The Roses Academy- the Entire Collection

by Tara Brown

  Tristan and Phillip strolled up behind Ari. I smiled at how cute they were, holding hands, oblivious to the world, even if it was ending. They came strolling over as if this were a romp in the forest until Tristan scowled at Oliver and Ophelia.

  She ripped her arm from Oliver’s and hurried over to her brother. “Hey.” She even sounded weird, upset.

  Something was going on there too.

  I was missing everything.

  I glanced back at the group just in time to catch Marcus smiling softly at Hanna. She was the only thing in the world that made him appear human. His obsession with her took away some of my hate. Not enough of it.

  “All right, Marcus, get to it.” Lorri burst into the forest. “I have a huge screwup to deal with in Asia and don’t have time for this right now. The other Roses Academies aren’t having a better week than you lot.” Lorri stalked out of the bushes in her Bogs boots. Her feet weren’t sinking in like mine.

  “Good evening, Lorri.” Marcus leered. “We have an issue, atop all the other issues. Oliver, Aleks, and I have been pouring over the old texts to devise a way so that Ophelia dearest, who likes to burn my hallways and irreplaceable art, can take the magic without killing Tristan. However, the mother must die at her hands first. It’s backward and we don’t know if Ophelia’s going to be strong enough to carry through with it.”

  Ophelia's face flushed. She lowered her gaze and glanced at Hanna under her lashes. Hanna licked her lips nervously.

  I had no idea what was going on.

  Lorri paced. “Okay, if we get the blue sisters to give O their magic and then she and Oliver kill their mother together, but O delivers the final blow and gets the magic, then it should be a snap for Trist to give O his magic and then she kills Jonathan.”

  I wondered if everyone else was lost.

  Lorri stared at us all as if it was going to be simple.

  “Are we done? Did you call this meeting for this pathetic problem?”

  “No.” Marcus scowled, visibly annoyed, and blinked at her. “Lorri, the blue sisters can't give the magic until the mother’s dead or Ophelia turns eighteen. The situation isn’t going to work the way we want it to. The laws of magic are the laws of magic.”

  I glanced around, wondering if I was the only nerd thinking this was just like Highlander. I glanced at Ben and knew I wasn’t. We had watched the movies together several times. I nudged his thick furry body and grinned. “There can be only one,” I whispered. He made his wolf chuckle and nodded his huge face.

  Lorri shot a glare at us. “Shut it.”

  I pressed my lips together and fought my grin. Ben dropped his head, ashamed.

  “Well, shit. Is the original witch going to fight us on this? Is she going to fight for her life? I thought she wanted Jonathan dead at all costs.”

  “Henry can help,” I spoke quickly.

  Marcus shook his head. “Lorri said shut it, Aimee.”

  “You shut it, Marcus.” My face burned with annoyance. “We all know where the heart is. If you sacrifice yourself and let Aleks tell him, Henry would owe us a favor.”

  Hanna's eyes shot open and I wondered if she loved him, even after everything that had happened.

  Marcus sneered, “Let's not. Just forget about Henry. His favors are never what you expect.”

  Lorri folded her arms. “Marcus is right. Henry will find a way to help us without actually helping. He’s fae, tricky creatures. He'll never betray O's mom. They're his family.”

  Dorian gave me a look, letting me know I was stupid. “Try to remember we took over their world, Aimes.” His patronizing tone annoyed me further.

  Ari glanced at the wolves. “What about Aleks’ dad? What if we give him to Henry? Would he help us then? The wolves can track him.”

  Lorri scowled. “Jon’s not caught so easily. We don’t have enough time for this to be our guaranteed plan.”

  Ophelia spoke up, “He'll come for me. I know he will. He’s still inside my head.”

  “Okay, that could work. But only half the team on that plan. Aimee, you and Lucas, Aleks, Ari, and Ben go to the wolves. The rest of you sort this blue balls of light problem for us.” Lorri still sounded impatient. “Because no matter what, we can't free Henry. We just can't. But if there is a way he could maybe free the witches’ spirits, wouldn’t they move on and leave their magic behind? Then O could take the magic, and she and Trist could go together to kill their mother. Then Aimee and I finally have a date with destiny. Henry wouldn’t have to know what was going on, except to think he’s saving his witch ancestors. Speaking of which, O, you stay away from Marcus’ house. Henry can read your mind.”

