The Exiles (Book 1 of the Exiles Series)

Fourteen

That night, I did something crazy. After Nic had left me alone for the night, I tiptoed out of bed and to the door. In the morning, I knew that I was going to have to face Nicole and talk to Magnus about...things. I knew there was no avoiding the conversation. Nic would force me to get the truth about Magnus, using any means possible. I at least wanted to warn Magnus before the time came. So, I pulled open the door and slipped off into the night.

The air was much cooler outside than it had been during the day. Twinkling stars glimmered in the sky, winking and watching silently above like eyes. By the light of the moon, I navigated toward Magnus's house, trying to move as briskly as I could. Twigs snapped beneath my feet. Every time I heard the wind rustle a nearby bush, I froze, thinking the noise was a nearby creature. However, my fear proved to be irrational. In little time, I reached Magnus's dugout, and knocked on the trapdoor.

"Magnus, open up!" I hollered. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting your beauty sleep, but there's something extremely important that I need to tell you." It took a moment, but Magnus hurried down his hallway and climbed up the ladder to open the door.

"Talia, what are you doing here?" he muttered sleepily, rubbing his eyes. "It's so dangerous outside. Come in, hurry." He unlocked the trapdoor, and helped me down the ladder and down to safety.

We hurried down the hallway together until Magnus and I reached the bedroom. The lamp had been blown out, leaving the room in total darkness. Using touch alone, Magnus found the doorway and pulled open the door. I sat down against the bedroom wall while Magnus lit the lantern. The lamp flickered to life, bathing the light in a wavering, yet bright, glow. Magnus's featured glowed dimly in the light. He appeared to be a little irritated about something, probably me. I guessed that I had woken him from his slumber.

"So, what's up?" Magnus asked, plopping himself on the bed. He stroked the sheets with his fingers, as if yearning to be wrapped up in them again. "I have a warning," I told him. "I went to Nicole's house yesterday. She's been watching us the whole time. Tomorrow, she's going to come here, and she's making me confront you. I just wanted to let you know, so you weren't caught off guard." Magnus listened intently, taking in the details.

"Why is she confronting me?" Magnus inquired. "Talia, what's going on?" I ran my hand through my long, dark hair, searching for the right words to say. "Talia?" He awaited a response, his eyes growing wide with impatience and maybe a bit of fear.

"Magnus, Nicole thinks you're crazy...or something." The words came out faster than I had expected them to. Magnus looked dazed. "Do...do you believe that?" Magnus stammered, looking a little hurt.

I shook my head quickly. "Of course not." Magnus breathed a sigh of relief. "But Nicole does?" he clarified. I nodded yes. "Yeah, that's right."

"What's going to happen?" he asked, sounding panicked. I shrugged, amazed that I felt so calm. "I don't know," I admitted. Secretly, I did think that Magnus was a little crazy, or his plans were, at least, but I didn't have the guts to tell him that. It would just make everything more difficult, and I didn't want to hurt his feelings.

And then there was that mysterious feeling. It seemed to have disappeared for the time being. I wasn't aware of it anymore. The only thing I could feel was anger, not just at Nicole, but at Magnus and myself for getting tangled up in this mess. Something was going to happen tomorrow, I knew it. We were in the darkest hour, the calm before the storm.

"I have to go home," I told Magnus. "Nicole would kill us both if she found us here."

Magnus mustered a weak smile. "Take care," he told me. "It sounds like I'll be seeing you again tomorrow."