Feyland: The Bright Court

Chapter Sixteen

The corner of Jennet’s tablet lit up with a private message - from Tam. Her heart kicked, and she sent a quick glance to the front of the classroom, where the Lit teacher was droning on about poetic forms. Holding her tablet low, she opened the message.

Keep an eye on Keeli. Remind you of anyone?

Hm, that was cryptic.

She set the tablet back on her desk. Keeli shared this class with her, though she hadn’t gotten to know the other Viewer girl that well. What had Tam meant? Jennet leaned forward and glanced down the row to where the black-haired girl sat.

Wow. Keeli looked pale as milk. Her skin seemed almost translucent, and her eyes were shadowed. As Jennet watched, the girl brought a trembling hand up to her throat and swallowed.

Keeli looked like… she looked…

“Mr. Clark?” Jennet didn’t wait for the teacher to acknowledge her. “I think Keeli’s about to faint.”

“Miss Carter, you’re disrupting - ”

“Catch her!”

Jennet was out of her chair and at the other girl’s side just in time to keep her from tumbling to the floor. Geez, she was heavier than she looked.

Jennet wasn’t the only student to get there, though. Roy Lassiter crouched beside her and gathered Keeli up in his arms. A strange look, almost of regret, crossed his face.

“I’ll take her down to the nurse,” he said.

“Is she still breathing?” Jennet couldn’t tell.

“Yes.” A spark of annoyance flashed in Roy’s eyes. “Move, please.”

She backed up, and Roy got to his feet, carrying Keeli. Jennet started after him, but Mr. Clark held up his hand.

“Take your seat please, Miss Carter. I’m sure Mr. Lassiter has everything under control.”

The door closed behind Roy and his burden, and the room fell uncomfortably silent. Jennet slowly went back to her desk, feeling the prickle of everyone watching her, though it was hardly her fault Keeli had collapsed.

But was it Roy’s?

***

At lunch, the cafeteria was filled with the buzz of speculation. Every student had a theory about what had happened to Keeli, and the babble of voices was loud in Jennet’s ears.

“You’re late,” Marny said as Jennet set her tray down at their usual table.

Tam gave her a long, level look. His green eyes were serious. “Did you see my message?”

“Yes.” Jennet said. “I stopped by the nurse’s office - I wanted find out how Keeli is doing.”

“And?” Tam asked.

“They took her to Central Hospital for testing.”

He leaned forward, tense. “She’s that bad?”

“She’s not in a coma, if that’s what you mean. The nurse said she’s going to be all right. They thought Keeli was dehydrated.”

“Dehydrated. Right.” His voice was flat.

Marny glanced between the two of them, her bobbed black hair swinging across her shoulders. “What are you guys saying? Did Keeli game on some flawed equip, like what happened to Tam last month?”

“Maybe,” Jennet said. “Though Keeli doesn’t sim. In fact, from what I know, she pretty much despises gaming.”

When she’d first arrived at Crestview High, Jennet had desperately needed to find a prime simmer. She’d tried the Viewers, first, with no luck. Had Keeli changed her mind, under Roy’s influence? The thought made her cold.