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As I walked through the door, Wilder closely behind me, still didn’t know why he was following me, I immediately realized my plan for rest would be put on the backburner once more.
Standing outside of the common area, which all furniture had been moved from, Knox, Eli, Madden and Maeve stood warily, staring at the creature in the middle of the room. Trying not to get caught up on why this certain group were currently standing in my dorm, I also focused on the creature. Inky, spiked black fur stood on end, while smoke steamed around the creature, creating a haze like that of the one that surrounded my skin earlier. Piercing eyes blazed as the creature caught my gaze, staring intently at me. I had no clue what was going on and fear made palpitations increase my heart rate. Backing away instinctually, I bumped into Wilder’s hard chest and in a move to confuse me even more, he slightly stood in front of me, his arm blocking the creature from reaching me first.
Before I could ask everyone what the hell was going on, a voice sounded in my head. A voice so familiar, a voice I had heard countless times over the past few months, that I almost fell to the floor, the emotion overpowering me.
Halley? Halley what’s going on? I’m really freaking out. I remember fighting and then the pain and then nothing until now. But I don’t feel like myself. What happened?
Kalani’s hysterical voice sounded in my head and if she wasn’t so worried herself, I would have started sobbing in Wilder’s arms. She wasn’t dead. I don’t know how or why but she wasn’t dead. She was here with me; I wasn’t alone again.
Not bothering to speak out loud, in case this was a private conversation, I used my waning power to respond.
I don’t know what happened. But you’re alive and you’re okay, and we will figure it out. I promise. I’ll be right by your side while we do.
Although I’m sure Kalani knew I had no actual plans for how we were going to figure this out, my words seemed to calm her and slowly, I watched as she focused on shifting back to human, the smoky tendrils disappearing first and then the rest of the creature’s body. And although she was naked as the day she was born, I couldn’t care less, and I immediately ripped out of Wilder’s arms, rushing my best friend. Holding her close, tears began to fall, knowing how close I had been to losing her. The fact that Ihadlost her, even just for a second. I refused to go through that again and I whispered all this to her.
Suddenly, a third body joined our group and I welcomed Maeve’s embrace, knowing she must have felt the same pain as me, if not more. Together, the three of us cried into each other’s arms, holding tight.
I don’t know how long we sat in the embrace or how I forgot the four men surrounding us, but Knox clearing his throat broke us out of whatever spell we were in. The three of us turned towards the men and thank god for sweet Eli, who reached out with his shirt for Kalani to cover herself.
“I understand that all three of you have just been through some serious emotions, but we need to talk.” Knox spoke, the strong tenor of his voice commanding in the echoing room.
The three of us nodded and got up onto the couch, still huddled together, while Madden and Wilder started inching towards the door. I understood Knox and Eli’s presence here, but confusion still swirled in my head about the other two. Before the two could reach the door, however, Knox stopped them with his words.
“All of us need to talk.”
That had my back straightening. I had no clue what Knox could need to talk to us all about, but my gut churned, knowing that whatever the Seer needed to tell us, it wasn’t going to be good.
Chapter Five
Knox
I eyed the group in front of me, identifying our strengths and weaknesses. Part of me wondered how the seven of us got to this point. Six months ago, besides Eli and I, not even one of us spoke to each other unless required, or in Halley and Kalani’s case, didn’t even know one another. And yet here we were, sprawled around the Enchanter’s dorm, a space that had been vacant for decades.
I eyed the three girls first, huddled together on the couch, Kalani squished between Maeve and Halley. Each held one of her hands, as if they let go, she would disappear once again. I still had no clue what had happened, but it was clear Kalani had shifted into a creature not in existence on this realm. I had no answers, but if I guessed based on the studying I’ve done, she resembled a hellhound. A creature that has never existed before on the human realm, and only once before on Agrum Di Vinum. At least that’s what the books I have access to list. Although Kalani’s creature had scared the hell out of me, I tried to push that fear aside, and focus on what that meant for us. And right now, it meant we had surprise on our side. I added that to Kalani’s strengths column in my head. As for her weakness, we now had another Divine that would need to learn her new powers. Not entirely helpful, but not detrimental.
