The Society of Imaginary Friends

“Is she awake yet?” Valerie heard Cyrus ask.

“Not yet,” Dulcea said, sounding worried and exhausted. “But I think she’s stirring.”

Not yet ready to face the waking world, Valerie reached for unconsciousness, hoping for the relief of oblivion for a little longer. But no such luck. With every passing second, she became more and more awake as the pain radiating through her body refused to let her slip away. She struggled to open her eyes, which were swollen. Her entire face must be twice its normal size.

When she opened her eyes part way, the world was hazy, as if everything was slightly out of focus. She was in a long room filled with beds, reminding her of the Oakland Children’s Hospital, but without the insistent beeping of machines. She had never been so tired and beaten down in her life. This was even worse than the many times she had awakened, weak and alone, after one of her fainting episodes back on Earth. Her eyes filled with tears as she remembered Dr. Freeman’s calm voice telling her that everything would be okay. A tear slid free of her lashes.

Cyrus hurried to her side. “Finally! You scared us. You’ve been out for more than a day.”

Dulcea bent down to briefly cup Valerie’s face, her wide eyes filled with worry. “We were scared Sanguina put you under some kind of spell to make you sleep.”

“I knew you guys shouldn’t have gone without me!” Kanti said indignantly. Valerie assumed she was the blurry shape sitting on the end of the bed. “I would have been on the lookout and none of this would have happened.”

The weight that lay heavy on her heart lifted a little. It was nice to awaken from unconsciousness surrounded by friends instead of machines. She tried to tell them she was glad that they were there, but the insides of her mouth were so bruised and swollen that the effort made her wince. Hadn’t they heard of pain medication on the Globe yet?

“Don’t try to talk until you’re healed,” Cyrus said, bending close.

The smell of lilies filled the room, and Valerie heard the gentle clop of Azra’s hooves against the floor. I am so sorry that this has happened to you. But you’ll feel better soon; I’m here to heal you. I couldn’t do it until you were conscious again. Then she turned to a shadowy figure standing at the edge of the room. Oberon, you know what to do.

Oberon stepped forward, his eyes staring blankly at a spot above Valerie’s head. When she’d first tripped over him on the street, she hadn’t realized how tall he was. Now looming over her, his presence was overpowering, and she shrank away from him. Azra lowered her head, and Oberon touched her mane, reaching for her horn. When he found it, he said some words in a strange language. Azra’s horn vibrated, and the hum of magic filled the room. Then he grasped the horn and pulled it free from Azra’s forehead, leaving no mark behind. Valerie was horrified. Why was no one stopping him?

“Get away from her!” Valerie said, her mouth filling with blood. She struggled to sit up, but Cyrus held her back.

“Don’t hurt yourself! It’s okay, that’s supposed to happen,” Cyrus explained.

Don’t be afraid. I’m not hurt, Azra said, and her soothing voice in Valerie’s mind calmed her. My healing power is in my horn, but I need help to call it forth. Oberon has aided me many times. He’s a friend.

In Oberon’s hand, the horn was like a cone-shaped cup, completely hollow inside. Valerie watched, mystified, as he held Azra’s horn in one hand and held his other hand open above the opening. The room hummed with magic, and condensation formed on his palm. The droplets of water increased in number, creating a pool of water that he channeled down his finger and into the empty horn.

“Here,” Oberon said gruffly, and held out the horn. Dulcea took it and gently put it to Valerie’s lips.

It’s okay. Let us help you.

Valerie shut her eyes and sipped the warm, sweet liquid. Like when Darling had healed her after her fight with Shade and his gang, warmth spread through her body, and her pain eased, leaving only a dull ache behind. Dulcea gave the horn to Oberon, who gently placed it back on Azra’s forehead. A shudder passed through Azra’s body, and she sighed softly as if it were a relief to be whole again.

I’m sorry. I can’t completely erase your pain the way Darling can. But I hope I have brought you some relief. Thank you, Oberon.

He nodded in acknowledgment. “You know where I am if you need me,” he said, and then left without another word.

“I gotta ask—why do you trust that guy?” Cyrus asked Azra. “We know there’s a spy in Arden, watching the Knights and who knows what else. What if it’s Oberon? It wouldn’t be the first time that he’s spied on us for the Fractus.”

Azra’s gentle eyes became stern. It’s true; his past is dark. But he’s a changed man.

“How do you know?” Kanti asked.

Because I witnessed his change. He was never cruel or evil, only proud. And that pride made him believe that his immense powers entitled him to rule over others. But then, he fell in love with a woman, a Master of the Guardians, and she taught him to embrace justice. She’s gone now, but for her sake, I know that he would never betray her ideals.

“That’s so sad, but beautiful,” Dulcea said softly.

“I hope you’re right about him,” Kanti added.

If he were going to betray us, he would have done it long ago, when the Fractus captured him and tortured him to discover what secrets he had learned from the Guardians. What he endured in order to protect those secrets is unspeakable. Even after they blinded him, he didn’t give in.

“Poor Oberon. Now he’s free, but he’s blind and alone, without his love to comfort him,” Dulcea said with tears in her eyes.

