Unbound (Unbound, Book 1) ~Formerly Casting Power~

Chapter 4

For the rest of the weekend, I studied for finals.

Nancy came over on Sunday and we crammed for History, but our schedules were so dissimilar, it was the only class we'd shared. While I enjoyed hanging out, we didn't get much done. I was happy she couldn't derail the rest of my classes as we prepared for our other courses apart.

I had one exam every day, Monday through Wednesday. On Thursday, I had a final in the morning and in the afternoon, but afterward, I was done. It was officially summer for me. Nancy had one last test on Friday, so she was going straight home to study after dropping me off. One more sleep was her mantra throughout the day, and I had to laugh, knowing that tomorrow there would be a party somewhere for everyone to celebrate. After last weekend and the week of tests, I was looking forward to it. There was a jitter in my nerves that I couldn't seem to overcome, and I was worried about what that meant.

"Hey, Mom!" I called as I came through the front door. "You home?"

Silence greeted me. I went into the kitchen and looked out the window as I poured myself a glass of water. She was probably stuck at the shop with a client who needed her help. It was rare that my mother would allow her closing time to be pushed, but sometimes she made an exception.

Setting my glass in the sink, I backtracked to the living room and took the stairs up to my room. After cleaning off my desk of books and notes for studying, I pulled out my art supplies and tried to start a new sketch. Not even a half-hour later, I gave up the effort. In the silence, all I could focus on was my nerves, and my hand shook as I tried to hold a sketching pencil.

This is useless.

Sighing, I turned on some music and flopped onto my back on the bed, flinging my arm over my eyes to block out the light streaming in through the circular window above my bed. Slowly, the lyrics of the song overshadowed my thoughts, and I closed my eyes, feeling the pull of sleep. In a matter of minutes, the world around me disappeared and I was dreaming.

I stood frozen, unable to move with the knowledge that the disaster unfolding in front of me was my fault. The fire blazed in a red-hot frenzy like a pack of wild animals trapped, clawing over one another for a way out. Everything they touched became unrecognizable. What was left smelled like burnt honey—sweet yet tainted. Something that had been good was destroyed, marred with imperfection, yet still evident around the edges. I looked as hard as my human eyes allowed until the scene began to fade. Finally, I forced myself to blink as the fire rushed forward, finally reaching me, and I screamed.

I woke drenched in sweat and clamped my hands over my mouth to stifle the shriek that followed me out of my nightmare.

The music was still playing, overshadowing any sound that I made. I realized I was holding my breath and forced myself to inhale, the effort coming out in gasps. Counting to ten, I darted my eyes around the room and forced myself to take stock. It's just a dream. You're in your room and this is the reality. There is no fire.

Rolling over, I slid my legs over the side of the bed and put my hands on the mattress, pushing myself up to stand. If I'd had doubt, this proved that summer was here. All week I'd woken feeling warm, though I'd hoped it was just stress. The manifestation of the too-real fiery scene confirmed that I was wrong.

"Ugh." I ran my hand through my straight-as-a-board jet black hair that fell in even lengths to reach my waist, pushing it away from my face.

I sighed and trudged across my bedroom, heading down to the kitchen. Slowly, I held the banister as I descended the stairs, sore from what I assumed was a bad position as I slept. As I got closer to the kitchen, I paused and held my breath. My mom's voice floated out of the room, barely loud enough to be heard.

"Are you sure?" she asked whoever she was speaking with. "They had nothing left? Really? No magic?"

What?

"No, no. Just... Try to find out what happened," she said and sighed. "I don't get it... Yeah. I know you did. No, don't be obvious. I'll call you tomorrow and see how things are going." She paused. "No, she doesn't know. It's not the right time, but I'll figure out a way to keep things safe. Don't worry."

Who was she?

I took a step forward and the floorboard creaked, making me wince.

"Okay, I have to go," my mother rushed. "Yeah, okay. Bye."

I heard the click that sounded as her call was disconnected and forced myself to enter the kitchen, knowing that my mother would know I was listening if I didn't. Forcing a smile, I walked through the doorway, glancing first at the cell in my mom's hands, then looking up to meet her gaze.

"What are you doing, Mom?" I asked.

"Just catching up with an old friend." She stood from her perch on the stool around the island and circled to the other side, busying herself with tidying up the already-clean counter. "Have you eaten? How were your exams?"

"No, and I think I did okay. I'm just happy the tests are over." I shrugged and watched her. "I came home and had a nap, though now I have a headache, so I'm not hungry."

"I can order pizza? Celebrate you becoming a senior?"

"I haven't heard if I passed, Mom."

"Think optimistically, Nora," she said without looking up.

I sighed. "Are you seriously going to keep pretending that I didn't overhear what you said?"

She paused, her hand stilling on the cloth she'd grabbed to clean with mid-swipe. Slowly, she lifted her head and looked at me. "I don't know what you mean."

"Whatever, Mom. I heard you. Did they find whoever was missing?"

"I—yes." She nodded. "The girl was found."

"And?"

"She's safe," she said softly and looked at the white ceramic tile floor.

"You said something about magic." I hoped she'd elaborate, but my optimism flatlined as she once again began rubbing the countertop. "Mom."

"It's nothing for you to worry about, okay? A girl was missing and now she's not." My mother walked over to the sink and threw the cloth in. Turning, she crossed her arms, leaned her hip against the counter as she faced me. "She wasn't hurt, I promise. When you heard me speaking about magic, it was regarding something else, which has to do with the community. If I thought it would affect you, I would make sure you knew what was going on."

"Whatever." I rolled my eyes and started out of the kitchen. If she didn't want to tell me, which was as obvious, I didn't need to stick around to be insulted with her half-truth. "I'm going back to bed."

"Do you want something for your headache?"

I paused, thinking it over. Sure, she was hedging about something, but I probably wouldn't care if I knew what it was. Not if it had to do with magic and that girl was okay. I really did have a headache and my mother's remedies always helped—I'd be put to sleep until it wore off or they'd take away the throbbing at my temples. Either way, I turned back and held out my hand until she dropped two capsules in my palm.

"Do you want some tea?"

"No." I shook my head and started back to my bedroom, calling over my shoulder, "I'm just going to bed. Since Nancy has her last final tomorrow and I am done, I'm going to stay up for a while to read or something, then go to bed and sleep in."

"See you in the morning."

Not likely. I was turning my alarm off as soon as I made it to my room. Smiling, I looked down at the medicine she'd given me, happy to note that it was the ones that induced slumber while usually taking away the dreams that plagued me.