Unfamiliar (Unfamiliar Series #1)

Chapter 24

"Well," Astrid says as she thumps an energy drink down on the table, "sorry about last night."

It's lunchtime and it's the first time that I've seen her all day. After getting back from the police station, Tessa and I had just managed to limp her up the stairs between us before we placed her in her bed, which is where she's remained passed out until now.

I can't help but cringe at the sight of her, what with her skin being a sickly shade of white. Her eye sockets are also shadowed and purple and I'd almost think that she's put on costume makeup to look the way she does but I doubt it immediately when she turns slightly green as she sits down.

There's already a sheen of sweat building up on her forehead, plastering the feathery strands of her hair against her skin. She's shivering even though she's wearing a Def Leppard hoodie with the hood up and has it cinched around her face.

She cracks the tab on her energy drink and gulps it down like she's been the victim of dehydration. Tessa, Luke and I watch her with a slight fascination and horror of her condition as she quickly finishes the drink off before she reaches into her pocket for another one.

"I put your necklace back in your jewelry box," Astrid says casually.

"Thanks...are you alright?" Tessa inquires.

"Yes, fine, why?" Astrid asks, her British accent even thicker than usual.

"No offense, but you look sick," I say, since it seems like no one else is going to spell it out for her.

"I'm aware, it happens after...well, you know," she trails off and focuses on looking at her energy drink can.

A bead of condensation has begun to roll down the side of it and Astrid watches, entranced as her eyes remain unfocused.

"So let's talk about last night," a voice suddenly says in my head.

Tessa and Luke must have heard it as well because they pause in their actions, Luke still holding a fork halfway up to his mouth while Tessa draws in a sharp breath.

"Okay...," I say and Astrid frowns.

"No, don't speak out loud, focus your reply and let it flow outwards," Astrid corrects me, her mouth still not moving as she takes a sip of her energy drink.

I think of the words I want to say, but Tessa suddenly speaks and interrupts me.

"Telepathy, useful," she says and I can't help but grin.

"Quit smiling, telepathy is useless if it still looks like we're having a conversation," Astrid says and I stop smiling immediately.

"Sorry," I busy myself with eating my lunch as Luke joins in.

"Is it your affinity or something from an advanced class?" he inquires as he fidgets with his notebook and begins to write a few notes for his alchemy class.

"Neither, a friend taught me how to," she says as her eyes take on a faraway look before she blinks, "anyways, Finn wasn't stabbed."

"Then what did happen?" I ask as I resist the urge to share a look with the others.

"He was cursed, which killed him quickly, but no doubt painfully," Astrid's voice in my head has taken on a darker tone and I shiver at the thought of having just missed who his killer was, likely by seconds.

"What kind of curse?" Luke asks.

"A strong killing one, there would have been no way to save him, even if someone got to him in time, the curse was advanced and could only be reversed by the caster, so whoever did it was experienced and knew what they were doing, though Finn said 'stop him' so we're looking for a he," Astrid plots as she takes a thoughtful swig of her drink.

"Maybe one of the instructors?" I suggest and she shakes her head the slightest bit.

"Instructors have rigorous background checks that are updated every year, but to murder a student suddenly? And what for?" she sets her jaw, "I doubt it, we may be looking at someone who came onto campus."

Her words send a thrill of fear up my spine as I remember my mother's warning about the cults that are out there who want to wipe out Unfamiliars.

"Do you think that Finn was an Unfamiliar? And maybe whoever killed him was a part of one of those cults that want to wipe them out?" I begin timidly.

"It could be a possibility," Tessa proposes.

"Either way, no more going out after dark," Astrid says as Indigo suddenly sets her tray down at the table with us.

"Hey," she murmurs in a low voice as she looks to me, "we need to talk."

"Okay....," I say slowly.

"Outside," she elaborates, "now."

I risk a glance at the others before I get up and follow her outside as she pushes a door on the side of the dining hall open for me. There's a small courtyard that has concrete picnic tables scattered about under cherry trees that are casting puddles of shade. It's chilly out today so no one is sitting outside as I hug my arms around myself and trail behind Indigo as she sits at one of the tables in the center of the courtyard.

I sit down across from her, wincing at the chill of the bench that bites through my skirt and pantyhose as I get situated. She watches me with an eerie calmness all the while until she speaks.

"Tell me what happened," she says and I sag with relief.

I nearly collapse into sobbing as I retell what's happened to me over the past two days, though I'm cautious to avoid telling her about Finn being resurrected. What I do stress on is the fact that I may or may not be the number one suspect in Finn's murder, along with almost getting hit by a car after going trail riding yesterday evening.

"Astrid was there during the trail ride?" she asks at last.

I blink, surprised by where her priority is, "Yeah? Why?"

Indigo's face darkens as she frowns, "I don't trust her."

"She saved me, she moved me out of the way before the car could hit me, why don't you trust her?" I ask, shocked by the revelation.

"Ask her yourself, more specifically, ask her why she was kicked out of Saint Augustine's," she says, her voice bordering a snarl.

The name sounds familiar and I remember then that it was drawn on our dorm room wall remember your place, we know what you did at Saint Augustine's.

"She was kicked out?"

Indigo nods and stands, "Banned. For life, I wanted to warn you earlier because her name was familiar, but I didn't think that Greenwood would be dumb enough to accept her, but then again, she is a Hallewell."

She spits the name like venom and it's one of the few times that I've heard her so angry.

"But...she-."

Indigo cuts me off, "Do me a favor and try to stay away from her. I'm serious, Kara, the girl is bad news."