CHAPTER SEVEN

Morrighan Yearwood is the Director of Mistfall Wilderness Camp. A tall, trim figure, with pale skin and perfectly coiffed silver hair, she cuts an authoritative figure. As always, she’s dressed flawlessly, and today, her gaze is grim when I walk in.

“I had hoped, Miss Night, that you would have ceased this reckless behavior of yours,” her tone is chiding, disappointment lacing it.

I don’t say anything, standing before her, my jaw clenched.

When she just stares at me, I finally admit, “Jesse is in trouble. He sacrificed himself to save me. I have to help him.”

“What exactly was your plan, might I ask?” she demands, her eyes cold. “Get across the lake and then what? You have no way of tracking your friend. If there had been a way, we would have gotten to Jesse almost immediately. There is no trail of him—”

“I caught his scent near the pier!” I say tightly. “Maybe you didn’t look hard enough! You’re just focused on the island’s protection!”

Director Yearwood’s eyes turn hard. “There is no scent, Miss Night! I have personally checked the Level Three island. I understand that you’re upset, but you are imagining things that aren’t there. I have two counselors combing the area around the islands.”

“Just two?!”

Fear strikes me. That’s not enough!

“Two is all we can afford right now,” Director Yearwood says, her voice cool. “You may not have realized this, but Mistfall Wilderness Camp has a lot of enemies. Those shields were there for a reason. Right now, our school is in danger. Every student and counselor on these islands are in danger. My first priority has to be the safety of the students here.”

I stare at her, horrified. “So, how long will fixing this shield take?!”

The Director is silent, and I have my answer.

“You don’t know,” I say slowly. “And so, for all this time, those people could be killing Jesse, and you won’t do anything about it.”

She studies me. “I understand you wish to blame somebody, Taylor, but reality isn’t as black and white as you wish it to be. Like I told you, there are people searching for Jesse. However, even you cannot justify putting the lives of everyone here at risk for one person. Or can you?”

I know she’s right. I am not an idiot. But the idea of Jesse out there, all by himself, waiting or hoping to be rescued from whatever the hell he is facing, is more than I can bear. He doesn’t know that no one is coming for him. How long before he begins to lose hope? How long before they kill him? Because there is no doubt in my mind that this organization won’t let him live unless they have a use for him.

“Then let me go—”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” the Director snaps. “Why would I send a student who has still not mastered her abilities yet? Right now, in front of them, you are nothing more than a fledgling.”

“I’ve taken them on before—”

“And suffered serious injuries!” The Director is on her feet, and for the first time, I see anger in her eyes, her calm façade vanishing. “Let me make this clear, Miss Night. I don’t want to have to lock you up. But I will if it comes down to it. You are, under no circumstance, to go after Jesse. You are not to leave this island. This is an order.”

As if I’m going to—

“And since,” the Director meets my gaze squarely, “you have a penchant for disobeying orders, I am putting you under house arrest in your barrack.”

“What?!”

“If that’s what it takes to keep you here, then so be it.”

I gape at her, but from the look in her eyes, it’s obvious she means business.

Crap!

***

“Wow, they really did increase security around here,” Susan whistles, peering out from behind the blind. “Three days and they haven’t really let up, have they?”

Quill casts an annoyed look at me. “You know, I really can’t understand why you couldn’t have just told one of us. The Director has a point. You will be going out blind. It’s been four days. You don’t know where he is. You don’t know where they’ve taken him and how far away he is from this place at this point.”

When I give him a sharp look, he shrugs. “All I’m saying is that you’ve not thought this through.”

“I’m not expecting any of you to help me,” I retort angrily.

Quill exchanges a look with Beth. Not wanting to discuss this anymore, I decide to just go to bed. Quill leaves soon after, and everyone retires to bed, the mood glum.

No matter how hard I try, I just can’t sleep. All I can think about is Jesse.

I need to find him!

It’s a desperate cry within me. Right now, it doesn’t matter how things fell between us. It hurts knowing that he is out there suffering. All my pride and my desire to stay strong has crumbled in front of his horrifying fate. I can’t let him think nobody is coming for him. I don’t want the hope to die out of Jesse’s eyes.

How do I find him?!

My back is against the bedframe as I wipe my wet eyes, tears of frustration at the forefront.

Knees pulled to my chest, I rest my forehead against them. It’s dark outside, with the occasional flashlight shining through on my bed. I don’t know why the Director is so convinced I’m going to make a break for it. I don’t see anyone else having this level of security.

