Volatile by Helen Vivienne Fletcher

Author:Helen Vivienne Fletcher
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young adult urban fantasy, young adult fantasy, witches and wizards, academy books young adult, academy books, magic academy
Publisher: Helen Vivienne Fletcher
Published: 2022-10-25T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

The stack of bracelets clicked against each other as I walked down the stairs. I clasped a hand over the top to silence them. Sammy had only taken one, giving me the rest. They didn’t make me feel any safer about going downstairs, but Sammy was right; I had to be the one to help Arthur.

The halls were quiet, and dimly lit, as the sun outside the window inched up above the hills. A worker stood in the stairwell in front of the dormitory door, his face in shadow. I remembered Sammy’s words about the whole floor being closed off, guards posted at the doors. I hesitated, then walked towards him.

“I want to see Arthur,” I said, making my voice as firm as I could muster.

He blinked, his eyelids fluttering to show he’d heard, but he didn’t answer. I almost turned back right then, but Miss Caraway’s voice echoed in my mind. Your magic is stronger than you realise.

“I’m going to go see him,” I told him, almost as firmly. Then: “Okay?” Not at all firm now – weak and pleading – but I had said the words. That was something.

The man still didn’t respond. His eyes shone with a glassy glaze, and he swayed ever so slightly. What was I doing, trying to reason with zombies? I pushed past him, half expecting him to reach out an arm to stop me, but no barrier came down, and no clutching hand held me back. He blinked as I touched him, though, his eyes clearing just a little.

Good. Perhaps he would snap out of it and stop letting my dad siphon power off him. I let the door close behind me and padded down the corridor to Arthur’s room. My feet tingled as I crossed the rune line – my own protective magic seeming to scan me and assess whether it would let me pass.

“It’s me,” I whispered, half to Arthur, half to the line of power defending the entrance. The tingling swelled to humming, vibrating up my legs. I turned Arthur’s doorhandle, quietly pleased that the magic recognised me.

Arthur’s room was warm – too warm. A wave of heat hit me as soon as I crossed the threshold, coming from Arthur himself.

“Arthur?” I whispered.

He didn’t stir. Bright spots of red bloomed in his cheeks, but the rest of his face was unnaturally pale. I could feel a rush of energy flowing away from him, just like it had in the classroom when he touched Joe.

I pulled the strongest bracelet from my wrist, slipping it over his hand. “This will protect you,” I said.

Power thrummed from it. I felt it swelling out from the jewellery, wrapping Arthur in a thin layer of protective magic. But he didn’t wake. His hand flopped back onto the bedspread as soon as I let go of it, the bracelet dangling.

Energy leached out of him. If I followed the thread of it, I was sure I’d find my selfish sister at the other end, or worse, my father, who was well old enough to know better.

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