In all honesty, Jonny is just happy to be included. Thanatos relying on him, asking him to take care of something as important as checking on his sister must be a step in the right direction. Besides, if Toasty says it’ll be useful, then Jonny believes him.

Rebecca, on the other hand, looks about as pleased as a cornered bear. He steals quick, not-so-subtle glances at her as they walk down the halls of the girl’s dormitory building. She catches him, glaring, and he resolves to keep his eyes ahead of him from there.

Eventually, they reach the fourth floor—the lower the year, the higher the floor—and knock on room 402. The chatting behind it shushes, and a girly voice asks them to wait. The door’s quickly pulled open, and a bright, red-headed young lady in her t-shirt and shorts loungewear combo grins up at both of them. Both of their jaws drop, and they share a brief, concerned glance.

“Hey! Come in, come in,” she says with nothing short of joy, so Jonny and Rebecca do as asked. “It’s not every day the president comes to pay a visit, right? What can we do for you?”

Jonny smiles back just as wide, and he scratches the back of his neck. “Right, well, uh… you wouldn’t happen to be Sibylla Briar, would you?” he asks. She busts out laughing.

“Me? No, no, no way. Sib’s over there.” She points.

Their eyes follow to view a young girl in a wheelchair, parked next to the couch, giggling at something funny on the television. In her hands is a strange but cute, patchworked stuffed creature. Now that Jonny looks at her, the resemblance is uncanny. Her hair isn’t as grey as her brothers—instead, it’s a warm black—but it has the same small waves, the same strand on top that doesn’t seem to stay down, and the same thickness. Her skin is also a tan olive tone, but her eyes are a pale greyish green. Sibylla is… extremely pretty. He looks at Rebecca, who also seems a little entranced.

“I’m Angelica Waterson,” says the ginger, and their attention snaps to her. Angelica twirls the hairbrush in her hand. “Angie for short. I’m her roomie.”

“Ah, yes, right,” Rebecca responds, nodding. “Rebecca Hawthorne. It’s a pleasure.” She elbows Jonny, who yelps and nods as well.

“Yeah! I’m Jonny. Nice to meet ya!” He gives a wink and a salute, and Angie laughs. She ushers them in properly.

“Sib, you have visitors!”

Sibylla looks up, and a gentle smile graces her features. “I don’t receive many, but it’s nice every once in a while. Please, sit.” They do, and she fidgets with the doll. Angie resumes brushing Sibylla’s hair. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Well,” Rebecca starts, smiling back. “Your-“

“Your brother asked us to check on you!” Jonny chimes in excitedly. “Says you might be able to help.” He leans in and partially hides his mouth to whisper, “Plus, he’s super worried about you.”

Sibylla perks up almost immediately, but the pull of the brush in her hair forces her back. Angie snickers. “Sorry, sorry. How about I finish later and get tea instead, yeah?”

“Sure!” Sibylla nods in agreement. She twirls a front strand with her finger, humming in approval at its lack of tangles. “If I had known, I would’ve made more.” She claps her hands together. “But anyway, my brother!”

“Yes, he requested you use your divination skills to help with the case. Jonny?” Rebecca looks at him pointedly. “Did you bring the photos?”

“Sure did!”

“Great, then I’m going to help Angelica.” Rebecca rises and promptly shuffles to the other side of the room, to the nightstand in between the bed that sits the portable cooktop and cute, pink tea kettle.

Jonny, meanwhile, swallows and stares at Sibylla awkwardly. “Well,” he starts. “Guess it’s up to us!” He pulls the photos from his bag and hands them to Sibylla. She touches them, and her face quickly falls.

“These must be the victim’s of Ato’s case… They’re so young to have died so horribly.” Sibylla sighs. “By necromancy no less.”

He gawks. “How did you know that?”

“Those who specialize in divination tend to be incredibly empathic. Even just an image of a person can connect us to how they felt recently,” she explains. “Some have this ability innately, and most go into divination and such to perfect it.” A pause, and she barely hides a cunning smile with her hand. “That and my brother told me the gist of why Mrs. Waurelt hired him before he got here.”