  “Oh, that won’t be a problem.” Ophelia was clearly angry.

  “She isn’t welcome anyway.” Marcus scoffed.

  “I don’t want to hear it.” Lorri's eyes were on fire when she snapped her fingers. “Make it happen. Find answers,” she spoke and was gone. No doubt to Japan. She had Roses Academies on every continent. Asia was a very intense section. It was where she spent the majority of her time.

  Ophelia maintained her annoyed expression. I hardened my face to resting bitch face and nodded at her, checking to see if she was okay. She swallowed and nodded back before turning and catching up to walk with Hanna. They spoke in hushed tones.

  Something was up with them. All of them.

  “Hey,” I beamed at Ari, “wanna go see some wolves about a madman now?”

  I wanted nothing like I wanted the revenge I deserved for my mother's death. Aleks’ father was number one on my list of people to suck dry.

  Ari's eyes sparkled. She put a hand in just as Aleks did and the wolves put paws in. Ari held her cell phone up for me to see the picture of where we were going and instantly we were there. The lodge in front of us was grand and more than I ever imagined for a bunch of weres. Wolves and humans walked amongst each other between huge log homes.

  Heads turned and teeth bared until they saw Ben and Luke. Then everyone ran at them, crying out. Wolves nuzzled and humans embraced.

  Ari, Aleks, and I stood and watched.

  Luke and Ben shifted and stood naked amongst their people.

  “Oh my God.” I averted my eyes. “That was more than I ever wanted to see.”

  “Yeah, they have zero issue with nudity.” Aleks laughed. “Wanna go meet the alpha?” he asked and took my hand.

  “I guess.” I took Ari's and tried to ignore the sparkle that happened whenever we touched palm to palm. We kept our eyes down and let Aleks lead us.

  The noise of the crowd was incredible. I wondered if any of them remembered Ben's death or if this was how it always was when they came home.

  I squeezed Ari's hand. She hadn’t been the same since Aleks and Ben came back at the cost of all the children and Sam. None of us had. Not that anyone wished Aleks and Ben were still dead. It was just a confusing pile of shit, as always. Nothing was simple for us. Not even walking through a wolf village.

  A loud voice boomed across the lawn, “You bring this here, Lucas? This angel of death? To my doorstep?”

  My face flushed and my feet froze. There were only two angels of death and Dorian wasn’t here.

  A huge man stood before me. He and Aleks were the same size, massive. But Aleks stepped in front of me.

  The man was older, forties maybe. Salt-and-pepper hair crested his brow and sideburns. And an angry expression wrinkled his face.

  Not that I expected a different greeting.

  No one was ever happy to see me.

  Lucas and Ben came running over, pulling on sweatpants. “She’s with us. Look at her hand.”

  The man's eyes darted to the ring on my hand. I fingered it nervously.

  His bright blue-green eyes watched me. “You're a Rose?” He said it as if it should be impossible.

  I nodded.

  Aleks moved to be more in front of me. His rigidity made me nervous.

  He glanced at Aleks with disgust. “She’s your mate?”

  Ale
ks laughed. “Yeah.”

  “Dear God,” the man muttered.

  “What?” I had to ask.

  “Nothing.” The man shuddered like he might vomit at the thought of it.

  Lucas grinned. “Let's just go inside.”

  Some of the women eyeballed me. When their eyes landed back on Aleks, they started playing with their hair and batting eyelashes.

  Sparks flashed at my fingertips as I snapped my fingers, surveying the homes.

  “Aimes.”

  “What?” I questioned Lucas who wore the shittiest grin ever.

  “Keep it in your pants,” he mumbled and walked inside.

  I had no idea what to expect or what was going on.

  Chapter 4

  The tree of life and death

  Ophelia

  “You need to stop thinking the worst of people and ask questions. You can’t just assume things.” Oliver growled, dragging me across Marcus’ lawn to the car. “I’ll see you in a few days when we’re going over the plan.”

