HEROES III

Morning sunlight streamed through the large windows of Madam Seraphine's mansion. The room was quiet except for the occasional rustling of clothes and the soft hum of the air conditioning. On the bed lay T.L. Still unconscious. Around her sat Sophie, Nonke, Gabriel, Bianca, and Guen. Nobody had left her side. Not after what happened with the strange LATOT books. Sophie sat closest to her, occasionally glancing toward T.L. with concern. Bianca was pacing. Gabriel leaned against the wall. Nonke sat in a chair with his arms folded. Guen was lying upside down on another chair for absolutely no reason. Then suddenly— T.L.'s fingers twitched. Sophie immediately noticed. "Guys." Everyone looked over. T.L.'s eyes slowly opened. The room instantly came alive. "T.L.!" Sophie rushed forward. T.L. blinked several times before sitting up slowly. Her head hurt. Everything felt blurry. She looked around the room. Then at everyone staring at her. Then sighed. "I fainted again... didn't I?" Sophie laughed softly. "You did." Before T.L. could react, Sophie wrapped her arms around her in a relieved hug. T.L. smiled weakly. "I'm okay..." Nonke leaned forward. "It seems to happen every time you touch those books." T.L. looked at him. "What books?" "The ones that appeared here." Gabriel nodded. "The LATOT books." T.L. frowned. Sophie answered. "They were called LATOT Fourth Division and LATOT Fifth Division." T.L.'s expression became confused. Sophie continued. "And the first books you touched back at Heroes Academy were LATOT Second Division and LATOT Third Division." T.L. stared. "Wait..." She looked between them. "You're telling me there are multiple books?" "Apparently," Bianca replied. She walked closer and sat beside T.L. "So do you know anything about this?" T.L. looked confused. "About what?" "The books." Bianca studied her carefully. "Why they're connected to you." "Why they keep appearing around you." "Why you keep passing out." "Anything." The room became quiet. T.L. lowered her gaze. "I..." She shook her head. "I don't know." Gabriel sighed. "T.L." She looked up. "We're trying to help you." His voice wasn't angry. Just concerned. "But we can't help if you don't help us." T.L. looked genuinely frustrated now. "I don't know anything." She threw her hands up. "I don't know why these books keep showing up." "I don't know why I faint." "I don't know why they react to me." "I don't know anything." Nobody spoke. Because she sounded honest. Guen suddenly sat upright. "The weirdest part wasn't even that." Everyone looked at her. "The books disappeared." T.L. blinked. "They what?" Guen nodded dramatically. "Madam Seraphine was literally reaching for them." She demonstrated with her hand. "Like this." "Then poof." She snapped her fingers. "Gone." Bianca nodded. "Like they had completed some mission." T.L.'s confusion deepened. "They disappeared?" Gabriel nodded. "Completely." T.L. stared at the floor. The more she learned, the less anything made sense. After a while Gabriel spoke again. "T.L." She looked up. "Do you have any family?" The question caught her off guard. "My family?" Gabriel nodded. "Parents." "Relatives." "Anybody." T.L. went quiet. A painful silence filled the room. Eventually she spoke. "No." Everyone listened. "Well..." She swallowed. "I had Ava and James." A small smile appeared. "My best friends." She paused. "And Clarence too." Her smile faded. "Back at Heroes Academy." Nobody interrupted. Then she looked away. "My parents?" Another pause. "I don't know." She shrugged weakly. "I think they're dead." The room became silent. Nonke frowned. "What if they're not?" T.L. immediately shook her head. "No." Everyone looked at her. Her voice became quieter. "It would be easier if they were dead." Nobody expected that answer. T.L. continued. "Because if they're alive..." Her eyes lowered. "...then they left me." Nobody moved. "They dumped me in an orphanage full of gifted children." Her voice cracked slightly. "And never came back." The room felt heavier. Sophie slowly moved closer. "Oh, T.L..." She gently placed a hand on T.L.'s shoulder. Gabriel looked guilty for asking. "I'm sorry." T.L. shook her head. "Don't be." But the sadness remained. For several moments nobody spoke. Then— The bedroom door suddenly burst open. Madam Seraphine entered energetically. "Good news!" Everyone looked up. Madam Seraphine spread her arms dramatically. "We've been invited to a special party!" Silence. She blinked. Nobody reacted. Everyone was sitting around looking sad. Madam Seraphine frowned. "...Did somebody die?" Her eyes landed on T.L. Then she smiled. "Oh." "You're awake." T.L. nodded. "Madam Seraphine." Madam Seraphine clapped her hands. "Excellent." She pointed dramatically. "Now let me repeat myself." "We are going to a party tomorrow." Nobody reacted. Madam Seraphine sighed. "Tough crowd." She continued anyway. "And this party could bring me some very important business connections." Nonke immediately sat upright. "Wait." His eyes widened. "Does that mean..." Madam Seraphine smiled. "Yes." Nonke nearly jumped off his chair. "DOES THAT MEAN I'M FINALLY GETTING MY OWN HEAD GEAR?" Madam Seraphine laughed. "That's exactly what it means." Nonke threw both fists into the air. "WOOHOO!" Gabriel laughed. Bianca rolled her eyes. Sophie immediately stood up. "I have to try my dress on." Bianca jumped up too. "Me too." She spun dramatically. "I'm going to sparkle." T.L. managed a small laugh. Then her smile slowly faded. "A party..." Her mind drifted elsewhere. Back to Heroes Academy. Back to that night. The music. The lights. The humiliation. Ava and James walking away from her because of Merson's orders. The feeling of being abandoned. The tears. The loneliness. And now... Another party. T.L. lowered her gaze. "I don't think I'm really up for a party." The room quieted. Sophie immediately noticed. She walked over and sat beside her. Then gently placed a hand on T.L.'s shoulder. "I don't know what happened to you at Heroes Academy." T.L. looked up. Sophie smiled warmly. "But I do know something." "What?" Sophie squeezed her shoulder. "We will never leave you." T.L.'s eyes widened slightly. "Ever." Bianca nodded. "Never." Gabriel nodded too. "Not happening." Nonke pointed dramatically. "You are stuck with us." Guen grinned. "Forever." For the first time all day— T.L. smiled. A real smile. Sophie immediately pointed toward the door. "Good." Then she stood up. "Now get your candid ass out of that bed." T.L. blinked. "What?" "We're going shopping." T.L. laughed. "I don't even have flashy party clothes." Madam Seraphine smiled knowingly and quietly left the room. Sophie smirked. "Who said you need flashy?" Bianca grinned. "Oh, she's cooking." Gabriel backed away. "Whenever Sophie says that, someone ends up wearing something embarrassing." "HEY!" Everyone laughed. And for the first time since arriving at the mansion— T.L. felt like she belonged somewhere. Even if only for a moment.