Eddie leaned over to his side as he peeked into the picnic basket. There were still two tarts left. He picked up one of them with his right hand.

"Are there any tarts left?" Jon asked.

"There's one left," Eddie replied. "You want it?"

"Sure."

He picked the last tart and handed it to Jon.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Eddie lifted his right hand and took a bite out of his tart. He hummed a soft "mmm" as he savored the dessert, juicy bits of fruit blending with crust and soft custard on the surface of his tongue. Sweet scents entertained his nose as he ate. His eyes had a treat of their own, indulged by the sight of a calm canal flanked by expanses of grass and walls of trees.

It was a Saturday afternoon at Versailles. Eddie, Colette, and their guests were having a picnic in the park after a private tour around the palace grounds. Though Versailles had been swarmed by visitors since the morning, the area where they sat remained rather uncrowded. It was not pure luck—prior to their weekend outing, Eddie had visited the place in search of the perfect picnic spot. It took him a few hours of walking around the Grand Canal, but they were well worth it. There were only a handful of tourists nearby as the seven of them had their lunch.

Eddie wiped his mouth with a napkin before cleaning his hands. He glimpsed over his shoulder. The adults were absorbed in a conversation, sipping red wine in between sentences, while Jon and Stella were more occupied with their desserts. From the emptiness of the picnic basket and the rate of bites they were taking, he reckoned that they would be done in a few minutes.

"Eddie, what's the time?" Stella asked.

Eddie glimpsed his watch. "Two fifteen."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

She then continued to converse with Jon. A little while later, Eddie stood up and helped his mother with packing up their belongings. He checked the time once more; it was 2:20 p.m.

"So now we have free time. You can go visit any part of Versailles you want," Colette announced. "At four o'clock we'll meet at our meeting spot, near the gate."

"We'll keep that in mind," José said. "Thank you."

And so the group dispersed. Eddie walked towards Jon and tapped him on his shoulder.

"Jon."

"Yes?"

"We have to go now," Eddie said, pointing at his watch. "We only have ten minutes and we still need to find a place to teleport."

"Okay. Uh, where's Stella?"

"She's over there—"

Eddie pointed in a direction only to find that she was not there. He paused. He swore he saw her nearby a few minutes before.

"I think I saw her mom taking her somewhere," José told them.

"Where?"

"There, I think."

"Let's go," Eddie said, beckoning with his head.

He and Jon jogged across the grass in search of their friend. Eddie waved a hand. Fwoom. His telekinetic sight detected a dozen people walking near him. Among them, he spotted a ponytailed girl with a sling bag slung over her shoulder.

"I see her," Eddie told Jon, "follow me."

The boys pursued the figure. She was passing between the trees. The two turned left, expecting to see her on the other side.

Instead, they saw a female stranger who just happened to dress like their friend.

Eddie and Jon exchanged looks. "I thought you said you saw her?" Jon asked.

"Telekinetic sight is colorblind," he whispered. "I'll call her."

Eddie whipped out his phone and dialed her number. He held it to his ear. It rang. His call was picked up a few seconds later.

"Hello?"

"Stella, where are you?" he asked. "We have to go now if you know what I mean."

"Oh, that, I'll tell my mom first."

Eddie tapped his foot as he waited, hearing nothing but Italian coming from the other side. After a while, she told him, "Sorry, I can't."

"What do you mean you can't?"

"Um, my mom won't let me. Sorry. Bye."

She hung up. Eddie looked at his right. Jon was staring at him, a confused look on his face.

"So we go without her?"

"But we have to go with her," he said. "I'll ask Giorgino what to do."

Eddie called another number. He held his cellphone to his ear once more, resting his other hand on his messenger bag. The ringing sound was soon replaced by background noise.

"Hello?" Eddie said.

"Hi, Eddie, what's up?"

"Yeah, uh, we sort of have a problem here." Eddie gave Jon an anxious glance. "Stella can't come today."

"Why not?"

"Her mom won't let her go."

"Can she be distracted or something?"

"I, don't know. We don't even know where she is. I think her mom's getting suspicious of us."

"Hmmm," Giorgino hummed. "I think you two can just come here without her. Skipping one lesson won't hurt for now."

"Alright, we'll see you there. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Eddie hung up. He opened his bag, dropped his cellphone inside, and retrieved Louis from it. He zipped his bag.