  “You aren’t coming?” I pulled my hand from his. He’d embarrassed me in front of Hanna and I was getting angry.

  “No. You know I can’t.”

  “So you’re staying here?” I laughed in his face. My annoyance was becoming irrational.

  “It’s the best place for me.” Oliver sighed impatiently.

  “Fine.” I turned and stomped to the car. With every step I took, the ground shifted.

  “O, wait!”

  The earth was attacking him and trying to separate us.

  “Can you stop this?” He was flashing out of the way of the shifting dirt. Anger had brought my earth and fire magic. I didn’t glance back. “O, stop being a pain in the ass. This is juvenile.”

  “That’s probably because I’m a kid,” I snarled back.

  “Yes, your age and lack of wisdom and patience are showing.” He folded his arms, smugly.

  A wall of fire shot up from the ground and separated us, circling around him. He tried to flash but couldn’t.

  Through the flames I smirked. “Oh, look at who learned to make a hellfire wall.”

  “You are pressing your luck.” He warned with his tone. “Now you’re really acting like a child.”

  “Like I just said, I am a child.” I climbed into the car and started it. After I backed up and put it in drive, I snapped my fingers and the hellfire ring was gone. A black stain remained on the grass and cement where it had burned a hole into the earth. The driveway was completely ruined.

  Marcus was going to shit when he saw it.

  I hated the fact I wouldn’t be there to see the spectacle. His fit would be epic. The driveway would have to be filled in. Not to mention, the huge spikes of dirt and rock that had grown up in his yard, those would need tending to. I didn’t even know how he would get rid of them. I didn’t really care. He was a snooty bastard.

  Hopefully Lydia hadn’t felt me casting. She got spicy about hellfire. I didn’t even know why she’d taught me how to do it. It seemed pretty dangerous. It held a fallen angel prisoner; that had to be bad.

  Only Henry, my mom, and I could conjure it. Blake had learned to make weapons from it, but he had taken the information into the past with him. Thankfully.

  In the rearview, I watched as Oliver vanished.

  “Asshole,” I muttered.

  As I glimpsed back, I mouthed a small “thank you” for the fact he couldn’t flash into a moving object. As long as I remained moving, he couldn’t catch me.

  And once I was at Lydia’s, he wouldn’t try to. Not again.

  I ran a light and froze the cars in the other lanes of oncoming traffic. I slowed everyone down and sped myself up.

  Relieved that I’d gotten away with pinning him behind hellfire, I pulled onto the oak-lined street. I groaned, “Shit!” He stood at the boundary of where he could go, waiting for me.

  Dark mist swirled around his feet. His eyes were menacing. I pressed the gas harder but when I got close, he didn’t flash or move. I slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop.

  He was clearly angrier than before, storming to the side of the car and ripping the door off completely. “Ophelia, if you ever cast hellfire at me again, I won't be able to control my actions.” His nostrils flared and he seethed.

  I giggled nervously, seeing the car door in his hands.

  “I’m not kidding.” He threw it to the ground and dragged me from the car.

  “Don’t!” I pushed against him, shocking him.

  Nothing hurt him, especially not when he was feeling sassy. My hands worked magic without me casting. Ice crept along his tattoos and muscles. His freezing-cold fingers gripped me tight. “Get control of it now.” His skin was blue and matched his shirt.

  Realizing it was pointless, I pulled back the magic and let it dissolve inside me.

  He glared. “Stop using magic like this. Every time you get pissy, you can't be shocking and lighting fires and destroying people's things.”

  “Fine,” I growled.

  “And you and I need to stop being around each other right now. It's best for you to spend the time with Trist and Annabelle anyway. They can help you.” His fingers bit into my arms and I realized what he was doing. He was sucking from me.

  “Sounds good.” I shoved him hard and strolled past him. “See ya ‘round, Oliver.” My arms burned where he had taken my life force. It was renewable but he had taken magic. That was creepy, like stealing. I didn’t know he could do it, until I felt the taint of him in me.

  When I crossed the line of the border I immediately felt better. Cleaner.

