Chapter 13
"Sylvia," Rowen was surprised to say the least. He went to school with her everyday, but it wasn't everday that he ran into her. Sylvia sure knew how to make herself scarce, unless she was playing the role of trophy girlfriend on Sage's shoulder. Sylvia looked as surprised to see him as he was to see her, maybe she found Rowen to be as evasive as she was, unless he was around Sage. But for them both to be evasive except around Sage would have to mean that Sage himself had to be pretty evasive too.. He blinked at his odd thoughts.. Lack of sleep always did it to him, "Hi Rowen," she spoke to him, her voice was clear and silvery as a concert flute in its lowest registers.
Rowen cleared his throat and looked rather uncomfortable. It seemed odd for this to be his best friend's girlfriend and him not to know enough about her to even exchange pleasantries without feeling uncomfortable. "Well..." he was about to dismiss himself, but she spoke up, "How is Sage?"
Rowen raised his eyes and looked into her face. Such a pretty face, and her tilted blue-green eyes were filled with so much concern...and a longing that warmed Rowen to the girl instantly. She cared about his friend, "He's really sick, but he's still stubborn as a mule and won't admit it."
Sylvia smiled lightly, "That sounds like him."
"He tells us you're coming by this afternoon?"
"Oh," Sylvia looked startled by Rowen's knowledge of her visit, "Yes, I promised him I would come. I'm not much of a cook, or I would have made him some soup, or cookies, or something. He'll just have to settle for the flowers I'm going to bring him."
Rowen chuckled and shook his head, "Right about now I think he'll except anything if it comes from you."
Sylvia's smile was a little sad, her eyes a little wistful at Rowen's words. She toyed with the pendant of the chain she wore around her neck. Rowen was about to ask her what was wrong when his eyes fell upon the charm. Her small fingers caressed its designed edges... The design was very intricate, and also very old, Rowen knew. He frowned as he thought about where he had seen that before.
"Rowen?"
"Huh? Oh I'm sorry Sylvia, I've been up late studying every night this week. I'm a total zombie today," well it wasn't exactly a lie, he had been up late every night, but as of then he was far from being a zombie. The wheels in his head were turning furiously.
"Oh, that's right. Sage says you're the genius of the bunch. Maybe you can help me study sometime," she said with a small smile touching his arm. The touch sent chills up Rowen's arms and he focused all his energy on not shuddering from her touch. What had made him react so to her? "I'll see you this afternoon?"
"Um.. Yeah," Rowen nodded to her, and smiled at her as she left. Good Lord... the shudder he had surpressed worked itself to the outside, "She gives me the creeps... why?" And could it have anything to do with that symbol she wears around her neck?
"Is there a reason why you're in such an agreeable mood this afternoon?" Cye asked Sage, watching him in the bathroom mirror. Sage stood studying his reflection, looking rather worried, "Cye, you think I look ok?"
Cye nearly choked on the gum he was chewing, "Huh?" Feeling rather uncomfortable, "Um.. Sage..."
Sage turned around to frown at Cye, "What's wrong with you?" He narrowed his eyes at Cye who was squirming awkwardly, "Honestly, you're acting like I'm coming onto you or something." He turned back to face the mirror, frowning at his complexion, "Damn... What can I do to give my face more color?"
Cye was visibly relaxing, the thought of his friend hitting on him had churned his stomach, "Why are you fawning over yourself today? You haven't cared for... oh..." Cye smiled knowingly.
"What are you grinning about Cye?" asked Sage looking at him through the mirror.
"You're nervous about Sylvia coming over today," Cye laughed, "You don't want her to see you looking anything less than perfect.
"That's..."
"Sage, from what you say, that girl's in love with you. She's not gonna care what you look like, "Cye said shaking his head. Sage turned around to face Cye again, "But she's so perfect... all the time."
Cye shook his head, "Sage, no one is perfect, especially not all the time. You're being ridiculous. Now come on out of here, I want to see you eat something."
Sage blinked and stepped away from the sink, "Ok." He followed Cye out of the bathroom.
"Sage..."
"Rowen," Sage returned, he tried to maneuver passed him to continue following Cye, but Rowen grabbed his arm, "What?"
"I...um...spoke to Sylvia today," Rowen said, keeping his eyes on Sage's face. Sage's face brightened at the very mention of her name, "What'd she say?"
"Sage... what do you know about her?" Rowen pressed, instead of answering Sage's questions.
"What do I know about her? Well just that she's beautiful and intelligent, and graceful, and..."
"No, Sage, facts. Like where is she from?" Rowen strengthened his grip on Sage's arm, he gave him a little shake, "Where did she tell you she was from?"
"Rowen," Cye began with a little warning in his voice.
Sage stared at Rowen oddly, "She's from Salt Lake City, Utah... United States of America. She and my mother..."
"Did you ever see a driver's license or any kind of identification on her?- any pictures?"
"I... no," Sage shook his head, he chewed his lip and scratched his head, "come to think of it, I've never seen any pictures of her or her mother.. But then again, they're in a hospital, those rooms can't be too personalized..."
"Her apartment Sage, I know you've been there..."
"Only one room, and only once... Rowen, why are you interrogating me, what did she say to you?" Sage's tone was getting defensive.
"It's not what she said Sage," Rowen said in a quiet voice, "It was just something she had on her... I... Look I'm sorry. I'm gonna go back to Mia's study, I have to look something up."
Sage nodded still staring at Rowen with a confused expression in his eyes.
"Sage..." Rowen turned back around to peer at his friend was beginning to head towards the stairs again, "Be careful around that girl, ok?"
