This is work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright© Avery Song , 2020

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CONTENTS

Acknowledgement

BLURB

Prologue: The End Of Witchling Academy

1.  Sleepy Recovery

2.  Notorious Five

3.  The Past That Wrote The Present

4.  Recovery And Sweet Escape

5.  Winter Wonderland Adventure

6.  Celebration And Drinking Worries

7.  Hot Spring Snooping And Loving Resolution

8.  Christmas Gone Wrong

9.  To Choose Light Or Dark

10.  Create A New Year Of Growing Compassion

11.  Dawn Of Semester Six

12.  Change For All And Power Surge

13.  Escape To Hidden Prosperity

14.  Odd Encounters And Threatened Envy

15.  Threatened Envy

16.  Witchling Games Of Tested Hope

17.  Two Destined Strings Intertwine

COMING SOON - WITCHLING SEMESTER 7

BLAZING ACADEMY SNEAK PEEK

BLURB

CHAPTER ONE: Sweet Sixteen

THE TRACKER HIVE - OUT NOW

SUPERNATURAL SPY ACADEMY - OUT NOW

FAE ROSE ACADEMY- PREORDER

ABOUT AVERY SONG

Also By Avery Song & Veronica Agnus

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank you for purchasing WITCHLING ACADEMY- SEMESTER SIX!

Thank you to all my amazing supporters for being awesome and encouraging me to write every day.

Special thanks to my amazing Mom for blessing me with the gift to write and supporting me in all aspects. I pray to continue making you proud as I strive towards success.

Finally, I thank God for giving me the strength to achieve my goals. Without Him, I would be nothing.

AVERY SONG

BLURB

Demigods? Powerful sorcerers? Intertwined destinies? Multiple timelines? Being nineteen couldn’t be more exciting — and frightening.

After a near-death experience, I, Brianne Marie Harlow, learned a startling truth: I’m not just an ordinary “gifted” witch. Far from it, in fact. Instead, I’m a demigod with a prophesied destiny. My purpose in life is rooted in the depths of Witchling Academy and I may have been the very reason it came crumbling down — and may do so again.

The good news is that my Notorious Four have been reunited, and it seems each of them has grown stronger and wiser. I have one destined soulmate, but my abundant love has connected me to three more. My feelings for my men continue to grow, strengthening our bonds and powers. It’s exciting to see them connect with one another…and there may just be room in our lives to experiment with new things.

We’re still working hard to improve things at school, and when you factor in my best friends Mia and Miya, as well as their loyal boyfriends, we’re an unstoppable force. Many of our peers are excited about what we’ll be able to achieve, but there are others who are desperate to destroy us before we can implement any change in our curriculum.

As for this mysterious prophecy? I’ll have to survive the chaos darkness brings before I have a chance to meet the other three chosen women — if the enemy doesn’t stop us first.

Semester Six is about challenges, and with another Witchling Games approaching, it’s time for us to learn the truth about our origins.

PROLOGUE: THE END OF WITCHLING ACADEMY

“BRI!”

The stabbing pain that struck through my chest left me breathless. My eyes went wide as I took in the inevitable truth of my naive decision, fooled by wishful words and a glittering future.

A world of peace.

A school that would raise powerful men and women who would help maintain the peaceful times we’d lived in.

To prove that we could all coexist in harmony, regardless of our differences.

Our hopes were achievable, but even in a world of good, there’s a darkness that wants nothing but war.

That was now proved true, the droplets of dark red beginning their descent to the soil. Drop after drop, until it felt like a mini river was leaving my body.

The body that had endured many hardships. A body that helped me defend many innocent lives. A body that got to enjoy the finest things in life. A body that showed passion to the man I loved.

A body that should have harvested the seed within my womb.

My knees buckled, the world already narrowing as my vision blurred.

Arms caught me, those familiar arms that had nestled me in the darkest times of my life and now brought forth cherished memories I’d carry with me to the brink of death and beyond.

How pitiful my end would be, the final countdown ticking away as more of my blood spilled on the ground beneath me.

“Bri! Hold on. Please.”

My head felt so weak, but it was soon cradled by the man I’d loved for so long. Friend, lover, husband.

We had faced so many obstacles together, and each time, we’d fought our way to victory. After such a long journey, we had finally made it. We were together, and I had hopes of starting a family. Having a bundle of joy that would light the world when things grew dark.

All of those joyous dreams were beginning to fade, my life withering away.

My eyes peered into his golden ones, the spheres filling with tears at my approaching demise.

This man of strength and immense power, with the looks to get any woman he desired, chose me. I had never felt worthy of his admiration. To be chosen from the waves of women who’d have done anything to have Jaxson’s attention.

He was my shadow wizard who had the power to be a demigod. The man of my dreams who cherished every second with me. The one who broke down my walls and replaced every insecurity with love and compassion.

My sweet Jaxson…the father of our own unborn child.

How could I tell him now? It would be cruel to do such a thing. I’d planned to reveal the news when we knew the gender of the baby, but I knew without a doubt that the peanut within me was a girl.

So many thoughts had gone through my mind when I found out. If it was a girl, I would have named her after his sister, a woman who’d supported Jaxson his whole life, preparing him for his rightful place on the throne.

We were supposed to have an heir, and instead, I was about to die, and our child would be gone as well. What a tragic ending to a life that hadn’t yet reached its climax.

“Bri. Please. The healers are coming. Stay with me. I can’t…I can’t rule without my queen. Please don’t leave me. We’re supposed to start a family, remember? We’ve only just begun our life together,” Jaxson begged, his tears falling and dripping onto my face that was surely pale.

I gasped for breath, hoping to gain enough to say what needed to be said, but it grew harder to stay conscious with every breath I took.

Guilt washed over me as I stared into his helpless eyes. He deserved to know; he was the one person I could tell everything to and not feel like a fool. I fought to speak, but liquid pooled in my mouth and I turned my head to the side to cough up the blood.

The metallic taste reminded me that time was escaping me, and once I perished, the world itself would begin to crumble.

Only I knew just how powerful Jaxson was, just how great his magic was, and especially what those shadow flames of his could do to a world like this. I should have told him to stop. To ask him to promise that he wouldn’t burn this place we’d come to love and help grow.

Witchling Academy was more than just the blessed school for magic people. It was the foundation that created leaders like us, and our example was why various schools were created with similar purposes.

I should have been a positive influence till the very end, but my heart that was fighting to beat was filled with burning agony. This wasn’t how our story should have ended. Not when we had fought so hard to keep the peace.

We sacrificed our happiness for so long, wasted our time with those who were apparently meant for us, and it only brought us pain and heartache.

I had been stuck with an alcoholic who did nothing but abuse me, until I’d found Jaxson. I could drink with him in bubbly celebration, and not once had he laid a hand on me. His experience had been similar to mine, and maybe that was why we connected so well.

The pain we’d endured in silence was something we could share with one another as we walked on the path of healing together.

But now I was dying…and that meant leaving my knight in shining armor behind. Jaxson, my king. This shouldn’t be the way this world repaid us.

My vision was fading, but I had to tell Jaxson the truth. It would hurt him…maybe kill him, but he had to know.

All I could do was put every bit of energy that remained into my left hand. I lifted the heavy limb, reaching for Jaxson’s right hand. He noticed what I was doing, rushing to hold my hand with his.

It made me fight to smile, tears flooding my eyes before cascading down my cheeks. Guiding his hand as I held it tightly, I laid it upon my stomach. I looked up at him, trying to emphasize the tragedy of our predicament.

He looked confused at first, unsure of what I was trying to say with my silent gesture, but then it clicked and his eyes widened in sheer horror.

“No…” he whispered, the heartbreaking word making me wish to comfort him.

I’d fallen so madly in love with this man, that even with death knocking on my door, I’d do anything to hug him one last time.

I fought to speak the words that I knew would be my very last.

“I’m…sorry. I…love you. We…love…you.” I choked on my words, but I got them out, giving him the best smile I could muster.

My words seemed to seep away the rest of the energy I had, the world beginning to dim as my body lost sensation. The pain dulled, my sense of smell fading with my eyesight. My eyelids grew heavy, and all I could do as they began to close was watch Jaxson’s eyes begin their transition from gold to pitch black.

I knew that I’d just unlocked a raging demon, one that had fought for control for years and had never wanted to trust these people — these humans.

That side believed that demigods deserved to rule, that absolute control was a must in this world of wonder and might. The demon didn’t believe the peace we sought existed, though on the occasions we had proved him wrong, he had been willing to aid our mission.

That willingness was about to shatter, the cessation of my beating heart being the trigger to the mayhem would follow.

“Bri! Bri! BRI!!!”

My lover’s scream fought to reach me, just as the violent shaking of my body did, but my consciousness was already drifting, my spirit leaving my body.

When I opened my eyes, I was staring at a wonderful sky, one of pink, orange, gold, and other pastel colors. White clouds mingled together, the serenity so divine that my fear and sadness began to drift away.

A light hovered above me, one that glowed with purity and love, and I beamed in heightened elation.

My unborn child…she came with me.

I should have been sad that she hadn’t received a chance at life, but I was happy she would at least be safe from the darkness that would follow my death.

One day…I’ll meet you. I’ll love you…just how I love you now. No matter what form you take…human…familiar…element. Please…gods…let my child have a chance. The child…we love. Jaxson and I…created. The one we will…cherish forever.

My consciousness was already fading, the world growing warmer and the light shining brightly until it engulfed my body and mind.

I knew my soul was next to be swallowed by the comfort of salvation, but I had one last thought, one that I had to let go of if I wanted to receive judgment and face what the gods had for me in my afterlife.

Forgive me for such negativity…but…let that world…

I paused, remembering Jaxson’s heartbroken eyes reflecting the realization that he was losing his wife and unborn child.

Let that world…burn.

~JAXSON~

MY WORLD CAME to a dramatic stop.

All sound ceased to exist, my ears fighting to hear the sole sound that held my world. Seconds passed, the silence growing longer, all while the hope I had for the world we’d once envisioned began to wither away.

The world I envisioned with the love of my life. My friend, partner, and wife.

We’d finally gotten away from the hardships that once plagued us, the lives we’d been forced into, only to be trapped in an endless cycle of pain and deceit.

On the outside, I smiled and hid the scars and bruises beneath the layers of clothes. I pushed aside the hateful words, degrading comments designed to destroy my pride and confidence.

Until I met the one woman who could break my cycle of isolation and self-hatred. A female who’d gone through her own set of hardships and understood me better than the one who had known me all her life.

Our paths had intertwined by accident, our goal to bring a wave of peace bringing us on a new journey together.

We knew nothing about one another, but as the months passed and our trials grew harder, we began to see our similarities, and our broken threads began to intertwine, creating a new tapestry of hope and harmony amid the lingering agony.

She accepted me.

No harsh words or insults to make herself feel superior. She never laid a hand on me to leave bruises and wounds. Her touch was soft, gentle, and soothing to my scarred soul, and the warmth her lips brought against mine helped those barriers crumble. I allowed her love to enter and fill the hole of loneliness within my heart, body, and soul.

She completed me.

She was young but wiser than any woman I’d ever encountered, thanks to the books and literature she absorbed like water. She didn’t let the wounds she had endured from her past lover stop her, and when she was in her element, the confidence that oozed off of her could silence a room full of superiors.

And now she was gone.

I fought the truth that stared back at me, but as my eyes trailed down my Bri’s body, it finally began to sink in. Her skin was already pale, her lips turning a bluish purple.

Her cheeks, which were always flushed with embarrassment or pure happiness, were as ashen as the rest of her skin. Her eyes were closed, and I could almost believe she was sleeping, were it not for the blood that had stained the sides of her mouth and rolled down her chin.

It wasn’t until I lowered my gaze that the truth made its way to my heart. Her blood continued to pour out of her like a fountain, pooling beneath us as the soil failed to soak up every droplet. My eyes landed on her stomach, our joined hands still in the same spot, marking what we’d always wished for.

To start a family of our own.

We’d been so lost in our worry, pain, and fear that the thought of having a family seemed like an unreachable dream. Our nights were filled with passion, but also with concern about whether we could produce an heir of our own. One who would grow up in a wonderful world, a peaceful place where children could run on the streets with their innocent views of life and not worry about the dark corners and alleys that brought despair and sadness.

That dream had grasped at existence before it was all taken away. It killed me, and as the woman I loved and my unborn child lay lifeless in my shaking arms, I knew that my time in this world was over.

A world without my love was a world I wouldn’t live in any longer.

“Jaxson!”

A man called out to me, one whom I knew all too well as a bringer of heartbreak to my Bri. My eyes lifted to meet the man in question, as his swift run came to a dramatic stop as he saw the lifeless body in my arms.

“B…Bri.” That was all he could say, his eyes locking on mine and flooding with fear. “J-Jaxson. It…it wasn’t me.”

Lies.

There it was. The dark voice of my shadows. If the sadness wasn’t fighting to swallow us whole, he’d be rubbing in how correct his warning had been. This just proved that everything he’d said was right. That we were foolish to believe the same individuals that smiled and cheered for peace would not forsake us.

For so long, this stubborn part of me had voiced his concerns. Stressed that nowhere in universe could there exist harmony between demigods and mages. We, a combination of demigod and shadow wizard, were far too supreme to mingle with commoners, and yet, we wanted a better future, without exclusion.

How foolish it all sounded. With my shining light gone, all that remained was darkness.

More footsteps echoed, and I noticed the individuals crowding around in horror and shock. It was all a show, and as I looked at their deceitful faces, my anger began to boil, raging flames begging to wreak havoc. I thought about all the times Bri had told me to be peaceful, to use my words instead of my flames, and that peace always prevailed.

This time would be different, for my Bri, my light, my saving grace, was no more, and I wouldn’t listen to anyone else.

My sunshine was gone.

It wasn’t the universe that took her away. She was destined to live a long life. Longevity was her blessing, and she’d help heal the world of its tragedies and hardships.

Someone ordered for her life to be ended, and as a final set of footsteps raced this way, I knew who had wanted this more than anyone.

Rushing through the crowd, the woman in question emerged.

Our eyes locked immediately, her shock registering before she lowered her gaze to the ground. Anyone would have gasped, shed tears, questioned this madness. Yet there she stood, her expression guarded as those eyes lingered on my queen. The world darkened, the clouds covering any bit of light, but I knew it wasn’t about to rain.

The boiling emotions within me were ready to burst, and this place would be the start of the destruction.

That woman who’d wanted nothing but despair for me met my gaze once more, and it was the trigger that let my shadows make the decision that would end this world.

Her eyes were filled with pride, a joyful burst of color dancing in her irises. Her lips lifted just slightly, enough to deliver the message she wanted me to receive.

She’d won. The darkness she’d served had consumed the light.

Her happiness would be her downfall, and before I registered what I’d done, multiple gasps reached my ears as those prideful eyes widened in agony.

The first droplets of blood that hit the floor made me smile, my tears streaming down my face as I picked Bri up.

Any bit of happiness was gone, replaced with sorrow and regret. It whirled through me like a raging tornado, growing and expanding, ready to shift into a hurricane of deadly energy.

I watched the woman I’d loved long ago fall to her knees. Black needles the size of spears protruded from her chest and neck. The crowd moved back, some of them running away to save themselves while others were surely going to spread the news.

It wouldn’t matter, because the deed was only the beginning, and no one would get out of it alive.

Not even me.

“You mock my misery.” My flat tone spoke volumes, everyone freezing in place as the world darkened and the temperature heightened significantly.

“Death must be a fun game for you, but now I’ll show you what your actions have wrought.” A wide smile glazed my lips, and I was sure my eyes were pure black.

I looked at the sky. The first drops of black liquid fell onto my cheek. Droplet after droplet, black fluid began to pour heavily on everyone, but it wasn’t raining at all.

It was the gasoline I needed to make this entire place suffer.

“We tried,” I declared, my voice booming through the streets. “We did everything we could for peace, and this! This is how you repaid us.” I raised Bri’s body up, hoping the world would see the damage their selfish deeds had caused.

What they took from me.

“You took the woman I loved…the woman who carried my chid. Now you’ll all pay,” I declared, explosions happening all around as black flames shot out from the ground.

Screams were heard for miles, young and old trying desperately to run from the burning flames of my wrath. If only they knew it was all for nothing.

I’d take half of the world with me.

My satisfaction grew as bodies fell, and the agonizing screams from our ex-lovers only made me laugh in glee.

Cradling Bri in my arms once more, I kissed her forehead, my eyes examining her drenched body, the black raindrops washing the blood from her face.

“I wish to one day see you and my child, sweet Bri. Alas, I cannot keep my promise. I will get my revenge. Even if it lands me in the depths of hell.”

My lips lowered to her ice-cold ones, my tears leaving me as I fought the sobs that threatened to escape. This was my last chance to let my human side experience emotion.

Opening my eyes one last time, I looked at the woman I loved and recalled all the memories. The good and bad, and how her smiling face always made a bad day a delightful one.

“I love you, Bri. Now and forever. Forgive me. Please…forgive me.”

The shadow flames began to wrap around me, but their burn didn’t pain me. I watched as Bri’s body began to burn, but as she became ashes, they gathered into the palm of my hands, until every ash of her existence remained in my grasp. Morphing a circle, an orb of her ashes hovered above my palms. Surrounding it with fire, I created a solid sphere that cradled the woman I loved.

I looked up to the sky.

“You can have your reign now…but not until you go to our favorite place and spread these ashes in peace will you be given ultimate control. Do you understand?”

Yes. I will honor our love.

“Then let the world burn until then but preserve that place. Let it remain in eternal beauty.”

As you wish.

My consciousness began to fade, and I didn’t fight the darkness that came. It was something I would have to get used to until judgment came knocking on my door.

Until then, I knew my request would be honored, and my next intention was as pure as my love for Bri.

Let this world…BURN!

SLEEPY RECOVERY

“Fufufu!”

“MewMew!”

My eyes peeked open, landing on Elsa, who was once again kicking Fuwa around like a toy ball. I had told her to stop five times already, but I wasn’t even sure if Fuwa minded anymore.

“Are they bonding?” Jax pondered, yawning.

“I have no clue,” I mumbled, and closed my eyes. “I feel like I could sleep for a year.”

“If that involves cuddling with me, I’d be down,” Jax reasoned.

“Hmm. Tempting.” I couldn’t help but snuggle closer to him, the two of us sharing a fuzzy blanket as we waited for the others to arrive at Professor Phoenix’s office.

Now that we’d passed our exam and survived Semester Five, it was time for the truth, but I wasn’t sure if I was exactly ready.

Elijah’s words had been running through my mind, repeating themselves over and over again.

“SEE? If you had actually accepted the Shadow people’s help, you wouldn’t be in this predicament. All because of the stupid treaty that went sour between the gods and the dark shadows, and yet, you two were created. A demigod and a witch. A demigod and Shadow wizard. You were destined to love different people, and even though you’ve been given yet another chance at life with both of you combined, you still fell into the same routine.”

“Combined,” I whispered.

“Yes, combined,” Elijah confirmed. “Bri and Maria equals Brianne Marie Harlow. Jaxson and Jaxsin equal Jax Morgan. They didn’t add the “son” or “sin” on your birth certificate because they were worried it would be too obvious. You can look it up.”

THE SHADOW PEOPLE, about whom we had no other info. No idea of their purpose. Just vague notions of treaties and various mage types, and this talk about us loving different people and being given another chance. It wasn’t making any sense to me.

I closed my eyes once more, recalling his words regarding my eyes.

“OH! So, it’s already begun. Your darkness is already beginning to have control. Excellent! Excellent!”

THE STROKE against my head pulled me out of the replay, and I opened my tired eyes slightly to look at Jax, those golden orbs of his analyzing my exhausted expression.

“What’s bothering your pretty head, Red?” he whispered. He was using my nickname to try and lighten the mood, but I was sure he felt the built-up anxiety just as I did.

“I can’t get Elijah’s words out of my head,” I mumbled and pressed myself against Jax’s side. “It’s like on repeat or something, and it’s stressful to think about.”

“Yeah,” he whispered and sighed. “That was a close call…but I feel like we opened a box of worms.”

“Maggots?” I offered.

“Spiders?” he countered.

“What’s worse than spiders?” I asked.

“Centipedes?” he suggested.

“Actually, those aren’t too bad. Though the whole one-hundred-and-seventy pairs of legs thing is freaky.”

“Imagine having that many legs.”

“Let’s not.” I shivered at the idea. “Let’s do something else.”

“Like make out?”

That made me giggle and I lifted my head in time for his lips to brush against mine. “If only we were alone.”

“We are,” he whispered, and kissed me again.

I closed my eyes and let myself be lost in his comforting lips.

To think just an hour ago, we were falling to our deaths, right after witnessing Elijah being shot by the blazing red arrow and swallowed by the shattering ground of the glacier mountains.

It was a blessing that we were alive, and that was all thanks to Mia and Miya, who had saved us and revealed their true identities.

“YOU’RE A GOD?”

“Demigod,” Mia corrected with a sweet smile.

“You guys…know?” Jax whispered.

“That we’re demigods? We know,” Miya bluntly replied. “It’s the reason we were sent to Witchling Academy to begin with, but more importantly, we were on a mission.”

“A mission?” I whispered.

“Yup.” Mia smiled brilliantly and looked over to her sister. “We were reincarnated to make sure you two didn’t die a third time.”

“Second,” Miya corrected.

“Technically it’s third, because they’re both one person now,” Mia insisted.

“Still second,” Miya bluntly countered.

“I don’t think I’ll win this argument, so you can have this one.” Mia shrugged and looked back down at me. “I bet you two have a lot of questions, so why don’t we, uh…well, I guess hover up here until the pass signal goes on our watches?”

“Then, once the others have arrived, we can really tackle this problem once and for all so we don’t have another close call,” Miya finished.

“Sure,” Jax and I replied.

“Not like we can go anywhere else,” I nervously stated.

Mia laughed. “Glad we made it on time. It would be a shame to lose our best friends a third time.”

“Second,” Miya muttered. “But I agree.”

“This is going to be a confusing backstory, huh?” Jax commented.

“It will be, but you’ll finally know the true reason why Witchling Academy was recreated,” Mia announced.

“Recreated,” I whispered.

“Yup,” Miya whispered. “Recreated after the wrath of the God of War plagued the land.”

“That’s…me, isn’t it?” Jax whispered.

Mia nodded. “Can’t be helped when your queen, the Goddess of Time and Space, was murdered before you. It will be a long conversation ahead of us, but one thing is for sure.”

“We won’t let Witchling Academy fall again. As to when that all happened? At the end of Semester Six,” Miya declared. “Now we have to do everything in our power to stop it from repeating itself.”

“Or it’ll be the end all over again,” Mia confirmed.

I BROKE THE SWEET KISS, sighing in distress at the revelation from Miya and Mia. I looked away, attempting to hide my worry and fear about what would happen to us.

We’d apparently been reincarnated a third time — or second, depending on who you asked — and Mia and Miya were sent to make sure we didn’t perish again.

Jax lifted his hand to my right cheek, gently moving my head to face his.

“Brianne,” he whispered. “Stop worrying. I’m right here.”

His reminder left me teary-eyed, the burden of this whole ordeal currently on our shoulders. We were the reason this was happening, and yet, it felt like it wasn’t solely our fault.

We must have had a purpose in our previous lives, just like everyone does when they’re born into the world, but the obstacles that had plagued us had led to disaster and downfall.

I couldn’t imagine the same thing happening in this life, but with all the problems and crazy circumstances we’d dealt with so far, I wasn’t sure if we could avoid the inevitable.

If it weren’t for Mia and Miya, we would have died again.

“Why do we keep falling into the same cycle?” My voice was shallow and filled with emotion. I didn’t want to cry, because I knew if I broke down now, I wouldn’t be able to face the others, who knew nothing of what had just occurred.

Ninety days had flown by in a flash as I achieved the highest level of Spell Traveling: Time Travel. But the accomplishment had taken its toll on me. Even now, my body was struggling with adapting to the new timeline, which was why Jax had bundled me up with this blanket, using his body as an added source of heat so I’d warm up after my temperature suddenly dropped.

“I wish I could answer,” he replied with a sad smile. “If I knew, you’d be the first to know why.”

He pressed his forehead against mine, the two us sharing the emotional bond that had grown with the revelation of our entwined past. I was thankful that our paths had changed, and I was privileged to love Connor, Kaito, and Finnick as well, but all the same, I worried about the future.

If they see how closely aligned our paths are, will they still want to be with me? Is it okay with them that Jax and I are more connected? What if we find out more stuff about our past that leaves them out? Would they want to carry on with our relationship?

That thought frightened me the most.

Our three-year anniversary was at the end of next semester, and the growth we’d experienced was phenomenal to me.

All of us had changed since our first semester at Witchling Academy, but I wasn’t sure if all of it was good. Back then, I had lived in a bubble of goals and dreams, and never would have been so frightened of the future.

I had four amazing individuals that I loved, a family that cared for me when times were hard, and amazing friends who were willing to do anything to see me happy and well. I should have been excited for what was to come, but I was in a tight predicament and my emotions were riled up by our unpredictable future.

“Brianne.” Jax must have sensed my fear.

I opened my eyes and met his once again. “Do you think the guys will still want to be with me?” I was truly fearing the worst.

“What makes you think they would change their minds?”

“We’re not normal.”

“We never were, Red.” He smiled and cradled my face with his hands. “We’re magic users in this world. Not everyone can wield magic like we do, which makes us seem abnormal to those without our gifts. But the others still care about us. What makes you think that’s going to change?”

“We’re…gods. Er…demigods. We’re not just normal humans or mages. When they find out, won’t they push us away?” It felt like a silly matter to discuss, another insecurity that was flooding my mind with the new idea of what we truly were, but all four guys had engraved themselves into my heart, and the thought of losing the other three was making me shake in Jax’s arms.

He sighed and hooked his arm under my knees, lifting me up so I could sit on his lap. He hugged me tightly, his body growing warmer to aid in the sudden chill that took over my body.

I hadn’t registered that my teeth were chattering until the sound began to lessen.

“You’re taking this too harshly, Brianne. Yeah, we’re demigods, but that doesn’t suddenly change who we are. You know this,” Jax reasoned, trying to bring back some sense to my clouded mind. “You became best friends with Mia and Miya. You didn’t know what they were, now did you?”

“No,” I mumbled.

“Does you knowing they’re demigods now make you want to not be friends with them anymore?”

“No.” I shook my head before resting it against his chest. “I know my thought process is stupid.”

“It’s okay,” he whispered. “You’re dealing with a lot — and that was before the physical mishaps happened with the whole time travel thing.”

“I guess we have to face the music before my anxiety will settle,” I concluded.

“Yes,” Jax agreed. “But you have me to hold you the entire time. That should count for the supportive boyfriend of the semester award.”

I grinned as my teeth stopped chattering. “The semester just ended.”

“Well then, I have a head start for Semester Six,” he reasoned.

“Silly Jax,” I mumbled, letting myself relax in his hold.

His hand began to stroke my head once more, those fingers going through my long locks. It was soothing, making it feel as though we were in his room, winding down for the night.

“Did she fall asleep?”

The quiet whisper stirred me from what felt like a minute-long power nap. I hadn’t realized I’d fallen asleep, but the comment from my older sister proved otherwise.

“Jax is knocked out,” Professor Phoenix noted. “The exam was an eye-opener.”

“Why was Elijah even at the exam?” Starlight questioned.

“Meow.” The sound of Aon answering was followed with, “And did you guys find his body?”

“They’re investigating.” Professor Phoenix sounded annoyed. “As for why he was there, I have no fucking idea.”

It was the first time I’d actually heard Professor Phoenix swear.

“Do you think this is getting out of hand?” Starlight inquired.

“If you believe this is out of hand, I’m not sure what to expect with Semesters Six, Seven and Eight approaching.” Professor Phoenix sighed.

“If this keeps happening with random pop-ups, neither of them is going to make it to graduation,” Starlight harshly declared. “We have all the evidence to take down Elisha and she’s still roaming around in her wheelchair. Elijah should have been on house arrest, but he was there at the exam. No one has answers, and for heaven’s sake, I’m going to find the culprit who keeps buying all the fucking hazelnut creamer!”

“No wonder you’re in a bad mood,” Professor Phoenix noted. “I didn’t want to resort to this so soon, but I’ve called one of my allies to aid us in this. Looks like we’re not the only one dealing with problematic issues.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, they have their share of problems seeing as they track down bad guys, but it seems their school has been targeted by someone who has deep connections to these Shadow people. He’s a criminal who somehow was able to get away with murdering a family who was well known for their generosity in these parts. They were mere mortals, but their child is beyond special.”

“Why do I have a feeling this child could potentially be one of the four?” Starlight asked.

“I haven’t determined it yet because they’re in a different parallel.”

“Are you saying they’re in another world entirely?”

“Yes,” Professor Phoenix noted. “Their world uses magic like ours, but their system involves elements. The more elements you can use, the more valuable you become. I won’t get into details.”

Her last comment made me wonder if she was even allowed to speak of it.

“Aren’t you bending the rules by bringing this person here?” Aon inquired.

Professor Phoenix laughed. “Says the familiar who jumps through universes on a daily basis.”

“Hey. That’s a secret,” he huffed. “Besides, the last time I jumped over to a different universe was to help our demigod sister out when she almost lost Silver. Couldn’t allow that to happen, now could I?”

“I told you not to do that,” Starlight scolded. “No one knows about our connection. Not even our parents.”

“Your godly sister was on the verge of a breakdown after that mission with her boyfriend and came back to her younger sister getting some letter that said she had ten months to live. I was there to ensure the world didn’t end.”

“Right,” Starlight sighed. “Don’t do that again, or I’ll actually be mad.”

“Whatever,” Aon huffed. “They didn’t even notice the difference.”

“Well, I did,” Starlight huffed. “That time shift was annoying back then.”

“How many years ago was that?” Professor Phoenix sounded intrigued by the conversation.

“About four, if you’re referring to their timeline,” Aon answered. “I was sick for weeks after that. Don’t worry, I’ll let the angel woman make a gate next time.”

“Anyway.” Professor Phoenix brushed the topic away. “Professor Sky will be aiding us. Their organization is meant to help track people down. As for the girl I mentioned, I’m not sure when we’ll be able to do introductions, let alone figure out if she’s one of them.”

“Now that you mention it, are you sure there’s only four?” Starlight asked.

“Positive,” Professor Phoenix declared. “I’ll have another meeting with the higher ones, but right now, the focus should be on Brianne and the others. The rest of the team should be here soon, and we’ll explain what’s going on, but after that, I need to go.”

“Trouble?” Starlight questioned.

“Scorching Flame School is having issues.”

“The one on the other outskirts?” Aon pondered. “It’s so hot in that area.”

“That’s how they got their name, silly.” Starlight sighed. “What’s up?”

“One of the students is exhibiting more than one element.”

“That’s bad?” Aon asked.

“Yes and no,” Professor Phoenix said. “Yes, because that school is solely for fire. No, because she may be our third girl.”

“Seriously?!” Starlight and Aon gasped before Professor Phoenix hushed both of them. “You’ll wake them up!”

“Oops,” they replied.

“Bri…anne.”

The low mumble above me was from Jax.

“That was close,” Aon whispered.

“Hmm.” Starlight seemed quiet. “I think my sister’s about to wake up.”

I’d been trying to keep my breathing slow and even so no one noticed I was awake, but clearly that facade was failing with their attention on me.

“We’ll talk about the details later,” Professor Phoenix announced. “Mia and Miya should be here any minute. We’ll need more chairs.”

“We’ll get them,” Aon declared. “Meaning I’ll carry them, and Starlight will look pretty for me.”

Starlight tsked. “You’re just being nice because I’m grumpy.”

“You’ll be all happy when you see Katsume,” Aon noted. “She called and said she was coming over.”

“S-she did?” Starlight stuttered. “Dammit. I look like a mess! Why didn’t you tell me before now? Professor Phoenix, be right back.”

“Ow! Why are you dragging me?!” Aon whined.

“I’ll finish the exam paperwork,” Professor Phoenix announced, though I doubted my sister or Aon were listening, their bickering sounding far away at this point.

The room went silent, but I didn’t feel like it was just Jax and me.

“I’m going to assume you heard the majority of the conversation, Brianne.”

I cracked an eye open, seeing Professor Phoenix’s smile as she leaned against the opposite wall from us.

“I tried.” I sheepishly grinned, my eyes feeling heavy already. “Hello, Professor Phoenix.”

“Still exhausted, huh? I don’t blame you, but I doubt you’re going to stay awake during the next conversation.”

She glanced over to Jax. “Not to mention, your lover is fast asleep.”

“Too bad we can’t get another power nap,” I whispered, feeling as though I hadn’t even slept.

“I’ll bend the rules a little.” Professor Phoenix smirked and began to walk over to us. She placed her hand on my head, doing the same to Jax before she closed her eyes.

My eyes grew heavy, and before I could ask, they closed on their own. When I opened them again, I felt completely rejuvenated.

I stared up at Professor Phoenix in disbelief, but all she did was a wink, her arms returning to her sides.

“I should finalize those exam results,” she declared, as if that was the current discussion we were having. She headed to the door, but I wondered if she was bothered that I’d been eavesdropping.

“Professor Phoenix?”

She stopped at the door, her hand on the knob before she glanced over her shoulder to look at me with a calm smile.

“Yes, Brianne?”

“Um…is it really okay for me to know about, you know…” I wasn’t sure how to explain it. The conversation itself was confusing, bouncing off topics that weren’t connecting in my dazed mind.

Surely it would make sense one day, or we’d finally address those areas when they brought themselves up. Regardless, I didn’t want her, my sister, or Aon getting in trouble with the gods.

“Sometimes having a few hints in your life will aid you in times of troubled waters.” Her genuine smile lit up her face, pride flashing through her silver eyes. “Use this time to focus on your accomplishments, for they will strengthen you and remind you of what you’ve overcome when the next set of challenges come your way.”

With those wise words, she was out the door.

Jax gripped me a bit tighter, mumbling something about tacos under his breath.

I glanced slightly up to see his peaceful expression, noticing that I was still in his lap, while his back rested against the wall.

Professor Phoenix’s makeshift table was the perfect surface to just sit and take a few relieving breaths, especially after almost dying.

All these close calls would eventually sink in, but for now, I’d take Professor Phoenix’s advice and embrace our accomplishments.

We survived. We’ll recover. All that’s left is to face the daunting truth.

With a smile of my own, I closed my eyes, deciding to wait for Jax to wake up. It wouldn’t be long until we faced the music of what seemed to be a hidden legend of the past.

For now, I’ll enjoy our sleepy recovery a little longer.

NOTORIOUS FIVE

“RED!”

“FINNICK!” I crashed right into Finnick’s open embrace, his arms wrapping around me before lifting me up as we spun around.

I’d never realized just how much I enjoyed his playful greetings, spinning me around like we were on a skating rink and constantly defying gravity by floating through the air all the time.

We came to a stop as we hugged each other tightly, my tears already streaming down my flushed cheeks after running full speed ahead when Professor Phoenix told us Kaito and Finnick were here first.

Jax must have been catching up to me, seeing as I bolted from the office to the simulation auditorium where we’d told the others to meet us.

Due to my exhaustion, I’d completely forgotten, as had Jax, but thanks to Professor Phoenix’s little boost, it didn’t feel like the world was ending anymore.

We could use another nap later on, but I was now energized and ready to greet my remaining boyfriends the right way.

After the close call of losing them, I wanted each of them to feel welcomed and right at home.

“Jeez, Red.” Finnick chuckled. “You’re squeezing me so tight, my organs may fail from all the love.”

“Don’t you mean tension?” I giggled and hugged him even tighter.

“Sure, sure.” His arms tightened around me as he took a deep inhale and let it out. “Why does it feel like we missed something catastrophic?”

“Are you referring to how Jax and I almost died, or do you want me to elaborate on how half the population went missing and we had to dart into the future to save you guys from a frozen eternity?”

Finnick pulled back, those ocean eyes filled with shock and confusion.

“Um…why don’t we start with: how are you?”

I beamed at his response and hooked my arms around his neck once again. “I missed you, Finnick.”

“Me, too, Brianne,” he whispered into my hair. He kissed the top of my head and pulled back slightly, so he could take a good look at me.

“Jeez, Red. You loo…hmmm…” He paused, clearly searching for the right words.

“Wasted? Hideous? Ugly?” I hadn’t checked the mirror. All I could think of was having racoon eyes with fuzzy orange hair after the chaos we’d been through.

“No, silly.” He flicked my forehead.

“Ow.” I pouted and blinked my eyes. “Meanie.”

“That’s for thinking for a second that you’re anything other than beautiful.”

That made a smile bloom on my lips.

His arm hooked around my waist, bringing me close before his lips captured mine. “You’re as stunning as the sunsets up in the mountains,” he complimented. “Every morning I got up extra early to watch the sunrise and made sure I never missed the sunset. The lovely oranges and golds in the sky always reminded me of you and were what motivated me night and day to work even harder.”

He was going to make me cry at this rate, my eyes pooling with tears. He grinned and kissed me lightly on the lips.

“I have no clue what you did, but you look wiser, stronger, and there’s just a sense of empowerment hovering around you. It’s hard to figure out another word or explanation for it, but it’s similar to how you can walk in a room and draw everyone’s attention. It’s like that, but all the time.”

“It’s probably just because you haven’t seen me for a while,” I reasoned.

“Nah.” He shook his head, his eyes softening with compassion. “I see the difference loud and clear, Brianne.”

I stared back into his eyes, now noticing how different Finnick looked. I hadn’t even grasped it all, but now that we were talking about appearance, Finnick looked really different.

His hair passed his shoulders now, and the once-faded color was now vibrant, like he’d just dyed it the eye-catching pink. It could have been my eyes, but he seemed taller, closer to Connor’s height now.

His skin was tanner than usual, probably from all the training in the sun, and his attire was sophisticated with an artistic touch to it. His fitted black jeans had a graffitied design on them, while his white dress shirt was tucked into the jeans, allowing his similarly-themed, paint-splashed belt to have a moment of glory.

He wore black dress shoes, and his tie was made of the same paint-splattered denim.

I was clearly checking him out, earning me a playful smile from Finnick.

“Red? Earth to Red? I know I’m sweet-looking now, but I think this ain’t the time to drool over me,” he reminded.

I blushed and patted my mouth to realize I was actually drooling.

“I-I-I wasn’t drooling over you!” I huffed, and literally pushed him aside. “Where’s everyone else? I don’t care about you anymore.”

Finnick laughed, his arms quickly hooking around my waist as he embraced me from behind. “Admit it,” he whispered into my ear, his hot breath making me freeze in my attempt to escape from his grasp. “You like my new look.”

“S-shut up.”

“You always stutter when you’re nervous.”

“I-I don’t!”

“Mhmm.” The feel of his teeth suddenly tugging my earlobe had my heart going wild while my body tingled.

“Finnick.” My low growl was not nearly enough of a warning.

“You’re lucky Kaito’s coming and we’re in public,” he whispered, brushing his lips along my neck before he laid a kiss to my shoulder. “It’s nice to be back.”

I smiled and melted in his hold, happy to have him back as well.

“Why am I not surprised that Finnick’s loving up on Red?”

My eyes opened and I almost gasped at Kaito’s appearance as he approached us.

You know how in those epic Japanese movies, the hero comes out of nowhere during the final battle, the ground exploding around him, completely unfazed while the wind blows through his hair?

That was exactly what I was witnessing, minus the explosions, fight scenes, and dazzling theatrics.

Kaito was wearing loose black pants, the waist tied with a golden rope. His black top was mostly covered by the knee-length, Japanese-inspired jacket he wore. He had left it open, and it fluttered behind him with his long, flowing, navy-blue hair. He still hadn’t cut those strands, which would be down to his knees if they weren’t flowing behind him.

I immediately noticed the hint of purple highlights in his beautiful hair, matching his already-striking eyes that were framed in gold glasses. His skin was still creamy soft, but more masculine somehow. It was hard to figure out, but compared to his slightly girly appearance from before, he now looked like a foreign model ready to do a photoshoot for a samurai movie.

Or shampoo commercial. I’d be fine with either.

He had two katanas, one on each side of his waist, and his shoes were like wooden planks, with thick, golden rope to keep them attached to his feet.

Finnick sighed, hugging me against him while he rested his head on my shoulder like he was moping.

“Kaito. Why you gotta pull an ‘I’m a legendary samurai here to claim my woman’ entrance, huh? Look. Red’s speechless now.”

I really was speechless at how mature he looked. It was like all my men had suddenly hit puberty and came back looking badass. Obviously Jax had changed before our eyes through the semester. Even during summer, I could see the changes, but at least with him it had been a gradual progression. Now I was being hit right in the face with increased perfection.

If you ever questioned whether someone could be even more perfect than they originally were, the answer is yes.

“It’s not my fault. You’re the one who rushed us over here after Connor called us. You literally stated ‘Bring your samurai ass over here! We don’t got time to waste while Red and Jax are waiting for us’. Therefore, I couldn’t change out of my uniform.”

“Uniform?” I questioned and took another long look. “You look like you’re about to enter some ancient civil war in the heart of Japan.”

He smirked while Finnick let go of me.

“He has to wear that for his kendo kungfu martial art epicness training in the mountains,” Finnick revealed.

“Kungfu?” I asked and looked back at Kaito, who wrapped me in his arms. I squeezed him tightly, putting a pause in my curiosity to put just as much love in the hug as I had with Finnick.

“Hold that thought,” Kaito whispered, pulling back and immediately giving me a scorching kiss. I had to fight the moan that threatened to escape, unsure if Professor Phoenix had arrived and was keeping quiet for our reunion.

I kissed him back with just as much sizzling passion, my hands craving to be against his flesh and not the silkiness of his kimono. He broke the kiss when both of us were gasping for air, and Finnick sighed.

“Why aren’t we home? Things would have gotten good.”

We both looked at him, my face immediately beginning to blush at the inviting comment.

What would it be like if it was three of us alone? In fact, it would be intriguing to see the two of them make out. Wait…is that being dirty-minded? Ah! Imagination, stop!

“Why do I have a feeling Red likes the idea?” Kaito chuckled, making me more flushed.

“Hush!” I brushed him off, trying to get out of his hug, but he tightened his hold.

“I’m not done admiring you.”

My face must have been scorching red now.

“I’m not used to all this attention,” I whined.

Finnick and Kaito laughed. “What has Jax been doing then?’

“Hey. I’ve been loving her up in you guys’ absence,” Jax answered. The three of us looked back to see Jax approaching us.

I wasn’t sure what had taken him so long, but he looked pleased to see Finnick and Kaito.

I could see from his eye movement that he was conducting his own double-take of Finnick and Kaito, those gold orbs darting between them before he said, “What the hell did they feed you guys in the mountains? Booster juice with a growth serum?”

“Says the guy who had his growth spurt last semester,” Finnick huffed, rolling his eyes.

“Now he knows how we felt when he was growing all badass without us,” Kaito noted.

“Badass is a bad word,” I teased.

“No, it’s not!” Kaito defended.

“Technically it is. Has ass in it.” Finnick joined in the teasing. “That isn’t in the common dictionary, meaning it’s a bad word.”

“Says who?! Bad and ass are in the dictionary so it’s perfectly fine to put them together,” Kaito reasoned.

“What logic are you trying to use to defend yourself?” Jax laughed.

“Fuck off, Jax,” Kaito huffed, which only made Finnick and me burst out in laughter.

“You swore!” we exclaimed in unison, giggling.

Kaito groaned. “It’s Finnick’s fault!”

“Everything’s my fault.” Finnick was still laughing.

“This semester just ended and I already feel like we’re going to have a fun summer.” Jax grinned before he walked over to hug Finnick. “Glad to have you guys back.”

Finnick hugged him back, patting his back and sighing.

“I missed your flaming butt, Jax. Glad you’re okay. And thanks for taking care of Red while we weren’t around.”

“I told you I would, though it felt like she was taking care of me rather than the other way around,” Jax admitted.

“That’s Brianne for you.” Kaito grinned with pride, releasing me from his hold before stroking my head. “Always putting the world first before herself.”

I still wasn’t used to all these compliments, but it was warming my heart to feel so connected with all of them again. I’d almost forgotten how easily we blended together.

Even though we hadn’t seen each other for the majority of summer and had speed-tracked through time, in less than five minutes we were back to how our group dynamic used to be, almost like we’d never been apart.

Not only was it reassuring, it proved that distance wouldn’t stop us from being together. We were a unit, and the amount of time or distance spent apart wouldn’t make our bonds crumble.

We’re just missing one more person.

Kaito released me so he could hug Jax, the two of them exchanging quirky comments as Finnick and I watched them.

I waited for them to finish before I asked what was bothering me. “Where’s Connor?”

All three men looked behind me, but I couldn’t turn around as something firm pressed against my back and hands covered my eyes.

“Where do you think he is?” The deep voice had me grinning from ear to ear, igniting all kinds of emotions through me. Waves of gratitude, relief, and happiness whipped at me, with hints of lust crawling through the edge of the emotional whirlwind.

I wasn’t sure if my Mimicry gift had activated and was now copying Connor’s gift, but it was both overwhelming and delightful to experience.

“Behind me, silly Connor.” I moved his hands and turned right around to face him.

Holy Witchling!

If Finnick and Kaito had gotten upgrades, then Connor had gotten boosted from the damn gods.

His lavender hair was up in the perfect man bun, the shade transitioning from light purple to pitch black. His neck tattoo was obvious with his hair up, but with the tank he wore, I could now see the brand-new half-sleeve tattoo that transitioned from his shoulder all the way to his elbow. There were different swirls, magic circles, and symbols in different colors.

The detailing was beautiful, but what caught my attention was the NOTORIOUS 5 lettering that intertwined in the swirly masterpiece. I wasn’t sure, but I had a hunch that part of the tattoo was on his left pec. Hopefully I’d find out sooner or later.

His jacked figure was giving me heart palpitations. And he must have grown an inch or two, because there was no way he and Jax were the same height anymore.

He was the tallest of them all, and with his casual black tank and black shorts, he looked like he’d either walked out of a summer magazine or didn’t believe it was cold in mid-fall.

The loving look that he only showed those he cared about was upon me, his eyes staring into mine while his lips curled up in a magnificent smile.

“Looking good, Red. I missed you.”

“What did they feed you on the plane? Three servings of testosterone and a glass of milk?”

The others snickered behind me, but Connor seemed amused with my commentary.

“Admit it, you love my new look.”

“Yes, yes, you’re hot.” I brushed away the obvious. “Now kiss me one more time.”

“You’re learning to be more direct.” He laughed and did exactly that.

It wasn’t until he finished kissing me that I answered, “Sometimes it takes a catastrophe for you to realize how stupid it is to keep quiet about what you want.”

Those onyx eyes studied mine and he slowly nodded.

“I have a feeling things went haywire in our absence?”

“It was all good until the first day of school,” I replied and gave him a tight hug. He kissed the top of my head and rubbed my back.

“Well, it’s good to be back, safe and sound. As to what we missed, I’m sure we’re about to find out,” Connor acknowledged.

I nodded against his chest, enjoying our embrace a bit longer before he released me. We shared a loving look and I leaned in and whispered, “I like the new tattoo.”

“Do you?” He beamed at my praise. “Got it especially for you,” he said with a wink.

“Notorious Five, huh? Didn’t know there was a new member.”

“Ah.” He bobbed his head. “We just have to initiate her. We’ll do that this winter break.”

My smile was wide enough to hurt my cheeks, the idea that Connor had put something permanent on his body on our behalf, especially with me being added to their Notorious group, felt like his way of saying we’d always be together, no matter what trials tackled us.

Finnick and Kaito nodded at Connor in greeting before they exchanged a look.

“I feel as though this is going to be a long meeting, so I’d love to piss.”

Kaito rolled his eyes. “I need to use the washroom as well. The drive back was long. We’ll be quick.”

“Okay,” I encouraged, watching the two of them head to the restroom doors in the far-right corner. I noticed Elsa was running in a circle, kicking Fuwa around yet again.

With a groan, I walked over to them, Fuwa immediately racing to me like his life depended on it.

“Elsa.” My stern voice had my familiar pausing like a deer in headlights, her eyes blinking innocently at me as if I hadn’t caught her in the act.

I crouched down and offered my hand to Fuwa, who hopped right into it.

“Fufufu!” Fuwa puffed his body out, looking annoyed.

“Elsa loves you, Fuwa,” I comforted, stroking his body. “In a less affectionate way.”

“MewMew!” Elsa sat proudly.

“Fu.” Fuwa hopped out of my hand, mini wings poofing out of nowhere on the sides of his body. He began to fly away, which only had Elsa chasing after him.

At least they get along.

“Meow.”

I looked over to my right to see Luna stretching out.

“Hey, Luna!” I greeted and reached out to pet her. She purred in greeting, sitting back to let me stroke her little head.

