“But they’re not the main reason Field put you on the team, of course.” Jovi smirked. “He obviously thinks you could use some time away with Jax. Nothing like a trip to a foreign land to ease tension and encourage meaningful conversation!”
I stilled, realizing that Jovi knew. I’d barely said a word about this to Anjani over the past few months since the war, and I’d only just confided more in Aida the other day. I wasn’t one to share my feelings, in general, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to hold it all in.
I’d felt the chemistry between Jax and me from our first days together in the alliance against Azazel. I’d seen his burning jade eyes settle on mine when no one was watching. I’d heard the tremor in his voice when I was dying from the shifter poison, as he begged me to hold on. There had been something there, and, for the first time in years, especially after we’d destroyed Azazel and I had Izora back, I’d been willing to take a chance on him and open my heart again.
The last time I’d fallen for someone I’d lost him to Azazel. Almus had been my rock, and we’d had a unique connection, but even that paled in comparison to how my body, my very soul, reacted to Jax’s presence. But something had happened after the war, and Jax had put an uncomfortable distance between us, switching from hot to cold so fast that I couldn’t keep up.
His words and actions told me that he didn’t want to be anywhere near me, but his eyes always told me something else entirely. It led to a tension buildup that transpired into snappy exchanges and the occasional stinging clap-back, which Anjani had noticed.
“What do you know about that?” I hissed at Jovi, then glared at my sister, thinking she’d told him. But the innocent shrug she gave me made me think the wolf-boy had picked it up as easily as she had.
“Just what I see.” Jovi huffed, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish smile. “There’s clearly something going on between you and Jax, but neither of you is addressing the issue. It’s how tension builds up.”
“Who else knows? Does Field know? Did Aida tell him?” I was frustrated by my own inability to hide my emotions.
“Aida would never tell anyone anything if you confided in her.” Jovi shook his head. “I’m pretty sure Field picked it up just like I did. Besides, he spends a lot of time around Jax, so he’s probably noticed some changes in him, too, since the war. Honestly, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure you two out. What happened, though?”
“How should I know?” I scoffed, looking away and moving back to my locker to make sure I hadn’t forgotten anything.
I took a couple of deep breaths and turned around to face them. I was going about this the wrong way, abandoning my core ethos in the process. I was embarking on a dangerous and potentially deadly mission to an unknown planet. I had to leave these emotions behind; otherwise I’d get killed, especially since Jax and I were on the same team again, working together.
“It doesn’t matter, anyway.” I changed my tone, fiddling with my belt buckle. “No need for you guys to worry. There’s nothing to discuss. Whatever tension there is, it’ll fizzle out. I can’t be bothered. I’m an independent succubus, and a warrior, for that matter. I have no time to waste appeasing a Mara with underlying emotional issues and zero communication skills.”
I saw the way Jovi and Anjani nodded slowly before exchanging glances. I knew what they were thinking, because it was the same thing bothering me on the inside: did I really believe what I’d just said, or was it just my defense mechanism pushing the concept of Jax away because I didn’t want to get hurt?
Harper
(Daughter of Hazel & Tejus)
After we geared up and packed our backpacks and travel bags, we rode the flying horses back to Luceria. Everyone was waiting for us up on the platform, beneath its faux roof spell. As vampires, we’d adapted Corrine’s combat suit designs to cover our heads and faces, too, complete with protective goggles and gloves, as a means of moving around in the daytime.
We shot through the bright blue sky, our horses neighing as our entire new team flew toward the white marble platform. The whole of GASP had gathered there, our parents included. We landed smoothly and went to our families first.
Serena and Phoenix were standing next to Mom and Dad, wearing smiles and making sure to project the pride and concern they felt toward me. I hugged them both first, then kissed our parents on both cheeks.
“Honey, I have to say, agreeing to your nomination was easier than I expected,” Dad said, “but watching you go is something else.”