A lightbulb dings in Jonny’s mind, and Sibylla watches as he sinks into the couch, sliding down. He breathes, deep, before he forces himself upright again. “Uh, so, what do you mean by ‘died horribly’, Sib?”

Sibylla resumes staring at the photos. “It’s a familiar death; I’m experienced with it more than I care to be. They were in incredible pain, but it was short.” She hands them back. “What do you think?”

Tears prick at his eyes again. Sibylla wipes them away with her sleeve before Jonny can. “It’s okay,” she comforts softly. “They were crying too.”

Rebecca, hands behind her back, approaches Angie’s side. “So, Angelica… What year are you?”

“Tenth!” she responds. “Fourth floor, y’know?”

Rebecca winces internally; she knows that, and yet it completely slipped her mind. “Right, of course. It’s a shame we don’t have as many first years like you helping out around school. Your enthusiasm is contagious.”

Angie smiles wide, and her cheeks redden with blush. “Y’think so? I’ve been wanting to do more, but it’s hard to know where to start. Class reps already got picked, and there are just too many committees to choose from!”

Rebecca leans against one of the bedposts and tucks her hair behind her ear, and she follows through by pulling her ponytail over her shoulder. “Well, you could always join the Party Planning Committee! They work with the student council for every event on campus, and Lord knows we need more tenth years.”

“Party Planning Committee?” Angie pries, and Rebecca’s smile grows confident. She examines her fingernails.

“Yes, it’s exactly as it sounds. Right now, we’re in the process of preparing the Haunted Masquerade at the end of the month for Halloween. It’s an annual tradition.”

Angie beams, and it’s only amplified by the scream of the kettle. She hastily turns it off and gets to pouring. Rebecca notices how smoothly she works. “Oh, that sounds amazing!”

Rebecca takes the flower-decorated mug and sips. “So?”

“I’d more than love to, but Sibylla needs me. When I got the offer to live with her, I couldn’t say no.” Her fretting fingers tap against the countertop rhythmically.

“Is there no one else who can take care of her?”

“There is Marshall, an upperclassman from the boys’ dorm, who comes by a lot to help her study.”

“Then I’m sure she’ll be fine. You won’t be out past curfew, if it helps.”

Angie ponders it over another moment, glancing at Sibylla and Jonny. She sighs and smiles. “Alright, sure!” Like sunshine again, she retrieves her phone and hands it to Rebecca. “Just let me know what you need!”

Rebecca pulls out her phone, and they quickly swap information. Well , she thinks. This certainly killed two birds with one stone . It’s three if you count the tea; she needed a good cup after everything today. Nothing beats a good chamomile.

“Thank you, Angelica. It means more than I can say! All the new students prefer to hide out in their rooms, so it makes putting things together awfully difficult,” Rebecca says, smiling. Angie waves a hand in dismissal.

“It’s no biggie. All I have besides class and homework is my tutoring sessions, and they’re only an hour-ish long, so I have a lot of free time.”

Angie puts the other two mugs on a tray, and she hoists it up on one hand. Thanks to the short sleeves of her t-shirt, Rebecca can see how lean yet strong she is. She’s almost like a model.

Rebecca follows her back to the couch.

Sibylla moves her little stuffed friend’s arms. “If you can get a hold of any of their personal belongings, it’d be a lot easier to get a glimpse of their lives,” she explains. “The longer the attachment, the better.”

Jonny nods, getting out the last of his sniffles. “Yeah… Yeah, I’ll ask Toasty about it. Is there really nothing else you can tell me now, though?”

She shakes her head. “I’m afraid not.” Pausing, her eyes stare at her doll in concentration. “I’d prefer not to text him since you never know who could be watching, so tell him this, okay?” Jonny nods, and she lets out a long exhale. “To know the answer, watch your back.”

Jonny snorts. “That’s super cryptic, Sib.”

“It sure is!” Angie hands Sibylla and Jonny their respective cups of tea. “But then again, almost all of Angie’s readings are pretty vague.” Rebecca takes a seat on the couch next to Jonny; she crosses her legs and sips with a perfectly straight back.

