ELENA GRAY KELLI MCCRACKEN
by Magic © copyright 2019 Elena Gray and Kelli McCracken
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This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Cover Art by Sherry Soule with SwoonWorthy Book Covers
Created with Vellum
Destroyed
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
About the Authors
CONTENTS
Isat on the chair in the middle of my room, too weak to move and too afraid to stop the spell I had cast. The energy surrounding me was like a vortex waiting to suck me in and obliterate every inch of my body. I clung to my amethyst and quartz crystals, allowing their power to hold me together while I performed the tracking spell. Sparks of light flared around me, changing from icy blue to lilac to gold. Heat encompassed me, and the power I needed filled me from head to toe.
Closing my eyes, I used my mind to project my soul into the Pararealm. I had tried this same spell last night to find my other friend, Natasha. I’d searched for her until my eyes could no longer stay open.
With only a few hours of sleep in between spells, I was now trying to find Rose. It couldn’t be a coincidence that both of my friends weren’t returning my calls. I knew in my gut that something was wrong. If this spell didn’t work, I wasn’t sure anything would, and that scared me. The inability to locate a witch often meant that witch was deceased. I couldn’t stand the thought of my friends dying.
I refused to believe it.
Energy swam past me as different supernaturals filtered through the Pararealm. Each class had its own type of color. Fluid, red lines meant vampires. Midnight-blue streaks represented the wolf shifters. Mages were purple orbs. Faeries were green sparkles. Dragon
shifters were orange flames. And gargoyles, like my guardians, were curvy gray lines.
Witches were unique. Those born to the moon were beautiful streaks of silver. Sun witches, like Rose and me, were sparks of gold. It was the gold sparks I searched for the hardest. With it being winter, a witch’s energy didn’t sparkle as much as it did in the spring and summer.
When I finally found a few sun witches, disappointment filled me when I realized none were Rose. I tightened my grip around my crystals and concentrated harder, sifting through the colors, sensing the energy of each golden streak I found.
I was about to give up when something tugged at my soul. Focusing on the golden glow in the distance, a familiar life force pulsed from it.
It was from Rose. The spell identified her, my heart confirmed it.
“Anima illuminare,” I whispered.
Just as I cast the spell to illuminate her soul, someone knocked on my door. The handle jiggled a second later, and a lull of voices filtered in from the hallway. Someone had entered my room without permission.
“Samara?”
My body jarred as my soul sprang back into it. I held onto my crystals, unable to say or do anything. It would take me a moment to reabsorb the magic I’d been using.
The curious tone of Emma’s voice shook me. What did she want? We hadn’t spoken in at least a few months. Our last conversation must have been in October when we’d all hung out during the Winter Findings celebration.
Even then, only a few words were exchanged. We weren’t exactly on friendly terms. My lifestyle was not one she approved of. She was all about following the rules. I wasn’t.
Drawing in a deep breath, I tried to bide my time so the power flowing through my veins would stabilize. “Hey, Emma. What’s up?”
“What are you doing?”
By the tone of her voice, she obviously thought I was doing something wrong. She would love nothing more than to catch me
breaking the rules. “Well, I was meditating before you come barging into my room.” I peered over my shoulder and glanced her way. “Is there an emergency?”
Her gaze searched the room before settling back on me. “No. I was just curious if you’d seen Natasha.”
If Emma hadn’t heard from Natasha, something was definitely wrong. Their friendship was just like mine and Rose’s. Now both were missing.
Turning in my chair, I forced my voice to remain steady when I replied, “Not since a few days ago. We were supposed to meet for breakfast yesterday, but she didn’t show.”
A dip formed between Emma’s brows. “Why would Natasha have breakfast with you? She and I normally have breakfast together.”
Why was it so hard to believe that Natasha would want to hang out with me? I didn’t enjoy being questioned by my peers, especially someone like Emma who was so busy kissing the council’s ass, her allegiance to them trumped her loyalty to her friends. She viewed the world as black and white, and she failed to see how much gray surrounded us.
“Trust me, Emma, I’m sure.” I pulled my phone out of my pocket and found my last text from Natasha. I showed Emma the screen. “This is the message she sent me the night before.”
As her eyes scanned the text Natasha sent, her brows furrowed deeper. Then she pulled away. I noticed her mumbling something but couldn’t hear what. I’m sure it was something unpleasant about me.
“If you see Natasha, tell her I need to speak with her,” she snapped.
“Why can’t you do it yourself?”
Emma played with her cell phone case as she looked toward the hallway. “She hasn’t returned my calls, and that’s not like her.”
I wasn’t about to reveal my concerns or suspicions to Emma. I needed to talk to my guardians first. When I told them I feared something had happened to them, they agreed to look for Rose and Natasha. If they didn’t find them, then I would go to the council for help.
