Emily was walking across the grounds. She combed her fingers lightly through her hair and stopped beneath a tree. It seemed to an onlooker that she was untroubled; however, she was deep in thought. She hardly noticed the shadow flitting through the trees. It was too late when the voice whispered in the dark and the bough hanging over her cracked loudly. She looked up, took a deep breath to scream, then everything went black.
Beth was sitting casually on the stone steps of the castle. Tugging at the hem of her cloak she glanced up over the grounds as she heard a yell. She frowned, the voice was familiar. Her eyes searched the snow white grounds furtively until she spotted Marcus, struggling his way through the snow towards the edge of the forest. Beth leapt to her feet.
"Emily!"
With a gasp of horror she pelted headlong through the snow, reaching the fallen figure a split second after Marcus. He dropped to his knees and felt around Emily's neck.
"My hands are numb, I can't feel anything!"
Beth knelt and rested her hand just above Emily's mouth. She managed to take in how white Em's face was and the horrible gash across her head, just before she felt a light gust of warm air on her fingertips.
"She's breathing. We need to get her up to the castle… now!"
Out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure slink into the shadows of the huge, dark structure. He was a few years younger than them, a boy called Zaxerian. A hot flush of rage rushed through her, but she forced herself to concentrate on Emily. Pulling off her cloak, she draped it over the tiny girl, ignoring the icy bite of the wind on her skin.
Marcus levitated Em and they walked slowly, side by side, up to the castle, their faces both white and stricken with worry.
Emily was in a coma for three days. Ignoring all persuasion by Bec and Razzy, Marcus hardly left her side. Beth left him to it. She knew he blamed himself, as insane as that sounded. No matter what she or anyone else could consider saying, the best thing was for him to be with Em.
Beth was quiet, these days. She hadn't ever been a loud person, always sitting back and watching, often making herself known to others when any help was needed. Yet she could go hours lately without saying a word. Tom seemed concerned and would spend ages with her, late at night, both huddled up in a sofa facing each other. He would talk continuously and try his best to make her laugh. All she could manage, however, was a weak, half-hearted smile. It wasn't until Emily was back in school, hardly worse the wear, and Marcus was slightly more cheerful again that she began to relax.
Tom spent almost all his free time with Beth, much to Razzy's fury. Razzy had become increasingly harsher and harsher to Beth in the past few days, dropping snide comments that only Beth could pick up as insults. Razzy had obviously had a lot of practise at demeaning others. However, Beth continuously made herself forgive Razzy day after day. The bitchiness had begun again, Marcus becoming more irate at the extremely close friendship Beth and Tom had forged, Emily complaining about Razzy every now and then and Razzy basically grouchy about everyone else.
Marcus had interrogated numerous people about who had played such a terrible joke on Emily and, after about an hour of him droning on about likely suspects on night, Beth spoke for the first time that day.
"It was Zac."
"What?!" He stared at her. "How do you know that?"
"I saw him."
He took a deep breath, seemingly inflating with vehemence. "Why didn't you say anything?" he shouted.
Beth shrugged and stared out of the dark window. "You never asked," she said quietly.
He glared at her. "You could have just said…"
Beth rounded on him. "Yes, I could have! But I didn't because this was your obsession, not mine, so just back the hell off!"
She turned and, ignoring curfew, stormed out of the common room.
For half an hour she walked miserably around the castle, mulling things over. How dare he, did he really think she was only there to inform him of misgivings? Besides, Zac never did anything unless he was paid well for it, so it was probably a huge mistake, Emily was too close to the falling branch. She bit her lip so hard that blood ran warm and salty over her tongue. Marcus shouldn't berate her because he can't get over a stupid prank. Besides, he'd pulled pranks on others enough times before.
"Beth?"
She jumped in fright and turned to find Tom right behind her.
"You ok?"
"I'm fine."
He smiled wryly. "I know you well enough to understand that when you say you're fine, you aren't really."
Beth shrugged and turned away. Tom stepped up close behind her and, so slowly she hardly noticed, slipped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.
"You want to tell me what's happened?"
The words tumbled from her mouth. She was lonely, Marcus yelled at her, she missed home, Joe didn't like her friends, school was driving her crazy… the only thing she left out was the frustration at the continuous tetchy comments everyone was making to her about everyone else. Tom just held her as the tears slipped down her cheeks.
He turned her around in his arms and gently, so incredibly softly, he kissed her forehead, his hand stroking her hair.
"Forget about it. Just for a while."
She closed her eyes and smiled, feeling the last tear slide across her cheek. Tom's finger gently swept it away as he bent his head and kissed her on the lips.