"You see anyone?" Eddie asked.

Jon turned around. "Nobody."

"Let's go."

They disappeared in a flash.

***

It was cold, dark, and dead silent. Eddie and Giorgino ignited whitish-yellow flames in their hands, illuminating their environment. A thick forest bordered them on three sides while a stone fence lined the other.

As Eddie, Jon, and Giorgino neared the old stone fence, Eddie noticed a sign planted right in front of it. He paced towards it, brightening the flame that he held in his palm.

"Elder, what does it say?" he asked.

Giorgino took a closer look. "It says that trolls live here and we shouldn't go beyond the fence. Yup, we're in the right place."

He leaped over the fence, using his telekinesis to heighten his jump and slow his fall. He then carried the two boys over the boundary. Eddie shivered as his soles met damp soil.

Giorgino had already briefed him and Jon while they were still in the practice room. The next ingredient they had to procure was a chunk of enchanted jadeite, mined straight from the mountains. Their only options were to dig a mine themselves, which would take weeks or even months, or head to a troll-infested abandoned mine. Needless to say, they chose the latter. They knew that they would have to be very quiet, lest they announce their presence and risk capture. The fact that such creatures were nocturnal made their mission all the more difficult.

"Extinguish," Giorgino whispered.

Eddie clenched his fist, his flame going out in an instant. Giorgino did likewise. He then cupped his hands and uttered an incantation. A bright ball of light emerged from his palms and hovered in the air.

"So this is our guide," Giorgino spoke softly. "It's bright to us but not to anyone else. We should be safe."

Eddie and Jon nodded and exchanged anxious glances. In their previous missions, they only had to deal with one creature, not a pack of them. Eddie inhaled deeply and faced his front. He and Jon slunk across the ground as they followed Giorgino into the mine.

A foul smell greeted them as soon as they passed through the entrance. Eddie covered his nose and gagged. He dove his hand into his pocket and reached for his handkerchief. He then tied it around his head to cover his nostrils. The stench still penetrated the cloth. He sighed. He pocketed his handkerchief and parted his lips, opting to breathe through his mouth instead.

They continued to follow the light as they passed through the tunnel. Eddie looked around. Old, wooden frames supported the natural ceiling, while viscous stains were smeared on the walls and the floor. He supposed the stains were what caused the stench. As they went deeper, they could see metal rails fixed to the ground, once used to carry carts of ore.

They soon arrived at a fork in the path. Giorgino extended his right arm and opened his palm, signaling the boys to stop. Eddie waved one hand. Fwoom. He detected two trolls at the end of the left path. They were as tall as two men and as wide as four or more. Their features and physiques resembled round rocks more than body parts. Their mottled, unkept hair hung from their heads like mops, while dirty rags clothed their brutish bodies. Eddie wrinkled his face in disgust. He checked the right path. There were more trolls at the other end.

"Stay here," Giorgino mouthed.

He used his telekinesis to levitate himself off the ground. He then floated down the left path. Eddie observed him curiously as his mentor cupped his hands, thrust them forward, and paralyzed the brutes. Eddie jerked his head back. He never knew his mentor was capable of such things, but then again, he was a mentor for a reason.

Giorgino reappeared to them and beckoned his hand. The three of them resumed creeping down the path. Eddie glanced at the stunned creatures as they passed by them. Their bodies had been transformed into stone.

The next hour or so played out similarly. They would walk, stop, turn their obstacles into stone, and then resume. Eddie soon found out that Giorgino used a sunlight spell to paralyze trolls, for their weakness was the sun. He only wished that they came across jadeite sooner than later, for he was tired of breathing through his mouth.

The path soon led to a vast chamber. Giorgino extended his arm, prompting Jon and Eddie to stop. He then cast a spell. Some of the rocks that formed the walls and ceiling glowed a faint green.

"You see the rocks that are colored green?" he whispered, pointing at the rocks. "That's what we have to get."

"Then let's get them—"

"No," Giorgino interrupted Jon, holding him back, "can't you see the amount of trolls inside?"

Eddie took a closer look. A horde of trolls were roaming around the chamber, the ground vibrating under their sluggish footsteps. He counted them. Thirty. He saw that Giorgino's magic could stun as many as three trolls at once, but thirty? He might need a little help.

