Chapter 12- Library

  Rosa

  Neo's been...distracted. And not with his usual "Jax is doing this, Jax is doing that, he's evil Rose" shit either.

  No. He's been busy helping Jax, not fighting. It's driving Ari mad.

  "Did I do something? Is he okay?" Ari keeps asking every morning, afternoon, or evening we don't see him (until he walks in with Jax that is).

  Every time I shake my head and tell her that "it's not her. He's just working on things."

  Fucking hell. How did we get to the point that I'm comforting Neo's girlfriend?

  It's Wednesday afternoon and Neo and Jax are coming in for lunch. Jax heads to his table where he sits with people who I guess are his friends and Neo comes over to us.

  "Hi, Neo," Ari says, smiling at him as if her smile will convince him to pay attention to her. Usually it does. So why not now?

  He returns her smile and then immediately turns to me. "We need to go to the library."

  My eyebrows shoot up. "What? When? Now?"

  His grin grows. "No. Tonight."

  Neo

  Rosa and I are sneaking into the Rated R section of the library tonight. Our goal is to find as much as we can about the Noibmac or even hopefully find the Book of Noibmac. Jax and I have decided that it would make sense to look in any book that talks about history, magical creatures, and powers involving the mind. I could tell there was something else he wanted me to keep an eye out for....but he didn't say it and I didn't push him.

  So we're sitting in the courtyard (school's officially closed), Rosa and I, and Jax says we're "blubbering idiots for being so reckless", and we're trying to decide the best way to do this- aka, figure out what creature I should be that would help us the most.

  "Some pixies can turn invisible," Rosa's arguing.

  "Yes, but I'm not one of them," I say for the hundredth time. She thinks that I should turn into a creature that can go invisible and then try to extend that power to her. But that's the problem. None of my creatures can turn invisible.

  "Well what about the nymph then?"

  I groan. "I don't think turning into a tree in the middle of Whisperise is going to make us very invisible."

  "Well there's got to be something!" She yells frustratedly, sparks shooting off around her.

  I am about to answer that maybe we should just ask to be let in tomorrow when Jax shows up. We jump and I most certainly did not grab for Rosa out of fright.

  I wave a hand at him and he walks over to where we're sitting by the stone, his dark brow furrowed in annoyance.

  "Why are you two being so obnoxiously loud?" He demands haughtily. "I thought the point was to not get caught."

  I roll my eyes. "We're trying to figure out the best way to infiltrate the library tonight. Rosa insists I turn myself invisible somehow."

  "Yes I do," she says, matter of factly.

  Jax frowns again, thinking, pushing his mouth to the side. "Well why don't you just use one of your psychic abilities?"

  I shake my head. "But even my psychic abilities can't turn us invisible. None of my creatures can."

  "Yes but you don't actually have to be invisible. You just have to make anyone who's around think that you are," Jax argues pointedly.

  It takes me a moment but then I understand what he's saying. "I should just...trick their minds? Control them to make them think there's nothing there?"

  Jax nods, shrugging. "Yep. That's the gist of it."

  "That's brilliant!" Rosa excims. She looks like she wants to hug him. Or punch him. Maybe both.

  Jax rolls his eyes and sits down across from us.

  I look to Rosa. "I can do it. I can make it work. But I won't be able to hold it very long. Or do much while I'm in that state."

  She's nodding eagerly. "I know. But that's why I'll be there. We just have to get you to hold it long enough that we can sneak past the main doors and the circution table. Can you turn your body into something that would make it easier?"

  I think for a moment, going through my list of creatures and abilities. "Maybe the pixie? If I'm floating on my wings you could pull me forward while I'm making us seem invisible."

  She shakes her head. "I don't think that will work. What happens if the movement breaks your concentration? Or you don't float like you think you will?"

  I grimace. "Right." Silence. And then, "What about a gnome? They are particurly good at sneaking. And if I don't move on my own, I'd be small enough for you to carry."

  She ughs once. "Of course you'd want me to carry you. But yeah, I think that could work."

  I smile again, my excitement returning. I love adventures. Action. Trouble. It's been a while since we've had a good bit of activity.

  "So midnight then?" I ask, gncing at the clock tower of Whisperise.

  She nods absentmindedly. "Yeah. Midnight."

  Jax rolls his eyes. "I'll be waiting outside of the school grounds with the car. But if you two do anything stupid, I'm out of there."

  ******

  We meet outside of Whisperise one minute before midnight. The moon is full and glowing above us. The air is still crisp and cold, February winter cold. Rosa's gone into full spy mode, wearing an entire outfit of bck, tight fitting clothes that make her disappear in the shadows. We're walking as quietly and inconspicuously as we can. The snow and ice crunches under our shoes and an owl hoots in the forest outside Dempsey's walls.

