The second Kai stepped onto the grounds of Brakebills, he knew exactly where to go.
Julia's frantic call hadn't come with many details, but the tremor in her voice was all he needed plus she'd be with Marina at the deans office trying to steal back Marina's old memories, not that Julia was aware tho. As he approached the familiar old wing near the east tower the same one students avoided unless they were mid-breakdown he heard raised voices. Two figures stepped out into the hallway, heated in a furious exchange.
Kady's voice cut through first.
"He's not going to wake up, Jules! That's the whole point of the fucking Scarletti Web you don't wake up from it especially not when taken as far as you did!"
Kai narrowed his eyes.
Ah yes the Scarletti Web… that was what Marina and Jules used in the show to trap Q.
As the two women spotted him, Julia's expression twisted eyes shimmering, jaw clenched, like she'd been holding tears behind her teeth. Kady stopped mid-rant, still furious but startled by his arrival.
Kai raised a brow, folding his arms.
"Please don't tell me you did something stupid, Julia."
Kady pointed an accusing finger. "She did. Quentin's in a goddamn coma spell he's not waking up unless she reverses it, which spoiler she can't."
Kai turned his gaze to Julia, whose silence was deafening.
His voice dropped, suddenly cold. "I assume Marina was involved."
Julia and Kady both blinked in surprise. "H–how do you… how do you know Marina?"
Kai just exhaled, already walking past them. "No time for that. Kady take me to Quentin. Julia once this is over, you and I are going to have a long talk."
He followed Kady through the halls, his mind racing.
'Dammit, Julia. I really hoped you wouldn't make the same mistake again… that this time you'd learn. But no… hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Especially a magician.'
Still, this wasn't just about her anymore. Quentin needed help. And truth be told, Kai couldn't blame the Julia entirely. Quentin had dismissed Julia brushed her off like she was nothing when she needed him the most.
'Part of him deserves this,' Kai thought darkly. 'He turned his back on someone who cared, and now he's facing the cost. But it's still not how it's supposed to end and she took it too far.'
They reached the building.
Inside, the atmosphere was tense Fogg, Penny, Eliot, and another teacher were already there. As Kai entered behind Kady and Julia, Eliot whipped around.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa what is the hedge bitch doing here?" Eliot asked. "And where the hell have you been, Kai?"
Kai, cool and unbothered, adjusted his jacket. "I've been… busy."
Kady added, not skipping a beat, "It's her fault Quentin's like this."
Fogg groaned. "Fuck, Julia… of course."
Penny stepped forward. "What the hell did you do?"
Julia, finally breaking, said through tears, "Look I have the exact wording of the spell. I can give it to you."
Fogg, adjusting his glasses, cut her off coldly. "Too late."
"It was supposed to be a joke!" she began.
Eliot barked a laugh. "Bullshit! You did it to get even!"
Julia yelled, "Oh, fuck you! Somebody help him!"
Her eyes found Kai. "Please!"
Fogg sighed heavily. "If I had the exact spell an hour ago…"
But Kai wasn't listening anymore. He was already moving. The room followed his gaze to the figure lying motionless on the mattress.
Quentin.
Kai knelt beside him, muttering under his breath.
"Oooohhh-kay. How exactly do I do this particular bit…"
He placed both hands on either side of Quentin's head and then turned sharply toward the chaos behind him.
"Can you fucking idiots shut up already?"
Right as Penny shouted, "Do you even know where he is right now?!"
Fogg demanded, "What the hell are you doing, Kai?"
Kai didn't look up. "Something helpful I hope. You should try it sometime."
---
Inside the Web
The world tilted the moment Kai made contact, he felt himself being sucked in. Light folded around him, and suddenly.
He was inside a mental hospital.
White walls, Gurneys. Shuffling patients in restraints. Someone was screaming down the hall. Kai looked down.
White shirt, White pants and White shoes.
His lips curled. "Oh hell no, Is this fucking spell trying to assimilate me too?"
He focused and in the blink of an eye, the clothing melted away, revealing his usual attire, the air stilled and the patients vanished.
'Better.'
He pushed open a door.
The room shifted.
Now he was somewhere else. A modest living room that was too clean. On the couch sat a stiff, gray-haired man face vaguely familiar.
'Quentin's father.'
Kai frowned. "Don't have time for this…"
He turned and the door was gone.
'Dammit'.
Another space in another memory. He was lost inside a maze of Quentin's subconscious. But after a while he…
Quentin stood beneath white beams in an endless void. Floating above, a chess board hovered, suspended midair.
He wasn't alone.
Jane Chatwin, looking no older than sixteen, stood beside him. And nearby, the Madness Maker Q's personal boogeyman lurched silently in the dark.
"You sure you want to play?" Jane asked softly.
Quentin stared ahead. "No. I'm not sure of anything. Except I'm tired."
Jane tilted her head. "Tired of?"
He whispered, "Fighting. Trying to be someone I can respect… and realizing I'm just… nothing."
Jane's voice dropped. "You built the hospital. You conjured your father. You're exhausted but you also built a way out.Otherwise, why are he and I here?"
Before Quentin could answer
A wet squelch echoed.
Quentin and Jane turned in time to see the Madness Maker gasp and a hand punched through its chest, clutching its still-beating heart.
It collapsed in a heap.
Quentin's eyes widened. "You?! How… how are you here?"
Kai, calm as ever, held the heart up casually. "Well just like Penny. Had to drop in for a little… heart-to-heart."
He tossed the heart aside like garbage.
Turning to Jane, he gave a wink. "Well hello, fairy tale."
Jane nodded. "Hi."
Kai clapped his hands. "So what are we waiting for? Let's go."
He turned back to Quentin. "Wake up."
Quentin gasped, violently lurching upward as he vomited a scorpion, coughing and shaking. Everyone jumped.
Kai stood, brushing dust from his knees before walking over to stand beside a still distressed Julia. "Huh, that actually worked. Not bad for my first head dive"
Eliot rushed over, patting Quentin on the head. "Somebody wokeup!"
Penny exhaled. "Took your damn time."
Fogg muttered, "Somebody get him some brandy…"
Eliot practically floated toward the liquor. "Flying in!"
Kady turned to Kai, stunned. "What the hell did you do?"
Kai shrugged with a grin. "Little dumpster dive into Q's head. Took a wrong turn into a mental hospital and got lost in a maze of daddy issues, depression, and repressed trauma."
Eliot snorted with laughter. "Okay I take it back, I missed you."
But then he stopped mid-giggle. "Wait… where's the hedge bitch?"
Everyone looked around Julia was gone.
Kai stared at the empty space she'd occupied for a while and sighed.
'What to do now…'
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