Flawed

Ch. 15

I felt Sebastian's absence in my bones, it was a chill I couldn't shake. It felt as though my heart was bleeding and pouring out into the water around me, I couldn't stop the tears. I wasn't sure how long I stayed in the pool, just that when I got out my lips were blue. I made my way back to my dorm in my sopping wet clothes, all I wanted was a hot shower and sleep. I barely made it through the door

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Laura's voice hit an octave I wasn't sure was possible "You just left me there with Parker and his goons. It was unbearable, he kept asking where you went, what you've said about him..." Her voice trailed off as she looked at me, "Oh my god Charlee, are you okay?"

"I don't think so." I leaned on her and let the tears flow, luckily for me Laura didn't press the subject any further, just let me cry. Eventually she told me I needed to change before I got sick, I quickly changed out of my wet clothes and tossed them in a heap on the floor. I made my way back into the living room.

"Okay, I'm ready to talk about it."

"Wait, let me grab some ice-cream!" she ran to the kitchen, grabbed a tub of ben&jerry's chunky monkey and ran back over to the sofa. "Okay, now I'm ready." She held out a spoon to me, which I gladly accepted, and let the events of the afternoon surround us.

***

"Have you ever heard of a soulmate mark?" I hiccupped, looking hopefully at my roommate.

"A little bit, but not much, it's very rare."

"Can you explain it to me a little? Maybe then I'd feel better about it."

She sighed, "I'll do my best. But Charlee, I don't know much or even if it's accurate."

I nodded and urged her to continue.

"I've never seen one before, that's why I didn't recognize it on you. Its old magic, and magic in its purest form. Love. Your soulmate is supposed to be the other half of you, two halves fitting perfectly together. They call those with the soulmate mark, Soulbound. That's honestly all I know about it."

"And it's rare?"

"It is now, I haven't heard of anyone being soulbound since before the War. When all the affinities lived in peace it was common. You should ask Olivia about it, she seems worse than she is, and she's a water affinity, it's in her blood to help you."

"Did you have to have the same affinity to be soulbound, do you know?"

"Yes, as far as I know." She rubbed my back and I slumped into her. "You really liked him huh?"

I choked on a sob, "I know it doesn't make any sense, I can't even explain it to myself, but yeah I guess I did."

The rest of the night passed as we watched terrible old movies, and ate way too much junk food. I must have slipped into sleep somewhere between a rerun of Gilmore girls and Seinfeld. And for the first time since I came to Blackbird Academy, I didn't dream.

My muscles ached when I woke up the next morning, partly from exhaustion, and partly because I slept on the sofa. I sighed, and pulled myself off the sofa, glancing at the clock I realized it was already 8:15, since I wasn't hungry due to all the junk food consumed last night, I decided to treat myself to a very long, very overdue shower. I packed up my shower kit and headed down the hall. Perfect, it was empty. Once again I chose the stall furthest away from the door and let the hot water try and ease some of my pain, although it did nothing for the ache in my chest. After twenty minutes or so I figured it was time to leave my oasis, damnit, I'd forgotten to bring a change of clothes. Again. I would just have to make my way back to the dorm in my towel.

"I was hoping to run into you again." A voice snarled as I looked up from the sink and saw Anna's reflection in the mirror.

"Now really isn't the best time."

"It'll only take a minute. Sebastian is mine." Her eyes turned an unnatural shade of silver.

"I'm aware." I moved to step around her and head back to my room, but she grabbed my arm instead.

"No, I don't think you do. I tolerate a lot of things when it comes to him, we are still very young, but one thing I won't accept is him being with a water affinity." She sniffed the air, "He always comes to my room smelling of wet dog, and I'm guessing that has something to do with you."

"Let. Me. Go." I hissed. I was shaking, how dare she put her hands on me. "I'm warning you."

"Or what? You'll glare at me to death? What is someone who doesn't know a thing about magic going to do?" She dug her nails into my skin, and I smelled blood.

"Kill" a voice entered my mind that wasn't mine.

It all happened so fast, one minute she was grabbing my arm, and the next minute I was going for her throat.

"Charlee, Let Anna go now." Olivia was standing next to me.

How did I get here? What was I doing? I looked down, Anna was pinned beneath me, screaming, blood pooled around her, deep gashes that looked like claw marks covered her right flank. I released my grip on her forearms, and backed up a few steps.

"Take Ms. Snow to the infirmary." "NOW" she shouted, at the crowd of people standing in the doorway. Two males I didn't recognize quickly sprang into action half carrying half dragging Anna out of the bathroom, still screaming.

"Everyone, please return to your rooms." Everyone stood there, unmoving. "I will not ask again." As everyone started to move back towards the hall, I started to follow. "Everyone, except you." Her eyes cut through me like glass. "You will follow me to my office, I will have Laura bring you some clothes." By the tone in her voice, I knew I didn't have a choice.