Fairy Bad Day

chapter TWENTY-NINE

Emma was floating somewhere on a white cloud. It was nice. She felt weightless, and when she looked down at her leg, it was exactly like it had always been. A tiny scar under the knee from where Tyler had once bet that she couldn’t climb over the hedge at the far end of the practice field, but otherwise intact. No sign that a darkhel had ever dug its poison talons into her exposed flesh.

She flexed her toes. They definitely felt normal. Then she realized that someone else was standing beside her. Mom? She widened her eyes. You’re here.

Of course I’m here. Her mom smiled at her and Emma felt a surge of happiness go racing through her.

This is so great. Emma settled deeper into the cloud. There’s so much I want to talk to you about. The darkhel. The Pure One. Why didn’t you leave more notes? It was so hard to find. I was really scared.

But you did it, my darling. I knew you could. You have no idea how proud I am of you. Who would’ve thought that my daughter would be a fairy slayer? The only person in history to have ever killed one.

Thanks. Emma started to beam but the smile quickly fell from her face as her mom stood up and pressed a kiss into her dark straight hair. Mom, what are you doing? Please don’t go. Not again. You need to stay here with me.

Her mom turned back with a sad smile. Emma, my love, it’s not me who is going, it’s you. This is not where you’re meant to be, but don’t worry, I’ll always be here waiting, watching, loving. Now just close your eyes, sweetie, and everything will be fine. . . .

“Emma, don’t freak out, but you’re in the infirmary,” a voice said from somewhere nearby, and Emma forced her eyes open. She noticed that a familiar hand was entwined with hers and that the room smelled of vanilla cookies.

“Curtis?” She turned her head and saw that he was lying in the bed next to her, an angry bruise making its mark under his left eye. However, whatever pain it was causing him didn’t stop him from shooting her a lopsided grin. She immediately felt better.

“I’m right here. You’re okay.”

“But how? The darkhel scratched me. I felt it. And why don’t I feel woozy? I always feel woozy when I’m in a hospital.”

“It’s probably because you’ve just spent the last eighteen hours sleeping,” Curtis said as she wriggled into a sitting position. “It tends to stop all wooziness.”

“Where’s my dad and Olivia? Are they okay?”

“They’re fine, just very tired. In fact, it took the doctor about fourteen hours to convince them you were okay and that they should go get some sleep. Even then they didn’t go willingly. I think they’ll be back soon,” he assured her, and for one perfect moment Emma let herself bask in the warmth of his golden smile before the vision of his ruined glasses, lying crushed and useless on the ground, forced its way back into her mind. Of Curtis’s devastated face as he looked at them. His future destroyed. Destroyed by her.

“I didn’t save you, though, did I?” she asked in a desolate voice just as a dull sound of static rang in her ears. She glanced up to see Rupert, Gilbert, and Trevor darting into the ward with what looked liked bunches of plastic flowers in their tiny hands. She hated to think what LEGO set or Barbie doll they’d stolen them from.

She ignored them as the guilt continued to well up in her like a fountain.

“Emma—”

“No, Curtis.” She folded her arms to let him know that he couldn’t dismiss her so easily. “You might not want to talk about it, but I do. I just want you to know that I’ll do whatever it takes to convince Principal Kessler not to send you home.” As she spoke the fairies continued to hover around the ceiling, shooting her impatient glares.

“Emma—”

“I’m serious. Maybe I could go out with you and be your eyes or something? We worked pretty well together, so he might go for it. Or—”

Rupert let out a small cough, and Emma turned her attention toward the ceiling.

“Yes?” she said in a testy voice. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate their help, but their timing right now wasn’t the best.

“We just wanted to check that you were okay.” Trevor flew toward her, holding out the bright pink plastic flowers. “And to say thank you for everything you did for us.”

“Speak for yourself.” Rupert poked his chin into the air and didn’t move from his spot by the ceiling. He looked very rock-and-roll. “I’m not saying thank you. Did you see how liberal she was with those Sour Skittles? Powder was flying everywhere. I could’ve been killed!”

“And you would’ve been if our dark brother had had his way.” Gilbert flew back up to his friend, his wings flapping in an angry whirl around his neat plaid shirt. “We’ve discussed this. The slayer-girl actually saved your life, remember? And if Trevor and I can forgive her for the Sour Skittle incident, you can as well.”

“Okay, so I guess technically you’re right,” Rupert reluctantly acknowledged before darting down and hovering just in front of Emma’s face. “Well done, slayer. Though next time just be a little more careful with where you spray the candy. That stuff’s dangerous.”

“She’ll try and keep it in mind.” Curtis cut them both off in an impatient voice. “And now, if you want to leave the flowers and get going, that would be great because we’re sort of in the middle of something.”

