Disclaimer: The Night World is the property of L.J. Smith.
Part 10.
Midir drove like a demon down the small country roads. He was so angry he could feel it boiling in the pit of his stomach. The minute he'd heard what happened he'd known. He'd had a suspicion when he first saw Truth and Emma's description of what happened confirmed it. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, when he saw that witch she was in big trouble.
He got back to school just as the class was finishing and he returned to Mr. Collins's class room to get his bag. Psyche hadn't been in that class but if he remembered correctly she was in his next class. That meant he wouldn't have to go looking for her, she would come to him or more correctly come to class but he'd be waiting there for her.
Emma climbed the stairs with Truth and helped her get into bed. She was getting worse and Emma felt totally useless; she had no idea what to do.
"I'll go make you a cup of tea," she said to Truth.
Truth smiled weakly back, "Thanks Em."
Midir stood outside the door of the classroom, Psyche wasn't inside, which meant he'd be able to grab her before she got into class. He'd find out exactly what she'd done and he'd make her fix it.
He saw her come in the door at the bottom of the corridor with two other girls, talking and laughing. He began to lose his nerve a little but then he remembered how Truth had looked, how all the colour was drained from her skin and the pain in her eyes. He didn't care who saw what was about to happen, he couldn't let her hurt someone like that.
She looked at him nervously as she got closer. He could see the fear in her eyes. She hunched up and tried to stay as far away from him as possible as she walked to the door. Midir waited until the two girls she was with had gone into class then he grabbed her arm and shoved her against the lockers roughly.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?" he snarled.
"What?" she snapped back her brown eyes flashing angrily.
Midir had to admire her bravery, she was afraid of him he knew that; he could smell that but she was still willing to stand up to him.
"Why are you doing this to Truth?" he said angrily.
"Truth?" Psyche asked concerned, "What's wrong with Truth?"
"You put a spell on her," he snapped back.
Psyche looked genuinely mystified. Midir felt a little doubt creep into him. She really didn't seem to know what he was talking about, maybe she hadn't done it. No, it had to be her, she was the only one who had known, she was the only one who could have done it.
"What are you talking about? What do you mean there is a spell on her? I didn't put any spell on Truth. Where is she anyway? I haven't seen her since first class."
"She's at home sick because you put a spell on her."
"I didn't put a spell on her," Psyche cried, "Jesus, how many times do I have to say it."
Psyche's exclamation of innocence attracted the teacher's attention. Midir grabbed her and pulled her away to an empty room.
"You really didn't do it," he said.
"Of course not. I'd never do anything to hurt Truth. I might be angry with her right now but she's my best friend; I'd never hurt her. I might try to hurt you but never Truth or Emma."
"Well someone is trying to hurt her," Midir told her finally convinced she was being sincere.
"Who?" Psyche demanded angrily.
"Well if I thought it was you up until a minute ago then I sure as hell don't know," Midir snapped in frustration.
"Sorry," Psyche said meekly and then in a sudden change of mood said with authority, "Take me to her."
Emma climbed the stairs carefully with the cup of tea. Truth lay shivering in the bed. Emma couldn't understand how she could still be cold when she was under a couple of blankets and a duvet. It wasn't natural, which meant it must be supernatural and that meant, oh hell. It must be a spell or something but who would do that to Truth and why? She couldn't understand why anyone would want to hurt Truth. It made her wonder what Midir had meant when he said she would be better soon, maybe he was going to get a witch or something to help.
"How do you feel?" she asked Truth.
"Like shit," Truth replied.
"Poor baby," Emma said sympathetically. "I'm sure we'll find something to help you, first why don't you try this tea."
"Thanks," Truth said sitting up and taking the cup of tea into her hands and clutching it tightly taking what heat she could from it.
Emma sat in a chair beside Truth's bed wringing her hands anxiously. She needed to be doing something but she didn't know what to do. Sitting here doing nothing was annoying the hell out of her especially with Truth feeling so sick.
"Do you need a painkiller or anything?" she asked.
Truth shook her head, "I'm not really in pain. It's hard to describe really, I do feel sick and really, really cold but I'm not in any real pain, it's not like I have a headache or sore throat or something. It's really, really weird actually. I'm not sure how to describe it."
"Would you like more blankets or something then?"
"Yeah actually that would be good. They're in the hot press," Truth replied.
"Okay, great I'll go get some," Emma said delighted at being able to do something.
As Emma was dragging blankets from the press she heard a car pull up. She went to the front door assuming it was Truth's mom or dad and wondering how to explain what was going on to them. Instead she saw Psyche and Midir getting out of the car and talking to each other, the weird thing was that that wasn't the strangest thing she'd seen all day.
"Thank God you're here," she exclaimed, all the animosity of the night before forgotten. "Maybe you can do something to help."
Midir followed the two girls up the stairs and was completely unprepared for what he saw there. Truth looked worse, something he hadn't thought possible. There were huge dark circles under her eyes, she was shivering uncontrollably and she just looked terribly wretched. At least he was a little prepared for it having seen her earlier but he couldn't imagine how Psyche was feeling right then.
"Jeez Psyche, who died?" Truth said seeing the look on her friend's face. "Oh hell I'm not going to die am I?"
Psyche didn't know whether to burst into tears or laugh, if she didn't look so terrible she would have hit Truth a smack across the head.
"Can't you even be serious when you're sick?" Psyche asked.
"I was being serious," Truth replied, "you look like someone died so either someone did or someone's going to and I seem the most likely candidate for that."
"You're not going to die," Psyche told her, "but whoever did this to you will."
"What do you mean did this to me? It hardly seems fair to kill someone just 'cos they're contagious. Unless there's something you guys aren't telling me," Truth spluttered out as she began to cough.
"Here have a drink of water," Psyche said passing her a glass.
She turned to Emma and Midir who were standing nearby with their arms around each other. It made her feel angry to see them like that but right now there were more important things to worry about; she could yell at Emma later.
"Do you guys think we should tell her?" she asked them.
"Of course you're going to tell me," Truth argued weakly from the bed.
"Tell her," Emma said with a smile, "she needs to rest and if we don't tell her she'll be giving out for an hour."
Psyche nodded and turned to Truth, "There's a spell on you."
"What do you mean a spell on me? What kind of spell? There are spells that can do this kind of thing?"
"Unfortunately yes," Psyche told her, "but most witches would never use them."
"So how do you get rid of it?" Midir asked.
"I don't," Psyche replied, "my Mom does."
"Your Mom," Midir said with a strange edge to his voice.
"Yes my Mom, you got a problem with that? You don't like Daybreakers or something? What am I thinking you are a Night World assassin being a bigot is probably a prerequisite of the job."
Midir gritted his teeth angrily; this witch was a major pain in the ass.
"I have no problem with your mother," he replied, "but I have major issues with you."
"Guys could you stop for long enough to help Truth? As soon as she's better you can go about tearing strips off each other but 'til then can we have some sort of truce?" Emma asked.
"Okay," Psyche said, "but just 'til Truth is better."
"Alright," Midir agreed.
"Okay, now Psyche I think you should call your Mom, Truth wrap yourself up in these blankets and do not move from this bed and Midir, I don't know, try and find something useful to be doing."
The others followed her orders and Emma smiled, "This is great we have a plan. You'll be better in no time Truth."
Midir smiled a Emma's optimism; it was good to see she could still be optimistic after everything that had happened.
"And then we'll make a new plan for how to find who did this," Psyche added.
Midir nodded, much to his surprise he and Psyche agreed on something. They would find out who did this and they would make them sorry.