“If I see Natasha, I’ll let her know you’re looking for her.”
“Thanks.” Meeting my gaze once more, Emma turned toward the door and the hallway. “I’m off to find Rose and see if she’s heard from her.”
My skin pimpled as a cold chill spread down my spine. “You can’t talk to Rose.”
When Emma pivoted toward me, I cursed myself for saying anything. Now she would ask
“Why not?”
I felt like the proverbial cat with a feather sticking out of its mouth. The lump in my throat wobbled as I swallowed it and thought of the best way to answer. I couldn’t tell her the truth that Rose was missing, too.
“I, uh…I checked on Rose earlier, but she wasn’t in her room. She must already be out for the day.”
It was the best excuse I could muster. I wasn’t sure if it would be enough to pacify Emma’s curiosity, but I felt my tension easing when she nodded. “It makes sense. She’s punctual.”
“Yes, she is.” The words made my stomach knot. Rose’s punctuality was the red flag that had led me to use a tracking spell to find her. I still wasn’t sure if it was her I’d located through the energy field in the Pararealm, but I had hope. Old magic was powerful, and even though I hadn’t cast a full spell, it only took a few words to add some extra zing to anything modern. Our magic wasn’t as powerful as old magic, but it wasn’t as dangerous either.
Or so we’d been told. I still questioned what was true and what wasn’t.
Emma huffed as she held the edge of the door. “Please tell Rose to get in touch. I’d like to know the last time she saw or spoke to Natasha.”
I nodded and crossed my arms over my chest. Emma took two steps toward the hall, drawing the door with her. She was halfway out when she peered at me once more.
“Samara, would you take a piece of advice if I offered it to you?”
Groaning inwardly, I forced a smile for Emma’s benefit. “Good advice is something I always welcome.”
“You need to be careful.”
I waited for her to finish. When she didn’t, confusion spun through me. Was this the only thing she had to say?
“Be careful?”
Emma glanced to the left then the right side of the hallway, as if she was checking to see if anyone was passing or listening. Satisfied with whatever she found, her gaze moved back to me. “Word gets around, especially when you’re a witch who is powerful and reckless. Your behavior is causing distress around the coven. Our sisters are concerned about you.”
Fire filled my face. I wanted to blast her for partaking in the rumor mill, but I had no right. She wasn’t the first person to comment on my carelessness. My guardians had said plenty last night. Even Zander had jumped on the worry train.
The only person who’d said nothing was Draven, and that was because we’d spent little time together lately. He’d been in the Mage Realm taking his trials.
Tucking a lock of hair behind my ear, I lifted my chin and met Emma’s eyes with defiance. “I appreciate your concern, but you don’t have to worry about the coven’s safety or mine. And if I were you, I wouldn’t listen to idle gossip, unless you have a particular problem with me. In that case, I’m all ears.”
I crossed my arms again and jutted my hip as I waited for her to reply. The way she pursed her lips said she had something on her mind, but I saw her struggle to speak. After a brief moment of silence, she shook her head.
“No, Samara. I don’t have a problem with you. As long as you’re following the rules, we have no issue.”
I didn’t miss her dig but I let it slide. In truth, I didn’t have time to argue with her. If I didn’t grab my books and head to class, I’d miss an important lesson in my advanced potions class.
“If that’s the case,” I said, “I guess we’re good. Besides, I need to get going. I don’t want to be late for class and breaktherules.”
My snide remark worked just the way I intended. Emma feigned a smile and turned to leave. She said nothing else. Her arms swung at her sides as she marched down the hallway.
As soon as she was out of sight, I grabbed my Book of Shadows from its hiding spot under my blanket. If I hadn’t hidden it as a precaution, Emma would have known what I was really doing. And she would have run straight to the council to turn me in.
It remained open to the tracking spell I’d found, one my greatgrandmother had used years ago before our ancestors outlawed old magic. No one in the coven knew what type of spells my book contained, and I wasn’t about to allow anyone to figure it out now. It’s why I always made sure to hide the book.
Once I placed it in the secret compartment I’d made in the floor underneath my bed, I whispered a cloaking spell over it, just to be extra safe. At some point, I’d have to figure out a new spell to keep its whereabouts hidden. Considering my one guardian, Jax, was part mage, he could sense any cloaking spell I used.
I grabbed what I needed for class. A glimpse at the clock showed I only had a few more minutes before the bell rang. In order to make it to class on time, I’d have to race across the estate. I wished one of my guardians was around to fly me to the academy building.
As I rushed back toward the door, two of the high priestess’s guards were standing in front of it. Bron, the wolf shifter, and Helix, a dragon shifter. Both backed away as I joined them in the hall and shut the door behind me. When I glanced at them again, both gave me a half bow.
