Jim Armstrong and the Goblet's Curse

Chapter 18: People Really Don't Like A Criminal

   "What... what do you mean?" I asked. James looked up at me, the gold in his eyes shining. James suddenly looked over at Cecily, whose face was screwed up in thought.

"This one's on the verge of figuring it out," he said. There was silence for a second, all of us looking at her. Suddenly, she gasped, her eyes wide. She just stared at James, slowly shaking her head.

"There we go," James said.

"What is it Cecy?" Noah asked, shaking her. "What?"

"TourD'esprit," Cecily whispered. "Mind tricks."

"What?" I asked. "What's that?"

"It's his power," Cecily said. "Like I told you that I can cut people without touching them, and Noah can create fireballs... well..."

"I can use my mind as a weapon," James said. "I can read your thoughts. Dig into your memories. Use them against you. Manipulate your mind to my advantage. Create visions off of your worst nightmares. Among a handful of other things."

"It's one of the rarest powers, ever," Cecily said. "It just makes you even more dangerous."

"That's why you're eyes are gold," Noah continued. "It's a side effect of TourD'esprit."

"Okay, but I don't understand what this has to do with not remembering how you found the Silver Sand?" I asked, once again, completely lost.

"Well, another side effect of TourD'esprit is that, because of all the voices and memories in my head, they start to push all my own thoughts and memories out of my head," James explained, playing with the sheets on the bed. "Basically, everyone else's lives are taking over my life."

"That's terrible," I said. James shrugged.

"I've learned to live with it."

"So the one piece of information that we need from you has been kicked out of your head," Noah said. "Great."

We sat there in silence for a while, listening to the whistling wind and the snow outside hitting the window.

"Well... we should take it in turns to get some sleep and... think about what to do in the morning," Cecily suggested. We all nodded, and James agreed to take first watch.

I lay down on one of the beds next to Noah and stared at the ceiling. Well, we'd found James Delamir, but we weren't any closer to finding the Silver Sand. Seriously, the one memory we needed from James and he didn't even have it. I sighed and closed my eyes, drifting into a fitful sleep.

***

"Guys, wake up!" I woke with a start, sitting up quickly, almost hitting my head on the lampshade on the bedside table. It was the next morning, and weak sunlight filtered through the blinds on the windows. Cecily and Noah were up too, looking around for the cause of ur abrupt waking.

James was standing, walking around the room. He was excited, and he was waiting for us to wake up properly.

"What is it?" Noah asked.

"I told you last night that I don't have the memory of finding the Silver Sand, but I might know a way that I can get it back," James was pacing faster now.

"Seriously?" I exclaimed. "Well, how?"

James stopped walking and turned to face us. "I know a person. A person who's power is to take other Guardian's powers away for a short period of time."

"So if we find this person, they can take away your TourD'esprit," Cecily started.

"And you can regain your memories and help us!" Noah finished, getting off the bed.