The House of Grey- Volume 4 (39 page)

“It
’
s not your fault.”

Marie touched Monson’s scarred face
and
lovingly
wiped
away
his tears like a mother would a child.

Monson felt incline
d
to speak
,
even to give him
self
a moment’s
distraction
. “
You don
’
t know that! What other conclusion is there? How could I not be responsible?
”

“Because you are the hero
,
Monson Grey. My master believes it
.
Y
ou are the one
who
will save us all
. From what, I do not know, but you are the hero of this story. Of that I am sure.
” She slowly pulled Monson to his feet
and gently brushed off his clothes.
T
hen
, she
slapped him across the face. “You are the hero! Act like it.”

His cheek burned, but it was not unpleasant. Instinctively,
Monson straightened up. Marie smiled and hugged him.

“That
’
s better.” 

More time passed as Grayson and Marie busied themselves in the clearing
in an attempt to
“record” the rune.
Grayson
took many pictures
of Monson,
making sure to get multiple shots from different angles. Monson stood placidly and prayed that this area was as deserted as Grayson
had
described earlier. Grayson finished up
and
gestured to the other
s.
T
hey started to make their way out of the trees.

Monson lingered before moving on
,
attempting to block the feelings that bubbled
beneath
the surface. A
murderous demon
or a hero? Could he be both? Now, more than ever
,
he had to find out.

“We never did get around to messing around with that glove
,
”
observed
Monson as they made their way out of the tree
s,
pausing periodically as Grayson navigated the brush
.

“I feel like we
’
ve
moved
closer to the truth
,
though
,
” said Grayson
.
“
N
ow if
only
we could have you consciously access your power again
,
we could put this
Scripting
‘
rune
’
theory to
the
test.”

“Yeah
,
I guess we’ll have to wait on that one
,
” Monson
replied dully.

Grayson paused and seemed to be searching for words
.
“
Marie wasn’t lying, you know—y
ou are the hero
,
Monson. I know you are
.
R
emember that.”

Monson forced a smile. “Thanks Grayson.”

Grayson gave him a small smack on the lower back and then said
in
an attempt to return to normal conversation, “
Why
don’t you hang on
to
this
.
”
H
e tossed Monson the chain
mail glove.

“Why
?
” Monson fingered the glove
.
“
D
o you really think it
’
s a good idea for me to have this?”

“Maybe it will jog some memories
,
” said Grayson with a shrug
.
“
F
or some reason I suddenly feel like it belongs to you
.
”

“Thanks
,
” replied Monson as he turned his attention to the glove. He ran his hands down the guard with its
indentation
and symbols. It was then that he noticed something.

“Grayson
,
” Monson stopped and propped
up
the glove so Grayson could get a good look. “Isn’t this the symbol for lighting you showed me earlier?”

“Yes it is
.
”

“Interesting
.
” Monson
traced the outline of the symbol.
“What do you suppose
it
does?”

“I was hoping you could tell me that
.
”

“Oh
.
”They again lapsed into silence as the three continue
d
along the rock
path
near the old dormitor
y
. It was getting dark, the
occasional
burst
s
of sunshine
subsiding
as dark clouds blanket
ed
the area with gl
oo
m. Maybe it was the bleak atmosphere
,
but Monson
found
his senses slightly heighten
ed
as
he was overcome by
a strong feeling of impending danger. 

“Wait
!
”
He
motioned to Marie and Grayson to stop
as a
strange shiver
made
its way up his spine.

“
Monson
do not
move!”
commanded the voice of Dawn
at
the
front
of his mind
.

“
Where have you been
?”
Monson felt relief as Dawn’s voice assaulted him.

“What was that
,
Monson?” Marie shouted over a shoulder.

“I have always been here
,
”
answered Dawn angrily
.

“Then why didn’t you help me earlier?”

“
I will explain later
.
”
Dawn was almost shouting
.
“
But for right now just listen to me and tell the others to remain still.
”

“But why do they—
”

“
DO IT Monson Grey; no arguments
!
”

Monson did
so,
and though he received startled and confused looks from his two companions
,
they
complied
immediately.

“
OK,
now what
?
”
asked
Monson
.

“Something very dangerous is near
,
something unnatural and foreign
.”

“What
is it?
”

“I
cannot
explain as I
do not
know for sure, but something does not feel right. Monson
,
where are we? What is this place
?"

Monson started to answer but Dawn cut him off instantly.

“
W
ait
,
never
mind.
Right now
move
the other two as close to you as possible. I
a
m shielding your presence from whatever it is that is awakening but I
do not
know what will happen if
your companions stray too
far.”

Monson turned towards the other two
,
telling them that Dawn had contacted him and that they were in some
kind
of danger.

“What do we do?” Grayson
asked.

“Stay close to me
,
”
answered Monson
.
“
T
ry not to make any noise
.
”

***

“What was that all about
?
” blurted out Grayson as they
crossed
the threshold of Monson’s apartment. 

“I don’t really know
.
” Monson pointed to his head
,
indicating Dawn
.
“
H
e just said that he sensed
something
very dangerous was near and that we need
ed
to leave
.
”

“Do you think there are other magic users in the school?” asked Marie
.
“
O
nes you
do not
know about?”

Monson sat in one of his large leather chairs. “What do you mean
,
‘
ones
you
don’t know about?
’
Are there ones I
should
know about?
”

Marie gestured before she answered
,
indicating her desire to busy herself in the kitchenette. Monson nodded in approval. She retrieved some
bottled
water
s
from the icebox and passed them around. “Aren’t your friends magic users?
”

Monson felt the abrupt and overwhelming desire to punch
himself
in the face. He was a moron, a
giant moron
.
Of course
his
friend
s
had used magic, inadvertently or not;
that
was
the only way they could have done some of the amazing things they did. Why had he not thought of it before?

Maybe because the idea that
magic
actually exists was new to him. And totally insane–even with all that had happened, he was still having problems really believing. Strange.

Grayson rolled his chair to the far side of the room. “I wouldn’t think about it too much. It doesn’t necessarily mean anything
.
”

“How do you figure
?
”
asked
Monson
.

“Very simple
,
”
said Grayson
.
“
J
ust remember what Dawn said
,
anyone can use magic given the right mind
-
set.”

“So you think
the fact that there is something dangerous enough out there to seriously alarm Dawn and the fact that I’m supposed to be some sort of destined savior
are unrelated?”

“I don’t know for sure. But as far as I can tell
,
the
re
isn’t anything to indicate others
here at Coren
beside the Being of
Seven
Bloods, which is you
.  A
nd it would be quite the coincidence
for another magic user to end up here as well. We
’
ll know more after I report in to my handler at H.U.M.A.N.E.
”

“You
’
re probably right
,
” said Monson
,
and in a way
,
he was relieved
.
H
e did not know what the future held but at least he could expect his friends to remain safe. If they were not
true magic users and therefore not mixed up in all the magic stuff,
and
if they remained clear of
him, then
maybe
he could keep them out of whatever craziness he was involved in. A dim hope
,
yes, but the only one he had right now.

Still, Artorius and Casey’s amazing feats came jumping to his mind: flash fist, getting hit by a car with no perceivable injury, unnatural speed and strength….

Monson cleared it all away. The implications were too much.