Tragic Magic [boyxboy]

Chapter Eleven

And then all of a sudden it was time to go.

                I’m not sure what I was expecting – a magical cupboard that would transport us to another realm; a train from a platform only accessible to people with powers; some explosive powder that would obscure the vision until we found we were somewhere else entirely – but as we all tumbled into Tristan’s car I found I was somewhat disappointed.

                Though, obviously, I tried not to show it.

                Somehow managing to accommodate Gregory, Edwin, and Tristan in the front with Maya, Annabelle, and I in the back despite its sports-car status, the car once again seemed to navigate itself through traffic like its shape was fluid and its passengers inconsequential.

                We were moving so fast I could barely make out the figures we passed; trees and people and cars and buildings all blurred into a runny oil painting as we drove for what seemed like hours. The atmosphere in the car was tense and despite my own nervous misgivings I felt out of tune with everyone else.

                That was until Tristan turned around in the driver’s seat – no longer bothering to pretend he needed to control the car – and shot me a quick reassuring smile, before turning back to join his discussion with Gregory. A calmness spread through my chest.

                Too soon for my nerves, the car jolted to a silent stop, and I peered outside. We had left central London; that much was certain. The ground outside was dusty and there didn’t seem to be life for miles. In the distance I could make out the tall, imposing shadows of large buildings, but they were dormant. I was reminded of the blueprints Edwin and Gregory had been studying for the last couple of days. I guess these were the buildings they depicted.

                I glanced around at everyone else expectantly. Even without anyone having told me that Gregory and Tristan were naturally going to be in charge tonight I would have instinctively followed someone’s lead, but nobody seemed to be “leading” anywhere. A cursory glance at Maya and Annabelle confirmed that their eyes were black, which meant they had to be doing something. Trying not to panic, I wondered what it was.

                Suddenly and simultaneously, all the doors of the car opened and they started to climb out. There was something different about them; their natural grace and elegance of movement seemed to have amplified. They didn’t make a single noise as they moved away from the car towards the buildings in the distance; I saw Tristan pass a mouse that was facing the other way and it didn’t so much as twitch a whisker.

                My heart thumping with the realisation that for all my whining and protesting, I wasn’t actually ready for this, I hurried after them, trying not to let my human clumsiness mess up their plan of attack.

                I felt a hand slip into mine and glanced down to see Annabelle. Her eyes were still pools of darkness but she smiled and whispered, so quietly it felt like she was projecting the words directly into my brain rather than saying them, ‘Just float.’

                From my meagre training with Tristan, I realised what this must mean; I closed my eyes and imagined myself floating. Sure enough, my footfalls became silent, my movements more fluid. It felt like my body was made of liquid elastic.

                Gratefully, I opened my eyes and smiled down at Annabelle.

                Once we were standing in the shadow of the building, the group split into two. Tristan broke off and moved around the other side of the building; stupidly, I made to follow him but luckily Annabelle was still holding my hand and tightened her grip to remind me I needed to stay with the others. For the first time, I found myself wishing that I could have gotten my powers another way. This dependence I seemed to have developed on him since last night was irritating.