"I can't stun all of them at the same time," Giorgino spoke softly. "Jon, can you make a soundproof shield?"

"I can, I think."

"You think?"

"I've only tried it one time, and it partly worked."

Giorgino sighed. "Better than nothing. Wait a minute, can you make them invisible?"

"Este, so far, all of my shields glow."

Giorgino sighed once more. "We need a distraction. Wait, I have a plan. Jon, you seal the entrances of the chamber with your soundproof shield. Eddie, you'll help me by burning the place as a distraction. I'll take care of the trolls. Once all that's done, we get the jadeite and leave. Understand?"

"Understand."

"Good. Now let's go, quietly."

They tiptoed into the chamber. Fwshh. Light blue force fields sealed every opening in the room. Murmurs and grunts erupted as the brutes were alerted of intruders.

Without a second thought, Eddie propelled his fists and set the place on fire.

Golden flames rolled across the floor. Screams and howls pierced the air as the blaze consumed the unluckiest trolls. Part of the fire reached the walls. Eddie reined in the blaze before it could scorch the green ores.

Eddie ducked as he dodged the stones that flew in his direction. Flashes of light magic flared from one side while pebbles and stones were flung from the other. Eddie glimpsed his right. Jon was busy holding up the shields. Eddie clenched his fists, hoping to immobilize some of the brutes, but they were stronger than his grasp. There had to be something he could do.

Eddie glanced at the jadeite. It was not far from his reach. With everybody distracted, he should be able to get the ore.

Eddie sprinted across the cavern floor.

"Eddie, STOP!"

He didn't listen. Eddie raced towards the nearest ore, slipping through the horde with ease as he dodged every rock and stone they hurled at him. He reached one of the walls, his hands finding deep crevices, and climbed towards the ceiling. The glowing ore was a stone's throw away.

A stone flew towards him. Eddie caught it. He threw it at the ceiling and broke off a chunk of jadeite. With his telekinesis, Eddie brought the enchanted rock into his hand. Yes! he rejoiced as he held the ore, his other limbs still clinging to the wall.

"Eddie, LOOK OUT!"

He turned his head.

Before he could react, a small boulder struck his head while another one hit his hand. He released his grip before he plummeted to the ground.

"EDDIE!"

Another rock struck his back as he fell through the air. His vision darkened. He could barely make out the scene around him as he neared the floor.

Fwssh. A soft shield caught him before he could collide with the ground. He could only hear chaos as Jon and Giorgino shouted at the top of their lungs.

"Jon, open the shield!"

"Which one?"

"The one we just passed through!" He pointed at an opening. "OPEN IT NOW!"

Eddie felt his body jolt as the shield carried him out of the chamber. The last thing he sensed was the world shaking around him as they dashed out of the mine.

***

A soothing sensation entered his body and permeated every part of it. Numbness faded as he regained his senses. He could hear something. It sounded like his mentor's voice, though he could not understand his utterances. He slowly opened his eyes. Above him was a plain ceiling, lines of lights embedded within it. Were they back in the practice room? He tilted his head forward. Jon and Giorgino were both healing him, their power flowing from their fingers and enveloping him.

"He's waking up," Jon said. "He's waking up!"

Giorgino stopped to glance at Eddie's face. "Eddie!" he exclaimed. "You're alive!"

"Did we get it? Did we get it?"

"We did." Giorgino held up a chunk of enchanted jade.

Eddie tried to lift his torso.

"Don't stand," Jon said, "you're not fully healed yet. Just give us a few more minutes."

The two hovered their hands above him once more, enveloping him in their healing light. A cool feeling swept away the last slivers of pain. The two then assisted him in standing up.

"Thank you," Eddie said.

"You're welcome," said Giorgino. He breathed another sigh. "Eddie, please don't ever do that ever again. You really scared us."

"I'm sorry. I thought I could make it."

"Well, technically you did—"

"Jon," Giorgino said, casting a glance at him. Jon sheepishly looked away. "Anyway, I'm glad you're still alive, but remember that it might not be the case if you do it again. Oh, and our lesson has ended. I'll see you two and Stella on Tuesday. Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

Eddie scoped the room for his bag. He summoned and slung it over his shoulder before he and Jon left to return to Earth.

The two returned to Versailles, standing in the same spot where they last were before they teleported. Eddie glimpsed his watch.