Her attention moved behind me, and I followed her gaze to see Jax and Connor just staring at one another.

Hmm.

I wasn’t sure if I should say anything, but my instincts told me to be silent and see where this went.

The tension between them seemed thick, but I didn’t feel as though they were angry with one another. I remembered that before my nap Connor had called and Jax confessed to him.

Was he going to keep to his word?

“If we keep having this staring battle, you’re not going to be able to say what you’re thinking about,” Connor noted, slipping his hands into his pockets. “Glad you’re well, Jax.”

Jax nodded, looking a tad nervous as he took a few steps forward. When he stopped, he was in front of Connor. He had to tilt his head back just a bit to meet Connor’s gaze, their height difference more obvious now, though it still felt like they were on the same level in terms of power and dominance.

“I meant what I said on the phone.”

“Which was?” Connor questioned, a playful smirk on his lips as Jax frowned in response.

“You’re going to make this hard,” he grumbled.

“Of course.” Connor shrugged. “Would life be fun if everything was given to us?”

“Please don’t lecture me.”

“Wasn’t planning to, but I could start.”

“Do I have to say it again?”

“Depends on what you said,” Connor replied, clearly dancing around the elephant in this conversation.

It was interesting seeing how shy Jax suddenly was, especially when he’d been calm and collected with the whole Finnick-liking-Kaito situation.

Maybe it was different because he was now in Finnick’s shoes and had to gather the courage to confess his love. It was probably harder because this was no longer a life and death situation.

“Stubborn,” Jax grumbled. “And you’re taller.”

“My increase in height has nothing to do with this conver—” Connor began, closing his eyes for a second. Jax moved so fast, even I missed how he got his arm around Connor’s neck and brought him low enough to kiss him.

My mouth dropped while my face began to turn red at the sight. I never would have thought seeing Connor and Jax kiss would be so…exciting? Hot? A total ‘wow, I want to see more’ moment, but as the kiss continued, my heart was racing once again, and it felt like the room had gotten hotter.

Jax was the one to break the kiss, leaving Connor stunned and blinking in pure confusion.

“Jeez,” Jax grumbled, his face burning red as he looked away. “I meant what I said, Connor Giovanni. I love you. Maybe I always have…but it never really sunk in. I’d pushed it to the side, hoping that everyone else would be happy, and when Brianne came into the picture, I thought maybe my feelings for you were just random, I don’t know.” He paused and took a deep breath.

Turning his attention back to Connor, he stood nice and tall, giving him his entire focus. “However, when we found out that…you guys were potentially dead, I…almost lost control again. The darkness inside me flickered and wanted to avenge you like we’d already lost. What angered me the most wasn’t my cowardice and attempts to ignore your feelings. What pissed me off was the wave of regret I felt. It took you being potentially dead for me to realize that those feelings I buried and thought would disappear were still there. Those roots had settled in my heart and wanted to grow. I regretted being a complete fool.”

He sighed, the tension in his shoulders leaving him as he gave Connor a sad smile.

“I’m sorry for ignoring your feelings. For pretending I didn’t understand what you were truly trying to tell me. You’ve always had the balls to confront what bothers you, but I’m always trying to find a peaceful route out of things, a path where no one gets hurt. In some ways, it’s beneficial, but it was a silly way of thinking when dealing with someone I love and trust with my life.”

He bowed his head. “I’m sorry…but I really do love you. I’d make this more romantic and all, but we don’t really have the time for it now.”

He rose back up, waiting for Connor’s response.

I watched closely, this whole scene like one of those climactic moments in those Korean dramas Mia and Miya loved to watch during our sleepovers.

The whole room seemed silent, waiting for Connor’s reply. His expression was guarded, but the emotions that began to reach me wrapped around me in comforting warmth.

Happiness. Acceptance. Love. Hope.

I hadn’t realized my eyes were filled with tears until the first set of droplets rolled down my cheeks. I wished Jax could feel the swarm of emotions Connor was projecting, but I knew it wouldn’t be long before the suspense ended.

My thought seemed to trigger the next move, a pride-filled smile forming on Connor’s lips as his eyes blinked a few times.

“Sometimes you really have a way with words,” he mumbled.

“Sometimes?” Jax arched an eyebrow at him.

Connor chuckled and was hugging Jax the next second. “You know I don’t get emotional unless you say some amazing shit.”

“Well, in that case, I’ll accept your compliment.” Jax chuckled and hugged him back. “Thanks for being patient. I’m sure it was hard to endure my emotions and love me when I really didn’t love myself. It’s thanks to you and the others that I reached Witchling Academy, and it’s the very reason why I’m with Brianne.”

He pulled back to stare into Connor’s watery eyes.

“Whatever happens now is going to be hard…and I’m not sure how crazy it’s going to be, but I had to at least let you know how I truly felt, and I’m thankful to be loved by someone like you.”

“Ugh, stop,” Connor groaned, tears rolling down his cheeks as he looked away. “Damn onion triggering words.”

I snickered, trying to wipe my own tears. A hand landed on each of my shoulders, and I glanced to both sides to see Finnick and Kaito’s proud smiles.

“We figured they needed a moment,” Kaito declared.

“Good to see they finally confessed how they feel,” Finnick aptly stated.

“Yeah.” I smiled brightly as the two of them sandwiched me in a side hug. “It’s so good to be reunited again.”

“Definitely,” they said in unison, the three of us watching Connor and Jax hug one last time.

They parted and looked our way, the two of them blushing before casually walking to us like they hadn’t just had the magical, loving moment.

As much as I wanted to tease them, I knew we still had to confront the biggest issue of our fast-forwarded semester.

The four of them moved to line up in front of me, waiting for me to say what needed to be said. Elsa and Fuwa returned, sitting on my shoulders, while Luna walked over to sit next to Jax’s feet.

With a final glance at my Notorious Four, I took a deep breath, let it out, and allowed my leader confidence to shine.

“Professor Phoenix is going to explain exactly what happened and reveal some stuff Jax and I are already aware of. I’m not sure what’s going to happen next semester, but…all we need to know, for now, is that we passed Semester Five. This conversation is going to be long and a bit draining, but I just want you all to know that regardless of the information being delivered, we’ll stick together. I love each of you, and nothing that will be discussed is going to change my perspective of any of you. I hope the same will be applied to me and Jax, but that will be up to you guys to decide.”

I looked at Connor, Finnick, and Kaito before I nodded my head again.

“Let’s find out what’s really going on, Notorious Four,” I declared.

“Five,” the four of them corrected at once. I blushed, and a smirk dawned on my lips.

“Notorious Five,” I corrected myself.

I love these men.

THE PAST THAT WROTE THE PRESENT

The room was quiet as Professor Phoenix finalized the barrier spell that surrounded the meeting room. From the complicated magic incantations and the magic circles that formed beneath her as she cast the spell, it seemed to be a powerful wall of magic that would ensure everything said was kept within these walls.

She stood right in the middle of the row of individuals before us; Katsume on the far left, Starlight sitting next to her, Professor Phoenix in the middle, Miya and Mia sitting over to the far right.

They all wore serious expressions, emphasizing the importance of this meeting. What really caught my attention was the new addition to the room.

A woman was standing on our far left, her body leaning against the wall as she scanned her phone, her thumb flicking upward against the screen.

She was tall, looking to be around the same height as Professor Phoenix — 6′2″ — with her black heels. Her hair was bright; the light pink roots transitioned to a magenta shade.

Her hair was in short curls, and she wore black glasses that framed her creamy complexion. She seemed extremely knowledgeable, but she had an aura around her that made her seem different from the average witch.

Her eyes were the most unique part, a beautiful mix of pink.

Professor Phoenix hadn’t introduced her yet, but I was sure that was about to commence as she opened her eyes and scanned our row.

I was sitting parallel to her, Jax on my right with Connor next to him. Finnick and Kaito sat on my left.

We were ready to face whatever was about to be thrown our way, but it didn’t make the anticipation of the truth lessen one bit.

“Before we get this meeting underway, I’m going to introduce you to one of my dear friends,” Professor Phoenix announced, and gestured over to the pink-haired woman. “This is Professor Sky. Her full name is Bianca Sky. Don’t bother looking her up because you won’t find anything. She works with an organization that aids in tracking criminals on both global and universal levels.”

Universal?

My eyes moved back to the woman in question as she smiled and bowed her head slightly in greeting.

“Due to certain circumstances, especially the appearance of the Shadow people, she’ll be aiding us from the sidelines and finding a team that can assist in determining who these individuals are. Witchling Star Agency has enough on their plate with the rise in crime happening throughout the city and country, and adding this case would be too much. Isn’t that correct, Starlight?”

We looked to Starlight as she nodded with Katsume.

“Our boss thinks this is going to go beyond our city. Yes, Witchling students are being targeted by the Shadow people, and some of those very students getting involved are doing so in exchange for something they heartily desire. But given the recent issue with Elisha, the appearance of Elijah at the exams, and the loss of ninety days to save all those individuals who were missing, Witchling Star Agency has deemed this a universal problem.”

Katsume bobbed her head in agreement.

“Witchling Star Agency has limits we have to follow. It doesn’t mean we’re completely dropping this case. Boss has deemed it important to ensure the school remains as safe as we can possibly make it while balancing our other assignments, but with the spike of crime from new and old cases, we’re reaching our limit.”

Bianca stepped forward, drawing our attention.

“We’re dealing with our own share of pesky criminals, but it seems our bad guys are all linked to the same organization. We’re going to try and track down the core of this web, but it’s going to take time as we deal with our share of problems.” She paused before continuing. “My purpose is to merely inform you that it’s being worked on and that I’ll be in contact with Professor Phoenix with the details. If something dramatic occurs and you need reinforcements, we’ll send a few of our best agents if the availability is there. I’d suggest your group focuses on completing your final year. Don’t let this Shadow group slow you down. Their interference has to mean something. The problem is figuring out what, exactly.”

We nodded at her words, and she looked to Professor Phoenix.

“I’m heading back. You know jumping portals makes me queasy.”

“Tell your two lovers I say hello.”

“I will.” Bianca winked. “Maybe I’ll finally be able to introduce you.”

Professor Phoenix smirked. “If our paths align so soon, sure.”

Bianca grinned, her eyes glowing to a pure white before she turned around and literally walked through the wall.

We sat there speechless, and Katsume whispered, “So…she actually just walked into the wall.”

“I feel as though this shouldn’t shock us,” Starlight whispered back.

“But it does,” Katsume acknowledged.

“Indeed,” Starlight concluded.

We turned our attention to Professor Phoenix, who clapped her hands.

“Let’s get right into this,” she declared. “First thing’s first.”

I expected her to explain what had just happened, but she went on to say, “My name is Aurora Phoenix, and I’m a god.”

The room went pin-drop silent, leaving Professor Phoenix rolling her eyes.

“Why are you all shocked?” She was clearly including Mia, Miya, Starlight, and Katsume, ‘cause they were all looking at her with wide eyes and open mouths.

“Uh,” Mia and Miya began. “We didn’t get that memo.”

“Neither did we,” Starlight noted.

“Yeah, totally didn’t know that,” Katsume emphasized.

“And we’re completely clueless,” I finalized.

Professor Phoenix smirked, moving her chair out of the way before she began to walk around the room.

“On normal occasions, you all would have discovered what I am at graduation, but after doing some quick checking of the stars, it looks like the time change altered something in the prophecy.”

“What?!” we all gasped.

“What did it alter?” I quickly asked.

Professor Phoenix stopped her slow-paced walking to give me a small grin.

“There’s five of you now.”

“Come again?” I questioned. “Five of who?”

“Don’t tell me you’re saying there are now five girls and not four,” Starlight elaborated.

“Bingo.” Professor Phoenix bobbed her head in approval. “And that is the very reason why I’ve had to get Bianca involved. I believe one of the students in her academy is one of the chosen.”

“Seriously?” Finnick commented. “Then…do we know the others?”

“The woman in the silver cape with turquoise is one of them,” Kaito declared like it was a fact.

We all looked his way and Katsume grinned at her brother.

“Aww, my brother’s foresight got stronger.” She beamed.

He blushed a bit, blinking his eyes that were a swirling mix of teal, purple, and green.

“Anyway.” He brushed off the comment. “Am I right?”

“You’re correct,” Professor Phoenix noted. “However, you guys are on a completely different timeline. From what I’ve researched, a time will come where all four timelines will align within the stars. Once this happens, you’ll all be able to meet and conquer this darkness, or in our case, these Shadow people.”

“Does that mean we’ll never cross paths again?” I inquired. “I don’t remember this woman with a cape, but she’s the one who gave Miya and Mia the scroll that helped us, correct?”

“You’re correct,” she responded and crossed her arms. “I can’t properly answer that. Every action you guys make can change the alignment of the world path. You could have crossed paths with the others already without your knowledge. Yes, we’re in different universes, but there are times throughout the year where parallels cross paths. Like when we have full moons, new moons, solar eclipses, etc. The universes can align for mere minutes, allowing us to encounter someone we will never see again, but who helps us out. A good Samaritan who helped you get your floating balloon, or a group of individuals that stopped you from getting bullied. This world is massive, and with magic, anything is possible. Therefore, I’m not sure if you’ll have to wait until all the universes align,” she explained.

“This new person?” Jax questioned. “Are you sure it’s not just a random pop up or someone tampering with the prophecy to bring confusion?”

“I’ve gotten confirmation from two other gods,” Professor Phoenix answered. “They’re always spot-on with their predictions and readings. The prophecy has definitely been changed by the stars.”

“So, it was triggered by me time traveling ahead?” I inquired.

“Maybe. There are multiple factors, and remember, you’re one of four timelines. One of the other four could have dealt with a situation that altered things. We won’t ever know.”

“How are we going to know who these other chosen people are? Like is there a common characteristic that can help us ensure they’re the right people?” Connor questioned. “They’re all female, correct?”

“Yes,” Professor Phoenix noted. “There is one universal characteristic we found interesting.”

“What’s that?” Jax and I asked in unison.

That earned us a couple of stares, but Professor Phoenix carried on.

“Each group will have a man named Zephyr,” Professor Phoenix declared.

“Huh?” We glanced at one another. “You mean each group will have someone named Zephyr? We don’t have a Zephyr here,” I noted.

Professor Phoenix smirked, her eyes landing on Connor, who was pouting his lips.

“Why do I feel like we’re missing something?” Finnick whispered to me.

“I think we are,” I replied.

Connor sighed. “My birth name isn’t Connor,” he announced. “The name was given to me when I was taken in by my adoptive parents, who had the connections to change my birth certificate. ‘Connor’ is a name I felt connected to for as long as I could remember, so that was the first thing I requested.”

“So…your birth name is Zephyr?” I confirmed.

“Yup.” He shrugged. “It’s a powerful name but it didn’t really fit me. I didn’t like the reminder that I wasn’t worth being loved by those who birthed me. Changing my name gave me a fresh start and reminded me that my new parents found me worthy. I just didn’t get the right ones at first.”

His explanation made me feel grateful for my parents and upbringing, and the confirmation that we actually had a Zephyr in our group would help us confirm the others.

“So, if there are now five chosen ones, the four other girls will have a boyfriend or partner named Zephyr.”

“Essentially.” Professor Phoenix shrugged. “That’s all we could figure out through meditation. The three of us put our mental states in complete tranquility and after the five points revealed themselves and connected to make a star, the name popped up at all five points.”

“It’s a good clue,” Starlight praised.

“Hmm.” Katsume caught our attention. “If Connor’s original name was Zephyr and was practically hidden until this point, chances are, the Zephyr in the other chosen groups might not be so obvious.”

“I feel we’re going to need some sort of book to write this all down,” Kaito noted. “If we’re not meeting them any time soon, who knows how much time will pass until we all align.”

“I’ll be recording anything we discuss in an ancient scripture catalog that only I can open. That will secure what is spoken. It’s the very reason why I’m using this specific barrier technique,” Professor Phoenix explained.

“That’s good,” I sighed. “Though things seemed to have gotten more complicated.”

“That is true,” Professor Phoenix noted.

“Are we going to get an explanation as to why we’re apparently missing ninety days of our life?” Finnick inquired.

“Right,” Starlight announced. “Why don’t I do a little recap on that?”

She went right into it, explaining the sudden missing person reports Witchling Star Agency received, before Professor Phoenix added what had occurred when Mia, Miya, Jax, and I arrived to her office.

“So…we’re not on the student council anymore,” Finnick confirmed. “Also, is our curriculum still online?”

“Until something changes, yes,” Professor Phoenix revealed. “I’m sure you are all aware that the Council makes decisions based on what they believe is best for the school. With the sudden commotion and disappearance of many students, professors, and other executive members in the Witchling community, they decided it was the best move for the school.”

I frowned. “Our curriculum has been going downhill lately, don’t you think?”

Jax looked upset. “Over the last two-and-a-half years, the student council has continuously submitted the complaints from many students about the curriculum and the sudden lack of interest in our progress. Criminals are easily interrupting our examinations; these Shadow people are somehow getting on campus and corrupting students who don’t know better. The number of complaints has grown steadily since Semester Three, and here we are, entering Semester Six after the holiday break and now it’s all online. How are we going to become well-respected witchlings and be accepted into the high positions and careers we desire without the education to back it up?”

“Jax is right,” Connor sighed. “Sure, our group may be lucky and have connections to aid us in getting a career of our choice once we graduate, but what about all those who don’t? Witchling Academy is supposed to help us strive for better, right? If what you explained so far is accurate, and you’re a god, it has to mean that others attending this school are also special but aren’t sure how powerful they really are.”

“Oh,” Mia and Miya commented. “You forgot to tell them about the demigod part.”

“Come again?” Finnick questioned, tilting his head to one side. “What demigod part?”

“Yeah,” I nervously mumbled. “Um…we didn’t reach the actual exam part of the story, did we?”

“What are we missing here?” Connor asked.

Jax and I exchanged a look, rising and shifting so we were diagonally looking at Finnick, Connor, and Kaito.

“The exam we took was at the same glacier place that we experienced previously. You know, the one where Jax saved me and I unlocked Elsa?”

“Yeah.” Kaito nodded. “What happened?”

“And why did you guys get that map again?”

“We’re not sure about why we got it again,” Jax admitted. “But Elijah was there.”

“But he’s on house arrest,” Connor reminded.

“Well, he’s dead now,” I mumbled and looked away.

The room went silent, and it was finally sinking in that my childhood friend had died. I doubted they would even find a body with how he had been swallowed by the massive broken glacier, and the thought of seeing his remains made me shiver.

I knew this wasn’t the time for me to mourn him. To be honest, I wasn’t sure how to feel about it all. He had wanted me dead, or something like that, but was that enough to erase the good parts of our history together?

Did it not matter anymore now that he was gone?

“Brianne,” Jax whispered, and I moved my gaze to him. He gave me a comforting smile before squeezing my hand that I hadn’t realized was in his grasp.

“We don’t need to talk further about that until later, okay?”

I nodded, deciding he was right. It wasn’t an important part of the conversation, but I did hope we addressed it.

“Um.” I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to compose myself. “We’re…not exactly human,” I announced.

I shyly looked at the three of them, waiting for their shocked expressions. When they quietly sat there, looking no different than before with their intrigued faces, Jax added, “We’re demigods. Both Brianne and I…and, uh, Miya and Mia as well.”

The three of them slowly looked over to Mia and Miya, who waved with proud smiles.

“Yup,” they agreed. “Surprise!”

The room was silent once more and I leaned against Jax and whispered, “Are they broken?”

“Maybe the news is just processing,” he suggested.

“They seem non-responsive,” Mia suggested.

“I wonder how our babes are going to react to the news,” Miya pondered. “Gonna be intriguing.”

Finnick leaned over to Kaito.

“Are we supposed to freak out? ‘Cause I’m not really feeling that need to, but if you’re planning to, I’ll just go along with it.”

“Um…I’m not that shocked,” Kaito mumbled. The two of them glanced over to Connor, who shrugged.

“So you guys are demi-gods. Cool.”

“That’s it?” Jax and I asked. “Aren’t you guys surprised?”

“I feel you guys talking in sync is more surprising,” Finnick said.

“A tad creepy,” Kaito added.

“I think it’s cute.” Connor smirked.

“They’re total keepers!” Mia and Miya cheered. “Brianne. Get married to them already.”

We all looked their way, and I was certain they were just as embarrassed as I felt.

“Oh, c’mon,” Mia groaned and pointed to Connor. “I don’t even know why you’re embarrassed when you literally got the names of your whole crew tattooed on your body.”

“All four of you are dating Brianne and never once thought of marriage?” Miya sighed dramatically.

“Aren’t they too young to be thinking about that stuff?” Katsume pondered to herself.

“They know about sex. I’m sure marriage isn’t completely off-topic for them,” Starlight noted. “Good thing we’re past the age of marriage before sex or they would be screwed.”

“True,” Katsume agreed.

“We’re running off-topic,” Professor Phoenix reminded. “But it’s intriguing that you guys are more shocked about the topic of marriage than about your senior student council members being demigods.”

“It’s not like we’re not surprised by the news,” Finnick noted. “It’s just, well…it feels as though we kinda knew something was uniquely different with Red and Jax.”

Kaito nodded. “As the semesters went on and we noticed particularly how Jax and Brianne would get targeted, it started to become obvious that whoever is pulling the strings is after them for a reason.”

“As for Mia and Miya, you two always seemed to be unique. It’s obvious that you two are a special set of twins, though I didn’t think it would mean you weren’t mortals.”

“Well.” Mia and Miya exchanged looks. “That response was different.”

“Makes life easier.” I smiled at the three of them. “Thanks for being so understanding.”

They nodded in reply before all of us looked back at Professor Phoenix.

“Well, we tackled that elephant in the room. Now we have to tackle the past that brought us to our current present,” she declared.

Starlight and Katsume rose up, moving to diagonal corners of the room. Mia and Miya were next, moving to stand in the opposite corners. Jax and I went back to our seats, confused as to why one person was standing in each corner.

Professor Phoenix smiled and enlightened us.

“This part is going to bring headaches to all of us so they have to make a pillar spell. The worlds will alter whatever is within the square, which is us. We’ll still be standing here, but our world will be altered just slightly so I’ll have more freedom to discuss what needs to be explained.”

We nodded, figuring we’d have no need to voice our concerns since the spell was already beginning. There wasn’t much of a shift until we blinked to find ourselves sitting in a pure white room with Professor Phoenix.

“Wow,” I whispered.

Professor Phoenix grinned, but her voice was serious as she stared at the five of us.

“We can’t stay here long, so I’m going to explain everything in one go. You may ask questions at another time regarding this, but not today. We’re really pushing our limits with this conversation, and even though the other four are not showing it, they’re experiencing mental strain. The only reason I have the ability to explain this to all of you is that I am a god myself and relatively important in the hierarchy. I will share what I can, but you must absorb the information and not discuss it unless you absolutely need to. This information has been kept a secret for many years, and only demigods that have become elites know the extent of such history. Mia and Miya are examples of such elites.”

Elites? They did mention they were sent down to help us not die again. Does that have something to do with this new status?

“We understand,” I announced.

Professor Phoenix nodded and went right into it.

“Witchling Academy was originally made to seek out demigods, children of higher gods sent down to aid wizards and witches with their unique gifts. Long ago, the world wasn’t as accepting of us and many mages lost their lives. Some were hunted for their gifts, others were experimented on. Many ended their own lives due to the scrutiny and rejection of humans and those who looked at them as monsters. The gods watched in pity, upset at how their blessed creations were being treated. It was decided that Witchling Academy would be created, and two gods came down to initiate the creation.” She paused and looked between Jax and me.

“The God of War and the Goddess of Time and Space.”

My heartbeat went from rapid to soaring at the bombshell, and Jax’s hand squeezed mine, reminding me to hold my tongue until the explanation was over.

Professor Phoenix had paused to see if we’d ask anything, but when the silence lingered, she carried on.

“The god and goddess created Witchling Academy in hopes of making a safe place where witchlings could grow, learn about their unique gifts of magic and power, and have an easier transition into the world upon graduation. They would be offered opportunities that would be extremely difficult to obtain otherwise, if a human had to decide their future positions, and within the small population of graduates would be potential demigods.”

She looked amongst us. “Potential demigods are individuals that can ascend to demigod status if the Universe deems them worthy of such. It requires them to find a specific jewel or learn a valuable lesson about themselves. It involves self-growth, comprehension, and overcoming obstacles that are thrown at them again and again. When a god deems that individual worthy, they will bless them into demigodhood and that is when they can work toward elite status. Those laws are written in special scriptures in a part of the library only student council members can enter. Even then, unless the member is a demigod or potential, no one can find the path to the archive that hosts this information.”

With an inhale and exhale, she continued, “When the god and goddess were satisfied, they ascended back to the godly world. Many years passed until the gods decided to send a delegation to Earth. Their intention was to see what it was like to be in a human body while carrying the magic of gods. They would not remember their past roles until they had obtained elite status or passed away and been reaped by the Angel of Death to return to their destined roots. Many gods volunteered, including the God of War and Goddess of Time and Space. Their roles were given to their parental ancestors and they were born into the human world. This is where Marianna and Jaxsin come into play.”

I braced myself for the information, feeling how valuable it was going to be after Elijah’s rant before his demise.

“Many years ago, there were two sets of twins. Marianna and Bri were one set, and Jaxson and Jaxsin the other. They were born into wealthy royal families. At the time, status and money were of major importance, but marriage and connections were also highly valued. Marianna and Jaxsin loved one another; however, due to their parents’ decisions to arrange marriages for them with other individuals, they were forced apart. The marriages didn’t last for long, and soon enough, the two of them made the decision to end their lives due to the unhappiness they had endured.”

I was speechless, my gaze lingering on the floor as I absorbed the story so far.

Two sets of twins, both falling in love but being unable to be together?

“You can guess that Bri and Jaxson were also arranged to marry partners that weren’t their choice, and despite the way Marianna’s and Jaxsin’s lives had ended, their parents wouldn’t budge in their decision. Bri was married off to Mr. Hamilton and Jaxson was married to Miss Waters.”

My jaw dropped as the others gasped.

“Elijah and Elisha are reincarnated,” Finnick muttered.

“Holy crap,” Connor whispered.

“No wonder they’re a thorn in our side,” Kaito groaned.

Jax and I remained completely silent, but my mind was buzzing with questions.

Professor Phoenix cleared her throat. The others remained silent as we patiently waited for her to carry on.

“Bri and Jaxson did their best to remain in their marriages, but it was obvious that they weren’t happy. It was also becoming clearer that they were being abused by their partners. People began to notice that two individuals who were always filled with happiness and strove to achieve great things were becoming quieter, less enthusiastic, and fearful of the smallest gestures and touch in general. Their friends knew something was going on, as did those who worked with them, but they didn’t want to reveal the secrets that happened behind closed doors. Not until politics began to meddle its way into their marital lives did the secrets of the physical and emotional abuse come to light.”

She closed her eyes and crossed her arms.

“The main purpose of the marriages wasn’t what people had originally thought. Obviously, the partners in each couple didn’t necessarily love one another, but their parents’ mentality was that they would come to love one another as they got to know each other’s ups and downs in a closed space. What was hidden beneath their intentions was that Bri and Jaxson were on the side of light, peace, and tranquility for witchlings across the country, while Ms. Waters and Mr. Hamilton supported the darker side — what we now call the Shadow people.”

It was finally starting to make sense.

“The Shadow people are an organization of individuals that find happiness in war, death, darkness. In some universes they’re known as the Darkness, the Dark Kingdom, or The Void; many titles have been created on behalf of these individuals. They’re like a cult that seeks desolation, confusion, and conflict. It’s what makes them feel alive, and they want the world to fall into a spiral of chaos. It’s obvious in our world that there’s good and bad, just as there’s a heaven above and a hell below. Think of the Shadow people’s mentality as one from hell, demons sent from the depths below to become human and bring havoc. Demigods are from the heavens above, brought down to deliver peace and encourage growth and positivity through the world. The unions of Bri and Mr. Hamilton and Jaxson and Ms. Waters were an attempt to prove that they can coexist. However, it became apparent during a political debate that such unity could never last forever, and it was what set off both of their divorces.”

What could have happened?

“Mr. Hamilton had a few problems, including anger management and alcohol addiction. Ms. Waters was also short-tempered and if things didn’t go her way, she’d get physical. Due to the issue that occurred in public, they both were charged and should have gone to jail, but Bri and Jaxson dropped the charges, hoping a warning and divorce papers would be enough. When their divorces were settled, they were both recruited in a witchling peace movement at this very academy. They ended up becoming professors, teaching many witchlings, and soon were top advisors on the council. They would be signing the peace treaty, and since they both had royal lineage, they would have the opportunity to ascend to what back then was called the Witchling throne. In modern parlance, we could compare it to becoming president or prime minister, but this was on a greater level because of the ancient magic that would be blessed to the individual that was voted into the position.”

She opened her eyes again, those silver orbs locking onto mine.

“However, to the surprise of many, Bri and Jaxson announced their marriage. No one knew they had been courting for years, but although they both were potential candidates for the throne, their union meant it wouldn’t matter who ascended because the other would be either king or queen with their unity. It would give the side of light and peace a huge advantage and prove that harmony amongst witchlings and other magic users could bring endless happiness. The Shadow people didn’t like this.”

She looked over to Jax. “They assumed this was Bri’s and Jaxson’s way of payback after the years of mistreatment. It was obvious that both Ms. Waters and Mr. Hamilton wanted to ascend to the throne, using Jaxson and Bri as stepping stones to do it, but the fallout from their marriages destroyed the dream of gaining the ancient magic they needed and thus, a brewing war was commencing behind closed doors. The Shadow people feared that if Jaxson and Bri obtained the throne and had an heir, that child would automatically be granted the throne and that cycle would carry on for many generations to come. It meant that the shadow people would have no chance to infiltrate and regain the power they so desperately wanted. If they couldn’t do that, they wouldn’t allow them to take the throne.”

She closed her eyes once more, her brows coming together in frustration.

“So they assassinated Bri. It happened in broad daylight and was arranged by Ms. Waters. Bri died in Jaxson’s arms, and it was later confirmed that she was pregnant.”

My heart seemed to stop, the sad ending of my previous life striking a chord inside me. What hurt most was the revelation of being pregnant. It wasn’t something I’d ever concerned myself with, but the idea of dying in Jax’s arms and knowing my death would also be the death of our first child made tears pool in my eyes.

Jax was squeezing my hand tightly, but I hadn’t realized my name was being called until Connor’s head appeared in my line of vision.

“Brianne,” he whispered, his expression full of pain. My emotions must have been sending him on a crash course of sorrow and despair, and I reined them in while blinking my eyes and letting those premature tears roll down my cheeks.

“Sorry,” I apologized, but Connor shook his head.

“It’s okay. You’re allowed to feel the way you’re feeling.”

Finnick reached for my other hand, his thumb rubbing my palm hand in comfort.

“We’re here, Bri,” he reminded. I nodded, trying my best to smile.

I looked over to Jax, noticing his guarded expression. When our eyes met, he squeezed my hand even tighter. I wondered what was running through his mind, but I was sure we were thinking similarly.

My death and the revelation that I was pregnant must have triggered the darkness inside him. The shadow flames.

I looked up to Professor Phoenix, noticing her softened gaze as she looked back at me. It wasn’t one of pity or sympathy. It was empathetic. If she was a god, it made me wonder if she had been alive during those times as well.

“As Bri lay there dying, the sole witness explained that Bri placed Jaxson’s hand on her stomach and mumbled something. With the later knowledge that she was indeed pregnant, she must have told Jaxson the moment before she stopped breathing.”

Professor Phoenix sighed, looking disturbed as she carried on, “The reason the Shadow people seek havoc and desolation is that the darkness is an element that can consume anyone. You don’t have to have a dark side or light side. Everyone is capable of good and bad, just as they have light within them as well as darkness.”

She let the words resonate in the air before carrying on. “Many didn’t know how powerful Jaxson was. He was a master at every element, just like the rest of his family, but no one could have predicted how powerful his dark side was. His main element was fire, and when flames are influenced by darkness they become shadow flames.

“Bri’s death was the trigger the Shadow people wanted, and Jaxson’s motivation changed entirely. To him, Bri was the light he needed to see the good in the world. After being in such an abusive relationship with Ms. Waters, many worried that he wouldn’t be able to keep the peace, but after seeing the change in him and Bri with their marriage announcement, it was obvious that he’d be able to deliver peace and protect it.

“However, that all went downhill with Bri’s and their unborn child’s deaths. His flames went manic, burning everyone within a twenty-five-foot radius. The school burned to ashes, and within three days, half the world was engulfed in flames. The gods of Knowledge, Protection, and Creation descended to stop him, and the only way to do that was with his death.”

There weren’t any words. I should have looked down upon Jaxson’s reaction because it killed millions of people and destroyed the wildlife.

Yet, I couldn’t.

It was an odd feeling to deal with, especially knowing that the darkness had destroyed the very school we’d once built as gods, but could I blame Jaxson for his actions? Could I condemn the man that had somehow loved me after whatever we’d gone through in relationships that weren’t our chosen paths?

From the sound of it, we were both broken at one point but were thankfully saved by one another and our rekindled love and hope for peace strengthened us to the point of becoming a threat to the Shadow people, who wanted nothing but to witness our downfall.

We gave them exactly what they wanted in the end…but I still can’t blame Jaxson for his reaction.

Death was something we’d all have to face. It wasn’t an excuse to do wrong. I knew this within my mind, but had I been in Jaxson’s shoes, I wouldn’t be able to compel myself to not seek revenge for the death of my lover and unborn child.

I’d want the world to suffer after I worked so hard to promote peace.

“What happened after?” Jax asked, his voice emotionless. I looked over to him. He’d kept his guard up, but his eyes showed sadness and anger.

“When the world stopped burning, what remained was already beginning to perish. It was polluted with smoke, and the rivers, lakes, seas, and grand oceans were filled with ashes and other debris. Whoever survived the flames ended up dying from the pollution or other diseases that plagued them. The rotting bodies made the stench unbearable and brought more plagues and epidemics. The gods knew it wouldn’t be long before everything perished, so it was decided to end it.”

“End…it,” I whispered.

“Before that could be done, the current Goddess of Time and Space stepped forward and said she would alter time, but with such magic means sacrifice. The gods were also worried that the reborn Jaxson and Bri would fall into the same cycle. The Goddess of Time and Space agreed with this, as did the current God of War. They were the parents; the Goddess of Time and Space was Bri’s mother, and the God of War fathered Jaxson. Instead of letting them be reborn again as twins, it was decided that their dual souls would be combined into one. They would be brought to Earth during a time when the throne was more legend than reality and they could be students at Witchling Academy. The decision was finalized, and with the aid of the other gods, time reversed and the world was saved from death. Many years passed, and you were both reborn again, only this time, you were Marianna and Jaxsin.”

“Wait…so this isn’t our second time being reincarnated,” I whispered and looked at Jax, who sighed.

“That’s what Elijah was going off about.”

Professor Phoenix nodded.

“You were reborn and reached the last exam, only to die once more. The gods realized that the Shadow people were clearly trying to recreate what had been undone. Just as we have archives of the past, they, too, have their own libraries. The gods decided that if you both were reborn again, you’d be kept apart until you both passed the age of sixteen. Intriguingly enough, Jax was born first, while Brianne arrived a few years later. Instead of being only children, it was decided you’d each be the youngest child and have an older sibling who could aid in protecting you and setting you on the right path. It was decided that other demigods would have to enter your lives once you settled at Witchling Academy, and thus the reason why Mia and Miya were transferred over here.”

She paused. “We may be gods, but we cannot interfere unless commanded, so when Elisha ended up crossing paths with Jax and Elijah with Brianne, all we could do was keep a close watch. That was your sisters’ role from the day you were born.”

“So my sister…” Jax trailed off.

“Your sister knew her time was coming to an end. All of us have a purpose, and hers was to ensure you were safe from Elisha. Her death may have been the very reason you and Elisha eventually broke up, and I can assure you she’s in a better place.”

“Does that mean…with Starlight…” I trailed off, my heart dropping at the thought of losing my sister if her time to protect and guide me was over.

“Starlight’s purpose has duality to it. When her time comes, she’ll have to die like the rest of us, but it’s not now. That’s all I can say.”

Professor Phoenix was growing paler as the minutes passed.

“Professor Phoenix,” I interrupted. “I think that’s enough for today.”

She gave me an appreciative smile, nodding her head.

“I agree. I think you have the gist of why all of this happened and what these Shadow people are after. Thankfully, you two have survived Semester Five, but the end of Semester Six corresponds to when Bri was assassinated and the world was sent up in flames by Jaxson. We believe the Shadow people will do anything to take Bri out this semester. It’s our duty to ensure Bri is safe, but also your duty to strengthen yourselves in preparation for the next semester. The holiday break will be longer due to the commotion regarding the loss of time, but it should be a blessing for you all to rest and grow stronger as a unit.”

We all nodded in understanding and Professor Phoenix sighed. “Starlight. Katsume. Mia. Miya. You can let go of the spell.”

The world around us began to shift once again until we were back in the room with the magical barrier walls.

Mia and Miya sighed, looked absolutely drained.

“We so deserve a nap,” they announced.

“I could use a good sleep,” Starlight concluded.

“Yup.” Katsume yawned. “We should rest. We have to meet the others tonight.”

“Any questions?” Professor Phoenix asked.

I wasn’t sure what to ask because it felt like far too many questions were running through my mind, but as I stared at Starlight and Katsume, a question left my mouth before I could stop it.

“Wait. Does that mean you two are gods?” I questioned.

Starlight blankly stared at me while Katsume grinned. “If Starlight was a god, I’d be the first to know,” she proudly announced.

Starlight smiled. “Who knows. Maybe I used to be god and then was reborn as a demigod. But instead of being whole, I was split into two. I have a twin sister in a parallel universe and we share Aon as a familiar.”

The way the random story rolled off her mouth almost made it believable, and I was actually questioning if she was serious.

She carried on, “The best part is sharing a familiar. Imagine Aon randomly showing up to aid my twin sister in another world and no one remembering it. Intriguing, huh? Pretty cool when my twin also has a younger sister whom she aids.”

When no one said a word, Katsume burst into laughter, drawing all of our attention.

“Are you guys actually believing the bullshit she’s making up out of her ass?!” Katsume giggled uncontrollably, and we looked back at Starlight to see her proud smile.

“They believed me for a few seconds there.”

“You’re evil,” I concluded.

“If she was evil, she’d be destroying half the world for not having hazelnut creamer. Which reminds me!” Katsume exclaimed before looking at Starlight. “I found a warehouse that just got hazelnut creamer to deliver. I secured the load and they should be restocking your house and the office free of charge. It’s the company’s apology for running out unexpectedly. I think Boss said they’ll send some of the rookies to haunt the creamer-buying culprit.”

“Are you guys actually going to arrest someone for buying all the hazelnut creamer?” Mia and Miya questioned with dull expressions.

“What?” Starlight questioned. “It’s basically a crime.”

“No, it’s not,” they argued.

“Well, it’s a Starlight crime,” Katsume announced. “We’ll make a declaration bill or something about it once the world settles on the idea of losing ninety days of life this year.”

“Must be nice to be young and have connections with lawmakers,” Mia and Miya commented.

“Hey,” Katsume groaned. “You both are younger.”

“Appearance-wise, yes,” Mia mumbled.

“But I feel as though we’re older than you in many ways,” Miya concluded.

“N-no! I’m you’re auntie! How do say auntie in Korean again?! Ahh! Why am I dealing with brain farts right now?”

“That smells like some funky problems you got going on in your brain,” Starlight teased.

“Starlight! Support me!” Katsume argued.

We watched them bicker and I looked at the others. All of us seemed exhausted, and I thought it would have been nice to head over to Jax’s place and crash.

“Jax?” His attention was focused on his lap, where Elsa sat.

“Hmm?”

“Can we go to your place to crash?” I suggested.

“Sure.” He nodded. “Let’s head there now.”

We all rose, thanking Professor Phoenix for her help and guidance, as well as Miya, Mia, Katsume, and my sister.

“Bri! Come over to our place after you get some rest. We’ll have a girls night to relax! Spa treatment on us,” Mia encouraged.

“But make sure you get lots of rest. We at least get a long winter break, so no rush!”

“Okay.” I gave them an exhausted smile. “Thanks, guys.”

They waved goodbye, and I walked over to Professor Phoenix, who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. My approach had her peeking an eye open before she smiled weakly at me.

“Lots of information?” she questioned when I was in front of her.

“A little too much.” I nervously giggled, trying to keep my spirits up. “It’s a lot to think about.”

“Let yourself relax this winter break. When school starts, we’ll talk privately. Jax can come as well,” she reasoned, keeping her voice so low the conversation remained between us.

I nodded and gave her the best smile I could muster.

“Why do I feel there’s something you’re not telling us?”

“I’m not telling you or Jax, because your destined mate is struggling to keep his darkness under control. Any more bombshells and I think we’d have a flaming problem.”

“Ah.” I glanced over my shoulder to look at Jax. He was standing next to Connor and Finnick, Connor rubbing Jax’s back and mumbling something to him.

“I’ll talk with him,” I noted.

“I know you will.” She nodded. “We won’t let the past repeat itself a third time. Also remember that this repetition isn’t your fault, nor is it Jax’s. Some are destined to rise and fall over and over again until victory is within their midst. You’re on the path of victory. You just have to stick together.”

“Okay.” I nodded in understanding. “Thank you, Professor Phoenix.”

“You’re welcome, Brianne. Now get some rest with the rest of your team, and congratulations on passing Semester Five.”

Our passing helped us avoid death, but what will the next semester bring?

RECOVERY AND SWEET ESCAPE

“Jax?” I knocked on his bedroom door, deciding to enter when I didn’t get a reply. Everyone else was knocked out, but since we’d arrived, I hadn’t seen Jax. He said he was going to shower, but it had already been two hours without him coming out to say goodnight or anything.

It was odd to admit it, but I wasn’t keen on sleeping alone tonight, having grown used to cuddling with Jax all summer long.

Connor was fast asleep in the double bed in one of the guest rooms, and Finnick and Kaito were sleeping in the other one. I didn’t want to wake any of them with my intrusion, knowing how exhausted they must have been coming back from their long travels, only to learn everything that had occurred in their absence.

Noticing that the room was empty, I wondered if he’d gone out for a walk or something, but I spotted Luna in the corner of the room with Elsa and Fuwa playing quietly around her.

They paused in their fun to meet my stare, but a few seconds later they returned to their game, while Luna relaxed, lying her head on the floor.

That gave me a hunch that he was still in the house, but my worry didn’t settle down. My gut was telling me to be with him, to comfort whatever must have been troubling him.

The conversation we just had weighed heavily on our hearts and minds. The car ride home had only emphasized that, all of us silent and lost in our own thoughts and worries.

I wasn’t sure if any of us wanted to discuss what we’d just learned, and with how much protection was needed to tell us about the depths of Witchling Academy’s past, I wasn’t sure if it was even safe to discuss it.

The other worry that lingered within me involved the final piece of information we needed to know about my and Jax’s destined pasts. I knew without a doubt that we’d find out with time, but it still poked its head up every ten minutes, as if afraid I’d forget.

The sudden hold that wrapped around my waist made me flinch, but my body soon relaxed as the warmth hugged me tightly and lips immediately pressed against the side of my neck.

“Brianne.” Jax’s hot breath tickled my flesh. The sizzling tone of his voice was making me aroused. I wasn’t sure if it was even appropriate to feel sexually charged after the crazy day of near-death experiences and reality checks of the past we’d endured again and again.

Did it really matter?

My body answered my question, turning in Jax’s hold and locking his lips with mine. My hands immediately laid upon his back, informing me that he wasn’t wearing a shirt and the wet droplets from what could have been a bath or shower still ran down his hot flesh.

The water didn’t bother me as I brought him even closer, our bodies pressing together as we got lost in our connective kiss that was filled with whirling emotions.

It was hard to explain how I felt. Was I grieving what I couldn’t remember? Troubled by our new predicament? Afraid of our destined future? Or happy to find out the truth of all of this built-up ordeal?

The hardest part of this was knowing we’d failed previously and were on what seemed to be our third round at life, and I was sure there were more secrets awaiting us in the near future.

For now, it didn’t matter.

I was in the arms of my love, the man who shared my path.

We’d already grown closer thanks to this summer, but this new truth brought a bigger wave of connection and compassion, and right now, all I wanted to do was show just how grateful I was for Jax’s love.

My worry in the silent car ride had been about whether he’d want to end it with me, to avoid us walking down another spiraling path that led to our demise. These Shadow people didn’t want us to be together, so the only way to get out of this peacefully was to part ways.

The thought made me kiss him harder, fear trickling through me at the idea of losing Jax entirely. The idea brought back the revelation that Jax, the former God of War, brought down the very structure he’d helped to create in an act of revenge for my sake.

That was a sacrifice I knew – without a doubt – I would make for him.

How we got to the bed was beyond me. We only broke our steamy kiss to breathe, the two of us panting wildly while our gazes searched each other.

I didn’t need to say a single word. I could see the conflict in Jax’s eyes. Envision the thoughts that ignited various waves of emotion. The guilt, anger, sadness, and fear of what path to take next. The emotions were overwhelming for me, making the world spin all while I fought not to be consumed with my own feelings.

Jax must have noticed, because the emotions lessened and he pulled me into his arms, hugging me tightly against his body.

“Bri, babe. Sorry,” he apologized.

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” I mumbled, still trying to catch my breath as my tears dripped onto his chest.

“Is your mimicry gift activating?”

No sense in lying. “Yes.”

“Then I’m sorry. Connor’s gift is working, isn’t it?”

“How do you know?”

“During the meeting. I could feel the tension spike with how rigid you grew at the sudden news about the whole death thing. When Connor got up to snap you out of it, I figured your gift picked up on the emotions around you and it slammed right into you like a truck. It happens to Connor at times, but he hides it way better,” he explained.

“Were you searching for me just now?”

“Yes,” I replied, knowing he was changing the subject so I could calm down. “I hadn’t seen you since we got home, so…”

“You were worried.”

“Yes,” I whispered. “And lonely.”

His hold tightened, and his lips brushed along my neck before he placed a kiss to my cheek. “Sorry, Brianne. I didn’t mean to make you feel lonely.”

“You didn’t,” I voiced. “It’s…maybe I got used to us always sleeping in the same bed back at the facility, and the idea of sleeping alone spooked me a little.”

He didn’t say anything, but his hand began to rub my back, slipping beneath the loose pajama crop top I was wearing. I was only wearing that and my pink lace bra and panties, having attempted to fall asleep but failing multiple times.

“That’s okay,” he assured me. “You can stay here tonight.”

“Are you okay?” I didn’t want to sleep until I knew he was genuinely okay and not faking it for the sake of us not worrying about him.

“Would it be wrong for me to say no?”

I lifted my head from his chest, watching the first set of tears stream from his darkened eyes. There were those raw emotions.

The scorching rage he’d been hiding the whole time.

“No,” I answered. “It’s okay to not feel okay.”

“I’m angry.” His voice with thick and his eyes were beginning to transition to black. I nodded slowly, easing onto him until I was above him, my hands pressed against his sheets.

His hands possessively landed on my hips, squeezing gently as if he wanted some sort of hold on me.

“Why are you angry?” I questioned.

He didn’t answer, those golden orbs now completely black and staring right back at me. I should have been afraid, as the chill in the room that was once steaming hot confirmed the sudden switch.

The darker side of Jax.

“Why are you angry?” I repeated the question, emphasizing the ‘you’ part, which would tell him that I was aware of his dark presence.

His hesitation intrigued me, those black jewels now staring deeply into mine. He was waiting for a trigger. A purpose for him to use anger to fuel his words rather than express how he really felt.

When he finally spoke, I was shocked by his response.

“I don’t want you getting hurt again.”

He looked away, as if ashamed of his response, but he whispered, “To see the resolve in your eyes when we were about to perish. To be left helpless as we fell to our pitiful doom. To give those who have pestered us for multiple lifetimes the satisfaction of our deaths. It makes me want to burn everything. To take everyone and everything with us, which is obviously what they now want from me.”

He returned his gaze to mine, the anger in his onyx eyes lessening. “You deserve better.”

“Are you implying that I deserve a better future or are you saying you’re not my best option?”

He didn’t answer immediately, searching my eyes once more before he closed his own.

“You deserve a person who can control this burning desire to kill and let the world drown in agony.”

The sudden shift in energy alerted me that he was gone; Jax’s golden eyes returned as he opened them halfway. They immediately filled with tears, and I couldn’t help but kiss him.

“Jax. Don’t cry,” I whispered against his lips.

“We haven’t even tackled this issue and it feels as though we’ve already lost.” He wept, more tears running down his cheeks. “I can’t control him.”

“He’s not a part of you that you need to control,” I reasoned.