What does it even matter?

The construction of the shields around the islands has begun according to Isabel who saw strange people in robes arriving on our island. Apparently, they’ve been arriving at all the islands.

Even if I wanted to escape now, I can’t.

The islands are even more closely guarded than before.

Lost in my despair, I don’t see the rays of light from between my arms until something strange bumps onto my arm. My head darts up, expecting Beth or someone. However, my eyes widen when I see a familiar dark orb darting in the air before me.

“No,” I whisper in shock as I reach out to touch it. Where my fingers brush against it, it’s warm and tingly.

“I need to find Jesse,” I whisper, urgently, praying it works.

The orb immediately darts through the slightly open window, rushing towards the lake.

“Not so fast,” I groan.

It’s back in front of me. It’s almost like it can listen to my instructions.

“I told you,” Kathleen’s voice is sleepy as she sits up in bed. “It’s a sentient being. But,” she crawls out of her bed and stumbles over to mine, rubbing her eyes, “it’s attached to places as well. I don’t know how far the orb will be able to guide you.”

I look at her, and she moves her shoulders in a shrug. “Not the most reliable form of tracking him. But if you can track Jesse’s scent after that point, you should be fine.”

She looks towards the window. “Of course, all that depends on if you will even be able to get out of here.”

“So, what now?” I feel my hope fading.

“I don’t know, Taylor,” Kathleen says quietly. “I don’t know if you can save him.”

My hands clench in my blanket, but I don’t say anything.

I will!

I’ll find a way!

***

I don’t see Isabel the next morning. Now that the shields are being reconstructed, students are allowed to go to the mess. Well, nearly every student.

I’m still on house arrest.

Miserable, I opt between napping and reading. There’s not much else to do. When everyone heads to the mess for dinner, I just crawl under the blanket and go to sleep. I’m tired of thinking and worrying. All my plans have fallen through. Until I come up with something feasible, I can’t take any drastic step because I’m watched like an ant under a microscope.

There’s a thick layer of fog outside when I’m jerked awake. It’s dark, but the barrack is empty aside from Susan. Everybody else must still be at the mess.

“What is going on?” I look blearily at Susan who has her finger on her lips.

“Get up,” she says quickly, her voice hushed. “Grab what you need. Isabel found a way off this island for you.”

“W-What?”

“Get up,” she repeats, pulling me out of bed as the last dredges of sleep fall off me.

It takes me two minutes to grab my bag pack, which has my money and a few other items.

“Go out the window.” Susan checks her wristwatch. “We have three minutes before they flash a light through here.”

I don’t hesitate, climbing out.

“What about Beth—”

“Just go!” She hisses. “I’ll be a decoy. Go straight into the woods towards the pier. Isabel is waiting there for you. There’s a change of guards happening right now. You have five minutes. Run!”

I break into a sprint.

The fog provides a cover, and I dart along the trees heading towards the pier. It takes me a good five minutes. Even running, I’m tense, just waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the alarm to sound.

But nothing happens.

As soon as I reach the pier, I see a figure standing on the sand, just by the edge of the water. Panting, I call out, “Isabel?”

However, as I get closer, I stiffen. That’s not a girl. That’s a man’s figure. Fearing the worst, I’m about to turn around and run, when the person turns, and I come face to face with Anderson.

“You?!”

He looks annoyed. “You don’t have to sound so shocked.”

“What are you doing out here?” I take a few steps back just to be safe.

He looks both irritated and uncomfortable. “Isabel wanted to know a way off this island. I’m the only one who knows one.”

“And you’re helping me out of the goodness of your heart?” I ask dubiously, not buying it for a second.

“Look, I don’t want to help you, okay?” Anderson sneers. “But Isabel is worried about your stupid, blonde friend who’s worried about you. And do you want to leave or not?!”

I give him a wary look, but this is the only chance I have. “Fine. How?”

“The shield on this side hasn’t completely been set up. Those wizards, or whatever they are, are working on it. You swim to that rock there,” he points at a jagged rock, “and then you go underwater. You have to swim straight, not touching the surface ‘till you reach the next rock. Then you have mainland in front of you.”

He throws a plastic bag at me. “For your bag.”

I quickly wrap my bag in it. “Thanks.”

He just makes a face. “Just go. I’ve not had dinner yet.”

I take a step towards the water and take a deep breath.

Here goes nothing.

I dive in.