What Keeps Our Hearts Beating

Chapter 11

It was 9:30pm and Zoey lived up to her word and had the potions ready and were mixed in the guard's water goblets for dinner. They even mixed one for Sandra so that she wouldn't know that the other girls were asleep. Watching Sandra snore obnoxiously on the cot was sweet retribution as Lacey and Zoey were ready to sneak off toward the ballroom. Lacey knew what effect Zoey had on Brasen and if he was ever going to trust her, she needed Zoey to vouch for her. The young girl appeared nervous as they headed toward the fireplace, not even sure what she was getting herself into. Lacey only told her at lunch that Brasen needed her. She nodded, saying she owed him her life. That was all and had remained mute the remainder of the afternoon and evening.

She took Zoey's hand and silently ushered her to follow her down the hallway and swiftly bypassed any of the guards they knew were monitoring that section of the hallway. Zoey's potion concoction knocked Sandra out and now created a disgusting pea soup aroma coming from the girl's bathroom. The guards went to investigate, thinking it was some sort of prank. Weber is going to be pissed about this, they said, with plungers in hand. The distraction was enough for Lacey and Zoey to dash into the ballroom, pitch dark tonight with no detention or Dr. Snore breaking the uneasy silence. Zoey looked like she was about to turn back but Lacey held firm to her hand and then pressed onto the Lion's foot.

"Just keep thinking about Brasen," she told the young girl.

"OK," she nodded gritting her teeth and salvaging courage within her. The secret passage opened and Zoey gasped in awe as they grabbed the flashlight, more prepared this time around than with the lone candle, and headed up the flight of spiraled steps that curved and got smaller as they headed upwards like the Vatican Duomo in Italy. Lacey opened the brass knocker and entered the library sanctuary, her adrenaline pumping and excited she actually made it in one piece.

But there was no one there. Lacey checked her watch. It was 10pm on the dot. Maybe Brasen didn't know what time it was? Did he even have a watch? He had confirmed the time.

"He said he would be here," she said hurriedly, nodding toward Zoey who was exploring the room in amazement of all the books.

"Potion books!" she said excitedly pulling one off the shelf like she was drawn to it. She flipped through the pages as Zoey walked nervously over to the Blue Bird window. She heard a flapping above her and cried out, "Victor!"

A bat sprung out of the shadows and Zoey shrieked diving into a corner protecting the book from the vermin.

"It's the bat I was telling you about," she said helping the young girl up. "He's supposedly friends with Brasen."

"Not supposedly. He is my friend."

Lacey and Zoey both peered up to see the trap door open and Brasen lowered the rope and slid down cautiously, like he was afraid his strength would give out. He landed on his feet and Victor flew over to his master playfully and Brasen gave it a crumb from his dinner.

"Brasen!" Zoey squealed in delight and ran to hug her friend. Brasen looked a lot younger and frail today and knelt down so that she could run into his arms.

"How are you Sport," he asked, ruffling her pigtails. "You look so much taller than the last time I saw you."

"And you look terrible!" she exclaimed, her hands going toward his arms but he quickly backed up and she held back, as if she understood he didn't want to be touched. Lacey was amazed he even let the young girl hug him.

"This is Victor," he said, having the bat perch on his hand and bending down so that Zoey could pet it. "Victor, this is Zoey." Zoey carefully patted Victor lightly on the top of the head. Victor apparently liked Zoey but kept giving Lacey the evil eye.