Sentry of the Arcane: Befall

Chapter Seven: Sophie

After everyone's awake and has changed out of their pajamas, the six of us make our way down to the ground floor. I sigh in relief when I don't see Leila, which most likely means that she's still sleeping.

Mr. Wallace smirks at us as we come downstairs. He gestures for Fitz and me as the others go to the kitchen for breakfast. Fitz raises an eyebrow when Mr. Wallace says, "We aren't getting anywhere with Arien right now. We'll need to speed things up."

"Speed things up? Like last time?" I can't help but ask with some venom.

Mr. Wallace ignores my question. "Actually, I just need to check on how things are proceeding." He then reaches up to touch Fitz's temples.

Fitz steps back before he can. "What are you doing?" Fitz asks, most likely remembering how he passed out for a couple of days.

"I saw that there were some developing memories in your mind when I brought you out," Mr. Wallace explains. "I'm trying to see whether or not they've developed."

Fitz hesitantly nods, confusion written clearly across his face. Silence hangs in the air as Mr. Wallace presses his slightly wrinkled fingers to his temples. A few moments of silence dauntingly pass before Mr. Wallace pulls his hands away as if he was just burned. Fitz and I look at him, confused and worried.

He then presses his fingers to my temples without warning. I tense up, but don't flail in panic as I begin to wonder why he's looking at my memories. I wasn't unconscious for three days. He removes his hands after a few seconds, his face even more pale.

"What?" both of us ask, genuinely curious.

Not answering us, Mr. Wallace says instead, "Tierastine."

Fitz frowns. "What does a crystal have to do with this?"

Mr. Wallace pales. "You're not supposed to know that yet." He points to me. "What color is a tierastine crystal?"

I press my lips together in thought. A moment of silence passes before I say, "Blue. Like the sky."

Color returning to his wrinkled face, he looks at both of us. "Have you two been near each other lately?" Mr. Wallace asks, way too direct to not be suspicious.

Fitz scowls. "Well, yes," he begins sarcastically. "Since we do have rooms next to each other and see each other every day."

Not noticing the sarcasm, Mr. Wallace presses on. "Other than that, have you two been near each other?"

"Fitz saved me from Leila," I mention, blushing slightly when the male Percipient smiles at me.

Mr. Wallace shakes his head. "I doubt you two were with Leila in the middle of the night. The memories were triggered near four in the morning."

Near four..? I tense up when I think of one possibility. Blush spreading across my face before I can try to fight against it, I look over at Fitz. My blush deepens when I notice the blush on his face as well.

Mr. Wallace, unfortunately, catches our looks. Sighing, he asks, "What'd you two do?"

Even worse, Laurel decides to jump into our conversation at that exact moment. Smiling, she says, "I took a picture earlier, Mr. Wallace. I can show you if you want!" She calls for Benen, and he walks over with a camera. Fitz rubs the back of his neck awkwardly as I hold my face, wondering where they got the camera. 

Fitz voices my thoughts when he says, "I thought you didn't have a camera."

Benen smiles. "Just because she didn't have a camera doesn't mean that I don't."