Hidden Magic: Harper Shadow Academy (Book One)

by Luna Pierce

  He huffs. “You’re worried about my safety?”

  I nod. “I get that it doesn’t seem like a big deal to you, but your well-being is one of my greatest concerns. This thing I’m up against, it threatens that. It threatens all of you. And I’m sorry that it has to be this way.” I rake my hands through my hair and pull. “God, I wish it didn’t have to be this way, but it does, and you have no idea how sorry I am for that.”

  Almost like I did in the prior room, I take Deghan’s face into mine, this time placing a kiss on his cheek, and back away, going invisible again.

  “I’m sorry, Deghan.”

  I open the door and repeat the spell, sealing his door shut.

  He grabs on to it, yanking and pounding. “Willow, don’t do this. Please.”

  My heart continues to be devastated, but I hold it together, knowing I have one more stop. One more person to find. I don’t have any answers for Cameron, not today, and regardless of how painful that may be, I say the few goodbyes I’m able to force.

  I walk invisibly down the north wing hall, focusing my thoughts on finding him. My body finds its way down the stairs, through the foyer, past the garden, into the dining hall, where I catch a glimpse of friends who have long forgotten me, and out onto the patio.

  I don’t know how I knew he was here, but settling my gaze onto him, I confirm I was correct. I stop abruptly, scanning his body when he shifts toward me.

  Can he feel me? Does he realize I’m here?

  I step forward, cautiously watching him move.

  He stands and, turning on his heel, he walks away, only briefly glancing over his shoulder, like an invitation to follow.

  I do what my instincts command and trail behind him into the forest where it all began.

  He approaches the clearing and stops sharply. “I know you’re there,” he offers.

  Not needing to hide any longer, I change into my visible self and wait for his reaction. Seconds go by excruciatingly slow.

  “There hasn’t been a day that I haven’t felt your presence, and your absence. It’s been unbearable.” He doesn’t turn, maintaining his back toward me, unwilling to face me.

  I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t face me either, not after betraying and abandoning him, and everyone, like I did.

  At this, he decisively moves, his eyes revealing infinite sorrow.

  “I’m sorry I ever kept my distance from you,” he admits. “This,” he nods to the space between us, “has been torturous.”

  I step forward, and for once, he doesn’t attempt to go back.

  “I can’t stay.”

  This time, he attempts to close the gap.

  “You can’t leave. Not yet.” His eyes are pleading.

  “I came to tell you…” I fight the tears that no matter what, I cannot overcome.

  “You came to tell me goodbye?” He advances again, and this time he’s so, so close, inches away, his breath on my cheek.

  “Yes.” I swallow. Why is this so fucking difficult?

  “If this is goodbye, and you’re telling me I have to experience a more brutal pain than this…” He inches his hand forward, sparks crackling the moment he breaks the barrier between us. “Then please, give me one thing. I’m begging you.”

  His hand cups my face, and he guides me in, disregarding the surging power threatening him away.

  I summon every ounce of strength I have and will the force to stop, to give him a moment without the insane agony, and somehow, it works. For the briefest moment, there are no flashes, no sputtering energy disallowing him entry.

  He seizes the moment, bridging the gap, leaning down, pressing his warm lips to mine, breathing me in and kissing me like there is no tomorrow, because for us, there might not be, and right now, I’m okay with that.

  I swim in his touch, his soft, subtle mouth, curving perfectly into mine. He tastes like sunshine and darkness and a freshness so sweet. He’s like heaven, despite being wrapped up in this hell on earth.

  All too soon, I pull away, knowing I can’t fight the forces battling us much longer.

  He leans back in and leaves the gentlest kiss on my lips, and a wash of fear consumes me at the realization that that might be all that we’ll ever be.

  “I’m sorry,” I say.

  Silas trails his hand down my cheek, and the second he tugs at my bottom lip with his thumb, the energy reignites, and he flinches in response.

