Year Two: Rebels - Cara Wylde Page 0,46

blue energy. I gasped. The energy seemed to be liquid. It poured out of her eyes and onto her cheeks like tears. She started chanting louder, and when she made a cutting gesture with the knife, the circle of salt she’d created before blew up in flames. Blue, iridescent flames. I couldn’t even understand how it was possible, but then again… Lorna was a powerful mage, and nothing that she could do could be explained by physics. At least, not the physics I’d learned in the human world.

“Yoli, think about the things you want to forget.”

I didn’t understand her at first. She repeated the request. It took me a minute to realize she was talking to me, and in English. I nodded and tried my best. I brought up the memories connected to Mr. Lovecraft, his horror short stories, his notes, and what he’d told me about his dream. Then, one by one, I tried to bring up the memories of the first time I’d jumped to what I’d thought was the point of neutrality. The memories of the island, of the black tower, and the stone with the moving symbols. It wasn’t easy. Every time I focused on a detail, it seemed to slip away from me. I furrowed my brows, keeping my eyes tightly shut. It was as if my memories of that place were fluid, so fluid that every time I tried to grasp them, they slipped through my fingers.

“Let them go now,” Lorna whispered.

“Err… how do I do that?”

“Just relax. Open your eyes, relax your mind. Breathe in, and when you breathe out, imagine them leaving your body with your breath.”

I did as she instructed. After a few minutes of breathing in and out, I didn’t feel any different. The blue flames were starting to die down around me, and Lorna’s eyes were going back to normal. It was as if the energy that had poured from them was being absorbed into her skin. She made one last cutting gesture with the knife, then entered the circle and touched my face. The blue flames were gone.

“How do you feel?”

I shrugged. “The same.”

“That’s good.”

“But nothing happened.”

She chuckled. “What did Professor Lovecraft tell you when you saw him in his office last year?”

“He…” I furrowed my brows. “He showed me his notes.”

“And what were the notes about?”

I tried to bring the memory to the forefront. I knew what the notes were about. They contained his research on the Great Old Ones, drawings and stories he’d collected from the people he’d talked to. But every time I conjured the image of said notes, every time I imagined myself back there, at his table, looking through the papers, the papers were… blank. I couldn’t remember one word, one drawing… Completely and utterly blank.

I smiled up at Lorna. “Oh my God, you did it! It worked!”

“Of course I did it.” She cocked an eyebrow. “My spells never fail.” She turned to Mila. “It was a good thing you called me, and not Hamelin. He would’ve fucked this one up for sure.”

Mila laughed. “Klaus is a great mage. He’s just lazy.”

“Wait, did you say Hamelin?” I stood up, my hand already reaching into the pocket of my uniform blazer. I found Corri’s bell, and under it, the piece of paper Lucien had given me. “Of course! How can I be so stupid? Klaus Hamelin is your friend!”

Lorna scrunched up her nose. “Well, he’s more of an acquaintance to me.”

I pulled the paper out and unfolded it. “The angel who found me and patched me up in Heaven gave me this list of names. Maybe you can look over it, Lorna. These are the mages who performed the ritual that opened portals all over the world and let the cosmic spawns in.”

“Oh.” She took the paper and read the names. “Yep. I know all of them. But these guys… are dead.”

“Yes, I know. I have to find their descendants.”

“Huh. My name’s not here.” I couldn’t tell whether she was disappointed or relieved. “I would’ve thought the Chiaramontes were involved.”

Mila stepped closer to look at the list over her shoulder. “Maybe they were smart and knew that going against God’s word and helping the angels wouldn’t end well. I think you should be proud of your ancestors. They weren’t all as hot-headed as you are. Oh, look! Castegny is on the list.”

“Castegny?” I asked, confused.

“You don’t remember Merrit Castegny?” Mila laughed. “He fought with us in the Great Hall of Life and Death. He’s