“Ooh, touchy,” Trevor retorted before he swooped down and deposited the flowers in Emma’s lap and winked. “Anyway, we’ve got a new bookstore to try out. Apparently they put real chocolate flakes in their cappuccinos,” he said, and without saying another word, the three of them disappeared out the door.

“Okay, so that was weird. Since when do fairies make house calls?” Emma said as she absentmindedly picked up a tiny plastic bouquet of flowers. She was just about to push it behind her ear when she suddenly frowned and turned back to Curtis. “How did you know they had flowers with them?”

“What?”

“How did you know?” she repeated. “You’re sight-blind, remember, and while you told me you could still hear and sense their presence, it doesn’t explain how you knew about the flowers. They were holding them when you said it, which means you couldn’t see them, right?”

Curtis grinned as he reached over to the small cabinet that was between their two beds and handed her a small flat canister. Her dad used something similar for his contact lenses and Emma studied it for a moment before glancing back up at him.

“Oh my God—” She turned toward him, her cheeks flushed with hope. “Don’t tell me that you’ve got special contact lenses to let you see dragons?”

“Not just dragons.” He unleashed his trademark smile and Emma felt her toes curl. “Pretty much everything. Apparently Principal Kessler’s been in touch with the guy who invented those glasses that I was wearing. Anyway, it turned out he’d moved onto smaller and more specific lenses. They still can’t work on regular sight-blind people, but apparently because I can hear and feel the presence of elementals, they can work on me.”

“Curtis, that’s so wonderful. I can hardly believe it.”

“Yeah, it’s pretty co—” he started to say, but was cut off as Principal Kessler and Nurse Reynes walked into the room.

“I thought I told you to let her sleep,” the nurse chided.

“I’m starting to think I should’ve woken her up ten minutes earlier,” Curtis mumbled as a frustrated expression crossed his face, which only made Emma grin even more. However, she tried her hardest to bite back her smile as Principal Kessler took a seat next to her bed.

“So, Emma Jones, it appears you’ve had a busy week, what with finding an unknown fairy elemental. The oldest and most dangerous one to boot. Not to mention the fact that you’ve turned into an über-slayer.”

“I’d hardly call it über-slaying. I used candy to kill an invisible fairy,” she protested as she wondered how long Principal Kessler planned to stay in the room. While it was nice to know she wasn’t going to get another detention, she would really much prefer to talk to Curtis.

Unfortunately, Principal Kessler didn’t seem to be in any hurry to leave. He turned to Curtis and shot him a surprised look.

“I gather you didn’t get a chance to tell her about it?”

Curtis shook his head. “Besides, I still don’t really understand it myself.”

“Understand what?” Emma stared at them both as Nurse Reynes pulled a large black folder out of her purse.

“Understand the reason behind why you could see the darkhel,” the nurse explained as she flipped open the folder and proceeded to show Emma a series of figures that made no sense at all. “And why in your simulation fights Professor Meyers reported a marked increase in your strength and agility. Not to mention why you didn’t die from the scratch the darkhel gave you, and why you’ve healed so quickly from your injuries.”

Emma automatically wriggled her twisted ankle and realized it didn’t hurt. She pulled back the sheets, but instead of lacerated wounds, she saw only a faint line of pink running down her calf. She looked back up at Principal Kessler and the nurse and frowned.

“I don’t understand. What’s this all about?”

“We have reason to believe it’s because of the accident you had the previous Saturday.”

“You mean when I hurt my eye at the food court?” Emma stared at them both in an effort to figure out what they are talking about.

“That’s right. We think it’s because a small piece of the Gate of Linaria landed in your eye.”

“You’re joking, right?” she asked, but neither of them laughed.

“I don’t think they’re joking,” Curtis unnecessarily added. “Hence the reason why they dubbed you an über-slayer.”

“All because I got something in my eye?” Emma looked to Principal Kessles for confirmation, and he nodded. “So what does it mean exactly?”

“Truth is that we don’t have a clue, but if we want to understand it better, we’ll just have to monitor you.” Nurse Reynes shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “Assuming, of course, you turn up for your appointments.”

Emma let it all sink in. From fairy slayer to über-slayer all in a week?

“And, Emma . . . ” Principal Kessler coughed, a guilty flush staining his normally tanned face. “I just wanted to say how sorry I am that I didn’t listen to you. I normally pride myself on having an open mind and an open door to all our students. I guess I failed you.”

“I probably didn’t help matters,” Emma conceded in what she hoped was an appropriately über-slayer manner, “since I was pretty focused on trying to get you to change your mind about Induction. There’s probably a lesson in there somewhere.”

