Saving Seraphine [ONC2020]

CHAPTER 6

When my shift is over I head to the back to let Silas know I'm leaving. I swear I hear him talking to Rowan, but when he answers the door he's the only one there, and I'm positive I'm hearing things. My walk home is in the thick of rush hour, the subway would be awful so I walk instead. For the first time in weeks I'm cold and try to bundle up best I can.

The closer I get to the apartment the more I feel the book calling to me. I should feel relieved the moment I set my eyes on the front stoop of the apartment building, only I don't. Rowan sits on the stoop waiting like he's been there all day. He's not dressed for the weather and his cheeks are pink from the cool nip in the air.

I stroll right up to him with a straight face and shove him back with all of my strength. He flies backward into a garbage can. I stare down at my hands, they are still just hands, only stronger. A power I've never felt before surges through them. My eyes meet his and whatever I had to say before slips out of my mind. He's on the ground rubbing at the back of his head. Then he lifts his hands from the dirty sidewalk revealing blood. What have I done?

I kneel down next to him and take his hands in mine. Sure enough both his palms are scraped and bleeding.

"Rowan I..."

"That's okay, I deserve that," he says.

I don't reply, because with the vanishing act he played with me today he definitely deserved it. I'm angry but I'm not going to let him sit out here with bloodied hands. As we enter the building it sounds like someone is hitting a bongo drum. It's the book. We climb further up and suddenly the entire building shakes. Rowan and I hold tight to the rail, he throws an arm around me to steady me as we ride out the quake. Around us other people in the building go about their business, unaware of the quake. I look up at Rowan with a questioning look.

"Come on," he says, nodding his head toward the rest of the stairs.

I pray Hailey isn't home as we reach the second floor. Rowan and I have a lot to discuss. Once inside and I'm sure Hailey isn't here I let it all out.

"What in the hell is going on here Rowan?" I demand.

I slam the front door so hard, it shakes the entire apartment. My strength is amazing me today.

"I... I... don't know," he begins.

"Then what happened at the store? You were there one minute kissing me then gone the next. What? Are you afraid your uncle will catch us making out? Like he's going to punish you for it?"

Rowan swallows hard, but doesn't speak. I stalk forward ready to yell at him again when I remember his hands.

I sigh loudly, "Follow me."

Once inside the bathroom I point to the toilet, "Sit."

He lays his jacket on the floor next to him, while I gather first aid supplies. His eyes carefully watch me as I move around the room. I kneel beside him and take his hand.

"Please tell me I'm not alone?" My voice breaks.

"You hear it too, don't you? And the visions please tell me you're having them."

Rowan hisses as I jab the cotton full of peroxide onto his left hand.

"Sorry."

I let out an angry sigh. He hasn't said a word, which means he thinks I'm crazy.

"Thank you," he says tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

I start to lean into his hand, but it hits me that he still hasn't explained himself. I go to push him again but stop when my hands are just a mere few inches from his chest. I stare at it for a minute, half wondering what's under that black T-shirt of his, and half wanting to strangle him.

"It started that night," he whispers. "The visions, the weird feeling someone is always watching me and that book," he says covering his ears. "That book is hurting my head."

"You know about the book?"

Rowan sighs, "You had it that day we exchanged numbers. I could hear it."

I release a shaky breath and fall onto the floor with my unsteady legs. Rowan reaches out and pulls me to my feet as he stands.

"When we kissed you saw that awful place. Did you fly?"

Rowan is much taller than me so I have to crane my neck to see him.

"No, I was on the ground looking up."

With a shaky breath I ask, "And what did you see when you looked up?"

My eyes finally meet his. The brown has changed, it's a little lighter almost golden.

"A red and black dragon," he says, sounding out of breath. "What did... what did you see Seraphine?"

My eyes never leave his. My whole body is shaking, what does this all mean? How are Rowan and I connected? There's gotta be an explanation for all of it. There's only one thing I can think of.

"The book," I whisper

"What?" he asks.

"We have to read it." I swallow hard before continuing. "I saw the ground," I say. "I was flying."

I bite my bottom lip and look down. His finger tips my chin again so that I can face him.

"The book," he whispers.

"The book," I repeat, in agreement.