The first signs of spring brought along the first training with Thyme. Ferry had enjoyed the winter because it meant that the weather was too cold for training. But now, as expected, Ferry was in a very poor shape. Thyme threw him to the ground several times, and each time, Ferry found it ever difficult to get up.
"It's pointless," Thyme said eventually. "Even a child could defeat you if he wanted to."
"I'm sorry, Thyme," Ferry said, massaging his back.
"I don't believe you are," Thyme snapped back. "Otherwise, we would have started the training earlier. It's not cold anymore."
"Well ... I had to go to work. Then, my school assignments. I had to work on the last project all week long with Celia."
"Yes, useless, pointless human things," Thyme spat the words.
Ferry stepped closer to him. In the darkness that was invading Lavender's garden, his fairy eyes were sparkling.
"They're not useless," Ferry protested. "I like school. School is important. Mum says studying will get me far. She dreams of me becoming a pharmacist," he said in a half voice.
"Your mother has no idea who you are and what your mission is. I'm sure the people of Akna are not expecting you to prepare them coughing tinctures or ointments for muscle sores."
"Maybe the people of Akna shouldn't put so much faith in me," Ferry snapped. "I don't even know who they are. Do they even know I exist? What will happen when I arrive in Akna? Will they lay the red carpet for me?"
"Don't be ungrateful with those your own kind!" Thyme shouted. "You are one of them, whether you like it or not."
"And what I want doesn't matter?" Ferry shouted back. "Am I just a tool that brings salvation?"
"Right now, you talk like one," Thyme raised his voice.
Ferry was heavily breathing. "I don't want to go to Akna, Thyme," he softly said.
Thyme turned to him, "What did you say?"
Ferry got up the courage, "I don't want to go to Akna," he stressed the words. I love this place. Mum's here. All my friends are here. May is here ..."
Thyme came closer. Ferry had never seen him so angry. "Is that what it is? You want to give up your faith for a girl? A human girl?" he said in disgust.
"Gladly," Ferry said in one breath, aiming at him.
Thyme clenched at the wooden spear so tight, it almost broke. For a second, Ferry felt like he was going to hit him. "You shall go to Akna, whether you like it or not," he said through clenched teeth. Then he turned his back and walked away.
"You can't force me!" shouted Ferry behind him. "You hear me? You can't force me!"
And then, the strangest thing happened. Ferry rose his hand, and a flash of light emerged from his fingers and hit Thyme. He avoided it at the last moment, but the arrow touched his face. Thyme held his hand to his cheek.
With his heart rumbling in his ears, Ferry ran to him. A small cut could be seen on his cheek, from which a drop of white blood was falling.
Ferry was shivering, "I'm sorry, Thyme ..." he said in a low voice. "I am so sorry..."
Thyme took a deep breath. He looked at him like never before. And for the first time, Ferry saw tears in his eyes. He jerked when Ferry put his hand on his shoulder.
"No, you don't," he said, then walked away, melting in the darkness.
*
On the day of the Literature class, Ferry was nervous. He had worked hard with Celia on the project. And he really liked it. In the lake house, the place where she felt best, Celia was different. More at ease, more cheerful, more herself. But at school, she was turning into a completely different person: distant, arrogant, demanding. Ferry couldn't figure out what was her real nature. When was she wearing a mask, and when was she throwing it away?
His thoughts were interrupted by Miss Wood, the Literature teacher who came into the class hastily. Matilda got nervous on the chair next to him. She was also nervous. Ferry knew she had worked hard with May on their project.
"Hello, students!" the teacher said cheerfully. "I read your essays, and we have a lot to discuss. You did excellent, each of you. Well done, children, well done. Now, let's get to work. First, Miss Flower and Miss Harper," she announced as if presenting a show. "I really liked your paperwork. I discovered the melancholic style of Miss Flower, but also the lively and playful elements brought by Miss Harper. Bravo, girls!"
Matilda couldn't keep a smile. From the first desk, May turned and smiled at her. Then she saw Ferry and her eyes lit up even more. Ferry felt that funny feeling in his stomach again, and he smiled back at her, not caring what was going on around him. He couldn't wait for the end of March. That was when the Spring Fling took place, and for the first time, sixteen-year-old students could attend. He intended to invite May, and no one could stand in his way.
Under the desk, Matilda's foot stepped hard on his foot and Ferry came back to reality.
"Sorry," she said, glancing at him. "You had a bug on your foot."
Ferry massaged his foot with his other foot, paying now attention to Miss Wood who was talking about his and Celia's essay.
"Miss Haughty and Mr. Donovan," she announced ceremoniously. "A very pleasant surprise. I discovered Cecilia's unmistakable style, but also the less common nuances of Ferry. You always see the world with different eyes, don't you, Mr. Donovan? Always shocking and different from what we, the others, see. As for you, Cecilia, I still think you should focus on your talent as a writer. It would be a pity that we could not enjoy your writing. You made a very good team together. Maybe you should work together again," she concluded.
