Chapter 17: A Reckless Strategy
A few hours previously…
This isn’t going how I hoped.
Felix was troubled.
Since Angelica’s father was the Mage Army Cabinet Minister, he wanted to get whatever information he could out of him. Using his unsuspecting, unguarded daughter as a stepping stone seemed like as good a plan as any.
Felix was starting to regret his plan, however, quickly realizing that he didn’t have the smarts for this.
Minute by minute, he was growing more and more uncomfortable. He really didn’t have the stomach for using people in this way.
Especially not when it involved seduction techniques.
This is way beyond me…
But now he’d started down this path, he couldn’t go back.
“What’s made you change your tune? You totally ignored and avoided me at school…”
Good question, Angelica. Felix had already publicly professed his feelings for Mia. It didn’t make sense for him to be suddenly setting his sights on another girl.
“It’s just a nice coincidence we ran into each other, that’s all. So I thought it might be good for us to talk.”
A safe answer, but Angelica was unconvinced.
“Oh, really? After you spurned me like that? I totally thought you hated me!”
Her eyes were filled with suspicion.
“Don’t be silly. I just felt like you were unapproachable, that’s all. You’re so beautiful and well-bred, I was sure you’d never be interested in me. I thought you were out of my league.”
Felix wasn’t used to giving compliments. They stuck in his throat. Cold sweat began to bead on his brow.
Cursing himself for what he was doing, Felix thought hard for a way to spin this.
But his opponent was far stronger than he. He would have to be reckless. Use a cunning strategy against her.
It’s odd, me approaching her like this. Can’t deny that.
Last year, he’d spurned every advance of hers and spoken of nothing but Mia, Mia, Mia. The only person his love for Mia hadn’t registered with was Mia herself. Everyone else knew all about it.
But he needed to fool Angelica into thinking his feelings had changed if he wanted that juicy information. Angelica hated Mia. There was no way she’d offer up the info as a favor on her behalf.
Maybe I can say it’s because Mia turned me down?
Would Angelica buy it if he told her he’d decided to move on, post-rejection? But Felix was known for his stubborn tenacity. It wouldn’t track. Besides, a guy who flits onto the next girl following a rejection seems kind of slimy, doesn’t he?
Felix shook his head, panicked.
Anyway, she didn’t reject me! That wasn’t a real rejection, it wasn’t!
As he tried to reassure himself, Angelica chuckled and linked her arm through his. “Well, it IS a good opportunity, I say!”
Felix stiffened. He couldn’t exactly shake her off. Besides, this fit the plan.
Angelica was looking up at Felix, batting her eyelashes. She’s pretty, but everything about her is calculated to appeal to men, Felix thought.
Her soft body was pressed up against him, and her arm felt like a dead weight hanging off his.
He could feel a heavy weight pressing on his conscience as well. A growing sense of guilt and wrongness built up inside him.
“But what about Mia Baumann? You were totally crazy for her, weren’t you?”
Angelica knew exactly where to probe.
“Yeah…about her…”
Felix hesitated. Should he say he’d given up on Mia? He wasn’t confident he could sell that lie.
Mia’s determined face popped into his mind. Until she found a cure for her mother, she wouldn’t even consider her own opportunities for happiness.
Her determination inspired him, spurred him on.
“I’m over her.”
Angelica’s eyes narrowed as Felix dropped that bald-faced lie.
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. I don’t know anything about pharmacology, so being with her just got tiring. I want to use my time more effectively. I get the feeling you and I could have a lot of fun together…”
There was an element of truth mixed in with the lie. He really didn’t know much about medicines. When it came to pharmacology, Felix was of no use to anyone.
And, while he wanted to be with Mia and felt happy when she was around…he also felt tired out by it all too. Just a little.
When would she face up to his feelings? Felix couldn’t see a future for them together, at least not the way things were. The uncertainty ate away at him.
Fighting back a sigh of hopelessness, Felix looked at the ground.
“Well, I’m pleased to hear that.”
Felix looked at Angelica. For some reason, she was wearing a sharklike grin.
