Fina froze as she heard the scream. She pressed the lower lift button and rushed out of the lift.
She ran out of the castle but Bryce Parker wasn't there anymore.
The glass walls began to lit as people began to wake so she ran out of the castle, straight to the Recording Hall.
It was a very narrow escape though she doesn't know who it might be.
Fina knew in her heart she could be framed for what she didn't do.
She opened the Recording Hall and shut it close.
It was extremely busy, writing everything down.
She walked to the golden quill and took it.
Something appeared in her mind.
Then, she wrote -
Fina Clark.
The golden ink vanished and Fina awaited with bated breath to its answer.
Then, something appeared in red fury ink.
"Time of death - NINETY SIX hours"
A cold wind breezed into her bones and she shivered.
Her death have already been recorded.
The banshee was a white one.
The scream wasn't for just anyone.
The scream was for her.
The red ink disappeared in a trail of smoke.
Ninety six hours. Ninety six hours to live. She doesn't even have her wand. Ninety six. No. Ninety five hours fifty nine minutes"
She couldn't even pick the quill to write Jessica's name again.
Fina was devastated and crushed.
She was going to die after all.
Roslyn face flashed in front of her and she fell to her knees.
She hadn't been that scared when Zo had the dream. But seeing it recorded brings everything into sharpened focus.
She swallowed painfully.
Death is better for her. Choose wisely. Does a person choose death?
Her parents. Her brothers. Zo. Talon. Shelly. Her.
Fina didn't know how much time she used in the Recording Hall while trying to accept her own death.
Do you even accept your own death?
Her mind was gone. Far away gone.
She shouldn't have come to Elfina.
She shouldn't have been curious about anything.
She shouldn't have had that dream.
She sat on the floor, her cheeks on her knees, until the sun rose.
She was certain Zo was already panicking right now.
Recordings went on around her while she looked on, defeated.
Having a choice. Having no choice.
Both.
If she was going to die, at least she would like to end her curiosity on this game.
She sneaked out of the hall and out of the castle to the sound of students shouting.
"What's going on?" Fina asked
Lois and Lulu turned to her.
"Shelly Jefferson and Jessica Young are fighting" They answered in unison.
Fina's eyes widened and she pushed past the students to see.
Shelly and Jessica's was covered in their own blood.
Jessica made a move to hit Shelly but Shelly was quick. She hit Jessica straight on the face.
The sound of something crushed was heard.
Students rushed out of the castle to see, not stop the fight.
As Jessica made a move again, Fina stop them both with her hands.
"Are you crazy? This isn't a school for kids" Fina shouted at them both.
"What? You are going to be the hero now? You are the hero" Jessica said and clapped her hands together mockingly.
Fina turned to her.
"One of us have to pretend to be smart when everyone can only watch as if this is a game!"
All the teachers were out of the castle.
Fina glared at Jessica and stepped away to meet a shaking Zo.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Mr Wright shouted.
"A junior and an intermediate. Splendid" Zedler said as she stroked her cat, extremely amused.
"To the punishment room. Now!" Mr Sanders shouted angrily.
Shelly glanced at Fina as if gauging her reaction to everything.
Fina gave a little nod and Shelly smiled, then looked away.
The crowds dispersed except Nancy and her friends, and the Aces.
Ozias ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.
"So, one of you finally got into trouble. How cool is that?" Nancy said, leaning forward.
Zo hit her square on the nose it took a second for Nancy to even realize.
"How dare you? I am definitely going to report!" Nancy screamed and stomped off with her friends.
"What? I don't care! She definitely deserves it!" Zo shouted, turning to Fina.
Fina knew something was wrong. Zo doesn't shout at all.
Tyrell stepped forward and she shook her head.
"Zo. Let's go in" Fina said calmly.
Zo glared so hard at where Nancy Miller had just left then turned her glare at Fina.
"Where were you?" She said and stomped off.
Fina sighed and ran after her, not even bothering to look back.
"Zo! Wait!"
She didn't wait until they got to their room, even shutting the elevator's door.
"I couldn't find you! I was worried! I thought you were gone! I couldn't sleep either so I went to Potion class. I just wanted to do something. Anything. To make this stop! You know what I found? The pills Anne gave Tyrell was made from Ivy! Someone is using the flower to kill. Someone want Talon and Xavier gone and you left without telling me! Where were you?!"
"I was at the Recording Hall"
"I was worried when I heard the banshee cry. I thought it was you!"
"I know"
Fina embraced her.
"It's going to be okay, Zo"
"Shelly and Jessica fought because Jessica insulted her. I knew they'll still beat each other up. The tension was always thick when they were together"
"There's something you'd to know"
"What?" Zo said, looking up to her.
Fina explained what Ozias told her and her meeting with Bryce.
"So, who should we trust?" Zo asked "If Xiana was dating Tyrell before they entered Elfina, who's telling the truth?"
"That's the difficult part. The time intervals"
"Are we doubting Tyrell for nothing? And what does Bryce meant by… I'm hungry"
Fina went to the bathroom to wash up and get dressed.
She was dressed in a white shirt tucked in a white short with a white belt and pink. Her hair in a ponytail.
Fina went to her magic box, opened it and rummaged through it, searching for her locket.
She had taken it off five months ago.
The locket never opened and Emma had said she was born with it.
She put on the locket, took the ring fron the pocket of the dress she has taken off and kept it inside the pocket of the clothe she was wearing.
Then, she made her way out of the room.