The Academy: Discovery

Catnip

I look up from my book and smile at Victor and Kota head to head looking over a desk with tons of papers scattered over it. Each is holding one of the vials from Toms house hoping to find out what the cat means. We've taken to calling the vials catnip since we don't know what was actually in the vials. Tom told the Tomas, who reported in a little while ago, it was some kind of new street drug that he and my parents created and have been dealing out. I'm glad they're looking further into it. Something about the cat face still bothers me but I've stared at it for most of the evening and I can't explain it. "Are we keeping you up Princess?"

"Kind of. But its okay. I can just read some more."

Together they drop their work and switch off the lamps they were using for light. "Do you mind if I stay with you tonight Princess?"

"I would like that." I tell Victor as I watch Kota. Ever since Luke told me he knows about the plan I've been wondering if he's the only one. Does Kota know too? He looks at me with a masked expression but I think I see a pained one underneath the mask. Its the same look he gave me when he said he couldn't kiss me. "You could stay too." I tell him in a desperate attempt to erase that expression.

He glances only briefly at Victor before saying "not tonight."

"Okay." I say trying to hide my disappointment. I don't want Victor to think it has anything to do with him. He turns to leave and I watch his steps. "Goodnight...sweetheart." I call just before he reaches the door. His steps faultier but he recovers quickly and leaves the room without acknowledging my endearment. "Did I do something wrong My Prince?"

"No. He just needs time." I wonder what he needs time for but I shouldn't really be asking Victor those questions. "Do me a favor Princess?"

I turn to him and see him smiling warmly at me from the foot of the bed. "Anything."

"Dance with me? Its been a while since we've been alone. I don't want to spend it all sleeping." I don't answer I just reach for his extended hand and let him pull me into his embrace. "Would you like me to sing to you?"

"You don't have to."

He chuckles. "You seem to like my singing as much as my piano playing."

"Your music is wonderful either way." I tell him honestly. "But we don't have a piano in my room."

Again he chuckles. "So the answer to my original question is yes?" I nod. "As you wish" We dance at the end of my bed both enjoying the closeness of the other as he sings softly into my ear. Its odd how intement this dance feels compared to the other we've shared. Maybe its because I'm in my silk nightie dress or maybe its because I can almost feel the kiss we're about to share. I've heard people say they can feel when the rain is coming because the air around them changes. The air in the room has changed but I know its not rain causing it. Its a kiss coming. A kiss between a Prince and his Princess. And when it finally happens...when I finally look passed his lips to his eyes and he closes the distance all of todays events, all its horrors, are gone.

"My Prince will you do me a favor?" I ask repeating his earlier request.

"Anything" he returns.

"Hold me just like this as we go to sleep?"

He leads me to the bed and we climb in together before returning to hold one another. "As you wish"

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I wake up in Toms yard. The Zombies are tied all around me like they were the first time I was here. Having no weapons I start to stand and run. Before I get to my feet the zombies change though. They change into something much more terrifying. "Tom" I whisper in fear. He (all the Toms) snarl and lay there heads back in laughter. Again I attempt to run but I can no longer move. I look down and find my ankles and arms chained like the zombies had been. "Tom!" I screech in some kind of plea. His name from my mouth again changes the scene and the Toms are gone. In their place are tigers. The relief I feel at this change is a little scary in itself. How did I manage to become more scared of Tom than tigers? and tigers with faces like the ones on the vial.

"Count them Sweetie." I hear behind me. I jerk my head over my shoulder and find Kota and the others there. Kota steps one step closer and repeats. "Count them."

I want to roll my eyes and tell my sweetheart I really don't think this is the time for his love of numbers but something in my gut tells me to do as he suggest. I turn and count the tigers thankful they haven't seemed to move. "33. There are 33 of them." Again my words change the scene. This time almost unnoticeable so. The only difference is the tigers faces. "33...as in.."

"JDI33!" I bolt upright on the bed. And then leap into action. I go for the mini work area Kota and Victor had been at earlier and pull out a piece of paper and pencil.

I feel Victor beside me immediate. "What is it Princess?" I quickly sketch what I need to sketch and show it to him. "Okay. Thats the nose, mouth, and eyes of the cat on the vial right?" I nod and then pull the paper away to write the number 33 in a specific font. I show him but he doesn't get it. Until I show him a picture of my first drawing split down the middle. "Its 33 but the second one is turned around. 33 as in JDI33."

"I think so."

"You dreamed this?" I shrug. "I wish my dreams were that telling."

"What were you dreaming about?" I ask seeing his cheeks tint pink.

He just winks at me! "You had better wake the others. They'll want to know your parents are tied to the JDI33." I swallow hard. I hadn't thought of it that way. For years I've been neutral toward my parents. I wasn't sure how I really felt about them. Maybe it was all I've learned about them over the last few hours or maybe its the guys showing me what caring about someone really feels like but either way I know now I'm not neutral about my parents. I hate them. Hate is a strong word, one I never thought I would use but its true, I hate them.