Four Hearts

Chapter 17

Zain

As soon as the bell rang for the day, Zain was dashing out of the library to go to the front of the school. He had to get there before Cedric left for the weekend. There was no way that he was letting Cedric get on that bus without saying goodbye. Camnor complained the whole way as he was trashed about during Zain's run. The front of the school was empty by the time Zain made it outside. No carriage, or Cedric, was in sight.

"I didn't miss him, did I?" Zain asks himself aloud.

"Miss what?"

Zain turns around to see Cedric, with a bag over his shoulder, a suitcase at his side, and a guitar in his hand.

"Cedric! You're still here!" Zain exclaims.

"Uh, yeah. The bell just rang." Cedric points to the empty lot, "The carriage isn't even here yet."

"I was worried you had already left."

"Nope. You just beat me out here, Kid."

Zain beams and throws his arms around Cedric. Cedric shakes his head and pats Zain on the back.

"Do you two need a moment?" Allegra asks.

Zain lets go of Cedric, "Allegra! Milena! Are you guys leaving too?"

Milena giggles, "No. If I ever go back home, it'll be too soon. We're just here to see Cedric off before he goes. Same as you."

"I feel so special," Cedric says with his hand over his heart.

"Good," Zain replies.

Cedric chuckles and shakes his head. Zain tilts his head. Did I say something funny? I'll have to ask Camnor about that. The conversation is halted at the sound of a large carriage pulling up in front of the school. The back of the carriage is bigger than the ones Zain has seen so far. He predicts that the room is big enough to hold ten people at least, maybe even more. Cedric uses his free hand to pick up his suitcase and starts walking down the stairs.

Cedric turns around after getting down the stairs to look at the small group that came to see him off, "Bye."

"See you Monday!" Zain shouts.

"Have a good trip," Milena says.

Allegra gives him a small nod instead of words. Cedric goes up to the carriage and shows the man driving the large carriage a bundle of papers before being allowed to be absorbed by the beastly vehicle. Milena and Allegra go back inside after Cedric is behind the metal walls of the carriage, but Zain stays, staring out past the fields toward the road that leads away from Ravenwood.

"He's going to be okay," Zain tells himself.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Camnor replies.

Zain looks at his trusty partner and tilts his head.

"Something is wrong."

"How do you know?"

"He hides the fact that he's been failing since school started and then when you all find out he plans a random visit home. None of that seems a little out of place to you?"

"Should it seem odd? It just sounds like a random string of events to me."

"Something is definitely up. I'm just not sure what is going to happen next. I just know it's going to be something bad."

"We have to stop it!"

"How? We have no idea what's going to happen, where he is going, or how we would get there even if those two questions were answered. We're in the dark here. When that happens, sometimes the best solution is to wait it out until you find a light to connect the dots."