  Dempsey technically 'closes' after 8pm, unless you're with a teacher. But even then, some of the cssrooms are off limits. Like the Greenhouse and the Potions room. And the Library.

  The library is home to some of the magical world's most unique and dangerous artifacts. Families have argued for centuries about the keeping of these items, especially at a school. But the school board has always come back with the fact that these items in the wrong hands would be very bad for everyone, in our world and the human one. And there's no pce safer than Dempsey.

  I've just learned there's no disagreeing with the board.

  Once we're inside Whisperise, we walk as calmly as we can up the stairs to the third floor, which the library covers over half of.

  "Now would be a good time to change," Rosa whispers, gncing around. There's usually a guard that walks this floor, one that stands inside the library doors, and one that waits in the office keeping an eye on the artifacts.

  I nod and take a deep breath in. If I wanted to turn my mind into a psychic and my body into a gnome I would really have to concentrate. I slowly let my breath out, forcing my skin to change, my body to melt away, for my mind to bend. When we get to the third floor, I see Rosa standing over me. I'm short. Must be a gnome.

  I cast my mind out to see who's in the vicinity. Four fres of light fsh into my mental vision, Rosa's next to me, one at the farthest end of the hall, one standing just inside the library doors, and one tucked away in an aisle of books.

  I take a deep breath in, forcing my feet to move as I cover all three minds of the guards like a bnket or a fog and instill one simple thought, one suggestion. There are no people here.

  "Is it working?" Rosa whispers under her breath. I twitch my nose at her, afraid that if I try to speak the whole facade will fade.

  She starts to walk towards the doors on our right and when I don't follow, she comes back. I've got my eyes closed in deep concentration. I didn't even realize she had moved. I feel her cold hands gently lift me and the world shrinks a little. Making us invisible just got a tad easier.

  "I've got to open the door. Can you make it look closed still?" She breaths.

  I grunt and grind my teeth together, pcing an image of a closed door into the guard on the other side's mind. She doesn't wait to see if I had done it yet but goes and opens the door.

  Judging by her silent reaction and the light bouncing of her walk, I take it that everything's working so far.

  I can feel her heartbeat pounding against my shoulder as I focus on keeping us seen from the two people in the library. Rosa is making her way back to the far right corner where six rows of tall and wide bck oak bookshelves are.

  It's roped off and separated from the rest of the library to further help keep students away from it. Not that that does anything.

  She gently ducks under the rope and I feel the edge of the twine pull at my gnome hat before falling away. She sets me down and is about to whisper the okay when I feel her freeze and the guard that was further in the library comes into our row.

  We're still invisible to them. But that doesn't mean we're incorporeal. I can feel Rosa's heart racing and in her mind she's shouting, Someone's coming! Do something!

  So I do.

  I slip into the librarian's mind (she's an old merperson with sickly green skin and fins on her face) and take grasp of her prefrontal lobe, harnessing it like a dog. It submits, immediately, and into it I push, Turn around. Go back to the Librarian's office. Do not leave until dawn.

  My mind is so wide and stretched so rge I start seeing the pinpricks of bugs, of bacteria, of all living things in the immediate area. Through this, I can see through Rosa's eyes and watch as the merwoman's eyes go gssy. Her body stiffens and then she turns sharply and walks back to the office door on the other side of the room.

  My brain hurts. As soon as she's gone from Rosa's vision, I let out a breath and release everything. I slip back into my original form and the rubber band of my psychic powers snaps back into pce.

  My knees hit the ground, my shoulders slumping in exhaustion. I've never held onto my psychic gifts that long. I've never turned into a creature and used my mind gifts. And I've never attempted to control, hear, and do as much as I just had. It leaves me dazed, foggy, and confused. Where did that just come from?

  Rosa tugs on my arm lightly, helping me to my feet. I lean my weight against her for a moment and she whispers one of her nature spells, an energy transfer. I feel the spark of life gliding from her hand into my muscles and stand a little straighter.

  She smiles hesitantly. "That was brilliant. And you must tell me how you did it. But let's find that book before someone comes back."

  I nod. She lights weirlight into existence and we walk through the shelves, looking, searching for any mention of Noibmac.

  An hour passes. Two. We have a collection of old volumes at our feet. Books on old creature legends. Books on lists of all known creatures. Books on artifacts. Books on psychic powers. Anything that might help.

  It's two a.m. We hear the library door open and freeze. I look at Rosa, eyes wide. Her face is pale. She mouths "time to go" and I nod in agreement.

  Leaving was going to be easier than getting in. There are huge windows that open from the inside. The pn was for me to change into a griffin and carry Rosa and the books out.

  That was the pn.

  We hear the footsteps growing louder. Rosa's shoving books into a saddle bag she was going to throw onto me. She looks at me, panicked.

  "Turn us invisible," she hisses. "And change!"

