Page 14 of The First Trial
Ugh. I hated when she got all ominous and vague. It could have been as simple as a Coven dispute, or as bad as the end of the world, but she would always act like it was the latter.
‘What is it?’ I prompted.
‘A disease.’
Okay… so it could be like a common cold, or it could be worse. I still needed more information, Mother.
‘What disease?’
Her lips pursed into a thinner line, turning white with the pressure. ‘It is… unidentified. The likes of which we have never encountered before.’
‘How bad is it?’ I asked, dreading the answer. She wouldn’t be contacting me if it weren’t life-threatening.
‘Those who have been infected are… not themselves. They have become aggressive, and in some cases, cannibalistic.’
I choked on my next breath. ‘I’m sorry, what? You’re telling me we’ve got azombieoutbreak?’
She huffed, but didn’t deny it, and fear shot through my veins like ice. ‘I wouldn’t use that terminology. They appear to be alive,not undead, but it is similar, yes. It is contagious and can be spread through a bite.’
My mind reeled. ‘Wha… How…?’
‘We are unsure how or where the contagion appeared, but it is magical in essence, and seems to be attracted to the magic in us. Juniper, I called to warn you. The spread is small and contained for now, but there is no guarantee it will remain that way. We have been unable to identify patient zero.’
Holy shit…
‘Is it on campus?’ I asked, and my voice wavered. Normally, Mother would have homed in on the weakness and stamped it out, but her fear was great enough that she ignored it. That did not fill me with confidence.
‘Not according to Dean Winters. He will be informing the staff of the potential threat, but students are to remain ignorant of the matter. Do you understand, Juniper? You must not speak of it to anyone.’
‘Why? Shouldn’t weallbe informed?’
‘If it gets to that point, we’ll regroup and go from there, but the most important thing right now is to avoid mass panic. Juniper, I’m only telling you this because you’re my daughter, and I know I can trust you. Thismuststay between us for now.’
My shoulders slumped, though the movement was awkward with the tension tightly coiled around my muscles. ‘Okay, Mother. I won’t tell anyone.’Except Oz.
‘Good,’ she said, and dipped her chin to acknowledge that her trust in me was well placed. ‘Now, there are a few things you need to look out for. The infection starts slow. Black veins. Bloodshot eyes that drain of colour before seeping black tears. Unusually aggressive temperament. And when the infection fully sets in, there is an insatiable hunger that doesn’t appear to abate. If you see someone with any of these symptoms, run away. Do you hear me, Juniper? Ido notwant you to engage.’
I clasped my hands together to hide the trembling. ‘Yes, Mother.’
‘Now, regarding your current situation. Technology is cut off, and the only method of communication that works is scrying. Carry a mirror with you at all times.’
‘I already have one in my purse, Mother. Don’t worry.’
Her expression softened for a brief moment. ‘You’re my daughter, Juniper. I always worry.’
Uncomfortable with the sudden maternal shift since that was never really our dynamic, I decided to change to subject. ‘Do you have any more information about what’s happening here? We’ve not been told much, other than to stay back and let the grownups investigate.’
She chuckled, the sound simultaneously warm and cold. I didn’t think there was anything my mother could do that wasn’t underlined with ice. It wasn’t that she didn’t care. She was a protector at heart, and keeping her loved ones safe was her love language. Most of the time, to an outsider, it would come off as cruel or callous, but she was gooey on the inside.
Once you managed to chip away all those barriers.
‘I have no information regarding the academy. I will let you know as soon as I have something, though. I promise.’
I exhaled slowly. No news was good news, right? If only my gut agreed…
Something grabbed Mother’s attention, and her head twitched to the side as if she were listening to someone talk. She waved whoever it was away and refocused on me. ‘I must go now, Juniper. I shall speak with you soon. Be safe.’
Her image shimmered out of existence, and I was once again looking at my own face.