  Annabelle opened the door and smiled. “Ya been casting bad things, Ophelia. Now, honey, what did Annabelle tell ya about that?” She put her hands on her apron and skirt.

  “Not to.” I sighed and walked into the house. “I need a bath, Annabelle.” I needed to be clean of the magic-stealing fingers that were just on me. And the scene at Marcus’. And the way Hanna stayed there, even though I knew he had taken her bracelet off on purpose.

  “Hmmmm hmmm.” Annabelle made noises and grunted disapprovingly.

  When I got upstairs, I climbed into the huge tub that water was already pouring into. The bubbles climbed over my chest as Tristan walked in.

  “O, you casting hellfire? ‘Cause Oliver said you did, but I was like ‘No. No way. Not my sister.’ And he was like ‘Yeah, she did.’ And he said it all grumpy.” He sat on the toilet with the lid down and played with his phone.

  “Dude. I'm in the bath.”

  He smiled. “Girl, please. Anyway, I got the scoop on the witch who cast the spell on your family abode.”

  My ears perked up. “What?”

  “Yeah. The witch who guarded you all those years.” His eyes sparkled with suspense.

  I rolled mine. “Spit it out.”

  He cackled. “Okay, so there was a woman in the room with us when we were being born. Apparently, she was Mom's sister. Not sure what that means, but like I think it means sister in witchy stuff. Not that it matters. So, this witch sister birthed us but apparently only one of us was supposed to come out. They didn’t see a second baby in any of the ultrasounds. Mom thinks you were using your wee baby magic to cloak yourself, so Jonathan couldn’t see you and kill you. That woman got you out. She found you a fake mom and dad and gave you to them. She made them believe you were theirs.” He almost gasped for air. “Seriously though, she has some badass skills for reals. Then she put a guard on the house; she died doing it.”

  “That’s crazy.” I didn’t know what to say. I gazed down at the water. The story made me sick. I couldn’t imagine ever loving something or someone enough to guard them. “So you think this whole plan’s going to work?”

  His face grew grave. “No. I think Jonathan’s going to win. He always does. He and Lorri used to be together. That’s why she chose him to fall with her. She didn’t realize her love for him was why she trusted him. Love and trust sometimes need to be separate things.”

  �
��Him and Lorri?”

  He nodded once with a hopeless expression. “He raped humans and made monsters and let them all hurt God's creations. When Lorri found out, she couldn’t kill him. Her heart was broken but she still loved him.”

  “You sure it was Lorri?”

  “Yeah.” He continued, “She didn’t want to fall, O. God asked her to. He needed her to fall. The angels who had fallen first were making it hell on Earth.”

  Again, I stared down at the water, unsure of what to say. “Wow.”

  “Phillip and I just want a normal life. I know it’s never going to be normal, but we want whatever’s closest.”

  “I know how you feel.” My heart hurt. I would do anything to be back home, dating Jake and my world being no bigger than the town I lived in. “There was a boy, before. I liked him so much, but he didn’t really like me. Then one day he did. He liked me. Everyone liked me. They invited me to parties and they wanted to be my friend.”

  “Magic.”

  I was hurt. “Is that the only way you think that would happen for me?”

  “No.” He looked down. “I know how it feels for things to work out when you wish them.”

  “Phillip?” My voice was small and shaky.

  He shook his head. “There was another boy. I didn’t love him. I hated him. He was a shifter. He was so mean to me so I just wished for him to love me. He would want me and couldn’t have me. I wished it out of spite. It was horrid. Phillip hated me. He was so angry but I didn’t understand how I had cast it. The boy suffered and Phillip thought I loved someone else, until Oliver broke it. Well, made Lillith break it. Oliver explained it to me. He said that when a witch's magic is coming into them, they cast when they wish for things really hard and don’t know it. Now my body can tell the difference between magic and just a daydream, but back then it couldn’t. Oliver was really nice to me.”

  “I did the same. I cast on a whole town of people. My entire high school. I just wish it was real, that I was back there and none of the rest of this was happening.”

  Tristan put his hand over mine and frowned. “Kind of an assy thing to say to your only brother.”

  I snorted. “I still want you to be there with me, but I wish everything else would just be fixed.”