?“Yes,” she answers simply. “Nothing is only nothing when it has never been observed.”
?“And you are not being observed right now?”
?Mavyn’s eyes deepen to that darked red one could almost mistake for black. “Only one person has ever truly observed me, and they no longer exist.”
?Professor Asier shifts and cocks his head. “I’ve seen your soul. To be truly observed is to see your soul and all within.”
?Mavyn raises a brow and cocks her head the same as her fated. “You?” It almost sounds like a challenge. As if she’s questioning –
?I can feel my body immediately tense and Asher feels it as I look at him.
?Same red eyes with a ring of gold, same red tinged hair that barely curls over his ears, same scent, same aura since he’s not using any magic, same everything.
?“Yes,” he grounds, “so how is that considered not observed?”
?Lies.
?He has not seen her soul. But neither has the true Professor Asier.
?The corner of Mavyn’s lip curls and now her eyes look black. “You have not seen my soul. The only person who has is the soul-rendering true form angel, Darian Az – “
?“Do. Not,” Darian growls, cutting Mavyn off before she could say his and his true forms name. “Don’t you dare, Trouble, or I will spank your ass red and edge you until you’re a sobbing mess.”
?Mavyn’s cheeks turn red and her eyes lighten to pink as her magic and aura disappears. I can feel my own face heat upand I snap my eyes to the ground. But. . . not fast enough to not see a certain someone looking directly at me.
?The anxiety finally dissipates and I hear Mavyn blow out a breath.
?“Well,” she drawls, “that was all very dramatic.”
?It makes me smile and I look up to her. Only her.
?She looks over to me and a knowing smile appears on her face. Then past me to where Hanna, Ricka, and Kyno were standing. I don’t know if they still are. “Was that enough of a release for you?”
?Footsteps sound behind me to my right. Ricka responds to her. “If you were just an immortal, I’d say yes. But. . .”
?“You’re a forgotten goddess,” Scorn finishes. “A reincarnation of the first blood witch ever created.”
?Mavyn glances over at me and it takes everything to remain neutral before she tilts her chin at Scorn. “How do you know about that prophecy?”
?“Why did you not tell anyone who you are?”
?“Because,” the witch interrupts, and my brain processes thateveryoneis still here and listening, “she wanted to be a child.”
?Mavyn rolls out her shoulders but her eyes are cast down and to the side.
?Now, I step out of Asher’s hold. Now, I know I can defend my friend. Because the witch does not look like she’s going to stop her verbal attacks.
?“She wanted – “
?“To be normal,” I snap, cutting off the witch and gaining all the attention. It makes my skin itch, but I put one foot in front of the other and go to stand in front of Mavyn. Facing my back to her and leveling the same glare I gave the professors, Dean, and councilmen before to the oldest witch known.
?So much anger bubbles up within me. Boiling until my water becomes steam. For the unfairness everyone shoves on top of my best friend and for the weight she thinks she deserves.
?The witch inclines her head and glares. For once, I don’t balk.
?“None of you know,” I growl at them all, “but even if you did would any of you care? You want to scream at her about her control and savagery but what casualties did we have duringanyof the times she used her magic? When has she ever lost control that caused more than surface damage. As far as I’m concerned there has never been a battle with the rebels that didn’t leave at least one of ours dead.”
?The witch sneers and when she steps back behind Scorn to point her finger at me, both Asher and Percius tense and coil their magics.