I felt his resentment, but I quickly continued, “Jax. Just now, he could have screamed at me. Insulted me for being a hindrance or bringing calamity into your life. All this frustration due to our past and current circumstances could have been directed at me, and yet he let the truth you’re fighting to hide away come out. He let me be in control by asking him questions he didn’t want to answer, but he did. Doesn’t that prove that maybe this shadow element of yours isn’t as bad as the world says it is?”

Jax stared up at me, my words sinking in while his tears continued to spill down his face. I couldn’t take the sadness anymore, lowering my lips to his once again. I wanted the passion I had for him to seep from my lips to his, to fill him up and remind him that I loved every part of him, despite his insecurities.

We were breathless when I pulled back, and I allowed my desires to take over, my lips leaving a trail of kisses down his neck and to his shoulder.

It felt weird to be in control. To deliver the pecks of bursting pleasure, hoping they would help mend some of his emotional wounds.

He moaned when I sucked the nape of his neck; I decided to try something new and let my teeth sink lightly into his flesh before sucking the sensitive skin.

“Brianne.” His voice was a low growl and his hand raked through my hair. “Do that…again.”

The heat that hit me from within at the command had me shuddering, parts of me beginning to grow hot and tingly. I complied with his request, doing the same deed in a different spot.

His moan was delightful to hear, and his body seemed to relax.

I didn’t leave the second spot alone until it was bright red, moving back to kiss Jax softly on the lips.

“Fuck, Bri.” That was all he said before our roles were changed and I was pinned beneath him seconds before we started making out once again.

“I like it when you swear in bed,” I commented between kisses.

Jax smirked. “Getting more comfortable in saying what you want.” His acknowledgment had me blushing.

“Whatever.”

“I love you.” His sudden declaration had my eyes locking on his. “Especially during these last few months…my love for you has grown so strong, it’s insane…and scary.” He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

“I know I shouldn’t cower to the darkness. I also know that the darker side of me…can be good. The news of our pasts made me afraid of venturing in that direction. To test whether this other side of me can work toward a shared objective. It’s now obvious that next semester is going to be difficult and you’re going to be a target, but instead of using that anger to bring the world down, I can hope to focus it on those who attempt to hurt you.”

“That could work,” I agreed. “We’d have to practice that in secret.”

“I know.” He nodded and suddenly moved off me to sit back on his knees. I sat up and waited for Jax to say something, but he continued to stare down at his lap.

“Jax?”

“Can you promise me something?” he inquired. “Two things, actually.”

“If they’re doable and not absolutely crazy, sure,” I responded.

He gave me a look, but carried on, “Can you promise me…just for this semester, don’t jump headfirst into battle?”

“That’s reaching a little too high in the expectations department.”

If one of my boyfriends’ or friends’ lives were at stake, I wouldn’t think before I reacted. We all knew I’d dive right in, blind to the consequences as I ensured the people I loved were safe. Even if it meant I’d get hurt in the process.

Jax was really reaching with this request.

“I know.” He nodded, lifting his gaze to look into mine. “I would never ask you to change who you are, Brianne…but I’m afraid if you jump right into battle without thinking things through, you’ll get slapped with death. These Shadow people will now do anything to kill you, and maybe they’re aiming to do it before the anniversary of our past deaths for a reason. Whatever it may be, I….just don’t want to see you get hurt. I won’t be able to control my reaction if I lose you.”

“You won’t lose me.” I didn’t know why I felt confident about it, but deep within I knew that we had a big fighting chance this time. “I’ll try to think before I react, because I love you and can see that you want me to be safe.”

I really had to meet him halfway. He wasn’t restricting me out of male possessiveness or trying to hinder me from experiences. He was asking for me to play it safe for the sake of my life and his sanity, and that was something I could work with.

Jax looked relieved, and I quickly reminded, “And the second request?”

“I think we should spend more time with the others,” he emphasized. “That conversation may have made them feel a little left out, if you know what I mean.”

“Yeah.” He’d hit the nail on the head with this one. “I think we need to be there for them more. Get that connection back.”

He smiled then. “I may feel lonely though.”

I smirked, noticing the twinkle in his eyes as they trailed down my body.

“Well, if that happens, we can always enjoy a bit of time together. To rejuvenate ourselves,” I suggested in a flirtatious tone, confidence spiking through me at the idea of Jax checking me out.

He snapped his fingers, causing the lights to dim, and I removed my crop top. He tugged the hair tie that held his long locks and reached for the blanket at the edge of the bed to drape over the two of us.

We got comfortable under the sheets, getting lost in long kisses and the way our hands roamed along each other.

He unclasped my bra, removing it while his tongue had my mouth occupied. My panties were next, followed by his favorite boxers.

“Protected?” he whispered into my ear, tugging it lightly with his teeth.

“Mhm,” I moaned when he sealed my lips with his once more.

I couldn’t tell if Jax felt the same as I did right now, but this was what I needed.

A sweet escape from reality.

WINTER WONDERLAND ADVENTURE

“Idon’t know how to snowboard!” I emphasized, struggling not to tumble back on my butt yet again.

Connor was snickering at my obvious nervousness, while Finnick continued to record my constant falls on his phone.

“We believe in you, Red!” Finnick cheered between chuckles.

“You’re laughing at me!” I pointed out.

“Positive reinforcement!” He snickered.

Kaito and Jax smirked, while Connor slid his black and neon purple goggles from his face to rest around his neck.

“Bri, baby. You’re going to be fine. Just put your back into it.”

“Back into what? The sno—EEP!” I moved five centimeters down and was on my ass again. “Ugh!”

“Don’t get frustrated, Bri. You’ll get the hang of it,” Jax reasoned.

“How can I fly a damn broomstick but can’t snowboard to save my life?!” I inquired in frustration.

“Well,” Kaito began, unclicking his feet from his skis and walking over to me. “Your life isn’t really at risk. I’m sure if we had a sudden avalanche, you’d be snowboarding like a pro in seconds.”

“Oh, snap, why would you jinx us? Where’s the wood! Someone, find some wood!” Finnick urged.

Jax laughed while Connor walked over to me and crouched down. Knocking his fist against the bottom part of my snowboard, he smirked.

“There. No avalanches thanks to Finnick.”

“Hey!” Finnick moved his head to the side. “I didn’t do anything. It was all Kaito.”

“Sure,” Kaito drawled out. “We going downhill or we gonna have a photoshoot first?”

“OH! Group picture!” Finnick exclaimed. “We have to take lots of pictures during this trip. Including Bri falling on her booty.”

I groaned and flicked my wrist at him. His eyes widened as he dodged the magic snowball I sent his way.

“Red!”

“Serves you right,” I huffed.

The others shook their heads.

“He’ll never learn,” Connor concluded.

“He likes to test Bri’s patience,” Kaito commented.

“Clearly.” Jax smirked. “C’mon. Let’s take pics so we can get this snowy vacation going.”

I grinned in approval, and Connor helped me up before we posed for pictures.

We were spending our Christmas holidays at Witchling Winter Resort. It was a private resort exclusive to witchlings who achieved perfect scores on their exams. Teams were scheduled to stay in private sections of the massive resort, but it looked as though we’d been the only qualifying team this semester.

We must have gained bonus points, having passed due to our performance prior to the interaction with Elijah. I’d wondered if they would test us in another way, seeing as we didn’t necessarily complete the exam, but Professor Phoenix explained that the headmaster reviewed the footage and concluded that our act of bravery after dealing with the time jump had earned us a perfect score.

The public was reeling from the announcement regarding the missing people incident. I didn’t know the fine details, but it looked like Starlight, Katsume, and the rest of their team were going to be busy dealing with the aftermath of it all. Sure, everyone was safe and sound, but whoever had triggered the whole ordeal was out there, and that was what the public was currently freaking out about.

All the same, Professor Phoenix stressed that our focus should be on recovering and enjoying our holiday like we would any break.

We planned on doing just that.

Seeing as our group, which included Mia, Miya, and their boyfriends, was the only one here for the winter break, we might as well enjoy it to the fullest.

As for the online curriculum, the council and headmaster were currently discussing it. Did that mean they were reviewing the stack of physical complaints from students and parents about the change? I highly doubted it.

Jax and I had briefly talked about what we could do now that we were apparently president and vice president of the student council, but I couldn’t think of anything that could back the Council into a corner and accede to our requests.

We’d think about it later, after some TLC and with Mia and Miya present.

There had been no word about Elijah or his body. It was suspicious, to say the least, and his death hadn’t been announced publicly yet. I wondered if they were stalling in revealing the truth to his mother and our peers, but that also could have been the least of their worries.

If Elisha could get away with a two-year wait before trial, who knew what the Shadow people were doing to try and cover up Elijah’s interference.

These Shadow people. Convincing students to believe in lies, only to use them and ditch them.

There was so much to deal with, but I was going to push it all to the side for now.

Focus on the present. Focus on being happy with your boyfriends.

“Brianne.”

Connor’s voice snapped me out of my daze. I blinked and looked up to see him eyeing me curiously.

“What’s going on in your fascinating head, Bri?”

I gave him a sheepish smile, noticing that the others were already gone.

“Um, just thinking about everything that happened.”

“Mhmm.” Connor nodded. “And?”

“Do…you think Elijah is really dead?”

Connor kept his cool look, but his emotions swirled with a mixture of wonder, anger, and annoyance.

“Are you annoyed or angry that I brought it up?”

“Neither,” he declared. “As in, none of my emotions are directed at you bringing it up. I’m annoyed that they’re playing games with us like we’re little children. After this semester we have one more year left at Witchling. Sure, you’re the youngest within our group, but you’re one of the most powerful assets and have proven yourself multiple times. It angers me that we aren’t taken seriously when we’re adults. Professor Phoenix is the only one giving us a chance, and even with the headmaster’s assistance, the Council is still overpowering them.”

He crossed his arms over his chest, the action making his biceps stretch out the material of his long-sleeved black shirt.

“As for Elijah…do you believe he’s dead?”

The question was uncalled for, but I lowered my head to think about it.

“I feel it’s mean for me to say this, but I don’t have the sense of mourning that I should.” My voice projected my uncertainty and sadness. “He was once my best friend. I thought he’d always be in my life, and even when things got rocky, he sometimes helped. I thought he was a victim in this, but the exam showed a side of him that was…well…abnormal. I didn’t want to believe that was him. In fact, I still don’t believe it. No one has announced anything, and it’s been forty-eight hours. If someone died, we’d know by now. Or at least, his mom would have contacted me or something. Unless he made me look like a bad person in her eyes. He did try to bring me down through Semesters Two and Three. I don’t know.”

I shrugged, my eyes staring at the snowboard beneath my bulky boots.

“I’ve been ignoring it because this is our chance to relax and live a little. I shouldn’t be wasting it on someone that moved on and maybe wants me dead.”

The mention of it reminded me of our predicament. From what Professor Phoenix had revealed, I’d been forced to marry Elijah from the past. He was an alcoholic and abusive, but I was once married to him in that life.

“With what we were told, it’s obvious that being with Elijah would have ended in misery, but again, I’m left feeling like the evil one. The person who made Elijah into who he is. I don’t know.” I lifted my head, giving Connor a sad smile. “Why do I feel guilty?”

“You shouldn’t.” His response was firm as his onyx eyes that stared into mine. “Elijah doesn’t deserve someone like you, Brianne. Your heart is so pure, as are your intentions for others. You want the best for everyone around you, hoping to empower them any way you can. The only problem with that is if you’re around the wrong crowd, all they do is take and never return the favor. Elijah definitely succeeded with you in his life, but was he giving you empowerment in return?”

“No.” I knew by now that he hadn’t been. The jealousy that sparked when I began to see the Notorious Four was only the beginning of the downward spiral that ended our friendship.

“It’s just that sometimes I wonder if things would have changed if he’d expressed his interest in me. Or maybe if I was less naive?”

“Brianne.”

Connor reached out to put his hands on my shoulders.

“I want you to do something before this year ends.”

“What’s that?”

“I need you to learn how to let go.”

“To let go?”

“You harbor a lot of the past inside you. Mistakes, actions, situations that you have no control over. Elijah had the choice to speak his feelings for you. He had the choice to be open and tell you what he liked and disliked. Everyone experiences a certain amount of naiveté in life. It’s why we’re here. To learn and grow. At least, that’s what I believe is why the gods allowed us to come down and experience what life is all about. You carry so many burdens on your shoulders for other people’s actions. That’s not fair to you.”

“Not fair…” He had a point. “You’re right. It’s just hard to forget.”

“That’s normal,” he assured me. “That’s why you have to learn to let go. There’s a difference. Forgetting something is like pushing it out of your mind and hoping it never comes back. Letting go of something is allowing what occurred to be a valuable lesson, picking from what goods and bads you learned from the situation, and moving forward from it. It doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t look back at the situation, but when you do, it shouldn’t bring those feelings of regret.”

He smiled, leaning down until his lips brushed mine.

“The naive part of you is what we, the Notorious Four, fell in love with. We’ve gotten to watch you grow and become a woman who is respected by her peers and society. You’re finding your individuality, and that means it’s time to let go of what doesn’t serve you. Elijah was a part of your past.” He paused to search my eyes. “Don’t let him be in your future. He doesn’t deserve a spot in your heart or a bit of sympathy from you. Whether he’s alive or dead will come to light soon enough, but don’t let his presence make you think differently about yourself. You’re not required to mourn his loss, but at the same time, if tears come, let them. Allow whatever hinders you to be released, so you can continue moving forward with those who love and cherish you.”

“You should be an inspirational speaker,” I mumbled and placed my hands on his waist. Leaning up, I closed the distance between our lips, kissing him deeply. “Thank you for your kind words.”

“I’ll always be here to advise and love you,” he assured me.

“I know.” I gave him a tender smile as I admired his sexy face. “You’re so hot.”

“Bonus points for complimenting me while sober.”

I giggled and slapped his chest. “I compliment you!”

“Not often.” He winked and moved out of my grasp to set his feet back into his snowboard. “Now get your sexy ass down this hill.”

“Ass is a bad word!” I accused.

“Yeah, yeah.” He laughed. “Let’s see if you get down this hill without cursing.”

He took off, leaving me behind.

“Connor!” I huffed.

“Fufufufu.”

I moved my eyes from Connor to see Fuwa sitting on my shoulder.

“Oh. Hey, Fuwa,” I greeted and patted him on the head. “I need to catch Connor!”

“Fu?” He blinked his big eyes and then began to glow a light purple. “Fufufu.”

We began to move, and I braced myself for what I expected would be me falling onto my butt again, but we kept sliding down, my balance seemingly perfect.

I immediately shot my arms out to my sides, afraid that I would lose my balance, but as we increased in speed, my body effortlessly went along with it. A wide grin formed on my lips and I tried to lean over to one side to change my direction.

When I went from the middle of the massive slope to my left, I giggled.

“Fuwa. You’re a genius!”

“Fufufufu!” Fuwa cheered, hopping up and down my shoulder as we began to blaze down the slope. Why had I not thought of using magic to keep me balanced?

Is this cheating? Does it matter? Nope!

I caught onto Connor’s figure ahead, noticing that the second part of the slope went down an even steeper route.

As if sensing my approach, Connor looked over his shoulder, his original shock only lasting seconds before he smirked competitively.

Whatever spell he discreetly used made him speed up like a rocket.

“That’s cheating!” I shouted, the words echoing.

“You started it!” he called right back, his speed not slowing down in the slightest.

“Ugh!” I growled, my competitive side kicking in.

“MewMew!” Elsa was on my other shoulder in a blink, and I glanced over to see her body begin to glow, her fur turning from golden orange to bright pink.

“Pink fur?” I questioned her, but my body jolted forward as my speed felt like it went up to a hundred miles per hour.

WHAT?!

I thought my speed was fast before, but it was increasing by the second, the trees and snow beginning to blur out entirely.

“Elsa! Too fast!” I yelled, my eyes watering like crazy from the whiplashing wind.

“Mewww!” Her response only told me she had no clue how to stop it.

“Fuu!”

“Bri!” Someone screamed my name, but that was a second before my board hit a bump that had me flying in the air.

“EEK!” I shrieked, my brain malfunctioning as I soared.

I crashed into something soft, an ‘oof’ alerting me I had tackled someone. A wave of coughing followed, but I was secure in someone’s arms and no longer soaring, even though it felt like I was still zooming forward.

“Jeez, Red.” Finnick coughed. “Didn’t think I’d need to use any new skills during vacation.”

Finnick!

I allowed my eyes to snap right open, noticing that we were in the air, rows of pine trees below us. It dawned me that I’d flown right off the sloping path. Based on the bright neon sign on the steep hill, I must have gone through a restricted zone.

That didn’t surprise me as much as when I glanced up.

“Holy Witchling of all things beautiful!” I gasped in awe, my eyes growing massive as I took in the huge, glowing set of wings. I had to squint and focus on the details, noticing that the teal feathers that formed the massive set of angel wings were actually tiny wind fibers.

It was a skill I’d read about in one of the many magic books we had at home, and I knew what to look for because of the mini photo that showed an example of how it looked.

A picture undermined just how enchanting the wings were, every feather with specks of wind moving fast enough to produce a physical illusion.

“Wow.” I emphasized the word, truly impressed.

“This is when you check me out and praise how sexy I am,” Finnick teased with a wink.

I rolled my eyes but began to giggle.

“Thank you, my sexy Finnick, for rescuing me from my speedy doom.”

“How did that happen anyway?” he inquired. “Let me guess. Our Brianne got excited and decided to compete against Connor?”

“Yes!” I admitted. “However, Elsa sped me up too fast.”

“MewMew?” Elsa popped out from my white bomber jacket, having somehow managed to get beneath the comfy exterior and my fuzzy white sweater.

“FuFu.” Fuwa squeezed himself out from the jacket as well, floating into the air as his mini glowing wings popped out of nowhere.

“FUUUUU!” He flew away as Elsa jumped out of my jacket and floated after him.

“Um,” Finnick began. “Why is Elsa pink?”

“I have no clue,” I admitted. “But she’s the reason for my speed.”

Finnick looked down at me, smiling from ear to ear.

“Excuses.”

“It’s true!”

“Ugh. Don’t give me that look,” he groaned. “Makes me want to kiss you.”

“No one’s stopping you from doing that,” I pointed out.

He smirked, and with a flap of his makeshift wings, we were descending toward the edge of the cliff.

Once we landed, we noticed the others racing our way, but I was still reeling from Finnick’s wings.

“You learned how to do this spell at the training camp?”

“Mhm!” He grinned with pride as he put his hands in his pockets, the wind fiber wings beginning to dissipate until they completely vanished and gusts of wind twirled around us.

“We were also given spells to learn during the school year. It was definitely a good experience. Want me to explain more after some hot chocolate?”

“Definitely!” I beamed, excited to learn about their experiences. The good thing about all of this was finally being able to catch up.

“Brianne.” Connor’s look had me cringing and hiding behind Finnick.

“See, what happened was—” I began, but Finnick cut me off.

“Brianne wanted to kick your booty after you technically challenged her, and knew I’d come to save the day. Therefore, you can’t be mad at her.”

“What kind of excuse is that?” Connor groaned, looking unconvinced.

“I do believe Bri got all competitive,” Jax reasoned. “You know how she gets when she’s losing.”

“Hey!” I huffed. “I don’t know what you’re implying.”

“You hate losing.” Kaito got straight to the point.

“So do you!” I argued.

“True, but you don’t see me zooming past my competitors, straight into closed-off territory, and gliding right off a cliff, now do you?” His taunting eyes were filled with amusement.

“It was a miscalculation,” I concluded.

“Sure,” the four of them declared.

“Brianne!”

We all glanced up to slope to see Mia and Miya; Mia held a snowboard while Miya was on skis.

“Oh!” I raised my arms up to wave back at them, immediately excited about their arrival. “Girl time!”

“As if she wasn’t having fun kicking Connor’s ass.” Finnick chuckled.

“I was winning,” Connor argued.

“After cheating,” I huffed.

“Look who’s talking.” He raised an eyebrow at me in judgment, but I skipped over to him and playfully punched his gut.

“Ow,” he sarcastically huffed, which made me grin in triumph.

“Feel my punching wrath.”

“I wonder if she sensed the sarcasm in Connor’s response,” Kaito pondered.

“Probably, but do we also want to get punched?” Jax reasoned.

“No,” Kaito and Finnick said in unison.

“Then smile innocently,” Jax concluded.

I gave them a look that had them nervously standing there, but I put my hands on my hips in triumph and looked back at Mia and Miya.

“Besties! I’m on my way,” I declared and looked back at my four boyfriends. “My only problem here is where did my snowboard go?”

“Oh.” Finnick looked back at where the slope ended. “I knew I forgot something.”

“It’s okay. It’s just a rental,” Kaito assured me.

“When we get back, we should get Bri a snowboard. Looks like she’ll be a pro in no time.” Connor winked my way when I blushed at the comment.

“Do they have pink ones?”

“Anything you want, Brianne,” Jax replied with a loving smile.

“When it comes to Red, she gets the world. No questions asked,” Finnick said with pride.

“You guys spoil me,” I mumbled, but walked over to hug each of them.

“Our Notorious Queen only has to worry about ruling her throne of men,” Connor encouraged.

“Delightfully empowering,” I responded as I hugged Kaito.

“You and the girls are going shopping?” Kaito asked.

“Yup!” I nodded. “They wanted to make sure Aki, Ako, Kiyo, and Koyo were settled in the lounge before we went.”

“We’ll go keep those guys company,” Jax announced. “They’ve never been to a winter resort like this.”

“We should all drink hot chocolate later and do karaoke,” I suggested.

“Sounds like a good way to start the holidays,” Kaito agreed.

“Go on, Bri,” Finnick encouraged. “I’ll show you all my skills later.” He winked.

“Skills in what?” Kaito looked over to him. “If this is going to be one of those ‘look at what I can do and fail’ moments, don’t bother.”

“Don’t jinx me, Kaito!” Finnick complained. “I’ve prepared all summer to show my unique talents to Red.”

“Meaning, he only perfected one wind spell that took him all summer to learn. Now he’s going to act like he’s the new Avatar Airbender,” Kaito elaborated.

Jax and Connor snickered while I was grinning from ear to ear. Finnick blushed and poked Kaito in the chest.

“You’re supposed to support me! Not make me look bad in front of Red!”

“I am supporting you,” Kaito argued. “By saying the truth and nothing but the truth. Deception isn’t good in relationships.”

“It is when I wanna woo Brianne!” Finnick whined.

“Woo her by wearing a samurai outfit.” Kaito winked and glanced my way, noticing my blush. “See? Still works with the reminder of my divine arrival.”

“Ugh, Brianne, go!” Finnick gestured for me to leave. “My pride needs a moment to mend itself.”

Jax laughed. “Good luck with that. C’mon, Connor. Let’s make our way back. Kaito can help Finnick with his mending.”

“Oh, right. We’ll give you guys some alone time.” Connor put his arms behind his head, looking amused with the direction of the conversation.

Finnick and Kaito were bright red, and I quietly giggled before I made my way to the twins.

Connor’s words came to my mind again, and I wondered if I’d be able to do exactly what he asked of me.

Let go…

“BRIANNE! Aren’t you going to be nosy and ask us twenty-one questions?”

I paused midway through eating my dessert: a hot chocolate brownie sprinkled with powdered sugar and drizzled with strawberry syrup.

Mia and Miya were staring at me questioningly, still working on their matcha ice creams with melted white chocolate, whipped cream, and cookie crumbs.

“You mean with the whole ‘my best friends are demigods’ thing?” I casually inquired.

“Yes!” Mia and Miya exclaimed. “It’s a big deal!”

“You guys have been talking in sync a lot lately,” I sidetracked and took another dip into my dessert. “As to the revelation, I didn’t think we needed to talk about it.”

“Aren’t you the least freaked out?” Mia inquired.

“Or mad?” Miya whispered.

“Why would I be mad or freaked out?” I asked innocently, staring between them.

The dessert parlor we were in was empty, the single employee in the back doing inventory.

I wasn’t necessarily worried about us discussing bits of what we discovered, but I also didn’t want to talk about anything that could trigger a change in the future.

Which could have been why the prophecy seemed to change.

“We couldn’t tell you,” Miya stressed. “Until you and Jax almost died.”

“Are you sure you aren’t mad?” Mia questioned, eyeing me carefully. “Or fearful of us?”

“You saved me and my boyfriend from our approaching doom, and thanks to your unique godliness, we’re here at Witchling Winter Resort, celebrating surviving Semester Five with all our limbs and boyfriends,” I summarized.

“When you say it like that…” Mia began.

“It sounds like we’re pretty amazing,” Miya finished.

I smiled and took another bite of my brownie.

“It’s nice to have a break.”

“I think we would have gone psycho without one. The stress of the first day of school already triggered one grey strand in my hair,” Mia dramatically declared.

Miya rolled her eyes. “The ‘grey’ hair was white and from Lux’s shedding coat.”

“You don’t know that!” Mia defended.

“You were using Lux as a pillow! I’m pretty confident that a strand of her fur got stuck to your hair at some point during your drooling nap.”

“I won’t accept your excuses!” Mia pointed her spoon at Miya.

“When was the last time you had sex?” Miya randomly asked. “You only act like this when you haven’t had some loving between the sheets.”

Mia blushed and muttered, “Not since summer ended. Jeez.” She returned to her food like we’d called her ugly.

“You’ll get some tonight,” Miya comforted, reaching out to pat Mia’s head like she’d hurt her feelings. “Stop sulking.”

“All I want is the D!” Mia cried out.

“I’m so happy no one else is here.” I sighed and shook my head.

“Oh!” Mia and Miya suddenly gasped as if they had a lightbulb moment. From the way they looked at me, I already had a hunch of what they were about to ask.

“Do no—”

“How was the sex with Jax?!” they exclaimed, putting their spoons down at the same time to give me their full attention. I groaned, having had a feeling this would happen sooner or later.

“It….” I trailed off, my cheeks already beginning to burn from embarrassment.

“Was it horrid?!”

“Too steamy?”

“Sweat dripping?!”

“Missing holes?!”

“It’s a pain when they don’t know what hole to put it in!”

“Right?”

I stared blankly at them as they kept going.

“I heard Jax was good at sex, though,” Mia revealed.

“True, but then I heard Elisha was lying and saying it sucked. But knowing what a petty, two-faced arse she is, you can never tell truth from lie.”

“Aww, our Brianne finally lost her virginity.” Mia blinked at me.

“I know! We should have a party! Imagine having a penis cake!”

“Who makes a penis cake?”

“I don’t know, but it would be unique and different!”

“True! We’d be nominated for best friends of the year.”

“Or Bri would die from embarrassment, but it’s the thought that counts!”

“We should make a podcast and invite everyone to the condom party. It’s a celebration of safe sex!”

“Wait!” they exclaimed and both darted suspicious glares at me. “Did you use protection?!”

“We’re witches, remember?” I reminded. “We can use magic protection.”

“Right.” They blinked, and it was silent for five seconds.

“What if the time shift made Bri pregnant?” Mia beamed.

“You really just want to be an auntie and spoil Bri’s kids.”

“Imagine Bri and Jax having kids! Actually, imagine Bri-and-Connor babies! Sexy babies!”

“You can’t have the words ‘sexy’ and ‘babies’ in the same sentence. That’s just weird,” Miya noted. “Finnick-and-Bri babies would be so adorable! Same with Kaito, but they would be mini samurais! We could get them little lightsabers that light up and make noises when they shake them!”

“We could get them those lullaby toys, but with little lightsabers spinning around!”

“Why lightsabers?” I randomly questioned.

“Because it’s better than condoms,” they replied, as if any of this conversation was making sense.

“You guys really want me to be pregnant.” I shook my head.

“Yes!” they exclaimed. “We want to be aunties!”

“In ten years,” I suggested.

“Aww.” They actually began to sulk.

“You guys can’t expect me to have kids while I’m still in school.” I sighed but smiled at their enthusiasm. “As for the sex, it was awesome. Painful the first time, but last night was less so.”

“Oh! You guys did it a second time!”

There they go again.

I let them celebrate my womanhood moment, returning to my dessert and thinking about having a child.

Would I be able to protect a baby? I failed the first time. Do I even want kids? I have a choice, right?

“Bri?” Mia waved her hand in front of my face. I blinked and noticed their worried gazes. “Did we say something wrong?” Miya asked.

“Huh?” I frowned at her question. “No. Why?”

“You looked a bit conflicted about something,” Mia pointed out.

Miya nodded. “Not necessarily angry, but definitely conflicted.”

“It was a silly thought.” I tried to brush it off, but the subject weighed heavy on my heart and it showed.

“Brianne,” they said in unison.

“It’s stupid.”

“It’s not stupid if it’s bothering you,” Miya comforted.

“Talk to us. Maybe you’ll feel better,” Mia suggested.

“It’s about the past,” I muttered. “I’m just wondering if I even want kids this time around.”

The two of them were quiet as I looked at the last bite of my brownie.

“Do I want kids? The idea never crossed my mind until our talk. I mean, I always assumed I would have kids at some point in time, but with what was discussed, do I really want to bring life to this world? I know it’s a long way from now. I shouldn’t be worrying about it because we’re still students, but it makes me feel really weak, like it would test my ability to protect those I love.”

Mia sighed and smiled.

“Brianne. That’s something far from now, but you’re the strongest when you’re confident in yourself.”

Miya nodded. “When you’ve saved the day during tests or random encounters, it was because you didn’t allow yourself to second guess what you can achieve. You dive headfirst into things, which at many times is a good thing because it doesn’t allow you to have any bit of doubt.”

“I know. Connor said something similar. He told me I need to let go and move forward, but it’s just that little detail that’s bothering me.”

“It’s something you’re allowed to think about from time to time,” Mia emphasized. “Just don’t allow it to eat you up and think you’re not strong enough to protect those you love — because you are.”

“No matter what. Whether in the past or present, you’ve never given up, not even on yourself. Don’t allow the dark side of your mind get the best of you. If you want to be stronger, strive for that. Want to become wiser, gain more knowledge from books and experiences. Everyone has weaknesses and down points in their lives, but does that determine who they can become? No. We decide for ourselves whether we want to be a student with Cs or a student with perfect scores. Whether to reach toward a goal of empowerment or sit and hope the same goal comes to us with little to no work.”

Mia’s grin widened, and she reached out to place her left hand on my right one.

“We are the choosers of our destiny. We can decide to rise or fall. We’re thankful to be able to be warned of what the darkness has in store for us, but nothing is written in stone.”

Miya bobbed her head in agreement, reaching out to place her hand on top of Mia’s. “We can change what was once written, just as we survived Semester Five when the past round played out differently. Be confident in yourself and your dreams. Make them into reality.”

“You guys are the best. You know that, right?” The flickers of fear were already fading away, and I knew without a doubt that we’d be okay. When the time came, I’d be able to conquer that climb and enjoy the top of the hill and the vast view below.

“Of course.” They laughed.

“My demigod best friends.” I shook my head. “Wait. Am I technically allowed to keep saying that?”

“Hmm.” They pondered it before shrugging. “Who knows. The world hasn’t ended.”

“You guys have no clue.” I laughed.

“Nope!” Mia cheered. “But isn’t it amazing to be unique?!”

“And blessed,” Miya emphasized.

“Yeah.” I nodded, realizing that I was just like them. “It’s weird to acknowledge.”

“Took us a while to get used to it,” Miya comforted. “However, it’s something you just have to embrace.”

“It also will give you more confidence as we begin to tap into what you truly can do.”

“We’re going to train?” I inquired.

“Not now,” Mia groaned. “I’m enjoying every bit of this winter vacation. Relaxing. Hot springs. Hot chocolate. All the sex!”

“That’s all she thinks about.” Miya shook her head. “It’s a good time to bond with the others. Focus on that. When we get back to school, we’ll start actually training. Maybe after cheer practice, we can work on bits of information here and there.”

“That sounds like a good plan.” I was pumped for the idea. “I feel like I’ve forgotten what a normal break is like.”

“Don’t blame you there.” Mia bobbed her head. “Last summer you were basically recovering and then with Jax, right?”

“Yup,” I answered. “More constricting than ever.”

Miya’s eyes darkened as she leaned in closer. “When school starts, definitely keep an eye on Jax. I have a strong hunch those facility people are going to want to monitor him like a hawk, especially with the anniversary coming up. If you can stay by his side, do it. Maybe warn Connor about it as well.”

Mia leaned in as well, lowering her voice to a light whisper.

“We also have a plan for the curriculum.”

“Bust those electronic windows and bring back what we Witchlings deserve?” I suggested with an innocent stare.

The two of them blinked and wide, mischievous grins graced their lips.

“Bingo!”

“Already on it,” I assured them, leaning back and picking up my fork to eat my final piece of brownie. “They want us to be slaves to their will. We have other plans.”

“Breaking the rules,” they sang.

“Something we do well,” I agreed and popped the last of the brownie in my mouth.

The future brings many possibilities. Just focus on enjoying every bit of the way.

CELEBRATION AND DRINKING WORRIES

~JAX~

THE ODD-TASTING alcoholic drink made my face pucker.

“Too sour,” I muttered, but finished it in one quick gulp. I’d lost count of how much I’d drunk tonight, but it didn’t matter.

My eyes scanned the party hall, locking onto Brianne, who was having the time of her life singing drunkenly into the mic of the karaoke machine. Mia and Miya each had an arm draped along her shoulders, singing along to the Sailor Moon theme song.

The idea of the birthday celebration had only dawned on us this morning, when Finnick had one of his lightbulb moments as we got ready to go on the slopes.

Brianne, Mia, and Miya were off to the shopping outlets, and Starlight and Katsume had arrived early in the morning to enjoy their day off, shopping with them.

It left us the perfect opportunity to quickly prepare everything for the evening. None of us could think of a gift we could get her by the end of the day without accidentally bumping into them if we went to the outlets, but Brianne wasn’t hard to please.

A nice party with those she loved, cake, rosé wine, and some Sailor Moon hits were enough to make her a bouncing ball of pure elation. It was a bonus when Starlight said we’d all pitched in to get Bri a gift, presenting a box full of Sailor Moon limited edition merch.

That even included underwear.

Brianne was moved to tears, which was a relief to us. I’d have to thank Starlight and Katsume later for helping us out with the gift, the items apparently from Japan and extremely expensive if you attempted to purchase them through online bidding.

We’d had an amazing dinner, with steak, mashed potatoes, garlic bread, and an array of appetizers like calamari, nachos, and cheesy poppers with spicy chipotle dip.

The dessert was a huge cake, enough to feed all of us before the nightly celebrations began.

Bri and the twins sang karaoke as Finnick and Kaito relaxed on the couch watching them, while Aki, Ako, Kiyo, and Koyo were playing pool while drinking shots.

Connor said he was heading to the bathroom, which could have been his way of taking a break from the emotional highs of the day. I still couldn’t imagine what it was like to have a gift like his, one where you felt emotions all the time and that was hard to turn off.

The darker emotions were always challenging, but the happier ones were just as overwhelming. All that mattered was that he was okay, and I knew he’d be back shortly.

I was sitting at the bar because I wanted a moment to think. This was all a blast, and my heart was blooming with happiness that we could finally relax and enjoy ourselves, but my mind was still buzzing with what we’d learned.

Which was why alcohol had become the best solution for quieting my troubled mind.

“Can I get another one?” I asked the bartender. I knew I’d regret this in the morning, but I’d worry about that later.

The pat on my shoulder made me smile, and I glanced over to see Connor.

“Can I have what he’s getting?”

“Sure,” the bartender replied as Connor took a seat.

“Why do you look like a loner at the bar while the world’s rejoicing?” Connor teased. My grin couldn’t get any wider as I casually shrugged.

“I could be sitting here in hopes that a certain someone would come and comfort me.”

“You’re a lot more open when you’re drunk.”

“I haven’t reached that level of drunk yet,” I reasoned.

The bartender arrived with our drinks, the open bar a bonus perk in our stay. Had to admit, Witchling Academy spoiled those who achieved excellence.

“Wanna go to the lounge?” Connor inquired.

From his light tone, I wondered if we’d only talk while there. The lounge was the room next to us, but it would mean we’d be alone. We hadn’t had our chance to talk, and the sudden invitation was extremely tempting.

I have nothing to lose…just some chatting and drinking.

“Sure,” I finally answered.

I was up first, thankful that I wasn’t intoxicated enough to struggle with walking. Before the two of us left the party room that was currently booming with the classic Pokémon intro song, Connor told the bartender to send two more drinks into the lounge in fifteen minutes.

My girlfriend and friends are having the time of their lives.

It was a relief to know they were okay and letting loose. I should have felt the same, but I couldn’t allow myself to relax fully into this break.

We reached the lounge, which contained a booth in the far corner of the large room. Connor led the way, offering for me to sit in first before he sat on my left side.

Lowering our glasses to the table, I relaxed against the midnight blue velvet seat.

“This is nice,” I mumbled, closing my eyes for a moment to appreciate the calming silence in this room. The walls must have been soundproofed or something, because the loud karaoke next door wasn’t seeping into this room.

“I agree,” Connor replied. “Yet, my gift is telling me something’s up with you.”

“Your gift is a traitor,” I joked, opening my eyes slightly to look over to Connor, who’d turned his body to face me.

“True, but it’s always correct, am I right?”

“Hmph.” I closed my eyes again, hoping that if I kept them closed, Connor would brush the topic away.

“What’s bothering you, Jax?”

“It’s silly.”

“That’s something Bri would say.”

“Probably,” I agreed. It was exactly what Bri would say to avoid a conversation she thought would be a burden to another. It’s not like I didn’t want to talk about my worries and fears, but what would be the point?

It wouldn’t change how afraid I was of the future, or how I wished to whisk all my friends and loved ones away from here and avoid the catastrophic potential of Witchling Academy’s downfall.

Take them far, far away, so if those Shadow people wanted to see the world burn, none of them would get hurt.

“Jax.”

“Why do you like me?”

Distraction. The key to escaping any conversation.

Connor chuckled, which made me look over to him to see his dazzling smile. It was making my heart beat rapidly, the dim lights casting the perfect shadows against Connor’s skin.

Making him far too attractive for my drunken state.

“You’re hot.” Connor shrugged.

I pouted my lips, which made Connor laugh. “Especially when you’re not satisfied with an answer and start pouting like I hurt your feelings.”

“You did,” I huffed, reaching out for my drink. He stopped me, his hand wrapping around the glass and a portion of my hand.

“Jax.” That stern voice of his was back, his eyes deadlocked with mine. “You’re not drinking for fun. You’re drinking to drown out something.”

“You never answered—”

“I can give you a twenty-one-page essay of why I like you, but I won’t do it if you keep sidetracking my questions.” He lowered my hand, the glass clinking against the table before he let go.

I frowned and removed my hand from the drink, irritated by his interference.

“How am I going to stop myself from destroying the school if I can’t control the darkness inside of me?” The question came out in a rush, and I immediately looked away. “I don’t know if it’s good or bad. Brianne says I should embrace it. I should realize that my darkness is an element and can be good if I want it to. But how? I tried to find a solution in the books at my place before we left, and I’m clueless. Yes, I need to relax and enjoy this break, but my worries and insecurity are pissing me off. That’s when the darkness sinks in and…he’s just as frustrated as I. My mind is filled with nonsense and I keep thinking back to how I technically destroyed all of Witchling. What’s going to stop me from doing it again?”

“Me,” Connor commented. “For starters. As well as Brianne, Finnick, Kaito, and the rest of your friends and family who care about you.”

“You guys can’t stop me from losing it,” I huffed.

“We can if you remember how much each of us loves and cherishes you. The past isn’t going to repeat, Jax. You’re not the Jaxsin or Jaxson from your past. You may be a combination of the two, but that doesn’t mean anything,”

“We failed before,” I argued.

“You failed back then but survived Semester Five now,” he reminded.

“That was with Mia and Miya’s help.”

“And what’s wrong with having help, Jax?” Connor sounded frustrated.

“There’s nothing wrong with it, but why can’t I handle it on my own?!” I snapped at him.

“Why do you have to handle it on your own?” Connor snapped right back. “We’re supposed to work as a team, Jax. Like we’ve always done. Why has that mindset suddenly changed?”

“Because working together risks losing all of you and I…can’t…” I trailed off and let out a huff, fighting not to get emotional.

I can’t afford to lose the people I love due to my mistakes.

“When did you start thinking so negatively, Jax?” Connor’s voice was soft. “Working together has never backfired, has it? Why do you suddenly want to take the lone route? You know Brianne wouldn’t allow you to.”

“That’s…the problem. I know she won’t,” I whispered, unable to hide my vulnerability any longer. “I can’t lose all of you in this. If I lost Bri way back then and took half the world with me in a matter of days, what will happen if I lose all of you?”

My eyes darted to his, staring into those onyx orbs that did more than just stare back at me. Their acknowledgment made my heart skip a beat. His presence was making me want to do things other than waste time talking.

His soft, foreign cologne had teased me all night, and it was driving me insane that I could somehow love him and Brianne at the same time. It felt so comfortable loving Brianne. I could kiss her when I felt like it. Hold hands or whisper soft words of praise in her ear without feeling uncomfortable.

Why was I struggling to do the same with Connor? Was it out of fear of what was to come? Was my goal to protect him from truly loving me so that if anything happened, he wouldn’t be left heartbroken? Were the stereotypical standards of our current society suddenly influencing me?

Why am I struggling?

“Yeah, you fear working together because you’re afraid of losing all those you love and cherish,” Connor repeated. “Your fears and insecurities are getting the best of you, but you already know that, don’t you?”

I didn’t answer, lowering my head in shame, but his hand went under my chin, lifting my head up so I had no choice but to look into his eyes once again.

“I won’t let you look down as though that’s a bad thing. Nor will I let you push us all away so you can handle this alone.” His face inched closer, his eyes never leaving mine as he whispered, “You know why you weren’t able to succeed those other times? You fought to do everything on your own. You protected those you loved, hoping the sacrifices you made would pay off in the end. You always let yourself be the carrier of everyone’s suffering, letting it eat you up as you desperately fought for everyone to be happy. Why are you letting yourself hold all the burden when the ones around you want to help you?”

“It’s my responsibility.”

“Says who?” he questioned. “Yes, you’re the president of the student council, but does that mean you have to ensure we’re all safe, happy, and protected from an unpredictable future? If a council functioned on the opinions of one person, there wouldn’t be a vice president to aid the president in decisions. There wouldn’t be a treasurer to ensure finances are going to the proper funds and school commitments. There wouldn’t be a secretary to keep everything organized so information doesn’t get lost. A student council functions like a team; everyone has a role to play in providing the best year the students can experience. There’s no difference when it comes to our team and what lies ahead. We all have a role we have to play, and it’s thanks to Bri’s open heart that Finnick, Kaito, and I get to be a part of it. You have three extra sets of hands to help, not to mention adding Mia and Miya’s experience to the table. You shouldn’t be trying to think of a way out because you don’t want your darkness to wreak havoc. The darkness inside you now isn’t the same darkness that overtook you before.”

His speech had me speechless. I knew he was right. Everything he was saying made logical sense. I was talking out of fear, allowing my true worries to come out. I knew working as a team and being more open about my worries would help me get stronger.

I guess I just needed to vent.

“What if—”

“Stop, Jax.” He sealed the command by locking his lips onto mine. My body grew rigid at first, the touch of his lips so foreign — and public.

I pushed those thoughts aside, allowing myself to relax and accept that this was okay. I was allowed to love. To find comfort in a kiss from someone who was willing to love this dark side of me that hid underneath the surface. He had loved me before I’d had pride in myself. He allowed me to fall in love with a woman that sparked me in so many ways and was destined to be in my life.

Whenever I felt doubt, he was somehow always there, in the deepest shadows of my nightmares and the moments I feared losing myself entirely.

He was right here — again — when my soul needed that push of reassurance, and I knew if things got tough again, there he would be, waiting for me to snap out of my negative tendencies.

Kissing him back only made the trickling fire between us grow. I was finally letting myself be in this moment, the alcohol erasing my self-doubt.

How much time I’d wasted, worried about the world’s opinions on how I should live and love. All that time I’d secretly cheered Finnick on, only to neglect that I secretly saw Connor as someone more.

He was a security blanket that never let go, one that wrapped me up and sheltered me from the toughest struggles. I loved him for that, and for the way he handled it all so casually that it was simply accepted by everyone.

I gasped for air after an intense minute of kissing, only for Connor to grip my head and slide his tongue into my mouth. I didn’t resist, our tongues intertwining as I let myself spin with the intense emotions brewing through me.

The low growl that vibrated against Connor’s throat was making me hard, the press of my erection against my jeans only emphasizing my desires.

We broke the kiss to breathe heavily, my eyes opening halfway to look into his.

“When you let your emotions flow like this, it’s addicting,” he mumbled before turning my body slightly and pushing me back against the seat of the booth. I was grateful for how this place was arranged, suddenly unbothered by our position as he crawled to hover over me.

Our eyes locked once more, Connor clearly looking for my hesitation. I wasn’t going to let myself continue down that route. Just this once, I wanted to give him my full attention, my desire, without any doubts clouding the situation.

Loving a guy was no different than loving a woman. There wasn’t a different equation to how they made you feel or the way situations like this worked. It could be so simple if I’d just allow it.

Connor lowered until we were kissing again, the connection far stronger this time and deeply filled with tingling emotions. My body responded to the spark, the heat around us growing by the second.

It suddenly felt like he was countering the warmth, his lips growing colder by the second. Fire and ice should never go together, and yet here we were, making out like it was our last day on earth while our friends partied the night away.

This was the relief I needed. The reminder of my purpose. With those I loved around me, I could reach new avenues.

We broke the kiss, again, and I closed my eyes for a second to let the dizziness fade.

“Five-minute break?” Connor chuckled.

I poked an eye open to see his red cheeks.

“You’re kind of hot when you blush.”

“You’re an idiot,” he insulted, but I knew he wasn’t serious.

“You need a break ‘cause I’m overwhelming you?”

“Not you, necessarily,” he said. “But if I don’t stop now, the bartender will walk in on us doing more than just kissing.”

I began to blush, much dirtier thoughts entering my mind. He got off of me just as the sound of the door reached our ears. I sat up, the two of us still remaining close as we turned our heads to see not the bartender, but a bubbling Brianne with our drinks.

“Boo!” she cheered.

“Oh goodness, you’re drunk,” I commented.

She giggled happily, lowering our drinks before climbing onto Connor’s lap and making her way between the two of us. She managed to sit on both our laps before she leaned her head back to give me a seductive grin.

“Hi, sexy,” she slurred.

I looked at Connor, who was fighting to not snicker. “That’s the problem with having a gift that senses emotions.”

“Meaning?” I asked, but Brianne kissed me. I didn’t feel the need to pull away, my body immediately relaxing while my length twitched at the slightest movement of her in my lap.

Oh, god.

She nipped my bottom lip and giggled.

“You’re all hor—”

I kissed her to silence what she was about to say, not wanting to admit that I was aroused by Connor before she’d arrived, which had only added gasoline to the sizzling fire.

“Bri, baby. You’re drunk.”

“Emotionally charged,” Connor added. “I think she could sense us from the other room.”

“Sexual seduction!” she sang suddenly, drawing our attention.

“Isn’t that a song by that Doggy guy?” Connor wondered.

“Snoop Dogg,” I corrected. “A classic now, but how does she even know that? She doesn’t listen to that.”

“Probably one of the karaoke tracks,” Connor suggested. “This place is for students to sing whatever. Good thing we got them to load all the classic anime and cartoon songs.”

“Connor!” Bri declared and hooked an arm around his neck. She didn’t say anything else as she slammed her lips against his. Connor smirked, but he kissed her passionately back, the two of them making out.

I wasn’t sure if I should have been jealous at the difference in intensity of our kisses, but all this watching was adding to the tightness of my jeans.

They broke the kiss, and Bri giggled.

“Bye!” She scooted off of our laps, skipping away to the door and walking out before she poked her head back in.

“Have fun!” The way she slurred the words had us both blushing, and the added wink as she departed had me pinching my nose and Connor grinning from ear to ear as the door closed.

“Why do I have a feeling she’d love a threesome?”

“We’re…too young for that stuff,” I tried to reason, but Connor burst out in laughter before reaching for his drink. “You make it seem like we’re sixteen.”

“She’s nineteen.”

“The legal age to have sex is sixteen.” Connor smirked and finished his old drink. “Plus, you’ve already enjoyed her twice.”

“How do you…” I trailed off, already answering my own question.

“Someone’s spiked emotions woke me up.” He grinned. “Going to the washroom?”

I blinked at him before my face burned red. “I’ll be right back.”

He nodded, but the look in his eyes told me he already knew what I needed to do.

Calm down from that saucy moment.

I reached the little washroom in no time, locking the door and walking to the sink to see my face in the mirror. I was blushing like I couldn’t handle alcohol, and a glance at my jeans only emphasized what was obvious.

