The Children of Hypnos

[Vol. 2] Chapter 8: Geist Heights

Another week passed before some semblance of normalcy settled over Fenhallow.

Ares Montgomery temporarily returned to the Ward Headquarters in Boston, though Moxie and Temper did not.  This arrangement only seemed to enrage Marcia, who had become such an unholy terror in their fitness and weapons training classes that several students began wondering if she hadn't entered her Insanity Prime. Temper didn't come around to bother Marcia anymore, at least not in public: he and Moxie remained in special lodgings on campus and spent most of their time in the administration building, their business kept secret. At least having them around kept Grandpa Al out of Emery's hair; while they were there, he didn't have time to barge in on her visits with Edgar.

Trying to return to her schedule only depressed Emery further. Classes hardly seemed to matter, homework was a waste of time, and thinking about student council meetings made her want to throw things. Jacqueline called one on Thursday, and Emery made it halfway to the Crossing before she decided not to go. Then she thought of Kris crying at the trials and turned around. She didn't feel like forgiving anyone yet, but she didn't want to look like she was avoiding them, either.

Inside the Crossing, at the door marked XVIII, she hesitated with her hand on the knob, imagining for a moment that Joel would be waiting for her inside, then forcing herself to remember that he would not.

Jacqueline was back, at least, and that was something.

She was the only one in the room. She sat at the round wooden table with her notebook and pens lined up neatly in front of her, her satin black hair smoothed back into a high ponytail, her fingers pressed flat to the edge of the table. She stared at her French-tipped nails.

"It's about time," she said, without looking around.

"Sorry. I stopped twice. Kept thinking about things." Emery dropped into the chair beside Jacqueline, bumping the table and making the neatly arrayed pens roll sideways.

Jacqueline huffed and began setting them straight again. "Kris and Lewis aren't coming."

"Why not?"

"I don't know. They haven't sent me any messages; I just have a feeling they aren't coming."

"Not like we have a lot to do anyway, I guess," Emery said.

"After everything that's been going on, no, we don't. There isn't a party or fundraiser that's going to make people forget those gross monstrosities wandering around campus."

Emery tried propping her feet up on the table like old times. Immediately she saw Joel on the other side, smiling at her past her toes. Her heart jolted. She put her feet down.

"I'm surprised you didn't bring Jager with you," Jacqueline said after a minute. "You've been attached at the hip since Halloween."

"We're partners, we're supposed to be."

Jacqueline held up a hand of surrender. "I know. I wasn't trying to call you out for anything. I was honestly surprised."

Emery cleared her throat and willed the heat to go down in her cheeks. Despite Joel's death so recently, she'd overheard more than one of their classmates remarking on the amount of time she and Wes now spent together. The hint of a rumor made her want to yell at everyone around her, made her want to rip her chest open and show them all the truth of her bloody beating heart, that even if she could let go of Joel so quickly, she couldn't pick up someone else that fast. She had to know them first, and she didn't know anyone as well as she'd known Joel.

"It doesn't feel the same in here," Jacqueline said after another long silence. "I don't like it."

"Me either."