Fire Scarred

Chapter Eleven

     Ciris was in my room when I got home hours later, which I found rather ironic and very convenient. He had insisted that I take him to Leo so we could discuss about our quandary together. In his words, to strategize and to answer both Leo's and my questions all at once. What we were strategizing for, I wasn't sure.

     All my questions were streaming through my mind as I led Ciris to the clearing. I had told Leo to meet us there through a type of communication using the wind he had taught me. All I had to do was concentrate on a word or phrase in my head, and then command the wind. I would then have to imagine the person the message was for, then me telling said person the message. For now, I could only send one word at a time, and because it took so much concentration, I'd have to wait until my head stopped pounding to send the next few words, which caused the communicating process of sending the words "Clearing, now" rather tedious.

     Leo was waiting for us when we arrived. His head was bent in concentration in the early morning sunlight. His soft hair was pouring over into his eyes as he focused on the knife he was twirling in his hands.

     His vibrant green orbs found mine, then Ciris's. In confusion, he looked back to me.

     Leo motioned to the man beside me. "Who is this?"

     "Ciris, Leo. Leo, Ciris."

     Understanding along with uncertainty clawed into his expression. "Oh. Hi."

     Ciris nodded. "It is my understanding that you and Cora have some questions for me."

     "Yeah," Leo said almost cautiously, the word coming out sounding like a question. "We do."

     "Well, go ahead, then."

     "What do you know about the cabins?" I asked. "The ones being destroyed, I mean. Do they have anything to do with that spirit clan that's trying to take over?"

     "I don't know who's doing it. They're obviously looking for something, but what is the question."

     "Do you think it is the clan, and what they're looking for is Cora?"

     I gulped back a bit of bile and surprise. My wide eyes landed on Leo. "Are you suggesting they're doing all this just to find me?" When he nodded, I all but shouted, "That's absurd! What the heck do they want with me anyway?!"

     "I don't know. But what Leo has proposed would make sense. And I suspect this also has something to do with me," Ciris said.

     I growled in frustration, mainly because I was colossally confused. "What am I supposed to do? Stand on the roof and shout for them to just take me?"

     "No. You're going to continue what you're doing now, living your life."

     I looked at Leo again in shock. "You're saying that I should ignore this? I can't ignore this! This is tearing apart the school! Literally!"

     "That's exactly what I'm saying," he told me. "Best case scenario, once they had you, they'd kill you instantly."

     "And worst case scenario?"

     Leo's voice faltered. "I-I don't know."

     I looked to Ciris. "What now?"

     "I want you to pretend like everything is okay. Ignorance, pretended or not, sure as heck is gonna be bliss. If we change anything in your behavior or surroundings, they'll pick up on it. Just try to remain acting normal, be sure you don't use your magic for anything really noticeable or big, and for goodness sake, don't be too nervous or jumpy. Leo or I will be around at all times," he said with what I supposed was a reassuring smile, but it never reached his eyes.