With their hands in mine, we ran out the front doors of the Great Hall and toward the courtyard. They giggled and skipped alongside me. I stepped off the sidewalk and stopped, then pulled my hands out of theirs. The sky above us was a glorious, cloud-free blue, and the sun shined down uninterrupted. It was warmer out, so the air wasn’t stinging my skin.
I rubbed my hands together and summoned my magic.
“Wait, no!” George pulled on my arm.
Freddy tugged my other. “You have to do it like Elsa did in the movie.”
I frowned. “Right. Um…how did she do it?”
They both pointed to my feet.
“OH. Right!” The scene came rushing back to my memory. I smiled and focused my energy into my foot. I took a deep breath then stomped my Converse into the dirt.
Ice flew out from under my shoe and spread across the courtyard faster than a wildfire. It covered every inch of the grass that had died away for the winter. I threw my hands out and grabbed control of my magic then stopped it from spreading any farther.
Cheers erupted behind me.
I gasped and spun around to find students sprinting toward me. They all wore huge smiles, and excitement flickered behind their eyes. They didn’t slow down either. They charged straight for the frozen courtyard. I leapt out of the way and shook my head. They didn’t have ice skates on. They were just sliding around like crazy people.
Water bubbles floated next to me, and then Tegan appeared. She arched one eyebrow at me. “Girl, what did you do?”
I grinned. “Boost morale?”
She looked at the courtyard of people sliding around, then back at me. “You call that morale boosting?”
Then she thrust her hands forward. Rainbow magic poured out of her and into the courtyard. My eyes widened. I followed her magical trail, and my jaw dropped. One by one, as her magic moved over the crowd, their shoes turned into ice skates.
Tegan hopped onto the ice and her boot-skates glided over my creation. She spun to face me. “Rookie.”
“Show-off!” I laughed and threw a snowball right at her face.
Tegan skated backwards and curled her fingers. “Come at me, bruh.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Bettina
“I don’t want to sound melodramatic or anything…” Warner said as he slid to a stop in front of me. He grinned and nodded behind me. “But I think I’m being replaced as the best friend.”
I frowned. “What— OH.”
Tennessee and Jackson stood on the sidewalk between the frozen courtyard and the Great Hall. They both had their arms crossed over their chests and similar scowls. Tenn was a couple inches taller and a shit-ton scarier. At least Jackson wore a gray shirt and blue jeans, whereas Tenn was in his uniform.
Neither of them was skating.
And they were the only two people who weren’t skating.
Warner sighed. “I guess it was a good run while it lasted.”
I giggled and spun back around. I didn’t want the sight of Jackson to ruin my good mood. He was being colder than the ice we were skating on. I grinned. “His loss, then, eh?”
He slid closer then pointed to my left. His hazel eyes sparkled in the sunlight. “That doesn’t bother you?”
I knew what he was pointing at before I even looked. “Tegan and Lennox?”
“Yeah, those two are tight.”
“It was only Tegan and me all our lives. We didn’t have other friends.” I smiled and looked over to where my two best friends were skating toward us. “Tegan is my sister, and no one will replace her. And vice versa. But Lennox is awesome and so much fun. She’s a great friend to have, so I’m happy to have her. Besides, Tegan has a twin, too. And they’re really tight. I mean, did you see last night?”
Warner shuddered. “True.”
“Besides, when you were in the balefire, that was all Jackson cared about. I’m sure he hasn’t conveyed that, but you should know.”
Warner smiled and his cheeks flushed. “That’s good to know.”
“What’s good to know?” Tegan asked as she glided into our little circle. “I’m being nosey.”
I chuckled. “Warner was asking if he should feel concerned that Jackson is replacing him for bestie.”
Tegan’s smile vanished. Her pale eyes shot right over to her soulmate. “Jackson has had immense pressure on him his entire life, just like Tenn has. They’re kindred spirits. Look at them. Neither one of them knows how to unplug and just have fun. I think they’ve found comfort in finding someone who understands them.”
