“Gods know what third rated theatre script you’re going to read from,” I said, rolling my eyes and leaned forward. “If you’re going to keep making jokes and causing mischief, I’d have you leave the room immediately.”His eyes were bright with unconcealed amusement. Raising his hands in mock surrender, he said, “Fine. It’s not like you can kick me out. It’s in the contract.”What was in that darned contract? I sat up and tried to ignore him, focusing on the other members. “What are your plans for rebuilding?” “It is all proceeding as discussed in the last meeting,” Commander Turner said, lacing his fingers together. I maintained a stern face but I remained grateful for his silence regarding my absence. There was a lot to catch up on. We continued to discuss the matters regarding the people especially the misplaced ones, reconstruction of buildings and the security. After two long hours of arguing and deliberating, the council meeting came to a close and agreed to focus on security f
“Why are you asking that all of a sudden?” she asked, brow raised in suspicion. “I have always been curious.” She looked out at the empty streets and sighed. For a while, she did not say anything but played with her manicured thumbs. A tinge of black and red appeared in her usual pale yellow aura. I suppose she was the wrong person to ask that question. I wonder if Commander Turner would tell me if I asked. Besides, I needed to see my uncle. I have nothing about him from the gossiping elites. “He was a werewolf, the strongest of his kind,” she said, her gaze still on the road. I sat up in surprise, prepared to listen for more. The pain slowly became a memory as she spoke further.“He led his pack after his father returned to the heavens. Some say he was ruthless and others, generous. One thing people agreed on was that Achillaes was a just man. He was a member of the council of Arth.”“Wow. What was the council like before you know, now?”She exhaled, a happy grin on her face as s
“What do you mean he is gone?” I had long left Morgan on the streets and followed Commander Turner around as he helped to dish food to the helpless people in the community. Putting on an apron, I joined in moving the trays around and keeping a close eye on him. “Commander Turner,” I called, breathless as my body gradually drained from the amount of magic that felt me while moving the trays in the air. “You can’t just drop that and ignore me.”“Sir Albert is gone. He escaped while we tried to return things to order.” That’s when I remembered my uncle’s words the night of the war. He could not be in Westfalls, could he? Commander Turner was already leaving the camp by the time I got a hang of the craziness. Ditching the apron, I scurried after him.“What exactly happened that night?”“We lost the fight. The fake you got abducted but your father put a stop to it. We found it was not you but Sir Albert and he took off before we could question him.” “Oh.”“You should rest. It’s going t
I let Ace and Morgan in on the plan over lunch and they eyed every part of it with suscpicion. It was almost not to pull my hair out, wondeering why they were not supportive.“Because you are the only one doing everything. We are coming with you,” Morgan said.“I can’t get anyone in more trouble.”“Screw that thought. I’m coming because I want this crazy plan of yours actually work. The chances of it not working if you do it solo are high, Phoebe.”“If you don’t me tag along, I will screw you up,” Ace threatened.“How are the kids?”“Turning that place into a fortress. Tina is a boss in the making. You should ordering the rest around and it makes you wonder if she really was shy or an introvert.”We continued to gossip until we had to separate at the town’s market area. I locked eyes with Sir Hampton as I found my way back to the Tower. A light smirk played on his lips, leaving me weirded out. Whatever he was up to would definitely not be good. If he could put his trouble making on ho
I suddenly knew how to curse in a thousand languages in my head. Panicking, I searched for where to hide. Morgan turned as white as sheet when Ace pulled us behind the coffin at the altar. It seemed like the main exit opened once more as more footsteps followed the former. We are so screwed.“What are you doing here, Sir Hampton?”“I could ask the same of you, Turner.”Shit. Double screwed. If either of them caught us, we would be dead. “I would expect the demons to poke around in places that have nothing to do with them but you, Sir Hampton? It’s a bit ridiculous. Did you bring down the security system placed?” “No,” Hampton spat. “I will not be accused of such.”“Then why exactly are you here and not in your home? Have a reasonable excuse when I bring this up in the Council’s meeting tomorrow.”“Enjoy the comforts of your position but not for long. You and that blasted daughter of Juniper will be gone faster than you can imagine.”“Is that a threat, Hampton?” Commander Turner gro
“Father?” I called out, knocking on his door. I pushed the door open as soon as he allowed me to come in, ignoring the pain in my wrist. An strange encounter with Hampton earlier this morning left me with uneasy flutters in my belly and a pulsing pain. I would have demanded what spell he had directed at me if I was not concentrated on finding my Father. In his brightly lit room, Father sat in his couch, nursing a cup of hot coffee in his hand. His eyes crinkled when he saw me. Waving a hand for me to come closer, he set his cup down and crossed his legs. The color had returned to his face and the gauntness in his body slowly disappeared. Mama Owens must have paid him another visit.“To what do I owe the visit?” He asked.“Why? Can’t I come see my old man?”“I hear you’ve been active with the council meetings and all.”I shrugged my shoulders, settling down in the couch opposite his. “I try my best.”“You want something. Spit it out,” he sighed, clasping his hands together. His brows
I was out of options. Tying my hair up for the fifth time this morning, I paced around the library which had inadvertly become my second home. I walked down the row of books that I had arranged over the night, trying to come up with solutions. Shoving in the last of the books in my hand, I left the building in a hurry, consumed by the thought of one person who might help.I found her easily, being the grumpy old woman she is, throwing a snarky scowl at some kid with a handful of ghost orchids. Her gaze fell on me, bearing annoyance with a hint of surprise. Without a word, I followed her around town, close enough to be a bother, until she arrived a small house not far from the busy streets. To my surprise, the door remained open for me until I entered. It closed with a gentle thud as I followed the listless woman into her home. Looking around the neatly kept home brought a sense of familiarity; her quaint flower shop where I once practiced magic.“What do you want now? I found your fa
Tracking someone down can be difficult, especially if you are only an intermediate like me who was putting it into practice for the first time. The only ones who could properly track were the officers who were to trained to do so for months. However, I have the abridged and er… weirder version of a spell to find my uncle, thanks to my mother’s spell book. Finding it under a scattered pile of romance novels I had purchased over the years, I felt a bit guilty for not using it as often as I should. Flipping the pages, I searched for the spell I had briefly read and found it on the second try. After reading through the requirements for the locator spell, I rummaged through my belongings for the lightest thing I own (a sheet of rumpled paper), a feather from my pillow and salt. I chuckled to myself when I achieved all three and threw them into a boiling pot of water. Watching the odd mixture, I winced and went back to the book to confirm if I really did as it said. I did. After I stirred