Twilit Mage

Chapter 60: Ebony

Mercury straightened up in her seat, staring at Bonnie in confusion and fear. "The truth?" she replied. "The truth about what?"

"About this entire school." Bonnie gestured around the office as if trying to encompass the whole campus. "About everyone."

"What do you–"

"You're in danger, Mercury."

Mercury frowned at her, confusion ever-increasing. "What do you mean?" she asked. "Is this about the person who framed us and let out that gorgon? I know they're still on the loose, but..." She shook her head. "Mr. Blake's investigating it now. It's only a matter of–"

"Mercury," Bonnie replied with a look of horror on her face, "Blake's investigation is fake."

She froze. "What?"

"It's a scam," Bonnie said. "He's just trying to look innocent in front of everyone. The truth is that he knows who set you up. Everyone knows. All the adults – everyone."

Mercury held her breath. She didn't know what to think. What to believe. It couldn't be right. It didn't make sense. But she couldn't say it. All she could do was listen.

"You and Raoul didn't get brought in here for some noble goal," Bonnie went on, sweat forming on her face, her hands shaking. "They only let you into this school for one reason. To sow hatred against Twilit Mages and make people think the Light Mages sent you."

Mercury swallowed, but her throat was dry. "Why?" she managed out. "Why would they do that?"

Bonnie laughed bitterly. "Can't you guess? It would make a huge scandal if it came out. Light Mages sent Twilit Mage children into the Dark community to create chaos and destroy us from the inside. People would want payback. Revenge. Do you understand?"

Words flashed through Mercury's mind, imaginary scenes. Her parents' accounts of how things had been around the time she was born. Battles. Riots. The edge of a civil war.

If something like this happened again...how big would it be this time? How many people would be hurt, even killed?

"I get it," she rasped out, rising from her chair. "That kind of thing...I don't want it to happen."

She took a deep breath, then she added, "If it's true."

"What–" Panic shot over Bonnie's face. "What do you mean, if it's true?"

Mercury's hands balled up in her lap. She thought back on everything that had happened. Sullivan Blake's old friendship with her mother, the way he had bent the rules to let her into this school and given her advice about illusion magic. And Hecate Solstice, who had loved her mother dearly, who had been hurt by the sight of her face and still tried to treat her the same as everyone else. Would these people really use her like that? Could she imagine it?

"I think you're wrong," she said, tense but her voice unwavering. "Maybe there are some people in here who do want to use us. Maybe even a lot. But not everyone."

"Believe me, Mercury, I didn't want to think that either. It's true. I swear it's true." Bonnie's hands were shaking. "You have to believe me, okay? I'm trying to protect you." She swallowed. "Don't give them what they want. Please."

Mercury backed away. She didn't want to have this discussion. She wanted out. Precious, she thought, if you can hear this, find a way to get me out. She needed to think this over. Find out for herself what was going on. There had to be something off with the things Bonnie was saying.

Bonnie had to be wrong. Someone must have misled her. The same person who had caused everything else. That person only needed to be found and then everything would make sense.