I surveyed Maeve next. I didn’t know much about the Ethos except that she was strong in her Sector and could heighten and weaken emotions easily. I added that to her strengths, as well as the fact she was a third year and had plenty of practice under her belt. Under weaknesses, I categorized that she would need to physically train since her power was passive.
Halley was next and I struggled to look her in the eyes. The grief and pain reflecting back at me hurt. And the way she clutched tightly to Kalani; I knew her fleeting death had wrecked her. From the brief visit into Halley’s past, I assumed this was bringing up past feelings she would rather forget. But underneath the pain, I saw the fire burning, the anger simmering beneath the surface, waiting to be let out, as she did on the Hunters. As for Halley’s strengths, being the only known Enchantress in existence was at the top of the list, but I worried about her inexperience. Add on to the fact I didn’t know how the news I was about to share would affect her and those were definitely her weaknesses.
All three girls looked at me in confusion, waiting for me to speak. But before I spilled the news, I eyed the three men in the room. Eli sat on the floor in front of the girls, clearly wanting to be close to them. I know he had developed a strong friendship with all three of them and from the way he caressed Halley’s leg in comfort, I knew friendship wasn’t the only thing bubbling between the two of them. And that right there would be Eli’s weakness. Because as much as my friend had a heart of gold, we couldn’t have that with the future ahead of us. However, as shown against the Hunters, Eli could attack when needed to in a way that no one else could. Clearly, that was his strength.
My eyes moved to Madden next, leaning against the wall, his signature frown on his face. I don’t think I’ve ever met a man with less to say, but he was one of the strongest shifters in existence. I didn’t know much about him besides that, but I did know from his body language that he wanted to be anywhere but here. And I worried what that meant for us.
I finally landed on Wilder, my worry the same for him. He stood against the door, a second from leaving and I was surprised he hadn’t bolted yet. Drax in general didn’t enjoy the company of others but Wilder took it to a whole other level. I didn’t have time to wonder why he stayed though, cataloguing his immense speed and brutality as his strength before addressing the group.
“None of you were there, but when the Hunters were all dead, the professors, Guard, and Council showed up. Immediately I went to speak to Zachariah and Head Councilman Jay, to find out what had caused this attack and why we had notseenit. I only had a moment to search through their past before Jay redirected me with his own power, but it was enough. He clearly underestimates my power.”
I paused, unsure of how I should deliver this next news. It would change everything we thought we knew about our world. What we thought about the people in charge of leading the Divines. After several more seconds, I decided to just rip it off like a band-aid.
“The attack was planned, but the reason no one couldseeit was because Head Councilman Jay had planned the attack. And his goal,” I said, making eye contact with Halley, “was for Halley to be killed.”
A second passed, a silent second as everyone absorbed the news, and then chaos ensued.
Chapter Six
Halley
Outbursts surrounded me but I couldn’t seem to find the words or the thoughts to join in. Knox’s words rang in my head, rattling back and forth, not sure where to land. All I could focus on was that this hadn’t been an attack on Divines. It had been an attack onme.An attack planned by the one person in charge of all Divines. And as my thoughts raced down that slippery slope, I began to think of Mom. Because for the past several months, I had wonderedwhy,why had she kept us from our world, why had she never told me about Divines or that I was one? But as Knox’s words settled finally, the pieces began gluing together. The running, the hiding, the secrets. My whole life I had wondered what threat hung over our heads and when I had come here, I had naively assumed that the Hunters, who every Divine feared, were the ones chasing us as well. The ones responsible for Mom’s death. But now, now I feared I knew the truth. The Hunters, although callous and closed minded, weren’t the enemy on my doorstep. No, the Divines,mypeople, were the ones who had taken everything from me and were still attempting to do so.
