Chapter 36: The Monster in the Room

The bed was warm. The blankets were heavy. Someone was still holding me, or maybe they had only been holding me a moment ago. I could not tell. The room had gone quiet around me, I was so tired, I could feel myself coming in and out of sleep, not being able to tell if my eyes were open or not.

The council room came back.

Not the demon.

Nimera.

I kept seeing that moment again and again, like my mind had caught on a thorn and could not pull free. The confusion first. Her eyes narrowing, her mouth parting slightly. Then understanding. Then fear. Not disgust. Not even hatred. Her hand had shot inside her sweater vest because she was terrified.

I opened my eyes, though it was so dark I couldn’t tell if my eyes were really open, and I could still hear it. Had I sounded like that? When I said demon? When I looked at Magnavex, or Flicker, or the Virellins? Did my face twist the same way? Did my hand reach for magic just as quickly?

Human.

Like I was the thing from the stories. Like I was the monster in the room.

I swallowed, but my throat stayed tight. My fingers twitched under the blanket.

I had reached for magic when the skull appeared. My hand had lifted like Olive’s hand, like the answer should have been there because it was always there. But Lucarion had nothing. No spark. No warmth. No sunlight waiting beneath the skin. Just an empty hand.

Nimera had not had an empty hand. She had a contract book. She had been afraid, and fear had given her something to do. Mine had given me nothing.

I shut my eyes again, and the room came back sharper. I hated that I understood. I hated it more because understanding did not make me less afraid of her. She had almost gotten me killed.

My stomach twisted.

What had they told her humans were? What stories did Eclipserans tell their children? Did they say humans would burn them? Electrocute them? Freeze them were they stood? I had never…

We were winning the war, I knew that, what do they think when they face us. Are they terrified?

The thought made my skin crawl. Maybe she was normal. Maybe they are right to be afraid.

My eyes opened again. The room was still dark. I pressed my face into the pillow and tried not to think of Lazeth’s lines shifting at his throat. Tried not to think of Death standing behind him. Tried not to think of my knees hitting the floor and the wet splash that came after.

But my thoughts kept circling back to Nimera. Her fear. My fear. Two hands reaching for two different kinds of protection. Two people seeing monsters.

My chest ached.

I did not want to be helpless like that again. I did not want to be the thing someone screamed about.

I tried to think of something else. Anything else.

Olivander… he had been training with the Grovekeepers today, that’s how they found us. I wonder what he is going to do today? Patrols? Would he train some more? Maybe I could…

Sword training!

That thought caught on something. I could go with him to learn sword, no they wouldn’t let me but when mom and dad get home… wait I’m grounded aren’t I? but still I could ask Dad to teach me sword fighting. Real sword fighting, with Dad there to guide me and Olivander to train with.

But that was me, or Olive, the real me. But Lucarion, what can he do, as Lucarion I have no one, not really not if…

Lucarion does have something. I saw Nimera clutching the book against her chest, her magic. My magic. Lucarion… Has Demons.

I slumped forward, forehead resting against the table. My brain felt like a chunk of overboiled root. And yet, even in all this stiffness, something sparked. A thought. They had said I could summon demons to train, maybe I don’t need demons to protect this me.

Sword fighting.

I could summon a demon to teach me sword fighting, I could learn as both as the same time.

Yes, yes! That would make sense, wouldn’t it? I need to learn more about demons anyway. This would give me insight into their combat instincts, their movements, their weaknesses. I could make it teach me how to kill them.

I know I shouldn’t be thinking this way, but in the back of my mind, I could already see it, me, Olive, sword in hand, facing down Lazeth or Nimera or whoever thought they were brave. A crowd gathering. A cheering audience. Mom, Dad, Olivander, calling my name, proud.

And Emma… watching from the sidelines. Just watching.

Just seeing what I could do.

The bed turned into a table.

“Uh, well… I’m going to be making a new contract. Get me the materials I need,” I said, to the empty room knowing it would deliver.

I sat cross-legged on the table, thinking carefully as I drafted the requirements.

Position Requirements:

• Not scary
• Good cook
• teach sword fighting

When I looked up, the Magnavex’s Imp had already placed the contract materials on the table. Creepy how silent it can be.

I read over my contract once more, then got to writing. Once the last line was in place, I struck the Netherstone against the edge of the table.