"Yeah.. Sure Ro," Sage blinked, then he turned back to Cye after Rowen left, "I think Rowen needs to switch to decaf."
"There is something in that necklace, there has gotta be," pages whirred furiously as Rowen turned them. That symbol, he had seen it before, he knew it! He groaned as he felt a page slice into his index finger, "Damn it..." He gently placed his finger into his mouth wincing at the sharp coppery taste of blood. He glanced down at the page and his eyes fell over the signature he had damped with his blood... No... he removed his finger from his mouth and with both hands brought the book closer to his face, "No...." He brought the book over to the computer and laid it down on the desk. He clicked the on switch and waited for the computer to load. Please don't let it be what I fear it might... As soon as the computer was ready Rowen opened the familiar program and pulled up his file with the scanned image of Sage's mark of protection. Beneath it he had the image of Shivoni's signature. He stared at the two for a bit, before scanning the new symbol he had located. Once the image had been encoded he quickly cut it from its original frame. He sighed deeply as he took the mouse and dragged the new image over the old image of Shivoni's... He gazed at the newly created signature... and at the one on Sage's brow and felt his stomach sink into his intestines... they were a match, an exact, identical match... Oh Sage, you're going to hate me. Rowen rested his tired head in his hands... Not only had Sylvia marked him as her own, making her a witch.. But not just any witch... she was a Witch, the ones they were searching for. And she was probably leading the Darklings right to them... or rather Sage.
"But why would she mark him?" Rowen wondered aloud, territory maybe. He nodded, Sage was her boyfriend.. Maybe it was a Witch thing, to mark your beau. Maybe that's why she disregarded the previous mark Sage bore on his forehead... His head ached from lack of sleep and too many thoughts to ponder... But there was one thought in his mind that didn't take much pondering for him to figure out the solution to the problem. In no way could Sylvia be allowed to be alone with Sage... not anymore.
"Cye, I don't like pickles on my tomato sandwiches," Sage was complaining.
"Well then take them off," Cye said rolling his eyes.
"But there will still be pickle juice on the bread," Sage moaned. He pushed the sandwich away and rested his head on his arms in front of the steaming bowl of chicken and vegetable soup.
"Sage, you were being so good," Cye groaned, "Please," he made Sage sit up and he handed him the spoon, "at least eat a little soup."
Sage let his head droop before he nodded and tried to obey Cye. He dipped his spoon in the soup and brought it to his lips. He took a timid sip from the spoon and set the spoon back in the bowl grimacing as the hot liquid hit his stomach like rocks. "Does it taste alright?"
Sage nodded, "It's good." He retrieved the spoon again and took another sip of soup. He let the spoon fall back in the bowl and he leaned back in his chair, "That's all Cye. I can't force down anymore. I feel so full."
"You've had two teaspoons of soup Sage... two teaspoons of soup in 4 days," Cye sat down next to him, "Mama Fuan said this soup would cure anyone of a loss of appetite..." He looked at Sage, studying him with a worried look in his eyes, "Have you ever been this sick before Sage?"
Sage looked over to Cye, "No... never. I've never really been sick... except when I was really young, but I don't remember that."
"I hope you don't have pneumonia," Cye was muttering running his hands over his face, "Does it hurt to breathe in or do you have difficulty breathing out?"
Sage smiled lightly at Cye and shook his head, "No... I don't think it's pneumonia Cye." He groaned, "Don't look so worried. It's a flu, a virus.. I'll be better in a few days. It's not abnormal to have a loss of appetite when you've got a fever."
"Fevers aren't supposed to last thing long either. You've been running a fever since Friday," Cye said.
"Fevers are self defense mechanisms. It's just burning up the germs," Sage said simply, "It'll break soon."
Cye frowned, "You wanna call your mom?"
Sage flinched, "I'd be packing if I did. She'd come get me as soon as she got herself out of work."
"Maybe that's not such a bad thing," Cye said, "You want something cool to drink?"
Sage shook his head, "Hot please."
"If you've still got chills then that means your temp's still going up," Cye said in a low voice, "I...Sage, I'm gonna call your Mom."
"Cye please, you're just going to make this more complicated. Lets just do what we have to.. Deal with the... Wicthes, Darklings, whatever... and if I'm still sick after that, which I won't be, you can call my mother."
"Sage, if you're not dead..." Cye stood up, "She'd be at work, now, or taking a break?"
Sage lowered his head to the table, "She's probably doing rounds Cye..."
Cye nodded, "I'll page her." He lifted the phone from the hook and was beginning to dial when the doorbell rang. "It's Sylvia. Cye could you...?"
Cye groaned, "Oh Sage.. Alright..." Cye set the phone back on its cradle and left the kitchen. Sage ran a hand through his hair, and checked his reflection in the shining black ceramic of the microwave. He knew better than to check his reflection in a spoon. He heard voices in the foyer, one voice making his stomach flutter. It was her. He bit his lip and checked himself over one more time before he left the kitchen and went to intercept Sylvia. He entered the living room just as Cye was ushering her in. His breath caught... she was dressed casually in jeans and a sweater that clung to her every curve. She looked up and her beautiful tilted eyes met his, "Hi," she said shyly with a smile that lit up her eyes. "Hi," he said back also smiling. They gazed at each other for a while, neither missing Cye's quick grin and exit.
"How've you been?" they both asked at the same time, then laughed. Sage approached her and they hugged. She kissed his cheek lightly and rested her hand on his cheek, "You're burning up." Sage smiled, "I feel a lot better now." He said moving his hand to cover the one on his face.
Sylvia laughed lightly, her voice like bells, "Let's sit down. Let me take care of you for a bit."
Sage nodded, and he and Sylvia sat down on the couch.