  I click the pen in my pocket, going back to being cloaked.

  His hand lowers to his side at the same time his face droops.

  “Losing you,” he whispers, “is more painful than that will ever be.”

  I bite my lip so hard in response, tears cascading down. I back away until he’s just a blur in my vision and I’m left again, all alone.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  I will not break.

  I will not break.

  I will not break.

  The heartbreak that rips me apart is so intense, I’m not sure I’ll make it back to my dorm to fall apart safely. I blink and find myself in the dining hall. Okay, good, now just get through here and turn left. I blink again, my body gliding me the way, a sort of autopilot the rest of the trek to my room.

  I cross the threshold and click myself back into existence, collapsing into a heap on the floor, bawling so uncontrollably that I don’t even recognize the sounds or emotions leaving my body anymore.

  Who am I?

  What have I become?

  Why am I so weak?

  So much self-doubt fills me and creates drastic internal chaos.

  At some point, the cries turn into sniffles that eventually lull me to sleep.

  When I wake, I have no idea how much time has passed, but glancing at the window, I see that the sun has already gone down. A sharp determination forces its way to the forefront, and I no longer allow myself the privilege of wallowing in self-pity.

  I am an Oliver witch, and I will fight this, I have to.

  Not bothering to cloak myself, I grab my backpack and leave the room, ignoring the look from the short, dark-haired girl walking into the dorm next to mine. I’ve seen her going to and from her room since I’ve been dorming here, but she hasn’t seen me. I’ll have to introduce myself some other time—right now, I’m on a mission.

  No matter how long it takes, I will scour every inch of the text back in the shadow realm, until I figure out some fucking way to break this curse. I have to. Seeing the pain and confusion, feeling their grief—it was enough to wreck me, time and time again.

  I take the steps two by two, jumping down the last few onto the landing below. I jog past the garden, not bothering to peep in the foyer, my eyes straight ahead, to the room Abigail and I have been using for our extended study sessions, where she leaves the ancient books.

  Upon me muttering the words, the same familiar purple shadow appears, and I step through. Only this time, I’m absolutely baffled at what’s on the other side.

  “Cameron?” I say in a rush.

  “Willow?” He looks to me, so scared, so frantic, shuffling to his feet.

  “Cam, how… how did you get in here?” I stutter the words. This is impossible.

  He shakes his head. “I don’t know. It feels like I’ve been here forever.” His eyes lock on to mine. “Are you okay?”

  I nod. “I’m so sorry, Cam. I’m so sorry I left you.”

  “It’s okay, here, come here.” He holds out his arms, and alongside his fearful energy, he’s oozing with pure happiness. He pulls me in and holds me tight.

  I don’t deserve the comfort he gives, not after leaving him like I did.

  “You pathetic human,” a voice breaks the silence.

  I back away, shifting my attention around the room, desperate to locate the source. I shove Cameron behind me despite his best attempt to do the opposite.

  “Trust me,” I command, firmly gripping his shoulders and turning back around.

  I locate a flaw in the seam, something I’ve been so fucking afraid
of since I first stepped foot in the shadow realm. It continues to break and fissure, a complete blackness on the other side.

  “I do thank you, though. Your weak attempts have only given me the power I need.” The voice cracks and echoes.

  Cameron shivers from behind me. “What the fuck is that? Where are we?”

  I can’t answer his questions, not even if I wanted to, but that doesn’t stop me from asking my own.

  “Who are you?” I ask the mystery voice.

  “You mustn’t need my name, for it would make no difference.”

  The barrier between this world and the next continues to break, and I do the one thing that comes to mind.

  I grab Cameron’s hand, rushing to the entrance, muttering the words that have never once failed to get me out of here, unfortunately this time, they do exactly that.

  “Oh, you thought it would be that simple, Miss Oliver.” Laughter bellows.

  “Cameron,” I urge, gripping his hands in mind. “I want you to go over there, stay in the corner, do not come out. Do you hear me?”