"We still have twenty minutes left before we have to meet up with everyone else," Eddie informed. "Do you want to head to the gate now?"

"Sure."

"Okay. Let's go."

The two sauntered away from the Grand Canal, heading towards their designated meeting spot. Eddie rested one hand on his messenger bag while Jon dove both of his hands into his pockets. They would turn their heads sideways to observe the scenery as they walked. Eddie glanced at Jon out the corner of his eye. It had been a few minutes, but he had barely spoken to him.

"Anyway, you and Stella seem quite close," Eddie remarked. "You talk to her a lot."

"Haha, yeah," Jon said. "We have a lot of things in common."

"Oh, like what?"

"We both play the violin, and, este, we like walking around as well."

"Mhmm." Eddie adjusted the strap of his bag. "That's it?"

"Well, there are more, but I forgot. I don't know. We just like talking to each other," Jon said. "You also talk to her?"

"Eh, sometimes," said Eddie. "I don't think we're close, but sometimes she does talk to me."

"Oh."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Do you think I'm intimidating?"

Jon gave a confused look. "Intimidating?"

"You know, scary, but to a lesser degree," Eddie elaborated. "That probably wasn't the best description. Euh, do I look less approachable than other people?"

"Um, a bit," Jon hesitated.

Eddie laughed. "It's okay, be honest. Be brutally honest."

"I think it's because you don't really talk much, so you don't look as friendly," Jon said. "Also sometimes your eyes look like you want to kill someone."

"No wonder you're always silent around me when you're more chatty with anyone else."

"Sorry."

"Don't say sorry," Eddie told him, chuckling, "I have to admit that I'm not the most sociable person around. Even my best friends say I look like a corpse."

"Why?"

"Because I'm pale. And cold."

"Mmm." Jon nodded. "Este, can I ask about your parents?"

"Euh, sure. Go ahead."

"Are they always busy?" he asked. "Your dad isn't here."

Eddie sighed. "They are quite busy, but they always manage to make room for me and my sister."

"You have a sister?"

"Yes, she's two years younger than me. She's in England for a summer camp right now."

"Oh."

"What about you?" Eddie inquired. "Do you have any siblings?"

Jon shook his head. "I don't have, but I wish I do."

Eddie snorted. "Trust me, you don't."

"Why not?"

"Well they steal your stuff, give you headaches, bother you all the time, and make life a little more unfair. Sometimes when something bad happens, they try to make it your fault even when it's not." Eddie rolled his eyes. "I have to admit, sometimes they can be helpful."

Jon only nodded.

"By the way, where's your mom?" Eddie asked. "Is she busy with work?"

"Oh, she's in the hospital," Jon replied.

Eddie paused. A frown framed his face. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Jon said. "I can heal her—"

"Shhh. Other people are around."

"Oh, right." Jon lowered his voice to a whisper. "I can heal her eventually, when my powers are advanced enough. That's why my dad and I are focusing on healing."

"That's good to hear. I hope she gets well soon."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Is it fine if I ask why she's hospitalized?"

"She has a tumor," Jon answered.

"Oh no," Eddie said, his tone growing more somber. "Hope it goes away."

"It will," Jon said. "My dad managed to cure your uncle of cancer, so I should be able to do the same—"

"Wait," Eddie cut him off. "My parents told me he died of lung cancer."

Jon raised his eyebrows. "He did?"

"That's what they told me."

"Oh, so they didn't tell you."

"Tell me what?" Eddie asked.

"Uh, never mind. I don't think I should be the one telling you."

There was a pause. The two carried out the rest of their journey in silence as they ambled towards their meeting point. They arrived just in time; the rest of the group was waiting for them near the gate. Stella waved at them as soon as she saw them approaching.

"Hi," she said to Jon and Eddie. She then said in a hushed voice, "Did you go?"

"We went," Eddie replied. "It's okay. We'll talk about it later."

He stole a glance at Letizia, catching her eyeing him. Her bottom lip curled as she watched him whispering to her daughter. He knew not what her thoughts were, but one thing was clear: she was suspicious of him.

✧ ✧ ✧

Looks like there's something about Brandon's death that Eddie hasn't been told 👀 any guesses as to what it is?

Thank you for all the votes and comments so far! They really mean a lot to me ☺️ and if you haven't voted yet, I hope you like this chapter enough to vote for it! 😃