A sense of foreboding washed over Felix.
“Mia!”
All of a sudden, he could hear a familiar voice. He turned and caught a glimpse of whirling red hair. A white-haired boy was chasing after the redhead girl.
“Mia? What is she doing here…?”
Mathias was standing on the other side of the iron-wrought railings, giving Felix a withering “Just how much of an idiot are you?” kind of look.
“Don’t just stand there, go after her! And apologize! Before it’s too late!” As Mathias yelled at him, Felix almost stumbled over his own feet.
But Angelica was laughing out loud now. Felix stared at her blankly. “What’s the big deal?” She asked him in a challenging tone.
“You just said you’re over her…right?”
Felix snapped out of his panic haze. He’d screwed up the plan already, and he didn’t even have a shred of usable information. If he chased after Mia now, everything would be ruined. He’d never get another chance at info-digging.
Felix ground his teeth together and manufactured a smile.
He had to hold himself together, do everything in his power to keep from chasing after Mia.
If I run after her now, it’s all over. Aren’t you sick of being completely useless in her eyes?
His mouth tasted like blood.
“Sorry, but I’m leaving the team.”
Felix turned his back on Mathias. He faced Angelica head-on, taking her hand.
“I thought you were better than this. Clearly, I was wrong.”
Mathias spat the words out. Felix didn’t turn his head, but he could hear Mathias walking away.
Felix counted five breaths before turning around.
As he watched his friends disappear into the distance, Felix felt like he’d made a terrible mistake, one he could never take back.
✦ ✦ ✦
MIA ran and ran and eventually found herself in Henrik’s family’s medicinal herb garden.
Her breath was coming in harsh rasping bursts, magnified by the silence of the deserted garden. She forced herself to slow her breathing. The sweet scent of the plants and herbs helped a lot.
I don’t…know what to do…
She was in turmoil. She couldn’t believe the things Felix had said.
“Being with her just got tiring.”
Mia felt like she was being punished for getting too comfortable. She’d just assumed that Felix would always be there, yearning for her, just like he’d said he would.
She’d believed that of all people, Felix would be with her until the end.
Suddenly she heard footsteps behind her. Heart leaping suddenly, she whirled around. But it was Henrik standing there, eyes filled with anger.
The fact that it wasn’t Felix standing there filled her with despair.
“Henrik…I don’t know what to do now.”
As she gazed imploringly at him, he pulled her into his arms.
“I’m right here.”
Henrik buried his face in Mia’s red hair.
She knew it was wrong, but she had no strength left with which to resist.
She felt like she was about to sink into a dark, deep ocean of despair. Unless someone was there to rescue her.
“It’s all right. I’m right here for you.”
Henrik stroked Mia’s hair clumsily. She could feel how earnest he was.
“You swear?”
You won’t leave me all alone?
Mia lifted her head, gazing into his eyes. Henrik held his breath, touching Mia’s cheek with gentle wonder.
Huh?
His fingertips were so cold, but the heat in his eyes was intense—then, Mathias’s voice broke the spell between them.
“I’m here too, Mia.”
Henrik jumped, letting go of Mia. Automatically, she stepped away from him.
Mathias was out of breath, too.
Between gasps, he managed to speak.
“Mia…Felix just said he’s through with our group.”
Despair flooded her. Knees buckling, she sank to the ground.
Mathias kept talking.
“He must have lost his mind. He’ll be back, don’t worry. Just…try to cheer up.”
But his words rang hollow, and it was clear he didn’t really believe what he was saying. Mia gasped, fighting back a sob.
“…Yes, of course.”
Mathias’s weak reassurances that Felix would return proved more soothing to Mia than Henrik’s declaration of solidarity. That was proof that Mia still couldn’t bear to give up on Felix.
She fingered the frog accessory in her pocket, her spirits lifting somewhat.
There must be some explanation for all of this.
After all, he had sent her that letter only this morning.
Mia closed her hand tight around the accessory. Then she forced herself to pull herself together and got to her feet.