  We're at the windows, partially hidden by a bookshelf. I feel my stomach drop. I can't hold a griffin form and turn us invisible. We were lucky I wasn't still a gnome. Or worse for that matter.

  "Neo!"

  The panic in her voice unfreezes me. I stop thinking. Instead, I just do.

  I feel my bones crack, my skin prickle, feathers tickling my face, my nose elongating. At the same time, I stretch my mind out, reaching, searching. Hundreds of stars appear in my vision, one of them brighter than the others. The guard, a glowing white light. But not the guard, I realize, feeling the mind. The headmistress.

  Get on! I shout into Rosa's mind once she's thrown the books over my back. She does. I feel the headmistress getting closer. She's about to turn the corner and I just feel my mind... explode .

  A barrier goes up in my mind and covers every living creature nearby. It's like a white dome, shutting me and Rosa inside and everything else out. There's this buzzing in my ears, in my head, and I grab onto it and shove the windows open with a thought.

  And then I jump.

  Jax

  A fsh of pure white light yanks me out of my thoughts. I'm out of the car in an instant, watching a circle of power shine through the campus. I squint, trying to see through it, trying to see what's causing it, wondering if the hunters have arrived.

  Then I see it.

  A griffin is falling from Whisperise.

  Neo

  I'm not sure how I get us onto the ground outside of Whisperise. One moment I'm pushing my feathered body through the air, trying to stop us from spttering, and the next I'm lying on the ground in my human form a couple hundred yards from the school entrance, cold and shaking ferociously.

  My head hurts. I think I'm crying. Rosa's saying my name over and over again. And then there are strong, warm arms wrapping around me, lifting me up.

  I bck out.

  Jax

  Neo is in my arms, his body shuddering, his skin ghostly. He feels like ice against me. Rosa is following behind me, so close I feel her heavy breathing on my back.

  I don't care that she's watching. I don't care what she thinks. My heart is pounding hard enough I think it will burst from chest. My head is reeling with fear, with anger, with worry.

  I shove him in my car and she slides into the back with him and before the doors are even fully closed I'm stepping on the gas and rushing to my house. It's the only pce I can think of. The only pce with no adults or wondering eyes. The only pce I know I can keep him safe.

  It's going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay. He is going to be okay.

  When we get to my house, I'm out before Rosa can question me and have Neo in my arms again. She follows me in and watches as I y him on the couch. He's shaking still, face white and covered in cold sweat. I swallow and don't take my eyes off of him.

  "There are bnkets in the closet down the hall. Grab them. All of them."

  At first she just stands there, staring at Neo, off somewhere else in that Faerie head of hers. I growl, having no patience for it. "Rosa! Now!"

  That shocks her out of her stupor and she's zipping down the hall. It's only seconds ter when she's back and I'm yering the bnkets on top of him while simultaneously applying heating and healing spells.

  And then it's a waiting game.

  My heart keeps pounding the whole while. I try to steady my breathing, to remain positive, to be there in the moment. My mind is racing, though, and even the deep breaths don't stop the thoughts running rampant in my head.

  What happened? What was that light? Is he sick? Injured? Did someone do this to him? Why isn't he waking up? Why isn't Rosa TALKING?

  I turn to her, just my head, not moving away from Neo, not letting go of his hand, out of my reach and safety.

  "What happened?" I ask softly, trying not to sound as frustrated and pissed off as I am. She doesn't answer. She's got her knees to her chest, her purple eyes are trained on Neo's face.

  "Rosa?" I ask again, a little louder this time.

  That gets her attention. She gnces at me then. Really looks at me, like I'd never existed until now. I can see the calcutions in her eyes as they carefully study the pnes of my face, dropping to my hand around Neo's, my proximity and posture towards him. Like I'd jump in front of a train to save him

  I would.

  I knew she would find out sooner or ter. I mean, I did drive him to my house . And y him on my couch. And gave him bnkets and my magic. And now...I squeeze our csped hands...well this.

  Her eyebrows raise slowly, questioningly, and I think she's going to demand answers as to what's going on. But I don't care. I don't care what she thinks or feels. I just care about Neo, his breathing, his pulse, just him.

  "Energy strain," she finally murmurs, her gaze returning to his face. "He pushed too hard. I told him to do it."

  My heart skips a beat. Everyone knows that using too much of your energy can cause serious harm...or worse, death. I try to stamp out the spark of fear in my chest.

  Rosa's shaking her head, her voice trembling. She sounds like she's going to cry.

  Oh Narucnici help me. I can not handle tears right now.

  I look away and we pse into silence again. Time passes, how much I'm not sure. But Neo's breathing is finally steady and his temperature has returned to normal. I still haven't let go of his hand and I can't decide if it's because I still want to make sure he's okay...or if I'm just trying to hold onto this little slice of heaven a little bit longer.

  Rosa is sitting on the floor, her back against the coffee table, watching us with a dejected look on her face.

