✨ A Little Bit of Magic || READER X RAY || The Promised Neverland

✨ Chapter Fifty Eight || Part One Finale

Seriously, what's up with me and ripped pages?

Like, not even letters, or worksheets. Important tings in books are always torn apart, or stolen. Like the Promise of Elvensdom. Like this, too.

I don't think Nigel is the type of person to cry easily. The boy was a god damn fire 99.9% of the time, both his demeanor and attitude a little wearing on my usually thick patience. But his silvery blue eyes had watered up, a single tear running down his tinted pink cheeks. Nigel's jaw trembled as he bit his tongue, suppressing a cry and probably a sniffle.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I frowned, nudging his knee. The blond haired boy quickly rubbed at his eyes, regaining his cool composure.

It reminded me of someone.

Maybe this was what was happening behind the scenes this entire time. Maybe Ray was crying, and I never knew that. And I could've been there to help him like he always does for me.

"Life hates us, doesn't it?" I whispered, pulling my hand back from Nigel's bubble. He nodded, though silently and softly. "Yeah. Yeah it does." 

Elves are constantly ostracized for simply being alive. They're hunted. They're killed. But for what? Just because they're- no, we're better than human beings? God, I didn't even know I was one of them but I was still useless as shit. 

I was always different. Not amazingly unique, or beautifully different. I was weird, I was grumpy, I was unloved and depressed. Just another thing to add on the list of why I'm not a functioning member of society. And Nigel- Nigel was that too. And we'd figure all of this out together. I'm sure of it. 

"I guess we need to find out how to cast the Resurrection," I said, shifting away from him. 

"And learn to control the Crux Omnis Oculus," He replied. "We could use it to find information that we need or fill in missing holes for Isabella's narrative." 

"Or find out who Zack's curser is."

Nigel frowned, the beginnings of a grim conclusion souring our hopeful mood. "What? What is it?" I asked, a bit scared of whatever could be stirring in his mind. I was learning a lot about Nigel, and the most prevailing theme I'd found in him was his pessimism. 

He elbowed me softly, trying to break his theory as softly as possible. "I don't think anyone cursed Zack, y/n. I think- I think he's been acting a little weird. And I think you're trying to rationalize that weirdness with friendship." 

I think I always knew it, deep down inside of me. That Zack wasn't himself. 

He was always kind, and understanding. He was protective, and sweet. He was decent, shy, and innocent. But something broke in him that day, when all of our lives had seemingly fallen apart. 

Zack would never want anyone to be physically injured. It wasn't just thoughtfulness, it was basic human decency. He would never have asked me to burn him or myself for some stupid theory he wasn't even sure in.

 And he had lied, about Oliver staying with Norman and Ray. 

Zack was always, ALWAYS honest. Even if it meant hurting someone's feelings.

He knew that I've seen the killing magic. I never told him about it.

He pretended to be upset when Professor Lucas split the curse. I remember it. I saw his smile. I saw the emptiness in his eyes. Yes, this person was still Zack. But the Zack I knew before loved. The one I knew now was heartbroken. He gave up on that stupid human emotion the night Oliver rejected him. 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've always known it. I just ignored it. I rejected this idea because I didn't want it to be true. Lo and behold, it was the only explanation all along. 

The person who "cursed" Zack. 

There was no other person. Zack... Zack had cursed himself. 

Nigel's sad gaze eventually met mine. I'd finally put it all together. "But why?" I asked, my voice almost cracking. I shoved the pain of that betrayal into my throat, stopping the sobs from falling out. "It was too late, y/n. Isabella got to him." 

I think I understood now. This hatred Nigel had for the headmaster. 

She took Zack. 

She took Ray. 

What's next? Is she magically involved in my parent's deaths too?

From the look on Nigel's face it didn't seem too farfetched an idea.

My mother's best friend. My father's confidant. The person who took care of me, the person who went through such lengths to make sure I would do fine in school, and wanted me to be happy.

That person... Was the one who had ulterior motives. 

She took everything from me. And I don't even know why.