“Accuracy is hard! The future is never set in stone,” Sib retorts. She huffs. “As if it even exists yet, we can’t know for sure what lies beyond past and present.”

Rebecca sighs. “That sounds like something he’d say.”

“Careful,” Sibylla says. “Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.” And yet, despite the words, she has the kindest, fondest smile on her face. Jonny feels himself replicating it. “On the topic of readings, how about I tell a fortune before you both leave? Consider it a thank you for stopping by.”

Rebecca protests, “No, thank you. We should really-“

“Oh, hell yeah!” Jonny interrupts, getting excited. “Do you do, like, card stuff?”

“Do you mean tarot ?” Rebecca corrects coolly. Her disdain is evident in her grimace.

“Yeah! That.”

Sibylla watches their exchange and chuckles. “Yes, sometimes, but I prefer crystals. They’re a little less restraining, plus they’re much cheaper.”

She wheels over to her desk under her bed before rolling back with a small, pink vintage jewellery box. Opening it, she reveals 7 different crystals of different colours and types. Pointing to each one, she explains, “These ones are based on chakra points on the human body, and by using them this way, someone’s personal condition can be evaluated through ritual. I can see what they’re going through now and the solutions to those issues.”

“It’s honestly so cool to see,” Angie brags. “Sib’s really, really good at it”

“Then fortune tell away, dude!” Jonny pats Sib’s shoulder a few times before putting both his hands on his knees and waiting patiently. Rebecca watches from the corner of her eye.

Sibylla leans and places the box on the coffee table. She laces her fingers together, as if in prayer, and takes a deep breath. “Right, then,” she begins, and the crystals begin to glow dimly. Angie rushes to turn off the lights and turn on their desk lamps to set the mood. “We’ll need to align them to you, Jonny.”

One by one, each crystal rises from the box in rainbow order, and they float their way over to Jonny, bouncing with an audible chime, before circling Sibylla and repeating the motion. She smiles and nods in approval. They orbit her slowly, ringing gently with each hop, until the red one stops in front of her. It continues chiming as it glows brighter than the rest, and the others still save for rippling with its ever bounce. They sound like a tambourine complimenting the ding of a music box note.

“The Root, red, garnet,” Sibylla says clearly, and Jonny watches the way her eyes change to match the crystal. “It represents security, grounding, and instincts. You keep the people around you grounded to reality, but don’t forget about yourself. In times ahead, you must stay strong so that you can save your friends from a terrible threat.”

Jonny opens his mouth to speak, but Angie puts a finger to her lips in a silent shushing. He does as told.

The garnet crystal settles, and the cycle continues with the orange crystal. “The Sacral, orange, citrine. Here, we see our relationship with sexuality and emotion. You are…” She giggles. “Quite in touch with how you feel, and that’s more than most can say. However, you need to delve deeper and strengthen the bonds you have with those around you.”

The orange crystal makes way for the yellow.

“The Solar Plexus, yellow, topaz. Confidence and self-worth.” Her entire face brightens, and the gem almost seems to bounce with enthusiasm . “You… struggle with this, and you know it. In time, you’ll come to understand not only who you are and what you wish to do but also how much potential you have.”

Green is next.

“The Heart, green, jade. This is for love, hope, and balance.” Sibylla’s cheeks grow bright red, and she almost seems to short-circuit. “W-Well, this is a tricky one, but it’s nothing bad, I promise…”

“What’s wrong?” Jonny asks in a whisper. “Is it embarrassing?”

She shakes her head. “No, it’s just… Though things may get dire, never give up; it’s one of your talents. You have already met who you are destined for, but what comes of it is up to you. Keep putting the effort in, and everything will turn out fine.”

Well , Jonny thinks. I did talk to a lot of cute girls today!

Sibylla continues, and the blue gem follows suit.

“The Throat, blue, azurite. Communication and healing, now. You already speak your mind frequently,” she says, chuckling. “Sometimes, though, I’d watch your timing and tone. Your words have incredible weight to many, and they can do both extreme good and extreme harm.”