“Damn Connor,” I grumbled, but a small smile took over my frown. “No wonder why I love him, too.”

Drinking and talking about my worries. A great way of solving them with good company.

HOT SPRING SNOOPING AND LOVING RESOLUTION

~BRIANNE~

ONE MONTH LATER…

“I FORGOT my hair tie in the locker. I’ll be back!” I called out to Mia and Miya.

“Cool!” Mia shouted back. “We’ll be soaking up here.”

“Don’t get lost or distracted by your almost naked lovers!” Miya reminded.

I almost choked on my saliva on the way out.

“My best friends are bad influences.” I shook my head, but began to make my way back to the locker change room of the hot spring spa.

To say it was huge was an understatement. It was gigantic! We’d spent a full month here at the Witchling Winter Resort, and there was still so much to do. It was like living in a multidimensional resort with everything you could ask for.

The food was divine, the open bar our chilling place on the weekends, the slopes our best friends all week long, and there were still different physical activities we could do to test our endurance.

The trails for morning runs were awesome, surrounded by serene, untouched snow, while the cement trails ignited heat with each quick step so you could run without a jacket or heavy clothing.

There were mountain climbing paths we could take with a trained instructor to see the deep, hidden lagoons. We got to do a week’s worth of winter kungfu and martial arts, which Kaito was all for, and this week had ended with different meditative techniques in colder climates, which had to be one of my favorites.

Next week was going to revolve around painting various scenes around the property, something we’d requested on Finnick’s behalf. We all knew with the holidays approaching, Finnick may get a bit down. His mother had passed a year and half ago, but the pain still felt fresh.

I hoped the painting sessions would help him express anything that was bothering him. From what Kaito had explained about their training, Finnick would paint with his dad in their spare time.

I couldn’t wait for it to come, and for our families to arrive for Christmas. It was going to be the perfect way to end this hectic year, surrounded by our loved ones after completing a challenging part of our lives.

This break had been really good for Jax. I could see the difference in how tense he’d originally been after the exam, to now, when he was calm and collected. He had his leadership groove back, and the time spent around the others was helping.

It was also nice to spend time with the rest of the guys. I had to admit, I was giving Finnick and Kaito a bit of alone time, noticing that they seemed to have grown extremely close to one another after the summer.

I wasn’t necessarily feeling lonely because of their growing connection, but maybe I was afraid of butting in. I mean, Finnick was finally getting what he’d been yearning for for years, and with the amount of freedom we currently had on our holiday break, it was the perfect time to emphasize that connection.

Maybe I felt a tad left out, but I wasn’t going to admit that publicly.

Mia and Miya kept me occupied, and the chance to enjoy some quality girl time was delightful. They were giving me that burst of empowerment, a recharge while reminding me of my strengths and how to improve any areas in which I felt lacking.

It was nice to have friends who understood you without a hint of judgment. I had spent so many years buried in books and wondering if I’d ever had a set of friends like the ones I read about, and now here I was enjoying a winter resort with a group of individuals who got me.

It felt good.

Entering the change room, I walked over to the locker I recalled leaving my stuff in, opening it up and noticing the two hair ties on the top shelf. I frowned, noticing they weren’t my neon pink ones.

One was red while the other was gold, two colors that Jax normally used.

Staring at it for a solid five seconds, I finally inched forward to catch the cologne-cinder mix.

I’m in the men’s change room!

I groaned, but with a shrug, I kidnapped one of his hair ties. Quickly putting my hair up in a messy bun, I fixed my towel, noticing that I’d kept on the evil bracelet that stopped me from spell traveling today, thanks to Starlight going on a rant about how I should still have it on for the sake of “policy.”

What policy were we following? Who knows?

If only I had my Sailor Moon tape. I would have made it seem like I had the old one on and she’d have no choice but to take it back into her possession until school started.

Due to my jump through the time, I’d been on a strict magic ban. It wasn’t really a big deal seeing we generally didn’t use magic — and the guys didn’t tell her about my competitive whiz down the slopes and off the cliff — but I had to at least prove I was wearing the blocking device to ensure I was resting and following orders.

I wasn’t sure if it would help with this so-called ‘trial’ we were waiting another year and a half for, but if it meant following some rules to get payback, I’d comply.

All I wished was that Elisha got what she deserved, which involved praying that karma slapped her silly before Elisha turned her cheek for another slap.

Regardless of whether she was working with these shadow people or another group who wanted to make our lives miserable this time around, I wasn’t going to let her get her way with hurting me or Jax.

Confident vow? Maybe, but if you want things to go your way, you gotta envision it first for it to manifest.

“That felt so good.”

I froze in place at the comment from outside.

OH, NO!

I quickly looked around, trying to figure out a place to hide, but these change rooms were far more open than the ones at school. The entire room was separated by one main divider, with the lockers along the wall and wooden benches in the middle.

“Let’s go inside.”

Hide!

In a swift movement, I somehow managed to fit perfectly into the locker, locking it quietly and shutting off my aura and any bit of magic. Hiding my presence was something that needed so little magic, it wasn’t blocked by the silly bracelet.

Besides, concealment spells were considered emergencies and would always bypass the bracelet if I needed to do a stronger spell to protect myself from being caught.

Who knew if I needed to protect myself, but I’d soon find out as the door opened.

“Wow, it’s far cooler in here.” Finnick’s voice seemed to echo as their footsteps followed and the sound of the door closing made me mentally sigh.

Gonna be stuck here for a bit.

“I think they do that on purpose, though I’m not sure if it’s a good thing to go from extremely hot to chilled,” Kaito replied.

“Please don’t research it,” Finnick teased.

“I wasn’t going to,” Kaito mumbled. “Yet.”

“I knew it.” Finnick laughed.

My body grew rigid when I saw them in front of the thin gaps of the locker. I had to remind myself to keep my hiding spell as solid as I could.

I really wasn’t sure why I was hiding when it was just Finnick and Kaito, but subconsciously, I knew if I did give in at this point in time, the guys would totally tease me about it for all eternity.

Yup. Worth hiding until caught, though I won’t be caught.

“Is it just me or does it smell like Brianne?” Finnick inquired.

“Aww, are you already missing our girlfriend so much that you’re experiencing phantom scents?”

“Hush!” Finnick groaned.

I leaned closer so I could get a better view of the two of them. Kaito was leaning against a wooden pole that I’d totally forgotten to take into consideration during my quick observation, while Finnick was leaning opposite the locker I was in.

They were both in just towels, their hair was soaked and clinging to their skin, and the droplets of water that remained rolled down their bodies. I subconsciously bit my lip while I pressed my thighs together to try and ignore the tingling happening down there.

“It’s nice to see her enjoying the break, especially with her getting some time with Mia and Miya. They haven’t been able to hang out like they used to,” Kaito noted.

“I know. Red seems really happy.”

“The best sight to see,” Kaito praised. “And thus why you’re smelling her.”

“Ugh, shut it. I still smell her.”

“Jax probably has some of her clothes or something in his locker,” Kaito reasoned. “Remember when he was younger, he’d keep an item from his mom or sister just in case he panicked?”

“I remember.” Finnick stretched his arms out. “Wouldn’t be surprised if he did the same with Bri. Seeing as they’re destined, it makes sense that they connected so quickly, despite Jax’s stubborn ass.”

“If Brianne were here, she’d remind you that ass is a bad word.”

“Probably.” Finnick grinned. “Maybe it’s good she’s not or I’d get turned on.”

“Like when you first saw her,” Kaito stated in a low voice. Finnick blushed and crossed his arms over his chest. “C’mon. We hadn’t seen her all summer long. That was hard! And she was looking as hot as ever. Jax definitely took care of her.”

“I think they did it, though.”

“Wait, seriously?”

“Are you blind?” Kaito laughed. “Haven’t you noticed their increased chemistry? It was there before, but it went up a few notches. Before we found out about their past.”

“Ugh. I wanted to be first.”

“You knew that was an automatic loss.”

“A boy could dream.” Finnick smirked. “I’ll be honest, I like that we’re taking it slow.”

“Hmmm.” Kaito thought about it. “Yeah. It’s nice not to feel pressured. The idea of the four of us dating Brianne was pretty awesome to me, but I did worry that our dynamic would be thrown off.”

“You mean because of us?”

“Well, originally yeah…but Jax likes Connor and vice versa. Unexpected.”

“Connor hides his feelings so well, I never would have thought. Remember, he dated a girl before?”

“You dated Brianne before me,” Kaito reminded teasingly.

“That’s not the point,” Finnick argued.

“Sure.” Kaito smirked. “At least at this pace, we can get to know ourselves better. Plus, this Christmas holiday is already a blast. We’ll have plenty of time with our Notorious Queen.”

“Many nights of being horny,” Finnick whined.

“You’re that turned on by Bri?”

“You know when your brain finally acknowledges a girl is not a girl anymore but a woman? I think my brain finally clicked on that and now I get wet dreams about her. They’re random, too.”

“Must be nice.” Kaito grinned.

“You don’t have wet dreams?”

Wet dreams…that’s when they have a dream that feels so real it stimulates the body…I think?

“Hmm. Not often, though I acknowledge Brianne became a woman ages ago.”

“Shut up!” Finnick growled. “I’m slow!”

“I know.” Kaito laughed. “In that department you certainly are. At least you’re smooth in others.”

Finnick grinned and pushed off the locker only to press his body against Kaito’s and go right in to kiss him.

My eyes widened while I put my hand to my mouth to remind myself not to gasp. It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen them kiss, but never had I seen two men in towels kiss.

I thought it would be a simple peck or last a few seconds, but Kaito’s body relaxed and he kissed Finnick right back.

The ache between my legs grew, and I was trying not to be so turned on by this scene, but it was so hot. I never in my life would have thought seeing two of my boyfriends make out would be this sexy.

Finnick moaned into Kaito’s mouth, his lower half pressing against the thin white towel around Kaito’s waist. I could only imagine what it would be like with both those towels sliding off and exposing their bare butts and lengths.

That only made things worse for me.

I bit my lip hard, my other hand subconsciously going between my legs and feeling the hint of wetness between my folds. I swallowed hard, unsure if I was actually going to try and masturbate, but watching their heated kiss grow had me sliding my middle finger in between my folds.

It wasn’t as fulfilling as actual sex, but it was giving me a bit of relief as I moved my finger in and out. I didn’t think about it, my body following its own needs as I continued to watch them make out.

Their moans grew louder, which was a good thing as I moved my finger faster and hoped those sounds muffled any noise I made.

I could feel the rush of my release getting stronger, and I covered my mouth once more to hold back from moaning as I moved my hand even faster. When my orgasm hit me, I froze and let my finger sink as deeply as I could, feeling my inner walls cling to it like they did during sex with Jax.

The hardest part of staying quiet was calming my breathing, as I opened my eyes to see Finnick move his lips from Kaito’s and begin to kiss his neck.

“Finnick,” Kaito moaned. “Don’t leave a hickey there. I’m not explaining to my parents why that’s there.”

“Blame Brianne.”

“Who would innocently blink if my parents asked her why I have a purple bruise on my neck.”

“That would be cute.” Finnick chuckled. “Then you’d be grounded.”

“Shut up! I don’t get grounded anymore. Jeez,” Kaito huffed, but he gave Finnick a sweet kiss. “Let’s go back. It’s getting hot here.”

“Meaning you’re getting horny and need some cool air.”

“Fuck you.”

“Oh. You swore. That means I’m right,” Finnick teased. “Oh. Isn’t that one of Jax’s hair ties?”

Oh, no!

The sudden comment felt like cold water was tossed on me. If Finnick opened the door to Jax’s locker, I’d be discovered with a flushed face and my hand still between my legs.

“Hmm? Oh, probably. Just bring it.”

“Huh. Why? I can just put it in his locker,” Finnick reasoned, reaching for the handle.

“Nah. I think he needs it,” Kaito emphasized.

“Hmm.” Finnick’s hand paused just seconds from the door. “Your eyes are doing that purple dancing thing.”

Kaito chuckled. “I’m psychic, remember?”

“Your foresight is completely random.”

“True, but so far it works when I need it to,” Kaito explained. “C’mon. Jax is gonna need that hair tie or he’ll slap our butts with towels in hot spring tag.”

“Please don’t tell me we’re playing hot spring tag.”

“No, but if you leave that hair tie behind, we will.”

“Coming.” Finnick rushed over to wherever Kaito was standing now, and a few seconds later, the door opened and came to a quiet close.

I didn’t move, still waiting for the door to open and reveal the truth, but as the seconds passed, there was no sound at all.

With a quiet prayer, I quickly opened the locker, poking my head out and sighing in relief when no one was there. I made my way out, making sure Jax’s locker looked at least decent before closing it.

I was gonna run out of the change room but noticed how wet my hand was with my juices.

Wash hands…and between my legs, then bolt.

Quickly doing that, I was finally out into the cool air and heading to the woman’s change room when I noticed Connor coming.

“Bri? Forgot something?”

“Uh…” I couldn’t even remember why I came here to begin with. “Yeah…uh… I needed a hair tie.”

“Your hair is up in a bun already.” Connor looked a little amused as he pointed out the obvious.

“Um!” I was trying to figure out another excuse, but my thought process was giving up on me. “Not for me. Uh, Mia! Yeah, Mia wanted a hair tie.”

“Oh. Here.” He offered the bright red tie.

“Huh? Where’d you get that?”

“Finnick came to give Jax a hair tie, but Jax already has one on his wrist, so. You know how easily Jax loses them, so he asked me to bring it back to his locker. Kaito told me to take my time and to say hi to you. Made no sense to me.” He shrugged. “Maybe he saw you needed a hair tie.”

“Right.” I blushed, realizing that Kaito had totally saved my booty. “Thanks.”

“Good.” He offered me the hair tie before his lips graced mine. I looked at him in confusion when he gave me a saucy look and whispered, “If you need a little relief, don’t hesitate to ask.”

My face must have been scorching hot now, which had Connor chuckling and pull away. “Your emotions are teasing me.”

He knew!

“I’ll see you later, Bri.” Connor waved and headed back to the male side of the hot springs, leaving me with the hair tie and my red face.

Note to self. Thank Kaito for his foresight…I think.

CHRISTMAS GONE WRONG

“That was by far the best Christmas dinner we’ve ever had.” I clapped my hands in glee, glancing over at Finnick as he slipped on the plaid pajama top I’d given him for Christmas.

“I’ve never eaten so much in my life. I never knew your sister and Katsume could cook so well,” Finnick replied and casually sat on the bed as I worked on brushing my hair.

“My sister actually isn’t the cooking type.”

“She isn’t?” Finnick pondered. “She cooked enough food to serve an army. You saw how happy our parents were to have all those leftovers to take home.”

I giggled and nodded at my reflection, which showed off plaid pajamas that matched Finnick’s and the rest of the guys’. Best Christmas gift I could have thought of, because we were all going to spend tonight cuddling in the comfiest red and black plaid pajamas I’d been able to locate in the massive outlet shopping center.

I looked over my shoulder to meet Finnick’s curious gaze.

“She used to be back when her fiancé and team were alive. They were a tight-knit group and since her fiancé loved food, she got into cooking so they wouldn’t spend too much on missions where they had to blend in to find criminals. This was kind of before she was really popular and before they all perished but her.”

Finnick gave me a sad smile.

“Did she stop being the cooking type when she lost them?”

“Basically.” I watched my reflection as I whispered, “When she’d get tired, she’d remember the times she’d spend in the kitchen with them, singing and dancing while baking cookies or cooking dinner. It was something she wholeheartedly enjoyed, and their deaths took that spark of joy away. I think my sister is slowly returning to the woman she once was now that she’s in a relationship with her team. She’s dating both Katsume and her other partner. I’ve met him a few times, but he’s always changing his name, so I can’t even recall which one is real. I can see the love in Starlight’s eyes. She’s letting herself open up again. It’s nice to see from afar. Makes me hope that my sister will regain the happiness she once had.”

“That’s pretty hopeful,” Finnick commented as I finished combing out the last of the knots in my hair. It was a frizzy mess with all the activities today, and I was finally deciding to tame the beast.

Though, it may get just as frizzy sleeping in a bed with four guys.

Oddly enough, I was excited. I usually snuggled with two of the guys when I slept, but the idea of five of us in one bed was making my mind whirl.

The idea steamed off of being around Finnick today. It was Christmas after all, and I knew he was mourning his mother quietly in his own way.

Kaito said Finnick woke up quietly crying early this morning, but throughout the day he’d been his usual happy self. It was nice to see his father again, who had come over with Katsume’s parents.

He’d just left, after making sure Finnick was okay. Tomorrow was going to be a heavy snowstorm, and our parents were taking a trip to some other resort on the other side of the city that had just opened, so they all wanted to get there before it got difficult driving-wise.

It wasn’t always safe to teleport during the holidays. Emotions were high, the energies in the universe were stronger this time of year, and it was easy to calculate incorrectly from what I recalled from my classes with Professor Phoenix.

I was happy they would get there safely and get to enjoy the last few days of the year. The plan for our group was to stay until New Year’s, and then venture over to Jax’s place to spend the last few days before Semester Six started.

We hadn’t done any training at the resort, and I was grateful for the much-needed break. We all needed this, the perfect calm before the storm school would bring in two weeks.

Lowering the brush to the counter, I nodded at my reflection, twirled on my right foot, and put my hands on my hips for a sassy pose.

“How do I look?!”

“Like you’re on the set of a Hallmark commercial,” Finnick teased.

I laughed. “Oh c’mon! You make it sound as though I wouldn’t make the perfect Christmas girl, ready to hold any snow globe and convince people about how merry the Christmas season is in thirty seconds.”

“Commercials are shorter than thirty seconds,” Finnick commented, rising up from the bed to walk over to me.

“Says who?” I demanded. “We should time one the next time we watch television.”

“We can check now,” he suggested. “I think the others are still watching Christmas movies.” He slipped his arms around my waist, bringing me against him while his eyes peered into mine. “And I say they’re shorter than thirty seconds.”

“What’s the loser’s punishment?”

“Whoever loses has to make out with the other one.” He winked.

“Oh.” I rounded my lips for extra emphasis. “Okay, I’m wrong.”

He burst out laughing. “Brianne. That’s not how this works.”

“I certainly think it is.” I grinned and hooked my arms around his neck. “I have no issues with confessing my wrongs and receiving the ultimate punishment.”

Finnick grinned, the saucy look making me forget to breathe.

“You’ve really grown bold, Brianne.” He inched closer.

“Do you not like it?” I quietly asked, unsure if this change and newfound confidence within our relationships was progress. I was trying to stop second-guessing myself and start saying what was truly on my mind, but there were always occasions like these when I worried otherwise.

His sudden kiss silenced me, sending shots of passion through me. I was positive that I’d never get used to how I felt when I was around my boyfriends.

“I love every bit of your growth, Red,” he muttered against my lips, the two of us quietly catching our breaths. “Change is a good thing. That’s what I’ve learned so far.”

“The training really helped you,” I noted, glad to see he was more at peace. This trip had really helped reduce the lingering tension that would pop up from time to time. It wasn’t Finnick’s fault in the slightest; he’d had to deal with so much, from his Mom’s passing to the intense bullying.

The point of the training in the mountains was to help remind him of the abilities we carried in ourselves and the potential we had as mages. Physically I could see the difference in Kaito, Connor, and Finnick, but mental growth wasn’t something you could simply witness with your eyes.

You could tell if someone was truly happy or not by the way they smiled and if joy twinkled in their eyes, but their thought process and how they tackled difficult situations were the real indicators of emotional growth.

I’d learned a lot about that while taking care of Jax during the summer, but with Finnick, I had a feeling it would be difficult at times to read him because of his ability to put on a smile even when his world was crumbling down.

“Thank you for accepting me,” I whispered. “In all transitions.”

“You know I always will,” he answered with a tender smile. “You always do the same for me.”

We grinned and shared another slow kiss. He moaned and tightened his hook around my waist while one of his hands went through my long strands. The kiss was getting heated when the door opened.

“Guys?”

I wouldn’t have mind Kaito’s attempt to grab our attention if I hadn’t sensed a hitch of panic in it. We forced the kiss to end, the two of us turning our attention to Kaito, who looked concerned.

“What’s wrong?”

“Remember we’re supposed to have a snowstorm?” he reminded.

“Yeah. Tomorrow. What’s the problem?” Finnick questioned, not understanding the worry.

“We just got hit with it,” Kaito explained.

“Huh?” Slipping my hand in Finnick’s, I tugged him along as we passed Kaito and headed to the living room. We’d get to see firsthand what this snowstorm was all about since the living area was surrounded by glass windows.

We reached the bottom of the stairs to find Connor and Jax looking just as worried as Kaito, and I shifted my gaze to see the restless winds that rattled the glass and the flurries of snow that whipped all over the place.

The snow on the ground already looked like a week’s worth.

“What the…when did the snowstorm start? We went to shower like, what, thirty minutes ago? How could the snow be that height already?” I questioned suspiciously.

This doesn’t look right at all.

I wouldn’t have worried too much, but all of our parents had left this evening, as had Starlight and Katsume. Which meant they were potentially out in this storm and the five of us — plus Mia, Miya, and their boyfriends — were here alone.

“We have no clue.” Connor’s voice was stiff as he and Jax approached us at the steps. “We should have at least seen the start of it before going to shower or have heard it from upstairs. I finished first and came down to drink some water, which is when I noticed the sudden uptick in snowfall. I don’t know if it’s something we should worry about, but it’s abnormal to me.”

Connor’s main element was ice — the fact that he felt this was abnormal didn’t sit well in the pit of my stomach.

“Connor.” Finnick spoke up. “Abnormal means someone’s causing this storm.”

“Yes.” Connor wasn’t going to dance around the bush tonight. “However, I’m not sure how far out this storm is going to reach and why it’s happening. This building is meant to withstand snow, despite its fragile appearance with the glass. If we get completely covered in it, nothing bad will happen. I’m more concerned with anyone outside right now.”

“Let’s check the news,” I reasoned, leaving Finnick’s side to walk over to the table and grab the remote. Jax moved to stand next to me as I switch the television on. His hand ended up slipping around my waist, bringing me close as we waited for the commercial break to end.

In seconds, the news report flashed on, complete with a red banner at the bottom of the screen that read: WARNING: INTENSE SNOWSTORM COMMENCING.

“We are now dealing with an intense snowstorm that’s hitting the far north of the city. The inclement weather was expected to hit after Christmas, but has suddenly spiked up this evening and is beginning to leave many residents in the northern mountains worried for the worst. Many families are currently staying at resorts for the holidays, but plenty of travelers left tonight to avoid the frightening storm that was projected to hit tomorrow. There have already been several accidents on the roads, and there is an avalanche warning from one of our weather stations. We’re advising the public to remain indoors and secure food, water, and other emergency materials in case of a power outage. Thankfully, most winter resorts are prepared for heavy snowfall and in some cases, have emergency protection walls in case of an avalanche. Witchling Star Agency is now helping the police with their ongoing investigation as to whether this is a natural weather shift or was caused by an individual or group of individuals. No suspects have been named, and there has been only one reported death thus far. We will be back with more information as the situation develops.”

My first instinct was to get my phone, but Jax was already ahead of me, taking his phone from his pocket and dialing a number.

He passed it to me, my eyes quickly catching onto the caller display name that read ‘Brianne’s Sister.’

“Thank you,” I whispered, placing the phone to my ear and listening to the first set of rings. It rang five times before Starlight picked up.

“I swear, if Brianne’s dying, I will just end the world today,” she huffed, sounding exhausted.

“Sis?” I questioned. “Are you okay? We just saw the news, and no, I’m not dying.”

Starlight sighed in relief, but someone called out to her in the background.

“Keep searching!” She paused before she answered me, “Bri. I’m fine…just a little tired.”

“What happened? Are you and Katsume okay?” I questioned. The guys crowded around me and I decided to put the phone on speaker.

Starlight sighed again, which was only freaking me out.

“I’m okay…so is Katsume. I’m just a bit exhausted magic-wise. The storm isn’t natural in the least, but I’m sure the news outlets aren’t saying too much out of fear of frightening the public. We got hit right on. I had to use a spell to stop us from getting buried by a small avalanche.”

My heartbeat spiked. “Avalanche?!”

“It wasn’t a big one, but it hit the main roads. We’re being counted among the seven accidents. There’s been one reported death, but everyone else has been accounted for.”

“Who died?” Kaito questioned. “They’re not someone we know, right?”

I immediately looked at Finnick, but his eyes were on the news, his face masked of any emotion.

“No one we’re acquainted with. Everyone should have gotten back safely. We made sure Finnick’s dad went ahead of us because we sensed a weird vibe and slowed down,” Starlight answered.

“Thank good—” I began, but a booming noise came from outside, the ground shaking so hard, we all lost our balance. I screamed, Connor and Jax both grabbing me while Finnick pulled Kaito out of the way as the chandelier above us suddenly detached and came crashing down.

That was the least of our worries, as multiple pieces of furniture began to tumble down.

“Protecto La Ruse!” Connor’s voice boomed around us, and a dome big enough to hover above all of us materialized. The ground was still shaking uncontrollably, and Jax pulled me into his arms, holding me against him.

Starlight was screaming my name, but it was like a tiny whisper in comparison to how loud the rumbling and shattering sounds happening all around us were. I actually feared the worst, and an ear-deafening sound had all of us jumping and shuffling until we were huddled together.

It was like cables had snapped and ignited an explosion, but the rumbling ground kept shaking stronger and stronger by the second.

“I can’t hold this for much longer,” Connor’s strained voice alerted us. I snapped my eyes open, quickly looking around the clear dome and watching it collapse around us.

The so-called protected resort was going to kill us if we didn’t get out of here.

“Jax! We need to teleport everyone out!”

“Brianne,” Jax warned, knowing damn well I wasn’t supposed to be using any magic, but I shook my head frantically.

“Jax, this place is literally going to kill us. Whatever protective mojo they said this place has clearly wasn’t made for swallowing earthquakes or whatever this is!”

“This isn’t something the resort’s equipped for!” Kaito screamed. “This isn’t ordinary!”

“Take Bri’s bracelet off, Jax!” Finnick ordered.

“I…can’t.” Connor was struggling and the dome began to crack under the pressure of whatever was piling on top of it.

Jax cursed and immediately reached for my bracelet’s lock.

“Unlockanda Re Na Lu!”

My sister or Professor Phoenix must have given him the spell to unlock it because it snapped right off, all my magic surging through me like a pent-up can of soda.

“Hold each other’s hands!” I encouraged, everyone huddling as closely as possible before grabbing onto one another.

I closed my eyes, trying to push aside my frantic fears. I knew how dangerous this was, especially with the time of year adding to the strain of magically traveling anywhere, but it was now or an early grave.

All I could think of was my sister, wondering where she’d go in order to avoid a catastrophe like this.

My world felt like it was spinning in seconds, Jax’s and Finnick’s grasps on my hands tightening suddenly. The next thing that hit was chilling cold as we seemed to fall into a pile of snow.

“Oomph!”

We all groaned at the drop, but I scrambled up to stand, immediately looking around us in preparation for the building to collapse on us, but we were in the middle of snowy road, police vehicles with flashing lights a few feet ahead.

“Brianne!”

My eyes locked on Starlight’s wide, shocked ones quickly, and the relief that I’d spell traveled us to a temporary safe haven made me happy to have such a powerful gift.

A gift that once felt like a hindrance just saved me and my lovers.

I felt as though this specific location was thanks to my mimicry gift; I’d tapped Kaito’s gift to center on Starlight and tug us exactly through the teleportation waves to land us here.

Katsume came out from behind one of the police cars, running over to us as Starlight sprinted our way.

I took one step forward, only to find myself face planting in the fluffy snow.

That so wasn’t in the welcoming plans.

“Shit! Brianne!” multiple voices exclaimed, and I was picked right out of the snow pit. My body was shaking, which I thought was more from the frigid drop in temperature than from my magic depletion, but I honestly wasn’t sure.

My world was spinning, but I knew it would subside soon. I just needed a moment…or two.

“Brianne!” Starlight’s voice was now next to me, her hand pressing against my forehead. “What the hell happened?”

“We don’t know,” Finnick answered. “One minute we were listening to you talk on the phone while the news was still playing, and the next everything was shaking.”

“I tried to put a protective dome over us, but the pillars of the actual building were falling and putting weight on it. I didn’t expect the building to actually collapse and it got to be too much for me. Jax took the bracelet off Bri so she could spell travel us here,” Connor explained.

“She had to mimic a bit of my gift because none of us knew your location,” Kaito added.

“How did that happen? Witchling Resort is supposed to be protected from avalanches and stuff,” Jax declared.

“That wasn’t solely an avalanche,” Starlight groaned. I fluttered my eyes open, the spinning beginning to cease. I was in Connor’s arms, and Starlight was on her knees next to me while the others crowded around.

One look at my sister and I knew something was wrong.

“What’s wrong with you?”

Everyone looked down at me, but I weakly groaned and tried to sit up. “Not in an insulting manner, I mean why do you look so pale,” I defended as Connor helped me sit up. “And that was definitely unexpected. Feels like we’re in school.”

“I wish I could answer that,” Starlight rose, appearing relieved that I had enough energy to talk. “Also, I’m fine.”

“Sorry to say this, but you don’t look fine at all,” Jax commented. “You’re sickly pale.”

“It’s nothing,” Starlight huffed. “We need to get you guys somewhere warm.

“Give me a second. I can make them jackets and dry them off,” Katsume announced, clapping her hands as her hair began to float and glow.

She muttered something in Korean, and we were all wearing winter clothes in seconds. Our bodies weren’t even soaked anymore.

“Damn,” Finnick commented. “Now that’s some useful magic.”

“I know.” Katsume winked before looking over to Starlight. She had her hands on her hips the next second, her eyes narrowing on my sister.

“In bed. Now!”

Starlight rolled her eyes dramatically. “The world is basically ending, and you want me to lie down?”

“You shouldn’t be standing!” Katsume argued. “Where’s Sebastian? He’d manhandle you so fast.”

“Ugh, don’t summon him. I swear, when you say his name he suddenly arrives as if we actually called him,” Starlight complained, pressing her fingers to her temple.

Something is seriously wrong.

“Starlight.” My voice was stern. “What’s wrong?”

She didn’t say anything immediately, which was starting to make everyone nervous, but then she cursed.

“Fuck…we need to get to the peak of this mountain.”

“Why?” Katsume pulled out a walkie talkie. “What’s there? Did Aon find something?”

“I…” Starlight suddenly leaned forward, but before any of us could react, a tall figure caught her gracefully, his black jacket and long black hair fluttering behind him.

“Oh snap, Sebastian,” Katsume commented before her voice went two octaves higher. “Starlight!”

I tried to get up, but Connor kept me locked in his grip. Jax, however, rushed to Starlight’s side as the new man rolled Starlight onto her back.

She was shaking, her face even paler and drenched in sweat.

The man didn’t look the slightest bit pleased, as he braced an arm around Starlight’s shoulder and her body against his chest.

“What did she do?” his deep voice demanded.

“We were driving when the avalanche hit. We were right in the center of it, so she stopped time temporarily to get Professor Rosedale into the clearing before maneuvering us. After that, a bunch of reports came in that people were trapped up the road so we rushed over here. Then she was panicking because Aon lost track of the Professor’s car and then Boss called to inform us about the tremors happening all around this area. Brianne called and they teleported here after experiencing some kind of earthquake. I told her to lay down after we ensured the survivors were okay, but I had to update the team,” Katsume explained all in a rush.

I’d never met this guy before, but he had to be a member of their team.

“Tell Boss she’s out. We’re not risking Starlight getting worse,” he muttered. Jax was using a bit of magic to keep Starlight warm, reducing her shivering.

His words frightened me.

“Getting worse? She’s going to be all right, right?” I quickly questioned.

Sebastian’s cold eyes glanced my way, and he arched an eyebrow while he stared at me for a long minute.

“That’s her sister, Sebastian.”

“Not the twin?” he inquired.

“No! She doesn’t have a twin. Why does everyone think that?”

“Hmph.” He didn’t sound the least bothered by Katsume’s response. “Your sister’s been pushing herself and hasn’t had a chance to rest and recover due to the uptick in crime and lack of agents to handle things. She also did something she wasn’t supposed to do.”

The time stopping.

I wanted to ask, but the worry of crossing the line with the gods popped in my mind and I immediately shut my lips. I didn’t want to be the bringer of more pain.

“Wait a minute.” Finnick drew our attention to him. “What did you say about Professor Rosedale? My dad.”

“Aon’s—”

We all flinched at a sudden cracking sound, screams coming from down the street where the police cars had been crowded.

We watched in horror as the parked cars began to sink, the cracks in the ground spreading.

Connor scooped me up, and Sebastian snatched up my sister before Katsume clapped her hands.

“OLA RA NA VA LUKE!”

Our entire environment shifted until we were no longer on the road but on a flat snowy surface was at the bottom of the mountain.

Katsume fell to her knees, panting hard.

“Sis!” Kaito was at her side, immediately checking on her while we watched helplessly as a part of the mountain suddenly collapsed, slides of snow, rock, and whatever police cars were left flooding down the side.

“This is bad,” Sebastian muttered, lowering Starlight to the ground. He took out a red device, pressing the button. “Emergency alert. All agents off the mountain. Teleport any survivors and cease all investigation activity!”

“What about my dad?!” Finnick stressed again. “Is he safe?”

Katsume tried to answer, but she was still out of breath.

“Aon…” She paused, Kaito rubbing her back.

“Easy, sis. Catch your breath for a second.”

“Finnick, we’ll find out in a second, give her a moment,” Jax emphasized. I knew he was beginning to panic just from how dilated his eyes were, but Katsume was struggling to breathe after teleporting all of us out of harm’s way.

“I can stand, Connor.” I felt far better than before and didn’t like the feeling of helplessness that began to sink in. He looked down at me, appearing conflicted for five seconds before he lowered my legs.

I was standing, but he kept an arm around my waist as a precaution. Katsume’s breathing was finally getting more controlled and she whispered, “Aon found his car, but I’m not sure if he’s still there. Starlight’s in rough shape. No matter what situation Aon’s in, if Starlight’s at risk due to dangerously low magic levels, he returns within her.

“So, he left him there?”

Finnick sounded pissed, but Kaito answered, “It’s not his choice to leave, Finnick. Familiars react to what’s best for their Master or Mistress. Whether he likes it or not, if Starlight’s magic drops to a low level, she can no longer conjure enough energy for Aon to take human form. What is a cat gonna do to help your dad?”

“We can try to locate him with a spell, but we have to make sure we’re safe,” I added.

“Finnick.” Jax’s voice didn’t hide his irritation. “We actually need to think for a second. We can’t just dive back onto a mountain that’s collapsing.”

Finnick bit his lip, an action to stop him from revolting, but I could feel the rising tide of anger, enough to have me swaying on my feet.

“Dammit.” Connor caught me when my knees buckled, lowering me to the ground. “Brianne. You need to shut your magic off.”

“Right,” I muttered, but I was struggling. It wasn’t like I didn’t want to do what was being asked of me, but the feelings of defiance, anger, fear, and burning frustration were making it impossible to think straight.

“Finnick!” Kaito snapped.

“I’m not doing anything,” he argued.

“Finnick, control your emotions for a second. You’re overwhelming her,” Connor snapped.

“How can I do that when my dad could be on that fucking mountain, dead!” Finnick’s snapped.

“You guys need to—” Sebastian tried to interfere, but my consciousness was wavering.

I can’t faint now. Finnick’s dad. He needs us. How are we going to get to him? I can’t take us there in this state. What if he’s still alive but hurt? It’ll ruin Finnick if we don’t try to get to him.

I could only imagine myself in similar shoes, worrying about Starlight or my parents if they were in that situation.

We have to try!

“MewMew!”

“What the? Elsa wai—” Jax shouted, but everything felt like it was spinning again. When it stopped, I opened my eyes to see we were in a different place completely. There was fluffy snow everywhere, almost as though this place hadn’t been touched by the chaos going on.

“Elsa! Why did you teleport Bri and me?” Connor asked, worriedly looking down at me. “Bri? Are you okay?”

“I’ve been better.” I tried to lighten up the panicky mood, my eyes looking over to my left to zero in on a familiar vehicle. I didn’t allow myself to think as the words sputtered out. “Connor! Finnick’s dad’s car!”

Connor followed my gaze, a sentence full of curses leaving his lips. He made sure I was sitting upright before he raced toward the car that was somehow managing to stay in its half-dangling position at the edge of a cliff, big boulders around the half-crushed vehicle.

I fought to stand, noticing Elsa was sitting at my feet. She was already curling up in a ball, letting out a yawn before her body faded away in a poof of orange glitter. Her body was still pink, which was something I’d yet to figure out, but my attention was on Finnick’s dad’s car.

I only lasted two steps before I was on the ground again and coughing hard. Opening my heavy eyelids, I noticed the blood in the bright white snow, tasting the metallic liquid in my mouth.

“Brianne!” Connor called out to me. I lifted my head slightly, noticing his fearful expression.

“I’m fine!” I called out weakly, unsure my voice even reached to where he was with how low it was. I used my hand to gesture for him to continue what he was trying to do. It was hard to see what position Professor Rosedale was in in the front seat, but from the pool of dark liquid against the snow under his car, I was fearing the worst.

Connor nodded and quickly returned to the task, but I suddenly felt sick to my stomach. I hugged my core, trying not to make a sound as I fell to my side. I was freezing and shaking uncontrollably, to the point it felt like I was enduring a seizure.

Someone called to me, but I couldn’t respond as my body spiked hot. Another loud sound boomed from somewhere, and there was a deep scream, but my ears couldn’t make out the words.

I couldn’t brace for whatever was coming, but it suddenly felt like something was covering me.

“Jeez, Bri. Stubborn as my Mistress!” Aon sounded pissed but also exhausted, his voice sharp.

“Aon!” Connor called out.

“I have her! Get the professor over here! Hurry. I can’t…stay much longer.”

There were shuffling noises followed by a grunt and thump.

“What’s wrong with Brianne? Is she having a seizure?”

“Looks like it.” Aon sounded out of breath. “She’s used too much of her gifts. It’s similar to Jax’s seizures…when his temperature spikes.”

“Aon, you’re fading.”

“The others are coming…I…just couldn’t let Bri…die. She’s…family… Forgive me.” His voice sounded far away as well.

There was coughing, and it felt like my body was being embraced. I must have stopped shaking but I felt so tired, I was losing feeling everywhere.

“Brianne, baby. Hang on. We’ll get out of here somehow.”

“You…must go.” The voice belonged to Professor Rosedale. “This…is a trap.”

“A trap?” Connor questioned, but hissed in pain. “Ow. What…the—”

He groaned in agony.

“Ala Ruk Re Ba!” Finnick’s dad suddenly shouted an enchantment.

“What’s happening?” Connor slurred. “I…so many emotions.”

“I told you…it’s a trap. I need to get you out of here before they kill you both.”

“No. We.” Connor sounded like he was struggling.

“To save me? My time is up, Connor. I can’t let you children with such promising futures perish.”

I fought to open my eyes, sensing something closing in.

“R…un.” I whispered.

I could see Connor was lying on top of me, but his weight didn’t bother me seeing as I couldn’t feel anything but my hands and toes.

Everything was still blurry, but I could make out Professor Rosedale’s tall figure as he stood up and spread his arms out like he was shielding us from something.

My vision focused at that moment, and I watched as icicles tripled in size and stabbed into him all at once. If I could have screamed, I would have, as blood spattered all around and the clink of glasses falling on what had to be ice or stone echoed around me.

The world grew silent, and my consciousness was swarmed with feelings of regret, sadness, and pity. I knew where they were stemming from, knew who they were centered on in this moment.

There was a pinch of happiness, as if everything was going to be okay when I knew deep down it wouldn’t be.

Then a spike of a mysterious emotion hit me like a wall. It didn’t just smack me down, it consumed me.

Finnick…

I couldn’t take it anymore.

To remain conscious and watch whatever unfolded because of my lack of strength. A part of me knew I shouldn’t blame myself. I had done as much as my body could manage.

My fear was whether Finnick would see it that way.

Would he forgive me for my lack of power.

Maybe that’s what stirred the anger inside me.

The darkness within me.

A scream echoed around me, but it faded by the second. I was too far gone now, and something was reeling upward in my place.

That’s when something clicked in my slipping mind and I fell into dark despair.

TO CHOOSE LIGHT OR DARK

~FINNICK~

“WHERE DID THEY GO?!” My voice was frantic after watching Brianne and Connor vanish with a blink.

“Shit! I didn’t put her bracelet back on.” Jax bit his lip in worry, his eyes scanning around before glancing at the mountain.

“She went to find Professor Rosedale,” Sebastian stated, as if it wasn’t obvious.

Katsume looked at Kaito.

“You need to take them to where she is. There’s no way she has a flying chance after spell traveling twice. Her body is going to go right into shock.”

Kaito glanced at Jax, the two of them nodding before they rushed over to me and grabbed my hand.

“Hey? What are—” I tried to tug away, but their grips were tight to the point of being painful, the two of them closing their eyes and concentrating.

The sound of something crackling came from my left; Katsume, Sebastian, and I turned our attention to see Aon’s trembling body. He was on his hands and knees, breathing heavily as sweat dripped down his face.

I immediately noticed the bloodstains on his hands and pants, my fear only increasing with every struggling breath Aon took.

“Aon!” Katsume rushed over to him, but his body was already beginning to fade. He lifted his head up, devastation and fear swarming his eyes as he became more transparent.

“Bri. Connor. They’re…in danger. Trap. Hurry.” That was all he said before his body completely vanished.

Katsume’s fearful eyes locked onto mine, but then I noticed the sudden shift, the world beginning to spin while our surroundings changed.

In seconds, we dropped into a fresh pile of snow. I fought to conquer the dizziness, hearing Jax’s and Kaito’s exhausted groans as they both tried to catch their breath.

Wherever we were had to be extremely far up in the mountain, because it was freezing and the snow was untouched.

I heard rushing sounds, like footsteps, shuffling quickly through the snow, and the goosebumps on my arms prickled up. My entire body sensed something bad was about to happen, but not until I turned around did everything begin to slow.

There were Brianne and Connor on the ground.

Connor was slumped over Brianne, blood trailing from his ear and dripping into the soft white snow. I didn’t know what could have hit him, but my mind was immediately thinking of something internal or an attack on his senses.

My eyes darted to Brianne, my heart stopping for a few seconds as I saw her crippled state. She was on her back, blood staining the side of her lips and hands. Even from this distance, I could see how pale she was, and her orange hair had strands of white that frightened me.

Her aura was extremely weak, especially compared to Connor’s, which was strong even though he was unconscious.

What caught my attention were her half-open eyes, tears running down her cheeks. I was ready to follow her gaze when blood spattered on both of them, staining the snow beneath and making Bri’s eyes widen.

Her eyes closed and her head limply fell to one side.

An ear-shattering scream cut through the chilled air.

The scream is coming from me.

There was Dad, his arms stretched out protectively as he stood in front of Brianne and Connor.

My knees buckled, the seeping cold of the snow the only feeling I could grasp as my heart struggled to beat and my blood pounded furiously in my ears.

I couldn’t move my eyes away, taking in every detail of the massive icicles that penetrated all the way through Dad’s body like he was a dartboard.

Dark red liquid slid down the sharp, icy creations, dripping off and onto the ground, revealing how my father’s leg shook.

He took a step forward, followed by another and another, until he was a few steps away from Brianne and Connor. Then he fell to his knees, more blood escaping him.

I didn’t think — not like I could have — rushing over to him until I was on my knees and facing him. The icicles protruded three inches from his chest and blood dripped from his nose and mouth, but when his eyes registered mine, his matching orbs lit with pride.

“My…boy,” he struggled to say. “Finnick.”

“Dad…no.” I shook my head frantically, tears already spilling down my cheeks as I fought to breathe. “I…I can’t lose you, too. First Brother. Then Mom. You can’t go! I…we…didn’t get to do that painting together, you know? The one you started. I promised after the holidays we’d add onto it.”

I couldn’t fathom this reality, and yet there was nothing I could do about it. My gifts didn’t include time traveling. I couldn’t erase what was written in fate, but how could my poor father perish when he did nothing wrong?

He hadn’t gotten the chance to enjoy life to the fullest.

I wanted to be able to do that with him. To finish Witchling, to find a passion that I truly enjoyed, and to help others. To share that passion with the world and inspire them through art and magic. He was supposed to see me through those milestones.

Traveling around the world, painting and living his dreams with Mom’s and Brother’s ashes at his side. This couldn’t be happening.

I can’t live this life all alone…

My father’s smile only widened, his shaking hand somehow reaching out and touching my cheek. The temperature difference between my warm, tear-stricken cheek and his chilled hand was obvious.

I was watching the life seep out of him, his eyes growing duller, but he kept that brilliant smile on his face. No matter how hard things were in life, Dad always tried to keep a smile on.

When my brother passed. When Mom died with her hand in his. Here he was, in so much pain after dealing with whatever got him here, and thanks to him, my girlfriend and best friend were safe.

There can’t be life without sacrifice.

“It’s…okay.” His eyes softened as they began to close. “Time. Up. So…proud of…you. Finnick. My lovely…son. See the light. See… love. See…the…world. For me. For your family.”

His smile began to dim as the last specks of life flickered in his eyes.

“Don’t hate me…or friends. All…a trap. I’m sorry.” His eyes closed. “I. Love. You. Forever.”

One final breath.

My ears were desperate to hear any other words. Anxious for him to start a random conversation about a new art gallery or how he was going to join some club to interact with others.

The seconds passed, silence etching deeper as I waited for him to say anything, but as his hand lost all function, it slid from my cheek to his side, just as his body sank in his knelt position.

The icicles had melted enough for them to slide out from his back, revealing the piercing holes that led to his demise.

The world was silent, even the wind coming to a standstill as if giving this moment to the man who raised me.

What hit me first were all the good memories. The times I made him proud and earned his words of praise. His affectionate and wise words, the various lessons he taught me throughout my life to help me become a respectable man. My fears, my rebellious behaviors, and my acceptance I was different than what society portrayed as ‘normal,’ he was there for it all.

He accepted that I loved both genders.

Was proud that I was ready to learn how to love.

Encouraged my self-acceptance.

Supported me the best ways possible.

Even when the depression was punching him during the depths of the night.

Even though he quietly shed tears in the dark.

Even when he missed Mom and his older son.

He was the ladder I needed to climb the world’s challenges.

Now…he was gone.

The sad memories arrived, moments in which we mourned our losses and times of shared disappointment. I lowered my head to the ground, watching my tears fall and become one with the white snow beneath me.

The wind began to pick up, swirling around me, attempting to comfort me.

It blew stronger, but my eyes were glued to the ground. I knew if I looked back up and saw my father, I’d have no choice but to acknowledge that I’d never hear his voice again.

No more quiet talks.

No more words of encouragement.

No more life advice.

No more…

“Brianne!” The sharp call was laced with fright, but I couldn’t move.

The wind had picked up so swiftly, and a shallow part of my mind worried that my father would be blown away.

Does it matter? He’s dead anyway.

“That’s right,” a flat voice announced, familiar enough to make me lift my head to confirm who it was.

There was Brianne, only her appearance was different. Her hair was floating, white locks with orange and gold highlights, and her eyes were pitch black. Her lips were still stained with blood and curled in a malicious way, one that made me fear what she was going to do.

Her eyes had no life in them, the black an endless void, and her aura was a dark purple, mixed with striking bolts of gold and orange.

No one else was around; my dad was gone from my sight and it was just me and Brianne. But I had no doubt in my mind that this woman standing before me wasn’t Red.

“Who are you?” I demanded, rising to my feet and clenching my fists.

Her grin merely widened, as she shrugged.

“Well,” she began. “I’m the darkness.”

“The darkness? Darkness doesn’t have physical form!” I argued.

She pouted her lips, blinking her eyes like a robot.

“Are you stupid? Did your father take all your brain cells with him when he died? Ah, I shouldn’t say death. This wasn’t his fault. He protected me and Connor, after all. Yes, yes. What I should say is murder. Someone set this whole thing up. Who is it? Who killed Professor Rosedale?”

Her eerie voice had a delicate melody to it, her words coming out like a song but only adding to my fear as I began to tremble.

“Give Brianne back.”

“Why? What makes us different?”

“You’re not our Red!”

“Why?” She giggled. “Is it my hair? Or my black eyes? It can’t be my eyes. Your eyes are just like mine!” She clapped her hands, a swirl of water appearing in front of me until it froze in a second, bouncing my reflection back at me.

She was right.

My eyes were so close to black, I almost missed the purple in them. It reminded me of the darker shades of amethyst, the purple huddling at the center of my iris and surrounded by black.

“Isn’t it pretty?”

The ice glass before me shattered, and I flinched at seeing Brianne right in front of me. If I was afraid before, I couldn’t describe the fear that overtook me at seeing her up close.