“You be safe out there, okay, baby?” Mom said. “Remember everything we taught you, and don’t get in over your head. Know your limits.”
I felt her raw emotions, a heartwarming mixture of love and motherly concern, so I hugged her tightly, hiding my face in her hair for a good minute.
“I promise I’ll be careful, Mom,” I whispered, trying to pass on some of my resolve to help settle her nerves.
I then took Dad’s hands in mine and gave him a cool smile.
“It’s a recon mission, Dad,” I said gently. “You heard Field—we’re on a tight leash. We’ll be okay. All we have to do is observe and investigate, then report back to GASP.”
“I trust Harper will do just fine,” Serena chimed in. “She’s one hell of a tough cookie, and she can definitely handle this.”
“I’m aware, Serena,” Dad replied, then frowned slightly. “I’m just concerned about the fact that the Oracles haven’t been able to summon any visions about Neraka. Past, present, or future.”
That came as news to me, but, at the same time, it wasn’t entirely unexpected. Their visions usually took some work to summon and weren’t always accurate. The last time Phoenix, Aida, or Vita had gotten unexpected visions, it had been during the war against Azazel. Those circumstances could easily qualify as disasters, and their absence now sort of gave me comfort.
“Surely their instincts would’ve flared up by now regarding Neraka,” I muttered. “The absence of visions may not necessarily be a bad thing.”
“What if it’s connected to the asteroid belt Rewa talked about?” Phoenix added a fair point. “It might be capable of interfering with the Daughters’ ability to open portals there… What if it’s something akin to the shroud that once covered Eritopia, keeping it hidden from universal consciousness?”
“Wouldn’t that affect a spell like Telluris, too?” Dad asked, his frown drawn deeper.
“I don’t think it can.” Serena shook her head. “Telluris is a communication spell; it connects our souls. I seriously doubt an asteroid belt would be able to obstruct that. It’s just a physical obstacle.”
“They will be okay,” Draven confirmed, walking over to our side.
I glanced around the platform and saw Caia, Fiona, Avril, Scarlett, and Blaze saying goodbye to their families, hugging and kissing and giving assurances about how they’d conduct the mission. I was as wary as my teammates were about this—on one hand, sure, the excitement and novelty of Neraka was something to look forward to, but, at the same time, the unknown factors and the hundreds of Exiled Maras were cause for concern. Nevertheless, we were GASP members. There was no room for worrying.
“If anything, they’re better equipped and prepared than we ever were when we landed in Eritopia,” Serena added, leaning into the Druid as he snaked an arm around her lower back.
“Well, I’m more than ready to prove we can do it.” I kept my chin high, boosting my father’s pride.
I’d opted for one of the custom combat suits that Corrine and Hansa had designed together. Mine was all black leather with dark gold accents, and diamond-fiber protective plates brushed black. My backpack was loaded with weapons and several defensive spells, and I’d packed a couple of extra suits in a separate bag. My twin swords were mounted on my leather belt, their scabbards dressed in black leather.
Serena took out a small amulet from her pocket—a delicate shell-shaped piece of lapis lazuli with white streaks, on a delicate gold chain. She pul
led my hand out, turning it over and putting the amulet in my palm, before closing my fingers around it.
“I found this among Genevieve’s belongings,” she said, and I noticed Draven’s gaze soften and flicker black at the sight of it. “Draven said I could give it to someone who meant the world to me, just like his father had gifted it to his mother. I’m considering this a small, celebratory gift for your first mission.”
I looked at it, fascinated by its deep blue and white swirls, feeling the faint energy emanating from it. It gave me warmth and sweet familiarity, quietly bringing me back to some of my most precious moments with Mom, Dad, Serena and Phoenix.
“It’s beautiful,” I mumbled. “And strange. It feels nice…”
“It has some magical properties.” Serena winked. “Almus didn’t make a habit of giving bland gifts. It can summon the wearer’s memories, and I think it will keep you company during your voyage. Should you feel too far away from us, just let this amulet take you back, even if just spiritually.”
