The Voice and the Word

Getting on with Absence

Annabel was one of the only people awake the next morning, in all honesty she hadn’t slept much the night before, not with the knowledge that Flynn was leaving. She had sat holding the address he had given her and thought over it, he hadn’t even spent that much time with her while he was here but she had immediately clicked with him and now he was leaving it felt like something was missing. Eventually she dragged herself from her bed and got dressed, walking through the corridors, avoiding the few bleary eyed students that had dragged themselves out of their beds. Flynn and the other boys were in the great hall, taking bags out to be loaded on a coach just outside the door; she paused on the balcony to look down at them. Flynn and Tray were very tactfully avoiding each other, each working on a different set of bags, the emissary stood between the two groups of students working with his hands behind his back and hood over his face. Annabel leaned on the balcony looking down at them, Flynn’s face was merely impassive from what she could tell, as if he were merely completing an unimportant task. As he worked one of the other boys tapped his arm and pointed up to Annabel, he glanced up and smiled, she watched as he turned and said something to the hooded man who after a moment nodded so Flynn gestured for her to come down. Feeling suddenly nervous she did so, he grinned at her as she approached, though he continued working.

“Hey, no fancy getup today?” she glanced down at her uniform and shrugged.

“Back to lessons today I’m afraid.” Flynn made a sympathetic face.

“Poor you, if only you were in a cramped carriage with a load of smelly boys on a bumpy road.” He said with a wink and she couldn’t help but laugh.

“They probably feel the same way about you; you’re no fresh daisy after all this work.” Flynn pretended to be offended as he dropped another case onto the roof of the coach.

“How dare you, I prepared especially for this trip, I even washed.” She smiled but without the enthusiasm she had felt moments before.

“I wish you didn’t have to go.” She said, sounding miserable, Flynn paused and gave her a sad little smile, placing a hand on her arm.

“As soon as I can get out of Janeba I will.” He glanced at Tray who was busy talking to the emissary. “Even if they don’t want me to.” He added in a dark mutter, Annabel was about to comment on the fact he was beginning to worry her again when a big commotion drew her attention away from Flynn. Rebecca was stomping her way towards them with a large group of mildly interested Tayend students behind her.

“Now we’ll get the truth.” She said with evil satisfaction as she stopped in front of Flynn, Annabel glanced at Flynn to see if he knew what was going on but he looked completely bewildered.

“Do I know you?” he asked but Rebecca ignored him completely.

“I want you to tell us the truth and get rid of this poser’s lies.” She said gesturing at Annabel, Flynn finally managed to get his bearings.

“Sorry, what is it you’re asking?” he said, spinning his staff around with his thumb and forefinger.

“I want you to tell us the truth, how you defeated the demon, and that this girl,” here Rebecca shot a look at Annabel. “Merely stood in the way, she didn’t banish the demon at all, it was all you. Admit it.” Flynn looked as if he were examining a highly interesting but equally disgusting life form he had just discovered, like a slug Annabel thought with satisfaction.

“I don’t know what’s going on but Annabel did banish the demon. I couldn’t, in fact none of those from my school could. We don’t summon demons, nor study them.” Rebecca seemed a bit put out and was about to speak again when she was interrupted.