Jonny nods along, and he has to restrain himself from poking the indigo gem that takes the blue one’s place. “Guilty as charged!” Rebecca rolls her eyes.

“Next is The Third Eye, indigo, lapis lazuli. Here’s our intuition and insight, the truth .” She takes a deep breath. “You’re not the brightest colour in the crayon box sometimes, but you’re quick and intuitive. The truth you look for is far but not unreachable. Just think and work outside the box you’re currently in.”

Jonny makes a face that ponders if he should be pleased or insulted, but there’s not any time to think on it now. The gems finally reach their ending with violet, but the air quickly shifts, and Jonny gets a shiver down his spine. Rebecca faces Sibylla completely, pausing mid-sip, and her free hand begins reaching to her boot.

Sibylla’s eyes glaze over as she continues, “The Crown, violet, amethyst. Absolute enlightenment. You-“ Her voice cuts out, but her lips keep moving. Like this, she continues, and the crystal begins to vibrate violently. It chimes rapidly, creating a lullaby with its tune, and all he and Rebecca can do is stare in concern and awe.

Jonny reaches to grab Sibylla’s shoulder and shake her out of it, but as contact is made, the other crystals lose their glow and drop to the floor. The amethyst launches itself past Jonny’s head and embeds itself into a pillow Angie rushes to put in its way.

Sibylla’s hands fall into her lap, but it’s only a beat before she covers her face with them and lets loose a shaky sigh. “I- I’m-“ Jonny squeezes gently.

“It’s okay… It’s okay.”

Rebecca rises from her seat, discarding her cup to the coffee table, and she leaves without another word. Angie reaches out, asks her what’s wrong, but she flinches at the door slamming shut.

Jonny touches the sharp cut on his cheek, and he examines the faint trace of blood on his fingers. “What… happened?” Angie conjures a bandage and places it on his face. He thanks her with a nod before returning his attention.

“The last one…” Sibylla starts. “Revealing one’s highest state is taboo. The spell prevents me from doing so by… well, you saw. I never remember what I say, either.”

“If you can’t use the purple one, then why do you even have it?” he asks.

“One needs all of them in order to perform the ritual,” she explains.

Angie kneels to collect them for her, and she carefully puts each one in the box. The amethyst made a small hole in her pillow, but she appears to pay it no mind as she drops that one in last. When Jonny gets a look at the pillow, it has three more tiny holes of similar sizes.

Jonny pats Sibylla’s head. “I’m sure there’s a way to fix it! After all, Rebecca’s gotta have her turn, too.” He grins at her like sunshine, and she can’t help herself but to relax.

There’s a chime again, and everyone’s attention directs to the box of gems. Though Angie had closed it, the chime is crystal clear, and Jonny—with Sibylla’s nod of approval—reopens the container. They all lean forward in anticipation.

The citrine is glowing again, and it slowly moves upward before bouncing merrily towards Jonny. It lands in his lap, chiming, and it dims. He attempts to put it back, but the crystal simply repeats itself. With each try, the gem gets more and more stubborn, and at some point, when Jonny pulls it away from his leg, the gem pulls back .

“That’s never happened,” Sibylla says in awe. “You should keep it. It must’ve picked you for a reason.”

Jonny frantically waves his hands. “But I’d feel awful if I took your precious stone!” She smiles and shakes her head.

“It’s okay. I can get another one. Please, I insist.”

“Sib-“

Sibylla closes his hand around the citrine. “Just remember what I told you, and let the crystal do its job.” She winks at him. “Besides, I want to know what it’s thinking, so keep me updated, okay?”

He nods and stands, collecting his things. “If you’re sure…”

“I’m absolutely positive!” Sibylla looks to Angie, and Angie gives an exuberant two thumbs up.

He’s walked to the door by Angie, and she pats him on the back in a total bro fashion. He coughs. “It means you’ll have the chance to come back and see her,” she whispers before pushing him out the door. “See ya later!”

Jonny stares worriedly as the door is shut in his face, and he opens his palm to gaze at the still glowing citrine.