  "How long?" She asks suddenly, her voice tired and small but stronger than before.

  I gnce over at her. I know what she's asking.

  I look back to Neo, defeated. I guess I should've expected her to ask. "Two years."

  She doesn't say anything and I can't figure out what could be going through her mind.

  "Why?" She finally replies, her eyes wide and sad, like she knows I'm doomed.

  I let out a sigh. Because he's saved me? Because he's good for this world? Good for me? Because the thought of living without him tears my very being apart?

  "I don't know," I whisper instead.

  Neo moves then, his lips parting and a small groan escapes from his mouth. I quickly drop his hand but lean forward, my breath catching in my throat. Rosa has scrambled to her feet and is standing as close to us both as she can get.

  "Neo?" She asks.

  He groans again and starts rubbing his eyes. Then he blinks. And stares right at me.

  Neo

  My body feels stiff and heavy and at first I think it's because of the magic overload. But when I look, I realize there are at least five bnkets piled on top of me.

  I groan and look around, trying to sit up, trying to free myself from the bnket cave.

  "Neo?" I hear Rosa ask.

  I look up.

  Jax is sitting right next to me, elbows propped on his knees, a look of anger and....concern in his eyes. I look away, my mind muddled, searching for Rosa. She's standing right next to him, watching me with relief.

  "What happened?" I choke out, finally gaining the strength to sit up. My mouth is dry and chalky. I look around frowning. "And where are we?"

  Jax leans back in his chair and crosses his arms. He looks at me and then to Rosa, waiting for her to expin.

  She swallows. "We...I think you overdid it with your powers," she whispers. "We're at Jax's house. In his...living room."

  That's when the memories come flooding back, barraging my head like a hurricane. The headmistress, the griffin, the cold.

  Warm arms. Being carried. A calloused hand holding mine.

  I lick my lips, trying to bring moisture back to my mouth. "Why are we at Jax's house? Did we get the books?"

  Rosa nods, lifting a bag up so I can see and gnces at Jax to answer that next part.

  Jax gets up from his seat then and takes the bag carefully from her. "It's the only pce I could think of. I couldn't exactly take you to a hospital. Or back to your orphanage." He turns away from me then, leaning closer to Rosa.

  "You should go home and get some sleep," I hear him whisper, gently? under his breath.

  She's still watching me, studying my face to make sure that I'm okay. And I am. Okay, that is. I hurt like bloody hell, like I've just been in the worst fighting match I can think of. And I'm confused out of my mind to find myself in Jax's actual house. But I'm alive and breathing and awake.

  I nod at her and she fixes her gaze on Jax. There's a question in her eyes but her face is soon blocked by Jax's broad shoulders, his bck shirt spread snugly across them. He simply nods his head once, maybe in answer to her question?

  "Thank you," I barely hear her whisper. Jax nods again and walks her to the door. I get one more glimpse of Rosa as she turns to head out before the old wood closes with a click.

  Jax walks over to the chair and it hits me again that I'm in his house . He goes to sit down but I stop him. "I can go back now. And you can go to bed. There's no need for me to stay here," I mutter.

  He turns to me, frowning. "Neo, you almost died . It's at least 10 miles from here to that orphanage and it's already 3am. You are not leaving."

  I look at him questioningly, my eyebrows furrowed. Why does any of that even matter? And why don't I care about arguing with him for once? But I don't ask. I just lean against the pillows and sink back into the warmth of the bnkets.

  I want to ask him what happened, why he was being so nice to Rosa and I. But I just don't have the energy. Before I know it, I fall asleep again.

  Jax

  I don't sleep, even though I know I need to. I have to be up in an hour to head to the Demilunes. But I'm still paranoid and worried about him, Neo.

  So I stay awake and watch him, just like I told Rosa I would.

  He's much calmer now. The glow has returned to his skin which shines luminously under the moonlight. His breathing is slow, his lips slightly parted. Every now and then, I see his face wince and tighten, like he's having a bad dream. But it doesn't st long and he doesn't wake up.

  My arm vibrates telling me it's 4am. Time to leave. I get out of the chair as quietly as I can, not wanting to wake Neo. I'm still dressed in what I wore the day before, having never changed earlier, so I simply slip on my shoes and grab my leather jacket. I'm debating whether I should leave him here or not, alone, in my house . But I decide there's really no other option. And besides, my parents wouldn't be home anytime soon and he was likely going to sleep the day away. I'd be back before he knew it.

  My hand is on the bronze doorknob, about to turn it and leave when his voice whispers from behind me, cracked and soft.

  "Come back soon."

  I look at him, at those tired green eyes, and I don't say anything, knowing that if I stay a moment longer, if I stare at him another second, that he would get what he wants. I wouldn't leave. I don't want to leave. But I have no choice.

  I leave.