  “What is happening, Willow?” He’s so afraid.

  And it only continues to tear me apart.

  The wall crumbles, darkness consuming the entire right side of the room.

  “Now!” I yell. Not breaking my concentration from Cam, I summon my strength and focus it solely on him. “Protecum morkai.”

  “A protection spell, how cute.” The voice appears closer, a sludge of a shape creeping into the shadow realm.

  “What do you want?” I say, the surge of my magic gushing through me more profoundly than I’ve ever known.

  “Well, you have something that belongs to me, and I’m here to claim what’s rightfully mine.” The shape forms, a figure so tall their body is curved by the ceiling, like a Christmas tree that didn’t quite fit, although this sight is massively more terrifying than a too-big pine.

  “And what’s that?” I know damn well that I understand what his answer will be.

  The creature laughs again, and I’m unable to decipher where his face begins and ends. There is no distinguishable head, only tiny pinpricks that glow where eyes might be. All he seems to be is a mass of black, surrounded by a gloomy shadow that’s so straining on the eyes it’s difficult to stare for too long.

  “Give me what is mine,” he says from no mouth, “and I will let your pitiful human live.”

  You can do this, Willow.

  Without allowing another second to pass, I beckon my magic.

  “Fotum brunai,” I whisper, feeling the surge and looking down to watch it take shape on the outside of my body. A beautiful shade of electric pink, starting from my shoulders and making its way down onto my hands, sizzles to life. Raising one hand slowly, I whip it forward and send the demon straggling back a few feet.

  Holy shit, this is it, I’m going head to head with a fucking demon.

  “Nice try,” the demon teases and flips what I think is an arm, sending a force so sudden that I’m also thrown back and slammed into the wall.

  I wince at the immediate pain, my shoulder hanging there, dislocated. A sudden déjà vu hits me, bringing me back to the nightmare I had the first week of school.

  A low guttural growl fills the space, like in the dream, and I assume that this is it, I’m going to be torn to shreds, the same thought I had then.

  I close my eyes and urge every bit of me to find its strength, afraid that when I open them, I’ll find the same fate from my dream, but when I do, a small halo of light appears, and I realize it’s coming from me, from my radiating magic.

  I force another blow to the demon, sending the mass shooting to the other side of the room in retreat.

  “You cannot beat me,” it growls and fires another blow in my direction.

  Anticipating its move, I surge my energy forward, blocking the attempt. This time the laugh comes from my own body. I just blocked a shot from a demon.

  Cameron gasps, and I take a split second to look over my shoulder and make sure he’s okay.

  The demon, seeing my weakness, fires another, and before I can fully jump out of sight, the blow lances my injured shoulder.

  Fireballs of heat course through my body. Pure, wholesome pain rips through me, and I know for sure there is serious damage done to my shoulder. I pull my arm to my chest, shielding the rest of my body and focusing all of my magic to rush to my uninjured arm.

  I’m about to unleash another jolt when the energy of the room changes and someone appears in my peripheral.

  Shit. I thought I might be able to hold off this demon, but there’s no way I can handle more than one assailant at once. I go to retreat, and my gaze finally settles on the newest member.

  It’s not a demon at all, it’s Silas.

  He flashes toward me, using whatever super vampire speed he has and steps in front of me, standing between me and the demon.

  “Christ, Willow, you’re injured.” He blurts out the words, but I cut him off.

  “I’m fine, but we’re screwed. The portal is locked from the inside, there’s no way out. We have to take him out first.”

  “Ahh, this continues to grow more interesting, my dear,” the demon taunts, floating around the entrance to his home realm.

  Silas peers over his shoulder and whispers so only I can hear, “Sydney was right behind me, he shouldn’t be long.”

  I nod, glancing at Cameron and turning back to the demon.

