Honestly, I'm getting kinda bored… I need to skip a while ahead, but she has to get Dex to make that gadget, so…
I haven't slept in forever, and I swear it's, like, midnight, or three in the morning at this point. This isn't a good idea, so I hope it's the former. I've just been too scared. One of the gnomes came over with a tray of food a while ago, and it's sitting, still half empty, on that table I knocked over yesterday. I yawn, and I sigh, flopping against my pillows.
Aaaand… It's morning. I don't want to go anywhere, and the bedsheets are on fire, as usual, and I have to dump a cup full of water over the blankets, and I have to replace the blanket before anybody notices the burn marks, and I have to make sure I leave with the others today, and I can't deal with all of this, and… Okay, so my life sucks. Yep.
It's been a few days since everyone found out about my telepathy, and I still don't have the gadgets. I have an idea on what to do, but if it's too soon, they'll suspect something.
We were at Exilium, and the coaches were yelling at Sophie and Fitz about no second chances, while everyone else was complaining that people do deserve second chances. I sidled away into the crowd, and my coach nodded approvingly before turning back to Foster. Apparently I'm a perfect fit for Exilium. I don't enjoy hanging around with people I don't know, and I can't exactly know any of these kids, so it's perfect.
Just perfect.
That skill training suuucked, by the way. I do not like body temperature regulation. It's not that I can't do it, it's that I'm too good at it. I don't feel the cold anymore, and heat doesn't feel as suffocating. I don't like it. I don't like it at all. Would you?
Then we hid in shadows, and my brain felt odd again. But there were no flames in the darkness vision cave, so I shrugged it off, putting it down to my brain going haywire, and my lack of proper sleep.
Now we're floating in a lake. I can feel Sophie sending positive emotions to Linh, I don't know why. Lately I've been able to sense some of what the Moonlark is doing, when I'm close by. I don't understand it. I don't understand it at all.
Is this to make them trust you? I transit. Now that she knows I'm a telepath, there's no point in hiding my strange abilities.
I still can't believe you can transmit to me.
I know, it's weird, but that's just my life now. Weird telepathy tricks and mind games in my own head.
What does it feel like, in my head, like, can you read my thoughts like Fitz? Did you figure out how to bypass me or something? She sends another positive emotion to Linh.
No, it's not like that. It's like I'm finding the cracks that shouldn't be there, and slipping into a waiting room in your head. I dunno. I think there's two walls around your mind, and the first one protects against transmitting, which is the one I can get around. The second one blocks everything else, and that's what Fitzy goes by.
Strange.
I know. It is strange. How's L- How's she doing? I almost say Linh's name, then I remember I'm not supposed to have met her yet. Also, I think you should thank her yourself for that tidal wave. It wasn't her b- It wasn't the shade's doing.
Good point. Either Foster doesn't notice my slips, or she doesn't care. She isn't in my head, though, I'd know, so she probably didn't pay close enough attention to catch anything.
How is she?
She's fine.
We stop talking then, mostly because we can't. We have to concentrate on holding our breaths. Suddenly, both of us are being hauled out of the water, dripping wet, by the coaches. 'Both of you set a new record!' one of the exclaims. They rattle off statistics, but I stop paying attention after the first sentence. How did I manage that?
I can understand the moonlark staying underwater forever, but not me. I'm not Sophie. I'm not a genetic experiment who can do ridiculous things. I'm just a girl with probably dead Neverseen parents, and an annoyingly evil aunt, and a frustrating cousin I have to babysit, even though he's older than me. Even Sophie is older than me! Once she figured out she was counting her age wrong, it turns out she was born a few months before I was.
We dry off, and Tam slowly approaches, pretending not to. I'm talking to her and telling her what we know.
Just don't tell her about me, please.
I know. Tell me when you get those gadgets, and Linh says she'll help.
You still haven't thought up a condition for me.
I know. But I will in time.
You probably will.
There's something weird about you, he shadowwhispered.
Besides the fact that I have to stop myself from burning this whole school to the ground? I clench my hands as I send the words, hoping nobody else notices the quick lick of flames covering my palms.
Yes, besides that. Something… Dark. I don't know what it is.
Just go get the moonlark.
Moonlark?
Five abilitied girl.
Why is she a moonlark? That's a type of bird.
I'm honestly not quite sure. You could ask her, but she'd know I'd talked to you, so…
I know, I know. I'll avoid mentioning you around anyone.
Jeez, Tam, you don't have to sound so bored!
I am bored. Hurry it up with that gadget, I'll hurry it up with the condition, deal?
I've told you a million times, yes, deal.
Good.
Just go get Sophie before she gets suspicious?
Hold on- Sophie?
D*mn*t… I slipped up. Ask her, pretend you have never heard her name before, it's a long story that she may or may not tell you, depending on what she decides. It's kind of one of her personal things. I probably shouldn't have said her name.
Probably not, he agrees, sauntering away. Just wanted to let you know.
Well, thanks.
Welcome.
A few minutes later, Sophie transmits a quick message to Fitz, which annoys him quite a lot, and we all leap to the crooked forest. 'First you, now Foster,' Keefe mutters in my ear.
'Hey! This is completely different, I'll bet! Sophie's gonna tell us what happened.'
'Speaking of which-'
'Keefe, no.'
'But-'
'Keefe! No!'
'Fine.'
And now Sophie's back from talking to Tam and Linh, and now we're back at Alluveterre, and now Sophie's trying to get Forkle to let her have them join the Black Swan, and he's pointing out all the flaws in that plan, and I'm sneaking into my room. I know how to get Dex to make me those gadgets.