The Masters of Magic
(The Coven Series, Book Three)
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the author, with the exception of brief quotas used in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. It cannot be re-sold, reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any manner whatsoever without permission from the author.
Copyright © 2018 Destiny Hawkins
PARANORMAL FICTION BY DESTINY HAWKINS
The Hunted
The Hunters
The Masters of Magic
Shattered Glass
Krystal Blue
The Dark Bloods
Abomination: An Alveya Tera Novelette
Frostbitten, Book 1 & 2
OTHER FICTION BY DESTINY HAWKINS
The Descendants
The Calling
White Heart: The Prophecy
Angel’s Blade: Episode One
Angel’s Blade: Episode Two
The Death Run
The Blood City
Caged 1 &2
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Broken Bonds
Chapter Two: The Arrival
Chapter Three: What Is to Come
Chapter Four: The Four Masters
Chapter Five: Beatrice Vs. Raven
Chapter Six: The Magic Realm 101
Chapter Seven: Fear
Chapter Eight: The Black Fairies
Chapter Nine: The Warlock
Chapter Ten: Lost and Found
Chapter Eleven: The Temple of Stars
Chapter Twelve: The Last Task
Chapter Thirteen: The Masters of Magic
The Masters of Magic
The Coven Series, Book Three
By Destiny Hawkins
Chapter One: Broken Bonds
I stood outside the cream tent with my hand grabbing at the side of my sweat pants. I had just finished my morning run and was panting, but my rapid heartbeat was from my growing anxiety. It was hard to enter the tent and face her after everything that’s happened. After the hunting and the separating of my family, how could I go in and simply talk?
She was one of them.
But she wasn’t the one who attacked us, I thought. She never even wanted to be a part of that life.
I sighed, remembering the days that Triana and I stayed at Alaina Jones’ orphanage. It was nice, and if we were normal humans then we probably would’ve formed a happy little family there. Ms. Jones would be like our mother, Triana and I already had an inseparable bond, and me and Felix would…
My cheeks warmed, but when I spotted movement between the opening of the tent, I remembered why I had come here and straightened my shoulders. With one deep breath, I raised my hand and hesitantly moved the curtain-like tent door away, then stepped inside.
Looking around, I noticed that I was in the Tent of Healing. On the outside, the tent seemed small, but inside it was large and spaced out, like a hospital with one floor and no separate rooms. Usually, they weren’t so big, but because of the hunter attacks and forthcoming war, they made sure that there was enough room for everyone. If everyone just so happened to get injured at the same time, of course.
I turned to my left to find rows and columns of healing beds. They were similar to hospital beds and could almost be mistaken as one if they weren’t floating a few feet over the ground with swirling blue and yellow healing magic beneath it. All it took was for someone to lie in one of those beds for their injuries to heal. How long the healing took was all up to the severity of the injury.
Turning to the woman in front of me, I spotted Ms. Jones sitting beside the Hunter Prince’s bed. She was facing me with her tired eyes focused on his unmoving body, and she looked pale. Ever since they had arrived, she had been tending to him, even after a medical team reassured her that he would be alright.
I didn’t understand why she was so attached to him after hearing her story of how she met the prince. Especially since they didn’t even know each other, but then I remembered how she helped Triana and I after Felix brought us in. She instantly helped us that day, and then protected us when Beatrice and her hunters came after us.
Ms. Jones was just a kind-hearted person.
I took in a deep breath, wondering how Felix’s talk went with Ms. Jones. He spoke to her the day after she arrived but never discussed anything with me. I thought that he would had said something by now but had to remember that he and Ms. Jones had a long history together. She practically took part in raising him, but the day he found out about her true identity, he had forgotten her kindness and only saw what was in front of him. I wondered what he thought of her now.
“M―Ms. Jones?” I said before clearing my throat.
Ms. Jones slowly moved her eyes up to mine and I thought that I saw a flash of anger, but then they immediately softened at her recognition of me. “Raven,” she said in almost a whisper. I could tell that she hadn’t slept in days by the way she sat in her chair with her elbows on her knees and her fingers clasped together. Her shoulders slouched, her eyes had dark circles under them, and her hair was wildly hanging down the sides of her face.
“Are you okay?” I blurted, worriedly. “You look as if you haven’t slept.”
Ms. Jones chuckled and removed her black rimmed glasses. “I haven’t. Been too worried about looking after this guy.”
I looked down at the hunter in our witch made healing beds and frowned, but then I sighed. He was one of the good guys, right? I shouldn’t resent him just like I shouldn’t resent Ms. Jones. They didn’t ask to be born as hunters. Only difference between him and her was that he’s hunted witches and probably even killed a few.
“You know, you don’t have to worry,” I said as I walked towards her. “These beds monitor everything. His heart rate, his bladder, his hunger―everything. He’ll be even better than you last left him after getting a good night’s rest.”