“Miss Haylan,” Helix’s deep voice sounded as he looked at me. “You must come with us.”
“Why?” Curiosity, along with concern, sprang to life. “I will be late for class.”
“Class will have to wait,” Bron added just as he and Helix wrapped their hands around my upper arms. “The high priestess needs to see you.”
Great. I was getting a formal escort to the council. This couldn’t be good.
Ileaned my back against the wall, my attempt at trying to look casual failing miserably. My magic pulsed inside me as I tried to pierce the ward around the council’s chambers. I wished I knew what I was walking into, so I could make up a decent excuse for whatever I was guilty of.
Dampness lined my palms as my heart thumped against my chest. This wasn’t the first time the council had summoned me, but it was the first time they pulled me away from a lesson. Our classes were sacred. To be escorted from one meant I had screwed up royally this time. I released a breath, wishing I could pinpoint which of my offenses would warrant this consult.
The door swung open, causing me to spring away from the wall. A curt voice called out, “You may enter, Miss Haylan.”
Brushing my hair from my face, I stepped into the room. I was surprised to find my guardians standing to the side of the high council table. Their faces resembled the stone of their gargoyle form. It didn’t appear as if I’d get any help from them.
Scanning the high table, I saw there was a mixture of emotions among the council. Some looked bored, others sympathetic, but it was the high priestess, Rayna, that most concerned me. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes flashed brightly.
Uh oh. I was definitely in trouble. This would not be a standard slap on the wrist.
My footsteps echoed as I crossed the marble floor. Each thump was like the sound of a death knell. You would think with our power being connected to the sun, that this room would be warm and inviting. It was quite the opposite. Everything was stark white, the floors, the walls, and even the table. There were no decorations anywhere. The room was meant to exhibit the purity of our leaders. The purity of our kind. It was meant to intimidate—and at this moment it was definitely working.
I looked to my guardians, at their eyes fixed straight ahead, their faces masks of stone. All of them avoided my gaze, except for Slade. He was staring directly at me. If I didn’t know him as well as I did, I would have missed the sympathy in his eyes.
This couldn’t be about Thomas. I knew my guardians wouldn’t betray me, and I was always careful to cover my tracks. I controlled my expression, giving no indication of the fear swirling in my gut. If the council discovered my secret, they could bind me to our realm.
“Miss Haylan, it has been brought to our attention that you have been missing some of your classes. Would you care to explain why?”
I almost released a relieved breath. This was bad but not as bad as getting caught with a human boyfriend.
I shot a glance at Melynn, who hadn’t even attempted to hide her satisfaction. Of course she would be happy. I couldn’t prove it, but I knew she was the reason I hadn’t moved on to the next level of my apprenticeship. I was miles ahead of my classmates and should have advanced early. Yet, somehow, I was stuck moving at the same pace as the rest of my class.
Jealousy didn’t look good on her.
Folding my hands in front of me, I responded, “I apologize, High Priestess. I only missed my lower-level classes.”
The high priestess narrowed her eyes at me. “All of your classes are important. Each one plays an integral part in the evolution of your powers, no matter how minor you might believe they are.”
“I understand. I’ve been up late working on my new spell for my finals. I’ve almost mastered it.” Another white lie. I was up late working on it, but that wasn’t the reason I missed my classes. I was advanced enough in my lessons I could teach most of my classes. It
wasn’t arrogance, it was a fact. I’d excelled at magic since I first came into my powers. This was the reason I needed to move to the next level. My classes weren’t challenging.
The high priestess’s face softened as she leaned forward in her chair. “Samara, I understand that you bear a greater responsibility than the rest of the witches in the coven. It’s a great deal for a girl your age to handle, especially when your peers have more free time to socialize. Be that as it may, we have altered your schedule to accommodate some new courses.”
My lips curved up. Was the council finally acknowledging that I needed to advance to the next level? I opened my mouth to thank them when the high priestess lifted her hand.
“I need your word you will not miss any other classes. You might feel that you know more than your instructors, but magic is everevolving. Not one person on this council can say they know everything, including me. It would be foolish to believe that. This is why we treasure our Book of Shadows and the reason it continues to grow through each generation.”
“I swear by the ancestors I will not miss another class.” There was no way I would take this opportunity for granted. I finally had what I wanted. Well, almost. I still needed to convince the council to abandon some of the old beliefs. It was time for us to slowly integrate with humans.
The high priestess pursed her lips and nodded. “Very well. Since you are fortunate to have a guardian that is half mage, Jax has agreed to tutor you.”
Jax gave no indication of whether he was happy with his new duty as my tutor. Out of all of my guardians, he was the one who hated when I abused my powers. Especially when humans were around.