Cye traveled to his room still smiling about Sage and Sylvia, they made the best couple. Sylvia still unnverved him a bit, there was just something about her that bothered him, but she was wonderful for Sage, influence or not. Maybe she could get Sage to want to call his mother? Cye was opening his door to his room, but turned as he heard the door to the study open.
"Cye, did I hear a doorbell?"
"Oh yes, it was Sylvia," Cye said.
"She's downstairs?" Rowen's face went pale, "Now?" he squeaked.
"Yes Rowen, what is the mater with you?" Cye frowned at his friend, "She and Sage are talking, and he looked so happy to see her." Cye smiled thinking about it, "Maybe she'll be the medicine he needs."
Rowen swore under his breath, "Or the poison..."
"What? Rowen where are you.. Rowen?!" Cye watched as Rowen ran towards the stairs and tore down them.
"What in the hell?" Cye wondered aloud, he opened the door to his room to find Kento inside.. Studying? He approached the desk cautiously not wanting to disturb Kento's learning process, "KENTO!" Kento's head fell off his fist. He had been having the best nap.
"Some studying, if you fail another test it will be your own fault!" Cye walked past Kento and flopped down on his bed.
"Well if the stuff wasn't so boring then I wouldn't be asleep," Kento grumbled, he looked back down at his book and continued on with the picture he was doodling in his textbook.
"What's up with Rowen, Kento?" Cye asked from his bed, he was staring at the ceiling.
"His grades," Kento muttered bitterly.
"No, he's acting weird. Maybe its sleep deprivation."
"Maybe it's stress," Kento said, "and sleep deprivation."
"Yeah," Cye sighed.
"Why, he walking around mumbling stuff again?" Kento asked turning from his book and spinning his chair around to face Cye.
"No... he's just.. Well being really weird about Sage and Sylvia."
"Well maybe he's getting Ryo syndrome?" Kento suggested, "Was that Sylvia at the door?"
Cye nodded, "You should see them They are like two kids on Christmas."
Kento chuckled, "At least he seemed hapy about something. I hate seeing him so down."
Cye grinned, "Me too. I was getting ready to give Mrs. Date a call."
Kento straightened up, "I thought we said..."
"Kento, he's too sick for for that," Cye moaned, "I could only get him to eat two teaspoons of soup. Four days and he's only had two teaspoons of soup."
"Man..." Kento looked incredulous, "I can't imagine going that long without eating. Four days..."
"Kento, you couldn't go four minutes," Cye joked giving him a smile that was mostly in his eyes.
"Well if that witch Sylvia is down there I better make myself scarce. Care to join me Cye?" Kento was standing. Cye frowned at him, "That witch Sylvia?"
"Yeah she's mean," Kento said.
"She's never been mean to me," Cye said, "But then, most of the female population is mean to you Kento. What it is about you that drives females...away?"
"Har har, funny Cye," Kento made a face, "Seriously though. She's not very nice to me, and as far as I know she's only nice around Sage."
"What do mean?" Cye was curious.
"Well, if you listen to the girls talk..." Kento flushed as Cye shot him a questioning look, "Hey you can't help but hear them! Well, they don't like Sylvia. She doesn't have any other friends but Sage."
"Kento, think about it. Those girls have been after Sage for years, but at one bat of Sylvia's eyelash she had him eating out of her hand. They're jealous," Cye shrugged.
"Maybe so Cye," Kento shrugged as well, "But it seems strange that the girl has no friends, not even other guys."
Cye frowned, "Hmmm," he looked troubled, "Kento, I wanna go downstairs and see what Rowen is doing."
"What? I wanna go to the movies or something," Kento looked confused, "I asked if.."
Cye was already getting up and moving towards his door, and Kento sighed and followed him.
"So Sylvia, how'd you do on that history test?" Rowen asked. He had strategically placed himself in front of Sage and Sylvia. He watched them both carefully.
Sylvia smiled, "Well I really could have used a curve to get an A." She winked at Rowen and Rowen almost gasped, she was trying to charm him.
Sage laughed, "Rowen messed up the curve for everyone."
Sylvia nodded, "I got a B+."
"Did Prof Huynh ever stop with those literature lessons?" Sage asked suddenly, as if he was remembering something.
Sylvia looked surprised, "You remember that Sage? You were asleep most of the class."
"I remember anything that bothers you."
Rowen wanted to gag., "What was he teaching?"
"Oh just some horrible stuff," Sylvia shuddered.
"The last thing I remember reading in his class was Shakespeare," Rowen frowned, "What was so horrible about that?"
"Those horrible hags," Sylvia said, "It's so degrading to women. And then he made us read the Scarlet Letter, and just the things that happened to that woman because she was different."
"Syl, they are classics though. And Nathaniel Hawthorne was preaching a message in The Scarlet Letter," Sage stroked her hair.
"I just don't like it. Then we went into this whole lesson over the literature of those times, and the stories just kept getting worse and worse... and the portrayals of some of the women they deemed as witches..!"
Rowen's eyes widened at her mention of witches, and her obvious distaste of the subject of ill-treatment to them. She began fiddling with her necklace again. He wondered if Sage would see it, Sage saw everything. Sage leaned his head on her shoulder and she began to part his thick hair with her fingers. Sage looked mildly dazed... Rowen realized Sage always had that look on his face with Sylvia. He had initially written it of as a lovesick glaze... but now, maybe it wasn't. Could she be controlling him? Her influence on him... even Cye sensed it! "Sage, I think its time you took some more aspirin buddy, and did anyone get your temp this afternoon?" Rowen was standing.