“Yes, no doubt, and speaking of Induction, I want to offer you a dragon-slaying spot. We’ve never had two dragon slayers in one year, but I think you’ve shown that this is an exceptional case. I know how much it means to you to follow in your mom’s footsteps.”

“Thank you. But—” Emma paused. “That won’t be necessary.”

“What?” Curtis spluttered.

“What?” Principal Kessler wasn’t far behind.

“I said it won’t be necessary. Curtis is the best dragon slayer. I mean, he was slaying them when he couldn’t even see them. Besides, I think it’s important for me to continue to be a fairy slayer. After all, what if my dad passes his Pure One genes on to my half brother when he’s born? That’s a pretty sucky inheritance—to find out that you have some wonky gateopening blood flowing through your tiny innocent veins. How can I protect him if I’m not a fairy slayer? And you know what? I think my mom would understand if I’m not a dragon slayer, because she was all about looking after our family.”

“But there’s nothing to suggest that the darkhel will ever be able to break through the Gate of Linaria again.” Principal Kessler ran his hand through his gray hair. “You killed it.”

“Yes, but there might be more darkhels. And by the way, I think there should be a lot more disclosure about how to kill them, so if you don’t mind, I’ll be staying a fairy slayer. Not to hunt the likes of Rupert, Trevor, and Gilbert—who between you and me aren’t exactly as bad as they like to pretend—but so that I can keep an eye on things. Especially that gate. It seems like Sir Francis knew what he was talking about after all, and if his tests think I should be a fairy slayer, then who am I to argue?”

“But—” Principal Kessler started to say, but Nurse Reynes coughed and held up her hand.

“There’s nothing about this conversation that can’t wait until later,” she said as she nodded for Principal Kessler to follow her. Then she turned to Curtis and glared at him. “And I don’t want you talking to Emma for too long. Do you understand me?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded and then waited until the two adults were gone before he pushed back the sheets of his bed, awkwardly swung his plastered leg to the floor, and lowered himself into the chair next to Emma. He then used his good hand to pick up hers. The sensation of his touching her made her stomach go gloopy.

“So, are we okay?” she asked in a tentative voice.

“What do you mean?” He wrinkled his nose as he weaved his fingers through hers.

“About me breaking your glasses. I was so worried about you. I kept thinking that you’d have to leave Burtonwood and go back to your dad’s house and it all would’ve been my fault.”

“But if you’d been stuck with fairies, it would’ve been my fault,” he countered, and Emma felt a small smile tug at her lips.

“How about we just call it even?” she suggested.

“You know, for a hot-tempered fairy slayer, you’re pretty cool.” He twisted slightly so he was facing her and suddenly Emma felt her heart start to pound in a way that had nothing to do with her worries over what they’d been through together and everything to do with the fact that Curtis Green was amazing.

“Yeah, well, for a sight-blind dragon slayer with a broken leg, a burned hand, and a massive bruise around your eye, you’re not so bad yourself.”

“You just wait until I’m fully recovered. There’s no way you’ll be able to resist me,” he assured her, and Emma raised her eyebrows.

“I’m actually having problems resisting you right now,” she teased, but the rest of her words were lost as Curtis leaned up and let his mouth search out hers.

Emma found herself sighing in happiness. The feel of his lips on hers was hot and tender all at once, and as the kiss deepened, she edged her way closer to him, her fingers unconsciously threading through his curls.

“There’s no way I’m paying up on that bet,” a voice said, and Curtis made a growling noise under his breath as Emma reluctantly pulled away to see Loni and Tyler standing at the end of the bed.

“Of course you’re paying up,” Loni informed him. “Just because my wards didn’t keep the darkhel out doesn’t mean they didn’t work. You heard the guys from ops: they said that the theory is sound and that the idea of using a subsonic blaster was—”

“Inspired. Yeah, so you keep telling me, but I’m still not paying up.”

“Yes, you are. And at least the money will be going to a good cause since I’ve seen the most gorgeous bag at the mall and my horoscope said that today I will experience a reversal of fortune. You can’t argue with the stars.”

“I can when they cost me twenty bucks,” Tyler protested as Loni pulled up the chair Nurse Reynes had so recently discarded and settled into it. Next to her Tyler picked up some leftover Jell-O and, after giving it a tentative sniff, started to pile it into his mouth. “What do you guys think about honoring Loni’s inconclusive bet?”

However, instead of answering them, Curtis let out a small cough and pressed his forehead against Emma’s as he lowered his voice.

“Um, do you think they’re going to stay here long?” he asked as his dark eyes caught hers. Emma felt her stomach churn in longing as she returned his gaze, while the rest of the world started to slip away again.

“Probably,” she said softly. “But to be honest, right now I really don’t care.”

Curtis smiled as he once again pulled her toward him and searched out her mouth.

Perfect.