“Meaning?”
“Meaning their connection to each other can solidify possibilities,” Milo explained. “I can steer things, navigate paths,and ensure Caleb and Tara aren’t swept away by some horrible ploy The True Witch has planned.”
I took a shaky breath, trying and failing to exhale my anxiety.
“I do believe it’s going to rely on your students, though.”
“No,” I said firmly. Not that I had much say in their lives. I wasn’t even their teacher anymore. “Don’t drag them into this.”
“Dorian, they have a right to take control of their futures, too.” Milo stared with soft, pleading eyes. “Don’t you think they’ll want the best possibility?”
“And if the best possibility puts their entire future at risk?”
“It wouldn’t be the first time all their lives were at risk in order to rescue one of them.”
Oh, that hit fucking hard. Yes, I unintentionally endangered my entire homeroom coven to rescue Caleb from his fate, from that horrible void vision. But I had no idea I was walking them all into a battle for survival.
“I didn’t know I’d be dragging them all into this the last time,” I said. “It wouldn’t be fair to do that again, to put them in unknowing danger.”
“Who said it’d be unknowing?”
“Does knowing a possibility prevent it?”
“Not always. Sometimes knowing a possibility makes it happen. Self-fulfilling and all that,” Milo said. “Besides, the details aren’t important, merely understanding their role in stepping down that path.”
“A path that would put them in direct conflict with the Celestial Coven, with Theodore Whitlock, again.”
“A path that would ensure Caleb and Tara survive, escape whatever destiny The True Witch has prophesied for them.”
I reflected on Milo’s words, on the spinning visions obscured by his magic, by the confidence of his thoughts, a working mind planning the best outcome for everyone.
“So, what do you propose?”
“Let’s talk to your homeroom, explain the situation.”
“Fine.” I released my first calm breath of the night. “But if we’re telling them, I want them to know it all. Know how their fates became intertwined.”
Milo stared at me, stunned.
“I should’ve told them years ago how I meddled with their fate.” I sighed. “If I’m going to drag them into danger yet again, I owe them that much.”
Chanellelet me borrow an empty classroom to meet with all my students. They didn’t spend much time on the new Gemini Academy campus. This was technically my first time here.
Not exactly how I expected my first visit to go. I sort of expected to return to Gemini after resolving the Celestial Coven problem, yet here I was instead bringing my students into this.
One by one, they trickled into the classroom, reminding me of so many homeroom mornings. Right down to the fact that Kenzo and Gael showed up first. Even attending an impromptu evening meeting regarding Caleb and Tara, Kenzo fought for punctuality.
Though that might have had to do more with the fact that Kenzo’s heart ached with Caleb’s absence. He still blamed himself for his best friend’s abduction. Soon, he would blame me. Perhaps they all would.
“Still a puppet?” Kenzo asked, glaring with hatred as Katherine shamefully walked past him. “What? No witty retort, know-it-all?”
“Stop, Kenzo.” Gael nudged his boyfriend, deliberately bumping him with a few spikes. “She feels bad enough.”
Kenzo growled. “Good.”
I didn’t know how much Katherine had divulged, but it was clear she’d shared the possession with others. Kenzo had more acute awareness than he should, based on what he’d seen the day Moire struck while holding Katherine’s body captive.
“Just wondering if she can share where Caleb went.” Kenzo pressed on, ready to tear Katherine down with cruel words.