Her magic was overwhelming, fighting against my flickering aura that was weak from the shock of everything.

“What makes you and I different?” she questioned, placing her hands against my chest. I shuddered at her touch, unsure if I felt suddenly attracted to this new version of her or was too afraid to think straight.

“Bring Brianne back,” I repeated, but my voice shook.

“What if this has been her all along?” she whispered, her hands roaming upward until her arms hooked around my neck. She pressed her body against me, igniting waves of desire that I’d been fighting for a while now.

I’d been avoiding us getting too close, using Kaito as an emotional outlet while cherishing Bri’s closeness when we cuddled at night.

I wanted us to share that intense moment of passion when it was right and I felt fully confident in myself. She deserved a man, not a boy still cowering under his insecurities and regrets.

“You’re not our Red.”

“Everyone has darkness inside them, including Brianne.”

“You’re not wrong.” I was coming to realize that whatever was controlling Brianne wouldn’t back down unless I stood my ground. “However, it doesn’t mean we let it consume us.”

“Your father was just murdered,” she emphasized. “In a trap set to kill your girlfriend and her destined mate. You and the others are useless in all of this. Why fight the darkness? Why bother trying to stop your heart from being consumed by sorrow?”

She made some valid points, but I knew better. The old me would have agreed with her. I would have let this suffocating emotion that clawed at my heart win. Allowed myself to submit to it and let havoc take revenge on everything around me, but I knew that wasn’t what my dad would want.

Or my mom, brother, or even the real Brianne. Our beautiful light bringer, Brianne.

“I fight the darkness because it’s what is right.”

I stared directly into her eyes, feeling my confidence begin to rise as a warmth fluttered through my chest.

“Two wrongs never make a right. Allowing the darkness to consume me will only make me lose even more people I care about. I can’t afford to do that. To be the bringer of more heartache. The darkness may think I’m getting my revenge, but losing the remaining few individuals I care about isn’t how I want to live my life.”

I hooked my arm around her waist, trapping her in my hold before I let the warmth inside me build.

“I’m the last of my family. The only Rosedale left to carry on the legacy. This isn’t the time for me to succumb like a weakling. I’ve moved past those days.”

“You may say that now, but the darkness will win,” she declared, but I saw her wavering confidence, noticing how flickers of brown, gold, and orange fought to be present in her black orbs.

There she is.

“No,” I declared with power, smiling as tears rolled down my cheeks. “Darkness only wins if you let yourself surrender in submission. I’m not giving myself up to the darkness. I surrender myself to the light that’s within us, that power that strives to shine through our actions and words as we experience this world.”

It somehow made sense now, and even though I was hurting, I felt a sense of peace.

“You know nothing!” she snarled, trying to get out of my hold, but I only brought her closer.

“You’re right. I know nothing about what this world has to offer or my own capabilities, but I’m trying. I’m fighting, and just like the others, I won’t succumb to you. “

She glared at me, struggling for words.

“You may not fall for the darkness, but I will.”

“No.” My grin only widened as I let the passion I had for this woman shine in my eyes. “Our Red is full of light, and even in the hardest times, she always conquers the darkness.”

I leaned in closer and whispered, “She just needs a little help this time.”

She fought to reply, but it was too late, my lips sealing hers as I allowed the warmth I’d built up within my chest to explode outward.

It wrapped around us, bright light swallowing us whole while my wings burst out around us. My focus remained on my prized possession, the woman I loved, who accepted me at my very lowest.

She was the reason my heart continued to beat, and the thoughts of not living anymore now felt like a foolish act of defiance to the universe.

She saved me back then. It was time for me to save her from this dark intruder.

I deepened the kiss, Brianne’s body growing stiff at the movement. I only thought of good thoughts, the memories I shared with her and the others.

We were the Notorious Five, and there were so many experiences we needed to share. Whether they would be good or bad was up to the Universe to decide, but I knew with them around, I’d always have a shoulder to lean on.

They would be my strength, and that meant not leaving any of them behind.

Especially Brianne.

I didn’t know how long I stayed in that position, but Brianne’s body began to relax, and to my relief, she softly kissed me back.

The winds lessened, and when I allowed my eyes to open, I saw her beautiful ones, those glittering orbs filled with tears as they glowed a mixture of orange and gold. Her hair was shifting back to its sizzling orange, the golden strands multiplying and standing out as they always did.

Tears slid down her face as she looked at me with sadness. I knew there was so much that could be said at this moment, but I did what I knew my father would do.

I smiled.

The sadness in my heart didn’t matter.

The heartache that would take years to fade was something I’d conquer yet again. These could be the challenges I’d been warned about, but as long as Brianne and the rest of my crew were around, I’d be okay.

“We’ll be okay,” I whispered to her, my soft voice filled with calmness.

She returned my smile with her own, her eyes lowering to my chest. I followed her gaze, noticing the shining jewel that floated just above the middle of my chest. A gold chain began to materialize, wrapping around my neck until the clasp clicked.

The gem lowered and locked in place as the golden chain did its job to keep it positioned on my neck.

When I lifted my gaze back to Brianne, for a second, she looked different.

Wiser, stronger, with longer hair and beautiful eyes that shifted in color. Her chest sported the same crystal as mine, but it was like a flickering rainbow prism, the colors radiating with strength and magic.

The next second, the illusion was gone, but I wasn’t frightened by it.

In fact, it made me happy.

I lowered my lips to kiss her tenderly, leaving just a small space in between to whisper, “Thank you, Brianne.”

She looked at me in confusion, her eyes growing heavy as she leaned into me. I held her as she lost consciousness, lowering her to the ground while she rested against me.

I felt the exhaustion of everything that had happened. My eyes grew heavy as my body cried out for relief. I looked up and saw Kaito running toward us, while Jax held Connor, who was still unconscious.

Professor Phoenix was there, her eyes meeting mine for a few seconds. It was hard to read her from this distance, but for a sole moment, I saw the pride in her silver orbs.

She nodded slightly as if telling me that my job was done and I’d passed whatever this was.

I wanted to see my father’s body one more time before the darkness took me, but deep down, I knew it wasn’t necessary.

We were just vessels on this planet.

Our souls lived on, in another plane that us humans, witches, and supernaturals couldn’t reach yet. The essences of our loved ones lived on, waiting for us to return home.

All I had to do was continue to believe in that philosophy.

Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll be okay.

CREATE A NEW YEAR OF GROWING COMPASSION

~KAITO~

“WE GATHER HERE TODAY…”

I tuned out the words as I stood straight in my fitted black suit. I wore a mask to hide the pain, to shield the thoughts running through my head and the sadness that weighed heavily on my heart.

I knew I wasn’t alone, my eyes glancing to the side to see Brianne, Jax, and Connor.

Brianne had her hair up in a neatly made bun; the pins that held it together were made of black flowers to match the black dress that cloaked her in all the right places. How beautiful she looked, even in our time of mourning, the long, stylish coat keeping her warm on this winter day.

Jax wore a black suit like mine, along with a black silk dress shirt and matte black tie. His hair was down, which was unusual. For him, it was more respectful — having his hair up was for celebrations and moments of success.

Connor had followed suit, leaving his long strands down and sporting a black dress shirt to match his dress pants and tie. All three of them stood there with masked expressions like mine, none of us showing the weakness that wanted to burst through.

It was obvious that the attack on Witchling resort — and the destruction of half the resorts on the north side of mountain — was intentional. There was no doubt about it, and after a detailed investigation, Witchling Star Agency had made a public announcement with the declaration that the culprit would be caught.

I wished that my newly discovered foresight would come to my aid. I knew it wouldn’t, because I was trying to force it to show me something versus allowing it to reveal the secrets hidden around me.

It didn’t make it any less frustrating, especially when I could see how painful this was for Finnick.

My eyes locked onto him, as he waited to say his portion before they laid his father to rest, right next to his wife and older son.

I wondered if Finnick worried about death. To know that in many years to come, our bodies would be lowered to this very soil to rot within the wooden coffins until there was nothing but bone and decay.

Funerals always reminded me of how important it was to communicate your feelings with those you loved. The good and the bad, regardless of the magnitude. I could only imagine the regret some individuals felt for keeping so much in.

I’d fought so hard to keep my feelings for Finnick at bay, hidden from everyone until I found enough courage and confidence in myself to let him know, but imagine if he’d passed away before I told him? All the time spent hoping to one day tell him my feelings, only for it to never come true. How helpless and pitiful that would feel.

The regret alone would fester through me for years to come, the whole idea reminding me of what I always struggled with: sharing my feelings and thoughts.

Right now, I wasn’t sure how to feel about all of this.

Angry? Sad? Frustrated?

There were so many emotions bubbling in the air, and I knew Connor was thankful to Professor Phoenix for placing a neutralizing bracelet on his wrist until he was cleared for magic use by the medical team when school started.

From the gathered evidence and our testimonies, Brianne had spell traveled with Connor to the location where Professor Rosedale was. He was trapped in his car on the edge of a cliff, and Connor went to retrieve him.

The spell had put far too much strain on her body, causing internal bleeding and triggering a seizure. Aon had arrived to help, but due to Starlight’s unconsciousness and magic instability, he’d only managed to warn us that they were in danger before disappearing.

Connor was able to release Professor Rosedale, but rushed to ensure Brianne was breathing when she began to seize. That was when he’d been attacked with what Professor Phoenix believed was a mental hit, a spell that breaks down your mental walls temporarily and enhances all your senses at once. Then the attacker amplified all the emotions in the area, enough to send Connor right into unconsciousness.

That left Brianne attempting to recover from her seizure, only for her to witness Professor Rosedale’s death as crystalized icicles struck him. He was obviously protecting Bri and Connor, stating something about a trap and his time being up.

The sight and shock of his death made Bri fall unconscious, but it also triggered something inside her, revealing Brianne’s dark side. It had made my skin crawl in fear and was now, per Professor Phoenix, considered classified. If she mentioned it in the records, Brianne would have been forced into multiple examinations and have had to take part in a program that was similar to what Jax had apparently been doing for years.

Finnick and I hadn’t known anything about that. We’d assumed it was a health center that made sure Jax’s seizures were manageable. It wasn’t until Professor Phoenix explained the true details of it all that it finally sank in, leaving me angry that he’d had to endure all of that on his own.

I understood why he didn’t want to tell us, the fear of worrying us and making himself feel like some burden, but it was frustrating that he’d carried so much on his own, especially during those days when Elisha was in the picture.

We all swore to not say anything about what happened with Brianne when the darkness took over her. When and how it had been unlocked was beyond our level of knowledge, but Professor Phoenix promised to look into it.

Brianne barely remembered that part, saying she felt like she was in a cold place and that a bright green light tugged her out of the darkness.

It was obviously thanks to Finnick, who brought her out of that state. And because of that incident, he now wore a crystal around his neck.

None of us knew what it was or what it symbolized, but Finnick said he wanted to deal with it after the funeral. He wanted to take this time to mourn his dad and nothing else, which made sense seeing as today was New Year’s Eve.

He wanted the year to end in his father’s honor before starting the year anew.

Finnick was taking this far better than I had expected him to. I shouldn’t have had my doubts, but losing someone was a totally different experience than overcoming insecurity or weakness.

Losing someone you loved left a wound in your heart, and only time, love, and experience would determine if that very wound could heal.

When this funeral was over, I didn’t know what would happen, but as Finnick stood there with his hair bright pink and gelled back to perfection, I had a hunch he’d be okay.

He hadn’t cut his hair, which was a relief to me. I knew his father preferred Finnick with long hair, and maybe it was why he decided this time around, he’d honor his dad, just as he had cut it for the loss of his mother.

I just wanted to be there for him, and I was trying hard to not be down on myself. We’d trained all summer, learning new spells and techniques, but were caught off guard when we least expected it. And it had led to Professor Rosedale’s death.

Are we going to keep losing those we love due to our lack of strength?

It reminded me of our upcoming semester, and it angered me that we’d merely be doing online classes instead of being prepared for the future we’d be thrown into.

Now that we weren’t a part of the student council, we had no say, just like the rest of the student body. I knew Jax, Bri, Mia, and Miya would try to do something, but all our previous attempts had failed.

What difference would this semester make?

Our constant letters, meetings, and attempts to get the students’ needs to be heard had all been pushed to the side because we were considered children rather than respectable young adults ready to make a difference in this world.

That difference shouldn’t have to start when we received our diploma, and it bothered me still that the Council didn’t understand that.

For now, all I could do was work on myself, because I knew without a doubt I was still lacking.

My eyes focused on Finnick as the woman who’d been speaking gestured for him to take the podium.

I stood a little taller, hoping our presence would be the support Finnick needed as he spoke about his father.

I’d expected tears or a heaviness of emotion to leak off of him as he stood center stage at that podium and took a steady breath, but as he opened his turquoise eyes, I saw a confidence in them that I hadn’t seen in a long time.

“Today we celebrate Professor Rosedale’s legacy,” he began. “For me, I’m celebrating the life of my dad. He was a free spirit. One who quietly watched all the things around him. He was a creator, writing and painting about the ways we could fix the problems of the world. His greatest strength was perseverance, but he could also be mysterious, and sometimes it was hard to know what he was truly thinking.”

He paused, his eyes looking down our row, lingering on Brianne’s before they locked onto mine.

All I could do was give him a slight nod, encouraging him to let those feelings out.

“My dad and I weren’t always super close. I was actually closer to my mom, but when she passed away, we mourned her loss together, and it was what we needed to lean on one another and make our connection grow.

“The thing I loved most about my Dad was his wisdom. He always had a way with words, weaving them in the most artistic ways and leaving you with a life lesson you wouldn’t be able to create on your own. He was a mastermind at creating, something I didn’t fully realize until this year. When I got into art and started to really appreciate the different shades of color, the pastels and oils, the time and dedication, and the clear and hidden messages in each piece, I began to see their true beauty. It was enlightening and made it easier for me to understand my dad, because we had something in common.”

He looked to the sky, a tiny smile gracing his lips.

“When I struggled with who I was and who I wanted to be, my dad was there, supporting me from the sidelines. Little comments here and there, all of them positive and taking root in my mind. It wasn’t until my mom passed that I truly realized I wasn’t as happy as I wanted to be, and there was my dad to help me along the way. On nights when negative thoughts tried to take over, I could text my Dad a quick message, and he’d send a picture of a piece of work that brought him peace. I always laughed when he did that because I couldn’t see all the fine details he’d point out, but as time went on, it got clearer, and I’d been able to pick out things before he did.”

He lowered his head to look out at all of us, his eyes gleaming with pride and joy.

“I think he was trying to teach me to analyze my life and see the beauty in it. To understand that nothing can be perfect, not even the finest works of art. They all have one flaw, maybe more. Too much paint on one side, or colors that don’t blend seamlessly. However, the overall picture deserves to be hung on those walls, because the work deserves to be seen, even if it’s imperfect. It taught me that if I can’t believe in myself — that I deserve a future where I can love who I want and strive toward happiness — then how can anyone else help me along that path? Sure, they can point out the fine details, but if I don’t put in the work and tell myself that I deserve that happy ending, I’ll always be at a standstill, waiting for someone else to help me take a step forward.”

He allowed the words to sink in, leaving me moved. He was right on so many levels, wisdom shining through despite his youth.

Pride for Finnick glowed through me. I saw how much he’d grown, even when I knew he was hurting deeply.

“My dad died protecting two people I care for dearly: my girlfriend and one of my best friends, both of whom helped me in my darkest times. When I looked into his eyes one last time, he wasn’t angry. Or sad. Sure, tears streamed down his face, but what I really saw were pride and happiness. His pride for me was obvious, like a rising sun, but the happiness and the way he smiled so brightly, even though he must have been in so much pain, reminded me how he went through life: with a smile on his face. Rain or shine, good health and illness. Even in the darkest moments of his life, he beamed with happiness, proving to me that no matter what happened, everything would ultimately be okay.”

Finnick smiled widely, his white teeth glimmering as the sun seemed to come out from behind the clouds that had hid it all day.

“I could have fallen into the dark depression many people face after losing someone. No one would have judged me or questioned it. However, I thought about the light my father brought to this world, through his words and paintings, and I wanted to do the same. I wanted to live a life where I had no regrets. I would walk towards that path where I’d be able to remind others to do the same. Everyone has darkness inside them, doubts and fears that are emphasized when life challenges us. Sometimes that challenge is simple. Other times, it’s the hardest thing we could ever experience. How we face those dark times determines our future, and I know that my dad would want me to smile through the pain and continue down my life’s path.”

He nodded his head and closed his eyes.

“So, Dad, just know I’m going to be okay. It hurts now, and I’m not sure when that will fade, if ever. However, I won’t let this sadness consume me. I’ll keep creating, spreading joy and wisdom. I’ll gain new experiences and share them with others, so they can venture out to experience more as well.” He opened his eyes and sighed.

“So much in this world remains undiscovered because of fear, and that was something my dad was fighting to overcome. He wanted to try new things. To give himself that sense of empowerment and enjoy the freedom he wholeheartedly deserved. He’s now in a place where he can do just that, and I hope his memory will remind us that this world is here for us to experience and enjoy. Make goals and crush them. Reach new avenues and aim to make new ones. Love the person you are, even if you’re not perfect, and if you struggle to do that because of something that holds you back, change it. Every single one of us deserves happiness. Let that message resonate with you all. Remember the man who loved to paint and strove towards happiness. He may not have fully achieved everything he wished to accomplish, but his memory can now inspire you all to achieve whatever dreams will make you feel whole.”

He looked across the crowd again, his gaze landing on our group as his eyes softened and his smile widened brilliantly.

“Thank you, Dad, for helping me discover more about myself than I ever could have on my own. Don’t worry now. Rest. I’m surrounded by people who love me, and I know I’ll walk the right path to reach the happiness I deserve.”

I smiled, tears escaping my eyes as I looked at him with so much pride. Our Finnick, who was afraid of so much, had grown under our noses. Now he stood there proudly, ready to carry his family’s legacy.

I knew that meant I had to start working harder. To accept my flaws and not allow them to define my worth. I was sure we’d all struggle at some point, but a part of me knew we’d be okay, just like Finnick said.

I looked up to the sky and closed my eyes.

I hope you all can see how strong Finnick is now.

A gust of wind passed by us at that moment, carrying an array of pink petals. Where they came from was beyond me, and as I looked around, others were following suit as more petals fluttered in the passing wind

I looked back at Finnick, and his shock morphed into a dazzling smile. My lips curled up as well, the two of us beaming like the rest of our crew.

Yes. We’re all going to be okay.

~BRIANNE~

“FINNICK?”

I poked my head into his room, noticing it was empty but the balcony door was open. My heart skipped a beat, worry spiking through me before I even moved a step, but then I noticed Elsa poof out of nowhere and run straight to the balcony door.

“MewMew!”

“Hmm? Hey, Elsa. Ow. Hey, don’t scratch me with love.”

My racing heartbeat began to calm, and I sighed in relief before closing the door and heading to the balcony. My high-low dress trailed after me, and when I poked my head out, Finnick’s vivid blue eyes met mine.

His gaze moved down my body, taking in the details of the pink floral dress with orange and gold sparkles woven into the lace. It clung tightly from my breasts to my waist, and then spread outward. The front hem hit at my knees, while the back draped along the floor.

Matching the look was what I called ballerina socks; the thin pantyhose material was like socks, but had pink ribbons that wrapped around my legs all the way up to my lower thighs.

With the new year approaching in less than an hour, we’d all dressed up to celebrate when the clock struck twelve. Everyone else was downstairs, but when I couldn’t find Finnick, I decided to search for him before he missed the final countdown.

Finnick had his hair gelled back once again, but this time he wore a white suit. His tie popped with various colors, the paint splatter pattern reminding me of a white canvas and an artist going wild by throwing color at it to make the hidden masterpiece.

From the detailing, it actually looked like real paint was on it. My lingering inspection seemed to catch Finnick’s attention.

“When my dad took my mom out for the first time, this was the tie he wore. It was actually an assignment that they had both worked on. One had to make the tie and the other painted whatever they wanted on it.”

He lifted the tie up, his eyes scanning it with pride.

“My mom made it by hand, using silk because it’s acceptable in both casual and formal situations. She expected Dad to draw something amazing, but he laughed and started throwing pastel paint at it until it ended up like this. My mom asked him why, and he answered with: ‘Life is a chaotic mess at times. Why not have a little fun while living it?’ They both stood there for a beat before they began to laugh, along with the rest of the class. It ended up winning some award or something and stayed in the museum until last year.”

“That’s amazing,” I whispered, walking forward until I was in front of him, my hand reaching out to feel the silky material underneath before my thumb stroked the dry paint on top. “I love it. A good message as well.”

“Yeah,” he whispered. “You look so beautiful, Brianne.”

I blushed at his comment, just as he moved a few of my curly strands so he could place his hand against my cheek.

“Thank you.” I smiled back at him. “I wanted to get you before the countdown.”

“Ah.” He bobbed his head, moving closer as he laid his other hand on my hip.

I wasn’t sure what to say as I got lost in his presence and the way his aura danced at my arrival. “Are you happy I’m here?” I eventually asked, unable to ignore just how powerful and alluring his aura was currently shining.

I always tried to ignore auras, because everyone had them, some stronger than others, but right now it was blazing around Finnick, mixtures of blue, green, gold, and bits of purple and pink.

It was stunning to see, but I hadn’t noticed it at all when I entered the room or my heart wouldn’t have spiked the way it did.

“Yes.” His voice was so low. “Are you feeling okay?”

“Mhm,” I replied, knowing what he was referring to. “I still don’t remember.”

“Maybe the world is trying to tell you that you don’t have to recall what happened,” Finnick reasoned.

“What if it happens again?” I whispered, avoiding his gaze. “That…that’s not who I am…but if you hadn’t been strong enough, I would have been the reason for more people getting hurt.”

His hand moved down to grip my chin, moving my head so I’d stare back into his eyes. They glowed slightly, the teal dancing along with dark purple, and I worried the darkness was back.

“No.” Finnick shook his head. “You can put a gun in my hand, but you can’t force me to pull the trigger. That darkness is still within me somewhere, and sometimes I see it vividly in my eyes. They’re slightly purple now, aren’t they?”

“Yes,” I admitted.

“I know how it feels now. I recognize its presence, but this time, it’s not bad. I don’t need to use such power or elements for wrong. They can be used for good, just like any type of magic. There will be influences around us to sway us into doing the wrong thing, but it doesn’t mean we follow through with it. Whatever darkness possessed you did so when you were completely out of it. You couldn’t stop it or control it. You had no choice in influencing me, but I had the choice to follow or defy you.”

“You’ve grown so fast,” I muttered.

“You make it seem like I was a little kid when you met me.” He rolled his eyes, and lifted my chin up and kissed me. “I’m older than you.”

“Hmm,” I answered.

“That doesn’t give me any reassurance that you accepted what I said.”

“You were a little childish when I met you,” I noted and kissed him before he could reply. My hands rested against his chest while both his hands laid upon my hips.

The kiss was sweet but filled with emotion, happiness and passion swarming me. It was hard to not react, not to get lost in those feelings and act upon them. It was something I wanted to explore, but I knew this wasn’t the time or place.

Was Finnick even ready to take the next step?

“What are you thinking about?” he whispered.

“Us,” I replied and let myself rest against him. His arms hugged me tightly, his warmth and aura wrapping around me, almost protectively.

“I…want to do more. I feel like I should be comforting you rather than you comforting me, but I know this isn’t good timing, nor is it fair to you.”

“You’re always so considerate.” He chuckled, kissing the side of my neck. “Comforting you whenever I can brings me happiness. As for the timing, we’ll find the right moment to do more than just kiss and hug.”

He leaned back to meet my eyes, smiling brilliantly at me.

“I want to experience passion with you, Brianne Harlow, but I want to do it in my happiest moments. Not after a dramatic event or a tragedy. Passion can heal, but I want to remember having you when we’re enjoying the finest moments life brings. I’m still sad, but I’m getting better, and once I can stop lingering on the past, we’ll enjoy a blissful adventure under the sheets.” He winked as he said the last part, my cheeks burning red before I looked away.

“So direct.”

Finnick laughed. “You like direct. When I’m not, you get frustrated at not getting the hints.”

“I’m getting better at that!” I huffed, which only made him laugh harder before he hugged me again.

“Sure, sure.”

“I am.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Ugh, you don’t care.”

“I’ll never accept that our innocent Brianne is not so innocent anymore.”

“You’re setting yourself up for disappointment there.”

“Nah.” He chuckled and leaned back. “You’ll always have that tiny spark of you that unlocks the playful side of me.”

“I’ll just accept your compliment,” I mumbled, smiling back at him. “Now kiss me one more time so we can go join the others and celebrate!”

“Tease.” He grinned happily before sweeping down to kiss me affectionately. I loved that we could enjoy these moments.

“Who are you going to kiss when the clock strikes twelve?”

“Oh…” I hadn’t even thought of that. “I’m not sure.”

“Guess whoever can catch you the fastest,” he concluded.

“Are you going to make this into a competition?” I questioned.

“I sure am,” he declared with pride.

“MewMew!” Elsa cheered, pouncing around our feet.

“Elsa’s going to win,” I giggled.

“No, Elsa. Your mission is to sprinkle glitter on everyone at midnight,” Finnick encouraged, looking down at Elsa as she stretched her little body and began licking her orange fur.

“MewMew!” she replied, looking unbothered.

“She’s going to defy you,” I concluded.

“Looks like it.” Finnick sighed. “She’s back to her orange-gold fur.”

“Yeah. I’m not sure why she went all pink, to be honest,” I noted.

“Guess we’ll figure that out in the new year.” Finnick shrugged.

“That and the crystal?” I reminded him of the green gem he’d received unexpectedly.

“Yeah.” Finnick nodded. “I’ll talk to Professor Phoenix on the first day.”

“Okay.” I grinned and slipped my hand in his. “Can we forget about any other responsibilities and enter the new year with happy vibes?”

“Definitely,” he declared, squeezing my hand and leaning down to pick Elsa up. “Let this year be the start of new beginnings, wonderful adventures, and defiance.”

“Defiance?” I smiled mischievously at him. “That sounds like a good idea.”

“I agree,” he replied. “Since I came up with it.”

I knew exactly what he was secretly referring to, and I couldn’t wait to put the plans in my mind in motion.

The new year was going to trigger a new side of all of us, and the world would just have to take a backseat and watch it all unfold.

A new year of growing, compassion, and defiance.

DAWN OF SEMESTER SIX

“Kaito?” I paused my movement, on the verge of running when Kaito walked out from the side door of Jax’s place.

Today was our first day back from the holiday break and the start of Semester Six. We’d all gone to bed after taking shots to commemorate the start of the new semester, all of us needing a bit of something in our systems to help us relax.

Obviously, alcohol wasn’t the best solution to our worries, but we’d made an exception after Starlight told us to relax and celebrate reaching this point in our lives.

She honestly had a point. In our past lives, neither Jax nor I survived this long. Overcoming death in our new lives was an accomplishment in itself, and with everything that had happened and Professor Rosedale’s death, we were doing a pretty good job keeping it together as a unit.

I’d slept with Finnick and Kaito but had gotten up at four in the morning to get a run in. I was meeting Mia and Miya at six with our new uniforms, something we’d specially ordered now that we were official student council members.

Jax said he’d meet us, having to do a quick check-up at the facility. I had originally intended to go with him, but with how we had things planned, it would be a tight crunch.

Thankfully, Connor volunteered to go with him and had already gotten approval from Professor Phoenix, who granted his entry. I’d bet the facility members were excited because they wouldn’t have to deal with me, but I felt like I’d get the last laugh since Connor was far scarier, especially with how built he was now.

A good morning workout, shower, and some girl time would help distract me from my nerves, but Kaito’s sudden appearance was both a surprise and a relief.

I could talk to him about anything.

“Morning, Brianne.” He grinned in greeting. He was wearing black tights and a navy blue fitted sports shirt, as well as a special weighted belt that carried three katanas. One in particular caught my eye, maybe because the sheath was gold and had turquoise detailing and an engraved flower design.

“That katana is beautiful,” I noted.

“I agree.” He beamed at my praise. “Figured I’d bring it along for my run and practice.”

“You’re going to run now?” I inquired.

“Yup. Can I join you?”

“I’d love your company.”

We smiled and did some basic stretches before taking off on one of the quieter trails. I always liked to take a moment before my run to stretch and to do some exercises that worked on my core and endurance. Some days I’d do yoga, while other days I’d work on kickboxing rotations, so I could keep my heart rate up.

When we reached a small clearing, we stopped to catch our breath.

“As much as I sometimes hate running, it feels so good when you’re done,” I breathed.

Kaito chuckled, looking pleased as he rose from his knelt position. “Couldn’t agree more. When I first had to incorporate it into my routine when I was younger, it felt like a burden to me. Now I crave it, and it’s nice to be able to think while working on yourself.”

“Yes,” I sighed. “I need this productive, empowering feeling. Especially for what lies ahead.”

“You’ll be fine, Brianne.”

He said it as if it were true, and I looked to see his confident grin. I also noticed how his eyes danced with color, dark purple mixing with navy blue.

“Your foresight is kicking in?”

“It is,” he replied, taking his sword out from its sheath. “And I can confidently say that whatever you have buzzing in your mind will succeed, as long as you keep your doubts at bay.”

“Will me doubting myself bring me down?” I questioned quietly.

“A little.” He looked around as if ensuring no one could hear us. “You do the best when you dive into what seems right to you. It’ll always work out in your favor. Plus, adding a little spice brings out the taste in food. No difference in real life.”

He returned his gaze to me. “All you have to do is prove that you’re willing to commit.”

“Walk the walk instead of talking?” I suggested.

“Yup.” He seemed pleased that I was getting what he was trying to emphasize. “Jax continues leading, because even if things are not going the way he wants them to, it proves that he’s taking action to create change. He’s walking the walk, even when it’s ignored, and it’s what had saved him from backlash. I think with what you’re planning, not only will it manifest change, but it’ll also be received well. You just gotta stick to it and not cower when a few rotten apples don’t want to follow your objective.”

“That’s easy to do.” I stretched my arms out, preparing to run back. “Not everyone will like you. Not everyone will support you. I have to prove that change can benefit everyone in the long term, even if they can’t see it now.”

“Couldn’t have said it better myself.”

“You totally would have, future-reader,” I teased, skipping over and leaning up to kiss him. He smiled against my lips, returning the affectionate touch.

“I’m going to head back first.”

“Good,” he whispered and looked at my lips. I smirked but stayed where I was, and he eventually arched an eyebrow at me.

“What?”

“I’m predicting the future.”

“Oh, really?” He looked curious. “And what are you seeing?”

“You want us to kiss one more time.”

“Hmm. Not bad.”

I giggled. “Not bad? Should I be declared a psychi-”

He kissed me before I could finish, his free hand steadying my head while his tongue slipped into my mouth. The move was unexpected, and his dominating lips were even more surprising.

I broke it when I needed a moment to breathe, my cheeks growing flushed from his intense passion. He, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear, his eyes dancing in both amusement and lust.

“I can see my swift advance has left you a little breathless there,” he teased.

I pouted my lips and huffed. “That’s obvious!”

“Sure.” His playfulness was both refreshing and making me far too hot for my liking.

“I’m leaving,” I declared, but he stopped me.

“Can you do me a favor?”

“Yeah.” I shrugged.

“Mind taking this katana with you to school? I’ll take it from you after the assembly. I wanted to bring it myself, but Finnick and I have to go early to some government office to get some forms for him to claim ownership of stuff. Now that the holidays are over, he has to figure out what he wants to do with his family’s estate.”

“Of course. I’ll keep it with me and give it to you after. Make sure Finnick’s okay after that discussion. I’m sure that’s gonna be stressful.”

“You know it.” Kaito sighed, unhooking the sword with the golden sheath and passing it to me. “I’ll comfort him if necessary.” He winked.

“Why do I have a feeling your statement has a deeper meaning to it?”

“Maybe it does. Maybe it doesn’t,” he replied. “Who knows?”

“Always dancing around the truth.”

“When I feel like uplifting your mood.” He gave me one more kiss before placing a tender one on my forehead. “Go get ready. We’ll be in the front row at the assembly.”

“Okay. Thank you, Kaito.” I gave him a look of confidence before I sweetly smiled. “Love you.”

“Love you more.” His softened expression and grin made my heart flutter. We really needed more time with one another, but for now, I was satisfied with these moments.

With a wave, I set off in the other direction, heading back to Jax’s house to prepare for the dawn of Semester Six.

Time to invoke a striking change.

“YUP, we officially outdid ourselves with this master plan,” Mia and Miya praised, admiring their new uniforms in the student council room mirror.

I finished my hair. I’d left a good chunk on the right side down, while the rest was up in a ponytail. The amount of gold in my hair was almost at equal footing with my orange strands. There were even bits of white.

My brown eyes balanced my face out, and my rosy blush and light pink lipstick gave me a flawless, mature look. The uniforms added to the overall effect; they had turned out better than any of us expected.

Our dress shirt was white silk, one that was stain-proof and waterproof, just like the rest of the uniform. The skirt was plaid, a mix of white, turquoise, teal, and gold.

The tie matched the same plaid design, though the gold was more vibrant and when someone used magic, it would glow just like the skirt. The blazer, which was one of my favorite pieces, was white with golden buttons. The lapels, collar, wristbands, and front pockets were all trimmed in turquoise.

Mia and I had created the overall concept, while Miya had drawn out every detail like a fashion designer. She did both male and female uniforms, and thanks to their connections with a famous designer who specialized in school uniforms, we miraculously got these created in time.

These were the uniforms we hoped to introduce before we graduated, one of the many changes that would come if we proved ourselves.

We will prove ourselves and get the changes we desire.

I was learning how to use positive affirmation to change my mindset, or at least working on it. I knew it would be a long-term thing that required consistency, but it was one of my many goals for the new year.

Now that we were so close to initiating our plan, I could feel butterflies in the pit of my stomach. None of the student councils prior had done something so drastic, but if we wanted to invoke change, we’d have to take matters into our own hands.

I knew this, and I kept repeating it within my mind whenever I wanted to back down, but as the clock ticked down, I couldn’t help thinking of all the things that could possibly go wrong.

“Brianne.” Mia popped into my line of vision, waving her hand in front of my face. “You’re second-guessing your epicness again, aren’t you?”

“How…” I paused my question. “Don’t answer that.”

Miya giggled. “Hard to hide how you feel when your facial expressions continually give you away.”

“I’m working on it,” I muttered, feeling a little annoyed with my inability to do just that.

“Don’t worry, Bri. That’s what makes you, well, you!” Mia emphasized.

“Exactly, and we all love that about you,” Miya stressed. “Now let’s do the final preparations! The last set of papers are printing in Professor Phoenix’s office. We’ll go get them and have her scan over them real quick.”

“Make sure they’re magically attuned so no one can tamper with what’s written on them,” I reminded.

“Yup!” Mia bobbed her head, looking determined. “Already put a spell on the printer before we sent the documents. It can’t be undone or rewritten by magic. Professor Phoenix said she’ll sign it as well to prove she supports what we’re aiming for.”

“Are we sure a Council member or members are going to be there?” I inquired.

“Should be,” Mia and Miya replied.

Miya followed up with, “Professor Phoenix is a part of the Council, but since she stressed that there was a matter that needed to be discussed, the Council agreed that at least one member would attend the assembly.”

“Not to mention the furious group of students and parents that demanded a Council member be present so they can air their concerns about this silly curriculum change, which, as you know, wasn’t even tested before it was implemented,” Mia reminded.

“All a ploy for whatever is being planned behind closed doors,” I mumbled. “You guys get going. I’m gonna take a few more minutes to relax.”

“Okay!” they cheered, coming over to hug me. “Group hug!”

“Ugh,” I groaned dramatically, then giggled. “You guys are awesome.”

“Just like you,” Mia replied.

“I can’t wait for cheer practice! The girls are so hyped to see you. We emphasized how sexy you got over the holidays.”

“I haven’t changed one bit.” I blushed at their commentary.

“Yeah, right,” Mia huffed, pulling back and dramatically moving her hand as if she was presenting me to a congregation. “Look at you! Remember back in Semester Three when you were finally acknowledging yourself for who you were?”

“Yup!” Miya emphasized, putting a hand on my shoulder and pointing to my reflection. “You couldn’t believe that you were beautiful, but look at you now. Gorgeous beyond belief. You went from the girl all worried about fitting in to a woman who has four amazing boyfriends, two amazing best friends, a Professor who entrusts you with tasks she wouldn’t anyone else, and a family that continues to support you near and far.”

“Adding the students who are secretly cheering you on from the sidelines and the many adults that aspire for their kids to be as brave and courageous as you, I think you should be patting yourself on the back, Brianne,” Mia encouraged, patting my back for me.

I grinned at my reflection, absorbing the praise.

“I’m telling you, both of you really have to start a podcast,” I emphasized as my grin widened. “Thank you. Both of you. For being the best friends I could have ever asked for.”

“Aww,” they sweetly replied. “She’s going to make us cry.”

“Still freaky when you guys do that,” I noted, and they giggled.

“We’ll see you in a bit!”

I watched them make their way to the door. Once they exited and closed the door, I returned to looking in the mirror.

“You’ve got this, Brianne. You’ve always been able to achieve everything you wanted when you focused.”

I shouldn’t have been as nervous as if this was an exam, but maybe because we were warned that Semester Six would be a fiasco, I couldn’t brush it off.

There was a knock on the door, and I looked over to see it open, my eyes landing on Jax.

Forget being nervous. Holy moly, my Jax is hot.

The gorgeous male version of the uniform that cloaked Jax’s body only accented his hotness.

The white pants, turquoise silk dress shirt with golden lines, perfectly white tie, and white blazer with gold trim and turquoise buttons was one of the two versions of the uniforms. It would be for regular days, unlike the ones Mia, Miya, and I wore, which were for special days such as exams, assemblies, or competitions at other schools.

His hair was left down, which softened his look just a bit, but I felt like he was going to put it up before the assembly.

“Meow!” Luna walked into the room, followed by Elsa, who was carrying Fuwa.

“MewMew!” She beamed at seeing me, reaching my feet and jumping up and down. “Fufufufu!” Fuwa joined in the greetings, floating upward until he was nuzzling his furry body against my nose.

I laughed and lifted my hand to give him a platform to rest on before pressing my forehead against his fuzzy body. “Hello, Fuwa.”

“Fu!” he replied, then drifted up to land on Jax’s shoulder as he closed the door.

“MewMew!” Elsa sat back, looking at me with her wide, cute eyes. I couldn’t help but giggle at her impatience, crouching down to scoop her up before petting Luna as she brushed her body against my legs.

“Hello, Elsa and Luna.”

“Meow.” Luna stretched out before walking to the corner of the room and claiming her usual spot in the council office.

“MewMew.” Elsa wiggled impatiently, and I lifted her up and rubbed my cheek against her head, her purrs of satisfaction making my heart swell with love for all three familiars.

We hadn’t done any magic spells, which could be making her feel a little restless, but I wasn’t worried about it, seeing as school was about to start. My goal for this semester was to strengthen our bond magically and discover why her body sometimes randomly shifted to pink.

I lowered her back to the ground, and she ran over to Luna, jumping around her playfully. As I rose back up, Jax made his way over to me, and I grinned in greeting before we hugged and shared a soft kiss.

“You look absolutely divine,” he complimented.

“You make it sound like I’m a cake.”

“Well, you could be my dessert, but that would require some action first,” he teased. My whole face grew red as I caught onto the hidden meeting.

“I actually got that.”

“Good.” He laughed and kissed my cheek. “You really look good.”

“As do you. The male uniforms turned out amazing. Do you really think the funds will support this? Mass production will give us a cheaper rate, but silk is delicate and they’re going to have to hire mages to apply the anti-stain and waterproof spells.”

“It’s possible,” Jax assured me. “Kaito and Finnick have kept a really tight budget on our expenses over the last two and a half years. Thanks to Miya and Mia’s connections, the company is giving us a really good discount. And we have a lot of spare money. Once we initiate the idea, I’m sure others would want to help fund this and donate. My parents said they would spread the news, and I think your sister is going to tell the agency to do a fundraiser for it too. They’re just waiting for us to announce it and we’re good to go. Finance won’t be a problem. Trust me.”

“Okay.” His response was as reassuring as I could ask for.

“You’re still worried?”

“Nervous,” I admitted. “I know we’re ready to do this. I mean, we’ve been secretly working on it all holiday long, especially after the incident at the resort, but I’m feeling a little chicken now.”

“Where’s my confident ‘I’m about to kick booty’ Brianne?” He hooked his arms around me, kissing my temple.

“Waiting for the right moment to come out while chicken Brianne worries unnecessarily,” I replied, melting in his embrace. “I can’t wait for it to be done so we can celebrate.”

“Make out, then celebrate.”

“Possessive,” I mumbled.

“You love it.”

“Hmm. I do, though I feel the others are going to get back at you.”

“Probably.” He sighed. “I’ll just be blind to that for now and enjoy my alone time with you.”

He moved out of the embrace, only to lift me up and carry me bridal-style to the couch.

“Hey!” I squealed, giggles escaping me.

He sat down, leaning back so he rested against the soft cushions of the new royal blue velvet furniture and kissed me long and hard.

“All you have to worry about, Brianne, is bringing change to our school. We’re tired of being out of control. We won’t be dealing with that this semester. Stop letting your thoughts consume your mind. Let go, relax, and walk confidently like you always have in the heart of a battle,” he encouraged. “If you do, Connor said he’ll take you somewhere.”

I beamed at the sudden surprise, my mind already wondering where Connor and I would go.

“Really?!”

“Yup, told me this morning after the facility check.”

“How did that go?” I gave him a worried look. “Any changes?”

“My fire and light flames spiked up. Don’t know why, but that was relieving to them. They don’t like Connor, though. They said I should bring you back next time.”

“Huh?” I tilted my head to the side innocently. “What’s wrong with Connor?”

“Well, he’s taller now and looks like a human-bear hybrid about to crush anyone who gets in his way.”

“So…” I paused. “He’s intimidating.”

“Bingo.” Jax laughed. “They were practically trembling when they made a comment about my darkness and Connor gave a glare that could kill. I know he’s protective of us, but it was on another level.”

“Don’t blame him with what we know now.”

“Indeed.” Jax nodded and kissed me again. “We’re going to survive this semester.”

“So confident,” I mumbled but kissed him right back. “I know we will.”

“At some point this semester, we have to go to the special library.”

“You still have the key, right?”

“Yup. Also, depending on how things go today, we may get access to some hidden stuff. The moment we do, we have to start researching.”

“Before someone tries to tamper with it like they did with the whole ‘fire’ situation,” I emphasized, recalling when Jax tried to obtain some information but was told there had been a fire.

“Do you think we’ll meet the woman in the silver cloak again?”

“I’m not sure.” Jax relaxed and picked my right hand up that was resting on my lap. He intertwined our fingers, thinking about my comment. “I feel if the Universes wants us to meet, it’ll happen. Remember, apparently this woman who practically saved us is in a completely different timeline, one that’s further ahead. The other two…or three, if what Professor Phoenix said was true, have to be in our timelines, just in parallel universes, I guess. Who really knows? We could all be on the same planet. This place does have a good ten billion individuals, and the number only grows by the second. We just have to focus on ourselves until everything unfolds.”

“True.” I relaxed against him and closed my eyes. “This is a little stressful.”

“I know,” he agreed quietly. “But life is filled with ups and downs. We’re just dealing with those stressful moments, but there’ll be happy times ahead. I know it.”

“We’ll get the answers we seek,” I vowed.

“Definitely,” Jax whispered. “That is something we’ll fight for. We deserve answers. We just have to find the people who are working so hard to stop us.”

We remained quiet then, the two of us lost in our own thoughts. Jax was running his hands through my ponytail when his phone vibrated.

“That must be Professor Phoenix telling us to head to the auditorium.”

“Boo. I was close to falling asleep.” I yawned but made my way off Jax’s lap. He smirked as he rose up and stretched, and, in a graceful movement, stilled my head with his hands against my cheeks to share a deep kiss.

“You are brave, powerful, and beautiful. Let that resonate within you and we’ll do just fine.” His golden eyes glittered with pride as they bored into mine. “I’m right there to support you.”

“As I am there to give you strength,” I declared.

“That’s my Vice President.” He smooched my lips before he made his way to the door. Luna rushed over to his feet, and he looked over his shoulder and gave me a wink.

“Let’s prove to the administration that we’re not playing this semester.”

I nodded at his affirmation, watching his exit before I looked into the mirror across the room. Noticing the sword that rested beside it, I walked over to pick it up and stare at the fine details.

“Who knew weapons could be decorated so nicely,” I commented.

“Fufu?” Fuwa poofed out of nowhere, which must have been why I hadn’t noticed him leave Jax’s shoulder earlier.

“You like, Fuwa?” I smirked at his excitement as he floated around it, his wide eyes inspecting it.

“Fu!” He bumped it, which did nothing.

“Trying to test if it’s firm?” I giggled. “Good work. I think the scabbard keeps it well protected.”

“MewMew.” Elsa jumped around my feet before she raced to the door. She sat and looked back at me. “MewMew?”

“Yes, we should get going.” I took one last look at myself, nodding to my reflection as I fastened the belt to my skirt.

Slipping on my white combat shoes with turquoise laces, I looked at my shoulder to see Fuwa nestled there in confidence. I didn’t know if he was puffing his body up to look scarier or bigger, but it made me snicker as I reached out to pet his head.

“Let’s do this.”

Semester Six. Let the games begin.

CHANGE FOR ALL AND POWER SURGE

“Today, we are in the special presence of three members of the Magic Council of Witchling district: Mr. Snow, Mrs. Reverie, and Miss Electra,” Professor Phoenix announced into the microphone.

She was in full Witch attire, but instead of her usual black outfit, she wore a strapless white dress. A white cloak with gold and turquoise gems embedded at the shoulder blades flowed down her back. Her silver hair was down, and the white witch hat that rested on her head had a golden star perched at the top.

With the introduction of three council members, the buzz in the auditorium quieted as everyone in the audience looked to the front far right where three individuals rose to attention.

Mr. Snow was in a white suit, his silver hair gelled back in a professional manner, while his purple eyes were pure seriousness. Mrs. Reverie was sporting a floral dress with little sparkly jewels to match her green and pink shoes and pink witch’s hat. Miss Electra wore a stunning red dress to match her flowing red curls and a red hat with a black star on the top.

It intrigued me that Mr. Snow wasn’t wearing his wizard hat like the other two council members, but I ignored it for now, taking note of any other differences. Compared to Mrs. Reverie’s and Miss Electra’s small smiles, he looked like a cranky man who woke up on the wrong side of the bed and then fell right off.

They sat back down in their seats, everyone turning their attention back to Professor Phoenix.

“Due to last semester’s circumstance and the sudden ‘loss of ninety days’ incident, we never had an official assembly presenting your new Senior Student Council of Witchling Academy. Because many of you have concerns about the online curriculum, and what route this semester will take with the Witchling Games at the end of it, we’ve decided to introduce the council and see what their new plans are. They will later talk with the members of the Magic Council and see what will be approved.”

“Hmph. They never choose anything.”

My ear picked up the words from the front row, but I remained in my spot behind the curtains as we waited to be summoned to the stage.

“Exactly. What’s the point of this?” another girl huffed.

“Waste of our time when we’re going to be stuck with online classes that teach nothing.”

“Look how last semester went. Oh right, I was frozen for ninety days.”

“Better than thinking your whole family is dead.”

The buzzing in the crowd increased, complaints and concerns rising as students got restless.

Professor Phoenix let them speak, looking unbothered by the commotion. It wasn’t until Mr. Snow rose up that the room began to quiet down. He gestured and a student rushed to give him a microphone, passing them to the other Council members as well.

“It seems we can’t get through this introduction without you all complaining about the wrongs of last semester,” he began without even an introduction, which was already ticking people off.

It pissed me off.

“We have every right to be pissed!” A student I recognized stood. “You think showing up here and using that rude tone is supposed to make things all swell?! Instead of trying to provoke us, answer our questions and concerns.”

Mr. Snow frowned, but went on to say, “Whatever is presented today will need time to be reviewed by the Council.”

“None of us got time for those lies!” a guy shouted. “That’s what you always say!”

Mr. Snow looked annoyed. “We take things very seriously. Maybe it’s your council that isn’t doing their job.”

The sudden spike in temperature around us had Mia, Miya, and I looking at Jax, who had his arms crossed over his chest.

“Oops,” he muttered.

I smirked and moved to quickly hug him. “We know you did a lot,” I reminded him. “He’s only trying to put the blame on us to move the main problem at hand.”

“I know,” Jax sighed. “Still makes me want to light his pants on fire.”

“Fu?” Fuwa bouncing on my shoulder.

