clothes into a small bag and slips out the window of his bedroom in the middle of the day. He falls three stories, his ankle turning over upon impact of the hard concrete beneath. It’s a small price for freedom. He spends days running, hiding in the woods, afraid he’d be too easily tracked if someone saw him or he stopped to ask for help. He finally hitches a ride on the side of a train transporting coal and makes his way to Sanctuary.
The vision suddenly disappears and I realize it’s because Reid has removed my hand from Lyric. Lyric falls out of the chair to the floor, grabbing his stomach and groaning. I step back away from him. “What’s wrong? Did I do that to him?”
“Memories don’t like to be taken,” Reid says, whispering over my shoulder, “especially the bad ones.”
I try to go to Lyric, but Reid stops me. His grip is firm on my wrist. “What’s the verdict?”
“He’s telling us the truth. He’s as scared of Julien as I am.”
Reid lets go and I go to him. Lyric continues to roll on the ground and moan. For the first time Reid looks repentant for what he’s done to Lyric. “How long will this last?”
“He only drank a small vial, so just a few more minutes.”
I try to lift Lyric’s head but he pulls away, turning over on his stomach as he tries to choke up the liquid he drank. “I don’t like this spell. I can’t believe my mother taught it to you.”
“Well, she didn’t so much teach me as used it on me.”
I look back at him in disbelief, but he smiles. “I was stubborn back then too. Katherine gave me no choice but to admit the truth about myself.” He glances down at Lyric to make sure he’s too preoccupied to pay attention. “She knew what waited for us. She knew we’d need each other.”
Lyric slowly stops wriggling and yelling. He drifts into a restless sleep. Reid walks over and picks him up off the floor. “He’s fine now. He just needs to sleep it off. He’ll feel like crap tomorrow, but at least now we know we can trust him.”
I touch Reid’s arm, making him turn around. “In Lyric’s memory, there was a section where Lyric saw Julien missing from his room. He did that every so often. Then when he would return, he’d be in these mad fits of rage. He must be making trips here, and when he fails, it drives him crazy.”
Reid’s face falls a little. “We knew it was Julien. Don’t worry, with Lyric’s help we’ll find that book.”
I nod, allowing Reid to go lay Lyric on my couch.
I knew it was Julien who left that note for me on the door of Rooster’s too, and Julien who loosened the sensor in Reid’s truck on Raven Ridge. I just didn’t want to believe it. Now I do.
Now I’m scared.
Chapter 8
Stolen Time
It’s a miserable fall morning in Sanctuary. Especially for Lyric. Something between ice and rains pelts the window of the bookstore. It’s gray and foggy outside, but Lyric sits huddled in the giant red chair by the window, the hood of his jacket up, wearing a pair of blacked out Ray-Bans.
If you could order emo on a stick, it would come in the form of Lyric Cote. I brought him to work with me because I want to make sure he recovers from the spell I put him under last night, but I’m starting to regret it. Lyric has done nothing but complain about everything since his eyes popped open at dawn.
It’s too cold outside, and the rain is too rainy. The coffee I made him is too strong, and the smiles I give him too nice for someone who ripped his thoughts out of his head like a dying man searching for water in the desert.
His words, not mine.
He isn’t in a good mood and hasn’t been since he ran outside to release the entire contents of his stomach onto my unsuspecting mums. I continue to fill out my stock forms for a supply order as Romeo plays with the small bell on my counter.
Ding. Ding.
It’s Romeo’s favorite toy, and though it’s annoying, I’ve grown accustomed to it.
The vision suddenly disappears and I realize it’s because Reid has removed my hand from Lyric. Lyric falls out of the chair to the floor, grabbing his stomach and groaning. I step back away from him. “What’s wrong? Did I do that to him?”
“Memories don’t like to be taken,” Reid says, whispering over my shoulder, “especially the bad ones.”
I try to go to Lyric, but Reid stops me. His grip is firm on my wrist. “What’s the verdict?”
“He’s telling us the truth. He’s as scared of Julien as I am.”
Reid lets go and I go to him. Lyric continues to roll on the ground and moan. For the first time Reid looks repentant for what he’s done to Lyric. “How long will this last?”
“He only drank a small vial, so just a few more minutes.”
I try to lift Lyric’s head but he pulls away, turning over on his stomach as he tries to choke up the liquid he drank. “I don’t like this spell. I can’t believe my mother taught it to you.”
“Well, she didn’t so much teach me as used it on me.”
I look back at him in disbelief, but he smiles. “I was stubborn back then too. Katherine gave me no choice but to admit the truth about myself.” He glances down at Lyric to make sure he’s too preoccupied to pay attention. “She knew what waited for us. She knew we’d need each other.”
Lyric slowly stops wriggling and yelling. He drifts into a restless sleep. Reid walks over and picks him up off the floor. “He’s fine now. He just needs to sleep it off. He’ll feel like crap tomorrow, but at least now we know we can trust him.”
I touch Reid’s arm, making him turn around. “In Lyric’s memory, there was a section where Lyric saw Julien missing from his room. He did that every so often. Then when he would return, he’d be in these mad fits of rage. He must be making trips here, and when he fails, it drives him crazy.”
Reid’s face falls a little. “We knew it was Julien. Don’t worry, with Lyric’s help we’ll find that book.”
I nod, allowing Reid to go lay Lyric on my couch.
I knew it was Julien who left that note for me on the door of Rooster’s too, and Julien who loosened the sensor in Reid’s truck on Raven Ridge. I just didn’t want to believe it. Now I do.
Now I’m scared.
Chapter 8
Stolen Time
It’s a miserable fall morning in Sanctuary. Especially for Lyric. Something between ice and rains pelts the window of the bookstore. It’s gray and foggy outside, but Lyric sits huddled in the giant red chair by the window, the hood of his jacket up, wearing a pair of blacked out Ray-Bans.
If you could order emo on a stick, it would come in the form of Lyric Cote. I brought him to work with me because I want to make sure he recovers from the spell I put him under last night, but I’m starting to regret it. Lyric has done nothing but complain about everything since his eyes popped open at dawn.
It’s too cold outside, and the rain is too rainy. The coffee I made him is too strong, and the smiles I give him too nice for someone who ripped his thoughts out of his head like a dying man searching for water in the desert.
His words, not mine.
He isn’t in a good mood and hasn’t been since he ran outside to release the entire contents of his stomach onto my unsuspecting mums. I continue to fill out my stock forms for a supply order as Romeo plays with the small bell on my counter.
Ding. Ding.
It’s Romeo’s favorite toy, and though it’s annoying, I’ve grown accustomed to it.
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