Aside from the rest of my guardians, I was the only one who knew that Jax had dark magic buried inside. He kept it under control, but at a great expense to himself. If the dark magic ever took over, Jax would be lost. That was the reason he rarely used it. He would be able to teach me, just not by example.
“If you have no further questions, Miss Haylan, you’re excused.”
I felt a slight tremor in my bond coming from Slade. When I glanced at him, his brows drew together, and he gave a slight shake of his head. I didn’t need an exchange of words to know what he was trying to tell me. My guardians hadn’t been able to find a lead on Rose or Natasha. Even though I had come close, I couldn’t leave this room without alerting the council that something could be wrong.
After clearing my throat, I said, “I have a concern I would like to bring to the council.”
There was no way I could tell them that Rose was supposed to meet me in the human realm. They would hold me responsible for taking her with me in the first place. She was a rule follower and I would be blamed for corrupting her, even though she was the one who had begged to go. Traveling to the human realm wasn’t an option for all witches. We were at the academy for a reason—to learn to control our magic. While I had a handle on mine, others weren’t as fortunate, including Rose. One mishap in front of humans would have disastrous consequences. So taking her with me had been a huge risk.
“I believe something may have happened to Rose and Natasha. Rose and I were supposed to study the other night and Natasha and I were supposed to meet for breakfast. Neither showed, and they haven’t returned any of my calls. I checked around the dorms and no one has seen them.”
The council members exchanged surprised glances before finally focusing back on me. A shadow crossed over the high priestess’s face. Had I not been staring at her, I would have missed it. Did she already know that they were missing?
“We are aware that you spend quite a bit of time in the human realm. Which is understandable, given that it’s part of your training. Is there something more that you aren’t telling us? Did something happen to them in the human realm? You have a pass to cross the veil to the human side. Rose and Natasha do not.”
I felt the burn of tears in my eyes. The council blamed me for their disappearances. Which was why I didn’t want them to know that Rose was supposed to meet me at the bar. I couldn’t tell them
about the tracking spell I did earlier or how I felt the pull of her life force. It was nowhere near where we crossed through the veil.
“The last time I saw them was here.”
The high priestess’s hardened gaze studied me as if her glare alone could gauge if I was telling the truth. Who knows, with her powers, maybe she had that ability.
“Thank you for bringing this to our attention, Miss Haylan,” she said. “We will handle this from here. We hope that you keep this to yourself. We don’t want the other girls to panic until we know what we are dealing with.”
I thought for sure Melynn would have something sarcastic to say, especially since I was the last person Rose and Natasha were supposed to meet. When I turned toward her, she wasn’t even looking at me. Her eyes were downcast, and her hands were fisted on the table.
My magic prickled under my skin. Something didn’t feel right to me and my magic agreed. There was more going on here than the council was saying.
“Miss Haylan?” The high priestess’s curt tone snapped my attention back to her. “If there is nothing else, you are dismissed.”
I opened my mouth to say more, but Slade stepped to my side. He gripped my arm then steered me toward the door. I tried to escape his grasp, but his fingers only dug in harder as he pulled me along. Jax, Quinn, and Roark followed.
How could Rayna dismiss me so easily? These were my friends, and I wanted to help find them or at least know what they planned to do.
Under his breath, Jax said, “Not now, Samara. You know the consequences if you disrespect the council.”
My friends were missing, and I was being blamed. The council could go to hell for all I cared.
The council was hiding something from me. I still didn’t know what, but the more their words played in my mind, the more the power inside me stirred. Did they know more about what happened with Natasha and Rose than they were letting on?
Anger spiraled through me at the thought of something happening to my friends. They were two of the most rule-abiding students at the academy, and two of the stronger witches in the coven. For them to vanish with no one knowing what happened to them struck me as odd.
Our energy left a trail. The witches on the high council had the ability and knowledge to locate my friends, but I couldn’t shake this feeling that something was off. Their curious stares and grim faces shook me most. Part of me worried that they’d discovered my secrets and that they had been watching me. After my meeting, I had no doubt. If they found out I’d dabbled in ancient spells… “Samara, are you going to answer my question?” I focused again on Zander. He stood in the doorway of his house, his head cocked to the side as if he was confused. When I didn’t answer him for a second time, he motioned me to enter. I unfolded my arms from my chest and trudged past him, feeling as if I bore the weight of several realms on my shoulders. I guessed in a way, I did.
Once the door closed behind us, I stared at the couch he and I had cuddled on many times during our five-year relationship. I’d love to be curled up with him now, forgetting about everyone and everything. Peace filled me whenever I was in the arms of my wolf shifter.
“What brings you by?” he asked. “I didn’t think we were getting together until later this week?”
“I, uh, don’t know. I just…”
This time when I grew quiet, he smirked at me. “Still acting like a space cadet, I see. Where is your head, girl?”