“Fuwa finds that delightful.” I grinned.

He smiled in return, and a soothing woman’s voice drew our attention.

“I think that is enough for now,” Mrs. Reverie said. “I apologize if Mr. Snow made it seem like your concerns mean nothing to us. That is not why we’ve made time in our schedules to be here. We want to work with this new student council and see what needs to be changed or perfected. Why don’t we introduce the council and see what needs to be said?”

Her offering calmed many students; some returned to their seats after threatening to leave.

Miss Electra raised the mic to her red lips.

“We’re here to discuss what we think is best for Witchling Academy after recent incidents came to our attention. If your council thinks our decision was in error, they can say so once introduced.”

The room quieted down, concern, worry, and disappointment flickering across the faces of many of the younger students.

Mia and Miya huffed, crossing their arms as their eyes began to glow a dark pink.

“They think we’re really that weak? Really underestimating our potential as demigods.”

I exchanged a look with Jax, noticing the small smile on his lips. His gold eyes met mine, bits of his long hair beginning to float with magic.

“We should give them a show,” he whispered with a cocky voice.

That made me snicker, his bold expression lightening the mood and pushing back any fear and worry I had left. He was right. These three individuals had already made up their minds that we were weaklings and wouldn’t push for a different outcome.

That wasn’t why we had spent time, effort, creativity, and magic to reach this point.

“Let’s do exactly that,” I affirmed, reaching for his hand and squeezing it tightly.

Professor Phoenix was looking our way and I grinned when her eyes locked on mine. She cleared her throat, a flicker of amusement gracing her silver orbs before she turned her head back to the audience.

“Why don’t we meet our new student council. Shall we?”

Many students clapped, while others lingered anxiously, unsure what to expect. I didn’t blame them. Only those who had started at Witchling when we had and those a year older would know who we were and how we’d proved our strength during our first semesters.

“Starting off with the new Secretary of Witchling Academy Senior Division. Please give a round of applause to Miya Park.”

The cheers were low until Miya walked onto the stage, her aura spiking like a rocket as her long black locks gracefully flowed from side to side, hints of neon pink transitioning from the bottom half of her strands.

Gasps and squeals broke out through the room, proving that the new uniform was as eye-catching as we’d hoped.

Miya was grinning with pride, purposely waiting for everyone to take the photos that we knew would be popping up all over social media before this assembly was over. After a final pose and a flip of her hair, she walked over to the podium, giving Professor Phoenix a nod of acknowledgment as she accepted the mic.

She turned to face the crowd, her aura growing in waves.

“My name is Miya Park. I’m Witchling Academy’s newest student council secretary. It’s an honor to stand here before all of you, new and old. Please expect many new things from me and the rest of the council, and do not hesitate to raise any concerns you may have. As secretary, it’s my duty to record all you have to say with timestamps, which will then be submitted to the new virtual platform that will be run by our previous secretary, Kaito Mogami.”

The news brought a wave of squeals and cheers. Kaito rose up from his seat, walking over to stand right in the middle aisle to make sure everyone saw him.

The mic crew was at his side in a second. I could already see the Council’s shocked expressions as Kaito waited for the room to grow silent before he spoke.

“I’m sure many of you recall who I am, but if you do not know of my past contributions as junior secretary of Witchling Academy, my name is Kaito Mogami. I’ve already had many talks with the new student council and have gotten this new virtual system tested by a few web management agents from Witchling Star Agency. They have approved the system, and not only will it come with a place to submit your concerns, but you may also report any suspicious activity with audio and visual evidence attached. You will remain anonymous unless you choose to come forward and talk to us directly. This is one of the many plans we have documented and signed by one of the Magic Council members who has overseen our project and approved of this stance. Any reports of suspicious activity will be forwarded to a team at Witchling Star Agency and handled immediately.”

We could see the crowd’s shock before students left and right clapped in excitement. It was amazing to see how only the first set of propositions was sparking hope and relief in their eyes.

Kaito nodded, glancing over to the three Council members before heading back to his seat.

Miya walked away from the podium and bowed before she stepped to the side to wait for the rest of us.

Everyone quickly quieted down so Professor Phoenix could move on.

“Next up, the new Treasurer of Witchling Academy Senior Division, Mia Park!”

Far more cheers followed the introduction as Mia strutted over elegantly, her aura growing with strength with every step she took. I could see that Mr. Snow was frustrated with our presentation, but Mrs. Reverie and Miss Electra looked pleased with the entrances and what had occurred so far.

Mia bowed to Professor Phoenix and took the mic to introduce herself.

“My name is Mia Park. I’m pleased to be a part of this new set of leaders as we strive for change this semester. As Miya stated, our aim is to start this semester on a new movement, which is exactly why we are wearing these unique uniforms.” She paused to take a step back and sideways to give a full show of the white, blue, and gold ensemble before taking her position back at the podium.

“I’m sure many of the female witchlings are intrigued by this design created by the new council, but don’t worry, male witchlings, you’ll get to see the male uniforms soon enough.”

She looked around the room with a beaming smile.

“With that said, we’d like to officially introduce the potential new uniforms for Witchling Academy. This change is one of many included in the documents that will be given to the magic council for review. As treasurer, I’d like to address how we can afford new uniforms. The navy blue and white theme of Witchling Academy has been used for many years, but we believe a change would be a perfect way to start the new semester.”

She paused to look at the three council leaders, and I noticed how intrigued Miss Electra was with this proposition.

“Finnick Rosedale, our previous treasurer, will you please come forward and aid me in this explanation?”

The room got loud with cheers once again as Finnick rose and headed for the front, getting a mic on the way. I could hear the gasps and whispers, many talking about Finnick’s new appearance and seriousness. It made me smile with pride that we weren’t the only ones seeing the significant growth in him.

He accepted the mic, turning his attention to the audience.

“Good morning, students, staff, parents, and members of the Magic Council. My name is Finnick Rosedale, and I served as the treasurer for two years. Due to my previous knowledge managing the expenses of our student body, I can now share what we’ve been working on over the past two years.”

He cleared his throat and carried on.

“Every semester, we’re given a set budget to aid us and the community for whatever the case may be. Even with the rise in damages, random attacks, and situations that need third-party assistance to clear up, we’ve still managed to save a good chunk of our finances each semester. In collaboration with Mia, I have determined that we have the budget to cover mass production of these uniforms. Students will only be asked to pay a twenty-five-dollar fee, which will be invested into new after-school activities, training sessions with expert professors, and special events such as festivals or parties. We believe we could have the new uniforms ready to go by next semester, but we would like more time perfecting them. If given the permission to do so, the official launch would be when we’ve graduated — a year-and-a-half from now. Any graduates that pay for the uniform will receive both versions. These uniforms can be worn to special alumni events happening at Witchling Academy and to a new program that will be introduced shortly.”

Everyone seemed so shocked that the room was silent in awe. Finnick grinned while heading for his seat as Mia bowed and took her place next to Miya.

Professor Phoenix didn’t delay, seeing as the room was still in shock mode. “Next up is the new Vice President of Witchling Academy Senior Division. Please welcome Brianne Marie Harlow.”

The room went wild, a good two-thirds of the auditorium rising to their feet like Professor Phoenix had introduced a hero.

Maybe that’s how I appeared to some of my peers.

Jax let go of my hand, and I didn’t need to see his expression to feel his warmth wrap around me protectively.

I walked onto the stage, letting my aura dance around me, which caused the golds of the uniform to light up brilliantly. Various “awws” and “wows” carried through the room as I paused to pose for the students and parents who rushed to take pictures. My hair was floating slightly from my release of magic, but I spiked up even more as my eyes landed on the Council members, particularly Mr. Snow, who stared back at me with challenge in his eyes.

I knew without a hint of doubt that he’d cause trouble, and he could have been the one who had declined any previous propositions. The thought spiked anger in me, but I covered it up as I smiled with conviction, which made him narrow his eyes.

I’m not afraid of him.

Looking over to Professor Phoenix, her beaming smile prompted my own as we shared a knowing look. I had always connected with her on so many levels, but having her support right here and now was everything I needed to walk to that podium and take the mic into my grasp.

“My name is Brianne Marie Harlow, and I’m proud to be standing here today as your new Senior Division Vice President. As many of you noticed, the golden part of the uniforms we are wearing glows when magic is in use. This is cutting-edge technology and one of the reasons we’d like extra time to create these fine gems if approved by the magic council.”

I glanced over to them for added emphasis, seeing Miss Electra’s pleased look while Mrs. Reverie clapped her hands quietly with an “oh” expression on her lips.

“Sword not included,” I teased with a saucy wink, cueing a wave of laughter and snickers.

The women were obviously impressed.

“This is also being implemented as a safety measure. As students, we sometimes stay behind on campus to study, especially when many of us live here because our homes are abroad. With the recent uptick in shady activity, we want to ensure our students are safe. These glowing uniforms will not only aid you during the dark when in need of protection, but will also be easy to detect on the new security camera systems that will come along with these changes. It has been made clear by the thousands of complaints and requests that security on campus must be improved. Seeing as our requests for that change have previously been ignored, we are making this change a top priority, one that will go into effect within twenty-four hours of approval by the Magic Council. Witchling Star Agency will be helping to install up to one thousand cameras across campus, and again, a team of highly trained agents has been assigned to this department to ensure everyone is safe.”

The room went wild, some people clapping while others sighed in relief. I could already see hope spark in the parents’ eyes.

“This leads to my next point. Connor Giovanni, previous Vice President of Witchling Academy Junior Division, come forward, please.”

Connor was already up and making his way to the mic crew while the females in the crowd gawked, squealed, and basically lost their minds. It was as though they were just noticing the massive changes in each of the Notorious Four.

Connor accepted the mic with a smirk.

“Connor Giovanni. Previous VP of Witchling Academy. I’m not one for words, but I will say that one unified complaint I’ve heard from students is that bullying occurs within our magical walls.” He paused to eye the room, emphasizing the subject at hand. “It’s been our duty to take this matter seriously, and the previous student council did its best to be there when matters escalated beyond control, but we sadly can’t be everywhere at once. The new council is no different, but we’re not standing here to make excuses. We’re here to initiate change.”

I nodded and took over.

“That is why Connor and I will be aiding in the implementation of the no-bullying policy. All of us should be able to attend school with confidence. If anyone attending Witchling Academy is caught bullying another student, they will be punished. Depending on the circumstances, this can be anything from a fine to a police report to expulsion. This program also will have a protection component. There will be a protection hotline for any student, administrator, or professor to use if you feel threatened on or off campus. This hotline can also be used if you’re enduring physical or emotional abuse while a part of the Witchling Academy community. This program will be funded and financed by Witchling Star Agency, the police stations in the city, and therapy clinics that want to lower the rates of depression, suicide, and other mental threats and illnesses. If approved, this will also be a proposition that can be implemented in twenty-four hours.”

I glanced over to the Council members, seeing Mr. Snow’s fury while the women both nodded, looking even more intrigued by our list of propositions.

“This new system doesn’t mean the new council won’t be aware of what is happening around campus,” Connor emphasized. “We students will also be a part of it. Any student who would like to apply for the position of Witchling guardian will be able to help ensure these new rules are followed. For example, guardians can walk you to your dorms if you feel unsafe. All you have to do is press star one-one-one-one on your cellar devices and someone will come to your aid.”

“This is amazing,” a girl cheered.

“Unreal!” another student screamed.

“This is what we need!” a male exclaimed.

“Would give me peace of mind as a parent.” A woman spoke up as the man next to her nodded swiftly.

“Definitely.”

One by one people were speaking words of approval, overpowering any negative comments about the proposition. I didn’t expect everyone to agree with it, especially bullies like Elisha who used their power and status to control the students around them.

Connor nodded and made his way to his seat, and I walked off the podium to do a curtsey and stand next to Mia.

“Finally,” Professor Phoenix announced, quieting the room before she continued, “Witchling Academy Senior Division President. Please welcome, Jax Morga—”

She was cut off by wild screams and cheers which only escalated when Jax made his grand appearance. Even I was drawn in by his entrance.

We watched in amazement as many of the male students stood while applauding the new uniform, comments like ‘spectacular’ and ‘cool’ buzzing around.

Jax waited for the room to calm as he turned in a slow circle so the various bloggers and photographers take enough pictures of the male uniform to post. He then made his way to the podium, taking the mic and moving to center stage.

We maneuvered our line so we stood behind him, our auras blazing as his seemed to amplify the magic in the room and make it hotter than before.

Everyone came to a silence, waiting for his words of wisdom.

“To new and old, my name is Jax Morgan. To serve as your Senior President of Witchling Academy after two years as your Junior President leaves me in awe in your belief in me.”

He looked around the room and carried on.

“I could stand here and make many promises, but I think an apology is in order.”

There were a few mutters of confusion, but they soon silenced as Jax stood taller, looking as confident as ever.

“I apologize that many things did not get achieved in the last two-and-a-half years. I received thousands upon thousands of complaints, requests, and letters suggesting how Witchling Academy could improve. From the lectures to the after-school courses. Even the extra-curricular activities that take place on these grounds. Many have praised the professors that make them feel safe and empowered, while others have pointed out the flaws and lack in others. Please realize, I’ve read every single letter.”

He looked to the Council members.

“With every letter, I wrote a note to summarize the situation. I did them in bulk and sent them to the council in hopes of change. However, nothing ever came of it.”

“We are busy individuals and the messages have to pass through a hierarchy of people,” Mr. Snow argued.

Jax’s aura grew, the temperature only spiking higher. I could see Mr. Snow’s anger, but even the side view of Jax’s expression was enough to see his impatience with this matter.

“Regardless of who needs to read items that are submitted, they should be delivered to the person or people in question. All I hear from you are excuses. Let me be blunt. We’re tired of them.”

Mr. Snow was about to speak, but Jax continued, “You think we’re not busy?”

His eyes narrowed as he widened his stance.

“Imagine every week getting thousands of complaints, taking hours to read and submit them to you all — which I do not get paid to do — only to never hear anything back? Week after week, with the complaints doubling and the students angry that they’re not receiving the proper education, attention, and encouragement to become the witchlings this academy emphasizes they will be when they enter the world upon graduation. How can one be confident in such a future if they can’t get reassurance that the skills they’re learning are absolutely correct, or if the curriculum is declining but no one wants to listen to their requests for improvement?”

Jax’s voice grew colder, anger lacing his words as he continued, “Is our education free? No. Our tuition pays your bills. It allows you to take your multiple vacations and feed your families. But apparently it’s not worth giving your paid time to solve what problems are brewing. This has been going on for long enough, and if you believe that we’ll be tolerating any lack this semester and beyond, you are wrong. Even if that means we have to take things into our hands.”

Mr. Snow was fuming, but Jax turned his attention to the audience.

“We have compiled a one-thousand-page booklet of the changes that will be implemented during our senior year at Witchling Academy. It has been reviewed by not one, but two highly respected judges. I’m sure you all know the Harlow family. Mr. and Mrs. Harlow both took time out of their busy schedules during the holidays to review every single page of our draft, make any corrections needed in relation to the law, and approve of the final copy that was printed, magically sealed, and signed by them, Professor Phoenix, and all four of us council members. This is the official document that will be presented to the Magic Council and can only be read by the Council once we submit it. What does this mean? Until the Council actually takes time out of their oh-so-busy schedules, the book will remain blank. It is waterproof, fireproof, life-proof. It cannot be destroyed. These are the new guidelines we’ll bring to the table if approved by the Council and we’ll be happy to make changes when need be.”

Everyone was speechless, but Jax wasn’t done.

“As senior council members, we’re determined not only to focus on our studies as we get closer to graduating, but to also have more time to listen to the student body’s concerns during this transition phase. That is why both the new and previous student council members have all worked together to create an online system where you may submit your concerns. They will be organized electronically and reviewed based on importance.”

He took a pause, taking a deep breath and letting it out.

“Finally, we want the online curriculum to be revoked.”

Mr. Snow leapt to his feet, his clenched fists trembling, but Mrs. Reverie and Miss Electra were grinning from ear to ear. They couldn’t speak because Jax carried right along with his final point.

“We got our Witchling name from unique classes that tested us with written exams, scriptures of magic spells that aided in our growth, the physical training and reassurance that came with the random challenges, and our determination to get better. A curriculum that kept us in a safe classroom environment motivated us to come back every day to learn more. To grow and become the witchlings and future leaders of this magic community. An online platform cannot deliver the same results, let alone give us the confidence we need to become powerful witches and wizards. Professors want to teach us. To share the knowledge, magic, and wisdom they have obtained through their own experiences. Don’t take that joy away from them. The same goes for the students. Attendance at Witchling Academy is the highest across the district. Why? Because we all have goals we want to achieve. We strive for the best grades because we all deserve a future to be proud of. We want to return to those roots. These changes will be implemented immediately if approved by the Council.”

He looked right at the three council members; Mrs. Reverie and Miss Electra were on their feet.

“One thing our student council lacked was a way to prove our worth. We were voted in by students and professors, and approved by a Magic Council that is far stronger than we can imagine. That only proves that there is hope for us, and we need to show that we deserve to stand up here.”

He walked over to station himself next to me, gesturing down the line to emphasize his point.

“This is the new student council and you can see the power we carry as one unit. We’re not going to cower. We will stand our ground, and prove ourselves if necessary, but what we won’t do is back down.”

He looked around the room.

“These are the changes we want to implement, and any others will be reviewed with care and presented to the student body, professors, and parents when in the final stages to ensure we also receive your opinions. Will this give many of you peace of mind?”

The room was silent for three seconds before it boomed with praise, applause, and cheers.

“Yes!”

“This is what we want!”

“Approved!”

We grinned at their obvious support, and the four of us looked to the Council, waiting for their defiance.

Mr. Snow was about to speak, but Miss Electra stepped forward.

“For many years, I’ve waited for a student council to have the balls to ask for what they want,” she announced. The room grew quiet as she continued, “This world does not give you what you want. You have to demand it. To affirm your beliefs in words and put your dreams into action. Without a map, there is no planned journey. Without goals, there’s nothing to achieve. Thanks to your new council’s efforts, it has been brought to our attention that our hierarchy of communication is lacking and needs to be dealt with to best serve the community. This has been an eye-opener, and seeing as Professor Phoenix, the Harlow Family, Witchling Star Agency, and other organizations are willing to contribute to this grand movement, it’s only right for us to follow in their footsteps.”

Mrs. Reverie nodded, looking pleased as ever.

“I agree. This has made us see a different side of the school, and what better time to confront these issues than on the first day back. The other Council members are actually on their way here, so we’ll be happy to review and discuss what matters need to be attended to promptly. I must admit, the uniforms are brilliant.”

“They’re water- and stain-proof,” Mia and Miya emphasized with smiles.

“Delightful!” she cheered.

“You can’t be serious!” Mr. Snow huffed, glaring at the other two like they had betrayed him. “These children don’t know how hard it will be to implement this.”

“We’re not children.” I stepped forward, my eyes solely on him. “We’re adults. The next generation that will either make or break the legacy Witchling Academy has upheld for many years. We’ve worked hard to get everything in order so that this will be as smooth a transition as possible. Everyone that can make this work is on board except for the Council. If you believe that we don’t deserve to stand on this stage, feel free to express why now.”

He stomped over to the middle aisle, glaring at me as he pointed. “You think because you’re a Harlow, you can stand there all cocky and talk down to me?!”

“No.” I grinned, my magic rushing to my aid as I returned his glare with my own. “My family name has nothing to do with it. I’m Brianne, the Vice President of Witchling Academy Senior Division. The woman you decided was perfect for the VP position when the school was in chaos, as half the population had vanished and our curriculum was moved online. If you were so confident to pick us as the student council representatives then, how that has suddenly changed now? Especially when we’ve put in hard work and effort, all of which was free of charge.”

I stood my ground as I raised my head up slightly, narrowing my eyes at him.

“It’s time we make Witchling a safe place to learn and grow, and that starts today.”

“Witchling Academy is perfectly safe!”

“And yet the reports of attacks from people cloaked in shadows and other individuals that are not supposed to be on the property continue to rise,” Jax declared, his voice booming as he took a step forward. “We have every single report stacked and ready to submit to you. We’ve even made a chart to demonstrate the dramatic increase.”

“There is no such thing as Shadow people!” he declared.

“There are,” Mia and Miya argued, stepping forward. “Maybe if you took a few days to be around campus, you’d see exactly how dangerous things are.”

“I’m not going to spend any more time on this,” he huffed and thumped his chest with his hand. “I’m one of the elders on the council and I doubt the others will agree with your fake declarations. Witchling Academy has always been safe, and anyone saying otherwise is just delus—”

The warmth that came from my left hip drew my attention, my head lowering to see the sword Kaito had given me was beginning to glow.

“FuFu!” Fuwa appeared on my left shoulder in a poof of glitter, but it was the gasps from the crowd that got my attention as I lifted my head in time to see everything happen in slow motion.

A student had jumped out of his seat, his body already mid-air with a sword above his head. The male was beginning to be cloaked by darkness; it crawled up his lower half and raced to envelop the rest of his body. I saw his eyes turn malevolent, and he began to descend while his sword lowered, seconds from slicing Mr. Snow in half.

I didn’t think. I moved, my magic rushing into me like an energy surge.

“PROTECTO LA RU!” I heard Miya and Mia scream, and a second later, two walls of pink rushed down each aisle protecting everyone but Mr. Snow and the attacker, who was fully cloaked in darkness.

There was no way I’d get there in time.

“FUFU!

“MEWMEW!”

Before I could register what was happening, my entire body faded into what felt like tiny particles, and my energy zoomed so fast, I couldn’t grasp what was going on until my entire body reformed itself behind the shadow person, just as my hand grabbed the hilt of the sword and pulled it free.

“ELANDRA RA VUKE!” I exclaimed with so much power, my whole body felt like it was on fire. The shadow somehow sensed my attack, turning his body in the last second to clash swords with mine.

He crashed into Mr. Snow as the impact from our swords pushed me rows back. I landed with ease, ready to attack, but noticed Jax was mid-spell, his eyes locking with mine.

Duck!

His thought rushed to me, my mind already picking up on what he was about to do. I needed to be the bait, and I was going to do exactly that.

I spun the sword in one hand, twirling the hilt as a diversion while the Shadow man pushed off Mr. Snow and ran straight towards me.

Lifting the sword like a javelin, I threw it forward, watching it soar through the air toward the Shadow being. I saw Mia and Miya complete another spell, pink strings darting out and wrapping around Mr. Snow.

They tugged back in one movement, pulling Mr. Snow upward and onto the stage that was then sealed by their protective walls.

Jax’s eyes glowed red, and he took a deep breath.

I dropped to the floor, the same strings that tugged Mr. Snow wrapping around me protectively until my body was pulled upward, leaving me hovering close to the ceiling.

The Shadow ducked back to avoid the sword, but met Jax’s gaze right as he exhaled.

A dragon of flames shot out from his mouth, engulfing the Shadow man.

He screeched in agony, his body swathed in flames. Still, he managed to release an eerie black image that contorted into various shapes before it burst into black ashes.

My body was lowered as the flames and dragon began to dim, and when my feet hit the ground, I reached my hand out and called to the sword I’d sent out.

It rushed back to my hand like it was meant for me, and I twirled it until it was upright. I waited in attack position while the flaming dragon wrapped around me until its massive head hovered five feet above me.

The flames should have burned me, the heat scorching hot, but it did nothing to me. I didn’t even break a sweat.

The dragon roared, its golden eyes looking back at his creator. Jax seemed calm as he jumped off the stage and onto the wooden floor, walking to the pile of ash that remained.

When he reached the scattered ashes, he lifted his hand and commanded, “Luna. Purify.”

Luna emerged in a second on his right shoulder, and her body glowed pink until she was a beautiful silhouette as she dashed down to the floor and bounced so quickly it was almost impossible to track.

When she returned to Jax’s shoulder there was a vivid pink magic circle in the exact space where the ashes lay, and with a snap of Jax’s fingers, flames shot out from the lines, shifting from pink to orange to brilliant gold.

It dimmed until there was nothing left but the wooden floor, which appeared untouched. Jax raised his gaze to me just as I began to walk to him, spinning the sword in my hand once again before sheathing it back into its rightful place at my left side.

Once I reached Jax, he let himself smirk slightly when his eyes took a good scan of me to ensure I wasn’t wounded in any way.

The dragon above screamed, and its figure began to dissipate until it rained beautiful orange embers. The pink walls shattered, adding to the tiny rain of magic, and Fuwa and Elsa sat on my shoulders with pride.

No one said a word, everyone turning their attention back to Mr. Snow, who was sitting on his butt on the stage, shivering like it wasn’t boiling hot in here.

Mia and Miya jumped off the stage, coming to stand with Jax and me.

We stood there in silence before Professor Phoenix emerged from the wings and stood right behind trembling Mr. Snow.

“Well, wasn’t that an intriguing turn of events? It looks like the school isn’t as safe as you proclaim, Mr. Snow.” Professor Phoenix was clearly having the time of her life rubbing in the obvious because her grin stretched from ear to ear while her eyes danced in pure amusement.

“We’ll give you a moment to recover from that life-threatening experience, but kudos to our student council for protecting us from harm.”

Everyone rose to their feet, clapping and shouting words of praise and relief. We kept our composures, but I wished I could grin in satisfaction that we somehow got through this, even with the unexpected intruder.

I searched for my other boyfriends and found the three of them cheering in the front row. My eyes locked on Kaito’s and his dark purple eyes danced with glee.

No wonder he gave me the sword.

Connor arched an eyebrow at me, his eyes moving slightly to Kaito and then back at me. I gave a tiny smirk of acknowledgment, and he nodded in return.

We had a lot to talk about after this fiasco, but one thing was for sure.

We’d just reclaimed our school and now it was time to figure out what we were truly up against.

ESCAPE TO HIDDEN PROSPERITY

~TWO WEEKS LATER~

“WHEN DO you get approved to drive again?” Connor casually asked as he placed his football gear in the locker of the student council room.

I was finishing the vanilla ice cream cone he’d brought after football practice while I casually sat on one of the desks, still wearing my cheer clothes.

“Tomorrow,” I groaned. “It’s not like I drive a lot, but the idea of not being able to annoys me.”

“You think of it as a restriction,” Connor amusingly replied.

“Hands-down a restriction. I get the whole policy is for my own safety and all, but not being able to drive due to the potential of having a seizure is a pain in the booty.”

“Jax wasn’t allowed to until we got into Witchling, and even then, he has to be seizure-free for three months before he can. Definitely not allowed to drive at all if he has a fever or is under the weather,” Connor explained, taking off his shirt to put on a fresh one.

My eyes did the admiring while I occupied my mouth with my ice cream.

He noticed my gaze and smirked.

“Didn’t know you could enjoy invisible ice cream.”

“Invisible?” I questioned, looking down to see my hand was far lower than I’d thought and I’d literally been licking thin air. “UGH! Stop distracting me while I eat.”

“The change rooms are being cleaned, so you can’t get mad at me for doing the world a favor and changing out of my drenched, smelly football gear.” He laughed. “You’re lucky I swapped my pants beforehand or you’d be dropping that cone.”

“Shut up,” I grumbled, glaring daggers at Connor, who was unaffected by my frustrated response.

The last two weeks had blown by and the new curriculum had been enforced, along with the anti-bullying system, online survey, and security upgrades. This week had felt like a non-stop rollercoaster, and because of how busy we’d been, both football and cheer practice were moved to Sunday.

Professor Phoenix and the football coach would have dismissed the practice, but we had two games approaching: one in two weeks and the other before the Witchling Games. The first game would be the same day as a kendo tournament, which was a little annoying because it meant Kaito would miss out.

We’d agreed that Finnick would go watch his competition while Jax came to the game to cheer us on. It was a pretty automatic thing, though we did love supporting one another as a unit.

Jax was napping after a long day of signing papers and documents to approve the changes we were implementing, while Finnick had gone to an art gallery with Kaito.

I think he needed some inspiration but didn’t want to go alone, so Kaito had promptly volunteered to go along for the artistic journey.

That left Connor and me with no plans after our practices. He’d grabbed me ice cream on the way back and brought along some new reports from the Magic Council that we had to review.

Overall, the changes were the best decision we could have ever implemented, and the flood of praise was so strong that it reached the news outlets. We’d even had an interview yesterday with a popular news station.

It was rewarding to see our drastic attempt for change being accepted and praised. It also emphasized that we weren’t little boys and girls anymore.

All we had to do now was figure out what was happening with the Shadow people.

There were no leads on the attack that had happened during the assembly, but Mr. Snow had made a ruckus about his near-death experience and agents were put on the case.

At least it was being taken seriously.

Connor got his wallet and keys, putting the rest of his stuff in his locker and closing it with a quick locking spell. I began biting the cone, nibbling on it as I wondered what we’d do tonight.

Watch a movie? Cook dinner together? Study? Eww. No to studying. I probably sound like a dork or something. Not like I said it out loud.

“You’re not a dork.”

I looked up as Connor took my cone and bumped my nose with his.

“Also, I can hear you.” He winked and walked over to the washroom as my face burned red with embarrassment.

“Give me back my cone,” I whined.

“I would, but I swallowed it and I’d rather you not get it from the other side.”

“Eww.” I shivered at the thought. “Nasty.”

“I agree.” He chuckled and went back to washing his face. “Let’s go somewhere.”

“Where?” I asked, leaning back in my chair so the top legs were off the ground.

“Can’t say yet because I’ve got no clue.” He smirked back at me, his face dripping water. “Which reminds me, did you return that sword to Kaito?”

“The golden one with turquoise flowers on the sheath?” I inquired.

“The one that made you literally disappear mid-air into a golden stream of light and reappear behind the shadow in the blink of an eye.”

“That…” I pondered. “I’m not sure what that was.”

“Was it the sword?”

“Kaito doesn’t think so. I did return it, and due to what happened, Kaito let his kendo master get it checked, but they didn’t find anything.” I shrugged.

“Interesting,” he commented. “Would be cool to see it again.”

“Was it that mesmerizing?” I wondered, noticing Fuwa come into view as he floated from where he’d been sleeping on the stack of praise letters to land on my lap.

“It’s been the buzz of the school. You vanished and all we could see was a stream of magic zoom past, almost like you’d shrunk into a tiny pixie with golden stardust following you around. And then zap, you were behind the shadow dude, ready to annihilate him. Apparently, the Council has been buzzing about it.”

“The Council?” I gasped, unsure how I felt about their excitement over it.

Sure, their interest would mean they were actually acknowledging us and our potential, but that could always go badly.

“Yup,” Connor replied. “Looks like you got their attention.”

“As long as it stays positive. It’s obvious that Mr. Snow hates us.”

“Apparently he’s a grumpy ass all the time.” Connor shrugged. “He may be one of the oldest on the Council, but he’s also apparently pretty weak.”

“The weak ones are always the loudest,” I mumbled.

“Now if only they would focus more of their precious time on these Shadow people,” Connor grumbled. “It’s like they’re ignoring it on purpose.”

“Maybe they are?” I thought about it. “I can’t accuse any of them seeing as the only one that rubs my gears the wrong way is Mr. Snow, and we haven’t met the rest of the members, but the main issue is communication. The pathway from us to the Magic Council isn’t allowing us to deliver the proper messages. Not to mention the time it takes to get those messages to them. Professor Phoenix is usually trying to relay things back and forth, but that isn’t fair to her. It’s a lot to carry. There has to be people in the middle to relay messages.”

“You think there’s infiltration in the middle.” Connor said it like it was fact.

“It’s the only thing that makes sense unless the Magic Council is hiding something and is working in connection with the Shadow people.”

I sighed and looked down when tiny footsteps reached my ears. “All of this is just frustra—” I paused when my eyes locked onto Elsa as she dropped a dead rat on the floor and grinned with pride.

“MewMew!”

“EEK!” I shrieked at the sight of the dead rat, losing my balance on the chair. I anticipated my butt hitting the floor, but instead landed right on Connor’s lap the next second.

My body was buzzing, and I caught onto the last bit of my legs manifesting from a sparkling gold mist. My jaw dropped as I looked up at Connor, whose eyebrow arched as his eyes took me in from head to toe.

“Well then,” he began. “I think you have a new gift.”

“What?” I questioned, looking back at Elsa, who was poking at the dead rat. Fuwa was bouncing around her, sprinkling purple and black glitter like he was celebrating her kill. “And what are the familiars doing?”

Connor leaned to the side slightly to observe what was happening. “I think they’re celebrating. I knew there was a pesky mouse somewhere in here.”

“I’m not cleaning that,” I muttered.

“Aww, scared of a little mouse.”

“It’s a rat.”

“Mouse. Rat. Same thing.”

“No, it’s not,” I grumbled, but hooked my arms around his neck while he hoisted an arm around my waist.

“Good to know you like being in my lap when you’re afraid.”

“Don’t let it get to your head, or you’ll become cocky,” I huffed, but had a tender smile on my face.

He smiled in return, his lips meeting mine as we shared a kiss. “Let’s go somewhere fun. Just us.”

“Is it far?”

“Not by motorcycle.” He smirked playfully. “Elsa and Fuwa can come along.”

“MewMew?”

“FuFu?”

My two familiars paused in their little celebration ceremony to look our way. Connor chuckled as I giggled.

“Okay, let me change and we’ll go,” I concluded. “What are we going to do about this new gift of mine?”

“Hmm.” Connor didn’t look concerned in the least. “It doesn’t seem detrimental to you, so I don’t see a reason to worry. We’ll figure out eventually. Once Professor Phoenix has a moment to breathe, we can ask her. Finnick still has to bring up that emerald gem of his.”

“Yeah.” I remembered. “Still don’t know the purpose of it. But Professor Phoenix is slammed. She’s apparently helping a student at another school because she needs to be transferred, but the administration is being complicated.”

Sliding off his lap, I walked over to my locker while Connor crossed his arms over his chest. “Administration being complicated?”

“Yeah,” I replied. “I can’t hear everything, but something about the school burning down because of her or some crazy fiasco. Like no other schools will accept her or something. One had until recently, but I think the school went up in flames again, so who knows?”

“So they’re going to transfer her here to burn the school down.”

“I doubt it.” I smirked. “We’re trying to prevent that, remember?”

“True.” Connor closed his eyes. “Must be hard for Professor Phoenix to balance so many students.”

“I agree, but it looks like she enjoys it. Must also give her some connections like that Professor Sky woman. I hope we hear back from her soon. Probably won’t, though, seeing as investigations take eons.”

“Like the silly trial,” Connor grumbled. “Glad to not see that bitch anymore.”

“Language,” I teased but didn’t blame him for the insult. I walked over to him and placed a kiss on his forehead. “I’m going to change.”

“You’re not angry like before.”

“Simply because I have better things to use my emotional energy on,” I whispered against his lips. “All I can hope for is justice.”

“Or take it into our hands,” he offered.

“Last resort.” I smiled and kissed him. “However, I don’t think Elisha is worth a murder sentence.”

“Who said we’d have to do it?”

“Oh, boy.” I shook my head. “You’re plotting something.”

“Your sister is in the crime stoppers agency. Can’t they figure something out?”

I grinned as I headed for the washroom. “Knowing Starlight, she’ll have something up her sleeve when this trial happens, and I think it’ll be far worse than what the justice system will give Elisha, assuming the whole thing’s not tampered with.”

“They won’t get away with that,” Connor declared. “By then, we’ll know what needs to be done.”

“Can’t wait,” I sighed, thankful for all the distractions that prevented me from focusing on what had happened last semester. I was grateful to be able to walk normally, basically unscratched, thanks to all those involved in keeping me alive and healing me back up.

All I wanted was justice, but in a world where Shadow people were attacking students and the Magic Council ignored it until their own members became a target, I wasn’t sure if justice still existed.

Entering the washroom, I closed the door, looked at the mirror, and shrugged.

“Only time will tell,” I whispered.

Let’s focus on what can be worked on, like the present.

“WHAT WE’RE DOING IS ILLEGAL!” I squealed over the roar of Connor’s motorcycle, my hands gripping the handles and ramming the speed up even further as we zoomed down the endless road in the vast countryside.

The view was picture perfect, the sun gradually sinking and making the sky into a masterpiece of colors. The blurry view of trees, fields, farms, and animals made this whole ride feel nostalgic, all while giving me a thrill of excitement at being allowed to drive Connor’s bike.

Yes, I was technically breaking the law, but I was going to brush that off to the side for now.

Connor chuckled, his hands on my waist as I continued twenty miles per hour over the speed limit. “You’re speeding, by the way.”

“I’m invincible,” I declared.

“Until a cop car zooms by out of nowhere,” Connor teased.

“Gah, don’t jinx me! I can’t knock on wood while driving.”

“Also, against the law to multitask.”

“Talking while driving is multitasking and everyone does that, even police officers. Therefore, that’s invalid,” I argued.

“Uh-huh.” Connor didn’t sound like he cared, his voice relaxed. “We’re turning soon.”

“Oh.” I began to slow the massive bike down, noticing the sign on our left: Maison’s Luxury Hotel.

“A hotel?!” I exclaimed in elation, attempting to look over my shoulder, but Connor slipped his arm around my waist while pressing his chest against my back.

“Focus, Brianne. We gotta turn the bike first.”

“Right!” It was a good thing he reminded me.

“Left,” Connor corrected.

“You know what I mean!” I huffed, but I wasn’t even mad as I turned and lowered my speed to take in the grand scenery.

This place was gorgeous, and we hadn’t even reached the main building. I spotted rows and rows of rose beds, the different colors making a rainbow. Tiny lights hung from the trees farther out, their dim glow growing stronger as the sun continued to set.

The main building grew bigger as we approached, the entire structure a pearl white with pink accents. It reminded me of a vintage building you’d see in a pinup spread in an old magazine.

We headed right to the front entrance, coming to a stop as a man in a light pink suit walked over to us. Connor offered his hand to help me off the bike. He then proceeded to grab our bags from the back compartment, just as the man bowed in greeting.

“Good evening and welcome to Maison’s Luxury Hotel. I’ll happily take your bags to your room. I believe you are Ms. Harlow and Mr. Giovanni, correct?”

“Yes,” we replied, and I felt a little nervous at the professionalism. From his attire and overall exquisite appearance, this had to be an expensive hotel.

“Excellent. Feel free to leave your keys with me. I will have the valet put your bike in our private underground parking. If you need to leave, simply press the button on the phone labeled Valet and we’ll happily have it ready for you.”

“Thank you.” Connor grinned, noticing my shock as he put his arm possessively over my shoulder. “We’ll head to the front desk.”

“Please do, and have an enjoyable stay.” The man bowed once again as we made our way toward the large pink doors with crystal knobs.

“Very classy,” I whispered, and Connor’s grin grew wider.

“Wait till you see the inside.”

He didn’t give me a chance to counter as the doors opened before we could reach for the knob. Good thing too, because the interior had me gawking and stopping in my tracks.

This place was the definition of classy and vintage mixed together to create an artistic masterpiece. It was simply divine. White pillars, pink velvet carpet, pink marble desks outlined in gold with pink and crystal rhinestones, and two massive staircases that led to the elevators were beyond astounding.

The lamps were gold, topped by shades made of pink crystals that hung all around like an umbrella clinging onto strings of raindrops. Upon closer inspection of the polished floors, I saw they were pink-and-gold-veined marble.

Connor pressed a kiss to my temple, moving me forward so we weren’t standing right in front of the entrance due to my starstruck state.

A woman in a hotel uniform walked over to us, the tapping of her pink heels helping me not get completely lost in the beautiful atmosphere. Even the aroma in the air lifted my spirits.

“Good evening, Mr. Giovanni and Ms. Harlow. We at Maison’s Luxury Hotel are so happy to have you this evening. If you don’t have any questions, I’ll happily escort you to your room.”

“We don’t have any initial questions, but it would be nice to know what amenities and services are available tonight. I know it changes depending on the day.”

“Certainly!” She beamed as if we were helping her be useful. “Right this way.”

We followed her lead, Connor letting go of my shoulder but taking my left hand in his. We walked up the stairs and waited for the elevator while the woman began explaining what came with our stay.

“Every suite comes with its own staff, so if you’re hungry or thirsty, feel free to ask the staff to bring anything of your liking. We have many imported wines, including some from different universes.”

Different universe wines?

“That’s an interesting perk,” Connor commented.

“This hotel sees a lot of foreign tourists. Obviously, in a world of magic, there are other universes open to us. Many magicians, and in some cases, shifters, come to stay in our hotel since it’s very peaceful, luxurious, and accepts the majority of individuals.”

“Shifters? Those who can change into a cat or dog?” I was trying to imagine it, wishing there were books about this.

“Cats and dogs, yes.” The woman grinned as the elevator dinged its arrival. She gestured for us to enter first before she walked in and clapped her hands together to spark a bit of magic before she pressed the fifth-floor button.

I didn’t see why she needed magic to press the button, but as the doors closed, I sensed the shift of energy as we began to ascend.

“Also wolves. Bears. Dragons. Angels. Any type of shifter you could think of. It’s delightful meeting them. Due to our diverse clientele, we partner with vineyards to allow our guests to try their wines and unique alcoholic beverages.”

“Wouldn’t that be extremely costly?” I asked.

“Not at all. We support exchanges with a very affordable fee so other universes can try exquisite wine from us. It’s grown into a big business.”

“Who would have thought that would be a thing,” Connor commented.

“Certainly is!” The elevator stopped, dinging as the doors slowly opened. We walked in and I was left speechless once again, but the attendant kept right on talking.

“Back to services! Aside from the twenty-four-hour catering services, there is a vast infinity pool connected to your balcony. Your view is perfect for the sunrise and gives you a glorious view of the rose, tulip, and rainbow sunflower gardens. Feel free to allow any familiars to roam around. The grounds are sage and no toxic chemicals are used to aid our plants’ growth. There are two washrooms, one with a jacuzzi and one that opens up to a fountain bath. The sauna is on the far left of the fountain bath. The fridge is fully stocked if you want something quick to eat, and the wine fridge also has a variety of popular drinks. Again, if your hands are full or you’re tired, catering can open the bottle and pour you a glass. The fifth level penthouse suite gives you access to a four-course breakfast, accompanied by live classical music, spa massage, manicure and pedicure options, and access to the lake just past the rose garden.”

I was already forgetting half the stuff she’d explained. Connor must have read my overwhelmed expression because he grinned and lifted his free hand in a ‘stop; sign. “I think that’s enough for us to know for now. The spa services will be available for us before we check out, correct? We have an early start at school.”

“Certainly! I believe you did leave us a note about that. I’ll ensure that has been penciled in. You requested one male and one female massage therapist, correct?”

“Yes. Female for Ms. Harlow,” he confirmed.

“Excellent. I’ll get that checked and secured. Please relax. The chefs are ready to prepare your dinner at any time.” She walked back into the elevator and bowed before the doors closed.

I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before my eyes scanned the beautiful penthouse suite.

“So…” I trailed off to try and figure out my thoughts. “Please tell me you didn’t pay for this for just a night, and if you did, how many years will it take me to pay back even half of the nightly rate?”

Connor burst into laughter, letting go of my hand to pull me into his arms.

“You’re that worried about the cost?”

“This is the kind of place where royalty stays. Kings and queens or extremely rich people like the great granddaughter of the late Beyoncé! How many figures could this possibly cost for one night?”

“Hmm.” He lifted his head slightly to think about it. “I think six.”

“SIX?!” I shrieked.

He lowered his head, his smirk only growing. “For a single room.”

My mouth hung open as I blinked at him in astonishment.

“So to answer your question, this is probably seven figures a night.” He kissed my forehead and left me in my bewildered state to go to the kitchen.

I watched him open the fridge and retrieve two beers. “Want a drink before we go exploring?”

“How can you be so calm after spending seven figures for a night?!” I gasped. “When is checkout?”

“Tomorrow, around four in the afternoon.”

“Then we’re skipping school!” I declared. If he’d spent seven figures for us to stay here, I’d make sure I spent every available minute enjoying everything this place had to offer.

“You’re really cute when you’re nervous.”

“I-I-I’m not nervous,” I argued.

“You’re stuttering.”

“How can you afford this?!” I questioned, putting my arms up in the air for added emphasis.

“MewMew!”

“Fufu!”

I blinked and looked up to see my two familiars pop out of nowhere and land on my hands. They made their way to my shoulders before floating to the floor.

My eyes trailed them down to the ground before they raced off in the direction of what had to be the main entertainment room.

Not even the main living room. Entertainment room…

“I can’t,” he replied as he opened the two bottles and walked back over to me. Now I was completely confused as he offered me the drink. Accepting it with a quiet thank you, I gulped half of it down, concluding I would need to be buzzed to figure out this mystery.

“Is you not knowing going to stress you out?” he asked, watching me carefully.

“Yes.” I wasn’t going to lie to him.

“I can’t explain everything,” he said with seriousness. “Not because I don’t trust you, but because I want to see where this offer takes me.”

“You’re a part of the mafia!” I declared.

He frowned, giving me a look as I copied his grimace. “No?”

“No.”

“CIA!”

“No.”

“The Illumin…how the hell do you say that?”

“Illuminati?”

“Yeah, that one!”

“No.”

“You’re doing drugs!”

“Definitely not.”

“Selling…drugs?”

“Do you really think I’d be able to?”

“Hmmm. Nah, but you look exactly like the romance book version of a sexy, tattooed drug lord making millions while being an undercover university student.” I smiled innocently.

“My biological parents aren’t my real parents.”

I was midway through thinking of the next comeback when his words registered, and my heart paused at the bombshell news.

“What?! That’s not scientifically possible.”

He slowly nodded and downed his beer in one go. I decided to finish mine, feeling as though this was going to be a peculiar conversation. He took my empty bottle and walked over to the glass recycling bin.

“Can we go relax in the infinity pool?” he inquired.

“Sure,” I replied, intending to do whatever it took to help him feel relaxed with this conversation. To find out your real parents — who gave you up for adoption — weren’t actually your real parents was a hard blow filled with mystery and confusion.

I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about that.

“They provide swimsuits,” he noted, taking my hand in his and leading me into the first washroom, where a mini flat screen monitor was integrated into the pink and white tiles.

He clicked the screen to wake it from sleep mode, and after pressing a few buttons, he positioned me in front of it and moved out of the way as the device began to scan my body.

With a beep, a hidden tray slid out, presenting me with a neon pink bikini.

“Well, damn,” I commented, looking back at Connor. “How’d it do that? How did you know how to do that? What if I suddenly wanted a one-piece? I don’t want a one-piece, but I’m curious. How did it know I like pink? This place is probably owned by the gods or heavens or something.” My rambling came out in a rush and based on Connor’s playful smile, he enjoyed it.

“You may be onto something.” He winked and headed for the door. “I’ll explain how I know in the pool. I knew you wanted a bikini and pressed the settings for it. The machine scans you and chooses a color that complements you and your magic. Looks like your love for pink resonates strongly enough for the machine to pick up. I’m going to the other bathroom to get some swim trunks.”

“Okay.” I watched him close the door behind him and I looked back at the tray, taking a step forward and reaching to hold the bikini bottoms.

“Either my boyfriend suddenly found out he’s a billionaire or he’s involved with some secret organization.”

Shaking my head, I took a deep breath and sighed.

I’m gonna need another beer for this.

“WOW,” I whispered, standing on the second step that led into the heated infinity pool. This view was just as unreal as our penthouse suite.

The interior matched the theme of the hotel, and the exquisite furniture was a sight to see. Whoever designed this place must have been inspired to deliver something so unique it would be hard to mimic, and from the mention of universal visitors coming to this place, it had to live up to the standards of many.

Including the rich folks that could afford to stay one night here.

The view was outstanding; the starry sky twinkled brightly as the full moon began its rise and tiny grey clouds moved slowly in the distance. The gardens were enchanting; the flowers that had looked magnificent with their array of color during the sunset had become an illuminated masterpiece when night struck.

Either they were dosed in magic or had their own magical properties because they glowed majestically like we’d entered a fairy tale.

Fireflies buzzed around us and I really felt like we were in heaven. Never in my dreams would I have imagined being in a hotel like this.

Jax had insinuated that Connor was going to take me somewhere, but I figured it would be to a restaurant, a movie, a place that was common.

Nothing as grand as this.

Something was going on with Connor and I was happy he was willing to share at least some of the truth with me, but he didn’t need to bring me to this place to do so.

I really hope he knows that.

Connor had a serene smile on his face, staring at the stars.

“Never could have imagined such a view existed until today.”

“I agree.” I moved deeper into the pool before submerging myself and swimming over to where Connor was on the other side. His arms were outstretched, resting on the glass walls, making it almost seem like he would be washed away with the water that continuously flowed off the edge.

I wondered where the water went so as to not damage the property and the other rooms below us, but I assumed there was magic at work.

Reaching Connor, I rose up to the surface on his left side. I grinned at him while water rolled down my face and he chuckled.

“You’re happy.”

