Chapter 25
In Loving Memory
Alec's POV
The light faded and the pain in my arms receeded. I shivered as a cold feeling crept down my spine. The barrier in front of us began to crack. I looked towards the smoke as I saw a silhouette move near the edge of the room. I broke free of Will's grasp and started towards it.
"Derek!" I said. I stopped ten yards away as I saw a break in the smoke. I saw my sister's face gaze back at me and then disappear into the dust. A torrent of violent emotions welled up inside me upon seeing her face. My tattoos began to glow and a whirlwind appeared around me, clearing away all the smoke, but she was already gone. The exertion took its toll on me and I fell to the ground. Unule came up next to me and placed a hand on my shoulder. I let her pick me up and take me to the others. Suddenly the room began to shake and rocks started crashing down from the ceiling.
"We've got to get out of here or the whole mountain's going to come down on top of us!" Will shouted.
"I'll get us out of here," Unule reassured us. She frowned; "I can't spirit travel."
"Look out!" Nala screamed as boulders raced towards our heads. Suddenly we were pulled through a vortex of flame. It felt like tumbling through a drying machine that was on fire. When the twising stopped, I was laying on a grassy field under a starlit sky. Everyone lay sprawled out on the ground.
"We're back," Angel said quietly. I looked around and saw a large building off in the distance, and a smaller, though still huge, building much closer to us. "Thank you, Atsila."
"Is everyone ok? I, I mean--" Will began. He gave up trying to speak and confined himself to silence.
We got up and headed towards the nearer of the two buildings. Gagan perched on Unule's shoulder and she led me by the hand to the building. We opened the door and walked into a large cafeteria-looking place. One girl dropped her plate when she saw us and everybody began to cheer.
"Someone get Akita!" a boy yelled. Soon we were bombarded by a mass of people pushing and congratulating us. We were overwhelmed by the mob as they flooded us with questions.
"Coming through, coming through!" Akita's voice sounded above the crowd. She appeared in a T-shirt and pajama pants. Her hair was brushed and she looked like she had been preparing to go to bed when she was called. She looked at us and frowned, "Where's Derek?"
There was a hush in the crowd as they awaited an answer. Suddenly I broke down and began crying into Unule's dress. She wrapped her arms around me and carried me away from everyone else, and people parted to allow us to pass. Gagan flew ahead of us and eventually we came to a plain room with a comfy bed. We sat down on the bed and I cried into Unule's shoulder as she stroked my hair and spoke to me in a low voice.
"Let it out," she said as her voice broke. A single tear dropped down from her eye and fell onto my skin. In that single drop I could feel all the raw pain she felt. Her despair was so great it was enough to break my heart just being in close proximity to it, but it was intermixed with something else. A sense of duty. I cried until I fell asleep.
* * *
I woke up to a warm bright light on my face. I bolted upright in bed, not remembering at first where I was or how I got there. Then I remembered the events of last night. Instead of a torrent of emotions, I felt a crushing numbness. I just sat on the bed staring at the sunrays as they shone on the floor. That was how Unule found me. After knocking soflty on the door, she entered and brought me a change of clothes. An all-black suit. I refused to look at it as she placed it on the bed. I merely looked blankly at the door.
"Come on, breakfast," she said gently.
Even though I wasn't hungry, I didn't protest and followed Unule downstairs. As she took me to get a plate I noticed people staring at me, whispering, "That's him" or "He's the one." I ignored their stares as I put pancakes on my plate. I sat down at a table near the edge of the room, and Unule sat across from me, watching me eat. I stared at my food, poking holes in the pancake's surface.
"The headmaster wants to talk to you about what happened. He wants a full account."
I looked around and saw people look away when I glanced at them. (It seems like everyone already knows what happened.) I closed my eyes and listened.
"Why would they let him in here?"
"He's hiding something, I can tell."
"Watch your back around that one."
"He can't be trusted."
"I bet it's his fault."
"He ought to be locked up in cell."
"They should give him over to the council."
"You said the headmaster wants to see me?" I asked.
"Yeah."
"Let's go," I said, leaving my plate full as I got up. We went out the front and I closed the door, glad to have a physical boundary between me and everyone inside. We walked in silence towards the other, larger building I saw last night. I zoned out and was startled when we stopped walking and were standing in front of a door. I looked back at Unule and she nodded, so I drew a breath and went in. Sitting at a wooden table was a tall man in a dark suit who looked like he hadn't slept in a while. His eyes stared into mine for a moment.
"You must be Alec," he said by way of greeting. I stared blankly back at him. "Please sit."