Sage frowned, "I feel ok. I don't need anything right now." He spoke from Sylvia's shoulder. Sylvia grinned at him, then at Rowen, "I could get his temp."
Rowen smiled at her... evenly, "I'll do it. You just sit here, you want something to drink while we're gone?"
Sylvia shook her head, "I'm fine."
Rowen pulled Sage up and dragged him into the kitchen. "Rowen, this is my first time to see her in four days... Rowen, couldn't this wait?!"
"Sage, stop your whining," Rowen said going to the medicine cabinets. He returned with thermometer and bottle of aspirin. He handed the bottle to Sage and stuck the thermometer in his mouth, "You and Syl getting along?"
"We were until you came," Sage mumbled through his thermometer.
Rowen didn't comment. He gazed through the kitchen door catching glimpses of Sylvia. She just sat calmly fiddling with that necklace. More voices entered the living room. Kento and Cye.
Sage groaned loudly, "Great, now I'll never get time alone with her. Say.. Do you think you and the guys could go somewhere for a bit?"
Rowen narrowed his eyes, "Stop talking Sage your temperature won't be accurate."
Sage glared but shut his mouth. Rowen sighed deeply and stared at him, a look of incredible burden printed on his face. "What?"
Rowen let his head fall back a bit as he blew out another deep breath, "I don't know how to start this..."
"Start what?"
"Sage, I need you to promise me that you'll hear me all the way through when I tell you what I am about to tell you, and not to freak out or get pissed at me."
"Rowen?" Sage looked suspicious. He removed the thermometer narrowing his eyes, "What is it? What's going on? I knew you were acting weird earlier..."
Was it the right time? Should he tell him what he suspected right then, with Sylvia so near? Was she dangerous? Was she really hurting Sage with the obvious spell she had pulled over his eyes? Would Sage kill him? Rowen knew the answer to the last question that ran through his mind. He shook images of Sage trying to strangle him from his mind. Maybe he would talk with the others first...he shuddered thinking of what Ryo's reaction may be. Maybe Sage would kill him after all so it would not matter if he told him then.
"Rowen?"
"Uh...nothing Sage," Rowen was shaking his head. What had he been thinking. He had been in such a haste to get Sage away from the Witch he hadn't thought things through. Sage was in love with her, though now Rowen wasn't so sure if the love was actual or artificial... the more he saw and remembered the more he began to believe Sage's feelings were false, simply manifestations of Sylvia' spell. Why mark him? Rowen pondered...Witches marked their property, what did she plan on doing with Sage?
An icy thought hit him...A continuage of her race...Witches were endangered, maybe Sage with his psychic attributes appeared to be the perfect mate in the eyes of the Witch. An amused smile came to his lips as he realized that maybe Kento wasn't so dumb after all...maybe he had hit the nail right on the head when he had all but volunteered to be a sperm donor to the Witch's foundation. Would this harm Sage? He would be burdened with a child..how soon did she want this child? Would she become pregnant and run? Would she remain keeping the Darklings in their world? Or would she run and take Sage with her? Is Sage in danger?... Thought overload...Rowen's tired brain felt ready to burst with so man questions that remained answerless, unless Rowen lost it and stormed into the living room ranting and raving demanding answers.
"Rowen are you alright?" Sage was frowning at his friend, "You don't look well...You don't think you've caught something from me do you?"
Rowen glanced up to see his friend's grey eyes studying him in concern, "No Sage, I'm ok. I'm just really tired, I've had some late nights lately."
Sage nodded in understanding, "But...didn't you want to tell me something?"
"Um.... I was just going to ask if...you were sure you didn't want me to take you home, get your mom..."
Sage grinned at Rowen, looking at him with eyes still suspicious, "You're lying to me Rowen, I can feel it."
Rowen felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, "I'm not lying Sage, why would I lie about anything? What do I possibly gave to lie about?"
"You tell me," Sage said slowly, folding his arms over his chest, as if expecting Rowen to come clean right there.
"You're being ridiculous Sage. And you know what, maybe you've been up too long, you should get back to bed," Rowen was nervous and trying to mask it with concern for his friend's well-being.
Sage tapped his foot impatiently, "It's about Sylvia isn't it?"
"Huh? No, of course not!"
"You don't like her," Sage accused, "You...you're becoming just like Ryo! You don't want her here! Why Rowen? What's so wrong with her? What makes you hate her so?"
"Sage quiet down, she's in the living room!"
"You do hate her..." Sage said softly, shivering at Rowen not defending himself after Sage's accusations, he'd simply reprimanded him to be quiet. He felt as if he would cry, his friends didn't like his girlfriend...the perfect person in his life he felt he could be with forever, his friends despised. With Sylvia he actually felt normal, like a person. He felt a little dizzy as it all hit him at once, perhaps it was the fever. He felt a hand steadying him, and he smacked it away knowing it was Rowen, "Leave me alone. I thought you were on my side Rowen, I thought you supported me."
"Sage, there are no sides here...Look, calm down ok. I want to save this talk for later, I never should have interrupted. I just didn't want...Nothing. Sage, just cool it for a while with Sylvia in there, and as soon as she leaves, we're going to have a talk. A group discussion."
"Why?"
"Sage, not right now."
"I won't stop seeing her! I told you all already.."
"It's not about that Sage!" Rowen snapped, loosing his cool quickly.
"Then why?"
"Sage.."
"I won't show," Sage said flatly, "and if you drag me there, I won't listen."
"S.."
"Why Rowen?" Sage's voice was hard as stone.
Rowen sighed and looked heavenward in prayer for protection and the right words, "Sylvia's a Witch Sage, the kind of Witch we and the Darklings are looking for, and I have proof."