“Very,” I noted and snuggled against him. We quietly stayed there for a while, neither of us having anything to say as we admired the scene before us.

The tranquility felt rare, something I didn’t often get to share with Connor. With everything that had happened over the last couple of semesters, moments like this had been lacking.

It’s the same thing I felt with Kaito.

It was a tricky matter trying to balance yourself among four guys. Having one boyfriend was difficult enough, but proving your love to four guys while trying to make sure each one’s needs were met when it came to quality time was a difficult juggling act.

It was only a matter of time before your arms got tired and you dropped a few balls.

I hadn’t worried about it because the guys were so understanding, and life had been throwing curve balls left and right, but as I got older and our relationships continued to deepen, I craved balance to ensure they all felt my passion and devotion to them.

Maybe my mind was trying to figure out what my true path was now that I was beginning to receive everything I’d wished for not so long ago.

What new adventures await me on this life course?

“What should I do, Brianne?” Connor’s soft voice drifted to me, and I moved my head just slightly to see his eyes focused upon the stars above. They seemed so concentrated and yet filled with misdirection, almost as though he was completely lost.

In whatever was truly bothering him.

“I’m not sure,” I answered, returning my gaze to the stars. “Are you unsure of what path to take now that you’ve learned something you never expected?”

“Maybe.” He paused for a moment. “What if you settled on your path, only for fate to help you cross paths with a woman who had eyes just like yours? A woman who is tall, walks with confidence, has meaningful tattoos on her body, and when her eyes lock onto yours, there’s an instant connection. Not one of romantic love, but a parental feeling that this woman once sang to you. Held you. Cherished you.” He sighed.

“It happened over the summer, Bri. I tried to ignore it, to walk past her and assume it was just a fluke. Fate had other plans, though, because the next day, I saw her again. I continued to ignore it, to think of it as nothing but a coincidence, and the following day I didn’t see her. I went on with my trip, exploring the different sites and trying to figure out what I wanted to do. On my final day, I decided to go on a hike on my own. I wanted to see the overall view of this beautiful city I’d explored. When I reached the very top, I locked eyes with the woman. She looked just as shocked as I, but what tugged at my heart was that she was crying. I’m not sure if she even realized it, and when I pointed it out as I approached, she touched her wet cheeks to confirm what I’d pointed out.”

Silence descended over us, seconds passing by while Connor closed his eyes.

“That’s when my gift triggered. I felt her regret, happiness, sadness, yearning. It was so overwhelming, but it wasn’t until her thoughts, her fear, drifted to me that I figured it out. That I saw the resemblance. It wasn’t the fact that she got caught that was making her internally freak out. She was afraid of the backlash. Waiting for me to castigate her and demand why she looked like my true mom while my biological one barely resembled me. I figured she didn’t know about me being later adopted by a new set of parents, but when I thought about it in the brink of the moment, she demanded for me to repeat it.”

“Demanded that you to repeat it?” I whispered, not following. “You never said it out loud.”

“I know,” he replied, turning his head slightly for our eyes to meet. “She has the same abilities as me. To feel emotions and grasp onto thoughts. It’s genetic.”

“What did you do?”

He quietly chuckled at my question, returning his gaze to the sky. “Well, if you want the truth, I cried like a baby. Then I felt angry that it took me randomly exploring the heart of Dubai to make me bump into my true mother. Obviously, the universe works in mysterious ways, but why now? Why, when I was on the path to find out what I wished to discover, did I meet her? If she’s alive and well in Dubai, wouldn’t that mean my father is as well? I was swamped with so many questions, and then I was sad because it was my last day there and I had to leave. Once I was gone, who knew if we’d meet again? If the Universe would connect us a fourth time. So many questions with no answers, and though I’d felt more confident in my growth over the summer, that whole experience shook me. It made me question my own identity.”

“Connor,” I whispered, unsure where to even begin.

How could I comfort him when what he’d experienced felt so heavy?

“She knew my real name. The original one on my birth certificate.” He opened his eyes. “After my mini breakdown, I was going to just walk away from it all. I didn’t want to believe in it. I just wanted to come back to you, Jax, Kaito, and Finnick. To return to our lives as we worked on bettering ourselves and getting through another crazy semester. I wanted to do anything but confront what was before me, but when I was about to walk away, she called my name. Not Connor, but Zephyr. I didn’t just get rid of that name because it didn’t resonate with me. I hated it because it was given to me by parents who wouldn’t commit to raising me. Why create life if you want to pass the torch to someone else? I didn’t know this woman’s story, but when she said that name, what I felt wasn’t anger or even sadness. Waves of love hit me. Love that only a parent could give their child. It wrapped me up like a protective blanket, trying to shield me from the heartbreak that fought to consume me.”

I reached for his hand, placing mine on top of his as we continued to float in place. He lowered his gaze to our joined hands, smiling slightly even though his eyes flickered with sadness.

“That was when I decided to give her a chance to explain. We exchanged contact info and she gave me a card to this place. After the whole fiasco with Witchling, I came over here before we went to the winter resort and showed the front desk the card she gave me. I was led to this room, and a different woman gave me a full tour of the place. At the end of it, gave me a set of keys.”

“K-keys?” My voice was barely audible.

“Yup.” Connor lifted a free arm up, turning his hand so he could stare at his palm while his spread his fingers out wide.

“The woman I met was connected to this place, and this suite was reserved for her son. No one has ever spent a night here, even though this place has been open for many, many years. The attendant explaining all of this to me was the woman’s personal assistant and told me I could use this place for whatever I wanted. Live here, spend a night here, just come here to take a break from the world. It was mine to access and I could bring whomever I trusted to enjoy the experience. Whenever I’m ready to learn more about my background, all I have to do is come here and request to see the owner.”

“Owner…” That was all I could manage to say and Connor looked over to me.

“Scary, right?” He tried to keep his internal conflict out of his expression, but I could see the pain in his eyes and feel the emotions that danced around us. “My real parent — or parents — are giving me this chance to find what was lost, but I feel like a chicken and don’t want to confront it yet. I’m afraid to…and I feel this isn’t the right time.”

“You’re not a chicken for not wanting to confront it, Connor. It’s a lot to take in,” I reasoned, closing my fingers around his hand and squeezing it gently. “You don’t need to rush this. We have a lot happening now, and I know you want to give your full attention to this. I’m sure your parents aren’t thinking you’re going to race back into the picture after so much time has passed. Take it slow. Think of what you truly want when you decide to face them, and make that decision when you’re absolutely ready for it. That’s a new door you’re going to have to open at some point, and when you do, you don’t want any regrets.”

“I love how you give the best advice to everyone but constantly second-guess yourself,” he teased.

“I’m working on that,” I huffed, letting go of his hand to splash some water on him. He laughed, watching me swim back to the stairs before I stepped right out.

“Aww, no. I pissed off Red.” There wasn’t an ounce of remorse in his voice as he went right back to chuckling.

Rolling my eyes, I looked at him and crossed my arms over my chest.

“Just you wait. One day, I’m going to be an advice guru, meaning I’ll even take my own advice! Then you’ll have nothing else to say or do in my life.”

“I think I’m useful for more than giving advice and listening to your interesting thought process,” he reasoned, swimming back to the steps as I widened my stance and tried to make it seem that I was actually upset with him.

I wasn’t, but he didn’t need to know that yet.

“Stop snooping around my thoughts. They did not invite you in for tea and biscuits,” I admonished.

“From the woman whose thoughts always venture to me.” He walked out of the pool, dripping wet.

His long hair seemed perfect, and it only got better as he combed his hand through it to smooth it back as the wet strands clung to his shoulders and back.

“It’s almost as if you do invite me right in.” He stopped in front of me, those haunting onyx eyes searching mine. The moonlight highlighted an odd silver in his eyes that I had never noticed before.

Our bodies drifted closer, until my hands landed on his wet chest and he gripped my hips.

One solid minute of staring was all it took before he caved and claimed my lips as his possession, and I gladly submitted to him, relieved to feel his lips upon mine.

Delicate lips that were soft to the touch and smooth to look at, but when in action fought to dominate me entirely. He sucked, nipped, and pressed firmly, all while his hands possessively moved to my butt, squeezing my cheeks gently while my fingers spread out on his chiseled chest.

I hadn’t considered the possibility of Connor and I becoming intimate during our stay. Maybe I subconsciously didn’t want to get my hopes up, especially when I realized he was dealing with heavy issues.

A part of me wondered if I should stop, if getting lost in this passion would be counterproductive at comforting Connor with his struggles, but I couldn’t stop. His taste was so addictive, and the way emotions swarmed at me like I was the queen of a beehive was giving me far more satisfaction than I actually wanted to admit.

Our kisses grew in intensity until we were breathlessly panting, but neither of us wanted to stop. He placed his hands under my butt, lifting me in a secure hold as I unconsciously hooked my legs around his waist and rested my hands on his shoulders.

The movement didn’t stop our desperate kisses, and even when he laid me down onto the massive bed, we didn’t break the intense connection. We were thriving on each other’s emotions, riding the electric high of lust.

It was the first time I had ever felt like this, consumed by the energy that oozed off of another in nonstop waves. It heightened my other senses, and it felt like we couldn’t take off our bathing suits fast enough.

I remembered the protection spell, and I finished it within my mind, the magic thundering through my body seconds before Connor was between my legs, the head of his length nearly penetrating me.

“I love you wholeheartedly, Brianne,” he breathed, his lustful eyes opening halfway as his raspy voice sent tingles crawling through me. “Everything about you is perfect and I want to show you just how much I adore you. I need for you to feel every bit of my endless passion for you.”

My lips sealed his, my overflowing emotions unreal. He then slid into me, little by little, expanding me in a way I had never experienced.

It hurt a little bit, but once he was in completely, I seemed to hug his length perfectly. It felt so good and we hadn’t even moved yet, all of it igniting more excitement for what was to come.

No more words were needed as he began to move. The air soon filled with moans and heavy panting, and my body soared with pleasure that grew stronger and stronger with each thrust.

“Faster,” I breathed. “Harder, Connor!”

I had no clue what was possessing me, but I wanted more. All the burning energy, the pleasure pooling at my core wasn’t enough. I wanted him to move faster, harder, until I couldn’t handle it anymore.

“So tight. So fucking good,” he swore before smothering my lips. “Get lost in us, Bri. Lost in all of this emotion.”

He steadied my hips, hammering into me so fast, I knew I had no chance of walking normally in the morning.

I wouldn’t regret it. My moans spiked in volume as I let my head fall back and braced myself for the rush of ecstasy that was on the verge of consuming me.

“Cum, Brianne!” Connor ordered through clenched teeth, right before he sank so deep inside me that it triggered my release.

“Connor!” I screamed, lost in the crashing waves of pleasure.

“Brianne!” he growled, releasing his hot cum inside me.

He pulled out before collapsing next to me, both of us panting messes. The two of us lay on our backs, fighting for air while sweat rolled down our bodies.

The physical action was exhausting, but the mental drain I suddenly felt made me almost pass right out.

“Note to self…turn our gifts off next time,” he breathed.

I actually giggled, knowing how hard that was, especially when my mimicry did whatever the hell it wanted.

“You’re funny.”

“You’re sexy as fuck,” he whispered.

“When you swear like that, it makes me want to do all of this again.’”

“Well, fuck, shit, ass.” He continued throwing out swear words, leaving me giggling.

“Ow, this hurts more than it should.”

“I’m not sure you’ll be able to walk if we go again.”

“I don’t think I’ll be able to walk either way.”

“It’s okay. We’re skipping school anyways.”

“I want to explore, though.”

“Remember, we can stay here for as long as we want.”

“Oh.” It clicked in. “Let’s do that again.”

“Wow.” Connor laughed. “Why does your immediate excitement worry me?”

“It should.” I grinned, and he turned onto his side and kissed my cheek.

“Thank you for being the one woman in my life that I can tell what’s eating me alive and not regret it.”

His words were heavy, leaving me to wonder if it had something to do with his adoptive mom.

“You can share anything with me, Connor. Remember that.”

“I will when I can,” he promised, lifting his hand to lay it on my cheek, then moving it to the side so he could kiss me gently on the lips.

“MewMew!”

We broke the kiss and looked to the end of the bed to see Elsa standing there proudly with a row of something golden.

“Is that…condoms?”

“MewMew!” Elsa picked up the gold-wrapped condoms and hopped off the bed before racing off into another room.

“Ugh,” Connor groaned, and I looked back to see his whole face was red. “Shit. I knew I was forgetting something.”

“You realize witches can magically protect themselves now? We don’t need condoms.”

“I…didn’t know that.” He blushed harder, which only made me laugh. I turned to my side, pressing my hand against his chest and rising above him.

Leaning down, I pressed my lips firmly against the side of his neck, sucking his flesh before I nipped it gently. He moaned, the deep sound vibrating against his throat, which only made me want to keep going, but I licked the sensitive spot and resumed hovering.

Our eyes met, and I whispered, “Let’s get lost in us tonight.”

Connor’s eyes gleamed with desire as his lips curled into a wide smile.

“As you wish, my Notorious Queen.”

The night was filled with nothing but pleasure.

ODD ENCOUNTERS AND THREATENED ENVY

~TWO MONTHS LATER~

“WE ONLY HAVE AN HOUR, HUH?” I commented, setting the alarm on my phone and putting it on vibrate mode.

“Mhm. You have cheer practice today, right?” Jax inquired as we waited for the elevator.

“Yup. We’re going to be staying later than usual because of the upcoming game. Whoever wins this one is going to the semi-finals next semester. We don’t have to practice as much; it’s more training than anything. The Witchling games are six weeks away and now that our classes are actually drilling us to the core, people are getting excited.”

How two months had zoomed by was beyond me, but here we were, in the part of the grand Witchling Academy library to which only certain individuals of power and uniqueness were granted entry.

Jax, Miya, Mia, and I were supposed to come here as a unit, but a fight broke out during lunch and they happened to be around to end it by force. It was the tenth fight this week.

Tenth!

There was no doubt in my mind that something fishy was going on, and we were trying to determine if it was drug-related or something was truly brewing in the air.

Mia and Miya were searching for evidence and eyewitnesses but told us to carry on with the library search on our own. I had a hunch that these fights were meant to be a distraction because they always happened when we registered to visit the library.

Due to the ‘fire’ incident that had occurred and the temporary closure of this special part, everyone who wanted to visit now had to register ahead of time. I was sure the fight that had broken out today was meant to divert all four of us, but with Mia and Miya taking over, all we had to do was notify Professor Phoenix about what was happening before we secretly made it to the library.

Meaning I spell traveled us right to the desk.

The poor librarian almost fainted when Jax and I appeared out of nowhere.

This was our last chance to get information about what we’d discovered about our destined past and the original fall of Witchling Academy. After this, it looked as though our classes would take up all our free time, and we were already feeling the heat of the new curriculum.

I couldn’t complain because this was what we’d asked for, and the professors were keeping us accountable, but it meant we’d have to put in the extra work of studying, practicing, and training for the upcoming games.

The way the professors were stressing it, this would be the toughest challenge yet. Things would be different this year, but we wouldn’t be told what the difference was until it started.

“With all the hints the professors have been giving in regard to the games, I really don’t know what to expect,” Jax admitted as he flicked his thumb across the phone of his screen. “Just have to be prepared for anything, I guess.”

“What are you looking for?” I inquired, noticing his eyes had been glued to his phone since we left the office.

“Looking at reports.”

“Of?”

“Confirmed deaths.” He didn’t lift his eyes from the screen, but his flat tone was enough for me to put two and two together.

“Elijah.” I knew my Notorious Four didn’t like the way things were falling through the cracks.

Just like how we’d yet to find any leads on these Shadow people after they attacked a Magic Council member. You’d think if the Shadow people were such a threat, they would have the damn Witchling S.W.A.T. going after them.

“No reports since our exam.” He sounded displeased as the ding of the elevator caught our attention. We stepped inside, the doors slowly closing as I picked the ninth and tenth floors.

The plan was for us to search different floors. I didn’t like the idea of splitting up, but in this case the library was actually safe. Increased security measures had been made to ensure no threats were allowed into the library, especially these parts.

They even had magic sensors that could pick up the impulses in your brain. If you had any negative intentions toward the library in any shape or form, the sensors would catch it.

If only they could do that to stop the bullies in school who ended up becoming killers. If so, Elijah and Elisha would have been behind bars by now.

Instead of one on house arrest and the other nowhere to be found after his ‘death.’

I glanced over at Jax, noticing he was scrolling through more reported deaths. It frustrated me that he had to even waste his time on it, enough to have me standing in front of him so I could take his phone, putting it in sleep mode.

Jax blinked and looked up at me with a questioning expression, and I decided to be a little bold, pressing my body against his while my arms hooked around his neck.

I was kissing him the next second, and like a lit fire, he kissed me right back with heated desire.

With how busy things were, it had been hard to even find time to make out. Quick kisses were as much as we could manage as we rushed to classes, after-school activities, and late meetings, or before we went to bed.

I wasn’t even in the mood to do anything to exert myself, but now that I had this chance to distract Jax for just a minute, I wanted to get lost in our growing passion.

“I miss you.” The tenderness and vulnerability in his voice made my heart sink. We’d been warned that we weren’t going to have tons of time with each other, but now that it was coming to pass, it only felt harder to accept that this would be our new reality until we graduated.

“Me too,” I replied and hugged him. He hugged me back, not letting go when the elevator stopped on the ninth floor. The doors came to a close, but we were still in a tight hug as if we needed a moment to just absorb each other’s strength and energy for what was to come.

He loosened his hold around me, and I leaned back to look into his eyes.

“Whatever we find today, if we find anything at all, won’t tear us apart,” I promised.

“Only bring us closer,” Jax said and pressed his lips to my forehead.

“I love you.”

“I love you more. Text me if you find anything.”

“You too,” I replied, pulling out of his embrace to offer his phone back.

The doors were already attempting to close, but I reached for the ‘open’ button and made my way onto the tenth floor. Looking back at the elevator, I saw Jax’s loving smile as he waved.

I waved right back at him, our gazes remaining locked until the doors came to a close.

With a sigh, I turned away and looked at the single path before me that led to rows of shelves with ancient books. I wasn’t sure what to look for, nor did I want to use too much magic in case other students were also on the floor.

The goal was to investigate, but it was difficult to know what to search for. It’s not like there was a section called “The destruction of Witchling Academy.”

That would have been helpful.

Maybe something on spell traveling? That’s a start.

I looked at the main directory, and the closest thing to spell traveling was magic involving travel, which was located on my far left — and took up five shelves.

Guess that narrows it down.

I started my search, but many of the books had no title on the spine, leaving me no choice but to take the book off the shelf, open it up, and quickly scan its contents.

I usually enjoyed these moments, getting lost in rows of books and looking for something that called to me, but the time limit looming over me took the fun out of it.

It could also be that I’m nervous about discovering something.

Did I truly yearn to find more about who I was? Or was I afraid that the me from my past life was someone I couldn’t imagine being?

“Fufu?”

Something nudged my cheek, and I looked over to see Fuwa jump up and down on my shoulder in greeting. He blinked his innocent eyes before he nudged right against my neck.

“Fufu!”

“Are you attempting to comfort me?” I grinned and lifted my hand to gently stroke his head. He puffed his body up as he enjoyed my gentle rub. He then jumped off my shoulder, floating until he landed in front of an orange book. Tilting my head in curiosity, I walked over to where he was, the book at my eye level.

With a shrug, I reached for it, watching Fuwa hop aside slightly to give me space to pull the book out. Opening it, I flipped to the first page as Fuwa landed back on my shoulder to peer down with me.

“How To Make Your Familiar a Powerful Force to be Reckoned With? Wow…this is legit a title? Wait.” I looked at Fuwa. “You want me to train you more?”

“Fufu!” He jumped up and down in excitement and I gave him a sad look. I knew we hadn’t been training much familiar-wise the last couple of weeks. Our focus had been on endurance training sessions to keep us fit and swift magic spells that didn’t require our familiars.

It was why Elsa and Luna mostly chilled in the student council office or hung out with Professor Phoenix when she had spare time.

I felt bad that neither of them was getting their share of use this semester, but I felt even worse about Fuwa, because he really hadn’t gotten his time to shine as my familiar.

He became mine by coincidence, but he chose me to be his Mistress. At least, that’s what Professor Phoenix had told me. He at least deserved to feel just as worthy as Elsa and the other familiars.

“I’m sorry if I’ve been neglecting training you, Fuwa. That’s not my intention. Do you want me to check out this book?”

“Fu!” He floated in the air and nudged my head with his body. “Fufu!”

“You’re excited.” I giggled quietly and offered him my hand to land on. He lowered right back into my palm, wiggling left to right in a little dance.

I couldn’t stop the smile that formed on my lips, and I gave him a peck on the top of his head before returning my eyes to the book I held.

With a nod, I closed the book and was ready to continue my search when a quiet voice caught my attention.

“Hey. Yeah, I’m still searching but can’t find anything.”

I walked back a step, peeking into the space created by the book I’d taken, and spotted bright orange hair.

Someone else has orange hair like me?

“I’m not sure what to do, Westley. I’m trying to be calm. I really am. But we’re running out of options. Dad is somewhere, the Magic Council won’t budge in their decision to kick me out, no other school is going to accept me, and it’s not like someone can just adopt me and give me the chance to attend this school. No, I don’t have any secret siblings, family members, or any of that jazz. I think you forgot about the whole ‘Mama Dearest Abandoned Me’ thing.”

She sighed, sounding completely down.

“We have one more year…and I like it there, Westley. I have friends now. I have you guys. Mrs. Cloverspell seems like more of a mom to me than my own…and, well…I finally feel like I have a place where I belong. Now it’s all being taken away from me, and unless I can find a school that’ll accept me, I’m screwed.”

I frowned at the woman’s words, feeling bad for her. It sounded like she was really out of options. I really had the urge to help her, but who was I?

I’m just a random stranger. I don’t even know her story. I shouldn’t interfere.

“Woof?”

The quiet sound that came from my left had me lowering my head to see a small black wolf. Its eyes were adorable, as it was happily panting at my attention.

Its enchanting eyes were gold but twinkled with orange and red. Fuwa floated down until he landed on the little wolf’s nose. It blinked in return before it laid flat on the carpet and tried to pet Fuwa with its paw.

It didn’t look dangerous to me, even though it was a wolf. Seeing as this was a library and there was no way to get into this part without the registry, I could safely assume this wolf was this girl’s familiar.

So small, though. It has to be Elsa’s size.

“I’m gonna get out of Blazing library and head back home. Hmm? I guess…yes, I’m depressed…yes…I want ice cream. Okay. So stubborn. Love you. No, I’m not repeating that. Jeez.”

After placing my book down on the ground, I reached over to pet the mini wolf, scooping it up as Fuwa floated back onto my shoulder.

Did she say Blazing library? This is Witchling Academy’s grand library. Maybe she’s new or something.

“Ah, this sucks. Wait. I swear I’m missing something. Phone…check. Hoodie…check.”

I peeked into the space to see the girl put the hood of her red sweater back up, but she kept looking around.

I looked down at the familiar, watching its eyes look through the empty space at the girl. I could already see the longing in those cute, big orbs.

With a grin, I gave it a tap on the head and placed it right into the space. With how thick the book I took out was, the little wolf fit perfectly. I moved to the side, just as the girl gasped.

“Ah! Cyrus! Where did she go? Oh no. I can’t los—”

“Woof!”

“Cyrus! There you are!”

Closing my eyes, I began to walk away to the next aisle, but her words gave me pause.

“We’re going to be okay. Even if it means starting over again. Even…if we have to make new friends and hopefully not make a bunch of enemies. We’ll show them!”

Her words made me realize that we must not have been the only students dealing with hardships, especially when it came to magical schools. I hoped she ended up somewhere that would give her a chance.

Walking over to the next aisle, I heard the girl’s fading footsteps. It wasn’t until the ding of the elevator reached my ears that I sighed. Making my way back to my spot, I picked up the book I’d taken and looked at Fuwa.

“Guess we should be grateful. No matter the good or bad, huh?” I whispered.

“Fufu!” Fuwa cheered.

My phone began to vibrate, and I quickly took it out to see Jax was calling.

“Hey,” I greeted. “Any luck?”

“Was gonna ask you that.” He sounded tired. “Opening and closing books is a bit of a workout. Especially when they’re encyclopedia-sized.”

“Oh, no.” I shook my head. “Maybe we should do this together. All I found was a book for familiar training. Fuwa wants me to train him more.”

“That actually sounds handy. I’ve been neglecting using Luna and she’s spiteful about it. She scratched my arm today for fun.”

“I pray Elsa doesn’t do that.” I’d gotten enough scratches from Aon when he was a kitten, though he still loved to scratch me for the hell of it at times.

“Guess we have to save this for another time, huh?”

“Sadly, but at least we got something out of it,” I reasoned, trying to stay positive. “Also, can we get a pet wolf?”

“Why do you want a pet wolf?” Jax sounded amused. “You can borrow Lux and Lyx.”

“I can’t borrow them.” I laughed, making my way to the elevator. “Okay, in the future, let’s get a wolf.”

“Fine,” he agreed.

“That was easy.”

“If I said no, you’d just ask the others and give them those puppy eyes.”

“You’re not wrong,” I noted, pressing the elevator button with my elbow.

“Coming down?”

“Yup.”

“Okay, see you in a bit.”

“Can we get ice cream?”

“Sure.”

“I love you.”

“You’re being peculiarly affectionate today.”

“Just say you love me, too,” I grumbled.

“I love you, too. Let’s eat ice cream and have sex. Happy?”

“Ecstatic!” I cheered. “See you soon.”

Hanging up, I smiled at the screen as the door opened and I crashed right into someone.

“Oof!”

“Ugh.”

“Oops. Would you look at that!”

I lifted my head at the girly voice, only to find a girl with neon pink hair. She was grinning and wearing a pink, frilly dress. Her outfit was weird to me, but my eyes moved to the girl I’d bumped into.

Her hair was long and black with many white strands and she wore a white, black, and red uniform. What caught my attention were her striking red eyes that locked onto mine.

She blinked, and before she could speak a complete copy of her popped out to the side.

“KILL!”

I flinched at the sound, just as the other two glared at the copy.

“Shadow Jade! I mean…Spade! Don’t scare people like that when we come out of the elevator.”

“Why, kill?” She blinked innocently.

The pink-haired girl giggled, the eerie tone giving me the creeps. We all looked to her as she skipped over to stand next to the red-eyed girl.

“Yeah, Jade. Why? It’s thrilling!”

“Lisette,” she groaned. “Nothing about being scared into having a heart attack is thrilling.”

“Of course, it is!” she argued. “Thrillingly dead! Keep it up, Shadow Jade! Or Spade. Or whatever your name is.”

“KILL!”

I wasn’t sure what to say and my silence brought three pairs of eyes to my face

“Um…I’m just going to enter the elevator,” I reasoned with a nervous smile.

At least they look friendly?

“Right. Our apologies,” said the red-eyed girl, who I could only presume was one of the two Jades or Spades or whatever it was.

They moved out of my way, and I grinned and tried to take a step, but I paused mid-stride at the sight of two cats sitting there out of the blue.

“Um.”

“Mawe?” they said together.

“Oh, goodness. Minx. Let the girl through!”

“MewMew!” Elsa popped out of nowhere, landing right in front of my foot and running over to the two identical cats.

I was literally speechless, unsure what to even say as Elsa poked the nose of the pitch-black one with her nose, purring quietly before she moved to the pure white one.

When she poked the white one, her fur went from orange to neon pink, and then when she went back to the black one, her fur regained its orange and gold tint.

It seemed like a game to her as she went back and forth.

“Sorry.” I reached down to scoop Elsa up and moved around the two cats to enter the elevator.

“We’re sorry as well. Minx. Let’s go,” the girl encouraged.

“Mawe.” The two cats walked forward as a ding from the elevator warned me that the doors were about to close.

I locked eyes with the girl that I’d bumped into, wondering what nationality or ethnicity had produced someone so gorgeous. She must have been a model or something, but the power she emitted made me wonder what school she was from.

Maybe she’s foreign.

The doors finally came to a close, descending and stopping at the ninth floor. When they opened, there was Jax with Luna.

“Why do you look so shocked?” Jax asked as he entered, a bit of worry in his voice.

“I saw a really pretty girl,” I noted. “And she had a twin. I think. There was a third girl too, but she had a weird vibe. Oh, and a cat. Twin cats.”

“Hmm.” Jax leaned over to press the ground-floor button and moved to stand in front of me. He kissed me softly and pressed his forehead against mine.

“Did you start reading a fairy tale book or something?”

I pouted my lips and rolled my eyes.

“I did not. The people I saw didn’t magically pop out of a book.”

Maybe it’s not important.

“I doubt they were students from here. It was just a weird encounter.”

Jax frowned. “Do you want me to check them out?”

“Nah.” I shook my head and lowered Elsa to the ground so she could play with Luna. “They weren’t doing anything harmful. Just one of those random things. We won’t see them again.”

“Okay.” Jax smiled and kissed me again. “I’ll take you to cheer practice before I go get some work done. If I have some spare time, I’ll start reading the familiar book and take notes.”

“You’re the best.” I grinned and pecked his lips.

“I love you.”

“Now you’re being too affectionate,” I teased.

He laughed and pulled me into his arms, kissing my neck before sucking it. “Hey! We’re in the…hehe…that tickles, Jax!”

“Feel my affectionate love!”

“Hehehe! Stop, silly,” I said, laughing.

We didn’t achieve our objective and I had several odd encounters, but I was grateful for the people in my life.

THREATENED ENVY

“I‘m exhausted,” I declared and sighed as I lifted my cheer bag to my shoulder. Pulling the hair tie out of my hair, I let my long locks fall, running my hands through them in an attempt to manage the fizziness.

With all the drills and magic we’d done before my library time with Jax, plus cheer practice afterward, my hair was clearly done with keeping it together.

“You look really tired,” Kaito commented as he slipped his sword onto his back. “Let’s drive home today. No point in spell traveling when you’re not feeling your best.”

“I guess.” I sighed. “I don’t know. I kinda feel anxious.”

“Why?” Kaito questioned, walking over to me and taking my hand. We walked out of the council room and I used my free hand to place the special magical lock on it.

We began walking down the quiet hall before I answered. “I’m not sure. Today was wonderful, and nothing crazy happened, but I just feel anxious. Like something’s going to happen.”

“Hmm.” Kaito squeezed my hand, but then he stopped, forcing me to pause mid-stride. I looked back at him, noticing his eyes were shifting various colors, like a little galaxy existed in those irises of his.

“Kaito?” I asked nervously, but he remained completely still for a full minute before he grimaced and blinked his eyes.

“Son of an ass.”

“Well, that’s not good,” I commented, trying to lighten the already sinking mood. If Kaito was swearing, that meant I wasn’t off with my senses. “What’s wrong?”

“We have to get to the police station.”

“Why?” I immediately thought about Starlight and Katsume, but Kaito read my expression and shook his head. “Not our sisters. This is about you.”

“What about me?”

“Guess who’s back from leave?”

“Ugh.” My heavy groan made my head hurt. “Please don’t tell me.”

“I won’t, but you already figured it out.”

“Why are we going there?”

“Well, either we go there and confront him, or he’ll come here and try to embarrass you by arresting you.”

“I didn’t do anything,” I immediately argued. “He can’t arrest me.”

“With a fake warrant he can.” Kaito bit his lip and pulled out his phone.

“Who are you calling?”

“Professor Phoenix.”

“I should call my sister,” I reasoned.

“I don’t think either of our sisters will be able to answer.”

“Why?”

“They’re not in the country,” Kaito revealed. “My sister texted me this morning that she’d be gone for a week on an assignment with her team, which I assume includes your sister and that Sebastian guy. The only other person I can think of is Professor Phoenix.”

“We should go back to the office.” I tugged him along as he dialed Professor Phoenix’s number. It wasn’t until the door closed and I put a quick soundproof shield that she picked up.

“What’s the problem, Kaito?” Professor Phoenix didn’t sound annoyed with the late call, and Kaito put the call on speaker so I could hear clearly as we sat on the couch.

“Sorry, Professor Phoenix,” Kaito apologized. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”

“Not really,” she replied.

“Aww. What a good professor you are.” The low, seductive voice sounded like Miss Electra.

Before either one of us could ask, Professor Phoenix spoke. “Don’t mind Miss Electra. She’s drunk.”

“I’m not drunk!”

“I can’t concentrate when you’re doing that,” Professor Phoenix grumbled.

“Aww, Aurora. Hang up the phone and play with me!”

“Go away,” Professor Phoenix said with zero emotion.

“No. I wanna stay.”

“Then let me finish,” Professor Phoenix muttered. “Then we’ll play.”

“Yeah!”

Kaito and I exchanged a look, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know what she meant by ‘play.’

“Um…we can call back?” Kaito suggested.

“No, it’s fine. What’s the matter?” Professor Phoenix replied.

“I had a vision that Mr. Waters is going to stomp into school tomorrow to arrest Brianne. He’s going to have a paper which I can only assume is a warrant, but Bri hasn’t done anything wrong, so I don’t think it will be legitimate. I think his intention is to—”

“Embarrass her,” Professor Phoenix finished and sighed. “Are you planning to go to the police station?”

“Yes, but we’re worried,” Kaito said.

“As you should be, since he could pretend that he doesn’t know what is going on and try to blame you guys for falsely accusing him.” She was quiet for a long moment until Miss Electra spoke.

“Aurora! I have an idea.”

“What?”

“I won’t give it to you that easily,”

“Why do you like making me suffer again? Right, it turns you on. Don’t bother answering.”

“You’re no fun.”

“I’ll be fun when I’m drunk. You have an idea?”

“I have a connection who can help, and she has just enough crazy to scare Mister I’m-So-Powerful-Police-Chief. It’ll cost a bit, though. She’ll have to travel pretty fast, and I think she’s on a date with her girlfriend.”

Girlfriend?

Professor Phoenix was quiet.

“Aww, don’t trust me?”

“No, I do trust you.” Her voice was super quiet. “However, define crazy.”

“Hmm. She’s not that bad. Psychotic without her regular meds, but she’s working on it!”

“That gives me no sense of relief, but fine.” Professor Phoenix sighed. “I’m not in the mood to go back out tonight.”

“The struggle of being a Witchling Professor. It’s okay, I’ll massage your feet.”

“Please don’t,” Professor Phoenix groaned. “Last time you did that, you broke my ankle.”

“It was an accident.”

“Sure.”

We were silent and Professor Phoenix cleared her throat.

“Head to the police station. Someone will be there to aid you. If anything goes wrong, call me. I’ll keep my phone on.”

“Thank you, Professor Phoenix,” we said in unison.

“Thank you as well, Miss Electra,” I added.

“Aww, your students are so sweet. Let me have them!”

“Keep yours.”

“They’re playing agent. I’m bored.”

“I’m not here to entertain you.”

“But you’re the apple of my eye,” she sang.

“Stop flirting with me,” Professor Phoenix sighed.

“Never! You promised to play.”

“Yeah, yeah. Get the handcuffs, I don’t care.”

“Whee!”

“Um…” Kaito’s face was burning red, just like mine. “We…could hang up, right?”

“Aww, do they want to listen in?!” Miss Electra sounded far away. “Aurora! We should Facetime and show them the pink room!”

“Let’s leave sex education for another night,” Professor Phoenix said. “Yes, you can hang up, Kaito. Be careful and remember your rights. Same to you, Brianne.”

“Yes, Professor Phoenix,” we replied. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

“‘Night, darlings!” Miss Electra called out before Kaito hung up.

We were both silent before I finally mumbled, “I have to admit, Professor Phoenix and Miss Electra being a thing is kinda hot.”

Kaito looked at me, arching an eyebrow at my comment as I shrugged. “What? They’re both gorgeous, mature witches. Imagine if they were actually a couple? Though I thought Professor Phoenix was dating three people already?”

“That’s the rumor, but it never specified that they were all males,” Kaito noted.

“Right.” I rose up and offered my hand to him. “We better get this over with. If someone’s going to be helping us, they’re probably getting there faster than we are.”

“Let’s still drive,” Kaito encouraged. “Save our energy if things go downhill.”

“Don’t we love a downhill moment?” I exaggerated, but was secretly hoping we’d be okay. Kaito took my hand and rose up, only for his eyes to glaze again.

“Kaito?”

He wasn’t in the state for long, but as he quickly recovered by blinking his eyes and shaking his head, I noticed his growing smile.

“Please tell me you saw good news.”

“I did.” He grinned. “Whoever this connection is, she’s totally crazy.”

“Great…” I groaned. “Please Mother Universe, help us.”

That was all I could hope for as we left the student council office.

“BRIANNE. DON’T BE NERVOUS,” Kaito whispered into my ear as we waited for the officer to walk us over to Chief Waters’s office.

“I know. I did nothing wrong…but I’m scared. What if he tries to use this against me for the trial? He has to be doing this out of spite. Or maybe Elisha is the one ordering him to do this. Or the Shadow people. Who knows?”

He hugged me and placed a kiss to my temple. I sighed at the touch, relaxing in his hold as I tried to rein in my nerves.

“We’ll be fine. I have confidence in that. You believe in me, right?”

“Yes,” I whispered, hugging him back.

He pulled back to give me a smile before kissing me lightly on the lips. “Be confident in your innocence.”

We shared a look as he let go of me. Then he grew serious and I followed his lead, just in time for the officer to come back to where we were standing in a waiting area.

“Follow me,” he said, looking as though he hated this job. Kaito took my hand, tugging me along as we made our way past cubicles until we were right at his office.

With a knock, the officer opened the door and I locked eyes on Mr. Waters. He was a plump, balding man with short brown hair. He looked unkempt, which I could only assume was due to his family’s current circumstances.

His desk was full of papers, some scattered wildly over the wooden surface while others were stacked in files that surpassed our height. He was already frowning at our arrival, but when our gazes met, his grimace deepened.

He definitely wasn’t expecting us.

“Well, well, well! I’m so happy that my clients could make it. You know it’s very difficult to change plans as a Witchling student.”

The familiar high-pitched voice had my eyes widening. The pink-haired woman from the elevator was sitting in the office. She looked completely different in her magenta suit that was outlined with black trim. Her dress shirt was a silky black, while her tie was magenta with black stripes.

Her hair was up in two ponytails, a la Harley Quinn, and her makeup was flawless.

Her legs were crossed and a pair of black glasses with pink studs on the side rested on top of her head.

“Why are these two in my office?” Mr. Waters practically snarled.

“Oh. Did I not state the names of those I’m representing? How careless of me.” She laughed maniacally, before gracefully moving her hand to flick in our direction.

“Brianne Marie Harlow and Kaito Mogami. Brianne is my main client, of course, but due to the situation and her cooperation with coming here at the last minute to discuss this issue, she asked if Kaito could come along. You did say you’d be perfectly fine with my clients joining us for this conversation.”

Mr. Waters looked like he wanted to argue but held his tongue as he signaled for the officer to leave.

After the door closed, we stood there. The woman clapped her hands and gestured for us to sit in the two available chairs.

“Please, Ms. Harlow and Mr. Mogami. Have a seat. If you don’t recall from our last encounter, my name is Lisette Cross. I’m not supposed to be around these parts at this time of the year, especially since your trial was scheduled to happen two years after the registered incident. I shouldn’t be here for another year, but you know how it is.”

I had no clue how she knew this, but if this woman was indeed connected to Professor Phoenix and Miss Electra, who knew how much she knew about us or this whole fiasco.

We got seated before Mr. Waters got right to the point.

“I don’t know who reported that I would falsely accuse Ms. Harlow of an act she didn’t commit. However, the only possibility that comes to mind is that Ms. Harlow is guilty of doing something that is about to come to our attention. That, or someone wants to cause more drama.”

He wasn’t even going to acknowledge that he could be at fault for this ‘leak,’ and that pissed me off. Kaito reached for my hand and squeezed it tightly, reminding me to keep quiet. I knew how this whole thing worked, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was hiding some recording device somewhere.

“Those are possibilities.” Lisette bobbed her head from side to side. “However, neither of them seems remotely probable.”

She giggled as Mr. Waters seethed with anger, but when he tried to speak back, there was a knock on the door.

It opened up, and instead of the officer I was expecting, a tall, slender man in a black suit stood there. His jet-black hair was tied back with a black ribbon.

He wore pure white gloves, which was peculiar since it wasn’t cold outside, and his eyes were a shocking turquoise that contrasted with all the black.

“Ah, Ceil. So glad you could join us,” Lisette greeted.

“Who allowed you in here?” Mr. Waters snapped.

“I did.” He said it so casually, and yet with a mysterious depth that felt like we were compelled to keep quiet. Guess it worked on Mr. Waters, because he had nothing else to say as Ceil walked in, closed the door, and moved to stand next to Kaito.

“I had asked for Ceil to be on standby, in case Mr. Mogami did arrive. As you know, clients in situations like this are entitled to have a lawyer present to represent them. Regardless of whether Kaito is a part of the case or not, he is allowed to have a lawyer on standby. Ms. Mogami, the agent from Witching Star Agency, requested that her brother have representation if a situation like this, in which power and rights have been abused, occurred.”

How she knew about Katsume was beyond me, leaving me to wonder if she knew about my sister.

“Abusing power and rights?” Mr. Waters laughed. “You’re making empty threats.”

“Is that so?” Lisette blinked innocently. “Did I attach your name to my statement?” She looked over at us. “Did I include Mr. Waters’s name in what I described?”

“No,” we replied.

She grinned and looked back at Mr. Waters.

“Then perhaps you are hearing things, Mr. Waters. It’s very dangerous to try and gaslight a situation into your favor, don’t you think?”

Mr. Waters rose from his seat, slamming his hands on the table.

“That is enough. This is my office and I didn’t summon these two children here! That woman could very well be a criminal threat to me and my family after she paralyzed my daughter and now wants to sentence her to life in prison! Just because her whole family is in the legal system, she thinks she can abuse her power. Now you’re attempting to accuse me of…what, exactly? Framing her?”

The room went silent until Lisette began to giggle. She clapped her hands twice, and I noticed the high-voltage, magic barriers that shot up along all four walls and then covered the ceiling and floor.

We’re boxed in.

“Ah, this feels way better than that musky, sweaty scent,” she commented.

“What are you doing?!” he demanded.

“Getting comfortable.” Lisette grinned before her eyes darkened until I was shivering in my seat. “Why don’t we have a woman-to-man talk?”

Her voice was suddenly deadpan as the room became icy cold with energy. Mr. Waters could clearly feel it, his body trembling as he involuntarily sat down.

Lisette stood, making her way around the desk while her arms were crossed over her chest.

Ceil remained where he was, but his aura was dark and dangerous-looking.

Who are these people?

“The only reason you’re alive after thinking you have the right to yell at me is because of this upcoming trial. If not for that, I would have banished you to the depths of hell and locked your disgusting soul in a burning prison that would torment you for all eternity.”

She paused to sit on the corner of the desk, her eerie smile returning as she looked back at Mr. Waters.

“In my little box, the five recording devices you have not-so-secretly hidden around the room won’t work. You already know you fucked up with losing your cool, basically making the evidence inadmissible, especially if you’re attempting to use it against my client, Ms. Harlow. But two can play the game, and I have recorded this entire meeting.”

Her sickening grin only widened, showing her gleaming white teeth.

“I have so much shit on you that you and your ‘victim’ of a daughter would be locked up in a prison so far away you’d wish you’d turned yourself in. This whole station should be brought down considering the deceit, lies, and fake shit you throw to the public while you hide the truth. Instead of your officers saving lives, you manipulate broken victims until they submit to you in whatever way you ask. You walk around this place like a king, carrying a list of deceitful actions that put you in a deeper hole. What happened to justice? To doing good for the sake of the people?”

Ceil moved then, walking over to the other side of the desk and slipping off one of his gloves. My eyes locked onto the purple magic circle on the back of his hand.

With a snap of his fingers, a sword appeared out of nowhere, its sharp point right against Mr. Waters’s throat.

He stayed completely still, cold sweat dripping down his face.

“Whatever plot you were devising against Ms. Harlow ends here. Ceil has gathered all your so-called evidence, including that warrant you fabricated so you could disgrace her tomorrow. I hate bullies. I really despise grown-ass men who pick on the youth, especially powerful young women who can make a difference in the world. Filthy men like you abuse their power and try to force women into complete submission. If you think I’ll allow you to do that to her, you have really underestimated how crazy I can become.”

She leaned in closer until she was an inch from his ear.

“If you dare to plot against Ms. Harlow or her boyfriends again, I will come all the way from my universe and kill you myself in the most vicious way possible. You’d feel every slice against your skin, and when your heartbeat was on the verge of stopping, I’d heal you back up and do it all over again. That cycle of pain would continue for as many years as I desired. Your death would be in my hands and trust me, I’d make sure you wished for the Angel of Death. Sadly enough, he’d never come for your rotten soul.”

She slid off the desk, just as the sword in Ceil’s hand shot back into his palm like it had come from there. He slipped his glove back on and returned to Kaito’s side while Lisette walked back to her seat and sat down.

“Stand up and put your hands on the table,” she coldly ordered.

Mr. Waters did exactly what she said, his body trembling as his skin grew pale.

Lisette clapped her hands twice, and the protective walls shattered and vanished.

She grinned happily as she declared, “I’m sorry you feel that way, Mr. Waters, but I’m sure you’ve reviewed Ms. Harlow’s record since the incident and found that it’s clean. Isn’t that right?”

“Yes. I’m terribly sorry for wasting your time. It looks like I misread a name in one of my files. I’ll correct the mistake immediately.”

“Excellent!” Lisette stood and Ciel opened the door. “We shall take our leave. If you have any other concerns, feel free to contact me. I’m normally not in the country, so in an emergency, don’t hesitate to contact Miss Electra from the Magic Council. She’ll be able to reach me with no problem.”

Mr. Waters’s eyes widened at the mention of the Magic Council, but we didn’t want to stay any longer as we all headed out the door.

We made it outside and to Kaito’s car before I finally let out the breath I’d been holding.

“That was intense,” I whispered, feeling mentally exhausted.

“You did good, Brianne.” Kaito hugged me comfortingly. “You kept your cool.”

“Very good!” Lisette cheered and clapped her hands. “That was so fun.”

“Um.” I looked over to her. “You’re the same woman I saw in the library.”

“Indeed.” She bobbed her head. “I would have brought my girlfriend, but when duty calls I usually vanish and do my own thing and come back when she’s sleeping. The perfect way to hide a double life.”

“Isn’t that bad?” I noted.

“Of course.” She shrugged. “However, my girlfriend deals with a lot on her own. She doesn’t need my bullshit added to it, though she’s pretty understanding. When the time is right, I’ll tell her about how I became a lawyer in ten minutes. I’m pretty proud of myself.”

“You’re not a real lawyer?” Kaito questioned.

“Nope. Like I have the time to spend years studying when I can read the damn book in under a minute. Imagine the amount of money spent on law school. That could feed homeless people and stop world hunger. Instead, it’s wasted on a bunch of books and it ends up taking law students years to finally make enough to pay it all back. Being a Tracker is more fun.”

“Tracker?” I inquired.

“Ah, I said too much.” She giggled and pulled out a card from her pocket. “If you ever need us or just wanna hang, this is my card. You have to give us a head’s up because we live pretty far away from these parts. Like really, really far. Also, try to call during the library’s hours.”

“The Witchling Grand Library hours, you mean?” I inquired. “I think its 24/7 unless it’s summertime or renovations are happening.”

“Even better!” She beamed before taking a step back and doing a little curtsey. “It was a pleasure to represent you, Brianne Marie Harlow. I’ll make sure I remember your name for next time.”

“Um…thank you so much.” I wasn’t sure how all of this had happened, but I was relieved we’d avoided another catastrophe.

“Lisette.” Ceil leaned over to whisper something into her ear. It was far too low to pick up, but Lisette giggled.

“Aww. That’s so sweet of you Ceil!” She looked our way once more. “Be careful.”

We both stared at her as she turned around with Ceil.

“Sometimes what glitters isn’t gold. Same as what is perceived to be real isn’t. Don’t fall for the illusion that’s presented to you in the near future, or you’ll regret the people you hurt along the way.”

She began to walk away, and as she got further, she waved her hand in the air.

“See you one day!”

With a blink, they were both gone, pink static sparking where they’d stood a second ago. We remained silent for a long time before a raindrop fell from the sky and hit my nose.

“We better get inside,” Kaito whispered.

He sounded just as lost in disbelief as I felt. He reached for my hand and squeezed it.

“Yeah,” I replied, squeezing his hand back. “That was a little crazy.”

“Think the others would believe what happened?”

“Probably, but that doesn’t mean it won’t sound insane,” I noted.

“Feels like our life is sometimes a rollercoaster of insane.”

“Agreed,” I replied. “Let’s go home.”