The weight of my concern for my friends crushed me. My lips trembled. I sucked in a shaky breath just before Zander’s arms went around me. The warmth of his chest caressed my cheek as I snuggled closer.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “Don’t cry, beautiful. It can’t be that bad.”
“It’s worse than you think,” I mumbled the words against his chest, then took a deep breath. My head spun the more I tried to make sense of anything. The unease creeping into my life would only get worse if I pursued an answer, but I owed it to my friends to figure out what happened to them.
Rose and Natasha were my motivation for being here with Zander. They were the reason I was about to break so many rules and why I would ask Zander to do the same. I had to do this, and not for selfish reasons. Everything in me said what happened to my friends wasn’t a one-time occurrence, that it happened before, and it would happen again.
I eased away from Zander’s chest to look in his eyes. “Rose and Natasha are missing. I’m worried something terrible has happened.”
“Seriously?” His eyes grew wider when I nodded. “Damn. I hadn’t heard. I assume the council is searching for them. Right?”
I shrugged. “They say they are, but I don’t know. Something just doesn’t add up. I just left a meeting with the council, and it feels like they’re blaming me for Rose’s and Natasha’s disappearances.”
Zander’s head jerked back and his brows folded. “That’s a bold accusation, Samara. Are you sure they’re accusing you?”
“They haven’t accused me of harming them as much as saying my behavior may have jeopardized my friends.”
“I see.” Zander pursed his lips and shook his head. “How much trouble are you in?”
“I have no idea.”
“Is this because of Thomas?”
“No,” I snapped.
When he winced at my reaction, I took in a few deep breaths and reined in my anger. I wouldn’t take this out on Zander. He was worried about me. Deep down, I knew that was why he’d brought up my human boyfriend.
“I was crossing over to the human realm long before I met Thomas,” I said. “It’s been part of my training.”
“Yeah, but you weren’t involved with a human back then. Now you are. Someone could have followed you, Samara.”
My chest tightened as my anger increased. “Great. So you agree with the council.”
I turned and marched toward the door. I was halfway to it before strong arms wrapped around me.
Zander buried his face against my neck and squeezed me tighter. “I’m sorry, Samara. I never said I agreed with the council, but I see their concerns. Still, it doesn’t mean you caused Rose or Natasha’s disappearances.”
He eased his arms away from me and turned me to face him. His fingertips caused my skin to heat as he stroked my cheek. The moment he cupped my jaw, I pressed my cheek against his palm and did my best to relax.
“You’re not the only supernatural that’s been assigned to learn about the outside world,” he said. “It’s been part of my training too, as it has been with many others. Every supernatural makes a choice on how to interact with people once they step inside the human realm. One person can’t be held responsible.”
“So you don’t blame me?” The tension in my shoulders eased. I should have known that Zander would stand by my side.
“No. They’re trying to scare you so you’ll do the right thing. Your power protects the realms. No human can penetrate the veil without
a supernatural’s assistance.”
He was right, but did I dare tell him the rest? A few months ago, I’d noticed a shift in the veil’s energy field which protected the supernatural realms from the human one. While I didn’t think a human could find any portals, I sensed a weakness in the barrier between our worlds. Old magic could keep it intact, but it was forbidden to practice it. New magic wouldn’t be enough to save us if the veil broke. Neither would I.
Thomas wasn’t my only reason for wanting supernaturals and humans to find peace amongst each other. Granted, I didn’t want to hide my relationship with Thomas from my coven, but I had no choice. I hated lying to him and wished that I could tell him who and what I was. But there was a bigger picture to see. If we made amends with humans and revealed ourselves to them now, we had a better chance of a peaceful transition. If humans learned about us because the veil broke, we’d face greater opposition, led by one motivating factor. Fear.
Breaking our embrace, I turned toward the window and crept toward it. “The council urged me not to pursue this any further. They want me to focus on my studies, but I can’t.”
“What about getting someone to help? Maybe Slade, Roark, or one of your other guardians can search for your friends while you focus on your classes. I’m willing to give them a hand if they need it. There aren’t many trails we wolves can’t track.”
“My guardians are searching, but I can’t sit by and pretend this isn’t happening.” I glanced away from the window, back in his direction. “There’s no way they will allow me to help them. I’m already on their shit list.”
Zander’s brows folded. “What did you do?”
He wouldn’t like my answer, but I couldn’t lie. “I saw Thomas last night, and they busted me.”
Disappointment filled his golden eyes. He’d warned me about meeting up with Thomas and breaking the rules of the Pararealm. It made what I was about to ask him more difficult. Still, I needed someone in my corner, just like Rose and Natasha needed someone in theirs.
