The Bright Court

CHAPTER ONE

Tam walked the crowded halls of Crestview High, feeling like an imposter in his own skin. Everything was different, but it was an invisible change - like his brain had been taken out and refolded into a new shape, then stuck back inside the same old packaging.

Being in a coma would do that.

Not to mention being held as a sacrifice by the faeries of the Dark Court, an experience so outside of normal that it still seemed like a fever-dream. But it had happened.

After that, going back to school was so ordinary it was surreal. Other students brushed past, bits of their conversation floating like mist in the air. Nothing felt solid - until he caught sight of a girl with pale blond hair moving toward him against the tide. Jennet Carter. The one person who knew everything he’d been through.

His world clicked into place.

“Tam,” she said, giving him a warm smile. “It’s great to see you back on your feet.”

She reached out like she was going to hug him, and he did a quick side-step. Not that he didn’t want her to touch him - a part of him did. But they were friends, against all odds, and that was enough. It had to be.

He tried not to notice her high-end clothing, the perfect sheen of her hair, the expensive tablet peeking out of her bag. Especially tried to ignore the wrist-chip implant that proved she was one of the elite. Jennet had everything going for her, while he…

He glanced down at his worn jeans with the frayed knee, his battered shoes with cracks in the sole. He had a falling-apart family, in a falling-apart house, in the most falling-apart neighborhood in Crestview.

They had nothing in common, except a love of sim gaming - and nearly dying in the Realm of Faerie.

He took a quick look around to make sure no one was listening. “We need to talk, soon. About Feyland.”

She nodded, her smile fading. The bell blared, the harsh, metallic sound startling through him. Welcome back to the real world.

“Let’s talk at lunch.” She stepped forward. “Come on - we don’t want to be late to World History. Ms. Lewis might frown at you.”

“Oh yeah, scary.” The teacher was notoriously soft.

He followed her down the hall, stumbling briefly as a wave of dizziness washed over him.

“Are you sure you’re ready to be back in school?” She slowed, her eyes concerned.

“The med techs said I was in decent shape,” he said, evading her question. “Besides, I’ve been gone too many weeks already. If I miss any more school, I’ll have to repeat the year.”

No way did he want to do extra time at Crestview High. Though maybe it didn’t matter - not with the dark creatures of Feyland trying to break through into the mortal world. Who knew if there would even be a next year?

“If you say so.” Her voice softened. “I was worried about you.”

He shot her a sideways glance. “You visited me practically every day in the hospital.”

And, weirdly, visited his dreams as well. Did she share those hyper-real visions? Tam felt his cheeks heating, and dipped his head, his hair falling over his eyes. So, he’d imagined kissing Jennet. In dreams. Not real, and he’d better not start thinking they were.

“Seeing you in the hospital…” Jennet’s voice was unsteady. She cleared her throat. “Anyway, you’re up and walking and, well, you’re you again.”

He wasn’t so sure, but there didn’t seem to be words to explain. And even if there were, Ms. Lewis’s classroom wasn’t the place to go all emo.

“Mr. Linn!” The teacher clasped her hands together and smiled at him as he took his seat. “How wonderful to see you.”

He mumbled a greeting, then pulled out his battered school tablet. Luckily, Ms. Lewis’s attention was diverted today. She kept glancing at a tall, unfamiliar boy seated in the front row. As soon as the second bell rang, she held up one hand.

“Class - attention, class! I’m pleased to announce we have a new student here at Crestview High. Mr. Royal Lassiter - oh, do stand up, Roy.” She beamed at the new boy. “Tell us a bit about yourself.”

An introduction speech. Really? Tam shot a look at Jennet, who raised her eyebrows. Crestview never bothered with things like that. At least, they never had in the past.

The new student stood and turned to face the class. All the girls drew in their breaths, and Tam squinted, trying to see the appeal. Despite his expensively rumpled clothes, Roy Lassiter didn’t seem all that special. Reddish-brown hair, angular nose, chin a bit on the weak side. An easy grin lay on his face, but his dark eyes were calculating.

Something glinted at his wrist - a chip implant. He was one of the company kids who lived up at The View. One of the privileged ones, like Jennet.

“Hey, everybody,” Roy said. His voice had an odd, hollow timbre. “I know I’m happy to be here, and that I’ll make a lot of new friends. Crestview seems pretty sparked. So come up and say hi after class, right?”

He sat down, and the class applauded. Applauded? Tam shook his head. That was the weakest speech he had ever heard - plus Roy hadn’t said anything real about himself. But for some reason everyone was smiling and nodding.

