Q-Tip(KOTLC) {Completed}

25

After the weekend, when they returned to Exillium, everything was different, thanks to Sophie having told Councillor Oralie about the conditions of the school. There were more Coaches, new tents and mats, good food so people could have more than one fruit for lunch, and by the end of the week the masks and hoods were optional. Waywards were tossing theirs into the sea happily and the Coaches used their real names, no longer covering their faces either.

Janessa was glad to see all the happy faces of the students, but felt the changes were only happening at Exillium, not with how they were really living — in hiding, trying to find secrets that were too well disguised.

After a week, Dex finally finished his gadget and discovered that drakostomes were nematodes. Unfortunately, Calla was in the room and told the rest of the gnomes what had happened, causing a protest to start in the Lost Cities.

King Dimitar had made an appearance and gave them a sample of the cure for the sick gnomes.

The next day, after Sophie found Keefe trying to run to Ravagog by himself to steal the cure, the group had until the end of the day to plan to and succeed at sneaking into Ravagog, the ogre capital. 

While Mr Forkle and Sophie recruited the Song twins to hide them in shadows and mist, Janessa paced back and forth in the boys' common room, staring at the flickering fire pit in the centre. 

"You know, Nessie, you don't have to use your pyrokinesis if you don't want to. We won't blame you." Dex told her softly, standing up from working on his gadgets and giving her a sympathetic smile, showing his dimples.

"Thanks Dex, but, Mr Forkle's right. Like Tam and Linh, they won't be expecting me, so that'll give us the advantage when we leave. Otherwise, what use am I on this mission?" Janessa looked down, not noticing her shaking hands until Dex's stopped them.

"Nessie. You're on this mission because you care about the gnomes and what happens to our world, just like the rest of us. There's no point in me going since I don't need to be there for us to use my gadgets, but I'm still going and no one will stop me from going. Okay?" 

Janessa nodded weakly, letting Dex's arms wrap around her, and the hug felt like coming home. At this thought, Janessa remembered a few weeks ago, back when everything had been new, when Biana had mentioned the idea of her and Dex as a couple. Suddenly, Janessa's face went red and she was glad Dex couldn't see her face.

"I'm going to go practice outside for a bit. Thanks a lot, Dex." Janessa smiled softly at the boy, barely controlling her rosy pink blush from becoming tomato red.

Dex seemed much less affected by their hug than she was and Janessa almost ran out the door and down the stairs. She hurried to a quiet spot in the woods near a pond to snuff out any flames, though there was also a shed with quicksnuff in it that Mr Forkle had set up for her years ago.

Taking a deep, calming breath, Janessa conjured a small ball of fire to her hand and gradually let it grow larger and larger until it became the size of a yoga ball, causing her to become mesmerized with the flames. She immediately killed the flame, terrified of losing control. She had never created a bigger flame than that in all her years at Alluveterre, never learning how to control the fire properly without losing control.

After many more tries, Janessa returned, defeated, to the girls' treehouse where the Song twins and a young man who looked like an older Fitz and Biana without the teal eyes were waiting.

"Hi Tam and Linh." Janessa said cheerily, with Linh happily returning the greeting. She elbowed her brother, who mumbled a hello as well.

Janessa turned to the newcomer. "Who are you?"

"I'm Alvar Vacker, Fitz and Biana's older brother. I'm the guide. I lived in Ravagog for a while, so I know my way around." the man said good-naturedly.

Janessa smiled warmly at him. "It's great to meet you! I'm..." Janessa hesitated, wondering whether she should give her real name or codename, before realizing there was no real need for a codename when everyone would be calling her by her given name. "Janessa."

"You too."

Alvar then pulled out a map of Ravagog. It was divided in two parts: one above ground, built into the side of the mountain, and one below ground.

Alvar pointed out where the cure would most likely be if it was a trap and they made a brief outline of a plan, with Tam and Linh being the cover with their shadows and mist, and Lady Cadence, one of Sophie's Foxfire mentors', Markchain, a pendant that would block their scent.

Much to Keefe's frustration, the group decided to do the mission the next day, allowing a good night's rest. Janessa volunteered to give her room to Linh, as she would need to sleep with Sophie to avoid the nightmares sure to come the evening before going to the ogre capital.

After loaning Linh one of her pairs of furry pyjamas, Janessa crawled into bed next to her sister and fell to sleep uneasily, with clenched fists and nerves knotting in her stomach.