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Chapter Fifty-Eight

RAIN

O ne evening of suspension wasn't too bad.

The next day, we took the long way back from my weapons tutoring hour.

Keir, Hawke, and I meandered around the grounds, taking two more dots off the map.

Then, that night, I got a copy of it sent to my tablet and headed to the study area.

Sure enough, Poppy Hawthorne was in there with her nose in a book.

Together, we merged our information, removing a few marks and putting a few more on her map. She wanted to know where I'd gotten the location of the items, but something warned me not to say too much.

"We talked to Ms. Rhodes about what Nevaeh said," I explained, keeping to things that were very much true, but not necessarily the only truth.

Poppy nodded. "Well, one of the guys in my math class did a calculation of the most likely spots to activate the Hunt, based on their arrival points, times of day, and potential means of activation," Poppy explained.

"I then cast a resonance conjuration and found the blue dots.

The green came from others doing the same. The yellow are items we know about."

Yeah, my map had more, but all of my dots were red. Working until curfew, the two of us put the maps together, often finding overlapping colors, and then prioritized the area her math buddy had suggested. Sadly, it was a rather big area. Basically the entire corner where the gate stood.

The next day, I bumped into a group of boys shoving at trees.

Well, not literally bumped, but I saw them, they saw me and my friends, and I had a feeling I knew what they were doing.

Hawke wanted to check the dots in this area anyway.

I pointed out there was no reason to do something twice.

When Keir suggested another mark on our way back to the building, Hawke gave in.

So by the middle of the next week, I wasn't surprised at all when Poppy slid into the lunch line beside me. The girl even smiled at Jack before leaning in.

"We need a way to update each other's maps," she said before pausing to select a flower option from the lunch line. "After Nevaeh mentioned an item calling the Hunt here, I've had a lot of people wanting to help look for it. Some we met are outside already doing it on their own."

"Why?" I asked. "I mean, why does anyone care about Harper's way of getting even with Aspen?"

Poppy gave me an appalled look. "Did you already forget about Fin?"

"No..." Where was she going with that?

"Well, none of us want to be the next Fin, caught up in some stupid political war based on our parents' problems, ok? Most of the ones helping me are faelings, Rain. Our magic isn't always strong."

"You don't seem to have that problem," I countered.

"And?" She huffed like my argument was stupid. "You didn't always have magic either, but have you gotten so used to it that you no longer care about the peons who are beneath the court's notice?"

"No!" I gave her a disgusted look. "The difference is Aspen's my friend. The entire court are my friends, but most people here don't seem to like us much. That's why I'm asking."

"And except for the jesters, most of us don't care one way or the other," Poppy said.

"Rain, the court is the court. The jesters are assholes, though, who come at all of us.

The court? They sit alone, sometimes stand up for others, and typically are just a pretty thing at the periphery.

So we're more on their side than anyone's, but we're mostly on our own. "

"Ok, that does make sense," I relented. But after picking out both mine and Jack's meals, I turned to her again. "So how many people are helping?"

"Um, there's like ten of us," she admitted. "Some are more interested than others. Like Molly. She watches the weather, you know? She doesn't want to go outside, because her mom was grabbed right in front of her, so she prefers the solid walls."

"And the Hunt doesn't care who they take, because you're all criminals." I grabbed my tray, then jerked my head towards our table. "Wanna come help me explain this mess to them?"

"To the court?" she asked.

I laughed once. "Just to explain, Poppy. Not to stay."

"Oh. Ok. Yeah." And she gathered her things, following me like a nervous puppy waiting to get kicked.

Yet we were spotted long before we reached the table. First, it was Camila, at the jester's table.

"Aww, the losers are getting a fan club!" she taunted.

"Shadows!" Jack yelled at her. "Morrigan-Jack. Shadows!" Then he ruffled his feathers. "Bitch!"

That made me stop hard. "What?"

"Bitch, bitch, bitch, bitch!" he cawed, clearly proud of himself. "Jack! Bitch!" Caw !

"Well, ok then," I muttered, a little shocked at his new word, yet continuing on to our table.

Behind me, the jesters were all laughing at Camila.

I heard something about how not even the crow liked her, and it made me realize they were just as cutthroat amongst themselves as they were to everyone else.

Well, that somehow felt appropriate. Assholes were going to be assholes if it was truly in their nature.

But their ruckus had caught Torian's attention.

When it was clear Poppy was following me, he nudged Hawke.

Hawke clasped Wilder's arm, who flicked a finger our way, making Aspen look.

Keir wasn't there, but the moment I put my tray down, he stepped in from the other side, taking the chair beside me and all but cutting Poppy out.

"Guys, she's been helping me with the map," I said.

Hawke murmured under his breath, but no one else responded.

"It seems Nevaeh told a few people about Harper's threat, so we have help looking for the thing."

"The ones I told you about," Keir said to Torian.

Torian just turned his most regal expression on Poppy. "So did you want a prize or something? This is not my debt."

"No, but it's all of our lives," Poppy explained. "None of us want to be Fin."

"Fin was a sentinel," Hawke countered. "He was out there by his own choice."

"And so was a biology class!" Poppy snapped.

"Botany, specifically," Aspen reminded her. " My class."

"And you're not the only one in it," Poppy said. "So let us help?"

"You're already helping," I broke in.

"Well, yeah, but it's stupid for us to be all checking the same spots. We need to merge our maps, verify each time a spot is marked off, and work together. Besides, I have more people than you do."

Torian barked out a laugh. "Oh, you do?"

"There's about ten of us, give or take." And she listed off a bunch of names I wasn't familiar with. Hawke, on the other hand, was nodding like he knew a few of them.

"Lower-level faelings," he said. "How can you help?"

