Hidden Away

Part 12

It took a split second before i recognized the voice. "K-Kenna?!" I heard Zachary's faint scream, "No!" Kenna... was falling from the tower! At that height, she was going to-! Without thinking, I raised my hand, willing my magic to flow through me- But then Lucien's hand clamped down over my wrist. "No." HUH?! how could you- that's my- "It's a trap." What are you talking about, Kenna's going to- It was too late. Lucien had distracted me. Even if i cast a spell now, Kenna was going to- "...eh?" Kenna crashed into the ground... and bounced upwards, like she'd hit a sack full of jelly. Later, i found out that Zachary had installed airbags around the tower as a safety precaution. 

"Yup, knew it. That was definitely a trap."

"you're not saying... he deliberately pushed Kenna off to try and get me to use magic?!" 

"He's probably guessed that the witch is a student who knows him personally. and he's right."

"what kind of person would-"

"Zachary Smith would." His face was dark. "if I hadn't noticed the airbags around the tower..."

"I...Would have..."  I felt frozen to my very core. I could feel Lucien's eyes on me. For a moment, i thought he was going to ask me if he could leave... but instead, he took my hand, gave it a brief, comforting, squeeze, and then let it go again. As if to say 'I'm here for you'. "I'm... I'm not going to let that sick, slimy bastard get away with this...!" I stood up and stomped the dirt as hard as i could "Kenna could've been KILLED."  Lucien shrugged. "Doesn't matter to them." I growl "What kind of monster-"

"a charming, kind, and beautiful monster. The worst kind." 

"we are going back to Angela's cottage, Lucien." Lucien, looks at me shocked. 

"I thought you didn't want to hide or-"

"I'm not strong enough too fight Zachary right now. Not as I am. So I want to go back to learn every single thing that Angela left behind! Get all the equipment and knowledge that she left for me! Next time... next time will be different... it has to be...so  Lucien... please help me!"

"...heh" he smiles and reaching out to me, he grasps my hand again, so hard it almost left me in pain. "Gladly." 

~

Lucien and I didn't waste any time after the Festival ended. The very next day. We were on a train back to my hometown.  We were going to reclaim everything my great grandmother Angela had left there. It was the only chance we had to survive. "It's a good thing that we got a long weekend right after the festival." Lucien nods in agreement. "And they cancelled the customary date between the Harvest King and Queen." Lucien nods again. 

" I don't thing I could have handled it." 

"given that the Harvest King 'accidentally' pushed the Harvest Queen off the tower...That would have been an incredibly awkward date." 

"I can't believe the school actually thinks it was an accident. And now the school board is under investigation for building safety issues? Really? It was all clearly that slimy bastard's fault! Urgh!" I picked up a meatball from my lunch and stuffed it into my mouth, chewing angrily. "I've long ceased to be shocked at human incompetence." Lucien took a long, deep slurp of his hot chocolate. It almost sounded like a sigh. "What do I do when we get back to class on Monday, Lucien? I might end up punching Zachary in the face as soon as i see him and then strangle him with both of my hands." Lucien looks at me "How about this. Would it help if I did this to you all day?" he pawed lightly at my shoulder. "nya~ don't be angry, nya~" I nearly spat my tea out. Laughing, "oh, did you not like that? What about this?" The brat puffed out his cheeks, pressing one of his long skinny fingers into his face. "I'm suing you for psychological damage, you little freak!"  I hurled a meatball at him- but Lucien just dodged, his lips curving up into the evilest little smirk. Thanks to his silliness, the train ride went by surprisingly fast. We reached my hometown early in the afternoon. Blue sky shone through the leaves as Lucien led me through the forest. The soft sunlight spilling over his face and shoulders made him look unreal. For some reason, that made me feel calm. The fact that I had someone like him by my side. But after we entered the cottage and began searching, his entire body tensed up. "It's gone." I look at him confused "what?" Lucien stepped away from the bookshelf at the back. "The book of Honorius... Angela's most dangerous grimoire. It's gone." My gaze darkened. Lucien had told me about the book of Honorius before. It was our only chance to find spells powerful enough to deal with the witch hunters. My classmate, Zachary. His best friend, Mary. I shuddered as i remembered how they'd tried to capture me and Lucien. Their cold, beautiful faces twisting as they attacked us. "N-no... this can't be happening..." I begin to panic, walking in circles "The wards prevent anyone from finding this place- unless you're following me or Angela. That means someone followed us back here that first night...and might be following us today as well. We need to move. Now." Lucien grabs my hand and opens the cottage door, peaking his head out he pulls me alone with him quickly through the forest. Staring down at our hands, my heart begins to race wondering who in the world could be following us... gripping onto Lucien's hand tighter for comfort, I let my mind go blank. I'm scared...

By sunset. we were back on train to the city. I stayed quiet, chewing anxiously on my bottom lip. Lucien hadn't looked at me for the entire trip.  Just sat there staring down at the floor of the train, fists clenched on his knees. His face was deathly pale. Hesitantly, I reached over, placing my hand over his. "W-we'll be okay, Lucien. I'm sure we'll figure something out..." his eyes glance a little towards me, "...we don't know that." I flinched, but didn't let go of his hand. Lucien still staring at the floor.  "Aren't you angry at me?" he asks me quietly.

 "huh?"

"I was wrong, Angela's cottage wasn't safe as I thought it was. What if we'd been there when the thief broke in?" His fist tightened in my grasp. I could feel his knuckles tensing against my skin. "What if something had happened to you? Angela gave you one job, Lucien...one. Goddamned. Job." He spat his words out under his breath. "And you couldn't even get it right." After all we'd been through together, I'd almost forgotten... The only reason Lucien was protecting me was because he'd promised great grandma to. I tried to crush the aching feeling in my chest, focusing on Lucien instead. "hey, Lucien... look at me?" He didn't respond. This called for drastic measures. "hey.." I cupped his cheeks with my hands, gently turning his face towards me. "D-don't..." And that's when i saw it- what he was trying to hide. His gleaming wet eye. "What the hell is wrong with you? Why aren't you mad at me? Because of me, you could've- UWuhuhuh-" I stared squishing his cheeks, rolling his face around in my palms like i was kneading clay.

 "St-staaahp it-! I-it tickles-! Ahahahaha!" 

"Ah, you laughed!"

"leggo of me, you bastard!" Tears were rolling down his face now, I couldn't tell wheather they were from laughing or crying or even both. Giving his face one last good squish, I pulled him in so close, our noses were almost nuzzling. "Listen to me, Lucien. I can't talk to the dead, but I'm pretty sure that if great grandmamma was here... she would wreck your ass for being a dumb-ass."

"uh..."

"and also tell you that you're doing an amazing job of protecting me. Remember how you nearly got killed trying to save me from Zachary?"

"you saved yourself, Echo."

"But you gave me the chance I needed to save myself. That's why I'm sure if Angela was here, she'd be so proud. Because you're trying your best to keep your promise with her."

"that's not- never mind. We should discuss what to do next." In the end, we came up with a simple immediate plan. Lucien and I would spend all our free time searching Angela's other grimoires. Hopefully there would be some useful knowledge in them. Towards the end of the journey, we drifted off to sleep, head slumped against each other, holding one another's hands. I have to protect him... but how?