Sequel to IRONY

2

"Fiendfyre, Miss Dupain Cheng," said the chemistry teacher look-alike again, even with Marinette's head throbbing she noticed the icy tone in the voice.

"I'm afraid I don't understand—"

"Oh for the love of Merlin! She had nothing to do with it!" came a familiar, angry voice to her left. "Marinette's no murderer!"

"A great number of men and women have been wiped out in an engagement party with only the two of you surviving the incident, Mr. Cessaire. Initially, you are the suspects!"

Confusion flooded over her, causing another prick of pain in her head. She was missing something, she didn't know what.

"And what, pray do tell, would we gain from doing all this?" Alya said with a mocking tone.

"Alya's right. It makes no sense at all!" said another woman clad in brown.

"Then explain to us by the fire hadn't affected them or chased after them!" yelled a man in a dark suit and black hat. "There is no countercurse for Fiendfyre and any shield or ward for protection is useless! Either they did it themselves or they are associated with someone who did!"

Then yet another series of yells and accusations emerged from either side of the room, hurting her head even more. She wanted to cover her ears with her pillow and fall back to sleep. Gazing over the dresser beside her bed, she looked for Tikki, but it was nowhere to be found.

Damn it all.

"Enough!" she yelled finally. "Enough! All of you!"

Every pair of eyes turned to look at her again. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at every one of them.

"If you're done with all this childish rubbish, can someone please explain to me what in Fu's name is going on?"

The silence stretched, unbearable and awkward. She waited for them to reply. They looked at each other, no one daring to step up and speak for quite a long time.

Then she felt someone touch her hand.

"Luka's dead, Marinette," Alya said sympathetically.

"Luka?"

"Luka Couffaine." She squeezed her hand tight in genuine concern. "Your fiancé."

Her what?

"What are you on about, Alya?" She looked at him questioningly. "I don't have a fiancé. I don't know what you're saying."

Everything went horribly messy after that. They all started another row of angry yells, asking her questions she couldn't answer and demanding her to tell them everything she remembered about the incident.

Funny thing was, she remembered nothing but blurred faces and brown hair.

Alya was concerned for her most of all. She had explained to her what had happened but it was no use. She couldn't recall ever knowing a great music player or a husband-to-be. Her memories of Luka Couffaine were completely wiped off. It frustrated her to no end.

She felt absolutely useless... and incomplete.

She wasn't gravely hurt by the fire, only minor scratches, and bruises on her skin. Nobody really knew why she and Alya hadn't been affected. She'd told them she remembered protecting herself before entering the mansion, but they had said it wouldn't have worked. The Fiendfyre was far too powerful and even if she had put a ward around herself, the fire would have chased after her until she was tired and dead.

They hadn't let her go back to her flat, not unless they were a hundred percent certain that nothing else was wrong with her.

So now she felt alone and cold too.