Halls of Splintered Souls (Wandering Souls #1)

Chapter Eleven

I ran back to the clearing for two reasons.

One, the dead boy that I dreamt of somehow.

Two, the screams that came from the clearing, and one of them sounded a lot like Padma.

When I arrived, I saw almost everyone circling someone lying on the ground. I shouted Padma's name, scared that it might truly be her. I pushed through the students to see who it was, praying that it wasn't what I feared.

"Guys, seriously, it was just a stupid Hex," the girl on the ground groaned as she rubbed her head.

"We thought you got possessed by a ghost, Adeline," said the guy that shouted the séance earlier.

I sighed in relief as I saw what actually happened, but I still couldn't find Padma. I was so sure that I heard her scream... her voice was clear as day. Where was she?

I pushed back to free myself from the crowd. In my panic I didn't notice anyone calling my name until they grabbed my arm. I looked back expecting Padma, but it was Vivian.

"I didn't expect to see you here!" she told me, "you don't really look like someone who enjoys partying, and from the look on your face I'm guessing I'm right."

"Uh... you're not wrong. Actually, I need to find my friend. I couldn't find her anywhere." I tell her, too panicked to even make a small talk.

"Come on, it's a party! She's probably off with someone. Don't worry about it!" Vivian tried to reassure me.

"Um... I think I'm going to look for her, just in case," I told Vivian and politely excused myself.

The effect of the potion still lingered, giving me a headache. I wondered why it seemed that I was the only one feeling bad from it. Everyone else seemed to be having a good time.

The sharpness of my sight made my eyes hurt as I searched for Padma's stark blonde hair. I listened for the sound of her voice, but even though I could hear every individual voice, I couldn't seem to find hers.

Eventually, I couldn't take the headache I was suffering any longer. I walked back alone to the dormitory, a little afraid I might run into that Suicide Suzie ghost. I tried to reassure myself that Padma must be okay and that I was just overthinking, but something just felt wrong somehow.

I entered my room hoping to find Padma already there, but she was nowhere in sight. I texted Ayn before I fall asleep, telling her to come to my room when she has some free time the next day. And then I slip into my dreams.

***

It was the day Ayn and I turned five years old. We didn't throw a party, but our family gathered for a picnic in our garden. I was picking flowers while Ayn was playing with the cousins. It was such a lovely Tuesday.

I heard a melody, then. It was faint, like it was coming from somewhere far away. I remember feeling enchanted by it, like it was calling me. It was such a beautiful sound. I wanted to see where it came from.

I didn't know what I did after, but when I came to it was well into Wednesday. I was in bed, feverish and sweating. I could hear my mom crying outside. I called out to her and she came in my room running.

That was the moment I almost died. The only reason they found me was because Ayn somehow knew I was in danger. They found me unconscious, drowning in the pond.

That was also the first time I heard my mom said our family was cursed, that misfortune always comes knocking at our door. Generations after generations our family shrunk. She said many of our ancestors died in strange ways after their powers manifested. Only few live to old age. Those who do give up their powers in a ritual eventually, choosing to live as a non-conjuror. Descending, as the conjurors call it. As if being a human makes us less worthy.

Ayn and I had a mutual understanding, then. We were young, we didn't want to lose our powers. I thought that as I grow older, I'd change my mind. That I'd eventually grow out of the need to find power.

I was wrong.

With each year that my power grew, the yearning for something beyond what I knew did too. Years later, as Ayn and I watched the ritual for our grandparents' descent, we looked at each other and made a silent vow.

None of us would ever give up our power.

Not now.

Not ever.

***

I woke up from the dream. It was a memory. It happened back when I was little, but the dream made it felt like it just happened. It reminded me why I was so curious about all this in the first place. I wanted to understand what others did not.

In truth, I've always wanted power. Ayn and I made sure our parents would send us here, to Arce Umbra, because we wanted the power my parents and grandparents didn't have. I would like to believe that I am above all that, that it doesn't matter if in the end, I had to descend and become an ordinary human in order to stay alive... but that would be a lie.

Ayn wanted to find out if our family was truly cursed, or if it was something else entirely like she believed. I have no idea why, but I had a feeling that whatever I was experiencing ever since I got here had something to do with it. It might be that, or I'm just putting two and two together and made five.

But that song in my memory... wasn't it the same song I heard Baekhyun played on that day?

The door opened, and I expected Ayn to enter because of my text the other night. I was pleasantly surprised when I saw Padma instead. She looked like she hadn't slept the whole night. I had my guesses as to why.

"Oh, you skipped class," said Padma, looking at me still in the clothes from yesterday night.

I must look like a mess. I didn't realize there were dried muds on my skirt and socks. My hair must look terrible too. I really need to shower.

"Yeah, I looked for you yesterday night," I told her, sighing, "but I guess I worried for nothing."

Padma laughed and I felt chills run up my spine. Something was wrong, I just couldn't tell what. She doesn't usually laugh like that. I felt like I was going crazy.

I shook my head. For the first time I realized there was an unpleasant smell in the air. I grimaced, thinking that I must smell terrible. I grabbed some fresh clothes and head to the shower as Padma eyed me.

Something about her just feels off. But since I couldn't really place what it was, I decided to just ignore it. I smiled at her, hoping the weird feeling would subside.

The chilling sensation only left when I was finally out of her sight.