I hugged her as tight as I could, making her giggle.
“This is the sappiest thing you’ve ever done for me, and I love it!” I whispered.
“I know, it’s super emotional and whatnot, but I honestly thought of you when Draven said I could give it to someone who meant the world to me. Sure, he’s my soulmate, but the amulet was never designed for a male wearer. And you mean the world to me…”
She smiled and kissed me on the cheek, then took the amulet from my hand and put it around my neck, admiring it for a second.
“Yep, it suits you.” She grinned.
“And it feels good, too,” I replied, tapping my chest as it warmed up. “I could get used to this. It’s like you’re all in here with me.”
“Good,” Mom said, caressing my hair. “Because we are.”
Caia
(Daughter of Grace & Lawrence)
Of all the members of my immediate family, Vita seemed the most worried, hugging me over and over, as if I were sailing off to the unknown and never coming back. Of course, technically speaking, I was flying into the unknown in a magic ball of light, but I had every intention of making my way back home in one piece.
“Just promise me you’ll be careful and won’t get ahead of yourself,” my sister said.
“Vita, she’s more than capable of looking after herself, my love,” Bijarki replied, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. I had to crane my neck back to look him in the eyes. “Besides, she wouldn’t have been approved for this mission, had our senior officers not thought she could handle it. You should trust their judgment.”
“I do, I just don’t trust this whole concept of Neraka.” She sighed. “I haven’t been able to summon any visions about it at all. Neither have Aida or Phoenix.”
“Well, it’s not like you’ve been on top of your Oracle game lately, anyway.” I grinned. “And I’m pretty sure your instincts would kick in and visions would forcefully come through if there was anything life-threatening to worry about. I say enjoy the silence!”
“Nevertheless, be wary, sweetheart,” Mom said, wrapping her arms around me again. “We need you back in one piece.”
“It’ll be fine, Mom, don’t you worry too much.” I smiled, downplaying the magnitude of my first mission with GASP. I was excited and nervous and jittery, too, but I’d made it too far to back down, and had no intention of chickening out anyway.
“I’ll try to summon some visions of you, instead,” Vita said. “Maybe it’ll work. According to Rewa, that asteroid belt around Neraka might have some role to play, like a natural cloaking system to protect the planet from outside forces.”
“We’ll have Telluris on, anyway,” I replied. “Seriously, stop worrying so much. You’ll get wrinkles.”
My sister laughed, but I knew it was an effort on her part. We’d only just met, and we’d been spending a lot of time together. I loved her to bits, and the feeling was more than mutual—we were nearly inseparable as sisters. More than once we’d heard Bijarki chuckle and say he’d have to set his wife up with a daily agenda and make sure he squeezed himself in there, before she forgot about him because of all the time she spent with me.
“Time for Telluris,” Draven announced.
One by one, we bade our parents and siblings farewell again, with the promise that we’d be careful. Then we walked over to the middle of the white marble platform, where Draven stood, ready to connect our souls through ancient Druid magic.
We gathered around him, putting our hands up. He used a small knife to draw a few droplets of blood from each of us, collecting it in a wooden bowl filled with dry herbs and black crystal powder. He topped it with his blood before he set it on fire, his eyes glowing red for a split second.
“Telluris,” Draven commanded. The contents of the bowl flared up, and a bright golden light expanded from it, washing over us.
It cut my breath short, before I relaxed and felt the spell’s effect seep into my very core. My body hummed gently on the inside, as if resonating with the others. I glanced around at our group and noticed familiar expressions—we could all feel each other’s presence, far beyond the physical realm.
“This is it?” Blaze asked, looking at his hands, as if hoping to see more of the spell’s effects than the short-lived incandescence of his veins.
