancakes.

She squints her eyes but doesn't say anything about my comment. "Thanks." She pulls the plate closer and starts to eat.

I nod.

After I've made myself pancakes I sit beside Mia, who's almost done. I shove a piece of pancake in my mouth after cutting it. I hope she knows that my silence means I don't want to talk about the Niko situation.

"So? What are we going to do?" She puts her fork down.

I should tell her. I don't want to tell her. There's no we. I can't let her or Neo help. I don't want to put them in danger. Or in Neo's cause, more danger. Also, they aren't ready. The cops said that the other students still had ten years ahead of them. I'm the most qualified for this. That's why I'm the protector.