Page 133 of The Blairville Legacies

Blurry memories flashed through my mind.

Emely, the forest...Julian?

Confused, I shook my head, which I immediately regretted, because the pain became more intense. But I couldn’t lie here any longer. I felt as if I had spent several days in bed. Besides, a literature lecture was waiting for me.

I quickly looked for my cell phone on my desk, but gasped at the sight of the mess spread out in front of me.

What the...how had all the herbs, pill boxes, androcksgotten there?

I carefully reached for a small brown fabric bag, but immediately put it down because it smelled so badly of lavender that it made me nauseous.

Whose stuff was all this?

The chaos in my head got worse.

This lavender bag...my memories...what had the others done that night? What hadIdone?

Confused, I kept searching for my phone until I finally found it among more colorful crystals, but somehow my battery was dead. I always charged it overnight, but strangely I had forgotten this time.

So, I plugged my phone into the outlet and quickly jumped up to change my sleeping clothes, but arriving in front of the mirror, I paused.

I couldn’t remember going to sleepin a hoodie and jeansyesterday. Suspiciously, I eyed the clothes first, then my face.

My eyes were dark underneath and my hair was a single knot.

Why couldn’t I remember last night?

I felt like I’d been to one of thoseLarissa partiesthat I’d just avoided at some point because my friend had shown her worst side there and always dragged me into a pile of trouble.

I frantically brushed my hair and changed out of my smelly black hoodie into a dark green one with “Vanderwood University” written on it and the university’s crest.

I had found that thing yesterday in the store here.

While I didn’t want to make friends with Vanderwood, Mady and Larissa had insisted I get something.

I grabbed my phone off the table and headed to campus.

By now, I knew that the Copelands owned this place and were investing heavily in the restoration and these new accommodations to make even more money. This family had to be one of the richest here in British Columbia. And even though I didn’t really want to believe thisdrug myth, one of the otherCopeland mysteries, a certain distrust was gradually growing inside me. One did not come to this wealth just likethat.

Suddenly, I felt dizzy and staggered as strange images of Emely came into my head again, sitting on the edge of my bed, staring at me with...yellow-glowing eyes?

What on earthhad I taken yesterday to make me dream so wildly that night?

Still dazed, I regained consciousness and followed the path that brought me closer to campus. Actually, it should have, but somehow it didn’t stop, and suddenly, I found myself somewhere behind the stone walls of the university.

I groaned.

Great job, Bayla. First oversleeping and now lost.

For a moment, I stopped and looked around. Through the canopy of deciduous trees, I could make out the dark towers of clouds that had been lingering over the city for days. Deep black ravens flew through the area loudly expressing themselves.Nothing new either...The Gothic stone walls stretched upwards beside me and the path seemed to lead along the university, perhaps even to a back entrance.

Actually, I had no time at all for such jokes, but I was already too late anyway. Besides, this path looked like a welcome distraction to me.

Determinedly, I started moving to follow the endless path along the wall. The air was pleasantly fresh and relaxed my lungs, which desperately needed some more air and exercise.

I felt the limpness overtake me, and only now did I notice that my hands were shaking.

I decided to focus on the forest path before I got lost again, but the further I wandered along the wall, the less hope I had. Add to that the memories of theBlairville Dailynews about the jogger who had never reappeared.