"Oh, I'm sure we will work together in other ways, too," Celia said in a meaningful tone, winking at Ferry.
In the classroom, the murmur and giggling started. Ferry was confused again—Celia never behaved like that when they were alone. Next to him, Matilda rolled her eyes while May turned to him and cast a questioning glance. Ferry could do nothing but shrug.
"Of course, there were some less pleasant surprises. For example, Mr. Benjamin Knight and Miss Stephanie Michaels," the teacher continued with a frown. "What happened? Your work was correct, and the observations on the book relevant. But something was missing—the spark. It was as if you worked separately, then you glued the two parts, but they were so different that they broke off and remained separated until the end. You lacked communication and something else ... Oh, passion! Your essay was just cold words, thrown on a sheet of paper."
At the front desk, Ben kept his head down. Ferry could only see the back of his neck. Steph stood up from the desk next to him.
"I'm sorry, but it was all Ben's fault," she said. "I had to push him from behind all week. He didn't want to do anything. I don't know what's going on with him. He doesn't even want to see me in his spare time," she said, then sat back on her desk, turning her back to Ben.
"Miss Michaels, personal problems are not to be discussed in class. And the relationship between you two should not influence school projects."
Steph took her seat back, snorting.
"And now the best paperwork," announced the teacher with professional aplomb. "Mr. Pride and Mr. Donovan. Well, the other Mr. Donovan. Billy and Andrew. I must admit that I am very impressed, boys. It looks like you got very involved in this project. You have chosen the book well. The forbidden love story seems to be to the liking of boys, too, not just girls. I saw passion, emotion, desire in your essay," said the teacher and Ferry had the impression that she was on the verge of bursting into tears. "Bravo, bravo!" she said, clapping.
The whole class applauded with her. Billy stood up and bowed in front of the class. In the back of the classroom, Andrew was watching him. Their eyes met; their eyes smiled and did not see anyone else.
Ferry had chosen not to tell anyone about the blossoming relationship between Billy and Andrew. It was not his business, and he should not have seen what he had seen. And he didn't anyone to talk to, anyway. His fairy guardians would not agree he was spying on people. Matilda would have wanted to be involved too much, and Ferry didn't want to get her in any trouble that didn't concern her. As for Ben ... Ben had avoided him the entire week.
And yet something was not right with the two. Ferry had tried to forget the kissing scene. But something didn't make sense. An image always came back to him, over and over again—Billy pulling the sheets off of Andrew. Andrew laying on his belly, his skin white and his hair black. The silver drop by the bed. What was wrong with that image?
After school, Ferry met the boys in the manor's garden. It was a warm day, the first real day of spring. In the explosion of raw green grass and blossoming flowers, Ferry should have felt the blooms, the butterflies in his stomach, and think of May. But for some reason, he couldn't find his peace. He felt it everywhere. But it was fragile and ready to dissipate at the first breath of wind. It was the calm before the storm.
Working on the flower beds near the terrace, Ferry could see the two of them laughing and joking, pushing into each other and rolling on the soft grass that was just growing. Ferry knew those were just reasons to touch each other, to feel each other. And for a second, he thought whether the feeling between him and May would ever be as intense? If she would ever feel the same. Then again, the image of Billy pulling the sheets off of Andrew came to his mind. And Andrew, with his face on the sheets and his bareback. Completely bare. No mark on his white skin. No... birthmark! There was no sign of the pear-shaped birthmark he had seen six months ago, proof that he was the lost son of the Donovans.
The hoe fell from his hand. He looked at Andrew. But he didn't even notice him, too focused on Billy. He had the proof he lied. He had been right all along. But he couldn't face him. This meant he would make him run away or create the birthmark again. All he could do was keep an eye on him.
When the workday was over, Ferry pretended to be heading home. Instead, he slipped back into the mansion. He knew that, at Billy's insistence, Andrew stayed at the mansion, even after the reading project was over. He climbed into the old hazelnut beyond the mansion and waited. The boys spent a lot of time on the terrace of Andrew's room. When all the lights in the house went out, they were still there. They were talking and laughing, and when their voices were no longer heard, Ferry knew they were kissing. Their kisses lasted for tens of minutes. Then, their passionate whispers rose to the sky and got lost in the night, followed by other deep kisses.
After midnight, Billy retired to his room. The boys seemed to be avoiding the prying eyes of the employees at the mansion who kept Mr. Pride up to date with everything that happened in his absence. Ferry intended to enter Andrew's room and investigate further. But his plans were soon broken. Andrew went out the balcony, then jumped from the second floor of the mansion as if jumping over a small garden fence.
Ferry decided to follow him on foot, for fear he would not be seen flying. Andrew left the Pride estate, crossed the town and headed for the forest. Ferry didn't lose him out of his sight. Andrew looked back a few times, but Ferry always hid into the bushes or behind the trees.
