The Soul Thief

Chapter 5

"So, what's the deal with Enzo and Blake? Whatever was going on there, it felt personal." I asked Nancy as we both stumbled back towards the dorms, arm in arm.

Enzo hadn't been seen for hours. Not since he told me not to come crying to him and stormed off. After hearing the story, Nancy had winced and suggested it might be better to just leave him to cool off for a while and we began the trip back up to the school.

I had asked how we were able to leave the school to go to the bar when I had been under the impression we were trapped here. Nancy shrugged and said the school decided when we could leave and if we didn't come back of our own accord, it would bring us back the same way we had arrived.

As much as I really wanted to test that theory, I was exactly one drink away from being horizontal after accepting a shot from one of Nancy's friends which was significantly stronger than I expected.

It was stupid, really. I had always promised I'd never be one of those girls taking drinks from strangers, especially if I didn't know what was in them. But then he was handing out the round to me and five others and for a moment, just a moment, I didn't feel like the weird out-of-place human. I felt like I belonged and joined in as the others raised their drinks and downed them with a cheer.

Less than five minutes later, I was giggling my head off and Nancy had taken one look at me before hauling me outside with a hasty goodbye to her friends. The fresh air, as expected, did absolutely nothing for my inebriated state. It was at this point Nancy told me I should have stuck to the alcohol made for my species as witch ones were brewed with magic and particularly potent to other species.

I wished she had mentioned that prior to me cheerily gulping it, but there was no going back now and I had had a particularly challenging day so I thought I'd earned a little mistake here and there.

With a sigh, she had called the night over and insisted we head back. I wanted to protest, but it was then I noticed she was a little drunker than I first thought as well and decided it was probably for the best. Definitely to protect her. Nothing to do with the fact I was completely incapable of staying upright without support.

Realising Nancy still hadn't replied I glanced sideways at her, almost overbalancing and pulling her into a hedgerow in the process. Despite her tipsy state and loose lips when discussing every other person here, I felt her stiffen up and her forehead creased into a frown.

"That's not my story to tell, babe." She said softly after a long enough pause that I had thought she wasn't going to reply.

I sighed, trying to focus on putting my feet one in front of the other but still somehow zigzagging all over the path.

"Well, neither seemed keen on sharing the details, so how am I supposed to know? What about just telling me about Blake? Enzo said he was dangerous?"

I just needed something, anything that would make it all make sense.

We had reached the school now and Nancy propped me against the wall of the building as she unlocked to let us in. The school seemed so much more eerie in the dark. All looming castle like structures and very little light to see by. She glanced around before speaking, as if checking for any other students. We were the only ones I had seen leaving so I very much doubted anyone was about.

"He's dangerous Erica, dangerous in every way someone in our world can be." she warned.

I stumbled through the door, "Now I'm not sure about your world, but in mine that's not a good enough answer. Details Nancy. What's he doing? Murdering babies? Sticking cats up in trees? Littering in the streets?"

Nancy's eyebrows shot up, "I'm a little concerned by where your mind went with potential crimes but we will circle back to that later." She lowered her voice, "It's a lot of things, but mostly his family."