Warner opened his mouth then shut it. “Well now I feel like shit.”
“Yeah, me too.” Lennox’s jaw hung open. She pointed off to the right. “Look at them. They make it look so easy!”
We frowned and followed her point…just as Deacon threw Emersyn into the air. Em’s platinum blonde hair flew around her as she spun in tight circles then landed perfectly like she was some Olympic ice dancer.
“Em was an athlete. Girl has coordination.” Tegan’s grin turned wicked. “And Deacon is a talented dancer.”
Royce skated by us then flipped and skated backwards. He wagged his eyebrows, and nodded his head toward Deacon. “How high you think I gotta throw you before Tenn will charge out here?”
Tegan’s eyes sparkled. She charged at Royce with a grin. They laughed and disappeared into the crowd.
“I wanna be thrown,” Lennox whined. She pouted her lips and then gasped. “OH, Cooper!”
Warner shook his head like he thought they were crazy. But I wanted to try it, too.
“C’mon.” I grabbed Warner’s hands and started pulling him away from the cluster of kids. “Let’s try it.”
“If I hurt you, Tegan will have my ass.”
I chuckled. “Warner, it’s ice. That I made. I’m not gonna get hurt—”
“WATCH OUT!”
“TINA!” Lennox screamed.
I spun just as Lennox went flying over our heads. She screamed and sank toward the ice in a free fall. I gasped and threw my hands out, and the ice shot up in a curve. Her back hit it, then she slid down to the flat surface, right to my feet, headfirst. She looked up at me and cringed. “Mistakes were made.”
“Well, maybe you shouldn’t have picked Cooper to throw you,” I said with a laugh.
Lennox groaned and pushed herself up. “I was more focused on someone being strong enough to throw me.”
“Whoa, Tina, what…what are you doing?” Warner frowned and spun in a circle. “Is—are you nervous? Is that what this is?”
“What do you—” Then I saw it. “That is not me.”
All around the courtyard, white smoke seeped out from the ice, billowing into the air around us. It spread across the frozen courtyard inch by inch. People froze in their tracks. They glanced around with sharp eyes. Some of the younger kids huddled together.
“Bettina?”
“Warner, that’s not me.”
No one moved. My Coven-mates eyed it.
The smoke billowed up as tall as us and then it twisted and took the form of humans. My heart stopped. Oh no. No, no, no. The smoke darkened before my eyes until three dozen mean-looking men with long sharp blades surrounded us. The one in front of me had yellow eyes and a menace I could pinpoint anywhere.
Joseph.
I pulled my hands up, ready to attack when suddenly there was screaming from all over the courtyard. Students fled the, slipping and scrambling on the ice to out of the way. People bumped into me left and right. I threw my hands down and summoned my magic. The ground trembled under our feet and then the ice in the courtyard was a gone. I flicked my wrists and all of those ice skating blades I’d put on them vanished.
This was panic and there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn’t even see my Coven-mates anymore. Oh, Goddess, what do we do?
There was a flash of white light so bright I hissed and spun away. The air turned salty and damp. I heard waves rolling and crashing on a beach. What the hell?
Standing in the center of the courtyard was the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen. She stood tall and confident, with wild red hair that fell in beachy waves all the way down to her knees. Parts of it were braided with shells and crystals. In fact, her entire corset-bodice was made of shells and crystals. The silky material floating down from it was the deepest, richest blue, like the bottom of the ocean floor.
Her eyes flashed bright lavender. “Go,” she ordered calmly.
I gasped and spun in a circle. They were gone. Each and every shadow was gone. In the blink of an eye. I couldn’t believe it. I sighed and pushed my hair back.
“What the bloody hell just happened?” Jackson wiped sweat off his brow with the back of his arm. “Who are you?”
“Keltie,” Tennessee said from suddenly right beside me. He walked by, his eyes locked on our visitor. “Thank you.”
Tegan appeared next to her. She smiled but there was tension in her eyes that I didn’t like. “Keltie,” she breathed and gripped the crystal hanging from her neck.