Finally, he reached the edge of the forest. Someone was waiting for him there. Someone wrapped from head to toe in a gray cloak. Lily Jones. Ferry flew to a nearby tree, close enough to hear and see them in full moonlight.
At Andrew's sight, Mrs. Jones ran to him and wrapped his arms around his neck. She wanted to kiss him, but Andrew retreated from her embrace and slowly unwrapped her hands from around his neck.
"I missed you," she whispered. "Why haven't you come to see me?"
"I had something to do," Andrew said.
"Why did you call me here?"
"People in town are talking ..."
"It's alright... We haven't made love in the grass for such a long time," she added, and she clung at his chest again.
But this time, Andrew took a step back.
"What is it, my love?" she asked.
Andrew sighed, then said, "I need to talk to you ... I have to tell you something ..."
"What is it you want to tell me? I'm sure it can wait," she said and began to unbutton his shirt, kissing his neck. But Andrew grabbed her hands and pushed her away.
"Stop!" he said in a firm voice.
Lily Jones paused, looking up at him.
"I can't do this anymore," Andrew said. "I want to stop."
She got closer to him again. She lifted his chin with her finger and looked into his eyes."We cannot stop. We haven't found it yet." Then her gaze turned into a squint. "Why do you want to stop now?"
"It's useless ... It's not on him. It may not even be found here."
"Oh, it's here. I feel its power. Its power is growing. It's right here, in this town. We just have to wait a little longer ..."
But Andrew was just as cold, "I don't want to do it anymore. I want to get out of this ... I want to break the deal."
"Get out of this?" she raised her voice. Then she turned to him again. "Wait a minute ... It's because of that boy, isn't it?"
"Leave him out of this!" Andrew said coldly.
"Oh, yes ... It's because of that boy. I can smell him in every pore of your skin," she spat out the words.
"What we're doing is wrong," Andrew said. "We use others, we cheat, and lie ... And for what?"
"What do you mean for what?" she cried. "For us. You can't give up! Doesn't it really matter to you anymore? All our plans ..."
"You do it for the wrong reasons. Just to get revenge. You only do it for power," Andrew replied. "I've already decided. Don't count on me anymore."
Lily Jones began to shiver. She walked in front of him, her head in hands. "You can't do this to me," she shouted. "Not after I've been through so much. It's easy for you. I had to stay in that dump every day, feel their filthy hands touching my body, feel their stingy breath on the skin ... I went to the end of the world to find you. You can't do that to me!" she yelled.
"I'm sorry ..." Andrew said, seeming to calm down. "Try to understand ... I think I feel something for him ... Something I've never felt for anyone. And I think he feels the same ..."
"No!" she cried. "You can't fall for him! What about me? Did I mean anything to you?"
He tried to get closer, but she pushed him away, "He won't love you the way I do," she said between sobs, tears mixed with mascara running down her cheeks. "They don't love like us. What do you think he'll do when he finds out who you really are? What about his father? They are not like us. They don't understand this kind of love. When he finds out, he'll send him to a boarding-school at the other end of the world, and you'll never see him again!" she shouted, clinging to him like an eagle to its prey.
This time around, too, Andrew slowly pushed her away.
Mrs. Jones took a deep breath but did not let go. "What about you? What will you do? Will you give up everything to live in this world? Don't you know that this world is hurting you? How will you survive here?"
"I shall give up my skills," Andrew said. "I shall survive if I no longer use them. I shall no longer need to use her. It's wrong that we use her, anyway ..."
"I had no choice. What about him? What will he say?"
"I'll tell him I just don't want to do it anymore. That I want to live in this world like the others."
"He won't like it," she said, shaking her head.
"I don't care," Andrew said. "I have to go now," he said, looking at the sky that was beginning to light up. "Thank you for everything. And try to understand," he asked.
Then, he turned his back and started for the town.
Mrs. Jones began to shiver and cry, her sighs dissipating in the night that was about to leave."This world will be the death of you!" she cried. "You hear me? You will die in this world!"
But Andrew didn't stop. He didn't even turn one last time. He lifted his jacket's collar and stepped up to his new life, melting into the morning mist.
After he left, there was nothing but silence. Lily Jones stood still, crouched at the edge of the forest, covering her face with her hands and shedding bitter tears. Then she wiped the tears away and stood up. She stared at one of the logs turned upside down in front of her. Her body began to shiver violently. She opened her arms and an unearthly scream came out of her throat, like a bird of prey. A strong rumbled was heard, and the log turned into splinters. Wind swirls in which leaves, boulders, and splinters danced, surrounded her. In the middle of it, Lily Jones vanished in front of Ferry's eyes.
After the most controversial chapter yet, I hope this one will bring some answers. Thank you for joining me on this amazing adventure! You're the best :)