“It’s a spell of absolute trust.” Draven nodded. “You’re all joined through an unbreakable bond. You will be able to sense each other wherever you are, for a few weeks, sometimes up to two months before it fades out. The bond can be broken prematurely only by death, which you will all feel if you lose one of your own.”
“I thought this was just a recon mission.” Heron grimaced. “Why are you making it sound so gloomy?”
“He’s simply explaining how the spell works,” Jax replied with a raised eyebrow directed at his younger brother. “You’re the one making a drama out of it.”
“Am not,” Heron scoffed, and Jax stifled a smirk.
Viola came to us with a piece of black chalk in her hand. Draven took a few steps back, motioning us to stay together.
“You’re all connected to me now, too,” he said, moving farther away, while Viola drew a circle around us. “I will be able to reach out to you by calling out your names after saying ‘Telluris’. You will be able to do the same, regardless the distance between us. Remember that. I only ask that you notify us of your safe arrival once you land on Neraka, and that you check in every six hours.”
“Unless it’s an emergency,” Aida added, coming over to Draven’s side. “Then reach out, no matter what, obviously.”
We all nodded, watching curiously as Viola drew symbols around the black chalk circle, while Phoenix got involved and placed bundles of crystal powders and dark red herbs at the center of each drawing. My pulse accelerated as I mentally prepared myself for the actual travel to Neraka.
Rewa moved from the Mara wards flanking us and came between us. Jax instinctively stiffened, his features harsh and a muscle thumping in his jaw. The Exiled Mara’s jade eyes were wide and innocent, and I somehow felt that Jax’s behavior toward her was a little too much. Whatever her forefathers had done, she shouldn’t be blamed or treated poorly over it.
“The swamp witches devised a spell that summoned pure energy from the atmosphere,” Viola explained as she added more symbols around the circle, making it look like a very strange but beautiful chalk mandala, with repetitive swirls and geometric elements spreading outward. “All these symbols are catalysts and conductors, designed together to harness this energy and use it to take those inside the circle from one place to another. All I need now is a physical object from your destination.”
Rewa nodded and handed all the red beads over to the Daughter of Eritopia.
“One is enough. You can keep the rest for later,” Rewa said softly.
“The beautiful part about swamp witch magic,” Viola continued, taking the beads and putting them in her pocket. She kept just one between her fingers, glancing at
it for a second, “is that anyone with the right formula and words can practice it. Patrik, for example, has been an excellent student, and will be able to perform the return spell after your mission is done. He has everything he needs for it.”
We looked at Patrik, and he gave us a reassuring nod, crossing his arms over his chest. He wasn’t one for onesie battle suits, and had opted for dark blue pants and vest, white shirt, and knee-high leather boots that looked just as good on him. His height, curly black hair, sharp lines, and piercing blue eyes worked well with pretty much anything, anyway. No wonder Scarlett had a hard time looking away from him—the guy was sizzling.
“Now, it’s time for you all to go to Neraka,” Sofia said, coming closer, followed by Derek and the others. They all came around, a beautiful and heartwarming display of hopeful, concerned, and excited expressions, as Viola muttered the spell under her breath.
“Good luck out there.” Field gave us an encouraging nod.
“And make us proud.” Derek winked, making me grin.
Once Viola had finished the first part of the incantation, she dipped the marble in a thick black liquid, then set it on fire. She placed it in the middle of a powder and herb bundle, then stepped back, her lips constantly moving as she watched the spell progress.
Thankfully, the dragons of The Shade had grown lax over the years about their archaic rule of never allowing themselves to be transported by magic—it had become too impractical for missions to have them flying everywhere on their own, even if their speed was supernatural, and the dragons had finally come to accept it. If they hadn’t, Blaze wouldn’t have been able to accompany us now.
The powder and herb bundle lit up, and then the flaming bundle moved all on its own, tracing every line drawn with black chalk until it reached the next bundle. It burned through it, then continued its flaming roll through the swamp witch mandala, until the entire spell design flared up, glowing white and brighter with each moment.
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