  “On three,” Silas mutters. “One… two…”

  On command, we both split. I throw a massive ball of fire I had no idea I was capable of at the demon, and Silas slams into him from the opposite direction. I had no idea he could manifest his power that way, but damn if it isn’t a beautiful sight. Light violet and gray orbs pulse from his fists, landing a few blows on the demon and then using his speed to get away.

  The demon twirls around from the impact, and as he rights himself, he throws two balls of power toward Silas and me. We both jump out of the way, but the residual energy gets too close for comfort to Cameron. I watch the darkness hit the protective dome surrounding him, threatening to break through with no success.

  Silas and I exchange a glance again and throw another set of blows toward the demon. We go on like this for what seems like eons, until finally, Sydney bursts through the realm, only to stop dead in his tracks and then fall to the floor the moment Deghan follows him through.

  “What the f…?” one of them says.

  “A little help,” Silas shouts.

  Sydney quickly shakes his head, resolving to not ask questions and powers himself up, the green magic flowing almost immediately. It’s hard not to notice how magnificent he is, how all of them are with their abilities on display.

  Deghan partially shifts, wolf fangs and claws exposed on his human body, his golden eyes glowing with a rage so ferocious.

  Cameron’s helpless energy pulses from behind me, and I desperately send him a ball of relief to ease him. It penetrates the barrier, and he resolves a little.

  Thank god for my ability to calm people. Especially considering how dangerous it is for me that their nervous energy becomes mine—it’s nice to nip it and do what I can to eradicate it.

  “Good, this is great. I can eliminate you all in one fell swoop. If anything, I should thank you,” the demon taunts, and then dives down, coming toward Deghan.

  Sydney throws two green balls of power toward the demon, who misses his target, and Deghan takes the opportunity to pierce the demon’s body with his talons.

  Silas and Sydney exchange nods, somehow telepathically strategizing their next move.

  Never in a million years did I expect to see Silas and Sydney come together, but here I am, witnessing them fight perilously side by side to protect me. At all costs.

  A strange ooze falls from the demon’s wound and sizzles on its way down. Gross.

  “Enough,” the demon screams. Immediately, his body widens and stretches, and a boisterous power soars from him, blasting Deghan, Sydn
ey, and Silas away from me and to the floor.

  I shift my focus around to all of them and revel at the anger that consumes me.

  The demon settles his attention directly on me, and with the burning rage from within, I blast off my power, crashing it into him, and somehow, he deflects most of the hit and forces it onto the closest target—Silas.

  Silas’s body is thrown violently across the room, slamming into a wall, bones snapping from the impact.

  My heart fucking breaks. I never meant to hurt him; I meant to hit the demon.

  I rush to Silas’s side, drawing his head into my hands, his lifeless body falling limp in response. My soul aches, desperate for him to open his eyes, to deny what just happened.

  Please, Silas, just wake up. Please, it can’t end like this.

  The demon takes the moment to advance on me, creeping closer, daring to steal what he thinks is his.

  A force so intense I can’t explain bubbles up within me, and without even really knowing why or how, I scream.

  I scream so loud that I lose track of where my voice ends and the ringing in my ears stops.

  I scream until blood pools from my nose, my ears, my eyes.

  I scream and build a magical strength that is so vast it consumes me whole.

  I scream until there is no light at all within the room, until every bit of illumination is trapped within my diaphragm, and I scream, I scream until I release it all back out into the world, into the shadow realm, into the demon hovering in front of me terrorizing me and the ones I care for.

  I scream until the demon disintegrates into nothing but dust floating through the air like debris from a burning building.

  I scream until hands find their way on my shoulders, rubbing and stroking and quietening the seemingly endless supply of rage overwhelming me.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  I stop screaming, but it’s like there’s this other version of me inside of my head not letting up.

  Silas’s head is still tucked in my lap; tears roll down my cheeks.

  My vision goes blank, other than the sight of him, limp, unmoving… gone.

  At my doing.

  I go numb along with him.