Elisha is definitely behind this. Threatened envy…

WITCHLING GAMES OF TESTED HOPE

~SIX WEEKS LATER~

“FINALIZE your leader and enter your designated simulation center.”

The repeated announcement made me nervous as I glanced at the others, noticing their confusion.

“So we’re actually having an exam and not a Witchling Games?” I confirmed.

“I heard from the first bunch that went in that they didn’t want to make this Witchling Games public due to the mental component,” Connor whispered.

“Mental component?” Finnick questioned. “Are they zapping our brains or something?”

“Not sure.” Connor frowned. “Kaito? Can you see anything?”

“Nope. My foresight hasn’t been working at all in regard to the Games.”

“They must have put up a block so no one could predict what would happen. It is technically an exam,” Jax reasoned.

“This is going to be interesting.” Connor sighed but stood taller. “We’ve prepared for this throughout the semester. We’ll be fine.”

“No familiars,” I mumbled, noticing the small print on the sign just above our simulation room.

The others followed my gaze, and I could feel Fuwa hopping up and down my shoulder.

“FU!” He didn’t seem too impressed by the sign.

That’s a first.

“Guess you gotta stay behind, Luna,” Jax announced, looking down at his cat, who was sitting quietly with Elsa.

“Meow.” She and Elsa both looked disappointed.

“Sorry, Elsa. We won’t be long.” I crouched down to pat her head.

“MewMew.” She purred and rubbed her head against my hand.

I rose back up, offering my hand to Fuwa, who hopped onto it. His body was all puffed up in anger, which only made him look cuter.

“Don’t be mad, Fuwa. We’ll be quick, okay?”

“Fufufufufufu.” He didn’t seem pleased at all but allowed me to lower him next to Elsa, who wrapped her little tail around him in comfort.

I grinned and rose up to join the others.

“Guess we should get this over with.”

They nodded, and we made our way to the entrance.

“Is Jax going to be lead or Brianne?” Finnick inquired.

Jax and I exchanged a look, and I shrugged. “Jax can lead. He’s president, after all.”

“I feel so honored,” he playfully replied. Reaching for my hand, he gave me his spare hair tie, putting it on my wrist.

“Aww, is this a good luck charm?”

“I don’t know. Kaito told me earlier you’d need a hair tie.”

“Because Brianne always forgets to put her hair up during her exams,” Kaito reasoned.

I laughed but was grateful for the little gift. “Thanks, Kaito, for your concern, and thank you, Jax, for bringing one along.”

Jax grinned and wrapped his hand around mine, squeezing it gently. I thought he seemed nervous, but he was hiding it well with his serious expression, even though there was a bit of a tremble in his hand.

“Ready?”

“Definitely,” I replied.

“Let’s go eat donuts after this,” Finnick encouraged.

“Now you’re just making us hungry.” Kaito sighed.

“Donuts and karaoke,” Connor suggested.

“That actually sounds fun.” I giggled and looked back at the three of them. “Be safe for me.”

They nodded and with a final look at Jax, we opened the door and entered the pitch-black room.

When the door closed, Jax let go of my hand.

“You think they would put the lights on,” I mumbled to the others, but no one replied. “Guys?” I looked back and reached out for Jax, but nothing was there.

I fought not to panic as my mind went into survival mode. I closed my eyes, lifted my arms to the sides, and concentrated.

“ELA LIGHTANDO NA FREE!”

I clapped my hands, shooting the spell out in a strong wave, and lighting up the entire room. I was indeed alone, but when I glanced down to my attire, I was no longer in my uniform.

A beautiful golden dress with twinkling stars was draped on my body. The front of the strapless dress was short while the back hem formed a train. My hair was down in curls, and I wore various bracelets with moon and star symbols. My feet were in golden heels, the same twinkling star designs on the exterior, but even with their height, they were comfortable enough for me to run in.

The outfit was a mystery, but I knew it was time for me to stop focusing on my attire and start searching for the rest of my team.

I walked into the empty white room, only for my surroundings to change into a castle hallway. I had to pause just to absorb the sudden change, a little shocked at how smooth the transition was.

The castle seemed newly renovated but still carried an ancient air. I wasn’t sure how to explain it, other than it felt like the present, but there was a sense of déjà vu from my past.

“No familiars allowed. Rubbish.”

I frowned at the deep voice, and looked over my shoulder to see a tall man in golden armor. He had orange hair with golden strands and purple-black eyes that seemed to twinkle with magic against his lightly tanned skin.

“Who are you?” I asked as I did a double-take at his appearance.

I don’t know this person, do I? Why is his hair like mine?

“Nobody,” he coldly replied, walking toward me. He stopped right before me, looking angry, though I didn’t think the emotion was directed at me.

“You’ve walked into a silly game,” he declared.

“This is the Witchling Games.”

“It is, but it comes with a price and I don’t think you’ll make it in time to save the one you love dearly.”

I frowned at his words, unsure who was in danger.

“Jax?”

“They didn’t expect you to choose him as leader.” The man’s frown deepened as he reached for my hand. We began to run, moving faster and faster until things began to blur.

“Where are we going?”

“To save your destined mate before he’s murdered!” he snapped back at me.

I refrained from asking any more questions, the revelation that Jax was now in danger making me want to push harder.

We slowed down and suddenly turned left, then right, then left again. It felt like we were in a hedge maze, zigging and zagging before running straight and then turning yet again.

This mysterious man was helping me, but I didn’t understand why. I couldn’t possibly pay him, nor was it his responsibility. However, with Jax’s life at risk, I couldn’t worry about that now. I did worry about my other boyfriends, though.

“What about the others?” I exclaimed as we continued to sprint. “Where are they?”

“Being tested just like you. Connor should be just fine. You and Finnick are who I worry about.”

“How do you know our names? Also, Finnick and me. Why us, specifically?”

We began to slow, entering another corridor before we stopped in front of a set of large doors. The man let go of my hand and looked into my eyes.

“Both of you handle loss poorly.”

I arched an eyebrow at him, but he put his hands on my shoulders.

“Remember who you once were. Recall the memories you shared long ago. Follow the pages written by your own hands, and do not forget the precious child who waits for your safe return when the Games are done.”

He wasn’t making a bit of sense, and he then hugged me with so much love, I felt even more lost.

“Who…are you?”

He pulled back and for the first time since our meeting, the anger faded, and his loving eyes bored into mine. It wasn’t romantic.

It was compassion, as if he’d once taken care of me when I was little.

“You’ve always been strong, and your thread is already beginning to cross with the other chosen ones. Don’t let the darkness lead you astray.”

With a kiss to the top of my head, he spun us around and pushed me into the room. The doors closed, and I watched as his body began to fade into purple and black glitter.

Before I could register what had happened, music began to play from behind me.

I turned around to see the room was actually a ballroom, and people in masquerade masks waltzed to live classical music.

I scanned the room frantically, unsure where to go. I bit my lip and noticed how narrow my vision was, only to lift my hand to my face and realize I, too, was wearing a mask.

I took a few steps forward, still uncertain, and then my eyes locked onto a pair of ocean teal ones from across the room.

“Finnick!” I stressed his name, and his face bloomed with relief when he registered who I was. I took two steps forward and my body was jerked to a halt as though I were a marionette and someone had yanked my strings.

“Eek!” I began to dance around the room uncontrollably. My eyes sought Finnick’s and from what I could see of his expression around his green and blue mask, he was experiencing the same phenomenon.

After five solid minutes of changing partners with these random people, individuals wearing ballgowns and masks and displaying no emotions, Finnick and I came crashing together.

He placed his hands on my waist while I was forced to put my hands on his shoulders, the two of us slowing as the pace of the music decreased.

“What the hell is going on?” Finnick breathed. “I’ve never…danced like that. I can’t move my body on my own.”

“Me…neither. I met some guy who helped me get here! They have Jax!”

“Who has Jax?”

“I don’t know! Whoever is in control of this exam or games or whatever thought you guys would choose me as leader, not Jax! The guy I met said he wasn’t worried about Connor but had concerns about you and me,” I rushed. “Something about us not handling loss well.”

Finnick frowned at the news. “What about Kaito then?”

“I’m not sure.” I gave him a worried gaze. “What’s the objective of this place? People said it was a mental game, but what are we supposed to do to finish the Games?”

“I have no clue.” Finnick looked frustrated. “We’re on a clock, but what’s the purpose of this dance? It’s like we’re puppets.”

“Puppets,” I repeated the single word. “What if someone tampered with our exam? What if the plan was that I would be the leader who was taken and killed in front of Jax to trigger the burning of Witchling Academy?”

It would have worked perfectly, except I wasn’t the leader.

“It’s reversed.”

I looked up to Finnick, who continued, “They wanted to kill you, but Jax became leader… They’re going to kill Jax.”

“But that makes no sense! His shadow flames were what wreaked havoc on Witchling Academy back then. If he dies, that defeats what they’re trying to repeat!”

“Brianne.” Finnick looked me dead in the eye. “The darkness doesn’t just reside in Jax.”

His eyes reflected his growing worry as he whispered, “The mountain. My dad’s death. What if whoever caused that wanted us to lose it? For me to kill everyone on the mountain with my winds out of grief. Then the darkness took over you unexpectedly. What if that’s no different than the darkness that resides in Jax that he has to make sure is kept under control? What if your past life never showed the signs because you’d never been that weak or experienced the immense loss to trigger it? You were drained to the point that the darkness could easily take over. They don’t need Jax, Brianne. He’s just bait…just like—“

“Kaito.” My eyes flooded with fear. “They have Jax and Kaito! The man I met said Connor would be okay, meaning they don’t think of him as a threat and would just stash him to the side until it’s too late. I have a deep connection with Jax, just as you have one with Kaito.”

“But I love you too,” Finnick reasoned.

“Our love for one another isn’t a factor in this.” I paused as my mind frantically put the pieces together, trying to use my imagination to envision exactly what the Shadow people could be thinking.

My magic helped the last parts fit together, and it finally made sense.

“They’re going to kill Jax and Kaito. We’ll be too late because we’re dancing here when we should already be where they are right this instant. They’ll perish unexpectedly and it will be blamed as a miscalculation during the Witchling Games…” My magic buzzed stronger through me, my eyes stinging as it all seemed to play out in my mind. But the heavy words of that mysterious man pulsed through my head.

“Remember who you once were. Recall the memories you shared long ago. Follow the pages written by your own hands, and do not forget the precious child who waits for your safe return when the Games are done.”

“I need to do a spell!”

“Now?”

“Now! But you have to trust me and promise that whatever happens this moment forward, you will not let the darkness consume you. Regardless of the sadness, the heartache, whatever they throw at us. Promise me, Finnick!”

The strings began to tug on us, fighting to separate us as the song began to reach its final bars. We clung onto each other like our lives depended on it, as Finnick struggled to agree.

“Please, Finnick,” I whispered, my hair beginning to flutter with magic, charging up for the moment he solemnly swore not to let the darkness consume him.

“I promise that no matter what happens from this moment forward, my magic will not react with dark, vengeful intentions.” His vow was even more perfect than I could have thought of.

“I promise that no matter what happens from this moment forward, I will not fall into the depths of the darkness! AL RA RUK LE NA RA VU LIGHTANDA LA FREE!”

My magic burst out of me, just as Finnick’s hair began to glow and the wind started to spin around us. A gold magic circle with hints of orange appeared beneath us, just as the strings pulled harder to tear us apart.

I focused solely on the spell, and even when my body jolted back, a second later my hands were in Finnick’s as he gritted his teeth and held me with every bit of strength.

“Complete the spell!”

I nodded, pushing as much magic as I could into sealing the spell. The wind grew stronger, lifting us up as we held each other’s hands. I was already slipping away, the porcelain dancers spinning wildly in the mini tornado happening around us.

With a loud boom like a clap of a hand, the spell finished just as my hand slipped out of Finnick’s.

“Brianne!”

“Finnick!” I screamed as I was pulled out of the room and into a dark hallway, everything blurring until I crashed into a pool of frigid water.

I rushed to the surface and gasped for air, my teeth chattering as I quickly scanned the fountain I’d somehow fallen into. Getting out, I coughed and shivered before I noticed the papers scattered on the cement floor of what reminded me of the Witchling Academy grounds.

I reached for the paper, picking it up to read the large words.

“Wanted: Brianne Marie Harlow for the…murder of Jax Morgan?!” I immediately reached for the next paper and the next, but they were all the same wanted poster with my picture on it.

“This is a lie!” I screamed as if someone would hear me. Even with how frozen I felt, I scrambled up to a standing position before I began to walk forward.

“I…need to find the others, and Professor Phoenix. They can prove my innocence. This can’t be real. This is a diversion. They want me to submit to the darkness. I won’t. I won’t. I won’t!”

My legs began to drag as my body got colder and colder, and I wished for the warmth of a fire to keep me from freezing entirely. It was like we were on the mountain where Professor Rosedale died and not on the grounds of Witchling Academy.

I turned the corner, and my eyes caught onto a hair tie. A red one that reminded me of Jax’s.

I picked it up and stared at it. “This is Jax’s hair tie.” With the vast number of students on campus, it could theoretically belong to anyone, but this was the Witchling Games and we were the only ones in this room.

Then I noticed a red arrow on the floor a few steps before me. I walked over to it, ready to pick it up when I noticed another one.

Then another, and another.

My eyes lifted to see Finnick’s disbelieving face from many steps away. He was holding an arrow, but his eyes were locked onto something in the center of the room.

I followed his gaze, and my heart came to a dramatic stop.

We’re too late…

I moved on unsteady legs until I was running, just like Finnick.

We dropped to the ground, but with one glance, I knew the truth.

“J-Jax.” My voice was barely a whisper as my shaky hands hovered over the hundreds of red arrows that were deeply embedded in my Jax.

My eyes filled with tears as I moved my gaze to his face, seeing his wide gold eyes that were now absent of life. I moved my gaze over to see the same fate had struck Kaito, the two of them holding hands during their last seconds of life.

Finnick was as speechless as I, his skin as pale as a ghost’s. I felt like I was suffocating, but I closed my eyes and shook my head.

“W…we can fix this,” I tried to reason. “I know we can.”

“Brianne.” Finnick hung his head low, tears running down his cheeks. “This…is hard.”

He lifted his head, his eyes swarming with darkness as it fought to consume him. Dark magic incantation appeared on his skin, but I reached out and tugged him forward, just so I could kiss him harshly.

“Listen to me, Finnick!” My heart was racing, my mind going full speed to figure a way out. “This is what they want! They want us to succumb to the darkness.”

“They took Kaito. They took Jax. What makes you think they won’t take you next?” The fear in his eyes told he was on the verge of a full-on breakdown.

“They can’t take me away.” I shook my head. “Don’t you get it? They want us to succumb to the darkness and work together. They know Jax and I never allow each other to succumb to the darkness, and that’s why they aimed to take one of us out. If it was me, Jax would have fought it. I know with confidence he would have fought back. Their plans changed because Jax was leader. They could have killed just Jax. Why kill Kaito as well?”

“Because they want me to lose it,” he whispered, his tears running down his cheeks. “But…but…we can’t fix this. The papers…they had WANTED on them, like posters with my picture. They said I killed Kaito. I didn’t.”

“I know, Finnick. You’re innocent. Mine said I killed Jax. This can’t be real. This isn’t our reality.” I closed my eyes and fought the cold that was desperate to take over me.

“B-Bri…your skin.”

I opened my eyes to see the same dark tattoos that had formed on Finnick begin their descent down my arms. I bit my lip and looked back at him. I could already see the hopelessness settling in his eyes, but I knew better.

I saw a better future.

“We can change this. I just need a moment.”

“Bri?! Finnick?!” Connor’s voice came from my left and I looked to see him racing toward us. It was only when his eyes registered on the bodies between us that he tripped. He quickly recovered, but then he took in the scene and our bodies that were beginning to shift to black.

I expected him to turn away and run, but determination morphed on his face as he rushed to where we were on the bloody floor.

He struggled to speak when his eyes focused on Kaito and Jax, his gaze lingering on Jax for a few extra seconds before they locked onto mine.

“Neither of you did this.” He stated it as fact.

“It was a trap.” I was crying without realizing it, but I tried to keep strong, or at least believe I was. “I…have an idea, but…I’m not sure if Finnick and I will be able to move much longer.”

The freezing cold within my body was making even breathing difficult, and I knew we didn’t have long.

Connor must have felt the urgent emotion fluttering out of me because he quickly nodded. “What do I need to do?”

“Hold my hand and Finnick’s,” I encouraged. “What I’m about to do will land us in a ballroom. Make sure Finnick and I aren’t separated. When we arrive, I need you to make the strongest protective bubble you’ve ever created. Put as much magic into it as possible. Whatever happens after that, you keep that bubble going, understand?”

He nodded, and I looked at Finnick, who was giving me an odd look.

“What did you do?”

“I told you to trust me.” I gave him a weak smile and concentrated. I squeezed Connor’s hand tightly, focusing on whatever magic I could tug out of my cold state.

A ticking noise began to grow louder and louder, like a ringing in my ears, but then the world began to spin swiftly until I felt like we were moving.

“Brianne!” Connor gasped as my eyes opened to see we were back in the ballroom, dancing uncontrollably at the moment I’d cast the spell. Our skin still had spots of black, but Finnick was with me, his hands in mine as were being pulled by the invisible strings.

Finnick realized what I’d done, and I nodded quickly before holding him as tightly as I could. “Summon as much wind as you can to keep us right here!”

He nodded just as Connor wrapped his hands along my left wrist and Finnick’s right one. “I’ve got both of you.”

I closed my eyes, knowing they would make sure we remained together as I called for my mimicry gift, searching for Jax’s energy. I locked onto it, watching Jax and Kaito race across the darkened streets of Witchling Academy. They crashed into an invisible wall and searched wildly for the source. Jax tugged the tie out of his hair that began to blaze wildly with fire, while Kaito summoned a sword out of the sweat droplets on his face.

They rushed in different directions, the hair tie falling to the ground, but I knew where they would be in seconds, and that was exactly where I tugged with Kaito’s gift.

Our bodies felt like they were pulled in all directions, and then with a zap, we landed, Finnick and I dropping to the floor.

“Brianne?!” Jax shouted.

“Finnick!” Kaito called out.

They were by our sides in a second, alive and breathing heavily, but I looked up to Connor as he spread his arms to the sky.

“BUBBLA LO PORTA PROTECTANDO!”

A bubble made of water expanded around us before it began to crystallize into solid ice. Jax looked at Connor in confusion, as did Kaito, but that was when the first arrow hit the ice globe, followed by others until it was raining red arrows and all we could do was watch.

My eyes began to close, the cold that was fighting to take control creeping through my body in waves. I fell over to the side, and even when voices tried to reach me, I struggled to keep conscious.

Can’t lose. Can’t…let the darkness take over.

I kept repeating it over and over again, but it was becoming an impossible task. It was just far too cold, to the point that my very heart struggled to beat.

“BROTHER? Why doesn’t Sister visit anymore?”

“She’s on a really important mission, Marianna.”

“What mission?”

“It’s something to protect you when it’s your time to go down and help.”

“Why do we have to go help?”

“Well, when we’re up here, we’re learning and growing and filling our minds with knowledge and magic, but it’s in preparation for us to descend and help those who may not believe in us.”

“Why don’t they believe?”

“Life likes to throw challenges at them. Some lose faith because of it. We go down to help them realize that with faith, magic, and the Universe’s protection, you can find your purpose and not rely on or succumb to the darkness.”

“What happens when you rely on the darkness?”

“The darkness gives you temporary happiness. It gives you power beyond belief. It makes you strong and mighty and grants almost every wish. It can’t do everything, like bring back a loved one or replace those who have left, but it can fulfill desires that many impatiently wait for.”

“Then…why is it bad?”

“Because it’s only temporary. Once the darkness has let you enjoy what you asked for, you have to return the favor, and that usually involves hurting innocent people before you’re taken into the darkness itself and forever stuck in its claws.”

“That’s scary!”

“I know. That’s why your sister is going down to protect you.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be there when the time is right. Until then, fate will connect you with those who can bring light into your heart if you struggle.”

“I’ll never struggle with the light!”

“Haha. Sure, Marianna, but tell the Universe to send someone to help you if you’re unable to get rid of the darkness yourself.”

“Okay! Mother Universe and all the gods that rule our higher world, please protect me from the darkness if I can’t protect myself. Bring a friend who can save me from it! I’ll be their friend in return and, um…we’ll eat cookies!”

“Good work, Marianna. C’mon. Let’s go find Jaxsin. You said you were having a tea party with him and your dolls.”

“Yes!”

THE MEMORY BEGAN to fade as my subconsciousness fought the clawing darkness. I didn’t want to submit to it. I needed help like the memory explained.

Please…Mother Universe. The gods. Someone…anyone…help me.

The spark of warmth flickered from afar, and though my eyes were closed, it felt like I was looking deep into a black oasis with a single light in the shape of the moon. It grew bigger and bigger, shining more and more light as if it was now the sun and warming me up.

My entire subconscious was engulfed in light until sounds rushed at me.

“A bit more!” a girl screamed.

“Almost!” Jax shouted.

My eyes opened just slightly, witnessing the spinning cyclone of golden fire that swirled up to the dusky sky. My vision was already beginning to fade as my heavy eyelids closed, but there was the man floating in the middle of the swirling circle of flaming light.

He had large white wings, and his golden armor and orange hair both glowed. The grin on his face was priceless, like we’d achieved victory, and a wave of calm ran through me as my eyes came to a close.

Rest easy, sister. You have conquered the darkness once again.

TWO DESTINED STRINGS INTERTWINE

“Fufu!”

“Ow! Fuwa. If you bite me one more time!” Starlight snapped.

“Fufufufufu!”

“And I thought Jax was possessive,” Mia concluded.

“Hey! I’m not possessive,” Jax argued.

“Guys! I think Bri’s waking up!” Miya squealed.

My eyes began to open, bright light entering my line of vision before Fuwa interrupted it.

“FUFU!” he cheered and began rubbing his body against my nose and eyes, forcing me to close them for the sake of not getting fur in my eyeballs.

“Fuwa. You’re making it impossible for her to see,” Jax said with a sigh.

“So, we’re going to make a rule that says familiars will always be allowed in exams, right? ‘Cause I don’t want to deal with jumbo Fuwa again.”

Jumbo Fuwa?

Fuwa hopped from my face, giving me a chance to open my eyes once more. I was in a hospital bed and Starlight, Jax, Miya, Mia, and both my parents were present.

They looked absolutely relieved at my awakening; my mother rushed over to wrap her arms around me

“Oh, Brianne. We thought we’d lost you!” she cried.

“Mom, you’re being overdramatic. This is why we never tell you when Brianne gets hurt until after she can walk and breathe normally,” Starlight groaned.

“Now, Starlight, that isn’t true,” Father noted, walking to the other side to add to the hugging. “We’re so glad you’re awake, sweetheart.”

“You do realize you never cared when I got hurt back in the day,” Starlight mumbled.

“The past is the past.” Father brushed it off.

“Mom,” Starlight complained.

“Honey. Be nicer to Starlight. She’s right, we do worry a little too much when it comes to Brianne,” Mother noted.

“She’s the youngest child, of course we do,” Father reasoned.

I mumbled something incoherent, which had my parents off of me and Jax helping me sit up a little so I could sip on some water from a pink straw.

I blinked a few times, feeling utterly exhausted.

“What happened?”

“You passed the Witchling Games!” Mia and Miya cheered.

“Um…sure.” I honestly didn’t care about that. I wanted to know what happened after Connor protected us with the ice dome.

“Where are the others?” I asked instead.

“Finnick’s recovering. Kaito and Connor are with him. They couldn’t find a room big enough for us all to fit so they had to separate us, though it’s a bit crowded in here,” Jax explained, running his hands through my long hair before he quickly kissed me. “Welcome back, Brianne.”

“I didn’t go anywhere.” I frowned, remembering his death in the exam. “You’re alive.”

“Thanks to you, our Notorious Spell Traveling Queen,” Jax soothed and kissed me once again.

“Aww. Look how affectionate they are,” Mia and Miya sweetly pointed out.

“Why are you two here again?” Starlight asked.

“Hey! We’re her best friends. We’re allowed to be present!”

“Ah, we should head back before the office closes. We have to submit the signed papers,” Mother announced.

“What signed papers?” Starlight asked my parents. “What have you two been hiding? I just landed from my mission and rushed over here cause they said Bri and Finnick were hurt during their exam and you guys were already here. The administration said neither of you were even called.”

“So intrusive,” Father observed.

Jax and I looked over to Starlight to see her cross her arms over her chest and widen her stance. That was the clear ‘tell me or hell will break loose’ position. When she lost it, even hazelnut creamer wouldn’t save my parents.

I had to admit, they were acting a little fishy, and my sister had long ago let the whole administration know not to call my parents until after I was in stable condition or they would go crazy. They were acting a little too calm.

“Fine, fine, but don’t freak out. We were going to tell you,” Father said, but his last sentence wasn’t sitting well with me.

Jax was frowning as well, and he scooped my hand into his as we waited for my parents to spill whatever they were hiding.

The door opened then, and a woman with long orange and gold hair took two steps and stopped when her eyes locked onto mine.

The girl from the library!

The similarities between us were oddly familiar, except that her skin was more tanned and she was currently wearing purple lipstick that didn’t make her brown eyes pop as much. She was wearing a purple tank and a dark amber skirt that was accented in orange and red.

In one hand, she carried a book that looked extremely ancient, while the other held the black wolf who began to happily pant.

“WOOF!” It soared out of her hands, running straight for me until Fuwa crashed into it, the two of them falling right off the bed.

“Oh, no!” the girl shrieked.

“Fuwa!” I croaked, but then there were two glowing poofs, one gold and the other orange.

“How dare you tackle me, you weird being of fluff!”

We all gawked at the tiny girl who was posed with her fists on her hips and glaring at the other mini person. I turned my attention to the little miniature boy.

He was wearing an odd outfit, one that reminded me of traditional Japanese attire. It kinda reminded me of a cross between a yukata and a fancy robe, the black fabric printed with gold, orange, red, and hints of pink. The boy’s hair was pink with orange and gold strands, making him look like Finnick and I had had a baby.

“My Mistress! For me and Princess Elsa! You can’t take her away from me!”

“I was saying hello! She helped me find my mistress in the library!”

“I don’t care! She’s mine now. Just because your Mistress saved her doesn’t mean shit!”

“You can’t swear! You’re a familiar!” she argued.

“Shit! Shit! Shit!” he countered.

“Well. Double shit!”

“Triple shit!”

“Quadruple shit!”

“So many shits it outdoes your shit!”

“Not in my lifetime! Die!” she declared.

“No, you die!” he countered.

There was a big poof and Aon appeared, holding the two up as they wiggled in an effort to punch one another.

None of us said a word until our parents cleared their throats.

“Uh. Starlight, Brianne. This is Alice H. Blaze. We better just tell it like it is, so uh, the H in Alice’s name stands for Harlow and Blaze is not actually her real name. So, um…congrats. You have an unknown sister!”

All of us stared at them before Alice blinked and then widened her eyes.

“Wait, what?!!!” she shrieked. “What do you mean I’m not a Blaze? I thought you said the whole adoption thing was temporary so I could enroll in school?!”

“Uh…” Father looked at Mother, who shyly grinned.

“Your mother who went missing is actually my twin sister. Since she couldn’t have children of her own, I offered to let her raise you because you and Brianne are twins. In order to keep both of you alive I was only allowed to register one child, which ended up being Brianne.”

The silence was nothing compared to how fast my heart was racing.

I…have another sister? No, wait. I’M A TWIN?!

No one spoke until Alice turned right around, took three steps, and face-planted on the floor.

“Mistress!” the little girl screamed.

“Uh-oh,” Mia and Miya commented. “That…was unexpected.”

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” Starlight screamed as if she’d finally caught onto what was happening.

All I could do was slowly look to Jax as he met my nervous gaze.

“Um. Do you just wanna go back to sleep now or should we just go elsewhere?”

“Hmm.” I looked back at the scene and turned back to him. “Yeah. Let’s just go to the other room and pretend this never happened.”

“Mistress! You can’t leave me!” the little boy squealed.

Aon sighed. “Looks like this is going to be an annoying mess to fix.”

“At least they passed!” Mia and Miya cheered.

“I think that’s the least of their problems!” Starlight screamed. “Mom! Dad! We’re having an emergency family meeting right now!”

“Oh, look over there.” Father pointed behind Starlight. “Limited edition hazelnut whipped cream.”

“What?!” Starlight looked over her shoulder, and when we all looked back, our parents had vanished.

“Oh, the world is ending today!”

“What’s going on?” Katsume was at the doorway, looking at Alice on the floor.

Before anyone could explain, Starlight grabbed Aon, who dropped the two children and was gone in a flash.

“Oh, no.” Katsume gave us a worried look. “Did someone drop a bomb on her?”

“On us, yeah.”

“Um…” Katsume looked at us, then Alice, who was being helped up by Mia and Miya, and then at the two fighting familiars.

“This…hmm. I feel as though you guys could have ended this semester on a less chaotic note,” she concluded. “Well, guess I better help break these two apart. Aww, this one is a wolf familiar. Who’s this little guy?!”

“Go away, FU!” the guy declared before zapping Katsume.

“EEP!”

Kaito and Connor rushed into the room, watching the madness as Katsume fell to the ground, looking as though she was trying to recover from the electric zap.

They didn’t even say a word as they looked at the familiars, then Alice, and then back to us.

“Can we just spell travel to the future?” I wondered, actually considering it as a yawn escaped me.

“I’m actually tempted,” Jax sighed.

“Semester Seven, here we come,” I weakly cheered before I fell right back asleep.

Two destined strings begin to intertwine.

TO BE CONTINUED.

JUN 12TH, 2020

https://books2read.com/WITCHLINGACADEMY7

Here’s a sneak peek of BLAZING ACADEMY, coming out this MAR 7TH, 2020!

https://books2read.com/BLAZINGACADEMY

BLURB:

When the element of fire burns within your veins, the academy for all things scorching is the best place to learn how to make that flame burn even hotter.

Alice Blaze is my name, and I’m not exactly your typical sixteen-year-old. My mom disappeared after my birth and my dad was an alcoholic maniac, so I was raised by my protective grandparents in the single house up the hill. The one people only come to visit on Halloween.

Because, yeah, apparently, our house is haunted. Naturally.

As an orphan living in a spooky house, it’s no surprise that my life has been…eventful. I’ve been inadvertently causing trouble since I was little and it always ends up with something combusting into flames. You know, lighting up the curtains, exploding vials in lab class. And don’t get me started with the accidental school fire. Need I say more?

The flames really hit the fan when I’m accused of shattering all the windows in the entire school. Of course, that doesn’t make sense because it has nothing to do with my burning nemesis. But it doesn’t matter. Expulsion is imminent and my grandparents are fed up with my constant transfers.

But then something amazing happens: a letter of invitation lands right onto our doorstep. Or window.

I’m invited to Blazing Academy, the school for all things — and people — that are scorching hot. Shifters, demons, and blazing hot witches…oh, right. I almost left that part out. According to the school, that’s what I am. A blazing hot witch.

Let’s hope that’s all I am, and that this first semester goes a whole lot smoother than I’m imagining. Otherwise my whole life might just go up in smoke.

CHAPTER ONE: SWEET SIXTEEN

“Alice! You’re going to be late for school!”

I turned over to hug one of my multiple pillows that crowded around the head of my bed. Even with two fans on and my window half open, I was still far too hot.

It simply wasn’t bothering me because I was half asleep, but I was glad I only wore underwear to sleep because clothes were a no-no in this weather.

It was September, and I was baffled that it was still so hot. I always ran a little warm, even in the most chill days in winter, but it always left me wishing my grandparents would invest in an air conditioner.

Yes, our old, “haunted” building of a house needed a few renovations, but we were living in the time and age where we could afford a portable AC.

My grandma always gave the excuse that my room was in the attic and the hose connector to release the air pressure and water or whatever wouldn’t reach the ground. It was all excuses to me.

Fans did barely anything up here. It did a bloody good job circulating the hot air, but to actually cool me off? I might as well eat ice cream every hour of the day.

Today was the third day of me going to another school that was forced to accept me. I always got a few brow raises when I’d acknowledge that I’d transferred from school twenty-something. I’d lost count, but from what I remembered, I was at school twenty-five before I made my lab vial combust.

Seriously, it was an accident.

People thought I was a witch. Or a red-haired, possessed female who looked like she was a part of a cult instead of a student trying to get her high school diploma.

My name was Alice Blaze, and I had a running streak of getting kicked out of every school I’d been allowed entry in.

It started in daycare and lead to grade school, and now, high school. It wasn’t my fault, or at least, that’s what I was told to say each time I “fucked up.” See, there was something about the element of fire that hated me.

It had to be a past life vendetta or curse I had to my name because when fire was involved, I was signing off another transfer form and moving to the next school a few days later.

Lighters, fireplaces, even plain olden day matches. The spark of a flame matched with how I was currently feeling that day and either ended up with something burning to crisp or catching on fire and summoning the entire fire department to our school grounds.

Sometimes, I could be in the happiest mood, and the flames will be all playful and try and burn the classroom down for fun.

Due to constant fire mishaps, whenever I enrolled in a new school, the fire department was on speed dial. That was one fact that the students always found out about before the common ‘Blazing Alice’ nickname came to be.

How I wished to just be homeschooled. At least no one would have to deal with the fire mishaps I apparently created or stalk me all the way home to see the tall castle on the top of the hill.

Our house was literally the only one on the hill, and it gave you haunted house vibes. Totally spooky, painted in all black, and our garden and front lot were covered in thick trees and a few vines.

I wished they were nice and tall, the perfect wall of nature to shield us from the city’s ridicule. The school that was thirty minutes from my house by bike was the only one that was willing to accept and tolerate all the trouble I caused.

The principal was best friends with my grandparents and was doing us this favor. It was nice of her, but I wasn’t interested in the pity acceptance.

If I could be homeschooled, life would have been far easier. No more problems, no students bothering me, and it would be easier to study because no one would interrupt me.

The one problem with all of my schools was that I was an easy target to pick on. I was the tallest out of the females, standing at 5′9″. I loved wearing heels or anything to bring me up to 6′0″, but that merely got more attention.

Adding my small waist, wider hips, tanned skin, and extremely red hair, I was the sore spot in a bland hallway, and among my peers, I was the “weird” one.

I never asked to be this way, but I embraced it. My grandparents taught me early to love myself for who I was, and I’d thrived with that.

Would have been nice to have contact lenses strong enough to last a day of school, but beggars can’t be choosers.

The most distinct attribute regarding my appearance was my red eyes. People thought they were contacts and that I wore them to grab attention. No one ever believed me when I said they were real and that I wasn’t the Devil’s daughter.

I’d gotten used to it by now, and even with knowing they were real, I lied and said they were contacts to avoid being called a trouble maker AND a liar.

A girl could carry only so many labels.

“Alice! Don’t make me come up there!” Grandma called from the second floor.

Snuggling my pillow tightly, I wondered if I ignored her long enough, she’d let me skip school today.

Today was my birthday after all. Did I really need to go to school?

My sweet sixteen was here, but I didn’t feel any different. No one was going to treat me a little nicer because it was the day I was born, and I surely wasn’t expecting a happy birthday either.

Blazing Alice didn’t have friends, because she was too dangerous to be around. That’s what people liked to spread around the school, no matter how long I lasted before being kicked out.

If only I could be one of those girls who had a group of friends who cared about these milestones. To have someone sing happy birthday and present me with a cupcake with a candle on top.

With my fire problem, we weren’t allowed to have candles in the classroom, but just for once, it would have been nice to experience it with good company.

“Woof?”

Something nudged my nose, and I poked an eye open to see the tiny black wolf. I hoped it was a wolf, but it very well could have been a husky breed puppy.

This little guy had been wandering through our thick trees when I came home from my first day of school. It was stuck in a patch of vines, and though I wasn’t one to feel sympathy for wildlife, this mini wolf was far too adorable to ignore.

The plan was to get her out and let her be free to find her pack, but she ended up following me into my haunted house, and I basically couldn’t get rid of her.

My grandparents tried and failed miserably. Thus, the reason why this cute puppy wolf thing was now chilling in my bed in a last attempt to wake me up.

“Woof!”

“I should call you Wolfie,” I mumbled, and closed my eyes.

“Woof!” The light nudge to my nose, followed by the little licks, made me grin.

“Be lucky you’re cute,” I muttered but lifted my hand to ruffle her fur. She kept licking my face and it wasn’t until her tail smacked my cheek, then I sat up.

“‘Nope. Not being wolf farted on today. Your farts can kill,” I groaned.

Hearing the creaky ladder steps, I groaned and lifted my blanket to cover my breasts. Soon enough, my grandma was at the entrance of the attic.

“Aren’t you too old to be climbing ladders?” I whined.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m fifty-four, Alice. That’s not old.”

“Old to you guys is when you need a knee replacement, which I researched was seventy-five from the new statistics. However, I think it’s when you have grey hair, which you do,” I acknowledged.

She gave me a scowl and I merely shrugged. “You said you always want me to say the truth. I’m stating facts.”

“Go get ready for school.”

“Do I have to?” I whined. “Can’t I skip today? Pretty please?”

“Even if it’s your birthday, you need an education. I promised the principal that unless you were super sick, you wouldn’t skip school. What I will do is drive you to school,” she offered.

“That makes me sad. No thanks.” I frowned and looked at wolf pup who crawled onto my lap.

“Woof!”

“Did you give her a name?”

“No.” I sighed. “Call her Cyrus. Reminds me of a girl version of Cerberus,” I suggested.

“Woof Woof!”

“Really?” My grandma gave me one of her common ‘I can’t believe your logic’ looks. I gave her a nod. “She likes it! Plus, she could be a demon from hell here to make sure I’m not lonely.”

Grandma shook her head. “I’m making breakfast. Get in the shower,” she stated, and before I could protest, headed back down the ladder.

With a pout of my lips, I mumbled, “Not fair. She didn’t even say Happy Birthday.”

Deciding to get up, I petted Cyrus and picked her up from the bed. Lowering her to the floor, she ran around by my feet as I sat up and stretched.

After a minute of sitting almost naked on my bed, I got up and walked over to my desk chair that my uniform was resting on. I would have been worried about how wrinkled it was, but I couldn’t care less.

I already hated this school and couldn’t wait for something to go awry. It would be the best gift a girl like me could ask for. Maybe that would convince my grandparents to let me be homeschooled.

If Dad wasn’t a recovering alcoholic getting rehab, he could have given permission for me to be homeschooled.

My Dad was an interesting character. I sometimes wondered if he was really crazy, but basically, my grandparents hated him. They were my grandparents from my Mother’s side, and the only thing they had to say about my Dad was what an irresponsible adult he was. I’d never gotten the chance to meet my Dad’s parents.

Dad has been fighting with alcohol addiction for years. It hadn’t been like that when he married my mom, but when she left after carrying me to full term, it left a hole in my Dad’s heart.

Even after sixteen years, he still missed my Mom. He wouldn’t admit it to anyone but me, and it pained me that there was nothing I could do to help him. He was in my life when I was younger, but I was mainly in my grandparents’ care.

I got to visit him once in a while, but that slowly changed when his addiction got worse. He went from drinking two bottles of alcohol a day to a whole case, and when he’d get violent, my grandparents deemed him incapable of raising me.

It was only a matter of time.

The one thing I’m sure lead to my Dad drinking more was how similar I looked to my Mom. From the few pictures I carried of her, I was her mini-me and now that I was growing far too fast, I looked almost identical to her now.

With heels, we’d be at the same height, though my figure was just a little curvier than hers. My red locks were a shade brighter, but my eyes were identical, along with my lightly tanned skin.

I had no clue what my mother’s background was, but my Dad was Caucasian. Whatever the combo was, it gave me a light tan mix and made it difficult for people to figure out if I was white or native.

My cultural background wasn’t a big deal to me. It didn’t deny who I was or give me some urge to learn where I came from.

All I wanted was to fit in at school. To learn more about myself and my studies. Not deal with the daily drama and teasing over me being far too accident prone.

If I could even call it that.

Regardless of my questionable ethnicity, I hadn’t seen Dad in a while. He tried to show up during holidays, and at least text me once in a blue moon when he remembered he had a daughter, but the distance had really taken a stab at our Father-Daughter bond.

I didn’t blame my grandparents for doing what they did, and even with the multiple school mishaps, they still took care of me and were willing to do the walk of shame to the principal’s office every time I got in trouble.

They loved me, yes, but it would have been nice to have both my parents here to raise me rather than them.

If my mom was around, maybe she’d be able to figure out what was wrong with me.

Heading to the bathroom, I took a nice cool shower to wake me up. After that, I brushed my teeth and did a quick makeup look. I wasn’t super into makeup but enjoyed a bit of a smoky eye look and red lipstick.

If my uniform could have some red to match my hair, eyes, lips, and red heels, that would make the black and white uniform less dull in comparison to my pop of color.

Leaving my lipstick for last, I gathered my single notebook, pencil case, phone, and the latest spells and fashion magazine from my wooden desk and placed it all into my red backpack.

I wasn’t one to make notes or even study for long, which left me being called a smart ass. Another quality I’d taken from my mom, who was apparently a genius. I’m talking one-hundred percent, straight A-plus student genius.

My dad was more athletic, which was perfect for me since I took that trait from him and was the fastest runner at any school I attended during track season.

That reminded me of the time I’d been at one school for most of the training period for track and field, only to transfer to the opposite school they were facing in the league championships.

Did my new school use that as an advantage? Of course. Top runner and league champion for the school’s first official win. Ah, the few good times where students my age actually praised and acknowledged my existence.

I moved onto the next school during summer break and never got a chance to make some good friends that I thought were interesting. That’s why I just stopped trying.

It was disappointing to try and get along with people and then have to become long-distance friends. Those relationships barely lasted that long. No one around here was going to input that much effort into a friendship with the new transfer student.

Putting my bag on my shoulder and looking around my room, I nodded once and glanced down to Cyrus, who was sitting on my foot.

She loved doing that, which was her way of saying ‘take me downstairs for food please’. Having her for three days had brightened my life just a little bit.

My grandparents may have forgotten my birthday, but the spots of love Cyrus showed me were enough to make me happy.

Leaning down, I picked her up with ease and made it down the ladder. Heading downstairs, I noticed that grandpa’s brown leather coat was gone as were his matching shoes; both items usually rested against the wall near the door.

“Where’s Grandpa?” I asked when I entered the kitchen. “Did he go fishing again?”

“Yes, he did,” Grandma replied.

“But it’s September,” I reasoned. “There are barely any fish in the lakes by now.”

“Doesn’t stop him. You know that,” she replied and lowered the plate of pancakes on the dining table. “Don’t take too long to eat, I have an important meeting to go to.”

“Morning bingo isn’t important,” I noted but headed to my spot at the table.

“It is when I can win money,” Grandma countered.

“Would that money go to fixing the house?” I suggested.

“The house is in perfect condition,” she argued.

“Uh huh. I think you forgot about the hole in the roof that I patched up with a metal plate from the basement. I’m sure that came from a broken appliance somewhere in the house. Then add the fact that only my toilet works properly, and the water is cold again,” I explained some of the many faults in our old house.

Lowering Cyrus to the floor, she ran to her filled bowls of water and food and began to eat. Pulling out my hair, I hooked my backpack on one side and sat down.

Picking up my fork and knife, I dug right in as Grandma answered.

“Someone will come in this week to check that out, as well as the other things that need to get fixed.”

“Why can’t we just move somewhere else? This house makes it seem like we’re dirt poor. It’s like the Addam’s family home. No wonder why I get made fun of all the time.”

“Who’s bullying you? This is a new school. It’s the perfect fresh start, Alice.”

“Fresh start of the new girl with the red hair, eyes, and heels. Alright,” I commented with the least bit of amusement.

“Alice,” Grandma said with a serious tone. “I won’t hesitate to go to the school and find out.”

“It’s fine, Grandma. I can handle it,” I vouched. “Don’t need you bringing your cane around trying to hit the hot dudes.”

“I would do no such thing,” she huffed. “And my cane is only for when I’m tired.”

“Alright,” I replied and focused on my breakfast.

Once I was finished, I pushed my plate to the side to do my usual morning text message check. Turning my body to open my backpack and retrieve my phone, I turned back to see the plate with a red velvet slice of cake and a single candle that was actually lit up.

Glancing over to Grandma who had somehow placed the plate there without me noticing, I smiled back at her gleaming expression and she whispered, “Happy sweet sixteen, Alice.”

“Grandma.” I looked at her with teary eyes. “I thought you forgot!’

“I couldn’t forget the day you were born, Alice. I know we don’t do much in terms of celebrations, but this is extra special. Your grandpa is actually in town reserving a nice restaurant for us to have dinner tonight. The three of us. It’ll be a nice, luxurious dinner with some bomb dessert.”

I snickered at her attempt to use our current age “lingo”. “Thanks, Grandma!”

Glancing back down at the candle, I worried about the flame that was already growing in size. “Uh. Can I blow it out now before the whole house catches on fire?”

“Make a wish before you do,” Grandma urged.

I wanted to huff, but I decided to go along with it. She did get my favorite flavor of cake. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath.

Please let me find a school that accepts me. Not these academies that hate every unique thing about me. Most importantly, let me find some friends. Just one friend…

Letting the air out in a stream of air, the rather large flame took a bit of blowing to put out. It finally did, but I did notice Grandma holding the fire extinguisher as back-up.

That made me giggle. “That would be pretty funny to have on a card or calendar, Grandma.”

“I’d be rich if I sold photographs of me posing with this fire extinguisher,” she cheered. “But your grandad would never allow it. Got to figure out another career to pursue.”

“Back to the bingo drawing board,” I teased.

“You can win a lot at Bingo!” she stressed.

“You haven’t won in how many years? Ten? Twenty? I swear you’ve been on a losing streak since I was born,” I emphasized.

“I’m working on it.” She blushed at my statement, knowing well it was true. “Finish your cake or you’re leaving it behind.”

“I can’t leave this beauty behind!” I exclaimed. “It gotta be in my belly first.”

Staring at the cake, I took a quick picture and looked to Grandma as she picked the other plate that I’d discarded to the side.

“I can wash it.”

“Nonsense. It’s your birthday. You get a bit of special treatment today.” Grandma winked. Staring at her with loving eyes, I whispered, “Thank you, Grandma. For putting up with everything.”

She met my gaze and had a smile of her own. “Only two more years and you won’t need to deal with school anymore, alright?”

Giving her a bob of my head in reply, I looked back at the cake and sliced a piece with my fork.

She’s right. Soon I’ll graduate and can find a place willing to accept me. Hopefully they don’t play with fire.

THE TRACKER HIVE ACADEMY - OUT NOW

https://books2read.com/TRACKERHIVEACADEMY

SUPERNATURAL SPY ACADEMY - OUT NOW:

https://books2read.com/SSS1

FAE ROSE ACADEMY- PREORDER

https://books2read.com/FAEROSEACADEMY

ABOUT AVERY SONG

Avery Song is a reverse harem author who specializes in paranormal, fantasy, and urban romance.

She especially loves writing strong main characters and is excited for all the books that are approaching.

~Books by Avery Song~

THE SUPERNATURAL SPY ACADEMY SERIES:

S.S.S YEAR ONE

S.S.S YEAR TWO

S.S.S YEAR THREE

S.S.S YEAR FOUR

S.S.S FIVE (May.29.2020)

SPELL TRAVELER CHRONICLES

Witchling Academy- Semester One

Witchling Academy- Semester Two

Witchling Academy- Semester Three

Witchling Academy- Semester Four

Witchling Academy- Semester Five

Witchling Academy- Semester Six

Witchling Academy- Semester Seven (Jun.12.2020)

Witchling Academy- Semester Eight (Oct.23.2020)

JADE STORM TRACKER SERIES

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester One

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Two

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Three (Feb 28th 2020)

The Tracker Hive Academy- Semester Four (June 5th 2020)

BLAZING ACADEMY

Semester One (Mar 7th, 2020)

COWRITTEN WORKS:

SUPERNATURAL CAPTIVITY SERIES

Supernatural Inmate

Supernatural Outlaw (May.2220)

Supernatural Villain (Oct.9.2020)

SUPERNATURAL MARKED MONARCHY

Psychic Prison - Book One (Mar.13.2020)

DESTINED IMRISONEN TRILOGY

Arrested By Magic (Apr.10.2020)

FOR THE FAEIRY ABSOLUTES

Celestial Prison (May.8.2020)

FOR THE PURELY DIVINE SERIES

Fae Rose Academy - Year One (Feb.21.2020)

WILLA SILVER ACADEMY INVESTIGATOR

Daggers and Smoke - Year One (Mar.6.2020)

THE SUPERNATURAL VAMPIRE FAE CHRONICLES

Bloody Rosary Academy (May.1.2020)