Ms. Jones forced a smile. “I’m not worried about his recovery. He and I are the only full-blooded hunters here, and with everything that’s going on, I can’t leave him alone and unguarded. There’s a lot of hate for our kind here even though we want to help. Some think we’ll betray you all, and others…well, they just hate us.”
I nodded, recalling the talk I’ve been hearing over the last few days. No one was willing to do anything violent, but there wasn’t one positive word spoken about the hunters on our ground. I didn’t even want to recall the hateful things I’ve heard others saying since their arrival.
“They just…need some time. Hunters have destroyed our way of living and families, so the thought of good hunters doesn’t sit right with everyone else. They’d rather believe that you were all heartless killers. Not allies.”
Ms. Jones nodded. “I completely understand, which is why I have to protect young Cas here. Besides,” she smiled. “I think he and Beatrice are close, and I couldn’t bear to see her heartbroken.”
I frowned at the sound of Beatrice’s name. She and her brother had chased us away from the orphanage with her hunter friends, then I learned that she let them take Ms. Jones prisoner.
I frowned. Ms. Jones really has a big heart. That’s for sure.
“Don’t be upset with her. Most of her life she had been with the hunters and neglected the witch inside of her. Now she understands who she is and wants to help.”
I sighed and gazed down at Cas. “Sure.”
<
br /> “You may not see it now, but the two of you have a lot in common. I believe that eventually, you’ll both find common ground.”
I gave a slow nod, withholding from rolling my eyes. “Yeah,” I said with much lack of enthusiasm.
Stop being a dick. You came in here to mend your relationship, didn’t you? I thought to myself.
Looking into Ms. Jones’ eyes, I found that they were still as soft as they used to be, but with a look of knowing. Like she had seen things that I couldn’t imagine, or maybe even like she was just tired of it all. Her rough appearance wasn’t helping on account that I was used to her elegant pencil skirts and neat hair buns. It was hard to decipher what kind of person she was now. Was she really elegant and sophisticated Alaina Jones anymore, or had she developed into someone else?
Not knowing any other way to find out the answer to my question, I just asked. “Ms. Jones…who are you?”
Ms. Jones stared back at me through all knowing eyes before slightly smiling. “Who do you think I am, Raven?”
I shrugged, averting my eyes. “I don’t know. Seems like you changed.”
“Seems the same for you,” she immediately replied. When I turned back to her, her smile had somewhat faded. “You and your sister are stronger than when I first met you, and with strength comes more confidence. So, you seem different too. Time does that to people, because within that time, things may happen that may call for another part of you to surface.”
“Oh…” I exhaled, suddenly feeling like the biggest idiot in the world.
“So? Who do you think I am?” Ms. Jones asked again.
I chewed on my lower lip, still seeing the woman I first met beneath the rough surface. “Ms. Jones?”
Ms. Jones chuckled. “Damn straight. I’m still Ms. Alaina Jones.”
My eyes slightly widened in amusement at the sound of Ms. Jones cursing, then a smile formed over my lips. “Yeah, you are.” I looked over my shoulder and noticed that the morning sun had brightened through the opening of the tent. “Well, looks like I have to get going. Training soon.”
“Okay, have a good day, Raven,” she said softly.
I nodded to Ms. Jones before turning around and walking towards the exit.
“Come visit again. I’ve missed you. You, Triana…and Felix.”
My heart ached at the thought of Felix’s and Ms. Jones cracked relationship and hoped that they mended it soon. The two of them deserved it. “I will. Don’t worry.” I stopped by the exit and held open the right side of the tent with my forearm. “You should get some rest, Ms. Jones. No one here will hurt you or Cas. I promise. We need as many people on our side as we can get.”
Ms. Jones nodded before dropping her eyes down to Cas.
Sucking in my lips, I turned around and was about to walk out when I nearly stepped right into Beatrice.
“O ― oh,” was all I could seem to get out.
Beatrice glared at me through brown eyes, but her expression remained blank. She and I hadn’t talked since she arrived at our new hidden dimension. We didn’t really have the best reunion, and I had nearly killed her before she even had the chance to explain everything. My assault ― Well, what I did ― wasn’t intentional. I was barely even aware of my power until it was used, and it wasn’t something that I could necessarily practice unless I wanted to kill someone or something.
I still remembered the fear that I felt after what I’d done. All I did was touch her, and for a moment, everything went sideways. Even though I saw Beatrice as the enemy, I never wanted to kill her.
Cristania had been instructed to train me on using a broomstick that day. I had spent some time practicing on my own but was told that I needed someone with more experience to instruct me, so they gave me my worst enemy and biggest rival.
Cristania and I never got along, so when it was time for me to fly with her on the back of my broom, I couldn’t fully concentrate on keeping balanced. Using my powers was already hard enough, and they expected me to use them better with Cristania as my instructor? That was the worst idea ever.
We ended up crashing in the middle of the woods and I had managed to roll right into Beatrice, who stood side by side with her brother, Bradly.
Confused, familiar brown eyes bore down on me as I took in Beatrice’s features. Skinny pale face ― not as pale as I remembered and slightly fuller ― neck length black hair, only slightly longer, and a familiar frown that I wasn’t all too fond of.
