A Dance In The Moonlight

Chapter Eighty-Five- Clear As Water

Two weeks it's been since Professor Sharp was placed in the Hospital Wing and since Morgana and Imelda wandered into that cave. No matter how many times my friends and I tried to follow them to see where they were going or what they were doing, Morgana and Imelda never set another foot into the Forbidden Forest. Every day after classes, I would find myself back into the Hospital Wing and working on my homework assignments beside Professor Sharp. These last couple of days have felt like a haze of routine.

"How's he doing?" Ominis' voice appeared behind me.

"He's still sleeping off the pain. Nurse Blainey thinks whatever happened was too much for him to handle physically." I responded, glancing up from my Transfiguration textbook.

"'Whatever happened?' Merlina, you and him are the only ones who know what happened. I was actually hoping you would let me in on the secret."

I hesitated for a moment. We had been trying to see if Miriam's theories were true and if my magic could actually heal any sort of wound. It was supposed to work so I could offer vision to Ominis yet here we were.

"A faulty potion. Why are you here Ominis?"

"I was hoping I could kidnap you for a few hours." Ominis answered, finally making his way around from behind me to take a seat at the end of Professor Sharp's bed.

"Curfew is in an hour."

"That's never stopped you before Merlina. Come on. I promise that you need this and I doubt Professor Sharp will miss you."

Perhaps Ominis is right. He usually was no matter how infuriating it could be. Professor Sharp hadn't awoken in days so I'm sure he still wouldn't anytime soon. Was I willing to risk getting detention yet again though if I got caught once more? I glanced up and Ominis' smile was smile and light without any worry in the world. Sometimes I wondered whether being blind could be beneficial. Sure he couldn't see the world but at the same time... he couldn't see the world. He couldn't see the horrors that we speak of. He can't see scars and bruises.

"Alright... perhaps you're right. I could use a break." I agreed, setting the textbook on top of the pile of books and parchments next to Professor Sharp.

Once I was ready to leave, Ominis and I began walking throughout the castle. Small talk with words of no meaning were exchanged between us. Words about our friends, about how the leaves were finally falling to the ground, and of course how Professor Sharp was. We left the castle and down the stairs until reaching the boathouse. I had only been there once or twice and that was to help students with whatever they needed help with.

"Why did you want to come here Ominis?" I asked, glancing at the walls before looking upon him. He was already stripping, folding his buttoned shirt and robe to set on a random crate. "Ominis! What are you doing?"

"I thought we could go for a swim." He answered so casually, stripping the rest of his clothes.

"In the Black Lake? Where the Squid lives?"

"He never comes this close to the boat house. Where's your sense of adventure Merlina?"

Ominis smirked tauntingly, as if silently challenging me before diving right in. I couldn't believe my eyes. How could Ominis be so foolish? I followed his lead, stripping everything but unlike him being so neat, I just threw them off to the side before jumping right after.

It would have been nice to hear a warning of how freezing the water was but with it against my bare back, it felt a lot nicer than I thought it would have. He swam back over to me, laughing at what I could assume was me. Honestly, I was just astonished he could swim. I figured swimming would be a con to blind people.

"I see you joined! How do you feel now?" Ominis shouted.

"Already more stressed than ever. Ominis, are you sure you can swim?" I shouted back, trying to swim to him as fast as I could.

"Positive! I mean-" Half way through talking, he went below the water.

Shit... the squid must have gotten him. I dove below and the water was too dark for me to see a single thing. No squid tentacles or Ominis. First Professor Sharp and now Ominis. When am I going to stop potentially killing the people around me? In a split second, two arms wrapped around me and helped me up from the water. Spinning around, it should come to no surprise that Ominis was there and laughing like a mad man.

"Ominis! I thought you had died!"

"It's going to take much more than water and an angry squid to bring me down."

"I'm going back into the boat house. You have your fun." I started to swim back but Ominis' arm pulled me back towards him and a kiss was slammed onto my lips. I had almost forgotten how his lips tasted of honey despite them always being chapped no matter what weather it was. "Ominis... are you sure you want to kiss me?"

"I'm sure I want to do more than just kiss. Drag me to the boathouse and I'll show you just how much more I want to do." Before I could respond to him or even consider his offer, a friendly squeak from my best friend could be heard from the boat house.

"Merlina! Ominis! Professor Sharp is awake!" Poppy announced from across the lake.