“Go ahead, Zander. Tell me how disappointed you are in me. I see it in your eyes.”
“It’s not disappointment you see. It’s concern. This human consort of yours doesn’t even know you’re a witch. You’re risking everything for someone who may not accept who you are.” His gaze lowered to the floor as he slumped his shoulders. “I’ve learned to share you, Samara, but I’m not willing to lose you. If this human can’t accept who you are…”
“There’s more at stake, Zander.” I left the window and joined him near the edge of the sofa. “This isn’t just about my personal feelings toward humans. It’s about creating peace and educating people not to be afraid of what they don’t know. It’s about living in harmony.”
When he grew quiet, I reached for his hands and laced my fingers between his. “Imagine if wolves and witches were not allowed to be together. What if we hadn’t been assigned projects in school to learn about each other? What if we feared each other to the point we hid our existence? It was the war on supernaturals so many centuries ago that united all of us, but what if we were never given a choice?”
The muscles in his jaw clenched as he thought about my words. At least I hoped he was thinking about them. It was the only way I knew to put this in a perspective he could understand.
A few seconds later, he squeezed my hand gently. “I couldn’t imagine living in a world without you, that much I do know. I just hope you’re right about everything else.”
“Trust me. I’ve thought about this all my life. Now I have the opportunity to make a difference.” I closed the small amount of space between us and returned to his arms. “I can’t do this alone, Zander. I need your help.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to ask your guardians for help?”
“I can’t. Their duty is to protect me and the power I control. Right now, they think the best way to do that is to keep me on campus, even if they have to lock me in my room. I have to find my friends, Zander. Wouldn’t you want them to look for me if I was the one missing?”
“Of course I would.” He brushed my cheek with his thumb and looked into my eyes. “You know you have my loyalty, always. I’ll do whatever I can to help, Samara.”
“Even if it means helping me go against the rules? If we’re caught, you could get in trouble with your pack.”
He didn’t bat an eye as he nodded and grabbed both sides of my face. “Had you asked me this five minutes ago, I might have said no. After hearing how you feel…” His throat wobbled as he swallowed. “If you feel there’s a reason to investigate what happened, even if it goes against the rules, I will do whatever it takes to help you.”
I released the breath I’d held then drew in another. His answer relieved my mind. I didn’t doubt he would help me, but it had to be for more reasons than his love for me. It had to be because what I was doing was right.
“What do you need me to do?” he asked.
“I need you to do what you do best. Track people. After using an old family spell, I think I may have found enough of Rose’s energy to get us in the right direction. Hopefully, you’ll find a trail that will lead us to her and Natasha.”
“It sounds easy enough, but how do you plan to do this without your guardians figuring it out—or worse—tipping off the council?”
“Don’t worry about the council. I’ve dodged their prying eyes many times since arriving at the academy. It’s my guardians who aren’t easily fooled.” I raised my arm and touched the witch’s knot tattoo on my wrist. “You know that my connection to my guardians thrives through this tattoo.”
“Yeah. So what’s your plan?”
“I’ll tell you after you promise me one last thing, and this will be the hardest secret to keep.”
His chest rose and fell as he sighed. “I promise.”
I rubbed over the tattoo one more time before meeting Zander’s eyes. “You can never tell anyone I found a way to cloak myself from my guardians.”
The sun sank behind the farthest building at the academy. Time was almost up.
My feet throbbed from the amount of ground Zander and I had covered. Over the past two hours of searching for Rose and Natasha, we’d dodged council members everywhere we turned. Those conversations weren’t the only ones we avoided. We had to rush past a few friends we knew could talk for hours. One we couldn’t avoid which put us behind schedule. If we didn’t find something soon, we would have to abandon our search for the night.
I couldn’t be late for my new lunar magic class, not after my meeting with the council. The fewer reasons I gave them to check on me, the better off I would be. Their prying eyes were unwelcome, especially after the vibes I’d felt during the meeting.
By the time Zander and I reached the main building where most of my classes were held, we found empty hallways. Day classes were over, and short of a few professors planning their next lessons, the building was empty. It was the reason Zander and I had saved it for last.
As we crept down the hallway, my ears rang. I pressed my fingers to my temple, hoping the noise would pass. Instead, it grew louder.
I fell a few steps behind Zander. He led us past the potions lab, observatory, and several more classrooms before the ringing ceased.
A door closed in the distance, drawing our attention to a room at the end of the hall. Someone was headed our way.
Before I could see who it was, Zander pulled me out of view. He backed me into a recessed doorway that led to the herbs and plants room. We stood in silence, our bodies pressed together, as we waited for the person to pass us.
It was hard to focus on anything but the feel of Zander’s body. My senses went into overdrive. Every breath he took made me more aware of how little time I’d made for him lately. We hadn’t slept together in weeks. I craved him, and when all of this was over, I’d satisfy that need.
