Beyond (Simon Snow Series)

5

                                       SIMON
          I can't shake it. This feeling of being so full, even I wouldn't be able to eat another scone. (That's the one thing we couldn't find in America. They don't make scones very often over there. It's total rubbish.)
          I feel the magic like how I used to. Already risen to the surface, ready for me to use it. Ready to be there for me.
          Only I can't use it. It's not there for me. It's not mine. It's hers. Lynx. I can feel the power coming from her, but where is she getting it? Is this how everyone else used to feel around me?
          "You were the hero. You were the one to save us, all of us, from the Mage. But you're not the hero anymore."
          "I know."
          "You don't. You went to America-"
          "On vacation."
          "To save your friend," she corrected. "You exposed magic. You ran the risk of them figuring out that that wasn't just a show. That you," she gestured to my wings and glared, "Weren't just a show."
          "No one could've known. No one would have found out it was real."
           I almost feel sick.
           "You don't know that."
          "Nothing happened! We got Agatha back, we fixed everything."
           "Not everything."
           I was silent for a moment before looking at the door, half hoping to see Baz standing there.
           As if on cue, I hear him scream.

          I'm running as fast as I can. He's okay. He has to be okay. He has to, right?
          Fuck.
          I round the corner and open the door to the first room we were in and see him. Baz is laying down, his body limp, drops of his blood are falling to the floor. I'm at his side so fast I slide a little when I drop to the ground.
          Penny, Agatha and Shepard sit next to him. Penny is giving me a sharp look to tell me she's okay. And telling me that no one else is. (Penny has red marks on her wrists, but nothing compared to the others)
          Penny has a little of Baz's blood on her fingers and palms.
          Agatha has something like a red handprint on her cheek, but her face is stable, a little worried, but stable. Shepard looks the same from what I can tell, if not a little beat. He's out of breath, otherwise fine.
          Penny's ring has been flung to the opposite side of the room.
          Baz.
          "You're right. You couldn't save the day." I can hear the smirk in her voice. "But maybe you can now."

                                          BAZ
          I can't see clearly, but I can see Snow's blurry figure is standing sideways across the room. I'm not really sure what happened. One moment I was standing, waiting for Snow to come back, the next I was on the ground.
          Something had hit the back of my head and I cried out. Then Bunce and Wellbelove were next to me. I can't see Snow's expression, but I doubt he's looking at me.
          That woman from before is behind Snow, saying something I can't quite make out. I can't feel anything, only the pulse and ringing in my head and ears.  I think there's blood, something red on the floor in front of me. Then Snow is at my side. He slides and accidentally runs his knee into my stomach, causing me to lurch my knees to my chest on instinct. That bloke.
          I let out a cough and catch a bit of blood from my nose. Simon's saying something...