"Sylvia," Rowen was surprised to say the least. He went to school with her everyday, but it wasn't everday that he ran into her. Sylvia sure knew how to make herself scarce, unless she was playing the role of trophy girlfriend on Sage's shoulder. Sylvia looked as surprised to see him as he was to see her, maybe she found Rowen to be as evasive as she was, unless he was around Sage. But for them both to be evasive except around Sage would have to mean that Sage himself had to be pretty evasive too.. He blinked at his odd thoughts.. Lack of sleep always did it to him, "Hi Rowen," she spoke to him, her voice was clear and silvery as a concert flute in its lowest registers.
Rowen cleared his throat and looked rather uncomfortable. It seemed odd for this to be his best friend's girlfriend and him not to know enough about her to even exchange pleasantries without feeling uncomfortable. "Well..." he was about to dismiss himself, but she spoke up, "How is Sage?"
Rowen raised his eyes and looked into her face. Such a pretty face, and her tilted blue-green eyes were filled with so much concern...and a longing that warmed Rowen to the girl instantly. She cared about his friend, "He's really sick, but he's still stubborn as a mule and won't admit it."
Sylvia smiled lightly, "That sounds like him."
"He tells us you're coming by this afternoon?"
"Oh," Sylvia looked startled by Rowen's knowledge of her visit, "Yes, I promised him I would come. I'm not much of a cook, or I would have made him some soup, or cookies, or something. He'll just have to settle for the flowers I'm going to bring him."
Rowen chuckled and shook his head, "Right about now I think he'll except anything if it comes from you."
Sylvia's smile was a little sad, her eyes a little wistful at Rowen's words. She toyed with the pendant of the chain she wore around her neck. Rowen was about to ask her what was wrong when his eyes fell upon the charm. Her small fingers caressed its designed edges... The design was very intricate, and also very old, Rowen knew. He frowned as he thought about where he had seen that before.
"Rowen?"
"Huh? Oh I'm sorry Sylvia, I've been up late studying every night this week. I'm a total zombie today," well it wasn't exactly a lie, he had been up late every night, but as of then he was far from being a zombie. The wheels in his head were turning furiously.
"Oh, that's right. Sage says you're the genius of the bunch. Maybe you can help me study sometime," she said with a small smile touching his arm. The touch sent chills up Rowen's arms and he focused all his energy on not shuddering from her touch. What had made him react so to her? "I'll see you this afternoon?"
"Um.. Yeah," Rowen nodded to her, and smiled at her as she left. Good Lord... the shudder he had surpressed worked itself to the outside, "She gives me the creeps... why?" And could it have anything to do with that symbol she wears around her neck?
"Is there a reason why you're in such an agreeable mood this afternoon?" Cye asked Sage, watching him in the bathroom mirror. Sage stood studying his reflection, looking rather worried, "Cye, you think I look ok?"
Cye nearly choked on the gum he was chewing, "Huh?" Feeling rather uncomfortable, "Um.. Sage..."
Sage turned around to frown at Cye, "What's wrong with you?" He narrowed his eyes at Cye who was squirming awkwardly, "Honestly, you're acting like I'm coming onto you or something." He turned back to face the mirror, frowning at his complexion, "Damn... What can I do to give my face more color?"
Cye was visibly relaxing, the thought of his friend hitting on him had churned his stomach, "Why are you fawning over yourself today? You haven't cared for... oh..." Cye smiled knowingly.
"What are you grinning about Cye?" asked Sage looking at him through the mirror.
"You're nervous about Sylvia coming over today," Cye laughed, "You don't want her to see you looking anything less than perfect.
"That's..."
"Sage, from what you say, that girl's in love with you. She's not gonna care what you look like, "Cye said shaking his head. Sage turned around to face Cye again, "But she's so perfect... all the time."
Cye shook his head, "Sage, no one is perfect, especially not all the time. You're being ridiculous. Now come on out of here, I want to see you eat something."
Sage blinked and stepped away from the sink, "Ok." He followed Cye out of the bathroom.
"Sage..."
"Rowen," Sage returned, he tried to maneuver passed him to continue following Cye, but Rowen grabbed his arm, "What?"
"I...um...spoke to Sylvia today," Rowen said, keeping his eyes on Sage's face. Sage's face brightened at the very mention of her name, "What'd she say?"
"Sage... what do you know about her?" Rowen pressed, instead of answering Sage's questions.
"What do I know about her? Well just that she's beautiful and intelligent, and graceful, and..."
"No, Sage, facts. Like where is she from?" Rowen strengthened his grip on Sage's arm, he gave him a little shake, "Where did she tell you she was from?"
"Rowen," Cye began with a little warning in his voice.
Sage stared at Rowen oddly, "She's from Salt Lake City, Utah... United States of America. She and my mother..."
"Did you ever see a driver's license or any kind of identification on her?- any pictures?"
"I... no," Sage shook his head, he chewed his lip and scratched his head, "come to think of it, I've never seen any pictures of her or her mother.. But then again, they're in a hospital, those rooms can't be too personalized..."
"Her apartment Sage, I know you've been there..."
"Only one room, and only once... Rowen, why are you interrogating me, what did she say to you?" Sage's tone was getting defensive.
"It's not what she said Sage," Rowen said in a quiet voice, "It was just something she had on her... I... Look I'm sorry. I'm gonna go back to Mia's study, I have to look something up."
Sage nodded still staring at Rowen with a confused expression in his eyes.
"Sage..." Rowen turned back around to peer at his friend was beginning to head towards the stairs again, "Be careful around that girl, ok?"