“Henley…” Royce mumbled from behind me.
“I know,” she whispered back. “Come on.”
Then the two siblings pushed past me and hurried over to stand beside Tenn. Cooper walked up next to Tegan, his face pale like he’d just seen a ghost. Emersyn flew through the crowd and tackled the woman in a tight hug.
“Thank you!” Emersyn said softly. When she pulled back, her eyes were red.
I frowned. I knew we were damn lucky this mystery woman showed up and scared off Joseph’s army…but I didn’t understand it, or Emersyn’s teary reaction.
Keltie, as they called her, smiled, and her teeth were sparkly white. “Empress, you’re welcome. And where is your soulmate? How is he?”
“I’m here.” Deacon emerged from the crowd and joined Em.
“Ah, Deacon.” Keltie’s smile widened. She reached out and pulled the collar of his shirt down. Her eyes sparkled. “It has healed nicely. I’m glad.”
His cheeks flushed. “It was thanks to you guys. All of you, especially Leyka and Saffie.”
Keltie’s smile vanished, and her eyes turned sharp. “I am afraid that is why I’m here.”
Tegan nodded. “Saffie?”
“Saffie.” Keltie turned to Tegan and nodded. “I do not interfere with your world without great care. You know this. Did you find the spell I requested of you all those months ago?”
Golden light flashed in Tegan’s hands, and then the Book of Shadows sat in her palm. She flipped the book open then turned it around to show Keltie. “This is it, right?”
Keltie sighed and her shoulders dropped. “Yes. I was afraid it had been lost.”
Tegan smiled. “I keep my promises.”
“Good. Because that is why I come to you now.” She glanced over to Tennessee, then back to Tegan. “It is time to break Saraphina of her curse. And you must do it now.”
Tegan nodded and turned the Book back into a crystal necklace.
“I will give you half an hour to secure your people inside.” She raised her hand, and the ocean appeared behind her. “Then I will meet you there.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jackson
Cooper shut the front doors of the Great Hall, then turned and yelled, “Time check?”
“Twenty-eight minutes,” I shouted back.
We’d managed to get all of the students and staff back inside without running out of Keltie’s time limit. It was just The Coven outside, but I knew some of us needed to get back in there to maintain order.
I crossed my arms over my chest just so I wouldn’t look as nervous as I felt. “So…where are we going? And who is going? I’m assuming not all of us.”
Tennessee cursed and eyed the courtyard. “I don’t like anyone leaving. He’s not done.”
Kessler arched one eyebrow at his son. “But you’re going.”
It wasn’t a question. Tennessee nodded.
“I’m going,” Deacon said with a rough voice, like his emotions were getting the best of him.
“And I am, too.” Emersyn wrapped her hands around Deacon’s arm.
“We’re going,” Royce said and pulled Henley toward Tegan.
“Me too.” Cooper nodded.
Bettina’s eyes widened.
My pulse quickened. That was seven of them. Seven of our strongest, most powerful Cards. All wanting to leave at the same time. I didn’t like it.
“Whoa…guys…I don’t know.” Easton shook his head and shuffled his weight around. “That’s a lot of you—”
“What if Joseph comes back?” Chutney asked in a small voice.
Constance frowned. “Maybe some of you should—”
“Stop.” Tegan’s eyes were dark and haunted. She gripped that crystal hanging from her neck like it was an oxygen tank. “Saffie was cursed for over three hundred years because she helped us get home from 1692. The seven of us have a debt to pay. We are going. There is no negotiating. And we go now.”
“Be careful and good luck.” Bettina smiled and backed away.
Tegan’s white portal box opened up behind her. She glanced to the other six going with her and gave a grim nod. “Let’s go save Saffie.”
Then she turned and disappeared into the portal. Cooper, Royce, Henley, Emersyn, and Deacon followed after her without hesitation.
Tennessee paused just outside of it and turned to face us. “Stay safe.” Then he nodded and stepped into the portal. A second later, the portal vanished, and we were alone.
