BAILE (Where We Come Home)

Chapter 19 The Test

"I'm sure everything will be fine." Eliza sensed my nervousness.

"I just-what if I'm something really disgusting and evil?"

"Isla-"

Mr. O'Sullivan opened his office door for us. "Nervous?"

I gave him a shaky smile. "Nervous doesn't begin to describe what I'm feeling."

"You're both going to be fine. Remember that no matter what the test reveals, you'll still be the same." He led us inside and Eliza and I took our places, Eliza before Anna and myself before Mr. O'Sullivan.

"We're both going to show you the same ink blots and you'll tell us what you think they look like, it's that simple." Anna declared before handing Mr. O'Sullivan the blots.

"Take some deep breaths." He smirked at me.

I breathed in through my nose and out through my mouth a few times.

He held up the first blot. "First impressions." He reminded so I wouldn't overthink things.

I studied the blot. "A wolf."

He noted my answer before holding up the next blot.

"A tree."

The next one struck a cord with me. It looked exactly like the butterfly from my dreams.

"A butterfly."

For the next few I saw a lake, blood and a flower.

"Very good." He gave me an encouraging smile that relieved my nerves. "Anna bought these down just by chance, most creatures have an element that repels them, a weakness of sorts. For Werewolves, it's silver." He used himself as an example. He pulled on a pair of leather gloves. He took my hand and I still felt myself tense at his touch as he held my palm facing upward. He reached into a velvet pouch, placing a silver bullet into my palm.

"Still no pain?"

I nodded, feeling only the coolness of metal against my skin.

He removed the bullet, producing a vial of clear liquid. He used an eyedropper to drop a single drop onto my hand.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Holy water."

"I guess I'm not a demon then." I felt no reaction from the blessed water.

Mr. O'Sullivan chuckled. "I guess not." He wiped my hand with a care that made my cheeks warm. He placed a copper ring in my hand, again without a reaction. He placed another ring in my palm and a searing pain surged through my hand. I cried out, dropping the ring onto the floor and clutching my hand to my chest.

"I'm sorry." Mr. O'Sullivan fetched the ring. "That was iron."

"Iron." I repeated as I looked upon my palm, a circle of burnt flesh in its centre.

Eliza screamed and I whipped around. I had never heard her scream like that before. She met my eyes, her palm a burnt mess and tears streaming down her face.

"What did you do?" I stood up.

"It was only one drop." Anna was quick to rub some cream on her palm.

"Of what?" I asked.

"Holy water."

I felt the blood drain from my face. It was just as I had feared. How could we be the same creature when different things repelled us? Were we even related?