"Yeah.. Sure Ro," Sage blinked, then he turned back to Cye after Rowen left, "I think Rowen needs to switch to decaf."
"There is something in that necklace, there has gotta be," pages whirred furiously as Rowen turned them. That symbol, he had seen it before, he knew it! He groaned as he felt a page slice into his index finger, "Damn it..." He gently placed his finger into his mouth wincing at the sharp coppery taste of blood. He glanced down at the page and his eyes fell over the signature he had damped with his blood... No... he removed his finger from his mouth and with both hands brought the book closer to his face, "No...." He brought the book over to the computer and laid it down on the desk. He clicked the on switch and waited for the computer to load. Please don't let it be what I fear it might... As soon as the computer was ready Rowen opened the familiar program and pulled up his file with the scanned image of Sage's mark of protection. Beneath it he had the image of Shivoni's signature. He stared at the two for a bit, before scanning the new symbol he had located. Once the image had been encoded he quickly cut it from its original frame. He sighed deeply as he took the mouse and dragged the new image over the old image of Shivoni's... He gazed at the newly created signature... and at the one on Sage's brow and felt his stomach sink into his intestines... they were a match, an exact, identical match... Oh Sage, you're going to hate me. Rowen rested his tired head in his hands... Not only had Sylvia marked him as her own, making her a witch.. But not just any witch... she was a Witch, the ones they were searching for. And she was probably leading the Darklings right to them... or rather Sage.
"But why would she mark him?" Rowen wondered aloud, territory maybe. He nodded, Sage was her boyfriend.. Maybe it was a Witch thing, to mark your beau. Maybe that's why she disregarded the previous mark Sage bore on his forehead... His head ached from lack of sleep and too many thoughts to ponder... But there was one thought in his mind that didn't take much pondering for him to figure out the solution to the problem. In no way could Sylvia be allowed to be alone with Sage... not anymore.
"Cye, I don't like pickles on my tomato sandwiches," Sage was complaining.
"Well then take them off," Cye said rolling his eyes.
"But there will still be pickle juice on the bread," Sage moaned. He pushed the sandwich away and rested his head on his arms in front of the steaming bowl of chicken and vegetable soup.
"Sage, you were being so good," Cye groaned, "Please," he made Sage sit up and he handed him the spoon, "at least eat a little soup."
Sage let his head droop before he nodded and tried to obey Cye. He dipped his spoon in the soup and brought it to his lips. He took a timid sip from the spoon and set the spoon back in the bowl grimacing as the hot liquid hit his stomach like rocks. "Does it taste alright?"
Sage nodded, "It's good." He retrieved the spoon again and took another sip of soup. He let the spoon fall back in the bowl and he leaned back in his chair, "That's all Cye. I can't force down anymore. I feel so full."
"You've had two teaspoons of soup Sage... two teaspoons of soup in 4 days," Cye sat down next to him, "Mama Fuan said this soup would cure anyone of a loss of appetite..." He looked at Sage, studying him with a worried look in his eyes, "Have you ever been this sick before Sage?"
Sage looked over to Cye, "No... never. I've never really been sick... except when I was really young, but I don't remember that."
"I hope you don't have pneumonia," Cye was muttering running his hands over his face, "Does it hurt to breathe in or do you have difficulty breathing out?"
Sage smiled lightly at Cye and shook his head, "No... I don't think it's pneumonia Cye." He groaned, "Don't look so worried. It's a flu, a virus.. I'll be better in a few days. It's not abnormal to have a loss of appetite when you've got a fever."
"Fevers aren't supposed to last thing long either. You've been running a fever since Friday," Cye said.
"Fevers are self defense mechanisms. It's just burning up the germs," Sage said simply, "It'll break soon."
Cye frowned, "You wanna call your mom?"
Sage flinched, "I'd be packing if I did. She'd come get me as soon as she got herself out of work."
"Maybe that's not such a bad thing," Cye said, "You want something cool to drink?"
Sage shook his head, "Hot please."
"If you've still got chills then that means your temp's still going up," Cye said in a low voice, "I...Sage, I'm gonna call your Mom."
"Cye please, you're just going to make this more complicated. Lets just do what we have to.. Deal with the... Wicthes, Darklings, whatever... and if I'm still sick after that, which I won't be, you can call my mother."
"Sage, if you're not dead..." Cye stood up, "She'd be at work, now, or taking a break?"
Sage lowered his head to the table, "She's probably doing rounds Cye..."
Cye nodded, "I'll page her." He lifted the phone from the hook and was beginning to dial when the doorbell rang. "It's Sylvia. Cye could you...?"
Cye groaned, "Oh Sage.. Alright..." Cye set the phone back on its cradle and left the kitchen. Sage ran a hand through his hair, and checked his reflection in the shining black ceramic of the microwave. He knew better than to check his reflection in a spoon. He heard voices in the foyer, one voice making his stomach flutter. It was her. He bit his lip and checked himself over one more time before he left the kitchen and went to intercept Sylvia. He entered the living room just as Cye was ushering her in. His breath caught... she was dressed casually in jeans and a sweater that clung to her every curve. She looked up and her beautiful tilted eyes met his, "Hi," she said shyly with a smile that lit up her eyes. "Hi," he said back also smiling. They gazed at each other for a while, neither missing Cye's quick grin and exit.
"How've you been?" they both asked at the same time, then laughed. Sage approached her and they hugged. She kissed his cheek lightly and rested her hand on his cheek, "You're burning up." Sage smiled, "I feel a lot better now." He said moving his hand to cover the one on his face.
Sylvia laughed lightly, her voice like bells, "Let's sit down. Let me take care of you for a bit."
Sage nodded, and he and Sylvia sat down on the couch.
