Ch 20 Loquere animalium

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Jaimey sighed, tapping her foot on the floor impatiently. Peter was supposed to be here already. Today was Saturday and that meant no one to bother her. Exactly why Peter was supposed to come!

She rolled her eyes in realization. Maybe her spell had freaked him out too much. The thought amused her but she still fizzed with annoyance. If Peter wasn't coming then she would go to him. Taking out her spellbook, she flipped through the pages eagerly. Stopping it with a finger, she read the spell words carefully.

"Ostende mihi viam!" she shouted and a map appeared in front of her. The darkness was thick around her in the empty room. Turning to another page she chanted yet again. "Tenebris ir." she held out her hand and her palm began to glow. Holding it over the paper, she read the map. Closing her eyes, she focused on where she wanted her magic to go. Show me the house of Peter. She thought and opened her blue eyes. She grinned in delight. The map now had a trail of blue leading to the middle of a wood. Gotcha! She closed the book in satisfaction, leaving the school.

***
Jaimey followed the map's directions. She stopped when at last she had reached her destination. She tilted her head thoughtfully at the snug, white cabin. The black roof looked precarious and she muttered a few memorized words to straighten the shingles. She held her breath, knocking on the dark brown door. This was it! She felt excitement at the thought of seeing Peter. Jaimey wasn't much about romance but Lets just say that Peter was the first person she had been able to trust in a long time.

The door opened and a nice looking blonde lady answered the door. She blinked in surprise when she saw her guest. "Why hello there, can I help you?" she greeted. Jaimey formed a smile. "Hey miss-" the lady grinned. "Call me Karen." she nodded, ushering the teenager inside.
"Jaimey." Jaimey smiled at the kindness in her tone. Again, another person she felt she could trust! She should have met Peter's family a long time ago!
Karen looked at her curiously. "Now, what is it that you need?" she prompted once they were out of the chilly, morning air.
The red head beamed. "I'm here to see Peter!" she informed. Karen looked surprised. "You must be that friend we've heard about! Well, Peter is sick but you are welcome to go visit." she invited.
He told them about me? The idea surprised her. She hadn't thought that she made much of an impression on him.
Jaimey nodded making her way up the stairs. "Okay! Where is he?" she tilted her head.
Karen smiled. "In his room. It's just right down the hall dear." Jaimey did as she was told and opened a white door.
She stared at the room before walking in. so much blue!
The walls were a deep ocean color, something you might see at the beach. The floor had a grayer tint but still screamed beach to her and the bed covers were a light turquoise. She decided to make a mental note that this was his favorite color.
Walking over to the sleeping blonde's side, she blinked.
Peter was snoring quietly, covers rising and falling with each breath. His blue eyes were closed softly and his golden hair was a tangled mess. Jaimey couldn't help smiling. She had never imagined that a boy could look so vulnerable. Leaning forward, she gently brushed his hair out of his face. "Wakey wakey." she whispered.
At once, Peter's eyes flew open. He gasped when he noticed who was standing there.
"How did you-" he blinked.

Jaimey chuckled. "I have my ways, now tell me, were you planning on ghosting me or did it just happen by chance?" she teased.
Peter blushed, turning away guiltily. "You shouldn't have come here." he sounded defeated.
Jaimey shrugged. "Yah, well I am, so deal with it." she rolled her eyes.
Peter didn't meet her gaze. "Don't look at me." he sniffed.
Jaimey stiffened, confused. "Why?"
Peter scooted back a bit. "Because I'm a freak!" he tried not to yell but she could tell that his frustration was spilling over.
Jaimey smiled, taking a step closer to the frightened blonde. "So am I." she whispered. Peter blinked, starting to relax.
He tilted his head but before long, a look of panic flashed across his face again. "I don't know what's happening! I'm just walking to Jason's when suddenly a cow swears at me from behind a fence, a mouse yells at me for stepping on his tail and a fly begs me not to kill him!" he stopped, panting, eyes wild.
"Go on, tell me i'm insane, that you don't believe me. I wouldn't believe myself, after all I'm probably hallucinating." he looked her in the eyes, daring her to deny what he thought to be the truth.
Jaimey beamed. So I was right! I knew it! She placed her hand on the side of the bed, sitting on the edge. "I do believe you." she tried to explain but Peter cut her off yet again.
"But... wait, did you do this to me? That spell.. It makes people go crazy doesn't it?"
Jaimey's eyes widened. He was getting more unhinged by the second.
"On the contrary." she answered patiently. It was a good thing that she had cast a good natured spell on herself or she would be blowing her top! Without the spell she was pretty spunky. Or at least with everyone else.
"You aren't going crazy..." she continued when he didn't interrupt her. "You have the talent that many people don't know is possible. "

Peter gaped. "I do?" he sounded stunned. "Wh- what kind of talent?" he blinked.
Jaimey stifled an eye roll. To her it seemed obvious but it looked like she would have to tell him straight out for him to understand. boys...
"Your power is called Loquere animalium. It means; Animal speak, in latin."
Peter frowned. "Why latin?"
Jaimey shrugged. "Because it's a dying language. What else could they use it for?" she pointed out.
"Many of your science phrases are latin." she boasted.
Peter blinked. "But Magic isn't science-" he protested.
Jaimey dismissed him. "Sure it is!"
He suddenly grew serious. "So I have a power? What is it?" he leaned forward with interest.
Jaimey was pleased by his cooperation.
"You can talk to animals." she replied simply.
Peter flinched in amazement. "I can? Why am I only now noticing?" he spluttered.
He turned to her. "Did you give me this power? When you saw me yesterday?" he sounded curious and somewhat grateful.

Jaimey shook her head. "As much as I would like to take credit, I can't. I didn't give you your power. But because your power has taken so long to show, I put a revelation spell on you. This helps you use your power Sooner." she explained.
Peter's eyes sparkled and he continued to listen to her.
"You are more powerful than any wizard who could wield a wand because you know exactly what an animal is saying without even thinking about it."

Peter grinned. "So i'm not a freak?" he asked hopefully.
Jaimey laughed. "Naw, I like to say, different because there is nothing wrong with being different from society. Plus I would prefer it since the world is so messed up." she laughed.
Peter agreed. "So what do we do now?" he asked.
Jaimey smirked. "We use your power of course!"

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