A spark. A flash of crimson. A quacking sound.

The parchment caught, fire erupted high. I stood. Then the temperature dropped.

From the ashes, a shape began to form. A huge cloak rose from the ashes, it turned to face me its white skull gleaning happily at me.

I hesitated. “Do you accept the contract?”

The demon bowed slowly. Its right hand drifted to its chest, pressing lightly above where a heart should be, he shoved his hand in and he drew his sword in one motion smooth. Its gleaming mouth, started salivating blood, as it flouted towards me.

Olive

I wake up, my heart beating like a festival drum.

But it’s still there. Still happening.

A demon…

A demon is aiming his sword at me. Not at him. At us.

The demon was in the church with me, flouting calmly in the center of the room. Its eye sockets staring at me, in the top bunk. My whole body goes cold. Like it’s already decided I’m dead.

Before I can even breathe, he pulls a second sword from behind his back. And tosses it straight at Lucarion.

Lucarion

I catch it with both hands. It nearly knocks me over. The clang of metal jolts through me.

He keeps flouting. Toward me. Us. Except only Lucarion held the sword.

I back up, holding the blade like it’s a snake. His sword rises. I throw mine up to block.

CLANG

The sound rattles through my bones. My knees buckle. Pain shoots up my arm, all the way to the shoulder. The sword drops. It hits the floor and skitters away.

He pulls his blade back.

I don’t even think. I just run.

My boots skid. My shoulder clips something. I crash to the floor. The polished obsidian tiles are slick beneath me. I hear him behind me. I get up and keep running.

Out the study. Into the rows of books.

Olive

I want to scream. To yell for help.

A demon is chasing me.

But I can’t. Nobody can help. My parents aren’t there. Because this isn’t just a nightmare he’s still there.

I force myself up, arms shaking. I go to the opposite side and pull myself over the railing. Lucarion stumbles again, collapsing into a cold-backed chair somewhere far, far away.

he’s right behind us.

I don’t wait. going over the railing I fall on the floor hard. there a loud crack, my legs go numb and eyes blank

Lucarion

My chest is tearing itself apart.

I gasped for air, not knowing where I was Pain beyond anything I had ever felt went from Olive to me as arms hold me tight, I tried to focus on Lucarion, but the pain shot straight through me connection. Someone is whispering to me trying to calm me down.

Olive

My whole body’s shaking. My hands won’t stop trembling. My jaw is locked. My lungs burn.

My brother is holding me. Rocking me. Whispering to me. Trying to get me to talk.

I feel his magic spreading through me. I don’t say anything. I just keep breathing.

As if I can breathe enough for both of us.

Until I stop wanting to scream.

***

Olive

I was listening to Olivanders snoring, and Splendith gentle breathing, even though Lucarion was asleep I could still tell what was happening around him. Because well I was awake, at least that’s what I could understand based on what Alaric had told me.

I can still feel his gentle magic flowing through me healing my knees, like swimming in the river during a warm day. He had used two spells on me, two!

The first was diagnostic in nature. This one was less enjoyable, it was similar to when you have an ant crawling over you except it was a lot of ants, luckily it went quick.

"Your body exhibits no injuries beyond the one you cast yourself" Olivander told me he had remarked. I wasn’t listening, since I was too busy crying at the time. But Olivander explained it to me once we got to bed.

Apparently apart from my physical injuries my mind was a mess. "Its almost like she hasn't slept in days!" Olivander told me with an exaggerated voice and a wiggle of his eyebrows. He had sounded nothing like Alaric, more like the old man who cleans the well. But he was trying to make me feel better, which he did.

Anyway they were probably worried I hadn’t slept since the summoning. Which in a way I hadn't. Funnily enough now that I know I need to sleep I now feel wide awake, that’s how use to being awake with one of me I am.

I had tried to keep my time awake separate from each other, which was smart at the time!

“Alaric said prolonged lack of sleep can cause hallucinations."

Olivander whispered while we were trying to fall asleep. I am still held firmly in his arms but sleep isn't reaching me. I knew what he meant by it. He was trying to tell me that the demon wasn't real so I could go to sleep safely with him.

And sure, this time it really was a nightmare. But I'm not safe, and I’m going to do something about it.