Cye traveled to his room still smiling about Sage and Sylvia, they made the best couple. Sylvia still unnverved him a bit, there was just something about her that bothered him, but she was wonderful for Sage, influence or not. Maybe she could get Sage to want to call his mother? Cye was opening his door to his room, but turned as he heard the door to the study open.
"Cye, did I hear a doorbell?"
"Oh yes, it was Sylvia," Cye said.
"She's downstairs?" Rowen's face went pale, "Now?" he squeaked.
"Yes Rowen, what is the mater with you?" Cye frowned at his friend, "She and Sage are talking, and he looked so happy to see her." Cye smiled thinking about it, "Maybe she'll be the medicine he needs."
Rowen swore under his breath, "Or the poison..."
"What? Rowen where are you.. Rowen?!" Cye watched as Rowen ran towards the stairs and tore down them.
"What in the hell?" Cye wondered aloud, he opened the door to his room to find Kento inside.. Studying? He approached the desk cautiously not wanting to disturb Kento's learning process, "KENTO!" Kento's head fell off his fist. He had been having the best nap.
"Some studying, if you fail another test it will be your own fault!" Cye walked past Kento and flopped down on his bed.
"Well if the stuff wasn't so boring then I wouldn't be asleep," Kento grumbled, he looked back down at his book and continued on with the picture he was doodling in his textbook.
"What's up with Rowen, Kento?" Cye asked from his bed, he was staring at the ceiling.
"His grades," Kento muttered bitterly.
"No, he's acting weird. Maybe its sleep deprivation."
"Maybe it's stress," Kento said, "and sleep deprivation."
"Yeah," Cye sighed.
"Why, he walking around mumbling stuff again?" Kento asked turning from his book and spinning his chair around to face Cye.
"No... he's just.. Well being really weird about Sage and Sylvia."
"Well maybe he's getting Ryo syndrome?" Kento suggested, "Was that Sylvia at the door?"
Cye nodded, "You should see them They are like two kids on Christmas."
Kento chuckled, "At least he seemed hapy about something. I hate seeing him so down."
Cye grinned, "Me too. I was getting ready to give Mrs. Date a call."
Kento straightened up, "I thought we said..."
"Kento, he's too sick for for that," Cye moaned, "I could only get him to eat two teaspoons of soup. Four days and he's only had two teaspoons of soup."
"Man..." Kento looked incredulous, "I can't imagine going that long without eating. Four days..."
"Kento, you couldn't go four minutes," Cye joked giving him a smile that was mostly in his eyes.
"Well if that witch Sylvia is down there I better make myself scarce. Care to join me Cye?" Kento was standing. Cye frowned at him, "That witch Sylvia?"
"Yeah she's mean," Kento said.
"She's never been mean to me," Cye said, "But then, most of the female population is mean to you Kento. What it is about you that drives females...away?"
"Har har, funny Cye," Kento made a face, "Seriously though. She's not very nice to me, and as far as I know she's only nice around Sage."
"What do mean?" Cye was curious.
"Well, if you listen to the girls talk..." Kento flushed as Cye shot him a questioning look, "Hey you can't help but hear them! Well, they don't like Sylvia. She doesn't have any other friends but Sage."
"Kento, think about it. Those girls have been after Sage for years, but at one bat of Sylvia's eyelash she had him eating out of her hand. They're jealous," Cye shrugged.
"Maybe so Cye," Kento shrugged as well, "But it seems strange that the girl has no friends, not even other guys."
Cye frowned, "Hmmm," he looked troubled, "Kento, I wanna go downstairs and see what Rowen is doing."
"What? I wanna go to the movies or something," Kento looked confused, "I asked if.."
Cye was already getting up and moving towards his door, and Kento sighed and followed him.
"So Sylvia, how'd you do on that history test?" Rowen asked. He had strategically placed himself in front of Sage and Sylvia. He watched them both carefully.
Sylvia smiled, "Well I really could have used a curve to get an A." She winked at Rowen and Rowen almost gasped, she was trying to charm him.
Sage laughed, "Rowen messed up the curve for everyone."
Sylvia nodded, "I got a B+."
"Did Prof Huynh ever stop with those literature lessons?" Sage asked suddenly, as if he was remembering something.
Sylvia looked surprised, "You remember that Sage? You were asleep most of the class."
"I remember anything that bothers you."
Rowen wanted to gag., "What was he teaching?"
"Oh just some horrible stuff," Sylvia shuddered.
"The last thing I remember reading in his class was Shakespeare," Rowen frowned, "What was so horrible about that?"
"Those horrible hags," Sylvia said, "It's so degrading to women. And then he made us read the Scarlet Letter, and just the things that happened to that woman because she was different."
"Syl, they are classics though. And Nathaniel Hawthorne was preaching a message in The Scarlet Letter," Sage stroked her hair.
"I just don't like it. Then we went into this whole lesson over the literature of those times, and the stories just kept getting worse and worse... and the portrayals of some of the women they deemed as witches..!"
Rowen's eyes widened at her mention of witches, and her obvious distaste of the subject of ill-treatment to them. She began fiddling with her necklace again. He wondered if Sage would see it, Sage saw everything. Sage leaned his head on her shoulder and she began to part his thick hair with her fingers. Sage looked mildly dazed... Rowen realized Sage always had that look on his face with Sylvia. He had initially written it of as a lovesick glaze... but now, maybe it wasn't. Could she be controlling him? Her influence on him... even Cye sensed it! "Sage, I think its time you took some more aspirin buddy, and did anyone get your temp this afternoon?" Rowen was standing.
