Mersallee: Chapter 3

In the hallway the next morning, Lily felt Tristan eyeing her. “What?”

“What’s going on with you? I’ve been talking to you for the last 10 minutes and you’ve completely ignored me.”

Lily shrugged, moody because she had not been able find either boy from the lake. Lily felt she really needed to make sure her secret was safe but had no idea how to find the pair. Lily had apologized to Tristan first thing that morning. He had only made her beg for a few minutes before hugging her and smiling.

“I know there’s a lot about you that I don’t know and I’m not sure I want to.”

“Thank you, Tris. I really am sorry.”

Now, though, Tristan was watching her every movement.

“I’m fine Tris, really,” she lied.

“Don’t lie to me, Lily. What happened yesterday?”

Lily sighed lowered her eyes. She knew there was no point trying to lie to Tristan.

“Well, there’s this boy…”

“Oh God, not you, too,” Tristan groaned.

Lily’s eyes widened in surprise. “What are you talking about?”

“Lily, you’re not like these other girls. Please tell me you’re not starting to act like them.”

“No, no. Nothing like that. This boy is different, he’s beautiful. If you could see him, you would understand.”

“I highly doubt that. I don’t exactly spend my days comparing men.”

Lily smiled in agreement. “You’re probably right. I’m being stupid, aren’t I?” Lily turned to walk down the hall towards the classroom when something, no someone, slammed into her. The force of the impact caused Lily’s breath to whoosh out of her and knocked her off her feet. Lily closed her eyes and waited for the impact of the floor but it never came. Lily slowly opened her eyes and gasped. She was staring into the same chocolate eyes that found her by the lake yesterday.

“Are you ok? Did I hurt you?” came his rich alto.

“What? N..no. I’m ok.”

“Good.”

Lily vaguely realized that she was in his arms and against his chest. His body was like a steel cage, but his hold on her was gentle, soft. “Please don’t let him be able to hear my heartbeat,” Lily thought as her heart thrummed like a hummingbird. Try as she might, Lily couldn’t take her eyes off of his sweet face and beautiful lips, even when he relinquished his grip on her and stood her up. Lily swayed gently and the boy caught her around the waist.

“Maybe you should see the nurse. You might have a concussion or something.”

Lily still could not make her voice work. It sounded like Tristan was a distance when he shouted, “Lily? What’s wrong?”

Lily shook her head to clear it and tore her eyes away from the intent gaze of the boy. “No, I’m ok. Really.” Her voice was breathless and a little shaky.

“I think you should see the healer. You have a knot on your forehead.”

Lily began to protest because she didn’t remember hitting her head but stopped when she felt a sharp twang of pain come from the distinct lump on the top of her head.

“Ow.” Lily winced as the bump began to throb sharply.

“Ok, come on. I’ll take you to the healer,” Tristan began.

“No. I knocked her down, I’ll take her,” the boy interjected rather curtly.

“Really, I don’t need to see the nurse,” Lily protested, only partly in earnest.

The boy smiled widely at her causing her heartbeat to kick up another notch. “Not a chance. I don’t want you dying in your sleep because I gave you a concussion. Can you walk? Never mind, I’ll carry you.”

Lily was desperate to protest, but couldn’t exactly tell this beautiful boy that she was immortal and a concussion could no more kill her than a lightning strike. Lily sighed instead and allowed the boy to swing her easily his arms easily and walk down the hall. She glanced over his shoulder at a stunned Tristan and shrugged.

“Do you have a name?” he asked gently.

“Lily. How about you?”

“You can call me Rafe.”

“Rafe? That’s a strange name.”

“It’s a nickname.”

“Oh, well, then what’s your real name?”

Rafe shrugged and smiled at her. “I can’t tell you all my secrets at once or I won’t have anything to talk to you about when you go out with me,” he replied in a tone that told Lily he wasn’t expecting her to say no.

Lily was stunned into silence to Rafe’s great amusement. Lily could see a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his full lips.

“What makes you think I want to go out with you?” Lily demanded.

“Don’t you?” he asked with the air of someone talking to a small child.

Lily’s anger flared. However, something peculiar caught her attention. Over Rafe’s left shoulder something shimmered just on the edge of her vision. Lily shook her head and concentrated harder. At Rafe’s back was a great black shape, but trying to see it was like looking through one of those hideous frosted windows that humans seemed to love so much. Lily couldn’t make out exactly what was there, but whatever it was, it was moving along with them. Lily began to concentrate so hard that spots flooded her field of vision and she became dizzy with the effort. Her head lolled back and she felt herself go limp in his arms.

“Woah, easy now. You passin out on me?”