Valerie’s heart softened toward him. Oberon had known what it was to be truly alone, just as she did. Even Kanti’s eyes were a little watery.

But Cyrus shifted impatiently, bored. “Enough about him, I want to tell Val what happened after she passed out.”

With that, Cyrus explained how Sanguina had retreated deep into the cave, and how he would have pursued her if it hadn’t been for the fact that Valerie was so hurt. Instead, he had carried her to the Healers’ Guild, with Dulcea’s help.

“My light can destroy her! I’ll find her and defeat her myself,” Cyrus said confidently.

But Azra shook her head. She won’t expose herself by leaving her fortress again. And wherever she is hiding, I am certain there are spells to extinguish any light inside. As a vampyre, it is the first precaution she would take. Our only hope is to draw her out of her fortress again, where we may have a chance to talk with her, or, if we must, fight her.

Listening, Valerie couldn’t help letting her attention wander as the memory of her encounter with Sanguina overwhelmed her. Azra, seeing Valerie’s distress, gently sent her friends home. After many protestations, they finally left, promising to be back the next day. When they were alone, Valerie let herself fall back on her bed, giving in to her emotions with a sob.

“How will I ever save my brother now? Sanguina crushed me; I never stood a chance against her. I was such an idiot to think I could fight her and win!”

Tell me what happened.

Valerie told her story through her tears, and in telling Azra what she had endured, some of her despair lifted.

Sanguina is very powerful. To stand against her, as you did, and fight back, is an incredible feat of strength. Few can resist when a vampyre controls their mind. What you did, pushing her out of your head, shows how great your power truly is.

“I must have seemed so pathetic to her, like a fly that she could swat with a flick of her wrist.”

That is the most terrible power that a vampyre can wield—robbing people of their hope. You can’t give in to that. Fight it, like you fought Sanguina’s control of your mind.

“It’s only a matter of time before she finds me again. And next time, she’ll finish what she started. But if I don’t face her, she’ll keep torturing Henry!” Valerie said. She was torn apart inside at the memory of his haunted face.

We’ll find a way to stop Sanguina, I promise. I’ve been working with the leaders of the Guilds, and even if it means attacking her fortress ourselves, we will stop her. We believe that she lives in the mountains of Dunsinane to the south, and I don’t think she’ll leave in the near future. She will try to find a way to have you brought to her, but we won’t let that happen. Trust in me.

“I do,” Valerie said, slightly relieved. For now, she had to let Henry’s fate rest in more capable hands than her own.

Now rest, because tomorrow you will need all of your strength.

Before Valerie allowed herself to sleep, she decided to check in on Thai. The healing seemed to have sucked her strength away, so it took a greater effort than usual to muster the concentration she needed to find him.

Finally, the world around her vanished, and she found herself standing in his tent. He leapt to his feet. “Where have you been? Do you know how scared I was? You were supposed to come yesterday! What were you—” he stopped short, examining her face. “What happened? Who did this to you? I’ll kill them,” he said, his voice turning rough and his eyes glittering dangerously.

Seeing how protective he was made her smile a little for the first time since she had encountered Sanguina. Despite how hopeless her situation seemed, she couldn’t help thinking how strange and wonderful it was to know that so many people cared about her.

“Is it that bad?” she asked, self-consciously touching her face.

“Don’t leave me in suspense!” he exclaimed, ignoring her question.

“I met Sanguina, we fought, and she defeated me,” Valerie said simply, not having the energy to go into detail again. “I don’t know how to save Henry now.”

“Thank God you escaped with your life,” Thai said, his voice raw. He stepped closer, raising his hand to her face, and then dropped it, realizing that he couldn’t touch her. Valerie was conscious of that familiar, warm feeling churning inside of her that always erupted when she stared into his eyes.

She blushed and changed the subject. “How is the woman Venu attacked?”

“Her name is Mrs. Leeds, and she’s fine now. Some of Venu’s slime got in her lungs, and she starting coughing up all this blood mixed with poison. Luckily the paramedics listened to me and were able to save her. She’s resting comfortably now, and has no memory of what really happened. I think that Venu attacked her accidentally, or maybe to steal her money—she’s a local schoolteacher.”

“Any luck finding Venu?”

“No, after leaving the hospital, I went back to the place where we found her, but there was no trace of him.”

“I guess it’s been lousy luck all around.”

“I’ll find Henry. He can’t be far, with Venu here.”

She didn’t know whether that was a comforting thought or not, knowing that Venu was so close to two people she cared so deeply about.

“I wish there was a way for me to stop Sanguina and protect you both. But she’s too powerful; she’ll crush me again,” she said, her earlier despair returning.

“Listen to me,” Thai said earnestly. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about you, it’s that you’re a fighter. Life has thrown a lot of obstacles in your path, but no matter what happens, you’ve always come out swinging, ready to meet the next challenge. I know you’ll beat Sanguina, like you’ve beaten everyone else who’s tried to stop you from doing what’s right. We’re coming up to the final lap—hang in there.”

“You’re right. I know you’re right,” she said, some of her energy returning. With so many people on her side, she would find a way to save Henry—she had to.