Footsteps echoed through the hall. Each one grew louder until someone wearing a cloak walked past us. I couldn’t see who it was, let alone if it was a man or woman. With hurried steps, they disappeared down the hall and out of sight.
Veruminsidiatur .
I glanced at Zander. “What did you say?”
His brows pinched. “I didn’t say anything.”
Was he joking? Someone had just spoken. In fact, it sounded like several voices speaking at once, and the words uttered had come as a cryptic message: the truth lies in wait.
For a moment, I thought the cloaked person was still inside the building somewhere and their voice had echoed back to us. Yet when I moved away from the doorway and searched the hall, I saw no one.
The harder I thought about it, the more I realized the voice sounded a lot like the one I’d heard the other day when I’d used old magic.
“Did you hear something?” Zander stared at me with his big, curious eyes, but I didn’t want to worry him.
“It’s nothing,” I said. “My mind’s playing tricks on me. I’m stressed because we’ve found no sign of Rose or Natasha, and I’m almost out of time. My late class starts in less than an hour.”
He motioned for me to follow him down the hallway again. We passed a few more classrooms before I noticed a set of double doors at the end. In all my years at this coven, I’d never been through
those doors. No student had. It led to another part of the academy that was strictly for staff and high council members.
Once we reached the restricted area, I grabbed the handle, hoping it would be unlocked. Much to my dismay, the knob didn’t twist. Whoever had left moments ago had locked the door behind them.
Zander scanned the door and the frame before his eyes met mine. “No keys?”
I shook my head. “I’ve never been past these doors before. To my knowledge, no student has.”
He leaned closer to the door, sniffing around it, then pressed his ear to the wood. After a brief period of silence, he eased away. “We’ve searched for Rose and Natasha in every inch of this coven, except whatever is behind this door. I’ve found no trails leading away from this place.”
I didn’t like the grim expression he gave me. “Is there something else you want to say?”
Zander’s eyes shifted past me toward the other end of the hall, as if he was checking to make sure no one was coming. “I’ve picked up on both of your friends’ scents in different areas, but it’s strongest in this section of the building.”
His finger extended toward the double doors. I stared in the same direction, unsure of what to say. The first real clue we had couldn’t give us any answers because it led us to a part of the building we couldn’t access. What was behind these doors, and why were Rose and Natasha’s scents strongest in an area where students weren’t permitted?
Twisting the knob again, I shook the doors inside their frame and focused on the lock. It wouldn’t take a hard spell to open it. Yet the second I spoke the words in a low voice, the doorknob glowed blue.
“Shit. There’s a defense shield around this lock. Magic can’t open it.” I growled my frustration under my breath. “Do you know how to pick a lock?”
Zander’s lips stretched wider as he nodded. I guessed I wasn’t the only one who liked to get into trouble. He pulled a hairpin from a
curl behind my ear and contorted it until it was straight. The pin slid into the lock, moving back and forth as he worked to get it open.
The knob jiggled harder when Zander pushed the pin farther inside. Something clicked a second later. When he glanced up at me with a crooked smile, I knew he’d been successful.
As much as I wanted to grab the handle and open the door, fear paralyzed me. If our elders caught us in the restricted area, I’d lose my place in the coven.
Dangervestra.
The voices returned. Dangerawaitedme. My skin prickled at the new message.
Sumatperhaecverba.
Heed these words. Who was infiltrating my mind? The fact that someone could do that scared me.
Necmetuunt.
Donotfearus?Who was us?
Maiorum.
Ancestors. My heart slammed against my chest. These voices were that of my people, of witches long past. The magic in my body swirled and pulsed in response, confirming they spoke the truth. Great goddess, this was unbelievable. No wonder Zander hadn’t heard anything. It was a telepathic conversation between witches.
That fact had me second-guessing the idea of sneaking into a forbidden part of the academy. If my ancestors were reaching out to me from the other side, their message had to be important. Still, my friends needed me…
Wringing my hands together, I gazed at Zander.
He stood from his crouched position and touched my shoulder. “Are you okay?”
“I’m having second thoughts,” I said. “Something is telling me not to go inside. Part of me wants to listen. The other part wants to do whatever it takes to find Rose and Natasha.”
“It’s up to you, Samara. I’m only here to help you. You’re the one who will be reprimanded if we’re caught. I can’t tell you what to do.”
I bit my lip, debating my choices.
Cogitarepreudenter .
Thinkwisely. My ancestors were correct. I had to make not only the best choice but also the right one.
Without knowing exactly what was on the other side of the door, I ran a chance of getting caught and losing everything I’d worked so hard to gain. I’d be punished for trespassing, put on probation, and who knew what else. One thing was for certain—I wouldn’t be able to search for my friends anymore. I was better off leaving and finding someone else to help me locate Rose and Natasha.