"You wanted to see me so I can talk about what happened," I said quietly, staring through him and out the window.
"Yes, indeed I do," the headmaster agreed.
I looked him in the eyes and said, "You're not thinking. I take it you already know what I can do?"
"Indeed. I am quite aware of your..." he paused, "powers."
"Which is why you are being careful to keep your mind empty. You're also leaning away from me because you don't want to touch me. But I don't care about that. You want to know what happened, so here's what happened," I said stiffly, and told my story from my time at the mansion all the way to arriving at the school last night. All the while the headmaster remained silent, processing my words and mulling over my story's credibility.
"Thank you. Now, Alec, do you have any questions for me?" the headmaster asked.
"Why did you need to ask me to tell you what you already know? Couldn't you have just asked Gagan what happened?"
"Gagan can no longer speak. He seemed to has lost that ability, just as Unule has lost her magic," he explained. I blinked and glanced at the tattoos on my arms.
"What happens now?" I asked. The headmaster sat up in his chair and looked me in the eye. I returned his gaze.
"Unule has agreed to take care of you. You will live here on campus, where you can learn to control your powers, and attend school here, where you can be safe."
"Safe from who, Dana?" I asked, suddenly irritated.
"Not just your sister, but from the council. I report to them and they don't trust you. Derek's move with their end-all weapon bothered them. And they fear that your being Coyote's vessel might be a problem."
"They want me dead," I said flatly.
"Yes, but that is only because they fear your instability. If you live here you will be safe and happy. If you get good enough you can get sent on missions. None like this of course, but you could do good work."
I thought for a moment before answering, "Fine by me." I turned and got up to leave, suddenly feeling claustraphobic in the samll room.
"One more thing before you go," he said as I reached for the door handle. "The funeral is this afternoon at four."
I drew in a sharp breath. "Thank you," I said, and walked out of the room.
I met Unule outside. She placed a hand on my back and led me down the hall and back to the room. She stopped at the door, and I sat down on the bed next to the black suit. She placed a hand on the door frame and said, "I'll come by and get you in a little while."
"Okay," I said, laying back down on the bed. I looked at the clock and decided to take a shower. I let the water run and I just sat on the floor under it with my chin on my knees. I cried until I couldn't anymore. When I finished I got dressed for the service. I only had to wait a few minutes before Unule knocked on my door. Together, we went downstairs and met up with everyone. The girls wore plain black dresses and Will wore a suit. Atsila wore a plain black suit similar to mine, as did Unatsi, for once not wearing something flashy and over the top. Unule had on a black dress with silver trim to it and a matching hat. Each of them had on different individual rings: red, light blue, and silver.
Together, we walked to where the funeral was being held. It took place in a cemetary on the far side of campus, in the open fields. We passed rows of headstones, each of a student who had attended the school. The entire school was there and we were at the front of the assembly. Unule and I stood several feet in front of the rest in the area designated for family only. (I guess we were his family, but now I've lost that too.) Gagan stood perched on Derek's gravestone as he looked with his raptor gaze centered on the crowd. Akita stepped forward and began to address the congregation. She talked about Derek's time at the academy and about his bright personality. Many people in the audience mumbled assent at her words. Then she spoke about his fatal mission that he embarked on, due to a sense of obligation and duty. My heart constricted into a tight, choking knot in my chest. Shortly after she began this final part Nala began sob. Joelle wrapped an arm around her, even as tears ran down her face. Then people made way as a casket came forward. My anguish turned to rage as I saw the casket being lowered into the ground. My emotions boiled over and I could feel my arms begin to tingle. I couldn't bear it any longer.
"This is so stupid!" I yelled, and a gust of wind swept through the crowd. Tears welled up in my eyes and gushed forth.
"Alec--" Angel said, laying hand on my shoulder.
I brushed it off as the tears kept coming, "There's not even a body in there!" I said and ran through the crowd back the way we came. I stumbled over a rock and scraped my hand on the ground, but I barely noticed. I ran faster; I needed to feel the wind. I finally stopped on the tallest hill overlooking the campus. I collapsed down on the ground and slammed my fists against the earth. I lashed out again and again until the rage left me. I sat up, resting my elbows on my knees as I stared up at the sunny sky. I saw as Gagan circled overhead. He landed on the ground and stared up at me with his big eyes.
"Please, not now," I said, "I want to be as alone as I feel."
Gagan blinked and then took off into sky. He circled once, let out a cry, and flew away. I sat alone, looking up at the clouds as a feather fell down onto the ground before me. I picked it up and held it to the light. It was just a feather, a single falcon feather.