Fragments of Alchemy: The Code Breaker

Chapter Eight ~ A Natural Guru ~ Part I

Fiona, Thea, Tajana, Chadwick, and their four Chimaeras returned to the flat. A deep silence had fallen over the sombre group. Even Tajana, who Chadwick had expected to begin ranting and raving about how they all ought to leave Blackthorn with her, was silent.

Chadwick didn't know what to say, but he knew he needed to talk to his parents.

He turned toward Stella and looked into her eyes, focusing all his Energy on calling her to his side. After a moment of concentration, he managed to mentally grasp hold of the tendrils of Spiritual Energy that linked them together. It was like grasping at a wisp of spider web and then trying to pull the spider to him, when he hadn't quite managed to see where the tiny insect was even hiding.

Stella flicked her tongue at him from Tajana's shoulder. Chadwick reached out to her, and eventually, Stella uncoiled her tail from Tajana's neck and stepped onto Chadwick's arm. He hugged her to his shoulder with his free hand and mumbled something about going to his room. Then he disappeared behind the door of his strange new bedroom.

He went straight to the desk and slumped into the chair in front of his Divination Mirror. But then he realised he didn't have any Sacred Datura to perform the Divination Conversion; he swore under his breath.

Stella hissed on his shoulder, and he froze in place.

'Shh,' he said softly, but the noise only seemed to agitate her more. 'Hush, Stella. It's alright. It's alright. Just calm down.'

But it wasn't alright, and Chadwick knew it. And because Chadwick knew it, Stella knew it too. She continued to hiss as her claws dug into his arm, and he let her do as she pleased, inwardly letting the same emotions course through him.

Why had his parents left him here? They should have known how dangerous Blackthorn and Burtree would become with the Keeper gone. They should have taken him with them, regardless of his lessons, or what the Keeper said. Now, he didn't know if he'd ever see them again, or even speak with them again. The thought was enough to send Chadwick over the edge, and he kicked the wall and pounded his fist on the desk.

Stella reared up on his shoulder and snapped at his ear.

He jerked his head back, his heart in his throat.

She could tear him apart if she wanted to, he reminded himself. He immediately tried to calm down, and then he sent her a mental apology. He didn't know if she got the message, and he sat frozen in place, barely even breathing, as she continued to hiss at him and flap her wings in a threatening gesture.

The door opened suddenly, and quick steps walked across the tiny room to him. Though his back was turned, he knew right away that Tajana had come in, because Stella stopped hissing and flew off Chadwick's arm and out of his line of sight.

He folded forward over his desk and set his forehead against the cool wood.

'Chadwick, what were you thinking?' Tajana scolded softly. He winced. It was even worse since she sounded so calm. She was always so good at controlling her emotions. 'You can't expose Stella to those sorts of feelings right now. It'll corrupt her young Soul.'

Chadwick felt his throat go tight. He didn't dare say a word for fear that he'd yell at her.

'I know this is a tough situation, but if we just stay calm, we can figure out what to do.' Tajana touched his shoulder.

He shrugged her away and pulled his arms up to cover his head, which was still propped on the desktop. 'No we won't, Tajana!' he snapped, his voice muffled from talking into his desk. 'You're leaving, remember? You won't be here to help us figure anything out.'