“No,” Lily whispered weakly. She didn’t dare say more for fear of losing her breakfast. “Do not throw up on him, do not throw up on him,” Lily repeated to herself in her mind. Because her eyes were closed she couldn’t see the grin that broke across Rafe’s face.

“We’re here,” Rafe whispered in her ear. Even through the sickly haze in her mind, Lily felt herself tremble at Rafe’s closeness and the warm smell of roses mixed with…geraniums? “Losing your mind, girl,” Lily chided herself silently.

Lily yelped when Rafe dumped her, rather unceremoniously, onto a cot. Lily looked up at the healer, a gray old woman who smelled of the various poultices that Lily could see lying about. Lily had never really liked the sharp, pungent smell of herbs and spices, preferring instead to surround herself with the smell of flowers.

“Tsk. What have you done now?” she jibed at Rafe.

Rafe’s brown eyes widened in feigned shock. “Why, I don’t know what you mean, Healer Clary.”

Healer Clary rolled her eyes at Rafe, a hint of a smile ghosting her face. “Fourth person this week you’ve brought me.”

Rafe beamed a bright smile at her. “I can’t help it if they all fall for me.”

“What a charmer,” Lily thought. “Glad I’m not the only one who acts like an idiot when he’s around.”

“Ok, what’s wrong Miss Fay?” the healer asked Lily gently.

“Uh, nothing, really. I’m fine.” Seeking to prove her point, Lily sat up. But when she looked at Rafe the shimmering began again and Lily involuntarily flopped back onto the pillow, her eyes squinting tightly shut.

“Lily? You aren’t leaving until you tell me what’s wrong.”

Lily groaned and again forced herself to not throw up in Rafe’s presence.

“I knocked her down in the hallway. I think she may have a concussion.”

Lily noticed the feigned look of concern and remorse on Rafe’s face. Lily didn’t believe for a moment that he was sorry. In fact, Lily was quite sure that he had hit her on purpose and that she hadn’t hit her head. What she couldn’t piece together is how he made her think that she did.

“Are you dizzy, Lily?” the healer implored.

“Yes,” Lily whispered weakly.

“Ok. I’ll be right back. Rafe please stay with her until I come back.”

Rafe nodded and sat down beside Lily on the bed.

“I’m sorry for trying to kill you. Can I make it up to you?”

Lily thought Rafe’s voice had changed, become deeper somehow.

“Please, you don’t care about me. You knocked me down on purpose. You put the bump on my head,” Lily accused scathingly.

“I did no such thing,” Rafe protested, but Lily could hear the smile in it.

“Just admit it and save us both the trouble.”

“Ok, fine, I did it. That doesn’t explain why you’re dizzy, though,” Rafe wondered.

Lily looked up at him, careful to not look over his shoulder. “You didn’t do that to me?”

“No. I just made you think you had a bump on your head. Getting to carry you was just a perk.”

Lily growled at him and pushed him away. “Why the hell would you do all of that?”

“So I had a reason to talk to you,” he replied in a tone that implied this should be obvious.

Lily’s retort stuck in her throat. She stared at him for a moment, her mouth agape before finally spitting, “You could have just said hello.”

Rafe smiled, the crooked grin that made Lily’s heart flutter, and said, “Would you have spoken back?”

Lily found that she felt compelled to tell him the truth. “No,” she muttered.

“Ok. So this broke the ice,” he stated matter-of-factly, “But none of this tells me why you’re dizzy.”

Lily shook her head. She couldn’t lie to him but she could just remain silent. Lily met his gaze defiantly and clamped her mouth shut.

Rafe smiled again and whispered, “That’s ok, Angel. Keep your secrets. Just gives me more reason to want to take you out.”

“Angel?” was the only reply Lily could muster. “My name is Lily.”

Rafe shrugged as if this fact weren’t important and leaned into her. “I like angel better.”

The smell of roses again assaulted Lily’s senses. This coupled with the fact that Rafe’s beautiful pout was mere centimeters from her own caused Lily to inhale deeply. Lily tried to tear her eyes from his lips but found herself inching forward instead. She was close enough to feel his sweet breath brush over her cheeks and see his lips part ever so slightly.

“Ok, Lily, I want you to drink this,” Healer Clary interjected.

Lily jumped at the sound of the healer’s voice and pushed Rafe off the bed.

“Yes, Healer,” Lily choked. The healer handed her a cup full of a golden colored mixture. Lily brought the cup to her lips and drank it all in one gulp, terrified that if she pulled the cup away her trembling hands might drop it. The potion tasted faintly of buttercup and warmed Lily from the inside out. Instantly, Lily felt calm and her eyelids began to droop.

“It’s time for you to go, Rafe. Lily needs to rest,” Healer Clary chastised as she shooed Rafe towards the door.

Rafe waved at Lily from the door and for just a split second before sleep overtook her Lily saw wings