I frowned. “You.”
Beatrice’s eyebrows furrowed. “You?”
“Crap,” Bradly said.
Chapter Two: The Arrival
I jumped to my feet and backed away with a scowl on my face. “What ― How the hell are you here?”
Triana steadied herself on the ground beside me and hopped off her broomstick. “Bradly?” Her voice was more surprised in comparison to my angry tone, reminding me of how innocent my little sister was. She knew that they were the enemy, but clearly didn’t see them as one at the time. If anything, she was just curious as to why they were here. “What are you doing here?”
Bradly looked up at Beatrice. “What do we do?” he whispered right in front of me.
I rolled my eyes and was about to speak when Cristania marched up beside me. “What the hell are hunters doing here?”
Bradly snapped back to me and Cristania. “No, we aren’t hunters any―”
“We need your help,” Beatrice said. “Our friend is injured.”
My eyebrows furrowed, and I leaned forward. “You what? You really think any of us would help a hunter? You’re murder―”
“Look! We don’t have time for this,” Beatrice snapped. “My friend is dying.”
Clenching my teeth, I balled my fists. “You hunt and kill my people and think that I give a damn about your friend? What are you doing here!?”
Daggers appeared in Beatrice’s hands. “We don’t have time. We need to find help, and I will cut through you if I have to.”
The two of us glared at each other in silence before I noticed a shift in the air. Cristania noticed it as well, and I caught her glance over at Triana in question. There was no doubt that this magical energy was coming from her, but I didn’t understand how. She was still too young to have this kind of strength and only used it in matters of emergency, like for say, a hunter attack.
Beatrice only glanced at Triana before suddenly expelling the same powerful energy. Magical energy.
I wasn’t sure what got into me then, but the thought of this hunter having anything to do with magic infuriated me. It was almost as if she didn’t deserve whatever was going on with her, and she probably stole whatever magic she had. I didn’t know how, but at the time, I was sure of it.
Snarling, I leapt after her and threw a hard punch to her cheek. She didn’t see it coming because in a split second I had teleported directly in front of her and caught her off guard.
My teleportation may not have been intentional, but it was helpful in giving me the upper hand. Too bad it only lasted for so long.
Beatrice was a trained hunter and skilled in combat. Most of them were. With barely even a faltering reaction from my blow, she thrust her dagger at my lower stomach, but upon impact all I felt was her fist twist into my gut.
“Raven!” Triana squealed.
“Hey, guys! We shouldn’t be fighting!” I heard Bradly yell, but as I rose with an uppercut aimed for Beatrice’s chin, I blocked everyone around me out.
Beatrice saw my blow coming and swiftly dodged back, then returned fists of fury at my face, stomach, and chest. I barely even saw the punches coming before I found myself dazed and falling backwards.
I couldn’t figure out if it was the blow to the chin or my left eye that left me feeling dizzy, but as I fell backwards, I grabbed onto Beatrice’s wrist with my left hand. In an instant, power surged through me like lightning, causing my vision to blur with a bright blinding light burning my eyes. Energy rapidly pulled into me, filling my lungs, my blood, and muscles. In
only a few seconds, it had become more power than I could bear, and I let Beatrice go, then dropped to the ground.
Surprisingly, Beatrice fell beside me with a thud.
“Raven!” Triana’s voice echoed as she ran over to my side.
When I turned my head, I saw that Bradly was beside Beatrice screaming in a panic. Time moved slow as he shook her with tears filling his eyes, and when she didn’t move, vacantly staring up into the sky with her lips parted, rageful flames burst over his hands.
“Raven? Listen to me…” I heard Cristania echo.
Did I kill her? I wondered. Panic shot through me at the thought, and I swallowed.
Beatrice wasn’t moving. She wasn’t even blinking. All she did was stare up at the sky through dull eyes.
No, I’m not a killer.
Coming back to my senses, I shot into a sitting position and rolled over to my knees, then I examined Beatrice’s very still body. I knew that I had done something to her, but I wasn’t exactly sure what. All I could think of was to examine the place I grabbed her last, which was her wrist.
“What did you do?” Cristania asked in disgust.
Bradly sniffled, his flames growing hot around his fists. I couldn’t even think about how he was able to do that as I analyzed the purple bruise around Beatrice’s wrist. Stretching from the bruise were black veins that stopped at the bend of her inner arm, and I wondered how I caused this without knowing it.
“You killed her,” Bradly cried.
My eyes widened. “N ― no I didn’t,” I panted. “No.”
“Watch out,” Cristania said, kneeling beside me. She took Beatrice’s wrist in one hand and hovered her other hand over the bruises. “I don’t know how, but these hunters have magic. We can use them for interrogation and learn their plans.”
“We don’t have any plans,” Bradly snapped. “We came here for help. We left the hunters.”
Cristania’s hovering hand formed a white light beneath it, healing Beatrice and causing the black veins to slither back towards her wrist.
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