The Book of Forbidden Spells: Come to Light

ARRIVAL

They did not walk straight through town, which Whimsy was disappointed about. Instead, they took shortcuts and back alleys between houses and shops to get to their next destination. Apparently it was quicker than taking the main road, which didn't make sense. But North was insistent. Whimsical would have argued if he wasn't so beat.

The cozy little motel they were set to stay at wasn't helping Whimsy stay awake.

It was small, only three rooms total, so the school booked out the entire thing for the week just for them. There was one large, main area that led to each of the three rooms. One big living room for strangers.

Off to the side, a space had furniture circling a table. One was a giant, silky hammock dangling from a bar. Immediately, Whimsy leaped in. In seconds, he was comatose. Soft fabric cradled Whimsical in the air. It was a lost feeling that he could only remember distantly, when he was five. He didn't have most memories from that age, but curling into the swing made him feel secure. Made him feel so young. He almost remember his own. Though he realized he remembered his mom's even more.

He squeezed his eyes shut tighter to try and forget again. Then, he poked his head out to look at his friends. They could help him forget. They always did.

The four were waiting for Northstar and Gelid to get back from the separate building, where motel employees stayed. Where they would get the keys and check in.

For Seawings probably, a small pool of clear water was rounded into the ground. It had marble built beneath and around it, contrasting with the rest of the slick stone floor. Sheep lay next to it, only dipping his wing in and slowly wading it back and forth. He was sleepily skimming through a book from the many on the center table.

So much for rules, hypocrite, he thought.

Across from the pool on the other side of the table, a giant couch made a semi-arch. It could've fit three full dragons if Insight and Spongy weren't both sprawled across it. They were borderline lying on top of each other, they were so stretched.

Finally, Northstar pushed through the front doors with several sets of keys hung from the thumb of his wing.

Whimsy guessed he really hadn't been paying attention to them. The exhaustion and excitement during the trip was so distracting. Now that he was, he saw how delicate Gelid became. A frail walk and foggy eyes turned him into a zombie. It seemed Whimsy wasn't alone in noticing, as the attention of the other three was snagged too.

Northstar wrapped his wing around the unsteady Icewing and led him to a room. He took the keys and slid one into the lock of the doorknob.

"It's colder in there," Northstar pushed the door open, and Gelid didn't respond as he wobbled inside. North shut the door quietly behind him.

"The heat's finally getting to him?" Whimsy raised his head higher. "Will he die?"

"Yea-" Northstar stopped himself, "no? No. No he's not going to die. I chose a room that's tailored to Icewings. They keep it cold in there. He'll be fine."

"Won't you be cold, too?" Sheep sleepily asked, raising a brow.

"I'll deal with it so that he doesn't actually die," the teacher sighed. He grabbed out the two other keys, each with a number carved in them. "Spongy, you're with Whimsy," he handed the number one key to her. "Sheep, you're with Insight," he got key two.

In unison, Sheep, Insight, and Whimsy cried.

"What?!"

"Wow," North said after a pause. "It's because the rooms are made for different tribes. Sheep can get to sleep in a pool, like at school. And Insight gets some weird, cool, daylight simulation bed. So maybe you can actually try and sleep," he nodded once to Insight, who squinted.