Chapter 223: The Summoner {1}
"Jean?" Owen said, stepping forward. Wait Owen knows her too?
"Isn’t that the girl who survived the last attack?" Sarah said. "What’s she doing here?"
"Jean," I said, keeping my eyes on her. She didn’t look well... because she was on her bare feet, and looked sort of troubled... Did she stay out late again?
"Are you okay?" I asked, watching her closely, she remained quiet, her eyes leveled on the floor. "Did the Manticore hurt you?"
"Why are you here, Emma?" she suddenly asked and I blinked puzzled. "You shouldn’t be here" she mumbled before shifting her gaze to me, slowly. Her eyes were both sad and lost. "You’re nice and I don’t want you to get hurt"
I felt a heavy feeling deep within my chest because her words held so much gravity "W-What do you mean?" I asked, taking a step forward but Grayson pulled me back. I faced him to demand why but his unmovable gaze on Jean told me otherwise and then it struck me hard... as well as his sudden sharp voice.
"She’s the fucking summoner!"
"W-What?" I mumbled as I shifted my orbs back to her, my shaking orbs made my vision blur. Then I heard it... deep growls were coming from where she stood, they came into view like a predator of the night, two Manticores emerged from the darkness and it only made Grayson’s words true. They stood beside her not even attempting to attack.
What the fuck is going on? Why is she the summoner? The same girl I came to save who was frightened shitless, it can’t possibly be her... I could still recall that day like yesterday, she was truly terrified and that thing was after her, or was it all a lie? Whatever it was I needed to understand it, to understand why she would summon these monsters and make them kill innocent people because it didn’t make any fucking sense.
"Jean," I said her name hoping to gain her attention. The Manticores beside her bellowed and their solemn sound made me jolt, they didn’t attack, just stood there like they were waiting for an order.
"Y-Your two friends..." I began and her indistinct eyes drift to mine. "... That thing killed them"
"They weren’t my friends" she wheezed and like a glass mask was broken I saw the resentment, the rage, and no remorse for the lives taken. "They deserved it" she added more profoundly and I saw the hollow that drifted into her orbs as she spoke about it. "You don’t know the hells those two put me through... you have no idea" she shook her head and from this angle, I could see the tears threatening to fall. "The bully... the names... the hate... no one to talk to... scared to even talk about it, the deaf teachers who can’t hear my cries. They made fun of it and they got what they want each time because I was too afraid to say a word"