Chatoyant College Book 2: Initiates

Chapter 43: An Important Discovery

As they approached Gilkey, a figure approached from the other side. Dawn squinted at it, suddenly nervous, but waved enthusiastically when she saw that it was Corrie. Her friend waved too and quickly caught up to them. "Hi, guys!" she said. "Is this Professor Strega?"

The professor nodded and held her hand out. Corrie shook it with no sign of hesitation--well, of course she wouldn't hesitate, Dawn reminded herself; she couldn't see what Dawn could see. "Professor Strega," said Roe, "this is Corrie. She's one of the other girls who was in my vision."

"Ah, I am pleased to meet you," said Professor Strega, nodding. "I do not think this is a good time to try to recover more memories, though!"

"Oh, no, I don't think so either," said Roe with a grin. "But maybe you can come next week and I can try to figure out what you were doing, Corrie?"

"I could do that. Hey, Dawn, did you ask her about--"

"Corrie," said Dawn, interrupting partly to keep Corrie from mentioning her Sight in front of the faerie and partly because she had suddenly become very worried, "where's Edie?"

Corrie waved northward casually. "Somewhere over there. We were leaving the party and she ran into her friend Marlin, so they stopped to talk. About French, I think."

"Oh, good." Dawn relaxed. "I thought you'd lost her. Has he stopped flirting with her yet?"

Corrie shrugged. "Last time I saw him he was, but he seemed perfectly normal just now. We can wait out here until she catches up if that would make you feel better."

"Sure."

"Are you sure?" asked Professor Strega, concern in her voice, but still with no expression on the face Dawn could see. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable waiting inside where there is light?"

Dawn tried not to stare at her. She was obviously trying to warn them about the faeries without actually saying "faeries," but it seemed a bit hypocritical seeing as she was a faerie herself. But maybe despite her appearance she was a more human-like faerie than the ones in the woods. She had tried to warn them about Professor Lal without being explicit.

Corrie, who obviously didn't know what Dawn knew and dared not tell her, looked around without concern. "There's plenty of light right here. Ooh!" She bent down suddenly. "Enough light for me to find a four-leaf clover!"

"Well, I am sorry to leave you alone, but I must go," said Professor Strega quickly. "Goodbye. I will see you later." With that she turned and walked away at a speed barely slower than a run, not even waiting to hear goodbyes from them. The three girls stared after her in amazement, Corrie half-standing.

Dawn looked around carefully, then back at Corrie. Her hands were empty. "Corrie," she said slowly. "Pick your four-leaf clover. I think it might be exactly what we've been looking for."

Corrie stared at her for a moment, then quickly bent down and picked the clover. She clutched it to her. "She's gone."

Dawn looked back. Sure enough, Professor Strega had moved out of sight. "Well... now we know, anyway. We can test it on Monday at the very least."

"What are you guys talking about?" asked Roe, sounding utterly baffled. Dawn jumped a little; she'd almost forgotten the other girl was there.

"Oh, um... it's nothing," said Corrie. "Just a thing for class. We want to ask Professor Lal about it." She didn't sound very convinced.

Roe crossed her arms. "You guys can trust me, you know. Didn't I tell you about my visions? I think I deserve to know."

"She's right," said Dawn to Corrie. They'd so far avoided telling any more people than necessary about the faeries, but there didn't seem to be any reason to hide it from Roe. In fact, she and everyone else might be better off if she knew; she would be better prepared for what might turn up in her visions. But there was still the problem that had prevented her from telling most people until now--that of belief. She turned slowly to Roe. "It's kind of hard to believe."

Roe shrugged. "Try me. Besides, what's harder to believe than random visions?"

Dawn smiled slightly. "It's also hard to explain... but I guess I'll just say it. There are faeries in the woods and going to this school. I can see them because I have the Sight. Professor Lal and Professor Strega are both faeries. We were looking for a way for other people to see faeries, and since Professor Strega ran away so quickly when Corrie picked up the four-leaf clover, we think that's it."

Roe was silent for a long moment. Her expression didn't change. Then she said flatly, "You're putting me on."

Corrie shook her head. "It's all true. We've been to the woods and seen the faeries."

Roe looked away. "I'm going to bed. Talia will be wondering where I am. When you're ready to tell me the truth, let me know, and if I get more visions, maybe I'll tell you about them." Not waiting for a response, she marched off to Gilkey. The sound of the door shutting behind her was loud in the empty grounds.