Taste of Secrets

Chapter Eighteen

"I feel like I'm absorbing more," Jack claimed. "Yeah," I replied in a sarcastic tone, "The Order's great! It's amazing!" 

"Let's but them a present," Randall added, going along with my sarcastic remark. "Relax you lovebirds," Hamish joked, "No one's lost the plot." Lilith sighed then looked down at the projector. "Yeah, we're still gonna burn it down," Jack said. 

"But it is cool to learn new things," Lil said, glancing at the machine. I grabbed my phone and took pictures of the virtual amulet. "Okay," I sighed, "Randall and I will get this 3D-printed...." I showed Randall the images, he nodded in agreement. "and then we are saying goodbye to Optography and the Order," Randall added. Hamish stood up and crossed his arms. "Actually, I just learned an incantation that could replicate it without the 3D print," Hamish said, nodding his head. Randall and I looked at Ham-dog and glared at him. "Okay...." Jack trailed. 

Randall scoffed, grabbing my hand. The two of us left our fellow Knights at the den. 

~~~~

My red flannel covered my arms as we stood at the front of the corridor. "So," Randall said, "Who wants to the honors?" He held up the necklace we 3D printed. The four of them all looked at me. "Okay, fine," I grabbed the necklace from Randall, putting it around my neck. I went to step down the stairs when Randall grabbed my hand and pulled me back. "Didn't you say something about.... holding hands?" Randall asked, looking at Jack. 

"As we pass under the inscription, we have to," Jack replied. Randall looked at me and reached for my hand again. Fortunately that orange glow from the torches covered the pink color coming from my cheek. "It's not cause I'm scared or anything," I claimed, shaking my head. 

"It's gonna work," Jack said, "Don't worry." 

"Magic heist," I sighed, followed by the four of them repeating the words. We stepped down the stairs and made sure not lose sight of each other. Unfortunately the same thing happened before, we were back in our fear reality. 

~~~~

I rested my chin on the palm of my hand. I dropped my head on the table, slightly frightened and exhausted. I felt a hand on the lower part of my back. I lifted my head and saw Randall trying to comfort me. Jack exhaled deeply, rubbing the side of his neck. "Anyone got a plan C?" I asked slightly groaning. Hamish dropped his head on the table, I rested my own head on Randall's shoulder. Randall kissed the top of my head. 

~~~~

I sat in Professor Foley's class, sitting beside Jack and Gabrielle. My notebook and pencil were laid out in front of me as I waited to take more notes for this boring class. "Uh, wave hello to Salvador and then settle yourselves," Foley said, "She's my new TA, which makes her your new TA." The women waved as Foley continued to talk. "They're so banging," Gabrielle muttered to me. I gave her a weird look before I continued listening to my teacher lecture us. Salvador shut off the lights, signaling to us that we were about to watch something. A video was projected on the screen. A girl stood in the middle of the woods saying something, she muttered something in Latin. All of a sudden the girl started flowing mid air. The students gasped in shock, looking around the room at their friends. Jack, Gabrielle and I exchanged a nervous glance. 

"Shopped!" Gabrielle announced, "It's photoshopped." 

"Buzzkill," Foley muttered, "Well, you all looked like believers until Mighty Mouth here yelled, 'Fake'." The students looked at each other. "Oh come on, it's obviously fake," I said, "Someone just happens to come across at the exact moment she's 'flying'." 

"So it's fake because of timing?" Foley asked. "Where did you even find this?" my friend Jack questioned. "Oh," Professor Foley said in surprise, "Now it's providence that makes a difference as to whether it can be real or not."