"We have eyes," Poppy pointed out. "A lot of us grew up in homes with enough magic around to know the signs. We can do this. We are doing this. All I'm saying is that you don't have to do it alone."

"Sounds to me like you have a whole fan club now, Tor," Aspen joked.

"No," Keir said. "Courtiers. You know, the kind that try to suck up to the court. Isn't that what they're called?"

"Oh, I can handle a little sucking up," Torian said, but it was with a smile. The kind type.

"So..." Poppy gave him a long, wary look. "You're ok with us helping?"

"I am," Torian told her. "Harper Valentina isn't doing this on her own. I think we all know that. I'm also not unstoppable. I need the help, and I will make this even."

"Don't become like the jesters," Poppy said, "and I'll consider it an even trade.

Look, I know we're not the cool kids. Maybe we're even losers here, but we're still people.

All we want is a little respect." She canted her head.

"And to not be terrified of going outside because the Hunt is waiting.

We all know it's out there, ready to convict any one of us.

That's the real reason we're doing this, but I think our groups can help each other. "

"I happen to think you're a lot cooler than I realized," Torian said as he pushed to his feet. "Allies, Poppy?" He offered his hand.

She tried to juggle her tray to accept, so I pushed mine out of the way, twisted, and held hers. Immediately, Poppy clasped Torian's hand and shook once.

"Allies," she agreed. "I even like the name. I mean, we can be the court's courtiers. Sounds a hell of a lot better than losers, right?"

"Deal," Torian said, pumping the girl's hand again.

The magic that rushed out to seal their agreement was impossible to miss. Poppy sucked in a breath, realizing what had just happened, but the look on her face wasn't anywhere near regret. This was an expression I could only describe as liberated.

"Be careful what you wish for, Torian," she told him. "I'm not a yes-girl."

"I wouldn't respect you if you were," he said. "I'll have Wilder figure out some way to merge our maps."

"One of my friends can," she said. "You just have to trust me enough to send me a copy."

"Give me your number."

She smiled. "Rain has it. I'd rather you don't talk to me, Torian. No offense or anything, but you're not the reason we're helping. Aspen and Rain are. Maybe Keir. You? You're a slightly less annoying version of the jesters." Then she took her tray back. "You also aren't the king."

Then she turned and headed back for her own table. Torian stood there, watching her leave with his mouth hanging open. And yet, that little half-smile was still curling the edges of his lips higher.

"I think I approve of her."

"That's Ms. Hawthorne's kid," Keir pointed out.

"Which was why I expected to hate her," Torian said.

"What's wrong with Ms. Hawthorne?" I asked.

Aspen leaned closer and fake-whispered, "She's a Summer groupie."

"Really?"

"And now you know why I told her to shut it that day," Torian said. "I'm not actually an asshole, Rain."

"Kinda are," Keir said.

"You really are," Hawke agreed.

Torian just laughed. "Ok, maybe a little."

Aspen held up her fingers so close they were almost touching. "Very, very little. I think it's a requirement for baby brothers, though."

"Yes, but you're all missing the big picture," Torian told us. "Our courtiers are looking for the Hunt sign too. We have, what, five hundred spots left to go?"

"Closer to six," Hawke admitted. "Unless you have a way to narrow them down a bit?"

"That's what we've been working on in detention," Wilder said. "Hawke, you only get out of it because you're training with Rain and Keir."

"And having much more fun," Hawke assured him. "But we're going to find this thing, Aspen. It may take a bit, but none of us are going to stop looking until we have it. "

She plucked a blossom off her tray and tossed it in her mouth. "I have about a week left on the Bursts. After that..."

"You will stay inside," Torian told her, "until this thing is found. The atrium is big enough."

"We can't grow mistletoe in there!" Aspen huffed.

"I won't let the Huntsman get his hands on you again."

Keir groaned. "And there went his good mood."

"Lasted for almost five minutes," Wilder said. "Might be a record."

"Fuck you both," Torian said around a laugh.

Jack just nodded. "Bitch! Bitch, bitch, bitch! Court-bitch!"

Around the table, my friends fell silent. All of them gaped at Jack with wide eyes and astonishment on their faces. I had to press my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing.

"Oh. I forgot to mention, Jack has a new word."

"Bitch!" Jack said again, slinging his beak up and down.

"And," I said, "I'm pretty sure it was directed at you, Torian."

Jack nodded again.

Torian just glanced over, but it wasn't me his eyes fell on. It was Keir. A little smile took over, then he shrugged, turning his attention to his sister. "Guess I can handle that."

"You're not a bitch," Aspen assured him.

"Jack says I am."

"And the bird isn't always right!" Aspen laughed. "Tor, he's a bird!"

"He kinda is always right," I reminded them. "His track record is really pretty impressive."

Jack just preened. "Jack-Court!"

"Trying to say we should make you the leader of this rag-tag band of fairies?" Wilder asked.

Which made Jack shake his head. Not like he was saying no, but more like a dog when it tried to get water out of its fur. "Jack!"

"I meant it that way," Wilder said.

"What way?" I asked.

The guy looked over and winked at me. "The gay one. I mean..." He gestured around the table, hitting everyone except Torian. "Fairies. Not fae. Not Faerie. Fairies, Rain."

"Guess this means Torian's the odd one out," I teased. "It's ok, though. We'll still keep you. And so you know, I also like my tribe, and I'm glad I found it. "

"Same," Keir said. "And now we get courtiers too. Talk about a real Cinderella story. Out of the ashes, right?"

"Complete with a fairy god-girlfriend," I agreed. "But Jack is not my godmother."

"Bitch!" Jack corrected. "Bitch, bitch, bitch!"

It was enough to make all of us laugh. When Jack started slinging his beak in a vehement nod, I realized that was exactly what he'd intended. It was also what we needed. All of us, even the bird.