Everyone but Jennet. She had her head down and was scribbling something on her tablet. A second later, the corner of his screen lit up with a private message. He glanced at the front of the classroom, to make sure Ms. Lewis wasn’t watching, then clicked the message open.

Roy Lassiter = son of VirtuMax CEO.

Great. Unease shivered down his spine. The new student was hooked into VirtuMax, the company Jennet’s dad worked for. The company that was developing the immersive sim game of Feyland. The game that had nearly killed him.

***

“Sorry I’m late.” Jennet slid her lunch tray onto the table across from Tam. She glanced at the front of the cafeteria, where Roy Lassiter was holding court. “Our dear new student is in my Lit class, and it took forever to get out of there. You’d think the world revolved around him.”

Tam shook his head, his brown hair, as usual, falling over his eyes. Just once, she wished she could brush it back for him - but she could feel him prickle any time she got too close. She let out a soundless sigh. Maybe he just needed time to re-adapt to the real world.

“Well, look who’s finally in school again,” their friend Marny said, walking up with her lunch. “Welcome back, Tam. Not that Crestview High is anything to celebrate.”

He nodded. “It’s still better than a hospital bed. And the food here is marginally more edible.”

“Hey, Marny,” Jennet said, scooting over to make room.

Marny sat beside her, and Jennet noticed that she shifted until she had a clear view of Crestview’s newest student.

“At least there’s something interesting going on,” Marny said. “Roy Lassiter is in two of my classes. Isn’t that great?”

Tam laughed, then stopped when Marny didn’t join him. “Wait. You’re joking, right?”

“No.” She sounded distinctly unamused.

Jennet looked at her. “You’re glad that he’s in two of your classes?”

“I wish it were more.” Marny rested her chin in her hand. “Roy Lassiter is flawless.”

“What?” Surprise made Jennet’s voice higher than usual. She glanced at Tam, to see the same confusion on his face.

Marny wasn’t one to follow the crowd. She was unapologetic about who she was - big and smart and completely blunt in expressing her thoughts. The kind of person who would deliberately turn around to swim against the tide, rather than be carried along by the current.

“Roy Lassiter. Have you ever seen hair that color?” Marny’s voice was dreamy - shockingly different from her usual no-nonsense tone.

“You mean, brown?” Tam asked. He waved his hand in front of her eyes. “Wake up, Marny. He’s just average-looking. What’s wrong with you?”

“It’s ok to be jealous,” Marny said. “I’m sure all the guys are - how could you not be?”

Jennet traded a worried look with Tam. The bite of roll she’d taken was suddenly too dry, and she washed it down with a long swallow of water.

“So,” Tam said, turning to her, “the new student is a Viewer? Have you seen him up there at the company compound?”

“No, but I’ve been,” - mad with worry for you - “a little busy, you know.” She’d spent every hour she could with Tam in the hospital, whether he was conscious or not. “My dad said the CEO had finally moved in, and her son was my age. I didn’t think much about it.” Clearly, she should have.

“Ask your dad more,” Tam said, an edge in his voice.

“Oh, yes.” Marny turned her usually sharp brown eyes on Jennet. The lack of focus in her expression was unsettling. “I want to know everything about Mister Royal Lassiter.” She said his name like it was made of candy.

“You and the rest of the school,” Jennet said. “Maybe I could sell his personal info and make a fortune.”

“Maybe.” Tam folded his arms. “I won’t be buying.”

“You don’t look good in jealousy, Tam,” Marny said. Then her expression sharpened. “In fact, you don’t look good, period. Go home and get some rest.”

“What are you, my manager?” Despite the sharp words, there was warmth in his voice.

“She’s right,” Jennet said. From what she could see of his green eyes behind the scrim of his hair, he looked exhausted. He’d lost weight in the hospital, and with a lean build to begin with, he was on the edge of gaunt. “I can get George to drive you home after school, if you want.”

The chauffeur wouldn’t mind - he’d taken Tam into the Exe before, even at night, when it was most dangerous. But as she knew he would, Tam shook his head.

“Nah, I’m good.”

“I’ll walk partway with him,” Marny said, glancing at Jennet.

“Girls.” Tam rolled his eyes.

“Your job is to get completely better,” Jennet said. “I’ll find out… whatever.”

She looked again to the front of the cafeteria. It was weird, how quickly Roy had made friends - especially with that wrist-chip. In her experience, Viewers were treated with wary suspicion. She still got the cold shoulder most of the time.

So why was the whole school in love with Roy Lassiter?