“What the hell?” Taya spins around to face me, her expression full of venom and fury. “Get your hands off me.”
She kicks out, her legs and arms flailing wildly as she tries to free herself from me. One of her legs reaches Juniper and kicks her hard on the shin. Juniper falls backwards into her seat and screams out in pain.
Frustrated with Taya’s actions and angry that Juniper’s here instead of reading the translated book, it’s now I see red.
“Enough,” I bellow loud enough the room shakes.
Taya flinches back and Juniper looks up at me from her seat with her eyes wide in fear.
“But...” Taya goes to protest but must think better of it.
It wouldn’t surprise me if I look like I might shoot fire out of my nostrils at any minute, I can certainly feel them flaring in preparation for that to happen if only I could.
“This stops now.” I shut Taya up and fling her over to where the rest of her little gang stand frozen to the spot with equal looks of horror on their faces.
They huddle around Taya as if to protect her from the big bad beast; little do they know, that’s exactly what I am. A murderer or an angel? I’ve no idea, because I can’t remember a damn thing.
“Go,” I order Taya, my hand pointing sharply to the door. “In fact, everyone out.”
No one moves, they all just stare at me like I’ve gone insane.
It’s a distinct possibility at this point in time.
“Out!” I shout again at the top of my voice, and people start scrambling to leave the room as quickly as possible. Juniper gets to her feet, her nose still bleeding and with a large bump swelling on her leg. “Not you,” I command, and she freezes to the spot.
Emmie takes a look at Juniper and then at me before giving her friend a half smile and racing out of the room. The last people to leave are Taya and her group of hangers-on.
“I don’t get it, Jacobi. You were destined for greatness, but instead, you’ve become someone I don’t even recognise. Who are you? And why are you even bothering with her? She’s nothing, and she’ll end up making you the biggest failure in Caspian Academy history ever. I won’t accept this treatment. Don’t expect me to take you back after this. We’re over.”
I turn slowly on the spot to face Taya, and a low growl reverberates from my throat, a warning of what will happen if she doesn’t leave now. I’m sick of playing games. With a flick of my hand, Taya and her friends are lifted into the air and carried along on an invisible breeze out of the room. The door slams firmly behind them, shutting out any further intrusions.
“You won’t get away with this,” Taya shouts through the door, banging hard on its wooden frame. “I’ll make sure of that. I’ll see you both kicked out of this school if I have to.”
“Go away!” I shout one final time towards the door, sending a bolt of energy flying at it for good measure.
Everything falls silent, except for Juniper’s soft sobs in response to her injuries and probably the fear I’m causing her.
I go over to the common room kitchenette, and pulling a clean towel from one of the drawers, I run it under the cold tap, feeling the heat of Juniper’s eyes boring into me the entire time. I take a quick breath to try and temper down the rage inside me before turning and stomping back over to her. Thrusting the cloth into her hand, she looks at it and then at me.
“For your nose. It’ll help with the bleeding. It doesn’t look broken, but I can take a closer look if you want?”
She shakes her head quickly, like a terrified rabbit caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.
I motion again for her to put the towel to her nose and she does.
“What do you want with me?” Juniper tentatively asks as I bend down in front of her to check the wound on her leg; it’s not bruised but there’s a significant bump. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think Taya’s shoes had steel toecaps in them.
“Have you read the book yet?” I snap back.
“Some, not all, I want to read it slowly so I can take it all in. I’ve also had to go to classes.”
“And sit in the common room chatting with Emmie, laughing about the fact I’m falling apart and you're the cause.”
Juniper shakes her head quickly and lowers the cloth from her nose. The blood has stopped flowing.
“No, we weren’t talking about you. Someone made a funny error in potions class today. It would have turned us all bright pink if she’d used the potion. I promise you, I’ve not spoken to anyone about what you’ve told me.”
“Because you think I’m crazy.” I sigh heavily and straighten up a bit to take a look at her nose. She flinches when I touch it. “You’ll have some good bruising tomorrow. You might want to look up a spell to stop that.”
I go to get up, but Juniper places her hand over mine on my thigh.
“Jacobi, I promise, I’ve not told anyone what’s happened. I’m reading the book, and I will help you. I just want to make sure I understand everything first. I don’t want to make any mistakes, because it might cause even worse problems for us both.”
Juniper’s words are full of honesty and promise, and I relax for the first time in days and smile back at her.
“Thank you. I don’t deserve it.”
The room goes silent, and any noise outside the doors fades away to nothing until it becomes only Juniper and I existing everywhere in this world. I know I shouldn’t. I know I’ll pay for it, but I can’t stop myself. I lean forwards and press my lips to hers. I savour her strawberry flavour and drink it down. I listen to her moan of excitement and memorise the sound so I can replay it over and over in my head forevermore. Reality quickly sets in, though. I’ve kissed Juniper and soon the pain will start, and whatever it is inside me will take over. As I pull back from her, I feel the pain in my head already beginning to stomp its treacherous beat.
“Jacobi?” Juniper reaches out to touch me, but I push her away.
“What have you done? Why do you do this to me? I hate you!” I scream and place my hands over my head as the pain gets more intense.
The blue swirls of magic will come soon, and I’ll become the monster I fear. What is it tonight, life or death? I’ll remember nothing of this. The only person to ever stay in my mind is Juniper’s mother…Juniper. Why is she the key?
“Jacobi?” Juniper tries to get to me again, but I stumble away.
Falling to the floor, my mouth opens, and I feel the blue swirls of magic start to flow from my body. I feel soft hands touch either side of my head. She’s still here. I feel her.
“Help me?” I cry before the magic takes over, and I lose all sense of who Jacobi Ashdown really is.
“Jacobi, Jacobi.” I cry forgetting about my painful shin as I slide down to the floor by his side and shake him.
It’s useless, though. The transformation doesn’t slow down. His veins are turning blue while his skin pales until it’s like snow. I don’t know what to do. He’s cold to my touch, and the wails coming from deep in his throat tell me he’s in agony, but I can’t wake him.
“Jacobi.” I try shaking him again.
His moaning stops and his body stills. Then his eyes open. Wow! I drop back onto my bum and stare at him. His skin is almost as white as a sheet, but he’s glowing with it. The blue still runs through his veins, although it’s not as prominent now, but it’s his eyes, I can’t tear my gaze away from them, they’re like diamonds. Slowly he stands up, and I continue to stare at him. It surprises me when he holds a hand out to me. My gaze shoots between his hand and his face.