NEVER MINE ✧ enoch o'connor

𝟏𝟐. Little Person

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MATT MALTESE - Little Person
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SUJI

Explosion. Then some laughter.

A thousand raindrops drummed against the glass enclosure, though it wasn't as ravenous as the Peculiars playing Exploding Snap, a wizard card game. Hugh was trying to call our attention so that we could divide into our teams in an orderly fashion, but beside me Enoch was the source of havoc. He was flicking the cards everywhere, ninja star-style, and the children followed suit.

"You've just been carrying these around without a word?" he said, shattering a potted plant with a bang.

I waved my wand to repair the vase. "I guess so," I said. It pieced itself back together and the dogrose was blossoming again.

"Why hide these?" he said while lining up another card with Horace's head then releasing. Luckily, it flew short and spontaneously exploded in midair.

Horace bellowed irritably from across the circle, "My guess is that exact reason!"

Enoch aimed at him again, the explosion grazing the top of his head and singeing the tips of his gelled hair. It started to emit smoke, though Horace was completely oblivious.

"They're not meant to be projectile weapons," I told Enoch.

"I dunno..." His voice dropped to just above a whisper. "After seeing that Wight today, these things might just come in handy."

Then it occurred to me; we had literally circled that island in plain sight, and unless that Wight was a good friend of Claire's I don't think its choice of transformation was a coincidence. Someone had been expecting us. The thought of having possibly led them to our Loop worried me even more.

Enoch straightened himself. He continued to torment Horace, striking the poor boy's forehead and sending him backwards onto the floor.

"ENOCH, I WILL HIT YOU!" the teen raged.

Enoch stifled a laugh; the others tried to hide their hilarity as they lit up the greenhouse like New Years. Then he looked at me, his gaze anything but discreet.

"What is up with you?" Enoch emphasized. "Surely, you would have found that a bit amusing."

My instinct was to come clean and warn him about the perilous waves that were soon to drown us, but I couldn't even pinpoint when those would be coming. I'd only be worrying him to death, so I steered away from the topic.

"Have you wondered where they go after exploding?" I asked. "The cards."

Enoch shrugged meekly.

I pointed to the top of the piano. A couple of them assembling themselves into a castle. "It's different every time," I started. "Newer decks return themselves to the box. Mine aren't as polite and like to do whatever they please."

"You mean to say they can find each other after destruction?" he guessed.

I nodded.

Then he said, "I'll admit, being a witch seems a boat-load better than whatever we are."

I couldn't tell if he'd just taken his walls down for me or if it was an act of lamenting, but either way I was rendered speechless.

It was hard to meet Enoch's eyes, not because I agreed with the latter, but because he gave me a knew fear. My magic was very versatile, yet I definitely wasn't any better than this group of Peculiars-especially Jacob who was soon going to be our Eyes and Ears. Even if I successfully Apparate everyone out, where would my mind take us?