For a few moments, the rest of us just stared at the spot they’d just been.
“What do we do now?” Willow asked. She turned to Constance. “I mean literally, what do we do right now?”
Constance grimaced. “I’m going back inside the Great Hall with Daniel. The students need to see me there. Hunter, I’d like for you to join me with your magic. I’m sure it’s needed now.”
I frowned. “And the rest of us?”
She opened her mouth then sighed. Her eyes were tired. “Kessler, in lieu of your son, can you direct the others from here?”
Kessler squeezed her shoulder. “Of course. You two go on inside then and focus on the students. I’ll handle the rest.”
Constance and Hunter nodded then turned and slipped inside the doors.
The rest of us turned to Kessler.
He sighed. “Okay, I want—”
The front door swung open, and Paulina came walking back out. I frowned. Why isn’t she out here with— OH. Right. Shit. I kept forgetting. She wasn’t a Card anymore. She wasn’t in The Coven.
She gave us a sad smile. “Constance sent me out here, but she didn’t say why.”
Kessler frowned. “Because you’re one of us?”
“But I’m not anymore—”
“Paulina.” Kessler held his hands up. “You’ve been family for too long, and none of us want to see you go anywhere. You’re not human. You’re still arcana, and I know you have a lot more to offer than just some ghost-talking, okay?”
Her eyes filled with tears. She nodded. Braison wrapped his arm around her shoulders.
“And as a matter of fact, we need your skills right now. We need to fix the damage that’s been done. I want to be ready to move everyone back to their dorms as soon as it’s safe.” He took a deep breath and glanced around the group. “So Paulina and Braison, go inside and gather Lennox, Harlan, and any other Wands they suggest, then go around and start putting these buildings back together. Okay?”
“We can do that,” Paulina said with a smile.
Kessler rubbed the back of his neck. “Devon, give me all you’ve got. Surround the school. I wanna know if anything moves.”
She saluted then bounced off.
“Willow, can you set up an illusion to make us look like we’re back together? Just in case Joseph comes looking.”
Willow pushed her sleeves up and nodded. “On it.”
“Chutney, can you ask some of your friends to keep an eye on things?” Kessler snapped his fingers. “And see if one of them can check on Lonan? I want to make sure he’s okay after that fight.”
“Oh, Lonan is fine. I’ve checked him probably too many times than his pride enjoys.” Chutney grinned, completely unphased. “But yes, I will gather my troops.”
Bettina cleared her throat and raised her hand. “Um, excuse me, Kessler? What about food?”
Bentley jumped up from the step he’d been sitting on. “Oh, I handled that already.”
Kessler frowned and turned to him. “Say what, nephew? What do you mean you handled it?”
“I’m psychic, remember?” Bentley shrugged. “I saw, so I handled. Marcia Landry, her sister, and Cheryl Cole helped me.”
Kessler chuckled and shook his head. “Okay…uh, I guess I’ll leave you four to it. Go ahead, check with them and make sure everyone’s fed.”
“’Kay.” He spun and sped off into the building.
“Easton and Lily, I want you standing guard outside these front doors.” He pointed. “If anything not invited tries to get in…blind ‘em and bind ‘em.”
Easton laughed. “Blind ‘em and bind ‘em. I LOVE IT. Babe, we’ve got a catch phrase!”
“Look what you’ve done, we’ll never hear the end of it.” Lily chuckled then grabbed her boyfriend by the elbow and dragged him away.
It was just me and Bettina standing there now, and I was doing everything to avoid looking at her.
Kessler laughed. “All right, Bettina, I need you to report to Mona and Katherine in the infirmary. Make sure they’re good, okay?”
“No problem.”
I glanced up just as she slipped inside. Then I turned to Kessler. “I’ve never been picked last for the team.”
He hung his head and laughed. After a second, he rubbed his face. “You’re last because you’re first. You and I are going to move around, handle anything that arises.”
The Coven - Academy Magic Complete Series Page 92