The Mountain Dancer

Chapter 40: Rekness & Shaynike

“Zaksar?” said Rek. Why was he touching her? Something Monarec had said was starting to come back to him.

Before he could complete the thought, there came a deep, muffled thudding sound from somewhere outside the academy.

“What was that?” Affsol said.

It didn’t matter. Where there was Zaksar, there was usually Flekjoe. Rek jogged down and left Affsol there, figuring he’d finish with him later. The kid was calling something out, but Rek ignored it.

The feast had only been over for about an hour, so the pupils he saw on the boreway were still mostly all dressed up. A lot of them were actually heading up. From what he could tell from their conversations and the shardtrade, there was some sort of commotion or wonderment that could be seen from the roof. All for the better – he wasn’t sure he wanted a crowd around when he found Flek.

Shay’s room would be on the top floor of the west wing, since she was in the graduating year.

He found his way to her hall, and focused some Wayfaring, careful to keep the eager MoonLunarFire out of it. His Artwork showed lots of recent foot traffic, shining as a confusing river of lines along the floor. When he concentrated on Shay he saw a slightly brighter path among the glowing trails, and in the distance, a door that glowed.

He approached it, and pressed an ear. There were no sounds from within, maybe they had taken Shay elsewhere. Then he thought he heard a voice. A male voice. 

He tried the door handle, but it was warded shut.

He had no time for that. He let just a little bit of the MoonLunarFire brewing in him swirl with a burst of Distanceska, and pressed it into the latch. The ward held, but the latch did not. There was a pop as it broke, and he pushed the door open and looked inside.

Shay was on her side on her bed, wrapped in some blankets, facing the wall. She didn’t seem to notice him.

Zaksar was getting up from Shay’s desk chair, definitely noticing.

“What are you doing?” Rek said to Zak. The MoonLunarFire tugged dangerously.

“She won’t say anything,” Zak said, as if that was an answer. “You heard what they did, huh?”

“What are you doing?” Rek took a step forward.

“Just sitting here man, chill out.” Sitting there, yeah right.

“Where’s Flek?”

“I don’t know, boffing Fae somewhere, probably. Or maybe on the roof, there’s some crazy shit happening up there. When I find him though, I– hey, whoah, Rek.”

Rekness had heard enough. Flekjoe would have to wait for another day; Zaksar would do for now. He wondered what would happen if he did his Icevein, Distanceska and MoonLunarFire all at the same time. He felt them all coming together inside of him quite naturally. Rek picked a spot on the taller boy’s chest and pointed, his eyes beginning to glow feverishly.

“Hey, hey, hey, listen!” Zak held up his hands.

Rek felt Bodyanchor cycling up across the room. He didn’t think it was going to do much good.

“Get out.”

They both looked down towards the bed.

“Now,” she said, still facing the wall.

“Yeah, good idea,” Zak said. He edged past Rek like the coward he was and was out the door before Rek could decide to fry him or not. He downcycled his Artwork.

“Shay,” he said, “why was he in here?”

“I said get out.”

“Zak’s gone though. He left.”

“Get. Out!”

Is she deaf or something? Rek wondered. He supposed after what they did to her she might still be a little shaken up. He came over to the bed and put a hand on her shoulder.

She inhaled, and shrieked, “Nooow!”

Rek recoiled and covered his ears. Then she started sobbing.

“It wasn’t my fault! I was locked up in detention you know!”

She hurled a pillow at him. He dodged it easily. “What’s the matter with you?”

“What did you say about Ella? Who did you tell?!” she screamed at him.

“I don’t know!”

“You never know anything! You never think about anything! You’re a– you’re a dullard and a shitty boyfriend and I want you out I want you out I want you out now!”

She got up, planted her hands on his chest and actually tried to shove him out the door. She was weak, but Rek was too confused to resist much, and walked backwards with her leaning into him. She was screaming.

“Shay, what...”

She grabbed the door and swung it shut. It rebounded a bit where the broken latch failed to catch, and he thought about opening it again to try and see if he could make her feel better, but some girls had entered the hallway at the far end and were moving in his direction.

He walked away. He realized his mistake then. He had screwed up. Shay didn’t need him to come pat her head and try to make her feel better. He was no good with crying and screaming anyway. She was a tough girl who stood on the edge of wall and let the wind rush through her hair. She didn’t want a boy to cuddle; she needed a hero.

I’ll make them pay, Shay. You’ll see, he resolved. They ruined your Frostcycle, wait’ll you see what I do to their Dance.