“What the hades is going on?”
Blood drained from my face as I spun toward the voice. When I spotted Draven, all the adrenaline rushing through me spiked. Though I was relieved to see my other boyfriend, I worried what he would say if he found out we’d tried to break in to the highclearance section of the academy.
“Don’t scare me like that.”
“I’m sorry, Samara,” he apologized before regarding Zander. “I didn’t realize I was interrupting date night. I heard a noise and decided to see who was in here.”
Though Draven and Zander got along better than they had in the past, I still sensed some animosity between them. They weren’t jealous of each other because of my relationship with both of them. It was the whole wolf and mage rivalry that spanned across Zander’s pack mates and Draven’s mage order. Testosterone—plain and simple.
“It’s not date night. Zander was just helping me look for something.”
Draven glanced past us to the door. If he saw the pin sticking out of the lock, he’d know exactly what we were doing. As soon as I glanced at the lock, a wave of relief flooded me. The pin had disappeared. The instant I peeked at Zander, he winked at me and tucked the pin into his jeans. Thankfully, he’d remembered to remove it. He was a lot better at spying than I was.
When I refocused on Draven, he huffed. “Why does it feel like you’re hiding something from me, Samara?”
He was onto me. Even though I could easily play off the situation and get around answering him, I decided not to. Draven was a
strong mage and fluent in magic. If I wanted to find answers without getting myself into more trouble, I needed to reach out to the people who wouldn’t betray me. Neither Zander nor Draven would hurt me on purpose. Aside from my guardians, and Rose, they were the only people I trusted.
Before I could answer him, voices and footsteps sounded behind the door. Both Zander and Draven glanced at me, eyes wide with fear. If one of the council members or any of the staff caught us, we’d be questioned, and I had no excuse for being here.
“Follow me,” Draven whispered. We crept down the hall, searching for a place to hide. The first door on our right was locked. Thankfully, the second opened.
We slipped inside the darkened classroom, careful not to make too much noise. Zander and I stayed close to the door, near the hinges. Draven shut it softly, keeping his hand on the knob.
The voices grew louder, the footsteps, closer. I held my breath, listening to a conversation that was meant to be private. One person passing the room sounded like Professor Greenwich, who taught one of the lunar magic classes. She was a favorite of many of the students in the academy and one of the few teachers who never lost her patience with me.
I connected the second voice to Professor Corbin, our astrology teacher. The third I recognized as my least favorite council member. Melynn.
Pressing my ear to the door, I listened carefully.
“One of my students said Professor Xavier was the last person to see Rose. Do you know if that’s true, Melynn?” Professor Corbin asked.
“No one has confirmed that rumor,” Melynn answered. “There are many details about these supposed disappearances that aren’t adding up. Samara Haylan is stirring the proverbial pot, and if she’s not careful, she will find herself in a heap of trouble.”
I huffed at her response, realizing too late that I’d been louder than I should have.
“Did you hear something?” Melynn asked her two companions.
“Yes,” Professor Greenwich replied. “It came from the potions lab.”
My heart dropped. If they opened the door, they would bust us. Melynn would enjoy knowing she was the one who caught me going against the council’s wishes. I would get in so much trouble.
I glanced at Draven and Zander, the reality of what was about to happen showed on their faces. Once again my decisions had cost me, but this time, I’d made Zander and Draven accomplices. Maybe if I went out there alone, I’d prevent them from being seen.
When I went to move toward the door, Draven shook his head and held up his index finger. I wanted to argue with him, but he pulled out his phone and opened the door before I could say a word.
He tapped the screen on his phone like he was sending a text message, then he glanced up in surprise. “Oh, hello.”
“Mr. Bishop,” Melynn addressed Draven. “What are you doing in the laboratory after school hours?”
“I’m looking for my mother. I thought she was meeting Professor Forbes before she left for the night. I must have misunderstood. I just sent a text to see where she is.” He waved the phone in his hand while he blocked the doorway.
Though I was grateful he had distracted Melynn and both professors from entering the classroom, he shouldn’t have taken the risk. This was my mess to clean up.
“Will you be sure to lock up on your way out?” Professor Greenwich asked. I didn’t miss the smile Draven gave her.
“Of course.”
“Enjoy your evening, Mr. Bishop.” Professor Greenwich’s voice carried into the room once more, followed by their retreating footsteps.
“Thanks,” Draven responded as he began to shut the door behind him. Within a matter of seconds, he reopened it and motioned for us to join him in the hall. The close encounter had my stomach in knots.
“Thank you for covering for us, Draven,” Zander said. “We both know the severe repercussions Samara would face if anyone found her here after hours.”
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