Sage frowned, "I feel ok. I don't need anything right now." He spoke from Sylvia's shoulder. Sylvia grinned at him, then at Rowen, "I could get his temp."
Rowen smiled at her... evenly, "I'll do it. You just sit here, you want something to drink while we're gone?"
Sylvia shook her head, "I'm fine."
Rowen pulled Sage up and dragged him into the kitchen. "Rowen, this is my first time to see her in four days... Rowen, couldn't this wait?!"
"Sage, stop your whining," Rowen said going to the medicine cabinets. He returned with thermometer and bottle of aspirin. He handed the bottle to Sage and stuck the thermometer in his mouth, "You and Syl getting along?"
"We were until you came," Sage mumbled through his thermometer.
Rowen didn't comment. He gazed through the kitchen door catching glimpses of Sylvia. She just sat calmly fiddling with that necklace. More voices entered the living room. Kento and Cye.
Sage groaned loudly, "Great, now I'll never get time alone with her. Say.. Do you think you and the guys could go somewhere for a bit?"
Rowen narrowed his eyes, "Stop talking Sage your temperature won't be accurate."
Sage glared but shut his mouth. Rowen sighed deeply and stared at him, a look of incredible burden printed on his face. "What?"
Rowen let his head fall back a bit as he blew out another deep breath, "I don't know how to start this..."
"Start what?"
"Sage, I need you to promise me that you'll hear me all the way through when I tell you what I am about to tell you, and not to freak out or get pissed at me."
"Rowen?" Sage looked suspicious. He removed the thermometer narrowing his eyes, "What is it? What's going on? I knew you were acting weird earlier..."
Was it the right time? Should he tell him what he suspected right then, with Sylvia so near? Was she dangerous? Was she really hurting Sage with the obvious spell she had pulled over his eyes? Would Sage kill him? Rowen knew the answer to the last question that ran through his mind. He shook images of Sage trying to strangle him from his mind. Maybe he would talk with the others first...he shuddered thinking of what Ryo's reaction may be. Maybe Sage would kill him after all so it would not matter if he told him then.
"Rowen?"
"Uh...nothing Sage," Rowen was shaking his head. What had he been thinking. He had been in such a haste to get Sage away from the Witch he hadn't thought things through. Sage was in love with her, though now Rowen wasn't so sure if the love was actual or artificial... the more he saw and remembered the more he began to believe Sage's feelings were false, simply manifestations of Sylvia' spell. Why mark him? Rowen pondered...Witches marked their property, what did she plan on doing with Sage?
An icy thought hit him...A continuage of her race...Witches were endangered, maybe Sage with his psychic attributes appeared to be the perfect mate in the eyes of the Witch. An amused smile came to his lips as he realized that maybe Kento wasn't so dumb after all...maybe he had hit the nail right on the head when he had all but volunteered to be a sperm donor to the Witch's foundation. Would this harm Sage? He would be burdened with a child..how soon did she want this child? Would she become pregnant and run? Would she remain keeping the Darklings in their world? Or would she run and take Sage with her? Is Sage in danger?... Thought overload...Rowen's tired brain felt ready to burst with so man questions that remained answerless, unless Rowen lost it and stormed into the living room ranting and raving demanding answers.
"Rowen are you alright?" Sage was frowning at his friend, "You don't look well...You don't think you've caught something from me do you?"
Rowen glanced up to see his friend's grey eyes studying him in concern, "No Sage, I'm ok. I'm just really tired, I've had some late nights lately."
Sage nodded in understanding, "But...didn't you want to tell me something?"
"Um.... I was just going to ask if...you were sure you didn't want me to take you home, get your mom..."
Sage grinned at Rowen, looking at him with eyes still suspicious, "You're lying to me Rowen, I can feel it."
Rowen felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, "I'm not lying Sage, why would I lie about anything? What do I possibly gave to lie about?"
"You tell me," Sage said slowly, folding his arms over his chest, as if expecting Rowen to come clean right there.
"You're being ridiculous Sage. And you know what, maybe you've been up too long, you should get back to bed," Rowen was nervous and trying to mask it with concern for his friend's well-being.
Sage tapped his foot impatiently, "It's about Sylvia isn't it?"
"Huh? No, of course not!"
"You don't like her," Sage accused, "You...you're becoming just like Ryo! You don't want her here! Why Rowen? What's so wrong with her? What makes you hate her so?"
"Sage quiet down, she's in the living room!"
"You do hate her..." Sage said softly, shivering at Rowen not defending himself after Sage's accusations, he'd simply reprimanded him to be quiet. He felt as if he would cry, his friends didn't like his girlfriend...the perfect person in his life he felt he could be with forever, his friends despised. With Sylvia he actually felt normal, like a person. He felt a little dizzy as it all hit him at once, perhaps it was the fever. He felt a hand steadying him, and he smacked it away knowing it was Rowen, "Leave me alone. I thought you were on my side Rowen, I thought you supported me."
"Sage, there are no sides here...Look, calm down ok. I want to save this talk for later, I never should have interrupted. I just didn't want...Nothing. Sage, just cool it for a while with Sylvia in there, and as soon as she leaves, we're going to have a talk. A group discussion."
"Why?"
"Sage, not right now."
"I won't stop seeing her! I told you all already.."
"It's not about that Sage!" Rowen snapped, loosing his cool quickly.
"Then why?"
"Sage.."
"I won't show," Sage said flatly, "and if you drag me there, I won't listen."
"S.."
"Why Rowen?" Sage's voice was hard as stone.
Rowen sighed and looked heavenward in prayer for protection and the right words, "Sylvia's a Witch Sage, the kind of Witch we and the Darklings are looking for, and I have proof."
