Back Once Again

Chapter Five

Simon

I wasn't sure how much time had passed. The only thing that had crossed my mind was Baz's loud mouth when I awoke.
"Baz, shut up," my weak voice exhaled in a croak. In a deranged state, I still managed to sit up in bed, wincing at the burns that layered onto my skin. My eyes trailed up from the sheets, staring at Baz intently. "How bad is it?"
A suppressed sigh blew from his mouth. "Honestly?"
I smirked weakly. "No; I want you to tell me I'm in great shape and am ready to defeat whoever had started the fire."
Baz didn't laugh to my joke, though. He just watched as my small laugh dissipated, an overcome of worry washed onto my face now. "What is it?"
He gave an incredulous look, his brows laced in anger. "I thought you were gone, Simon! When you fell limp back there, I..." Trailing off, his eyes faced the floor, nimble fingers toying with his clothing. Then, after a long pause of silence, he silently shifted towards me, examining me with a soft gaze, starting a new topic of conversation. "The fire got you well. Your arms, your legs," his eyes traveled up, "your wings."
I gave a soft smile. "I'm alive, though; aren't I?"
Baz didn't reply again. He bit his lip, fluttering his eyes. "The Coven thought you started the fire."
My face contorted. "What? Why?"
He gave a defeated shrug. "I'm not sure. They thought the meeting was a distraction so that you could somehow start it."
"Well, incase they don't know, I have burns all over me!" I scoffed. Had they really thought I would do such a thing? I knew people here—people that I related to and cared for. Wincing, I slid myself to face the floor, attempting to stand up before as stopped me.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Getting up."
"Yeah, I can see that." He gave a taut glare before continuing. "You're not leaving."
I scrunched my eyebrows. "Why?"
Baz leaned back, his face wiped with aggravated shock, rolling his eyes. "You're actually unbelievable."
I grinned. "Good. I thought you'd never notice." I took a moment to take a collected breath, before pushing myself off the bed. My eyes detecting Baz flinching in his seat slightly, trying to maintain his composure.
Giving a smile, I replied, "I'm fine, Baz. Really. I'm pretty sure it was just a heatstroke."
"You were being burned alive!"
"Well now I have something to share once we see Penny, now do we?"

Baz

"Give us one good reason why we should hunt down who did this when you don't trust us."
My mother sat in a folded chair, arms crossed, staring at the two of us intently. The setup wasn't as grand as the office, but since the entire ordeal with the burning building occurred, we just decided to ignore the formalities and focus on discussion. Her eyes trailed to mine. "I do trust you, Tryannus." She nodded absently to the figure beside me. "Not him."
Snow glared, taking a defiant step forward, a sheen coat of anger polished onto his face. "Why would you think I started the fire when I was the victim?" I had to agree with him. Almost being burnt to death was a risk I know for a fact he would not take for revenge. It's certainly something I wouldn't do.
My mother cocked a brow, standing up to her plate. "Because you were the Humdrum, Mr. Snow. You were the cause of that predicament and you cleared of it. I'm expecting you to do the same thing now." Eyeing him, she leaned forward, her slicked bun reflecting the rays of the sun hitting her with beams that emitted from the window. "You said it yourself. There is a reason as to why it had returned. I am keen on finding the purpose to that."
Snow opened his mouth, about to speak before I cut him off. "What do we have to do?" I avoided Snow's sudden penetrating gaze, keeping my eyes level with my mother. They detected a small grin paint on her face. It was sinister. With a layer of accomplishment ontop. She thought she was manipulating us to use both Snow and me as knights to rescue a princess. Except in this scenario there was no damsel in distress.
It was a suicide mission. A journey to our graves.
Before my mother answered my question, her stare then traveled to Snow, who was now looking down with a suppressed emotion of betrayal. A small flash of guilt flood through me. Both he and I knew fully well of what we were getting into by signing into my mother's contract.
"Is my son speaking for you as well when he means to partake on this mission?"
Snow grit his teeth, giving a stern glare to my mother, before swiping my arm, dragging me away from the small, secluded room.
My lids leaned back as I drank in the sight of the small building the students and staff now had to call home. "Shit—Snow, we can't just walk away from my mother like that-"
"Like I would care." His grip fell tighter, as I felt fingernails dig into the flesh of my arm with a ferocious intensity that I forgot Snow could have at times. "Where's your car?" he mumbled, turning his head about when we had reached outside. I sighed in reply, slapping his hand away, as I then took the lead, watching as Snow followed with an angered expression, but maintained to be obedient like a trained dog. Maybe kissing him would clear that flustered expression. In synchronization, the two of us fled to the car seats, waiting to drive away from the sight of the school. Once we were at a steady pace, pedaling our way out of Watford, my eyes glanced to Snow, just to find him gazing at the burnt building in the distance. A grim look washed over his face and paled all of his features. Maybe I could bring that color back.
"What're you thinking about, Snow?" I questioned, turning up the air conditioning.
His gaze didn't falter, as he continued to stare out the window. He smacked his lips from the lack of moisture. And possibly from aggravation. "You being an imbecile."
I rolled my eyes. "I was being practical."
"Practical?" he scoffed. "Please do share how accepting a death mission is practical."
I inhaled deeply, trying to avoid Snow's outrage. It was just like at Watford before—where he would have these breakouts and lose control. His energy would seep out and drain into the air. It was tense and thick—everyone could feel it. That's exactly what it was like now.
Simon Snow was radiating off with extreme power.
And I wasn't sure if he was going to burst or not.
"She wouldn't let us go until one of us said yes," I spoke after a few moments. I had wanted Snow to calm down. He didn't hesitate, and turned on the radio with fumbled fingers, dropping back once the action was complete to release a sigh and close his eyes.
Minutes began to pass again, as I felt that there was more needed to say. I know he wouldn't give a damn either way. "We need to do this mission anyway, Snow."
A pause filtered through the car, as his eyes remained closed, gently swaying with the music. He then stopped, eyes opening, his features hardened with a stern look, as he shook his head. "No, we'll think this through. I'm not getting us into something we'd regret." Snow leaned back in his seat, watching the road with absentminded eyes. My eyes glanced to him for a quick moment, taking notice to his fingers lightly tapping against his hand in synchronization with the music on the radio. I didn't argue, just pulled my hand to the volume, turning it up.
I knew he was going to need more than one song to cool down.

A/N: Hello everyone! I hope y'all liked this chapter! Please leave a vote or comment if you've enjoyed the book so far—it means a lot! Thanks! Bye!